Thinking about getting a grey

[Devin25]

I'm thinking about getting a grey, but I want to make sure that a grey would be a good fit for me. Otherwise, I am going to get a pet boa. Possibly both, but I am leaning more in the grey only zone right now. I am a single guy with lots of free time to devote to a pet. I like greys because they have cool personalities and I like the fact that they have the ability to fly. Boas are cool because they eat rats and slither and look cool wrapped around necks. I am stil undecided on which to get, but I would like to hear input from people who have greys already and I would like to hear from anyone who has both a boa and a grey.

[Joolesgreyuk]

Hi Devin25, That's a strange combination - a Boa or a Grey. I suspect the grey will live a lot longer than a boa but I don't know for sure. My eldst son had a snake and other than eat mice it didn't do much wheras your grey will require much more stimulation and give you hours of fun in return.

[Eckobird]

Hello Devin and welcome to the forum. That is great that you are doing your research before rushing into gettting a grey. Greys need a lot of love and attention and play time out of their cage, atleast 4 hours a day. They also need a lot of toys so they don't get bored while they are in the cage. They need to have a healthy diet with fresh fruits and veggies everyday. They also need to take baths a couple times a week. Please read through all of the different threads so that you know what you are getting yourself into. A grey is a big commitment compared to a boa. I wish you the best and please let us know what you decide. Greys are so much fun. Anyways enjoy the site and ask as many questions as you like.

[judygram]

Hello Devin and welcome to the family, so glad you could join us and we look forward to hearing more about you and whether or not you get a grey.

 

You are doing the right thing to research thoroughly before committing to whichever pet you decide to get. I must say that if it were me, the grey would win hands down, not much of a snake person but to each his own.

 

You will find lots of useful information in our many threads and do ask questions you may have and we will help you in any way we can.

 

I don't know about the lifespan of a boa but a grey can live 50 or 60 years so it would be a lifetime committment if you go the grey route but they do make amazing companions but you have to provide them with the right things.

 

Also realize not all greys will talk, some people get them for just that reason and that is not why people should get them for they have so many other qualities that if they do talk then it is just icing on the cake.

[Luvparrots]

Hi Devin. Quite a jump between a boa and a grey. There are a lot of threads here for you to read to learn about greys. I will be interested in finding out which one you end up purchasing first, a boa or a grey. Welcome to the family.

[Devin25]

Having a grey sounds kind of like it would be a chore and I just want to be shure that the rewards would make it worth my while. A boa would be happy just hanging out on a branch or chumping down a rat with only an occasional neck wrap, so I am still unshure. Would you say that having a grey is really worth all the effort that goes into keeping them healthy and happy? and please dont jut say yes because you have one, just b honest. Thanks!

[judygram]

If you truly love your bird and wanted it in the first place you don't look on it as a chore, Josey is not a chore to me, but if you think having a grey is an effort to maintain then a grey is not for you, maybe a boa would be more to your liking since you don't have to really spend any time with a snake for it to be happy.

[zicodee]

Having a Grey is a serious effort but can have mega rewards!

 

I have reptiles too, have you thought about Bearded Dragons ? They are very cool creatures and dont require too much maintainence for someone with time on their hands. They require live food in the form of crickets/locusts aswell as some veg and greens. Im afraid they dont strangle or choke anything but they can eat baby mice when they are big.<br><br>Post edited by: zicodee, at: 2009/05/01 18:16

[Jane08]

Being truthful here, if I knew what I do today about greys then I would not have them. They are much more work than I ever thought. Now the rewards of having them are huge but you do have to put alot of work into it. For me I was a first time bird owner and had never been around birds before so it was a huge shock.

 

Also think about the fact that if you want to go away you have to have someone look after it. You said you are single, think about when you get a partner and the fact your brid might not like this person (not always but this can happen). You say you have alot of free time now to devote to a bird, but do you think this will change in the future, they are a life commitment and require a a lot of interaction.

