I've read conflicting information- to adopt or shop?

[MysticMagic]

Hello everyone!

I don't have a bird yet. I'm waiting until I graduate college in two years and my schedule becomes less "fluid".

Anyways, I've been very interested in getting a bird once this happens. I currently live in a town house, and my neighbors have two African Grey Parrots that I've absolutely fallen in love with. Independent, not attached at the hip, but still open to scritches.

My biggest question has to do with the adopt or shop dilemma. Usually I'd adopt, but I've seen some people say that these birds can have behavioral problems from previous owners that can be overwhelming for first time owners. I've also seen that breeder birds can have similar issues when they go through their hormonal stages. What's actually the best? Because I'd love to rescue a birdie but if it has too many behavioral problems, both of us would be in a worst position. I'm just worried about doing it right, you know?

Also, what are your opinions on Grey's? I know they're not toted as a beginner bird, but I really only want one bird period and I'd rather put more effort up front if it means I'll have a bird that's actually a good match for me. I know they're typically toted as sensitive, but I'm working on an ecology degree and have taken a few optional courses specifically on animal behavior. I've also done a lot of research on my own about environmental enrichment, as I do eventually want to help research enrichment for zoo animals. I've read plenty of peer-reviewed articles and have seen some ideas in person at a wildlife rescue (not for parrots, but birds of prey, raccoons, foxes, even two mountain lions). Nothing specifically about or for parrots yet, but I do know foraging enrichment is important and I'll be sure to look here for more ideas, and contact my local zoo so they can describe how they keep their birds happy and healthy.

I know this was long-winded, and I didn't mean to come across as a know it all. Thank you in advanced for any help, it's really appreciated!

 

[itchyfeet]

Welcome

I don't have an AG so I'm not going to comment there.

But I did set out to get one...they were on my short list along with the King Parrot & the IRN's. I spend a few months looks around at pet stores, breeders & online adoption sites (we don't have rescues as such where I live).

Both of my IRN boys are adopted. I wouldn't call them rescues, but nor were they babes from the breeder. They were adoptions. Henry was 8ish months, and belonged to the daughter who had a change of circumstance. He went to the father as planned, but he took him to work each day with a bunch of dirty mouthed teenagers, and Henry was starting to talk.....

Clarke was 5 months old. He lived with a lady experienced with birds, but not IRN's. Supposedly, he was handreared but she couldn't touch him. You wouldn't know it now, he's as close to the humans as the rest of the flock and easy enough to handle.

I'm not anti breeders, my 9 year old save her money for a couple of years, did her own research, and over email, independently built up a relationship with her breeder. They spent some time with a few different chicks and she came home with her lovebird, Skittles.

The key to making each relationship work was finding the right bird - the ones that connected with their human and their human connected with them. It's okay to search via both avenues when looking for a parrot, and an adoption/rescue doesn't immediately equal trauma, neglect or irreversible behavioural issue.

 

[noodles123]

If you adopt, you CAN and often do have behavioral issues.
If you don't but have never owned a bird, yours may end up with behavior issues anyway (I mean that lovingly--the same is true of parents).


There are no guarantees.



If you are scared, then if you buy a baby you will at least know that you have to "own" any issues that come into play.


However, if you adopt, then you are helping a growing problem (re-homed birds)--and at least then you expect to face a challenge. One huge benefit to adopting an older bird that has already gone through puberty is that you know (roughly) what you are getting.


Some bird varieties undergo a fairly substantial personality shift at sexual maturity and for many birds, this doesn't happen until they are 5-8 years old.



I would expect a challenge either way and know that each endeavor will have its own perks and downfalls.


I adopted my bird and I was in a similar predicament, but I also am a glutton for punishment (special education teacher).



Good luck! You sound very responsible and I imagine that you will know when you find the right bird. J

 

[MysticMagic]

Thank you guys for the advice!

