A want a TAG, should I wait?

[mom2mny]

I want a TAG, should I wait?

I would love to have a TAG. However, I have 7 kids. The youngest is 3. Would it be better to wait until the kids are older before getting one? I'm afraid all of the noise and commotion will be too much for the bird's nerves.

Does anyone have an African Grey and young children? Would you recommend waiting?

 

[Pookamama]

Hi, I posted in your other thread here: http://www.parrotforums.com/new-members-welcome/22413-new-here-researching-family-bird.html
But here's my answer again for easy sakes:

i,
I have a Timneh who was rehome from another family with four kiddos. Her kids were older than mine-8 through 13. Mine are younger, 2, 4, 5 and almost 7. Pepper is four and very gentle-spirited, very calm. She will step up for the kids when she's in the right mood, but I'm obviously her favorite. She will climb up the kid's arms to get on top of their heads, they can give her treats. I have considered getting a pair of cockatiels or hand-fed budgies who will be more into bonding with multiple people so the kids can actually get more bird time, but the time they get with Pepper is good and calm. She only went through one nippy stage as a toddler bird accordign to her previous owner. She's nipped twice here but gave plenty of warning (hubby tried to lift up her wing).

So my advice would be-look into various adult birds who have experience with kids, or get a hand-fed baby. Timnehs normally do great with families but they will tend to pick a favorite. If you keep them handled by various people they'll accept various people. My hubby works hard to do clicker training with her so their relationship is going good even if he's not the chosen one, he can hold her, give her scritches, etc. Cockatiels and hand-fed budgies (there's a lot of budgies who are not hand-fed out there) do well as well. Green cheek conures are normally good but many tend to go through a nippy stage. Linneolated parakeets (I think I'm spelling that wrong) and Rosy burkes were recommended as well to me.

My dream bird personally was a Timneh, and since I am the one who the bird was for mostly, I went for a Timneh. I do the feeding and the cleaning so I'm perfectly fine with the bird preferring me to everybody else, because although she could give or take them, she is not violent in any way and everyone is quite entertained by her various calls and dance moves.

If my kids decide they want birds for their own birds, though, I plan on going the cockatiel/budgie/parakeet route.

So in a nutshell, I think it would work fine if you get a younger bird that has been well-socialized by the breeder. Or an older bird that has been exposed to a crazy household.

Our Pepper is in the middle of everything. We could tell it was overwhelming for her in the beginning, but even when she felt overwhelmed, she was still very sweet and calm with us, sitting with me, letting me scritch her and taking treats from everybody, even though she'd never met us until the day we brought her home. (I had talked with her owner for a few hours on the phone and got a great idea of what her personality and life was like at home). It came down to she came from a good breeder and was well socialized with people and other birds in her previous home, and her steady personality.

So, take this slow and easy. Talk to people, talk to breeders, find TAG owners and find out where they got them. Be prepared to take it easy with your bird-greys are slow to adapt to change, but they still surprise you sometimes like Pepper did with us. I was really expecting her to be a lot more shy with contact.

In the wild, African grey flocks do not sit around quietly and talk and do puzzles. There is action and noise and movement! I think the security she feels around people matters much more to Pepper than the amount of noise. She is getting to know us and definitely has her preferences, but she knows her cage is a safe place. She has a high perch that is freely available to her if she wants to retreat beyond curious eyeballs and fingers. It's her play place and I have a food and water bowl down there as well.

Since you are a mom you already have a lot of the instincts to 'read' your bird, to help it feel included, to back off when it needs space, to read body language-you already do that with your kids. That helps SOOOO much with parrots! I was amazed with researching parrots how much of good parrot care resembles good child care. It's about respect, sensitivity to their limitations, encouraging, and praising the good, providing a healthy and proper environment and diet. They do speak a different language and have different needs than a child, but you will adapt just fine as long as you research it. I recommend Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot and The African Grey Parrot Handbook. Read those books and become active on bird forums, reading lots of parrot stuff, asking questions, and you will be just fine.

