to grey or not to grey

[jeffisme]

After more than a month of researching, writing, visiting stores and interacting, I finally came across a bird that just clicked with me. It's a 15 year-old grey of unknown gender. Let's say it was a she.

She immediately came down from a high perch, stepped into my hand, snuggled into me, walked up to my shoulder, and then, of course the ultimate expression of affection, tried to throw up on me. She was wonderful, and apparently she thought I was ok too. I spent a lot of time with her, and it went as well as could be. I intend to go back for a second visit tomorrow.

So great.

Two concerns though. I have pretty bad cat allergies, so bad I sneeze if I see a picture of a cat or meet someone named Katz. I haven't had a reaction in the stores I visit. Anyone with cat allergies here have a reaction to a grey? I'm happy to get an air purifier if that will work, and do what I can making sure the bird gets misted and keep the area clean. Don't know if that's enough though, and what if it isn't? It's not like I can bring her back to the store and say, "Oh, I made a mistake." Nor would I want to.

Second question is less of a concern just curious. she will be in a cage and on a perch in my office at home, about six feet from where I am sitting. I am in there all day most days and into the evening. (she could be the first grey to get sick of seeing her owner's face all the time). I take lots of breaks, so lots of time for interaction, but I will also need her to spend considerable time amusing herself while I am working. How are they at that? I'm guessing that is all in the training and teaching her a routine that works.

Don't know about my lungs though.

 

[angie_robyn]

Aw that's so sweet. She sounds like a sweetheart and it sounds like she wants to come home with you.

I don't know much about greys, but just because you are allergic to cat dander does not necessarily mean you are allergic to greys or birds in general. I get hayfever in spring, and I've owned cockatoos which are known to be dusty birds and they didn't cause me a problem. Everyone's allergies are different though. One thing I would make sure of if I was you is that you are not allergic to her before you bring her home and save both of you the heartache of having to rehome her yet again. That would not be fair. So be absolutely certain. If you are allergic to her it may be that no amount of misting or air purifying will help. I would say that it's a good sign however if you've been visiting birds and handling them and you haven't had any problems so far.

Maybe go and visit her again, rub your face all over her and wait 5 minutes and see if you sneeze. That was a joke by the way (just in case someone thought I was serious. I know, it was a bad one but I'm sleep deprived right now)

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Aw that's so sweet. She sounds like a sweetheart and it sounds like she wants to come home with you.

I don't know much about greys, but just because you are allergic to cat dander does not necessarily mean you are allergic to greys or birds in general. I get hayfever in spring, and I've owned cockatoos which are known to be dusty birds and they didn't cause me a problem. Everyone's allergies are different though. One thing I would make sure of if I was you is that you are not allergic to her before you bring her home and save both of you the heartache of having to rehome her yet again. That would not be fair. So be absolutely certain. If you are allergic to her it may be that no amount of misting or air purifying will help. I would say that it's a good sign however if you've been visiting birds and handling them and you haven't had any problems so far.

Maybe go and visit her again, rub your face all over her and wait 5 minutes and see if you sneeze. That was a joke by the way (just in case someone thought I was serious. I know, it was a bad one but I'm sleep deprived right now)

I saw nothing wrong with that!

 

[Birdman666]

BIRDS PICK THEIR PEOPLE... and the best birds are the ones that "pick you."

And CAGS are generally not that cuddly, so CONGRATULATONS! YOU'VE BEEN PICKED...

Cat allergies and allergies to bird dander are apples and oranges. If you're not having that reaction, then you're probably not allergic.

Actually, they like being with their people. More is generally better.

 

[JerseyWendy]

HA, Angie, I actually LOVE your idea with the nose in the feathers. That should tell you fairly quickly if you'll react. Just inhale deeply.....and watch your nose in case she wasn't ready to be 'that' intimate just yet. :54:

 

[jeffisme]

Well, it was obvious from the start that we were friends, but that might be taking the relationship a little far on the second date.

 

[jeffisme]

I'm also curious about how people here feel about Greys (or any birds, really) immediately heading for your shoulder. I've always heard that that's not a great habit. Others say it's not a problem. If it is the latter, what's the best way to break a bird of the habit, just not let her up there? You hate to get into a test of wills so early, or maybe that's best.

I did find a couple of recommended air purifiers, a Holmes and a germ guardian. they all seem to be effective as their filters, with the differences being the motors in terms of sound and the range of their effectiveness. I will go back tonight and chat with the store owners about all this and to say hi to the grey again. I do have bad allergies though, so I could end up being pretty disappointed.

 

[Birdman666]

For me, shoulders are all about whether or not the bird displacement bites, or does not control his or her bite pressure.

My CAG displacement bites, and so, that is the only bird who is not allowed on shoulders. My CAG has been a "hand bird" from the time he finished hand feeding... so, he doesn't even try to go up there. It's part of our established boundaries. I just used my hand to physically block the bird from going up my arm.

If this one doesn't bite, then it might not be an issue. This is very much a depends on the bird situation.

I bite pressure train my birds, and they come off my shoulder when I tell them to, so therefore, shoulders are not something I see as a problem.

If the bird behaves when he's up there I don't worry about it. If he misbehaves when he goes up there, he loses his shoulder privileges.

