Your Grey AND OTHER PETS!

[LadyJayne4Toby]

We recently bought a Rotweiler puppy. She is fantastic but as she is so young, spends much of her time inside the house being pampered. Recently, she has become very playful and rolls around with our 2 young cats and little dog named Joey. As Toby my grey is never shut into his cage, he comes to find me from time to time - however, with the puppy now roaming the passages he has to watch out! Although Toby has MAIN MAN status amongst our pets, puppy has tried to play with him on more than one occasion.. I am anxious to find out how Toby will fare up to this growing pup as it will be the biggest pet to date that he has had to deal with. He does bite the pup when she gets too close but the pup sees this as being an invitation to play and tries to swat Tobe with her paw and bark at him. Im very worried that puppy may find Toby when I am not there one day and play with him a bit too roughly.... VERY WORRIED! I know that cat and dog saliva is bad for your bird, but how bad? And what should you do if your bird ingests saliva or is bitten by your dog or cat? Please let me know your oppinions!!

 

 

Worried!

[siobha9]

I hope you don't think I am being rude when I say this, but honestly if your grey gets bitten by a Rotweiler you won't need to worry about the saliva, as more than likely the grey will be dead.

 

A puppy of any breed is completely unreliable and under no circumstances should it have access to your grey. I have 2 dogs who tolerate my greys quite well, in fact I would go so far as to say the dogs are afraid of them. But I would NEVER give them an opportunity to hurt my greys. They are always supervised when they are together.

 

Many grey owners here have dogs and do allow the dogs to interact with the birds, but only supervised, and only because the dogs are older and have proven themselves to be reliable.

 

You are right to be worried!

[lovemyGreys]

I can only Echo what Siobhan has said.

I have two dogs,one is 8 years old & a 8 month old puppy.Im different that my 4 greys have their own birdroom but they do have time out of there & my dogs are never left unsupervised, no matter how reliable or obedient a dog is i would say that natural animal instinct would kick in . I now have a baby macaw & fortunately the dogs are petrified of her, they have their own space but when there with us they are both supervised at all times.

[BMustee]

The saliva from a dog or cat will kill your bird once in the blood stream...in about 24-48 hours...unless MASSIVE amounts of antibiotics are pumped into their system. Most of the time though a bird is not killed by the saliva because the internal damage does them in well before the bacteria takes hold. Given the fact that your rottie pup thinks a nip from the grey is an invite to play instead of a warning, and swats at him, I would say that the grey and the pup should only have LIMITED contact because a rough puppy could very much be the death of your grey. My grey has pretty much total freedom in my room, but only when I am home. When I leave for work he is locked into his cage. All birds should be put into their cages if there are other animals in the house and you are not able to supervise them. Not to sound mean or anything but if you keep letting your grey roam free with the new puppy, my money would be on the worst case scenario.<br><br>Post edited by: BMustee, at: 2008/06/07 10:22

[BMustee]

I just read your profile and there was a few things that I was a bit alarmed by. You said that you got a bigger bird because it could defend itself better...NOT TRUE!!! Greys are just as vulnerable to hawks and any other preditor as a conure. All parrots are prey animals and all can and will be an easy meal for a raptor...or dog...with the exception of maybe a Hyacinth or Buffons Macaws due to them being bigger than a lot of raptors. Also you said Toby has flown away twice. I know people are ether pro or con on this but you really should clip his wings if escape is that easy for him, because next time he might not come back.

 

I am a BIG fan of large dogs and plan on getting a German Shep. once me and my b/f get a house and I plan on becoming a K-9 officer in the future. Believe me that when I get a puppy it will be no where near Elmo until I know he can be somewhat trusted and with me between them. I really hope you heed the warning because I can already see a sad story being posted here.

[sandra902]

i have a german shepherd (fraulein inga) who is gently interested in merlin. they have only met a couple times as merlin stays in my office. merlin was also gently interested in inga as merl was fostered by a family with a rambunctious young labrador. i only allowed them to meet so inga knew merlin was in her house. she likes to keep track of such things. she doesn't much like being in my office as it is so far away from the front door.

 

i also have two cats, one young and full of the devil and a fine old gentleman. they NEVER have access to merlin's room.

 

i love the bigger breeds, especially rotties, but you'll want to get that power steering on them when they are very small and young otherwise they will be out of control before you know it. they grow so fast and are so powerful that an adolescent rottie can be a real danger to itself and others. but you already know that as one doesn't get a powerful breed like that unknowingly.

 

big time obedience with very little slack given is essential right now. please post pictures of your menagerie (especially the rottie - i love them!)!

[Lovelylew]

I hope you don't mind my reply, but there is no way I would allow any of my birds to be around a little puppy. Sounds like you're asking for trouble. Puppies chew on anything/anyone while they are teething. Please be careful your bird doesn't accidentally get harmed.

[Nychsa]

I think the resounding advice is, the puppy and the grey should not be left under any condition unsupervised - period.

 

I have to greyhounds, both 7 years old. They are quiet, and gentle dogs, and do very well with the birds, but I still would never leave them alone with each other. If I can't see them, the birds are either with me in another room or they are secured in their cages.

 

Even a dog who is accostomed to the birds is prone to sudden actions and it only takes one quick move of a dog to kill a grey. I won't take that chance under any condition.

[LadyJayne4Toby]

Thank you for all your advice everyone

 

Our home really is all about our animals - we joke that soon we will have to move out due to all our babies! We have always had very well behaved, well socialised animals and perhaps that has lead to a false sense of security when it comes to bringing a new pet home. You almost automatically think that they will fall into line! I now see how silly ive been thinking that Toby will remain top of the 'food chain' with the pup in the house. I HATE locking Toby in his cage but I cant imagine loosing him due to a bad call on this one. Thankfully I only work half days so he will be left with plenty of out of cage time when I get home in the afternoons! Better to be safe!!

 

(RE Tobys flying away incidences.. The first time he was a fledgeling and the vet refused to cut his wings for a few more weeks and the second time his wings were cut and he still flew off! Now they are really, really cut well...)

 

Thank you again for all your advice and concern!