whats the pro and cons of owning african grey?

[bosad44]

what is the pros and cons of owning african greys from ur experience cus I'm considering getting one and I just want to know the owners opinions of having one.

[Michael]

Pros:
Talk
Intelligent
Nice Size

Cons:
Talk
Intelligent
Size (need bigger cage, tree, toys, etc)
Bite
Messy
Neurotic
Scream
Feather Pluck
Introverted
Phobic
Clumsy
Not Cuddly
Expensive
High Maintenance
Time Consuming
Way more than I can think of right now

[bosad44]

I'm not getting one anytime soon i'm just researching for now so when I have more experience I will be ready to get one thanks for the help michael I would like to hear more from others owners and thier .

[cml]

There are pros and cons with any species of parrot, regardless of whether its an amazon, senegal, african grey or love bird. Many people talk ill about amazons, and yes they are difficult birds sometimes, but they are also so very rewarding to live with! Not everything is a con, there are many pros to owning a bird as well, dont forget that people =)! That applies to greys as well!
I find that they are beautiful birds, very thoughtful (from my limited interaction with a few), and very demanding.

I believe the key is to find a parrot that you think you can handle, that you like, that fits your personality etc. You can do this by visiting breeders, pet shops or rescues and interact with different species.

An important fact about many species of parrot, the grey included is that they live a very long life, which is something you need to plan for! Greys can become 50 years and upwards, I think Ive read up to 70 somewhere.

Its great that you come here to ask questions, keep asking and I am sure the community will do its utmost to help you .

[annemarie]

Pros: Very smart, sense of humor, sensitive to your quiet time. Pros. Easy to pottie train. Can learn songs, can learn to talk, can be trained to socialize with all people with proper training. They learn quickly things that displease you, are sensitive to your moods. Some like to bathe.Very trainable with consistency and reward. Wonderful companion pet.

Cons: Many do not like showers. Can be fussy about food. Changes: very sensitive to changes in your temperament, changes to the routine, changes of toys, change in your personal relationships. May bond to your friend, then the friend goes away. No more friend. Some males will bond after maturity to a female human; some females will bond to male humans after maturity. This can disappoint if you are not the chosen gender. Change can result in plucking. Fearfulness: Can be afraid of new toys and hide in the corner until you remove the scary alien toy! Can be frightened by moving furniture in their room. Cover the cage before moving furniture around.

Advice: Plan on keeping a grey for life. If you are a person who moves a lot, and cannot see keeping a routine from one residence to another, are likely to rid yourself of pets upon moving, do not get a grey. It can break their heart if you abandon them and give them away they are too smart. They get attached and do not like changes.

[bosad44]

thanks for the help guys even tho I was reading about them but i didnt know changeing the room looks would make them pluk after reading this i think its not the right bird for me cus i like to change my room furniture and i think it will be trouble for him. I already had experience with a cockatiel and my uncle grey but unfortunately my cockatiel flew away. I really miss luffy my

[CRYROLFE]

We have a rescue Grey.
I would consider them pretty quiet....unless he learns an annoying noise. My Tesla was home while we went on vacation. The smoke alarm battery went low and the house sitter did not know how to change it so now Tesla beeps EXACTLY like it and that's the most annoying thing. Other than that, he doesn't squawk or scream. He does talk A LOT but usually only when we're out of the room.

He is VERY sensitive and will not let anyone hold him. When they bite, they hold on too....ouch!
We are hoping to work w/ him to get him over this now.
We got him only 18 mon ago.
They are a good size bird, but I would say not a good starter bird since they are sensitive and need a lot of time and training when young.

[naomi]

just want to share my experience with my grey
*pro: good talker, very smart--i mean very very smart,sometimes can manipulate you,they are more quite and calm compare to other med size bird,easy potty train,not very messy,quite easy to read his body language and in other hand he also fast to learn what i like/dislike ,stable mood,very bond to the favorite one,fast to learn tricks,spoiled,nice size with cute fluffy body shape.

*con:stubborn,hate shower,very dusty,not very cuddly but love neck scratch,dsnt like to wait when he needs something,jealousy,upset very fast when your mood change,very shy to stranger,sometimes bite very hard and he can snap me very fast until m skin bleeding,picky eater,need huge cage+gym+park,cage agressive,scared of new things(this can be train very easy if u consistance),demand same ammount of interaction every day,and when he see me holding/eating something he MUST to get it too.

my opinion:
-they are good companion and can be very curious bird(TOO curious) if you train them,mine will not scared of anything and i can move even a huge book shelf/big boxes next to him.he also will jump to check the new object and try to observe them.i never cover him for changing furniture/cleaning home.i make him to used to this kind of things and if i cover him he will upset like i hide something really interesting from him.
-if u not scared of get horrible bite occasionally and you consistance on training them then they will fit for you.but from my experience they rarely bite their fav person.

[Mona]

Pros: Really nice companion. Tend to talk. Love attention. Like to be told what you are doing before you do it. They make sounds, but sounds are often ambient house noises...not loud squawking. Very, very smart and they get better in time as they adapt to your household.

Cons: Same as any parrot but I think, less than most species. They need to be socialized at a young age. The first year, treat them with lots of respect. Show them everything new, give it a name and give them time to get used to it. They will learn to love new things. Mine are not neurotic in any way, shape or form. Mine are mischevious. I think the secret is to give them a lot of reason to trust you when they are babies. Give them a good diet and lots of exercise. In my opinion, African greys are incredible companions. You need to educate yourself and you need to be gentle with them. Let them pick the time and place when they are ready. Don't force them to do any thing, but persuade them.

I wrote more on my website in my signature.

Thanks!

[Grey_Moon]

Pros:
-They're sweet, sensitive old souls in my opinion
-They are very empathetic and intelligent birds
-If they trust you they bond very tightly and seem to be able to read your mind, becoming very sweet and sort of goofy
-Cuddly---Jacko is a snuggle bunny and requests scratching often---she also crawls under the covers and cuddles close to my body, then falls asleep
-That sort of intuitive, deep bond is something I haven't found with other birds
-Quieter than other similar sized birds

Cons:
-Emotionally sensitive and complex---they are not easy come easy go birds, they are needy
-Self-destructive if something isn't right, these guys are known pluckers
-Very cliquish, they know who 'us' versus 'them is and don't like pets/people who aren't one of the group, so they are not party birds or good for households with other pets
-Conniving---they know exactly what noise you hate, how to use it and how to get what they want and pull the wool over your eyes---that intelligence isn't just for talking
-Introverted---the only person who will see the goofy sweet bird you know--is YOU----strangers will be given the cold shoulder
-Cautious and prone to fears/phobias


I love greys, but they're not for everyone. If you want a grey in your life be prepared to be a lifelong guardian to a very precocious, self-destructive, emotionally sensitive, intellectually-gifted but special needs child.