Unfortunately this doesn't seem to leave an easy answer open other than to just keep my options available to either. Luckily I have plenty of time to save up, do some research, and develop a relationship with my local rescues and breeders. Also could give me a better idea if AG's really are for me if I got around to interacting with more than just the two my neighbors have.

 

[noodles123]

I always said I would get a grey and NEVER a cockatoo...Guess what I have? DING DING DING...cockatoo lol.


Love her to death and so glad I have her but if you start to feel pulled in that direction, research like crazy and don't brush off warnings.


I am the mother of a flighted toddler with a strict bedtime routine FOREVER LOL!

 

[MysticMagic]

Oh I couldn't do a cockatoo. They're cute, but I've heard there's loud and then there's cockatoo loud. My only other pet is deaf and I'm sure even he would be unhappy with that. Besides, I kinda like AG's because they're more independent. I mean when you have a good relationship, from what I've seen, they do want to spend time with you, but I'm not after a super cuddly bird. I wasn't even wanting a talking bird if I'm being honest, but I do think AG's will be a good fit for me personality wise.

 

[noodles123]

African greys are great. I have heard that Timnehs (TAG) tend to be a bit easier in the behavior department and they are a bit smaller (but still way bigger than a small bird).


My uncle had one and she imitated a lot of sounds (especially if no one was looking) but she hardly talked---(hello and good night all of the time, but then random sentences once in a blue-moon lol)


She was very independent but affectionate with him and she loved attention (even though you wouldn't know it looking at her in the other room just chilling out).



Definitely a one-person-bird tendency, which was scary at times for the rest of us when he went to bed and she was still out, but I loved her to death (even though it took her about 18 years to warm up to me haha)

 

[itchyfeet]

Have a good look at IRN's - Independent, real thinkers and chatty, IMHO and in my limited experience. Also cheaper once you consider cages etc, giving more of the budget to playstands and what not. People aren't intimidated to pet sit. Not saying a grey isn't the right fit, just that it was my assumed right fit but the IRN's are brilliant.

Noodles I can't decide if your more like me (special ed) or the MIL (Went shopping for a grey, came home with the too!)

 

[MysticMagic]

I haven't spent too much time with my neighbor's birds. I just pet sat for a week and they were alright. He often had them watch Nick Jr during the day and one of them obviously loved Paw Patrol (he'd sing parts of the lyrics randomly). But I also got a taste of how well they are able to imitate other sounds.

The one person bird tendency is fine for me. I live alone, and plan to for a while. As far as which type of AG I get, I honestly plan to make that a secondary priority. If I find a CAG that I match with, that's fine. If it's a TAG, that's also fine. I could swing either way, but will probably lean towards Timneh's.

 

[MysticMagic]

Oh sorry itchy! Didn't see your response. I'll look into ring necks. GCC's are another bird on my list too. Given I have a bit of time before I actually commit, money is less of a problem for me. I've done some research already, so I'm surprised IRN's haven't come up sooner!

 

[noodles123]

I LOVE greys and I have no objections to them, but FYI,
My uncle who had the grey (who died at a "ripe old age) now has a Jardine's parrot and he researched the heck out of it before adopting. He loved Neo (the grey) and considered getting another, but ultimately he picked the Jardine's.
All of my experiences with his new bird have been pretty good. It is slightly less mysterious/intimidating than the grey lol (although I was bitten a few times when he was younger)


I found the following online:
"Suitability as a Pet
Their size (medium -- smaller than a Grey Parrot) and their pleasant voices make them more suitable as companions than most Parrots. They are generally better at entertaining themselves and less demanding of human attention. However, they greatly enjoy having their head scratched and some can object strongly when you cease to do so! It must be remembered, however, that their individuality is as great as that of a Grey Parrot, for example."
http://www.northernparrots.com/jardines-fact-sheet-blog37/


They do go through a "nippy" stage, but their beaks are small, so it isn't as intimidating---I have bled from one, but it was much less frightening than being bitten by a big bird.

