The Good, the Bad and the Ugly about African greys

[kimmie99]

Dust from a Grey? One of the attractions!

I wouldn't trade Kenzi for anything, even with her dust and NOW her plucking! She always surprises us with her antics and hey - she's a baby so she has LOTS to learn! (good and bad).

While sitting at the bird shop holding Oscar (before we were able to bring him home), this woman came in asking "Is there a sticky paper you sell for the cages?" Eric (manager) looked at her somewhat puzzled and asked what was it she was looking for. She probably just got a grey and was complaining about all the dust that they create! Eric just laughed and said "There isn't that I know of and that's part of owning birds, coping with the dust." She wasn't too happy about that answer!

 

[Katy]

If you could figure out a way, you'd make millions?.

 

[greybird57]

lucky you!!!!!!! I can't have my bird with me because of my brother-in-law so my friend Lois has him and I visit as often as I can.
When I had my apartment Em would have dust and the like but I kept it clean and loved the smilies he gave me.

 

[Beakertrout]

To cope with the dust I give Beaker "air baths" about twice a month.

I have posted a video of doing it.

Beaker is getting more accustomed to them and has figured out the nozzle isn't going to eat him and doesn't taste very good either, so he ignores it.

 

[tootsietootoo]

Hmmm, Greys...Good and Bad.
Good...Funny, smart, entertaining. They make me laugh, astound me with their intelligence, their ability to reason. They sympathize, show joy, use tools, have a sense of rhythm, are demanding. Their love of life.
I thank God for giving us these wonderful little grey creatures that have the miracle of speech, never ceases to amaze me.
Bad...mine LIVE to bite me. My second one did not start out that way but as he grew older he changed. I even must use a stick to just change the food bowls or my hand will get ripped to shreds. I used to get a morning kiss until one morning he took the opportunity to shred my upper lip.
My Jiya one day acted very sick on the bottom of his cage, his wings drooped as if he were dying. I reached in to see if I could help until, UNTIL, I noticed his eyes narrow down into those evil little pinpoints and then I knew what the little stinker was trying to do. I promptly shut the cage door, and whala, a miracle, he was healed!
I have heard the cutest things from them. One day I turned on the overhead fan when I first got Jiya and he was in his cage and I could tell it scared him. I said it is ok Jiya, it will not hurt you. He asked "Not bad?" and I said "No, not bad."
If I cry, which I have done quite often since losing my husband, even though it was 11 years ago I still miss him with all my heart, Jiya will ask in the sweetest voice "Are you alright?"
One day I was listening to a Grey on the computer and I said "Jiya, why can't you speak that well?"...His reply.." You are such a bit*h!"
At about 9:30 every night he starts saying "Time to go to bed." meaning he wants covered. I used to cover them all but stopped when I got the double Macaw cage for my Black Palm. He gets more and more demanding the more times he has to say it.
When Billy Bird gets food in his dish he really likes he bobs his head up and down. When Jiya gets food he likes he says "Ummm, good!" If he sees you eating something it is "Ummm, good" over and over until you share with him.
They both sing "Bad bird, bad bird, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?"
Jiya yells, "Whatcha doing?" and I will tell him and he says "OK." He of course makes phone calls. They both cough up a storm and sniff their noses like Mommy, even though birds do not cough nor sniff.
I could go on and on, of course, as well as could you all.
Oddly enough, they have pretty much stopped calling "Butterbutt or Butterbuttbuttbuttbuttbutt (they made that one up themselves)" since she died 2 weeks ago.

One thing that really gets me though is Billy. When he lunges to bite he either says "Owww" or laughs the most evil laugh you have ever heard. The little devil knows exactly what he is doing.
All these jerks in the bird books say to ignore the bites and go ahead and make them stand on your hand and show them you are not intimidated by them....ROTFLMAO! Sure, after I bleed to death I wonder who will #1 Clean up the blood? and #2 Take care of my birds? ...the guy who wrote the book?

Neither one of my Greys make any noise other than talking. I was surprised to hear that you all have Greys that do. Guess I am lucky.
Later, Picking up my Palm at 8:00, the vet kept him to get some food in him every hour to see if that will help. plus 5 dogs and 7 cats

 

[mcdian]

I have had three over many years. my first my only timnah, I got from a family real cheap because he was a feather plucker. I wish I had a picture of this when he was naked from the neck down. Everyone told us how impossible it was to break him of the plucking but they were wrong. Cause of the plucking was his nervousness, essentially scared of everything. The first thing we did was raise his cage above our eye level to allow him some perceived control. We bought an abundance of toys, and hung them all over the cage so he always had something to chew within reach. When ever we saw him starting to pluck, we would distract him with a toy or food. If distracting him did not work we would cover the cage. He did not like new things near his cage, like when I moved a chair too close to it he began plucking again till I moved the chair. He would never in front of strangers and we would have them stand outside of a closed door to listen for him to talk. He would do the wolf whistle for a piece of cheese anytime. After I broke him he would eat anything and everything including some chicken? go figure. He would beg for my coke, so I would either give him the straw or fill an empty plastic bottle with water. sometimes on top of the cage he would pull it down and get wet or in the cage he would hold the bottle and drink or bang it on the side of the cage. When I ate using a chair to hold my food in the living room, he would fly over and perch on the back of the chair to get his share of what I was eating. I am military and had to find a home for him when I went overseas. That was a very sad day for us.

