So it seems an African Grey Parrot is to join our family!

[VelcroFanjo]

Any one on here have experience with them? I have always wanted one and OH has sourced a lovely 9 month old that we should be getting in the new year. I have read up about them on the internet but would love to hear any first hand experiences from any of you that have had/ still own them.

DP is a retired parrot-trainer and says you have to treat them like small children. They need lots of attention, scold them (briefly) when they're bad, praise them when they're good, give them lots of time and talk to them, don't wait for them to improve on their own. Speak sharply if they bite anyone. They need company and toys.

Thanks for the reply PigletJohn.I'm at home nearly all day, children at school so there will be time. Now the kids have all got big it will be nice to have company in the day. What toys are the best? Pet shop or things from the home, websites seem a little vague about the toys.

will ask her tomorrow. Doesn't need to be expensive (horses are happy playing with a turnip on a string so I expect parrots also have simple tastes)

Thanks Piglet I so want to make sure he is happy

they can be quite crotchety and pull their feathers out of they aren't

Much like children then...(except for the feathers!!)

We used to have parrots - a timneh African grey and an orange winged amazon. The grey belonged to my mum and the amazon was mine although they co-existed quite happily.

Personally, I'd never have another parrot of any description as a pet. The grey in particular was aggressive towards anyone who wasn't my mother, including the other pets in the household (dogs and cats). Basically, parrots are known to bond closely to one person They choose a mate and in the absence of other suitable birds, will select a member of the household to be their mate when they reach sexual maturity. In our case the grey saw my mum as his mate and everyone else was therefore a threat. He would attack us randomly and you'd probably be surprised at how much damage they can inflict on flesh and bone. All of us have permanent scars on our hands and arms due to his jealous rages. In the end, he was rehomed because he was too much of a risk to the grandchildren who were getting to an age where he was also showing aggression towards them.

They are also extremely intelligent and need suitable mental stimulation or they can be noisy and destructive, as well as the aforementioned feather plucking. Neither of ours were pluckers but my mums house still bears the scars from their destructive tendencies.

In my experience, they are not suitable pets. Sorry if this isn't what you want to hear.

We have a 3 year old AG who we rescued as a small 3month old bird who's previous owner decided she couldn't cope after 1 of her 3 dogs decided to try and eat her I also have a dog and a cat and all get along just fine.
They can bond with one person or others if other people chat and feed them and not just ONE person. Make sure you get a bird who is 'hand tame' and they will be less likely to be aggressive they can live to 50 years plus so you must bear in mind their lifespan. They do need lots of stimulation and will not start speaking straight away. They do have 'feather dust' DANDER that comes from their feathers which can start allergic reactions in some people. When young they do 'mouth' things much like a baby does to investigate further.Above all they are a whole load of fun to have around, they also need a large cage in a draft free area of the room and room to fly too. If you need further advice please look up AGPC (African Grey Parrot Centre) where you'll meet lots of owners and get some great tips and advice about your new feathered friend it's a great site...Good Luck

P.S. find out as much as you can from the previous owner you DO NOT want a bird with aggressive behaviour Birdline also offer an advice service.

www.birdline.org.uk/

Just another thought! Why dont you foster a Grey from Birdline then if it isnt for you then Birdline will take the bird back. Like dogs and cats parrots have been over bred and for many reasons people get them on a whim and give up because they haven`t done the research to find out about the birds. Despite what others have said they make wonderful companions.

P.S Also get "Why does my Parrot.......?" by Rosemary Low. An excellent read on parrot behaviour and will answer all and every question you have.

Thanks for those tips salsmum! I shall look at the info. Parrot set to arive end of January so I have time to read up. Can you advise on size of cage? Current one is small, as it is still not fully grown, and am trying to find the right size for it as it grows.

www.amazon.co.uk/PARROT-SAN-JOSE-AFRICAN-COCKATIEL/dp/B002A83PR0/ref=pd_sxp_grid_i_0_0/279-1334942-3608510

This is the cage we have for our Rosie and its a good price!

Thanks Salsmum I'd seen that sort but was unsure about sizes..thanks for the link! Now I know what we need.