 

[noodles123]

OH----also, you said the "one-person-bird thing is fine for me", but remember that greys can live for 70 years, so if you ever want a significant other or children, do keep that in mind. It can be done, but it can cause serious distress for the bird when it suddenly feels like its role in the flock has been downgraded and its mate (you) are flirting with other people lol. They CAN and DO lash out...but this can be avoided with training and socialization..it just isn't something to take lightly. My cousin had her ear pierced when she was 4. She didn't appreciate that and was forever scared of the bird.

 

[texsize]

I have run the gamut from raising my own babies (Cockatiels) to adopting an unwanted and mistreated bird (Congo African Grey).

For my African grey it was love at first sight (for both of us). I think she was young but I can't be sure.
She has remained friendly to my wife, Son, and myself and it will be three years we have had her this December.
She has made an amazing turnaround and is nearly fully feathered at the moment.
Her only real issue is that she is very fearful of anything new (new toys, new perches etc. etc.)

Best advice I can give you is Let The Bird Pick You whether you buy from a pet shop or adopt a rescue. The bird will let you know if the match is right.

 

[MysticMagic]

That's really the biggest concern I have about Greys. They seem to be really nervous animals, especially around new experiences, so I'm going to have to research ways to socialize them properly if I do go with them. Right now they're still at the top of the list for me but not the only option I'm considering at all.

As far as the "only person" goes- this is a bit personal but as of now I don't really plan on having a family. SO yes, but I might have wrongly assumed it would be easier to train a bird to be more tolerant of an adult than children. Regardless of the type of bird I get, I'll do my best to properly train it and socialize it. Ultimately, I think my best option is just to contact my local rescues, see if they'll let me get out and interact with different birds when the time gets closer.

 

[ChristaNL]

My CAG was my first serious parrot

- as a child (and family) we had a few budgies (rehomers of course) - one of them a completely psycotic female named Greeny (she killed a fellow budgie and years later a brooding canary)
so Rico (the CAG) was a saint!


In my experience CAG's are only one-person birds because they were raised to be just that. (They are -huge- flock-birds in the wild.)

Of my 2 living now Japie is a complete and utter attention-wh@re (can I even say this here?)/ never happy unless he is the exact centre of the group.
(and I mean physically: he'll spend ages moving around till he is at exact the same distance with everyone, and then settles down and chills...till something beter turns up: games or snacks etc.) Appie is more of a "let me just be near" approach: sitting on a schouder (anyones!) or nearby perch just looking and occasionally she'll demand scritches and will engage in games with anyone (if she feels like it).


Sunny just wants her beak werever something is happening ...
she is an adorable macaw, but compared to the greys she is that rude, not very sophisticated kid that is always loudly demanding attention.


So if you 'click' with a CAG go for it!
I've never had a baby, all were rehomers/rescues (sort of amounts to the same thing: desperately needing a new, stabile flock to flourish) and ... just let them pick you!
It sounds crazy but I've been intervieuwing (actually being intervieuwed) with them before they came home (and some did not want to - which is fine too!).
All birds are different individuals, and you would not just randomly drag someone of the streets to "live happily ever after" - so why get a parrot that way?

 

[Cardinal]

I have never had first hand experience with African Grey parrots.
But this is what Rosemary Low, a leading expert on Parrots and author of the book Parrots in Aviculture has to say :

Low believes that parrots’ ability to mimic human sounds and to interact emotionally with people has been their downfall. This is why the African Grey is so popular, but it is a tragedy. They are among the most sensitive birds and there is probably no parrot species less suited to a life in captivity. They have so many behavioural problems when caged. You practically need a degree in psychology to understand grey parrots. They are very clever birds. Like cockatoos they soon learn to manipulate people. The owners can’t cope with them any more so they get passed on from one place to another. It would be like a child finding itself in a new home every eighteen months or so. If it was a person it would be enough for it to end up in a psychiatric hospital.

Tony Juniper. Spix's Macaw: The Race to Save the World's Rarest Bird (Kindle Locations 619-624). UNKNOWN. Kindle Edition.

