CAG Grey v's another parrot's HELP

[magicalem]

I am trying to get sensei a new mate as I leave him alone from 6hrs to 10hrs a day in the week & I feel so so so bad.. even though he has complete freedom when i am home still feel like he needs some company....

 

Can anyone tell me what other birds pref parrots.... that get on with grey's and also have the potential to talk (I dont just want a whistling bird as trying to prompt sensei to talk.. so maybe even a older bird that has a volcaburary already...

 

any ideas.. I def canot afford a lot no where near as much the grey.... maybe even a much smaller bird... sensei has met budgies & macaws & got on with both so I know he is socialable....

 

Any advise would b greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Emz.. & Sensei..xxxxxxx

[Mansley]

My Friend owns an amazon, they are not as expensive as a grey and dont talk as much but he does talk a reasonable amount

 

Think they are only a couple of hundred cheaper but they are smaller.

 

The only thing with his amazon and i beleive they all do it is SKREETCH - very loudly

[magicalem]

hmmmmmm what about any others.... not sure if keen on the screetching.... lol.... hmmmmm equiring on net now.... thanx for advice....

[Toni]

I have a CAG and two DYH's.Now that Alcazar talks ALOT the screeching is NOTHING when you keep hearing Hello Alcazar scratch like 50 times in a row.

[magicalem]

what is DYH's sorry not up to speed with abbrivations lol...... what ones r good at talking & what ones r good for companionship for other bird would you say?

 

x

[danmcq]

Conures are good at making friends with other Parrots. They are very social by nature. If your Grey is social as you describe, a conure would be a good fit into the flock.

 

Conures run 200 to 350 depending on the type you select. They are much smaller than a Grey and do not talk much, but they can a little in a much higher pitched voice that is sometimes difficult to understand.

 

A DYH is a Double Yellow Headed Amazon. They would not be a great choice for companionship in most cases and are around 800 depending on the breeder.

[magicalem]

hmmmmmmmmmmm gonna have to do some research - what other smaller parrots are goos at talking or can be - want to give my grey some encouragement......xx

[Broomer]

I'm going the cheap route for a "companion" for my companion . Radio and 2 Lava lamps on timers. Visual and Audio stimuli for a couple hours while Both Kim and I are working. None need to be fed, showered, taken to the vet... etc etc :whistle:

[kittykittykitty]

I use radio/TV also, sometimes DVD on repeat or CD on repeat.

[judygram]

I know Dan mentioned conures but some of them are screamers and that includes the suns of which I have one and she can be noisy sometimes but she does not get along with Josey but their cages are in the same room several feet apart.

[Nychsa]

Hey there Emz - Like Dan said, a conure might work out well. Little birds with HUGE personalities! My conure and CAG do play with each other - even though my CAG looks like she wants to open a can of whoop A*z on my conure every now and then! :laugh: In the mean time before you get another budy, you may want to look into one of those bird-sitter videos. Mine love to listen to that and both begin to sing and chirp away with the other birds on the video

[Tycos_mom]

How about a Indian ringneck I hear that the can talk quite clearly and after their bluffing stage make excellent pets I just bought a 12 week old baby and he just so sweet and if you get a Dna'd male they are friendly I hear than the females and they get a beautiful ring around there necks at 2 years old I heard the female can get quite territorial so I would sujest making sure that you get a boy and they come in so many bautiful colours I just got a green one because he's the one that choose to sit with me the whole time I was at the breeders but she had green blu yellow albino and violet ones also this is a pictue of my new baby He was only $200. and that pretty expensive but he was a male and he did come with vaccinations and a DNA certifacate

[judygram]

Yes they are pretty birds Pat, thanks for sharing yours with us and I know you can't wait until he gets that ring around his neck:P

[BMustee]

I always say you should never get a pet for your pet. If your grey is as open as you say it is their may not be an issue with him but the new bird may not be as open. Also, your grey could be aggressive about his cage with other birds. A new addition should be for you and you alone and IF the two birds get along that should be a HUGE bonus.