The next one I got, Digger was very young, still had all black eyes. Just like most Greys he bonds primarily with one person, my husband because he also prefers men to women. I found that covering him up when he does noises I don't like helps to minimize the problem. If I ignore him when he tells me "Go to bed" he will start being irritating until i cover the cage. As I cover the cage he says "good boy" or "Whats wrong?" and I tell him "your noisy". He also calls me "I love you". I don't have any squeak toys with a high pitch and never test the smoke alarm. I am also very careful about the phone ring as he will sometimes add a few decibels to the ring. I have fooled my mother and my mother in law with his ring and was able to get him to call my mother in-law grandma since I can't have kids. Whenever I bring a new kitten in the house I put a scratch post next to the cage so the cat can get to the bird and he can bite the cat. The cat never goes near the bird again. Same with the dog.

About the bird dust something that works real well is a rainbow vacuum cleaner demonstration bowel. Digger also regularly bathes in his water bowel. I add a drop of peppermint oil and cederwood oil to the water so that keeps the moths away as well. I know it works cuz when I accidentally let the water evaporate I had dust everywhere.

I ran out and got some older seed once in a hurry and when I went on vacation there were hundreds on my ceiling. I was infested as well as the larva crawling up my wall. I was vacuuming for hours. Digger did not like them either flying around his cage. The moth trap hang with a piece of tape from the bottom of the cage. After cleaning cupboards I put peppermint drops everywhere. It is the only oil that does not irritate the bird or overwhelm the house. The moths would also get in the dog food, cat food, and even dog rawhides. The bag of bird seed I thought was sealed with a zipper was not good enough they ate right through the package. For the cat and dog food I would turn them upside down and put a few drops of peppermint on the bottom of the food and water bowels. they leave it alone now. I also found them on the backs and edges of my pictures on the wall. I had to take each apart, clean then saturate them with peppermint oil. You can get the peppermint oil from a GNC store and a little bit goes a long way so the small bottle lasts forever. I had a hard time finding the cedarwood oil. One of those health food stores had it. In the bird seed you put out a breeder told me a long time ago to put some Big red gum in it to keep the moths down. that works as well. Now when I clean the cage I also use the peppermint oil on the poo paper. Now I am still finding a couple once in a while. can't wait till I got them all gone. I had to throw out all my oatmeal, and they even got in a box of brand new bisquick. I found out they are also attracted to yellow so and yes it is true. found a whole bunch next to a bright yellow nerf gun I use to shoot the cat when she gets on the counter.

Now I have lost my husband to ALS, but I still hear his voice from my Digger. I did try and bread him once but either they were the same sex, (female the other one laid an egg years after i found it a good home) or they just did not like each other. I am told greys are pretty particular about mates.

On the switch and bait thing, I believe it is really them telling you they don't like something that you probably don't even remember. I gave mine some popcorn with chili powder on it and he would not take another piece for over 14 years. When he lifted his leg on the side of the cage to get me to pick him up he went to check my arm and I pulled away slightly auto reflex. when he got on my arm later he went right between his legs and pinched my arm almost drawing blood. They have good memories and will punish you for everything that you did wrong. Major wrong is a fast move away. For any problems with them biting while trying to pick them up, use your other hand to catch their eye while lifting them. that helps me, cuz I get nervous when they beak gets close to my skin. I am working on not flinching.

I would never give up my bird, I have a tavel cage and a box to take him on a plane, specially designed for him with screening and a built in punch on the bottom. just barely large enough for him to stand up. He makes me feel better every morning when I miss my hubby by saying "Good morning" in his voice to start the day.

 

[jeanna]

Jasper is my 4.5 year old female CAG that I've had since she was 3 months old. Named her before I got her sexed, but I love the way she says "Jasper" and it suits her. She was a gift from my dad's friend who was retiring from breeding parrots and I finished weaning her. She came to me clipped, but has been fully flighted since her first molt. She weighs 460g.


The Good:

- What a vocabulary! She makes so many noises and knows so many words/phrases, many of which she uses in context. Whenever there is water (I turn the faucet on, we're in the shower, I have a glass of water, I'm changing her water, etc.), she makes water trickling noises and says "water". "Want apple!" when she hears me chopping up some apples or sees me with an apple. "Bye bye" as soon as I pick up my keys. "Good morning!" only when she first sees me in the morning. I don't need to tell Maya (my B&G) to be quiet, Jasper does that for me quite successfullly - "Maya! Bad bird! Shh! Be quiet! Stop it!" Asks for scritches "wanna scratch?" and puts her head down. She's constantly learning new things. She also sounds exactly like me sometimes and just says the most adorable things. "I love you so much!" melts my heart every time!

- She's pretty quiet in terms of volume. Definitely suitable for my tiny apartment! There's no screaming.

- She poops on command. If I say poop while holding her, you can feel her little feet tightening around my finger as she strains to get something out - sometimes it takes a little while, but she tries. Not exactly potty trained, but I can usually avoid being pooped on by telling her to go every 10-15min or so. She also announces it, there's usually a "poop!" before there is a poop, too. Very convenient.