 

[Kiwibird]

I always have to say adoption is first choice! We love our rescue bird, he's a great little bird and I couldn't imagine a more perfect avian companion. Not all rescue birds have behavioral problems either. Some do, but others came from very loving homes and owners got sick or died and the family didn't want the bird, but they're just waiting for a new loving home and would cause no problems at all (well, no problems that any normal parrot wouldn't cause). If you adopt through a reputable avian shelter, they'll be able to help pair you with an individual who's personality fits in with your family. They wouldn't suggest a first time parrot owner take on a behaviorally challenged, previously abused rescue bird if you felt uncomfortable taking on that level of issues. And they wouldn't judge you for not being comfortable dealing with a behaviorally challenged bird as a brand new owner either.

CAGs frequently turn up in shelters, but the really cool part at looking to adopt an older bird is you get a better gauge of who they are, what they're individual personality will be. Species become less important (though it's a good idea to have an idea of what species you do and don't like the sounds of) as you can look at them more as individuals, some of whom will like you, others clearly won't. Inevitably, you'll come across a bird who just 'clicks' and you will just 'know' when you've found the right one. Babies from good breeders are all cuddly and loving but change over time as they mature, especially at puberty. An adult rescue has formed their adult personality and you can see how you'll get along with them as an adult bird, not to mention unless they're really old, age doesn't matter much with parrots. The big guys live as long as humans, so a 20 year old bird is in the prime of it's life, even a 30 or 40 year old bird would still have many good years with you.

 

[itzjbean]

I think both options have pros and cons and in the end, it really depends on your situation. For instance, do you have children, other pets, other people in the household, do you want your bird to be harness trained or be active outside with you, well socialized and accepting of new people, or do you just want to provide a good home for a parrot in need?

These are all things to consider. Most of my pets are from breeders -- my two ragdoll cats and my Doberman Pinscher I got as kittens and puppy because they are my dream breeds and I wanted to be there from the beginning with them. They are extremely well behaved and affectionate, my dog loves kids and has learned to be gentle with the cats.

If I were to bring a larger bird into the picture, I would likely go through a breeder because
1.) I have other pets in the household they would absolutely have to tolerate
2.) I have no large bird experience (a lot of rescues require that when adopting a large bird)
3.) I will be wanting children soon and the bird would need to be well trained and desensitized to the noise and movements of a child.
4.) I want to be able to take the bird outside and around town on a harness, and a lot of rescue/adopted bids would not like or be comfortable with that.

So yeah.... it really does depend on what you want!

 

[MysticMagic]

Wow thanks for all of the responses everyone!

What I think I'm gonna do is, in the meantime between now and when I'm actually ready for a bird, I could try to volunteer at bird shelters near me. I don't know if they'd actually let me, since I don't have any actual experience with birds, but it'd give me a better idea of what I'm comfortable working with and will help me develop a relationship with the shelter. And, if by the time I'm done with my undergraduate, they don't have a bird that I just click with, I'll look around at breeders.

Grays are definitely as large as I want to go though. I do have other pets, but not cats or dogs. They're caged animals that are in a room that the bird won't have access to.

I mean I would like to harness train my bird, it's a big part of how I socialized animals in the past (just getting them out and about around other people). I did realize, with the Grey's at least, that probably wouldn't be doable and I'll have to rethink how I socialize them well enough that they're not going to be overly stressed if I have someone over and lash out (not looking for them to be cuddle bugs with everyone- just that it's not the end of the world if my dad comes over or whoever). But ultimately, a bird that does good on a harness is far less of a concern than having one that I just get along with. To be fair, right now GCC's and IRN's are also fairly high up on the list too. For some reason I'm weird and love the "duller" colors of Grey's, and I'm really smitten with the grey ringnecks too.

 

[Flboy]

Good move! I must say, I only believe in adoption! With a mature bird, you know what you are getting! And the bird knows what he is getting!! With babies, they are all adorable and goofballs! But then when they grow up this does change! And if they viewed you as their parent, they then naturally might try to start rejecting you!