Have Sennie but thinking of getting a Timneh African Grey

[colorado4bjh]

Hey Sennie or Poi owners. Do any of you also have either a Congo African Grey or a Timneh African grey? I would really be interested in your feedback as I am seriously thinking of getting a Timneh African Grey but am fearful of how Kaylee (my 1 year old female Sennie) will react and if they will be able to share the same birdy bedroom set up that I have. Will they have to be kept separated? Kaylee is fully flighted just so you know. Mostly hand-tame minus the "terrible 2's" she's going through but training is helping alot. (i.e. target training, staying on her back in my hand, letting me check her wings with no fuss, etc...) Also veggies/fruits/sprouts every AM, Foraging for pellets and treats in Mid-Day & Bean/Grain Cooked mix every PM with baths every other 2 days.

I really appreciate your assistance and I have attached the bedroom photo and a photo of Kaylee.
Sincerely, Bianca, Kaylee (Senegal), Kiwi (Cinnamon Cockatiel) & Kosmo (Pied Cockatiel)

[Michael]

Here are some relevant discussions as I at one point considered getting a Congo or Timneh in addition to my Senegal. I ended up deciding to get a Cape Parrot instead.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=44

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=293

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=325

Since this has all been discussed, I recommend you read all that has been said. Then if you have any further questions come back and ask here. I'd prefer (unless it is very specific to those linked discussions) that you ask fresh/unrelated questions here rather than bring back old topics.

[Suzzique]

My cag and senegal share the living room. They are both flighted and while there is some "fighting" it is really more of a bluff thing and beaking. Nither has been hurt. It did take them a while to warm up to each other. They are never going to be best buds but they do hang out together on the playstand and perches. They go into each others cages and eat each others food play with each others toys. Once in a while I will even catch them both in the same cage. One at the top playing with toys the other at the bottom eatting. They do play a bit of chase as well. So lots of flying around which is good for them.

I looked at the posts that Michael suggested as well. I saw that some even with lot's of scocialazation were still one person birds. It could be that was the the personality of that bird. Alex will still go to pretty much anyone once he has seen them a few times and gotten to know them a bit. He loves to watch and see what everyone is doing. Both of my younger kids have friends that Alex really likes and will fly to them to visit with them when they come over. The only real phobic problem that Alex has is with really big boxes or lots of boxes stacked together to make them look bigger. I'm not quit sure why he has a problem with them. Anything else he has to be right in the middle of it. I have a friend on another forum that just recently took in a 35+ year old wild cought grey (she came into the US well before the 92 ban) who is the sweetest bird ever and will go to just about anyone.

Michael I am not at all surpried the baby grey bit you when you grabed it and turned it on it's back. They don't like that at all. It took me about a year and lots of work to get Alex so that he would allow me to do that. Now he loves it and even made up a game to go with it. Flipping upside down while holding onto your fingers is one thing being on thier back is totally different.

Greys do and will bite thier person. Alex has even attacked me on occasion. I figured out what the problem was and have taken steps so that he can't do it again. It is a matter of getting to know thier body language. 99% of the time you can see the bit coming and do stuff to avoid it. However I think Alex has only drawn blood maybe twice. I've gotten tons of bruses. Martini (senegal) on the other had will draw blood every time.

Yes greys are known to be pluckers. Most start plucking out of bordom. Some start because of a medical problem. Some from some kind of recent stress (major move ect). I think the first one can be avoided buy providing lots of toys and giving them plenty of attention. People think that they are a hands off bird because they aren't the cuddle buddys that too's are. As babys they are very cuddly it's as they get older they don't like to cuddle as much. But they do enjoy being with you and head scraches are very welcome. Alex enjoys having his chin scrached as much or sometimes more than a head scrach.

[Michael]

Michael I am not at all surpried the baby grey bit you when you grabed it and turned it on it's back. They don't like that at all. It took me about a year and lots of work to get Alex so that he would allow me to do that. Now he loves it and even made up a game to go with it. Flipping upside down while holding onto your fingers is one thing being on thier back is totally different.

I was fully aware that I was pushing things and wanted to figure out that threshold. I can grab the baby Senegal Parrots and flip them without a problem. So I was trying to see what a baby Grey will allow. Since I was thinking of getting a Grey I was going to let it bite me if I went too far to learn the boundaries. I realize in retrospect that when I got Kili I didn't even push her close to her boundary because I was afraid of pushing too much. If I were doing it again, I bet I could breeze through the taming much quicker.

[Suzzique]

Senegals from what I have seen really seem to enjoy being on thier back. And it's not just the holding in your hand on it's back. But on the floor, table, couch ect.

You can't push greys to much or you lose thier trust. Or worse yet they can become phobic. Greys are at the top of the list for being phobic. Even if you do everthing "right" they can still become phobic. If you can get them past the baby stage without them becoming phobic and anti-social. You are doing really good. The chances of them becoming phobic and anti-social after that point is so much smaller.

Sense I have a very self confident, independent, fairly social, sometimes major brat. I know that I did something right and that I will have fewer problems as he gets older.

[colorado4bjh]

I realize in retrospect that when I got Kili I didn't even push her close to her boundary because I was afraid of pushing too much. If I were doing it again, I bet I could breeze through the taming much quicker.

Or perhaps because since you were so careful with her, you now have a wonderful little Sennie to look forward to being with. They can be very sensitive little birds especially after I read "The Senegal and It's Family" and have spoken with some Poi experts that work at the Gabriel Foundation (one of the largest avian rescues in the nation that is just down the street from me).

[pfinarffle]

Can't help you with the topic at hand much, other than knowing that every bird is an individual and it'll be hard to know for sure if two birds will get along until it actually happens. Mostly, though, I'm drooling over your "birdie bedroom" set up!

[RudysMom]

I have a almost 1 year old female Tag and we just adopted our Senegal abour 3 weeks ago , Rudy my Tag is not impressed with Pepper our new Senegal infact she goes after him with a wide open beak , not a good sign so I keep her away from him but she is best friends with our quakers and he seems to get along good with them to , if you are thinking about getting a Tag or a Cag just be real careful and do not be suprised if they don't get along , greys are strange birds lol they pic and choose who they like and don't like , so be careful and be alert if you have your new cag or tag around your senegal