- She somehow started doing these tricks without me working on it with her. Can I have a kiss? - She reaches to touch the top of her beak to my lips and makes kissy noises. Wanna dance? - she bobs her head up and down. Go upside down - she falls backwards to dangle from my hand and goes "wooo!" and when I say come back up, she rights herself with a chuckle. If I yawn or pretend to yawn, she makes the yawn noise. Fly around - she flies around the room. Recall is only 25% unless I have something she wants, but the tricks she does 100% of the time.

- So independent! She can amuse herself and seems to prefer indirect attention. When she wants attention, she will fly over and ask for scratches. She will also stay quiet and focused on one toy for hours if she likes it. This makes her a very easy bird compared to my ADHD super-velcro B&G.

- She likes to cuddle, especially at dusk. I thought this would go away as she grew up, but she still loves being under a blanket on my chest - she coos and zones out while I rub her head without even opening her eyes for 5min. It's like she becomes sedated and this is the only way I can put on and take off her aviator harness without any struggle.

- While she might not like it, she doesn't mind being briefly held by other people. She steps up for people that confidently ask her to step up.

- She's very curious and confident. If she sees or hears something new, she cocks her head and stares intently at whatever it is. I always heard that greys can be sensitive and phobic, but I haven't experienced it with Jasper. I hear the growl at the vacuum attachment, but not the actual vaccuum. That's actually all I can think of right now. I can move and put whatever in her cage. She actually investigates everything new by getting closer and closer - whether it's people, animals, or objects.

- It's obvious that she thinks and makes connections. It's marvelous to see examples of her intelligence on a daily basis. I had always heard about how smart greys are, but it's still surprising and fascinating to me.

- One positive I didn't know until getting Maya: I love how discreet she is compared to my B&G! Small, no flashy colors, no loud noises mean that unlike my B&G, I can take Jasper out without attracting tons of attention. The smaller size also means she has a pak-o-bird, which in her size is affordable and not obnoxiously huge like the one I would need for a large macaw.



The Bad:

- The undesirable noises! I can't pick and choose which sounds Jasper decides to learn. She does my building's fire alarm exactly - shrill, loud, and for several seconds at a time. She learned Maya's worst noise - a high pitched screeching squeal - and uses it more than Maya does. Thankfully she mostly talks, beeps, and whistles.

- The dust! Unlike all of Maya's down, I can't see the fine dust Jasper releases. It's less messy, but what are we all breathing in constantly even with the air filter?

- She may have a smaller beak, but she is quick at destroying things. She completely destroyed the blinds on the window next to her cage. She likes my phone, my cords, any little thing she can pick up, and whatever else she can get her beak on.

- Painful bites. Jasper has bitten me on several occasions. The sharp beak definitely cuts very quickly and draws lots of blood. She bites when startled. So if something happens unexpectedly and some part of me is too close to her, I will get bitten.

- I also can't touch her anywhere but her feet, head, and sometimes back. Everything has to be on her terms or she'll try to bite.

- She can be aggressive. While Maya might be a velcro bird, if Jasper flies to me, Maya stays away until Jasper leaves. This is because Jasper will actively go after Maya if she gets too close.


In summary - I don't know if it's because I also have a B&G, but I think living with my grey is really easy. My life would probably be a lot less complicated If Jasper was the only bird - I would have so many more options for where I could live and who can take care of her when I'm out of town. Most people wouldn't mind living with Jasper because she's relatively quiet, doesn't want too much attention, and takes up much less space. Jasper is a wonderful little companion and is much more than just a pet! I find myself talking to her more like she's a toddler because it's so fun to see her learn new words in context. She makes me laugh. While Maya is physically comforting because she's so cuddly and affectionate, Jasper is emotionally comforting. When I am crying or upset, Jasper says "it's ok" repeatedly. Just like we say together when she falls or gets scared. I would totally be open to getting another grey if it meant Jasper would be happier.

I'll update this sometime with pics and videos to go along with some of the points.

 

[Saemma]

Jasper is my 4.5 year old female CAG that I've had since she was 3 months old. Named her before I got her sexed, but I love the way she says "Jasper" and it suits her. She was a gift from my dad's friend who was retiring from breeding parrots and I finished weaning her. She came to me clipped, but has been fully flighted since her first molt. She weighs 460g.

The Good:

- What a vocabulary! She makes so many noises and knows so many words/phrases, many of which she uses in context. Whenever there is water (I turn the faucet on, we're in the shower, I have a glass of water, I'm changing her water, etc.), she makes water trickling noises and says "water". "Want apple!" when she hears me chopping up some apples or sees me with an apple. "Bye bye" as soon as I pick up my keys. "Good morning!" only when she first sees me in the morning. I don't need to tell Maya (my B&G) to be quiet, Jasper does that for me quite successfullly - "Maya! Bad bird! Shh! Be quiet! Stop it!" Asks for scritches "wanna scratch?" and puts her head down. She's constantly learning new things. She also sounds exactly like me sometimes and just says the most adorable things. "I love you so much!" melts my heart every time!

- She's pretty quiet in terms of volume. Definitely suitable for my tiny apartment! There's no screaming.

