Let's talk about timneh greys!

[Saemma]

I'm going to be arranging to meet one in the next two weeks. I would like to see if we "connect".

She is a female and "apparently" 14 months old. Her owners are not able to keep her due to.......lack of time, they are moving and birds are not allowed, a new job, not enough time...... blah blah blah.

So far I have only exchanged email contact. I've kept it simple. She wrote that she will not sell her parrot to just "anyone" and wanted to know if I already had parrot experience so I wrote that I have a grey and a pionus parrot. She will telephone me tomorrow and we will talk a bit more and then arrange an appointment to meet if all feels ok over the phone.

I'm just wondering about a few things... Emma will be 21 months old in about 10 days. Would it be incorrect to "assume" that this timneh grey's maturity level is the same as Emma's.

I really don't know much about timnehs except that they have a maroon tail, they tend to mature quicker than CAGs and they "scoot" when they're on the floor and CAG's tend to "waddle". Please give me your feedback to help me think of things I may not have considered.

Thanks in advance,

Here's a link of the ad. It's in french.. but look at the pictures. The ad basically states that she comes with her cage, toys, food and has recently had a vet exam. Very sociable and affectionate and is beginning to speak human.

I appreciate all of you.

 

[Nikki]

Scoot? Asher waddles when he walks, so cute! I call him my little dogie he would follow me around the house if I let him!

Asher is my sweetheart. He is so interested in everything...very curious he is.

Danita, & Ann are the best people to ask since they have both.

 

[Lotsa Birds]

Hi,
I have 2 CAG's, and a timneh. My TAG Glory is younger than the CAG's (she was 2 in July, the others are rescues, I don't know their exact ages but they are quite a bit older than Glory).

The CAG's waddle, Glory runs.... really fast As for differences, yes there are some, but I think it depends more on the bird, not if they are CAG's/TAG's. They all talk equally well. Glory talks in a little girl voice, almost sounds like your Emma in her vids.

She has never bitten anyone, but I think she would if someone she doesn't like would try to hold her. She isn't as nervous as one of my CAG's, but my male CAG is calmer about new things than Glor is. She does not like other birds, but none of my birds like each other. They like to play, Glory hangs upside down and swings off of everything. Another thing she loves to do, is climb down her cage, and run the floor. But she turns her head upside down and runs, and sometimes she runs backward in circles with her head upside down. Maybe she is a bit strange?

Really, from the TAG's I have met and my own, I think they are pretty close. Good luck with meeting the new TAG!

 

[akijoy]

I'm glad you started this thread, because I want to know if there are big differences between CAGS and TAGS too!

I just have a TAG. All I can say is that she is feisty and needy and into everything. As a flighted bird, she is ever present, following me around. I love her to pieces, but some people may find her a nuisance. She would not be content to just sit on a boing or atom for very long. Mine doesn't talk well either, only saying her name.

I'm sure personality plays a large part of it, but I wonder if there is such a thing as a mellow TAG. She definitely rules my roost, and lets my other two birds know that she is the boss.

Emma is so lovely and content. I would worry about the dynamics of having a TAG added, IF it were like my Gertie. I would spend as much time with this TAG before making a decision, and trying to get a sense of if they would get along.(personality-wise) It would be awesome for Emma to have a friend to keep her company if they enjoyed each other, but my TAG pretty much thinks it great fun to terrorize my other two, and that could be traumatic. Having said this, my trio still manage to get along.

 

[Danita]

My TAG is more sociable, active and playful but he is younger. It is hard to say if that is a normal characteristic or if its age related. I have heard that it is a normal difference.
I will say that TAGS are cute as a button

 

[Saemma]

Hi,

I have 2 CAG's, and a timneh. My TAG Glory is younger than the CAG's (she was 2 in July, the others are rescues, I don't know their exact ages but they are quite a bit older than Glory).

The CAG's waddle, Glory runs.... really fast As for differences, yes there are some, but I think it depends more on the bird, not if they are CAG's/TAG's. They all talk equally well. Glory talks in a little girl voice, almost sounds like your Emma in her vids.

She has never bitten anyone, but I think she would if someone she doesn't like would try to hold her. She isn't as nervous as one of my CAG's, but my male CAG is calmer about new things than Glor is. She does not like other birds, but none of my birds like each other. They like to play, Glory hangs upside down and swings off of everything. Another thing she loves to do, is climb down her cage, and run the floor. But she turns her head upside down and runs, and sometimes she runs backward in circles with her head upside down. Maybe she is a bit strange?

Really, from the TAG's I have met and my own, I think they are pretty close. Good luck with meeting the new TAG!

Thanks for confirming. I have heard that TAGS are quite nimble on their feet and can move from point A to point B quite alot faster than CAGS when on their feet. It sounds quite funny and I'm trying to imagine your Glory running in circles with her head upside down. Must be a sight for sure. Neither of my parrots are floor walkers.
I'm going to have to figure out how I feel about a parrot who likes being on the floor.

I guess I'll definitely have to meet this Tag in order to determine whether she's "feisty". Not sure I'd describe Emma as feisty but she's definitely super confident and not afraid to SWOOP in to get her "piece of the pie" or what she feel is due to her.

I think I'll know when I meet her. What matters most is whether I connect with her. The rest can be worked on.

 

[Kathy]

I didn't see a link to the photos, am I missing it?
My Sport wasn't a floor walker in all the time I've had him (6 Months) until recently. He climbed down the other day and walked around on the floor slowly saying "Hello" and yesterday he did it again, then got startled flew all up in under the cage then climbed back on his cage. Poor fellow I hope it didn't scare him enough that he won't attemted it again. Having him on the cage all the time was easier but I want him to venture on over and sit me with sometimes..