[Luvparrots]

Devin I believe a young man should enjoy his life. Because you care enough to research and learn about greys, lets me know that you will be a great grey companion some day. They do need out of the cage time, at least 4 hours a day, they do sometimes choose only one person to care about, they are intelligent and can have problems if they get upset, some do not like change at all, their cages must be clean and their food must be fresh to prevent illness. If your grey gets sick the avian vet bills can be high. You are the only one who knows your needs and desires in life, do you have the time for a grey who has the needs of a child, do you want to be a parent now? Only you can answer that question. Good luck on your decision because it will be the right one for you.

[Devin25]

Does anyone know where I can check out some greys in a rescue setting? I dont want to deal with an unweaned bird. does anyone know of boas needing homes, because I dont want to deal with an unweaned snake either. :evil:

 

I live in the great white north, Minnesota, and will travel anywhere within the state.

[judygram]

The way to avoid dealing with an unweaned bird is to get one that is weaned, why would you want to get one that is unweaned, no reputable breeder will sell you one unweaned anyway.

 

You are definitely not ready for a rescued or rehomed grey for they come with their own set of problems, just because they are adult birds doesn't mean they are easier to deal with, quite the contrary, they usually are not for the novice so banish that idea.

 

I know nothing about snakes to know if they are an animal that has to be "weaned" but you would be wise to do a lot more research about each one to determine which if either is a good fit for you.

[Devin25]

I'm not the type of guy to buy or pay for companionship that is why whatever I get will be needing a home, but not for sale.

 

Judy, you are probably right about boas and their weaning process. I have mostly been researching greys, because they sound cooler so far. plus, i am already 25 and if I get a baby anything especially a grey and it lives to be 60 I will probably be dead by that time, so i want an older grey if I get one. I dont really care if the one I get is a biter or a plucker. I will still love and care for it and let it fly around where it wants.

[judygram]

FYI birds in need of homes as in rescued or rehomed are not usually "free", they come with a price tag to offset the expenses of housing and feeding that animal so the likihood that you will find one that costs no money is rare, very rare.

 

As far as age is concerned, I am 58 going on 59 soon and my grey is almost 3 years old, yes she is going to outlive me by a long shot but you make provisions for the inevitable.

[Devin25]

Of coarse I will have to pay something for my future companion. I plan on finding a grey that is more like in their 20s or maybe even 30s - really the older the better. All I need to do is exert a little effort and search in the classifieds to find a parrot needing a home. Of coarse I will pay for its vet visits and cage, ect. I know that people have to charge something for their parrot because otherwise someone might just lye to them and say they are going to give it a "forever" home and then turn around and sell it for profit. I am against the idea of people making a profit off of companion animals. It is a personal thing.

 

Again, I would not be at all bothered by its presumed problems (being that it is not fresh out of the egg) based on that it is older. I might even prefer one that plucks, because I lead a quiet and calm lifestyle which is more conducive to a recovery process based on my research. I am childless and single, so no kids running around here stressing it out. I know my situation might change. Change is inevitable, but i will not allow drama loving peoples into my space, because not only will it stress me out but it might stress out my future companion (s) I might still get both a boa and a grey. Still doing all the research.

 

Any1 know of any rescues? snake and/or bird?

[Dave007]

Hmmm-picking 2 animals that are as far apart as far apart can be.

 

Choosing between a predator animal or a prey animal.

 

Simple solution here. Simply sit down and ask yourself whether you want an animal that needs to interact with it's owner OR pick out an animal that likes to slither around and eats mice and rats and wraps their body around you.

 

No, we don't send people to reptile boards. This is a bird board. You found us. I'm sure you can find a reptile board.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/05/02 19:32

[Tycos_mom]

Are you ready to adopt a pepetual 2 year old with the intelegence of a 5 or6 year old and it never gets older. a African Grey is very much the same as adopting a child if your not ready for that don't get one. I love my birds and worry about them constantly just like my kids only my birds don'tt grow up and move out. I don't like to go out because they have to be lock in their cages. and when I do I hurry as fast as possible so I can get back to them they need good nutritious foods like a child the would eat junk food if they had their way but like children the don't know whats good for them so it falls to you to make sure the eat right they need to have at least 10 hours of undisturbed sleep 12 hours is better. they get sick and have to goto the doctors that starts at around 60.00 and can go as high as thousands depending whats wrong. you are going to put you child to sleep just because it sick its the same with your bird. If you look after it the way its should be you may get lucky and it won't get sick to often. Them there is the obsesive chewing if you don't supply your parrot with enough to chew he will eat your house he may anyway mine do and they have lots of stuff they are allowed to chew on but they prefer all the wood trim in my house or the kitchen cabnets or even the walls. if you get a Grey you better have a good paying job they are not cheep to keep. I probubly make more money than the average person and I don't have a morgage my house is paid for but between my birds and my 13 year old daughter there isn't much left at the end of the month. Please think long and hard about this its a lifetime commitment and birds that get passed from home to home donot do well at all and they learn to hate humans because they can't depend on them.<br><br>Post edited by: Tycos_mom, at: 2009/05/02 20:57

