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Re: Any info needed.... Please!!!
Posted by rose on 3/07/08

On 3/06/08, Stechler wrote:
> Im interested in getting an african grey but dont now
> enough about them

If you can find a rescue nearby that takes care of pet
parrots, volunteer your time. Greys are unique and probably
shouldn't be a first bird. By volunteering, you will find out
the basics of what is required to take care of a large bird.
They are thoroughly messy, flinging seeds and food everywhere,
they poop on everything, shred everything, including your
furniture, woodwork, shoes, whatever is handy, and they need
lots of toys changed frequently, such as chewables,
shreddables, etc. They need a very varied diet, including
fresh and cooked veggies, fruits, some seeds; they can eat
people food, too, except for avacados and some other things I
can't remember right now. They require a lot of mental
stimulation. They are not a bird you want to just stick in a
cage because it will end up thoroughly plucked within a very
short time out of boredom. Most are hand-raised and need to
be near you all the time to be happy. They are not good lone
birds. They need as big a cage as possible. Try subscribing
to Bird Talk Magazine. They do articles on Greys every few
months. Also buy Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot by Mattie Sue
Ethan and read all of it. This will give you some guidance
into what difficulties you may encounter. Most of all, you
need to find out if there is an AVIAN vet around you that you
can go to in an emergency. If you live too far away to get to
one, it may cost the bird's life one day. Vet care is very
expensive when it comes to exotic birds, and a regular dog/cat
vet is pretty useless when it comes to birds.

Posts on this thread, including this one

• Any info needed.... Please!!!, 3/06/08, by Stechler.
• Re: Any info needed.... Please!!!, 3/06/08, by World Book.
• Re: Any info needed.... Please!!!, 3/07/08, by rose.
• Re: Any info needed.... Please!!!, 3/07/08, by Mickie.
• Re: Any info needed.... Please!!!, 3/08/08, by Avian Elites/ Melissa.