If he bites, he doesn't belong up there.

 

[jeffisme]

This one climbed to my shoulder, tried to regurgitate, and then bowed her head down for long scratches.didn't like the scratches unless on shoulder or being held close to me. On the other hand, I was only with her forty five minutes or so, so any positive behavior, and there was a lot of it, was only a good sign.

she did put her beak around my fingers but never once clamped down, and then that one time on my shoulder when she put her beak around my lips but then she just made the kissing sound. While that may have been a little too fast on a first date, I didn't object.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Well, it was obvious from the start that we were friends, but that might be taking the relationship a little far on the second date.

#1 requirement to be a parront: MUST have sense of humor. :21:

As for allowing a bird on your shoulder: In your case I'd recommend against it until you have thoroughly gotten to know each other. Remember, it’s impossible to read your bird’s body language while she/he is perched on your shoulder. Many unsuspecting parronts have received some rather nasty bites in the face from their ‘usually’ easy going birds.

 

[Birdman666]

she did put her beak around my fingers but never once clamped down, and then that one time on my shoulder when she put her beak around my lips but then she just made the kissing sound. While that may have been a little too fast on a first date, I didn't object.

Beaking fingers without applying any bite pressure is a sign that this bird has been bite pressure trained. Ordinarily it's one of the first things you do with a baby... most good breeders teach this one early on.

The kissing thing tells me this bird has been trained around faces as well.

If the bird is bite pressure trained, and behaves on shoulders, then I honestly don't see anything wrong with it. Sounds like this one is pretty well trained and socialized. But there's always a risk if the bird gets spooked...

The CAG I found when mine got out, WAS perfectly fine as a shoulder bird from day one. (MINE was not.) Tusk gives rather unpleasant warnings with his beak when some object, or person, is making him uncomfortable. (I'd hate for that to be my face... ) So, that's what I go by...

 

[jeffisme]

So, if being on the shoulder does eventually cause a problem, and this is a 15-year-old, used to being on shoulders. how does one go about retraining her not to without making an enemy of it? I had a yellow nape when i was in my 20s, and he could give stubborness lessons to a mule.

 

[Birdman666]

So if the bird, a 15-year-old, is used to being on shoulders. how does one go about retraining her not to without making an enemy of it?

Well, that's one of those things... You pick your battles.

I generally DIDN'T retrain that one if they behaved, for exactly that reason, IF they behaved, it isn't broken, don't risk upsetting the bird for no reason trying to fix it.

The way you train a bird not to go onto your shoulder is to be firm about it. Bend your arm at the elbow, and physically block their path with your other hand, pick them up when they try to step over it. Then do the same with the other arm. Until they get the message that they're not allowed up there. BE PERSISTENT 100% OF THE TIME.

CAGS are notoriously stubborn. Don't expect this one to give up quietly. If you do end up battling over something, you generally have to out-stubborn them.

Amazons are pretty stubborn too, but my CAG takes the cake on that issue...

 

[jeffisme]

yup, exactly how I trained the nape, and it worked -- as long as I was firm but not in any way threatening or angry looking when I did it. he was a youngin' though.

If only I could train the gray to have less dander. that's ultimately the only real question here, but it's a big one. many people say the hepa air purifiers take care of it.

 

[Birdman666]

yup, exactly how I trained the nape, and it worked -- as long as I was firm but not in any way threatening or angry looking when I did it. he was a youngin' though.

If only I could train the gray to have less dander. that's ultimately the only real question here, but it's a big one. many people say the hepa air purifiers take care of it.

My CAG's dander has never really been an issue. He gets weekly baths. Keeps the dander down just fine. It's not like too dander.

 

[jeffisme]

Do you have allergies? My allergies have allergies but they're selective. Dogs are fine, cats impossible.

 

[Birdman666]

I do.

So far no allergies to feathers or bird dander.

 

[wrench13]

I have both, dog and cat alergies, and playing with 'toos has never triggered any reaction. YRMD.

 

[Lullx]

It definitely sounds like this grey has picked you! I also have a very cuddly grey who loves shoulders, but she's just under a year old and I got her from an aviary after she was weaned. She is DNA'd female and we work on pressure training daily (she's a very good girl). She likes to gently poke my cheek with her beak and make smooch sounds while on my shoulder.

She loves to be in the same room with me, but will keep herself occupied while I'm busy. One of her favorite things to do is sit on her stand while I wash dishes. She plays with the toys I've attached and spends most of that time happily vocalizing away. If you give her plenty of toys/things to destroy, she is a happy little cloud for quite some time on her own.

I used to have very bad asthma as a child and dust and dander still bother me a little. I have a cockatiel as well as the grey, and 5 other (less dusty) little birds. I don't normally have any issues with allergy-like symptoms, except that once in a while I will get caught up in a big sneezing spell on extra dusty days. A humidifier and air purifier will help a lot if your grey starts to bother your allergies a bit, as will regular bathing/misting. But as others have said, cat or dog allergies are way different from bird dander allergies! And if you've been visiting the dustybutt and haven't experienced any negative effects, I think it's safe to assume you'll be okay.

 

[jeffisme]

Good suggestions, all, thanks. I will bathe and mist regularly.