 

[Saemma]

I didn't see a link to the photos, am I missing it?
My Sport wasn't a floor walker in all the time I've had him (6 Months) until recently. He climbed down the other day and walked around on the floor slowly saying "Hello" and yesterday he did it again, then got startled flew all up in under the cage then climbed back on his cage. Poor fellow I hope it didn't scare him enough that he won't attemted it again. Having him on the cage all the time was easier but I want him to venture on over and sit me with sometimes..

No you didn't miss anything. I forgot to include the link. Here it is.

GRIS D'AFRIQUE TIMNEY à vendre nego - Montréal oiseaux à vendre - Kijiji Montréal

 

[akijoy]

No you didn't miss anything. I forgot to include the link. Here it is.

GRIS D'AFRIQUE TIMNEY à vendre nego - Montréal oiseaux à vendre - Kijiji Montréal

Awww, she looks just like my Goo! What a cutie.
I can't believe I still hadn't forgotten my high school French! I actually understood the ad. She sounds like a dream. I hope you two will connect!

 

[Kathy]

Awww she's cute! Do TAG's eye color chage like a CAG's does?

 

[Danita]

What a cutie!!!!
It might be from the same breeder as Newman, his first owner got him from a breeder that was in Ontario and she is one of the few that breeds them.

Will you ask who the breeder is?

 

[Saemma]

What a cutie!!!!
It might be from the same breeder as Newman, his first owner got him from a breeder that was in Ontario and she is one of the few that breeds them.

Will you ask who the breeder is?

I wasn't intending on asking but I'll ask if you'd like me to.

 

[Danita]

Well, it would be interesting to know if it is a kin to Newman

 

[TITANIS]

No you didn't miss anything. I forgot to include the link. Here it is.

GRIS D'AFRIQUE TIMNEY à vendre nego - Montréal oiseaux à vendre - Kijiji Montréal

The price seems a little high to me, but I honestly haven't checked recent TAG prices from the breeders. I know in regular pet stores I've seen baby TAGs sell for $1600-1700. So, I figure they would be significantly cheaper at a breeder. Mind you, if this bird comes with a cage, maybe the price is reasonable but I'd still check breeder prices. The seller may claim they have purchased the bird for a high price at a store, but you can say the option to buy from a breeder still remains available.

 

[Saemma]

She states that the price is negotiable. If I like the grey.. I will definitely negotiate. I don't like the type of cage where the roof opens up like that.

I think $900 is reasonable.
and I have no intentions on taking her cage. I prefer to purchase my own cage and have it be the "right" cage.

Titanis... I'm not in the market to purchase another parrot from a "store". I've done that twice and it's been great.

I am only considering this timneh because they have decided to "let her go" with heavy hearts.. blah blah blah.....

It would be a bit of a challenge because I haven't done this before but I think I have what it takes.

Truthfully, I have my own opinions about a parrot being "rehomed" at such a young age but that's another can of worms.

 

[TITANIS]

I think $900 is reasonable.
and I have no intentions on taking her cage. I prefer to purchase my own cage and have it be the "right" cage.

Yes, I agree totally.

Titanis... I'm not in the market to purchase another parrot from a "store". I've done that twice and it's been great. I am only considering this timneh because they have decided to "let her go" with heavy hearts.. blah blah blah.

I would never purchase from a store simply because the stores (especially in Canada) have absurd prices. Only the wealthy can afford what I've seen stores charge for some small species like Sun Conure or Hahn's Macaw - it's unbelievable. I completely agree with you on every point.

Regarding the seller, if they 'have' to let this bird go with great regret, then they should be asking around the price you suggested, not a breeder ballpark price for a baby.

 

[Saemma]

Anything else I should look out ask about Titanis.? I know she'll have her own questions for me... but I should have questions too. Never did this before.

I agree that stores in Canada really "gouge" the client.

 

[TITANIS]

Anything else I should look out ask about Titanis.? I know she'll have her own questions for me... but I should have questions too. Never did this before.

Actually, probably the best determiner of the bird's overall condition will be your eyes. Cage size and overall state, number and type of perches, number and type of toys, number of play areas around the living space, etc. Food type (very important) and water condition in the cage. Look to the bottom of the cage for anything unusual, etc.

Then there's the bird itself to consider. General plumage condition and any possible indications of disease or problems that may not be physical in origin. Important questions to ask are last vet visit, what the bird has been tested for and its health history in a nutshell. Also inquire about the bird's origins, you never know when that information can become useful in the future. This is only a start. Others here can give you additional insight and a way to properly answer questions from the seller.

 

[Saemma]

Thanks Titanis.

Have you ever heard of this breeder? They charge $1100 for timneh.. and they will even ship for $100 anywhere in Canada. They used to have Dusky pionus parrots.. but they sold their breeder pair to someone in Quebec.

http://www.parrotplace.ca/ouraviary.htm

 

[TITANIS]

Thanks Titanis.

Have you ever heard of this breeder? They charge $1100 for timneh.. and they will even ship for $100 anywhere in Canada. They used to have Dusky pionus parrots.. but they sold their breeder pair to someone in Quebec.

Our Aviary

Yes, I have emailed Gwen on a number of occasions. She's super nice and knowledgeable. I see she breeds Great-bills now. Very interesting to know for future reference. It has been a while since I last communicated with her, though.