- She poops on command. If I say poop while holding her, you can feel her little feet tightening around my finger as she strains to get something out - sometimes it takes a little while, but she tries. Not exactly potty trained, but I can usually avoid being pooped on by telling her to go every 10-15min or so. She also announces it, there's usually a "poop!" before there is a poop, too. Very convenient.

- She somehow started doing these tricks without me working on it with her. Can I have a kiss? - She reaches to touch the top of her beak to my lips and makes kissy noises. Wanna dance? - she bobs her head up and down. Go upside down - she falls backwards to dangle from my hand and goes "wooo!" and when I say come back up, she rights herself with a chuckle. If I yawn or pretend to yawn, she makes the yawn noise. Fly around - she flies around the room. Recall is only 25% unless I have something she wants, but the tricks she does 100% of the time.

- So independent! She can amuse herself and seems to prefer indirect attention. When she wants attention, she will fly over and ask for scratches. She will also stay quiet and focused on one toy for hours if she likes it. This makes her a very easy bird compared to my ADHD super-velcro B&G.

- She likes to cuddle, especially at dusk. I thought this would go away as she grew up, but she still loves being under a blanket on my chest - she coos and zones out while I rub her head without even opening her eyes for 5min. It's like she becomes sedated and this is the only way I can put on and take off her aviator harness without any struggle.

- While she might not like it, she doesn't mind being briefly held by other people. She steps up for people that confidently ask her to step up.

- She's very curious and confident. If she sees or hears something new, she cocks her head and stares intently at whatever it is. I always heard that greys can be sensitive and phobic, but I haven't experienced it with Jasper. I hear the growl at the vacuum attachment, but not the actual vaccuum. That's actually all I can think of right now. I can move and put whatever in her cage. She actually investigates everything new by getting closer and closer - whether it's people, animals, or objects.

- It's obvious that she thinks and makes connections. It's marvelous to see examples of her intelligence on a daily basis. I had always heard about how smart greys are, but it's still surprising and fascinating to me.

- One positive I didn't know until getting Maya: I love how discreet she is compared to my B&G! Small, no flashy colors, no loud noises mean that unlike my B&G, I can take Jasper out without attracting tons of attention. The smaller size also means she has a pak-o-bird, which in her size is affordable and not obnoxiously huge like the one I would need for a large macaw.


The Bad:

- The undesirable noises! I can't pick and choose which sounds Jasper decides to learn. She does my building's fire alarm exactly - shrill, loud, and for several seconds at a time. She learned Maya's worst noise - a high pitched screeching squeal - and uses it more than Maya does. Thankfully she mostly talks, beeps, and whistles.

- The dust! Unlike all of Maya's down, I can't see the fine dust Jasper releases. It's less messy, but what are we all breathing in constantly even with the air filter?

- She may have a smaller beak, but she is quick at destroying things. She completely destroyed the blinds on the window next to her cage. She likes my phone, my cords, any little thing she can pick up, and whatever else she can get her beak on.

- Painful bites. Jasper has bitten me on several occasions. The sharp beak definitely cuts very quickly and draws lots of blood. She bites when startled. So if something happens unexpectedly and some part of me is too close to her, I will get bitten.

- I also can't touch her anywhere but her feet, head, and sometimes back. Everything has to be on her terms or she'll try to bite.

- She can be aggressive. While Maya might be a velcro bird, if Jasper flies to me, Maya stays away until Jasper leaves. This is because Jasper will actively go after Maya if she gets too close.

In summary - I don't know if it's because I also have a B&G, but I think living with my grey is really easy. My life would probably be a lot less complicated If Jasper was the only bird - I would have so many more options for where I could live and who can take care of her when I'm out of town. Most people wouldn't mind living with Jasper because she's relatively quiet, doesn't want too much attention, and takes up much less space. Jasper is a wonderful little companion and is much more than just a pet! I find myself talking to her more like she's a toddler because it's so fun to see her learn new words in context. She makes me laugh. While Maya is physically comforting because she's so cuddly and affectionate, Jasper is emotionally comforting. When I am crying or upset, Jasper says "it's ok" repeatedly. Just like we say together when she falls or gets scared. I would totally be open to getting another grey if it meant Jasper would be happier.

I'll update this sometime with pics and videos to go along with some of the points.

I really appreciate alot of what you wrote and can relate to so much of it. Thank you! What a surprise to read that jasper is a girlie! Regarding the pooping, please consider taking the time to read this. Potty Training is dangerous | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Kiwi2]

Do you think the dust is comparable to that of an RB2 or a couple cockatiels? I've typically found I needed a powerful air filter to keep the dust manageable when owning several cockatiels and with the 2...are the Greys more powdering than toos? I have a friend that reacts with Grey powder and also can't tolerate Toos or Tiels.

