Tell me about African Greys

I’ve been in the market for an animal for a while now. My initial plan was to get a cat, but due to some ridiculous rule in my complex, I’m not allowed to have cats, but I can have a small dog. The idea of keeping a dog confined to my good-sized-but-still-to-small apartment isn’t very appealing, so I started considering other options. Hamster? Fish? For various reasons, those don’t appeal to me right now.

After some thought, I decided a bird would be a good choice for me. Specifically, an African Grey. I am always home, so I have plenty of time to devote to a pet. However, I’ve never owned a bird at all, much less an African Grey.

So, does anyone here have one? Have any information, insight, advice, etc. to offer?

Heh. For a sec I thought the title said, “Tell me about African Guys”…and I’m thinkin’, uh… :smiley:

I’ve never owned a grey, but I’ve known a couple people who have them as pets. They seemed to always be making noise. Not necessarily loud or annoying, but they are very vocal.

Noise isn’t necessarily a problem… I always have my TV on as it is because there isn’t enough noise in my place.

Oh, and I have heard that they are definitely messy animals. That’s not an issue for me either.

What a weird “no-pets” rule! Dogs, especially small ones, tend to be louder than cats. Did you ask if there was any rationale to this rule?

I’ve never had a bird, but a good friend has several. Hers were all purchased from a breeder very young - they didn’t have many feathers yet and had to be fed with a syringe. This is to allow the bird to bond with the owner. If you are at home a lot this is a possibility for you.

One of the vets I worked for has an African Grey - bird could talk very well but was mean as hell - no one could handle him and he had been known to attack dogs. He was a rescue and the former owner had no idea how to raise him.

If you decide to get a bird, do a lot of research. They can be fairly expensive to keep - they require fresh fruits and veggies year round - and they need nail and wing clips on a regular basis. They also live a long time.

Wish you could get a cat - I luves me some kitties! - but I hope it works out that you get a companion.

Maybe you should ask them if they’ll let you have a cat, if you put down an extra security deposit, if you’d be willing to do that.

A former co-worker of mine got an African Grey and told me that they become extremely attached to their owners. This usually makes them jealous of any other human or pet that comes into the owner’s life, and also tends to make them very unhappy at being left alone. If you travel a lot it might not be a good idea.

[ul]
[li]Make sure you have a good bird vet in your area.[/li][li] Birds cannot stand and will die of fumes from Teflon pots, candles, and other things that exude particles in the air. Buy a bird book.[/li][li] Grays are affectionate and require attention.[/li][li] Grays live a long time.[/li][li] They tend to bond to just one person in the house, and may or may not ever switch bonding. They will defend their bondee from others.[/li][li] They are very bright and intelligent, and need entertainment.[/li][li]They are loud, particularly in the morning.[/li][li]They need a big cage, as well as a perch outside.[/li][/ul]

They are smarter than my children.

They can be almost creepily intelligent.

Oh. Not Alien Greys.
Nevermind. :wink: :smiley:

I’ve never had one, but I understand they are very smart birds and require a lot of attention as pets. It is my personal opinion that birds belong outside in their own natural environments, but obviously ymmv.
For some reason, seeing that African Grey Alex always makes me cry. I think its from when I saw a documentary about him, identifying shapes and colors that his lady was holding up for him, then asking for a ‘corknut’ in that sad parrot voice.

I must respectfully disagree, missdavis. I would kill for an African Gray, and me and my SO are very good to birds. They bond well with people, and they consider you part of their flock. They want love, just as dogs and cats.

I am about to run out to the airport for a three-week vacation. I got a Gray about six months ago and certainly do not regret it. I would propose you meet one at a pet shop first. Handle it a bit. Some people are wierded out by birds up close.

Contact a local club, if you can. Again, meet a few for an hour or two.

The noise is not an issue for me. The villa is creepy-quiet without a pet. Further, you can turn off the bird when you turn off the light.

My bird is here , http://photobucket.com/albums/a275/PaulinSaudi/

A good forum is here…
http://www.parrotalk.com/forum/

gotta go, sorry for the short note.

While my kids are creepy without the redeeming smarts.

Note: All of these digs at my children are untrue cheap shots.

All big parrots live a long time. I have a Yellow Nape Amazon who will be turning 46 in a few months. They are extremely intelligent animals who are used to being part of a flock. The require plenty of attention and interaction. Don’t even consider a bird if you’re looking for an "ornament’. Parrots are a big commitment!

They require big cages, so they are going to be taking up some floor space. They are messy eaters, but a dust buster can stay on top of that.

Grays in particular are notorious feather pluckers and will do so if they are lonely, bored, nervous, or unhappy. The feather plucking isn’t just cosmetic, they can open wounds and get infections. My brother rescued an abused Gray, and though he’s relatively healthy, he always looks like he just fell out of the clothes dryer. The parrot, too.

Parrots can be extremely affectionate and will tend to bond to one person over another, but this does not have to be the rule. With work, the bird will be accepting of several people (but he may still have a favorite). Keep in mind, parrots are not domesticated animals, they are wild animals that people bring in their houses. Their behavior may seem odd or destructive, but there’s usually an instinctive reason why they’re doing what they do, and you have to work with them to correct their behavior (provide a bunch of chew toys!).

Cleo (my Amazon) goes to a bird-vet twice a year, and the bill is generally seventy-five bucks or so, which I understand is cheap compared to dogs or cats. Overheated teflon can kill a bird quickly (it releases a gas, PTFE I think?), as can other harsh aerosols (oven cleaner, carpet fresh, etc.). Also, avocado, apple seeds, and a few other foods are strictly off limits.

And FYI: That wickedly pointed upper beak that looks so scary isn’t the one that does the damage, it’s the lower beak, shaped like a sharpened spoon that does the dirty work. If I had a nickel for every crescent shaped wound…

I had a cockatiel for 10 years (circumstances forced me to give him up), and he is as intelligent as any dog. He, too, needs lots of attention. Perhaps a cockatiel, about the size of a robin, might better fit the confines of an apartment.

If I may echo Anaamika, an avian vet is the ideal choice for the bird’s medical needs.

Alex is all over the net. Some people running those sites equate his intelligence to that of a two-year-old child.

My stepmom’s African Grey is very affectionate - he will climb up your leg and onto your shoulder and DEMAND petting.

One thing to be aware of is that they like to chew on wood wherever they can find it, including baseboards and table legs. Maybe not true of all but I know her Toby like to gnaw on the baseboards, even though he had a nice selection of chewing toys and treats on his cage.

Due to their extreme longevity, there are a bunch of orphaned parrots out there. Google “parrot rescue” or “African Gray rescue” or check your SPCA. There’s a convent in South Philly where one of the nuns takes in birds of dead parishoners. Last I saw, she had about twenty, from parakeets to cockatoos. She’d love to give some away!

I have tried to find something similar here (South Africa) but as of yet, no luck. They’re a lot cheaper here than I would have expected; looks like I can get young birds for about $200.00 - from a registered breeder.

Oh, and I meant to add that I have confirmed that there avian vets in the area. Bird ownership around here is much bigger than I’ve ever seen in the States.

They stun easily.

No wait, that’s Norwegian Blues. Never mind.