 

Elmo is a single parrot and is alone for most of the day when I'm at work. He does however have a fish tank next to his cage and two large aviaries with finches across the room for him to watch...it's like Live Bird TV for him.

[magicalem]

thanx so much for advice... am def going to look into gettig a ringneck... any info on a quaker... there soooo cute - I have always wanted more than one bird anyway - it wont be a pet for sensei but for me.. & a buddy for him.. like u said if they get on bonus & if not then will have to take him (the new one) back or I have friends that have looked after birds & said they would be welcome to take one on .. I am worried about breeding though - even though my grey is a boy if I waas to put him with a female would they mate.. doubt they could breed as diff breeds themselves but dogs can so how comes birds cannot do this....? silly question maybe but i am clueless....x

[Kaedyn]

As kitty said, music can help. My birds do have the company of other birds, but to me, it really doesn't seem to make as big a difference as when I play some music. Of course, that's just my personal experience. Each bird has their own personality and others experiences may be different.

 

In my case, I created a playlist in iTunes with "bird-safe" music, since there are a few songs I'd rather not have to hear them repeat over and over.

[Toni]

I bought that CD that has all the bird sounds and Alcazar enjoyed that.

[Tycos_mom]

The birds will get along to a point I have my cocateil,Amazon, and My Grey all in the same room and they concider each other members of their flock and they don't fight with each other this does take time though at first your Grey will be a little jealous but within a month or 2 you will see acceptance. just make sure when you feed them,talk to them clean them that you do it for you Grey first pecking order is important to birds you had your Grey first he has to be always first. You may never be able to put the birds together but that doesn't mean they can't be friends. They will catter back andd forth to each other and keep each other company when your gone. Don't worry about breeding they won't breed outside there speices bird are still very wild animals and dogs and cat have become domesticated theres a big difference just like in the wild a lion won't breed with a Tiger their both cats but different species. mabie in another million years or so birds will be domesticated and then you might have to worry but right now they are still wild and so you don't have to worry about them breeding with other birds.<br><br>Post edited by: Tycos_mom, at: 2008/08/07 19:20

[judygram]

magicalem wrote:

I am worried about breeding though - even though my grey is a boy if I waas to put him with a female would they mate.. doubt they could breed as diff breeds themselves but dogs can so how comes birds cannot do this....? silly question maybe but i am clueless....x

 

 

Your grey is a pet and therefore is not breeding material and just because you put a female with him doesn't mean they will mate. Unlike dogs and cats that don't care who they mate with a grey is different, they choose their mates and they have to have the right conditions to breed even if they take to each other and usually greys kept as pets don't mate.

[BMustee]

magicalem wrote:

like u said if they get on bonus & if not then will have to take him (the new one) back or I have friends that have looked after birds & said they would be welcome to take one on

 

I would have to say that is NOT a good plan. African greys are not social flockers like New World parrots (macaws, amazon, conures) and don't really care for the company of other types of birds. They may not mind them in the same room but if they are near each other the grey could hurt or kill the other bird. Getting another bird for it to be "buddies" with your grey is not a reason to get one and just because the grey doesn't like it is not a reason to get rid of it. Plus, many pet stores and breeders do not take back birds. If your friend wants a bird they should be the ones to pick it out and decide it's the pet for them. Who is to say your friend won't like the bird and won't re-re-home the poor thing. I would have to say if you don't think you have the time for one bird then I don't think you have the time for two. The time you do have for your grey would have to be split between the two so their would be even less time for the both of them. I don't want to sound mean about it but if you were to walk into my pet store I would not sell you one of our birds because it sounds like your expectations are too high for the second bird and you have already said you would not keep it if it could not live up to them.