[she]

You asked if the rewards of owning a grey outweigh the negative side. I will answer you honestley.For me yes it does,but the majority of people who purchase greys very soon find out that they are a constant worry and need far more time and care than they can offer. These greys end up being passed round from home to home which is so hard on these very sensitive complex birds.They form very strong bonds and suffer a lot of the time when moved into a strange environment.Please think of a grey as a life long companion who you must care for and love through life changes you may go through.Marrage, children,home moves,work commitments.Are you prepared for that sort of challenge?A Boa also has its own needs and I have a feeling that its care is more involved than you imagine,I have no experiance of snakes but do know that they need a lot of specialist care to look after them properly.Please look very carefully at both animals before you even think of getting either one.Money, greys cost a fortune to keep and as Pat said very little money is left over once they claim their share.<br><br>Post edited by: she, at: 2009/05/03 12:42

[CarolandFamily]

Devin-Alot of people here have given great advice. My daughter had a Ball Python 10 years ago, let me tell you they are ALOT of work. She was 6 yrs old when we got her one lol. I of course was the main one buying stuff and feeding her ugggh me and my older son, My cat at that time was waiting on the mice to jump out of the cage during feeding time so he could have some playtime lol.

 

We had a Baby Ball Python her set up plus her was around maybe 350. You have to feed them either LIVE baby mice or frozen ones when they are a baby. They eventually move up to rats when they get a little bit older and some can eat Guiena pigs, some larger ones even eat chickens. I am from California and we had a great place called the East Bay Vivarium and people all over the world would order there reptiles or stop by. It's one of the largest Reptile stores in the USA

 

Here is there website:

 

http://http://http://www.eastbayvivarium.com/

 

 

You have to buy there food once a week, the cage, the heat lamp, the themometer, the rock, the bedding , the cage etc...

 

Our Ball Python didn't shed properly so we had to get her a plastic box poke holes in it and let her sit in the water for 15 MIN and then PEEL of her dead skin. She couldn't do it on her own. When they shed you had to becareful when you feed them because they are temporarily blind and cannot see, so if you feed the a live prey YOU have to watch them because the live prey could bit them and BACK to a vet you go! You have to fnd a specialty vet that takes care of reptiles.

 

Over time I was working like 6 days a week my daughter outgrew and was bored with keeping the snake and I was grossed out about giving it feeder mice once a week, peeling the snakes skin off (bleech) that was NOT a easy task. I gave her to my GF at work and she loved her to death. They can get up to 6 ft long too and of course as they get bigger they need bigger size cages and so forth.

 

I am NOT telling you what you should or should not do but Snakes are alot of work too. You have to make the decision that is right for you. My kids are older now I have a spouse so we have MORE then enough love here at my house for our babies. I don't work as much anymore so there is always someone home. Take care and your decsion is yours alone <br><br>Post edited by: CarolandFamily, at: 2009/05/03 14:39

[judygram]

Thanks Carol for that indepth information on the care and feeding of a python, I never knew it was as involved as that, they have special needs too then, definitely not for everyone and definitely not for me.

 

Yes greys can be demanding creatures and have their needs but if you love them like your children, in other words they are part of the family, then caring and providing for them is not a chore, I only wish I had gotten me a grey much sooner so I would have more years to enjoy her.

