African grey for a couple?

[sowbird421]

I`n thinking about getting myself a CAG, but I have some doubt`s. From what I have been gathering of information about the CAG, I get the impresion that they are hyper sensitiv, one person birds, often with a fragile mind. I actually had an African grey about fice years ago, but i lost him. He shared some of the negativ traits that some say the greys have. For one thing, introducing a new toy could be hell. I would have to smuggel it into the room, then put it somewhere on the floor where he could watch it when he was out. Then I could gradually move it closer and closer to the cage, and finaly hang it up in his cage a day or two later.

All in all, the was the best bird I could ever have hoped for, and now I`m looking for a new one. But my sosial status have changed since my first grey, my girlfrind moved in some months ago. So the question is, would a CAG be a good choice for a couple? I know it would break my girlfriends heart if he should decide to ignor her, and I guess it would break mine if he did the same to me. We nead a bird that we both can safely handel, and that will enjoy time and cuddeling from the both of us. I guess much of it depends on how we work with him when he`s young? Anyway, any oppinions on this topic would be grealty appriciated!

[MattSacks]

Well hello! And glad you are considering a grey. I`m new here (my male CAG Thirsty made his first post last night - and this is my first post as well. I DO need to restrict his access to the `net!)...

Anyway, let me tell you about my CAG Toby. He just turned 6 on July 12th. Last night i read some posts about advice on what to do when you just bring your new baby home. I agreed with some, and disagreed with others. Here is what I did. I got Toby at only a few weeks old. I handled him all the time. As did my husband. However, his first DAY home was - what some would consider - TOTAL CHAOS. I had to bring him home on a Thursday night, not Friday like i planned. It would give me some time over the weekend to play with him, get him accustomed to his cage, etc. Well, that was not going to happen. Friday morning I was up at 6:30am feeding him his Gerber rice and apple cereal with a spoon, put some food in his dish and toy, put him in a carrier and off to work we went - for the next 10 hours! Yes, he went to work with me. Every day. For a year. (until i quit!) Everyone loved him there, and he was passed around from person to person - i barely saw him! The president of the company had him a great deal of the time and would play with him.(it`s amazing how many people would say `I always wanted an African Grey!) One guy, after a couple of weeks said i was raising a `wimp` and he need to be `rough housed` a bit!. Everyone could handle him and he LOVED IT...yes, he found someone he *really* liked. An elderly gentleman who took a lot of snack breaks. Toby would get down on the floor and run after him into the kitchen - luckily the guy only worked part time! Every morning when we would get to work Toby would go over to his chair, climb up on it and wait for him. But anyone could come and get him and we would play with them. My husband handled him at night and weekends as well. Toby went shopping with me, (he learned very quickly on to say `go bye bye car!`...oh - he also started speaking at 5 months of age)...He loved everyone! He goes visiting with me - well, let`s just say Toby goes EVERYWHERE and loves everyone! He talks and plays and does lots of tricks. He will lay on his back for HOURS (even sleeps!) - gets thrown up in the air (he`ll try to do it if i or someone else doesn`t give him a little `toss`)..he stands on his head, etc. He is the most social bird. People who meet him are amazed. (Especially pet store owners and one day i ran into his breeder one day after a year or so and he was amazed how he turned out! and quite pleased! - and no, at first he didn`t know it was one of `his` - and no, i didn`t buy toby from a breeder)..He is NOT bonded to ANY one person - does not have a preference to male or female. (in fact when he talks to guys he uses my husbands very deep voice - otherwise he uses my voice).

Toby is very trusting and doesn`t disciminate.

I don`t believe in parrots being `one-person-birds` at all. None of mine have ever been. No, Toby is not my only parrot, and not my first.

It is how they are raised. how they are handled.

As for the `toy phobia`. Some parrots are afraid of a new toy - just like a new food. If that is the case, put the toy near them and let them watch it for a few days. Take baby out (or adult if older bird) - and play with the toy yourself. Play peek-a-boo with it, or anything to show your grey you like the toy. Other birds love anything new.

I could go on, but don`t want to write a monstrous post!

You can check out www.tobynet.com - however, it only works right now in Internet Explorer - not any of the Netscape browsers. And there are some pictures, but only a few video and audio files. (and not the best ones, either )...I have over 10,000 UNNAMED video and audio files to go through - and rename! Plus the site needs updating. I just wanted to put something up since i paid for it! :-).....

But you will see Toby at play. Soon you can hear his extensive vocabulary and some of the tricks he does.

One other thing: Every night Toby and i cuddle. Yes, EVERY night since he came home - 6 years ago! He lays next to me, head on the pillow, blanket up to his chin - (on his back of course), and we talk and he generally falls fast asleep. My husband plays with him every night when he gets home from work, and on the weekends spends hours and hours with him. If anyone comes over, even strangers, he will go right to them - young, old, male, female - nothing matters. He is well adjusted, healthy - both emotionally and physically. He adapts well to any new situation. - in fact, doesn`t even realize it is a `new situation`.

Okay - enough for now. Look for a baby, preferably. If he/she is from a pet store and over a year old, he may not have been handled much, and if he/she has picked up any `bad habits` in that time, a little patience, love and some work on the negative behaviors should take care of that.

They don`t say CAG`s are cognitive, intelligent and lovable for no reason!

Hope this helps. leicarose

[HuFox]

No matter what you try, it`s always a risk that your new grey will take to one and not like the other at all.

I`d say make sure and get a baby Grey. I`d also suggest that you and your girlfriend find a breeder that will let you visit and help hand feed the baby before he is weaned. If you both visit and work with him as many times a week as you can, that might help.

One of my babies still tolerates me but loves her new owner with a passion. Although I can still get her to lay on her back on my hand and let me pet her it`s evident that she has her favorite, (and it ain`t me anymore... . Her new owner made a point of coming by almost every other day while I was hand-raising her and help feed her. I think that helped alot.

You might want to see what others suggest and then talk it over and decide if you want to try a grey. I`d hate to see you buy a grey and then give up on him because he won`t accept one of you. It wouldn`t be fair to the grey. I do believe you could succeed, but that depends entirely on how determined both of you are.

[galactic1]

grey about fice years ago, but i lost him. Kinds regards, Bj?rn Olav

[Nekkyousha]

No no i completely disagree, thats the doubt's i had that my CAG would take to either me or my bf, but with a lot of care, and making sure we spend a lot of time with her together she loves us both, we introduce her to every guest and get her comfortable enough to let them give her a stroke. just make sure you socialise your CAG well and there should be no problems. Remember that greys are social birds, who live in large large flocks, theres no reason why millions of years of this behaviour should suddenly disappear. This is of course my personal view on the matter, I hope it helps in some way.

 

 

-Terri