Would this Grey be too much for a beginner?

[redgate]

I have been contemplating a baby TAG from a friend but this ad for a rehome has me coming back to it. I guess I am a sucker for a sob story Would this Grey have too much baggage for a novice? This person lives 3 hours drive from me so I can't just drop in and see it easily.
In my mind I am thinking $1200 for an untamed bird, with probably a cage that is too small, is way too much.
My husband thinks I should stick with the baby.


African Grey Male for sale - Belleville Birds for Sale - Kijiji Belleville Canada.

 

[Mariahh0721]

That's a CAG not a TAG the TAGs don't have the red tail, but I believe it is possible only because I have done it. The boy I got is 16 and hadn't been played with much in a year and they said he was very aggressive and biting them. We were told he liked women more then men. Which is the opposite of how he is(not a big issue)
He was very sweet in the beginning stepping up good, and being sweet. I didn't know that it was just because it was because he was in a new environment. He started to resent me after about a week because I was making him uncomfortable. He started biting and puffing whenever I would come near him. So I started backing away and not trying to pick him up. I would sit by his cage and talk to him and give him treats. He is now not as aggressive at all I can pick him up occasionally, on his terms but he also trusts me. So although he is not cuddly he is still a great bird. So it can be done, by someone who doesn't know much about training bigger birds, I do have smaller birds though none of which have this problem
But moral of this story it can be done

 

[SandyBee]

I took in an amazon that was 35 that was in a rescue, he handnt stepped up in over a year This was my first bird Experience isn't everything, there's lots of experienced people with very little knowledge. Devotion, willing to learn, not giving up and doing the right thing means everything.
Parrots are wild animals so even getting a baby is no guarantee.

 

[redgate]

That's a CAG not a TAG the TAGs don't have the red tail,
But moral of this story it can be done

I knew it was a CAG but his story kind of plays on my heart strings and there isn't supposed to be much difference between the 2.
I am just concerned he may never make progress and become tame again...3 years is a long time and it seems it is most of what he knows

 

[GreyG]

While I whole-heartedly agree with everything that has been said so far, I will say that I would never, EVER recommend a grey as a first bird, let alone a rescued grey. There is just too much that can go wrong with a grey and so much to be overcome with SOME rescues. Now, that said, the fact that you're here asking questions and doing your research speaks volumes about your potential for success. When the chips are down, we can only give you our opinions, based on our experiences. But as I'm sure you're aware, each person is different (what worked for me, might not be the best solution for you) as is each bird (bird A might be OK in the situation you're presenting, but bird B might be too big a bite to chew, all things being equal). I guess what it all boils down to is.... are you confident enough in your abilities to take the chance? Yes it can be done. Yes there could be behavioral complications. Yes these things are possible with both babies and rescues. In my opinion, this rescue is an even bigger chance as you can't just zip out to meet him/her. Give it CAREFUL consideration, and then let us know what you decide to do....and regardless of your choice, keep doing what you're doing....its the only way to learn!

 

[Mariahh0721]

I am just concerned he may never make progress and become tame again...3 years is a long time and it seems it is most of what he knows

My CAG was left for a year if not longer I was only told a year buy I'm not positive.

But I do agree it shouldn't be a first bird as they are bigger and they can deal some good damage. Even if its a baby

Adopting an older one can be a good thing though you miss all the hormones that occur

 

[Featheredsamurai]

If a person is willing to dedicated a lot of time, is prepared to possibly be bitten bad enough for stitches, and willing to research parrots, behavior, diet, and training with a passion I think they can get any bird they want as a first bird. But few people will follow through on that.

If you do get this bird it needs a new cage, that cage is nasty

 

[Pajarita]

And the man is not asking for $1200. He just mentions that's what he paid for it and asks a 'fair price' which can mean anything from $600 on.

A CAG requires a lot of interaction and it doesn't matter if it's a baby or an adult. A baby might turn on you when he reaches his sexual maturity and never 'go back' to been your sweet baby bird ever again. And a neglected adult can be extremely grateful and affectionate to the person who took him out of the bad situation. It's not the age or the circumstances, is how you handle the bird that makes the difference.

 

[redgate]

Well, I decided to e-mail for more information. I figured it didn't commit me one way or another and might make my decision easier. So I asked a couple questions, except the important one..do you still have the bird LOL! I am assuming the answer to that one would have been "no" seeing as I haven't gotten a response to my original e-mail. I really wish people would take down their as once the item is no longer available!

On another note. If you do rehome a bird in a totally inappropriate cage, how long do you leave it in the original before you put it into a better one? Do you wait 'til it feels more comfortable around you (maybe months) or swap everything at once?
thanks all

Irene

 

[Pajarita]

It depends on the situation and the bird itself. My birds don't live in cages so to me, it's not a matter of replacing one with another but I do leave them in their own cages while quarantining and sometimes, a bit longer like when I got a very scared LSC too that lived in a cockatiel-size cage for 17 years but I still waited a bit more than the norm to let him out or get rid of the cage because he was so scared... You need to play it by ear and do a case-by-case analysis of the situation

 

[BillsBirds]

I agree with Pajarita. You have to take each bird as an individual. I've taken in birds without cages, so, their cage here was a new to them cage. In that case the change the bird went through was a total change. And they survived. There have been other birds, who like hers, were very attached to their cage. And sometimes you get a bird in such an inappropriate cage that it needs a new one immediately. All in all, birds are survivors, and if things change too much, usually it just takes them longer to adjust.

 

[DeeNTheChillas]

$1200 is far more than I'd pay for an untamed bird. There is a Timneh on the Buffalo NY CL right now who is not hand tame who is only $300.

 

[redgate]

$1200 is far more than I'd pay for an untamed bird. There is a Timneh on the Buffalo NY CL right now who is not hand tame who is only $300.

Thanks, but I live in Canada and it is not easy to bring them across the border. They need allsorts of paperwork.