[Broomer]

I would have to agree with BMustee. My friend from work, who convinced me to go Grey, has 2 parrots. She origionally had Mikey, then bought Mickey so they could keep eachother company. She found out very quickly that they do not like eachother, meanwhile they're both Red Lored Amazons. She finds that if Mikey, who she classifies as "hers" even see's her looking at Mickey, who is her "husbands" he gets insanely jealous and upset. She even told me that if Mikey notices that Mickey is not in the same room, he starts acting up and saying "Mickey, Mickey" over and over. As she puts it, Mikey doesn't want Mickey getting any attention from anyone that he should be getting himself. She does love them both, but she's glad her husband takes care of Mickey, or she would have a lot of trouble on her hands. A fishtank would be a lot easier to keep Sensei company if you put it near his cage, since it would give him visual stimuli, along with a radio for the audio.

 

Since me and Kim already have a sparkle Lava Lamp, and I read that they work just fine as "company" for a parrot, we'll just go out and buy a second one that is the wax one. That way they can be on at different times of the day. Mix that with a small radio, and Loki should have ample stimuli.

 

 

Somehow I can see Loki saying "Ohh trippy" when they turn on too ... :silly:

[BMustee]

Tycos_mom wrote:

Don't worry about breeding they won't breed outside there speices bird are still very wild animals and dogs and cat have become domesticated theres a big difference just like in the wild a lion won't breed with a Tiger their both cats but different species. mabie in another million years or so birds will be domesticated and then you might have to worry but right now they are still wild and so you don't have to worry about them breeding with other birds.

 

Actually lions and tigers don't breed in the wild because they are on different continents. In captivity their are a handful of Ligers...a cross between a male Lion and a female Tiger.

 

 

Cross breeding only can happen if the genetics are close enough. Macaws can cross breed with other macaws because their genetics are almost the same. An Owl finch can breed with a Zebra finch, but like the horse and donkey hybrid it is sterile. The grey is not closely related to any other parrot to breed with it...I don't even believe the CAG can even cross with the TAG.

[magicalem]

BMustee.... I know whatu mean but I really do want to get a buddie for him... I know people & have spoken to people before who have mixed breeds & think it depends for everycase... The owner of the conure has said that I can bring back as she wouldnt want him to b unhappy either.... I have time for them both when at home but it is when I am not there that worries me.... and I am sure having a pal would b better than just a tv or radio until I return... I have taken your advice on board though... all advise is so much appreciated.... the new one is called rocky & he is a Marooned Bellied Conure - will keep u posted if I am getting him or not....xxx

[magicalem]

BMustee wrote:

Tycos_mom wrote:

Don't worry about breeding they won't breed outside there speices bird are still very wild animals and dogs and cat have become domesticated theres a big difference just like in the wild a lion won't breed with a Tiger their both cats but different species. mabie in another million years or so birds will be domesticated and then you might have to worry but right now they are still wild and so you don't have to worry about them breeding with other birds.

 

Actually lions and tigers don't breed in the wild because they are on different continents. In captivity their are a handful of Ligers...a cross between a male Lion and a female Tiger.

 

 

Cross breeding only can happen if the genetics are close enough. Macaws can cross breed with other macaws because their genetics are almost the same. An Owl finch can breed with a Zebra finch, but like the horse and donkey hybrid it is sterile. The grey is not closely related to any other parrot to breed with it...I don't even believe the CAG can even cross with the TAG.

 

WOW HOW INTERESTING IS THAT LIGERS THATIS MAD NEVER KNEW THEY EXISITED MENTAL... THANX FOR THAT - HELSP ALOT.....

[magicalem]

I am getting a blue quaker in 5weeks at the moment he is being weaned but I shall have him home soon... cant wait..

 

anyone can give me advice about slowley introducing them any tips.. I am putting him in a seperate cageat first but I am sure both shall b ok as they have both come from avairys with loads of diff birds around them - I am a little nervous though s my grey was 5mths old when I got him so bit of a difference.... unsure if I should leave him when I go to work..

 

any advice.. on putting the 2 together...?

 

xxx