whats the pro and cons of owning african grey?

[liz]

Pro: They are very intelligent.
Con: They are very intelligent.

[leoyys]

They are comparatively quiet and calm. They like using their eyes to observe. My greys won't be too excited or upset or angry. They look like they are wise enough to understand what you are doing...

And their personalities are so varied as I have 2 male and 3 female greys, they are all different.

I feel like I am living with 5 guys.

[livingwaters]

Every post I read in this thread stated the many generalizations about greys.
While some might be true sometimes, this really does not mean much about individual parrots.
My grey, although a rehome, has no problem with changing furniture or moving her cage around.
She is the best eater I have ever seen, often tasting completely new things (without even watching me eat them first or any other methods of convincing her to eat).
She is not neurotic or fearful of new objects, at least no more than any other bird.
She is also super cuddly.

As for the other cons I have seen floating around, while they are in need of human companionship, perhaps more than other species, I wouldn't get a parrot if I didn't have time to put into it to begin with.

I am not saying that they are not difficult birds, just that they are no more difficult than any other bird. They have great personalities and are obviously smart and it takes a little more effort to work out a way with them sometimes, but it's doable.

[DarwinsMom]

I owned a Congo African Grey for 13 years, we lost him due to a genetic disease. I am getting my 2nd CAG next week, and I know many CAGs who are wonderful birds. My Grey did not bite (in 13 years I was never bitten, not once), was not messy...for a parrot, was not neurotic, NEVER screamed and I dont know any who do, did not ever featherpluck, was not introverted though he did take a moment or two to check you out if you were new, had no phobias. They are not super cuddly like a Too but all I have ever met are friendly and like a head scritch. Greys are no more time consuming than any other bird, heck, my dogs, cats or kids are a thousand times more time consuming than my Grey ever was. Having cared for an M2 and also owned a Greenwing, those birds are WAY more expensive,time consuming, screamers, messy and high maintenance than my Grey ever in a million years could be. Those blanket generalizations are, to be honest, insulting and cannot be applied to all Greys.

Greys raised properly, allowed to fledge and fly are not clumsy, neurotic or any of the terrible things that were listed about them. You get out of it what you put into it. They are one of the most intelligent, sensitive parrots out there. If you leave the bird to get bored, do not mentally stimulate it, do not provide the right environment, and fail to socialize the bird properly you will have a problem bird, but the fault is yours NOT the Greys. There are many professional parrot behavioral specialists who own Greys, and strongly prefer them to other birds and will tell you, that properly raised Greys are a thing of beauty and unlike any other.

[dawnkyung]

I agree. I read all kinds of negatives about greys, but my Timenh was an excellent bird. Not bitey, loved her baths, loved to try new foods - the one issue we had was over-bonding with me, but that was my fault, not hers.

Raise a grey right and I believe they can be an excellent companion. Every bird is an individual!

[DarwinsMom]

I agree. I read all kinds of negatives about greys, but my Timenh was an excellent bird. Not bitey, loved her baths, loved to try new foods - the one issue we had was over-bonding with me, but that was my fault, not hers.

Raise a grey right and I believe they can be an excellent companion. Every bird is an individual!

Very true. I think we see more "problem" Greys because there are simply more Greys out there, not because they are more of a problem. They are the most popular parrot to purchase, which means more people who should not own birds are buying these creatures, not raising them correctly and then dumping them because no one took the time to tell them how to do it right. THAT is why Greys have a bad rap, because stupid humans ruined them because they thought they'd be a great talking bird and no work. Many,many, many of these "neurotic Greys" are rehabilitated once a caring person takes the time to fix the damage and they become incredible companions.

ALL birds are work, but that said, so are dogs and children. Its a good bird owners job to educate, not berate and belittle those who are just trying to learn. A little knowledge can turn 'maybe you shouldnt get a parrot" into a fantastic home, but none of us were born with a parrot in our hands. We all start somewhere but stereotyping a particular species is just wrong and unfair. Better to educate about what can be done to avoid problems.