[CarolandFamily]

You are welcome Judy! They are a whole different species I would rather pick up feathers then peel off dead skin :sick: been there done that. I forgot too you also have to maintain a certain temp too. Now it may say that there only suppose to shed once a month but they can shed more then that. They grow very very fast too. We did choose a gentle python but in time she would have been taller then me lol I am 5'10 :ohmy:

 

So there more then just sitting in a tank there a full time job too

[Devin25]

Thank you Carol. I have decided to not go with a boa. What kind of life is it for a snake having to live with all the nonsense any way, and I thought they just needed a rat thrown in their enclosure once a week to keep them satisfied. Boy was I wrong. I think that they would be better off lving outside. I don't want to end up getting tired of it and then just have to set it free out in the woods later on. Im pretty sure it could fend for itself, but I know I am a better fit for a grey.

 

I am still looking. I have decided that I want a extra special needs grey. I have been checking on petfinder and there are quite a few greys with missing legs + plucked and that sounds like the kind of bird for me. Yeah and newly weaned greyz look cool too, but I feel up to the challenge of helping out a special bird.

[CarolandFamily]

Devin- You are so welcome whatever you decide that's entirely up to you! Yeah I thought the same thing too and whewww I tell ya it's a whole new world! lol That's what I was thinking too and everytime we go to Petco my daughter who will be 16 in a few days says" Mom look at the Gecko over there!" and I'm like "if you don't get over here you better!" lmaooo BEEN there DONE that and I AIN'T feeding no crickets! Bleeecchhhh again!!! :sick: MICE were more then enough it was pretty cool watching them eat though!{Feel-good-0002006B}

 

Good Luck Devin in whatever you decide{Feel-good-000200BB}<br><br>Post edited by: CarolandFamily, at: 2009/05/04 20:46

[Dave007]

Devin

 

Snake charmer, mistake I mean Carol has given you the whole story about snakes from start to finish. It applies to almost all snakes and getting the com[plete info on them is great BUT percentage and comparison wise, all of the information she gave you is equal to only 1% of what you would have to learn about greys. pre owned parrots are great but not so great with people who don't know the basics and differences in parrots who are fine and parrots who are disabled. A disabled parrot is known in the parrot world as a *special needs* bird and that means that it needs specialized everyday treatment in order to make it's life somewhat normal. There's special needs birds that come in all catagories.

Another thing--whether it be a pre own normal grey or a special needs grey, there is a price tag. People don't give their birds away. 85% of the time, ads that offer free birds turn out to be false or come with shady attachments. The environments you name off ( quiet--being alone etc) doesn't mean that a special needs bird will be helped. A plucker doesn't stop being a plucker because it's in a quiet place. Actually, they can become pluckers for the reverse reasons. Disabled birds need special housing equipment. Aggressive birds don't become sweet birds because they're in a quiet environment. These types of birds need much more interaction with their owners and those birds will easily put a deep hole in your hand without much provacation. Ever stop and wonder why many birds are being sold when they're adults? They don't have to be disabled. Simply putting an aggressive bird in a quiet, peaceful environment won't accomplish anything because no matter what that bird's situation is, it still needs to be NOT kept in a cage all the time.

Forget the free bird attitudes. * Special needs* birds are in shelters all over the place and there is a charge. There's always a charge both in money and there's a non monetary charge in what you need to pay when taking on a bird--no matter what shape the bird is in. That includes baby birds, aggressive birds, disabled birds etc.

There's loads and loads and loads of posts here that speak about birds with problems.

[Lyric]

Hey Devin, welcome to the grey forum! You've certainly been given a lot to think about, and I'm really glad you are thinking and doing your research before jumping in to owning a grey OR a boa, really, any kind of animal for that matter.

Greys (and birds in general) are a LOT of work. Do you mind cleaning up poo? You will be dealing with lots of it when you own a bird. There will be feathers, dander, poo, wasted food, shredded toys, wood, paper, whatever.. all over the rooms where your bird spends time. You will have to learn how to deal with any behavior problems that may arise, for instance, constant screaming, biting, the bird not liking someone in the house, keeping the bird occupied with new toys and attention. All of this is a daily thing and you will have to devote a lot of time to this bird if you want to keep it healthy and happy. I'm not saying they aren't worth it-- I love my birds and wouldn't know what to do without them in my life. I am just trying to give you some idea of what you might be getting yourself into. If none of this sounds bad to you then by all means, I think you should visit with some birds and find the perfect one for you. Good luck with your decision!