March 2024
I want an African Grey
03/21/2024 08:54
I want an African Grey!
African Greys are amazing birds and they make amazing companions. Sometimes people are so focused on what they want, that they don't understand what they are asking for.
Our first pair of Greys, Dexter and Zoey had laid their first clutch of eggs with us. Dexter was around 20 years old and Zoey was in her late teens. African Greys are monogamous and these two had been put together early in their life. They love each other very much. They had not been successful parents yet, but each time Zoey laid a clutch she got better and better at incubation. We were hopeful that eventually they would get it right. I had been talking to a couple and they really wanted a Grey. I explained who the pair was and Zoey had just started laying. We communicated a few times during the incubation period and she told me how her wife had this magical ability to tame wild animals that showed up on their property. I talked about both Dexter and Zoey's personalities. Dexter hates humans. He has given me several nasty bites, once taking a layer of skin on my finger down so far that the muscle below was exposed. Zoey is sweet. She comes to the side of the cage. Blows kisses, sings to me and bites Dexter when she catches him being rude to me. Sometimes when he's in a mood I'll pull out a green scrub brush that he hates. He will go into the back corner of the cage and Zoey will say "Oh No!". Just because Zoey says and does all of these things, it does not mean she is inviting physical interaction. I respect these things. I do talk to her and she watches me with interest, but I make no move to physically interact with either of them because they are not pets. As it turns out, the eggs weren't fertile, so I relayed it to the woman who had been interested. Instead of asking to wait until the next clutch, she asked if she could purchased Dexter instead. She actually suggested that Dexter come to her house for a weekend for a "trial run" and since her spouse had such a magical ability with animals she would have him converted to a pet in no time.
SAY WHAT?
I had never made any mention that either of the adults were for sale individually. She was so focused on having a Grey that she really had no idea what she was asking for. She just wanted one. What she wanted me to do was separate a breeding pair of birds that been together for most of their lives and truly love each other. I would have been left with a female bird who didn't understand why her mate just disappeared. She would have been depressed, anxious, and nervous. That kind of event leads to birds that stop eating, scream, pluck their feathers, or self mutilate. While I don't doubt the woman had the ability to tame wild animals. Some people do have that kind of energy. I have serious reservations that Dexter would fall under her spell. He hates humans. He would most likely become more aggressive, resulting is some very nasty bites. He too would most likely stop eating, start plucking, or self mutilate because he is missing his mate. Who would willingly do that to an animal? I explained this, but I'm not sure it was understood completely.
She just wanted a Grey.
African Greys are amazing birds and they make amazing companions. Sometimes people are so focused on what they want, that they don't understand what they are asking for.
Our first pair of Greys, Dexter and Zoey had laid their first clutch of eggs with us. Dexter was around 20 years old and Zoey was in her late teens. African Greys are monogamous and these two had been put together early in their life. They love each other very much. They had not been successful parents yet, but each time Zoey laid a clutch she got better and better at incubation. We were hopeful that eventually they would get it right. I had been talking to a couple and they really wanted a Grey. I explained who the pair was and Zoey had just started laying. We communicated a few times during the incubation period and she told me how her wife had this magical ability to tame wild animals that showed up on their property. I talked about both Dexter and Zoey's personalities. Dexter hates humans. He has given me several nasty bites, once taking a layer of skin on my finger down so far that the muscle below was exposed. Zoey is sweet. She comes to the side of the cage. Blows kisses, sings to me and bites Dexter when she catches him being rude to me. Sometimes when he's in a mood I'll pull out a green scrub brush that he hates. He will go into the back corner of the cage and Zoey will say "Oh No!". Just because Zoey says and does all of these things, it does not mean she is inviting physical interaction. I respect these things. I do talk to her and she watches me with interest, but I make no move to physically interact with either of them because they are not pets. As it turns out, the eggs weren't fertile, so I relayed it to the woman who had been interested. Instead of asking to wait until the next clutch, she asked if she could purchased Dexter instead. She actually suggested that Dexter come to her house for a weekend for a "trial run" and since her spouse had such a magical ability with animals she would have him converted to a pet in no time.
SAY WHAT?
I had never made any mention that either of the adults were for sale individually. She was so focused on having a Grey that she really had no idea what she was asking for. She just wanted one. What she wanted me to do was separate a breeding pair of birds that been together for most of their lives and truly love each other. I would have been left with a female bird who didn't understand why her mate just disappeared. She would have been depressed, anxious, and nervous. That kind of event leads to birds that stop eating, scream, pluck their feathers, or self mutilate. While I don't doubt the woman had the ability to tame wild animals. Some people do have that kind of energy. I have serious reservations that Dexter would fall under her spell. He hates humans. He would most likely become more aggressive, resulting is some very nasty bites. He too would most likely stop eating, start plucking, or self mutilate because he is missing his mate. Who would willingly do that to an animal? I explained this, but I'm not sure it was understood completely.
She just wanted a Grey.