 

[Mybestfriendisaparrot]

Honestly, get one if you want one but make sure your kids that are younger then 11 dont act like its a toy. Especially the 3 year old. Kids think birds are toys and if an african grey gets mad at a 3 year old( because some can hold a grudge) it can take the kids finger off. I never heard of anything like that happeneing but its possible. My Timneh is thew sweetest thing and Im 13. Ive been handling parrots since I was 9 and when i say parrots i mean large parrots such as cockatoos, greys, macaws, amazons and etc. I dont think having a 3 year old around is the best choice because of the fact a grey constantly needs to be out of its cage a lot and if the bird comes near the kid or the kid goes near the bird and bird is frightened it wontbe good. Especially if its bonded to you. I suggest wait another 3-4 years if you can wait, If not you can get one but get one while its very very youung and handle it as much as possible with as many people as possible so its social. Luckly mines very social and loves all people but she is very fussy. But good choise for a timneh because they arent as aggressive as congos and they are a bit more laid back in my opinion. If you want one go ahead but make sure thhe younge ones dont get close because even if you tell the kid how to how it, birds with get scared and mouth you and grip you with its beak for balance, its wont bite, it will just place its beak on your mouth. It will look like its biting but it wont, kids will get scared and jump and swing there hand around which will not only scare the kid and the bird but the bird will most definetly bite. There is a 95% chance of it biting. If you trust you family to watch the kids when the bird is out with you have fun with your bird because they are amazong pets but boy I really want your family to be ready for it and for your family to be safe and not get hurt just because of your bird. Remeber its technally like your having another kid, all the work, and time is needed, but it pays off because they change your lives and make us who we are. If you want a large bird that doesnt have as big of a beak and isnt as curious, and isnt a one person bird, that likes to cuddle, and loves people, I reccomend a Galah/Rose breasted cockatoo. They are pricey but they are super sweet, love people, have much smaller beaks then a grey so it wont hurt as much if it does bite, they are silly and love to play. They also looovvve people and crowds!They require the same size cage and care and time. Any are a pink, grey and white but mostly pink. If you decide to get a parrot enjoy! They are amazing! Hope this helps!

 

[Birdlover11]

I think you should get one as grays love active households but I agree with Mybestfriendisaparrot that you have to make sure and tell your kids not to mess around,pull its tail feathers and make the gray uncomterble or he,ll become wary and nippy around people, even tho I'm only 11 I have researched a lot about different types of parrots. I have to be careful of my body language even around my budgies because weven tho thier bite doesnt hurt I don't want them to become nippy and unfriendly but other then that I think a gray would be a good fit!Goodluck!

 

[antoinette]

African Greys thrive on a a busy household, this actually stimulates the bird.
I had my first AG, when my two sons were 3 and 4 years old.
I put my foot down, explained that the bird was not a toy, and lay down the rules.
I never had a single problem, but must mention, it took many hours of strict rules.
After a few months they were handling the bird, but always under my supervision.
My only concern is you have 7 kids, you are not able to be with the bird 24/7.
You might be busy with some of the kids, doing chores etc, what if one of the kids interacted with the bird, without supervision? They could be attacked or bitten by the bird. You might end up keeping the bird, locked in his cage, for the safety of your kids, thus being unfair to the bird.