 

[Amillio]

I have two greys beans and echo. Beans is nine years old and echo is five months old. They are very different, but I love them both. I got beans when she/ originally thought to be a boy, was five years old. She grew up in a home with a big enough cage but was on a seeded diet and only had one toy. It took me six months to get her to eat pellets and I still can barley get her to eat anything else. She will eat apples, almonds, walnuts, and a piece of pasta if you give it to her but that's about it. Beans will only let me get her out of the cage and sometimes she goes to the back corner even when I try to get her out. She will come out on her own if you open the top tho. Once she is out of the cage, I can get her to step up on anyone. She does like to do the bait and switch when in the cage. She will coo or wolf whistle at you to get your attention and then will put her head down like she wants a scratch. Seventy percent of the time it's a trick and she is gonna act like she is gonna bite you. Beans has never bit me hard enough to make me bleed in the 4 years I have had her. She usually just months you hand or just goes to the back cornering her cage. She hates toys, but will shred wood and forage. She typically does not like to be pet but she will occasionally at night let me scratch her head. She talks a lot in both male and female voices and she love sound effects. She gets me with the door bell every time and then she will belly laugh at you. Beans is very content to be on her own and dosnt mind if she dosnt get time out of the cage but I try to give her time out every day. Neither one of my parrots are terribly dusty. Beans hates water tho. She is very entertaing and makes me laugh almost every day. She loves to see and be around other birds, that's why I got echo. Echo is still a baby but so far he is great. He loves to be held and cuddled. He especially loves the head scratch and he tries to talk back to you when you talk to him. Echo likes to play with all kinds of toys and is not a picky eater. In almost every way he is the opposite of beans. Echo loves attention and when you open the door he practically jumps out at you no matter who it is. I only have two problems with echo so far. One he is still being hand fed at night and two he has a hard time staying on his table perches. He always jumps off and tries to get to wherever you are. It's sweet but sometimes annoying.

 

[BirdCatLady]

Well, I've only been living with my 13 year old CAG, Brodie, for a bit over a month now, but so far, here my take on the good, bad, and ugly. (Will be interesting to see how it changes the longer I'm around him!)

The Good:
* Brodie is smart. SO smart!! He picks up words, noises, and phrases almost immediately, although with longer phrases he'll practice them (which sounds like "mumble mumble mumble" to me!!) until he has it down well enough to say it to me. He'll also understand directions I give him, even if it's not using simple phrases or words he's heard before. (Example -- the other night, I told him, "If you pick up that piece of green pepper and just hold it in your beak for only one second, you'll get your apple slices." He looked at me, disgust in his eyes, picked up the piece of green pepper for exactly 1 second, dropped it on the floor, then looked at me like, "Hurry up, human, I want my APPLE!" )
* He'll let me know when he's angry/upset (beyond just being pissed off) by vocalizing with a "waaauk!" or similar noise. This happens very rarely, usually when I've intruded in his cage when he doesn't want me there (for cleaning purposes usually) or if I don't let him out of the door above his food dish, where I scoop his breakfast in every morning. It's also occurred when I've been working on getting him comfortable with me touching his toes/nails, but only once. He's been very good the other times.
* He seems to be fairly ready to forgive if I do something that actually hurts him, as long as I'm genuinely sorry. This has only happened once -- I pinched his toe in the cage door one afternoon when I was in a rush (bad bad parront ) -- and he squawked in pain... I spent probably 5 minutes apologizing to him after making sure he was okay (and he was, thank goodness!). But I think he knew from the tone of my voice that I really, really was sorry and didn't mean to do that, at all.
* He's fairly independent. I'm in the middle of a job transition now, but at my previous job, I had varying hours during the work week -- sometimes I'd be gone from the house for 8-9 hours, sometimes it'd only be 4 or 5 hours. But he does his own thing when I'm not around. I know he plays with some of the toys in his cage, and I'm sure some of the time he's spending thinking of dastardly schemes to try and trick me...
* He has a wonderful sense of humor!! and can also be pretty sarcastic when he feels like it.
* He doesn't have to say anything for me to be able to tell what kind of mood he's in (usually).
* He also has a really, really good sense of timing for saying appropriate things -- sometimes when my hubby tells me something that he is really excited about, or when I'm talking about something I'm looking forward to, Brodie will interject with an "OoooOOOOohhHHH!!!" and will sound very interested.
* He doesn't scream. In the 5 weeks he's lived here, I've only heard him scream once, and I'm pretty sure that was an afternoon when I'd been home for awhile but hadn't paid him sufficient attention.
* He's not TERRIBLY dusty. His previous owners did warn me about the dust, and while I do see it on the plastic underneath his cage stand (and notice it on my fingers when he allows me to give him a scritch), it's not as bad as I was expecting. Then again, I do give him a "spritz" (as he calls it) -- misting with lukewarm water -- every 4-6 days, so I'm sure that helps.
* He doesn't bite much. He's bitten me once, in the first 2-3 days that he was here, and even that didn't draw blood or even leave a lasting mark. He has "bitten" me a few times since, but those have been basically him taking my finger in his beak, relatively gently (no mark at all, doesn't hurt or even pinch), and I'm pretty sure it's just a "warning" or him expressing that he's pissed off.

The Bad:
At this point I'm not really sure what I'd actually call "bad." I think most of what I would probably put in the "bad" category is due to me having to learn all about caring for not just an African Grey in particular, but a bird in general, since Brodie is my first bird.

