Guest sethg Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 I'm entertaining the idea of getting an African Grey Parrot and spent some time with one at a pet shop today. This baby Grey was very friendly and actually walked on my hand twice. Is this friendly unusual behavior for a Grey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest opiegag3 Posted October 31, 2003 Share Posted October 31, 2003 My TAG which I purchased back in the beginning of January was very well socialized and loved people - but yes, he's definitely outgrowing it. I don't have many visitors, so he's not used to strangers coming in, and the last time I had a visitor a few days back, he *screamed* and growled whenever they approached his cage But he's still as sweet as ever to me and is basically just a big baby. It's good to give them lots of interesting toys - especially the sort that they can take apart, like little boxes with things inside them, etc... My Pepper loves untying knots, so I make sure he has toys with some *safe* pieces of leather on them with knots tied in it. Another common trick is to put a television or radio on a timer so that it comes on at some point later in the day while you're off to work. This will help keep him entertained and excite him enough that he won't be going crazy as soon as you walk in the door. I so envy you being able to do that. I work in a city office building 30 miles from where I live, so it's not an option for me I also feel awful about leaving my birds alone at home all day - they're all in the same room (in their own respective cages) so they can at least acknowledge each others' presence... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest phishsticks Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 So they go in for this forced weaning lark eh? Shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest opiegag3 Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 I *always* recommend, before anyone buys any kind of bird, to please have a look at "http://www.mytoos.com/". Granted, the information there applies mainly to Cockatoos, but it does also apply to some extent to other larger parrots as well. And to answer the original question, if the bird is well socialized and possibly hand-reared, it certainly should be quite friendly. My Timneh was a sweety from the first minute he came into my life, as well as my cockatiel. They were both hand-raised and well socialized with people. Most "pet-store birds" aren't like this from what I've seen - even if they're hand-fed, they simply come directly from the breeder and are immediately imprisoned in cages, never being allowed to socialize. Even so, if you're patient with the bird and follow "standard" procedures for dealing with a young bird that may not be well socialized, you'll still get the same results. The bird will (or should) eventually bond to you. I won't go into detail on this, since it's something that whole books are written about. One that comes to mind is "Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot". I forget the author's name, but a quick net search will turn it up for you. Always remember: an African Grey can live to be 40 to 60 years old. Be prepared for this - are you *sure* you'll still be able to give the bird lots of time and attention 10 years or 20 or 30 years from now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest phishsticks Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 idea what is normal or not, you are not ready to take on such a high maintenance pet! I can suggest some books which will help you along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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