 

[Pookamama]

Honestly, get one if you want one but make sure your kids that are younger then 11 dont act like its a toy. Especially the 3 year old. Kids think birds are toys and if an african grey gets mad at a 3 year old( because some can hold a grudge) it can take the kids finger off. I never heard of anything like that happeneing but its possible. My Timneh is thew sweetest thing and Im 13. Ive been handling parrots since I was 9 and when i say parrots i mean large parrots such as cockatoos, greys, macaws, amazons and etc. I dont think having a 3 year old around is the best choice because of the fact a grey constantly needs to be out of its cage a lot and if the bird comes near the kid or the kid goes near the bird and bird is frightened it wontbe good. Especially if its bonded to you. I suggest wait another 3-4 years if you can wait, If not you can get one but get one while its very very youung and handle it as much as possible with as many people as possible so its social. Luckly mines very social and loves all people but she is very fussy. But good choise for a timneh because they arent as aggressive as congos and they are a bit more laid back in my opinion. If you want one go ahead but make sure thhe younge ones dont get close because even if you tell the kid how to how it, birds with get scared and mouth you and grip you with its beak for balance, its wont bite, it will just place its beak on your mouth. It will look like its biting but it wont, kids will get scared and jump and swing there hand around which will not only scare the kid and the bird but the bird will most definetly bite. There is a 95% chance of it biting. If you trust you family to watch the kids when the bird is out with you have fun with your bird because they are amazong pets but boy I really want your family to be ready for it and for your family to be safe and not get hurt just because of your bird. Remeber its technally like your having another kid, all the work, and time is needed, but it pays off because they change your lives and make us who we are. If you want a large bird that doesnt have as big of a beak and isnt as curious, and isnt a one person bird, that likes to cuddle, and loves people, I reccomend a Galah/Rose breasted cockatoo. They are pricey but they are super sweet, love people, have much smaller beaks then a grey so it wont hurt as much if it does bite, they are silly and love to play. They also looovvve people and crowds!They require the same size cage and care and time. Any are a pink, grey and white but mostly pink. If you decide to get a parrot enjoy! They are amazing! Hope this helps!

As to the young kids being around the bird, not enough out of cage time-this is easily dealt with by having a play area well out of reach of little hands. The bird can spend plenty of out of cage time even with the kids all around being kids. Pepper spends most of the day on her playtop-I've her food and water and foot toys and chewies up there. The kids only come halfway up the cage so she can avoid them all she wants.

It also depends on the kid. No way could we have had a parrot when my six year old was a toddler. He was always touching everything. My youngest (2) now is much more focused on people than getting into everything. He thinks the bird is fun to watch but doesn't want to hold her. We don't let him interact with her directly and it's totally doable. You know your kids, they are used to not touching the Sennie who chases them, if you think the kids can be respectful of the pet and have a general sensitivity towards people and animals they'll do great. My kids are all very kind, they squabble but they are not physically aggressive toward other people or animals. Kids can learn sensitivity and love at a very young age but people who have only seen the children acting up and haven't had their own think the worst of children.

 

[papaya]

I have two African Grey Timnehs and they are 6 years old. I have had them since they were both 6 months old. We have a busy household too. Two young kids, three large dogs and a cat.
My birds are kept in the living room and decided to breed. I have two babies right now and they don't mind all the commotion. Maybe I am just lucky!

 

[4theBirds]

African Greys thrive on a a busy household, this actually stimulates the bird.
I had my first AG, when my two sons were 3 and 4 years old.
I put my foot down, explained that the bird was not a toy, and lay down the rules.
I never had a single problem, but must mention, it took many hours of strict rules.
After a few months they were handling the bird, but always under my supervision.
My only concern is you have 7 kids, you are not able to be with the bird 24/7.
You might be busy with some of the kids, doing chores etc, what if one of the kids interacted with the bird, without supervision? They could be attacked or bitten by the bird. You might end up keeping the bird, locked in his cage, for the safety of your kids, thus being unfair to the bird.

I agree with Antoinette. Greys demand a lot of time. Children demand a lot of time. I don't have children, but as you can see, I have 12 dachshunds. It's just like having a bunch of 3 year olds. Also, the dogs are predators and greys are prey. We lost Paddywack this past year, when he got out of the cage when my wife was feeding hime. Four of our pack killed him before my wife could get to him. We have to be constantly on our guard. I can imagine similar care will be absolutely necessary in your household. Perhaps you should wait until your youngest is around 12 or 13.