The Ugly:
* Trying to introduce him to new foods (especially fruits/veggies) is a "nightmare." Although I gotta grin at that, because it's hilarious even though it's a bit frustrating... When he came to me, he was on about a 90% seed diet. I'm trying to introduce him to more fruits/veggies (currently the only fruits he'll eat regularly are apple slices and bananas), and he's not having any of it. Tonight I mixed up some of the food that my hubby and I had made today (a tiny bit of quinoa with red pepper and cinnamon; a few steamed peas and one slice of steamed carrot; two small pecan pieces; two chunks of pumpkin), and he dumped it out all over his cage. I was expecting that, but it's still a little frustrating. (I do think there's hope for the quinoa though... he seemed more interested in that than any of the veggies!)
* Trying to figure out what his favorite treat is. When he moved here, he was given one peanut (in the shell, roasted but unsalted) every day as a treat. I've since removed the peanut, and he loves tiny bits of cheese (cheddar or provolone) -- when I say tiny, I mean TINY, just enough for a few beakfuls for him. He has been introduced to almonds and pistachios and loves them both too. But trying to figure out what I can use as a reward for him for good behavior or for doing what I ask him to do can be hard. The cheese he gets in the evenings, as a reward for him getting back in his cage and getting ready for bed (although that's usually about 45 minutes before actual bedtime). Everything else, he doesn't really seem to care about, at least enough for a treat food.

Some of the "mediocre" things -- not good, bad, nor ugly -- include:
* He's territorial about his food dish. Not to the point where he won't let me touch it, but he does get cranky if I'm too close or messing around with it.
* He can be very demanding. In the mornings, even AFTER I give him his breakfast, for about an hour he'll say "are you hungry?" (almost non-stop if I don't respond, a couple of times every 15-20 minutes if I do). I'll just remind him that he has fresh food in his dish, or I'll say "I'm hungry/not hungry, and/but I know someone who is!" In the evenings, he'll constantly say "wanna scratch?" or "bend over" (previous owner taught him that for bending down to have his head scritched).
* In the mornings he'll also constantly make noise. I'm okay with this, and am getting to the point where I can respond to him but am not 100% paying attention to every noise he makes.
* He likes a regular schedule. Which is good, because I need sometimes to be reminded to have a regular schedule myself. But it does get frustrating sometimes when I'm like, oh, it's 8pm, time to put him to bed, or, oh, it's 10 minutes to 7 in the morning, he'll be waking up soon...

~

I think that's about it for now!

I've also heard that Greys are phobic of things but honestly I think that's more nurture than it is nature. If you "allow" them to be phobic, then they will be -- I do think there are exceptions to this, since as such intelligent creatures, they can definitely be more prone to anxiety than other creatures that aren't as intelligent -- but there's definitely a lot of influence from their upbringing there rather than their genetics. Brodie will act scared of stuff sometimes -- new toys, for example -- but then I'll play with a new toy for a little while, and he'll be a little curious... I'll leave it where he can see it for a few days... then I'll move it so it's sitting next to or on top of his cage, so he can explore it if he feels like it... and then it'll get introduced in his cage, and usually by then he's fine with it. (Either he'll ignore it or play with it, haha, but he won't be scared of it anymore.)

 

[dwright27]

Any updates from the people who posted their Goods, Bads, and Uglies 3 years ago? Do you still feel the same in 2016?

 

[Ribbit21]

Any updates from the people who posted their Goods, Bads, and Uglies 3 years ago? Do you still feel the same in 2016?

I believe I posted when Josie was only 6 months old. OMG she's 4 years old now! Let's see what has changed...

Good...
Independent: She is very content to play for hours on her own. (She is still very independent)
Great talker: Josie was talking by 4 months old and she picks up new stuff all the time. (Oh boy, she really never shuts up now. LOL! She has picked up sarcasm from my husband, so she's a hoot.)
Intelligent: Very quick to pick up new words and much quicker at associating words with actions than my other birds. (Yep, yep)
Sense of humor: She will do things just to make me laugh (This on steroids. She will go out of her way to do the craziest things.)
Slightly cuddly: Likes to snuggle a bit, but only for short periods (Much more cuddly than she used to be. I can't let her get carried away though.)
Quiet: The majority of her noises are talking and sound effects. (She is not a very quiet bird. Not a screamer, but always chatting and singing)
Playful: Likes to swing, hang upside down, and is great with all sorts of toys. (I'm the one that's telling her to slow down, not do that, you'll hurt yourself, blah, blah, blah. She never really listens to me so not sure why I bother.)
New Goods: Loyal and Loving, Understands the world around her much more than my other birds, Fun, Easy to Read, Hilarious


Bad and Ugly...
Loud: While she is generally a much quieter bird than the others, she can have some very loud moments and has picked up some of my other birds more annoying noises. (Her volume has increased quite a bit!)
100% toddler: She's go go go all the time and must be kept stimulated or she will go off and destroy something she's not supposed to. Definitely not a bird that can sit in a cage for hours. (She can't be left alone ever! In a matter of seconds she is capable of destroying something. Furniture, cabinets, you name it, she has either destroyed it or spilled it everywhere. I have baby locks on cabinets and drawers. She knows how to get those off, but it at least gives me a few extra seconds head start before the chaos begins.
Bait and Switch: She can give a cute, I'm friendly, sort of look and then bite anyway. (This is much less common. She has more defined moods now. When she's cranky she will let you know.)
Bad words: Picks up on everything she's NOT supposed to say. (Surprisingly she does this much less)
Dusty: I am not allergic to anything and even I sneeze when cage cleaning sometimes. The dust gets everywhere. An air filter is almost a requirement. (Dust bomb!!! It gets in and on everything! If you have allergies DON'T get a Grey)
Scare easily: If she sees something scarey she will fly off immediately. I know that some greys can be phobic, so I make a point not to treat her like she's made of glass. If something scares her I don't make a big deal out of it. I show her what it was and that it's not going to hurt her. (Not sure I would call this a "bad" anymore. I now see it as a healthy dose of caution. She thinks about things and digests situations. It's okay to be scared, but then learn to deal with those fears. I can often convince her to face her fears, by explaining things to her calmly)
Not good with other birds: She will tolerate them being in the same room, but not on the same play stand or within 4 feet. (She is not a fan of small birds and will go after them.)

I had a hard time coming up with negatives, as I love even the bad stuff about her. All put together it gives her a kick butt personality. I like a little bit of attitude in all my birds!
To sum it up, 3 years later, my Grey is everything I thought she might be, but ten times better. I can't imagine life without one. She has no real faults in my eyes. I certainly don't think greys are for everyone. She requires so much more attention than all my other birds combined. She is messy and destructive at times, not very quiet, and can be a royal pain in the butt some days. But she and I are cool with that and I guess that is all that matters to me.

 

[dwright27]

Thanks for the update, Keri! Very helpful.

I don't have allergies (I mean, sure, I sneeze if I'm cleaning up a ton of dust but doesn't everyone?), but my mom seems to have seasonal allergies. I live with her, a cat, a dog, and a tortoise (oh, yeah, I guess that's in my signature.. oh well lol). However if I do bring a bird home it won't be until we move to a better house, which will still be at least a couple more years. We have been clearing out a TON of stuff here.. but it's not up to the standard I would want to have a parrot in.. There are still too many things that could go wrong here, too many things to get into lol! The house isn't baby-proof... so it's certainly not parrot-proof!

ANYWAY, thank you for giving me (and other readers) an update, I'm happy to read that you are enjoying Josie so much still, and that some things have improved. I think the main annoyance for me would be the high-pitched beeping. I don't mind the chatter and the occasional yell, but the beeping might have an effect on my anxiety..

(forgive me, I just woke up a few minutes ago, so I might have rambled on a bit more than I normally would.. lol)

 

[BashTinkLuna]

So interesting reading all stories about Greys. I was about adopting new bird this December. It is either sun conure, alexandrine or CAG. The strongest candidate is CAG I have prepared that I can spend life until old with her. Predicted I still can live 60 years more.. I am amazed how they can puzzle everything and we as human must be smarter than them, reading their puzzle to really get what they really sign.

 

[Myboyzak]

The attributes listed in this thread are the experiences of each individual and your experiences may differ with your individual bird.

I've decided to initiate TMS's idea and start this thread. Please feel free to share anything you think would be valuable for anyone reading this thread. Remember it's not just for parrot owners on this forum it's also for ANYONE and Everyone on the internet reading this info. Caring is sharing and Knowledge is priceless.

Let me begin by saying that I absolutely adore my african grey Emma. She is just perfect for me. Notice that I say perfect for me and NOT that she is perfect?
She turned 5 years old this month and has been with me since she weaned at 26 weeks old. I used to worry a little about all the info on the internet warning of how things could be when greys got older. I can only say that for now I have noticed no added negatives in behaviour, in fact I feel that things have never been better, but maybe I'm just better at understanding her too.

I'll start with the things that I love about living with a grey. We love the life and laughter that she brings into our home with her constant chatter, sense of humour and commentary. She's a great clear talker and I love her ability to have meaningful conversations with me. I love the deep connection that I feel with her, something that I don't really feel with my other parrots. I love how she feels that every conversation is her business and has to stick in her two cents. Emma is also extremely affectionate, expressive and loving. I'd be able to spend alot of time writing about all the things I love about Emma, however I'll leave it at that.


Now the bad.
The DUST & The never ending FLURRY of floofies. If I didn't love my Emma as much as I do.... I'd often feel like this.. and .. .
You may think that this is an exaggeration, however I'm not joking one bit.
Vacuuming and dusting is something that must be done every day around here and it goes without saying that it is a good idea to buy a good quality air purifier like the Austin Air. There have been a few times in the past where I could not stand to be around Emma for too long when I was with a bad flu otherwise I'd start coughing to the point where I thought I was going to choke. Beware to all allergy sufferers or those with sensitive lungs. This is no joke.


Noise? Not all of Emma's noises are pleasant to my ears. I've been wearing hearing protection at home for the past 4.5 years. I can't stand constant high pitched noises and Emma has those perfected. Since I never know when she's going to sound off I wear my hearing protection at all times.


When it comes to getting along with other parrots, Emma can be unpredictable. Therefore she's not to be trusted, EVER. If she views a parrot as weaker than her she will do things like chase them, jump on them, push them off a swing, swoop in on them if they are hanging out with me. She doesn't like to share very much. I must always supervise when Sachi is out with Emma because one never knows whether she'll be on a Powertrip that day.

I guess that's SOME of my Bad and Ugly lumped together. I'm looking forward to reading about what the rest of you will share.

 

[Myboyzak]

I got Zak exactly a year ago. He was passed around many different homes after his long term owner passed away I think he could be around 25 not a hundred percent about that. He had pulled most of his front feathers on his chest out but they have all grown back. I offered to adopt him, bought him a new cage a very large cage at that. He is the most amazing messy annoying loving pet I've ever had. He lets me kiss him he copies many sounds says many words some from his past owners. We have really bonded in the space of a year but he won't let me hold him, he doesn't bite me or anything he just moves a way from my hands . I would love to one day hold him but I don't know if this will happen. He is very happy with his new life I think this is the most settled he has ever been since his original owner passed away. We are best friends most of the time lol but would love to have more contact with him.

 

[BirdCatLady]

@Myboyzak -- when I adopted Brodie in October 2015, he was 13 years old and I was his third home/second rehome. Poor fid didn't understand why he was moving again, from friends of mine who had had him for 8 years, to me... very different environment. Anyway, now, almost 2 years later, he's built enough trust in me to ask for scratches daily, and to step up when he feels like it. He'll also come off his cage to see what I'm doing (he can't fly so he climbs down and waddles over... I make sure that my cat and dog are in separate, closed-off areas of our apartment before this happens, though), and then he'll ask for cuddles for up to 45 minutes, and will step up with me then almost guaranteed.

But it's taken us over a year to get to that point. And from your estimation, Zak is older than Brodie. A year is a good start, but given the life expectancy of Greys, it's not super long. Give it time. I'm so glad that you were able to provide a home for him though! That is awesome, and he sounds like an amazing fid.

 

[jeansie1988]

This is Buster Brown... He is around 10 years old I believe and came from my girlfriend who passed away from cancer last year.
The good...
He can be a sweet heart, taking in little amounts of head scratches at a time, he doesn't scream, he can entertain himself for a bit and loves to forage.
The bad...
He doesn't like it when anyone goes in his cage.. he can come from any angle to bite you. He is also obsessed with food... I have an idea why but won't get into that now. He is not a touchy type of bird..not sure thats a bad thing though.
The ugly...
When he bites he bites and doesn't want to let go!

 

[FlyingMacaws]

I have a TAG and a CAG and BOY are they DIFFERENT. And it’s not just the difference in size and color but also temperament and personality.
I’m going to start with Luna since I’ve had her the longer than Warlord. Luna is a female(she bore an egg) and will be 15 this year.
The Good-
She is a people person. She will go to anyone. It doesn’t matter if your male, female, blonde,grey, black, white, ️‍ ‍‍ doesn’t matter to her. She loves to finger hop. She is a harlet. She isn’t picky about food, she loves to travel, she picks up new tasks easily and enjoys learning new tricks. She is also easily portable with her size.
The BAD—-
She will hold a grudge. When she decides she dislikes something or someone. You WILL NOT change her mind. Luna easily gets jealous over anything or anyone that she deems is taking too much of my attention. Thus she is not to be trusted near anything that is electronically inclined. Luna can not be trusted to behave nicely towards her fellow household flock members. This also includes the other 4 legged family members. I can have Luna and Cotton on separate shoulders or if I’m laying on the couch a thigh apiece. But I always have to make sure to be vigilant and continually tell her “Be Nice”.
Luna is also on non talkative spectrum. (Not all greys are talkers and she proves the point.) BUT she has some ear piercing squeaks and beeps in her repertory. Literally she will set off a round of ringing in your ear that will send chills down your entire body. I know she finds some evil joy by making her ear piercers extra clear and crisp while her head is facing my ear. It’s an extra shot of “I love you”
She is also extremely MESSY. She will paint a wall with the food she throws. She will also poop non discriminatorily. She doesn’t bother trying to miss your clothes. So when your evaluating time and care. A new potential owner needs to realize it’s not just the actual cage but also it’s the perches and toys that will need to be cleaned of poop and thrown food.
Speaking of toys real quick. Greys NEED things that keep them mentally active. So they have to toys that require them to solve a problem in order to get their favorite treat. I have found that your foraging/problem solving toys are very pricey. I’ve spent upwards of $50 on some of mine. They are not inexpensive in any way.
Alas we finally come to the dust. If you have allergies I’d honestly NOT advice any person to lean towards a grey. Luna isn’t nearly as bad as Warlord but TAGS still have a LOT of dander.

Onto Warlord our new CAG——
Warlord is a DNAd male and is still a baby at 12 months.
The good-
Warlord is a great talker and he is learning new sounds, words everyday. It’s amazing how quickly he is picking up things. (I have told the honey buns to watch the F-bombs)
He is a lovebug and is easily taking to his socializing outside of the house. It’s very important that he gets along well with strangers. He lets anyone give him scratches and his self confidence grows everyday.
He also loves attention and is so easy to train. He makes training rewarding AND FUN.
Unlike Luna who barely tolerates other birds and electronics. Warlord doesn’t try to kill my phone and he actually wants to socialize. Him and Cotton share happily with each other and don’t try to pounce on each other.
He is also Curious George and wants to be in your business.
He is also a EATER. He loves food. He is just a big love bug.
The bad.
MESSY. Let me say one more time MESSY. He is a slob. As well as a non discriminatory pooper.
His dander is terrible and so he is already on a bi-weekly shower. Thankfully I invest in air filters.
He is still learning his beak can cause ouchies.
But so far he hasn’t built up a huge list of (Bad). But he is still only a baby so time will tell.