Help, Should I Buy This Bird?

[JaydeParrot]

I've seen this bird in a pet shop near mine, it's a congo african grey, I've spent some time in the shop with it and I really like the bird. The shop owner says she has a nice temperament and is handtame. If I was a spur of the moment person I would have bought her then and there.

Trouble is, I'm a 3rd year university student next year- I live at home during uni- And worry I would not be able to give my studies enough focus if I had another bird in my life (I've currently got two small Senegals).

I always wanted to add a bigger to my flock and I really like this three year old Congo afican grey. Reality, obviously hits though and I also don't know if I'll find any work after uni, and if so don't know what my hours would be like (the way the economy's going, I doubt I'll find myself a job, but still...).

Does anyone know what it's like living with an African grey? How much do they cost to feed? Can if feed them 40% seed and 60% fruit/veg like my Senegals get?

I really want to get her, I wish I could freeze her so I could get my life sorted before she's sold, the area she's in, she's most likely to be sold to a chavy family/someone with despairingly little knowledge about birds- I saw a chav-ish couple with an out of control staff-dog eyeing up the silver grey in cage next to the African grey I really liked (the boyfriend was asked to keep the dog outside cause it was too dangerous). The girlfriend looked at the silver grey, before smiling to me and saying she wished she could have the bird she was looking at, and she wished her dog was as calm as the one I had with me.

If she hasn't done enough research to realise that a staff dog is a very boisterous high energy dog, who love the idea of tearing up other animals, I really worry how she'd cope with an African Grey- No haters please, I've had to prevent and break up to many fights with staffs who raced over to try and bite my dog, to be swayed in a different direction of view, I've only met one staff which hasn't made a vicious attempt towards my dog, it just walked straight past.

Anyways, back to the question, should I buy the african grey? I really worry she'll end up in a place where she'll never be let out. Would the congo grey make my home much noiseyer? Will it cost as much as two Senegals to feed or will it cost more than that?

[Michael]

Trouble is, I'm a 3rd year university student next year- I live at home during uni- And worry I would not be able to give my studies enough focus if I had another bird in my life (I've currently got two small Senegals).

I think you answered your own question. There will be plenty of sweet greys around when you're ready for one.

[JaydeParrot]

Yeah, I guess so, . Thanks.

[MandyG]

I feel for you! It's really unfortunate it's not the right time for her to be able to join your flock. You can still visit her in the store and possibly even meet the person that takes her home so you can know she's going to a good home. And if timing is right, you could even stop the wrong person from getting her by talking to them and letting them know the commitment they're getting into if they're wanting to buy her just on a whim and think grey's are as easy to keep as a hamster!

You definitely seem to have put a lot of thought into the situation and it sounds like you already know what you should do. For anyone that truly loves their feathered babies, it's heart breaking if you're unable to provide the time or care we know they deserve. Visit her when you're getting goodies for your sennies then go home and spend a lot of quality time with them

[feathermum]

please someone tell me what the heck does Chav-ish mean??!? never herd this before..


@ jaydeparrot, I am so sorry it's not the right time...I really do know how that feels. It happened to me about 3 mos ago. where I work we had raised the most sweetest,awesome F eckie, I LOVED her soooo much...I wanted her sooo badly, but there was no way I could pay 1500 for her & another 5 or 600 on a cage I really would have done almost anything to have her home w/ me. However, that's just not how it worked out. it can be really hard to raise these babbies, w/ lots of attention & love, and then NOT being able to take them home. Ofcourse sometimes I feel very attached to 1 more then others,like the eckie. I came in one day, and she was gone...I am glad to know that she went to a very loving home,but I still miss her. then last mo a woman walked in w/ a 2 yo F eckie to drop off. she didn't like the noise she made (grrrrrrrrrrrr)
& she had the audacity to ask about buying a baby we have!!! we told her absolutely NO, and sent her on her way. & now i'll be takeing that sweet older girl home so, sometimes things work out in a different way. I hope they do for you too! & I hope this store is the kind that would turn the wrong ppl away from getting an animal that they shouldn't have. then u know this lil' grey will go to a great home

[janetafloat]

Definition of chav
noun
British informal, derogatory
a young lower-class person typified by brash and loutish behaviour and the wearing of (real or imitation) designer clothes.

[EleriDragonfly]

Mostly Burberry clothes.

[Eric&Rebecca]

Fake Burberry clothes.. large gold earrings and chains... often with a number of small children in shell suits wearing similarly oversized jewelery and usuallly with large dogs which they can't control or know how to take care of properly.

[wdlodge]

I feel for you! It's really unfortunate it's not the right time for her to be able to join your flock. You can still visit her in the store and possibly even meet the person that takes her home so you can know she's going to a good home. And if timing is right, you could even stop the wrong person from getting her by talking to them and letting them know the commitment they're getting into if they're wanting to buy her just on a whim and think grey's are as easy to keep as a hamster!

You definitely seem to have put a lot of thought into the situation and it sounds like you already know what you should do. For anyone that truly loves their feathered babies, it's heart breaking if you're unable to provide the time or care we know they deserve. Visit her when you're getting goodies for your sennies then go home and spend a lot of quality time with them

I take my daughter (15) at least once a week to our bird place to visit a cockatoo named Dakota. She has bonded with this bird so much, she dreams of owning her but knows how unrealistic it is for her right now being young, the amount of time she would have to spend with Dakota. So that's what we do we visit her. One day we went and she was sold. My daughter cried, even though she knew it could happen. So the last time we went, why look there she was returned, Dakota! I can't imagine why she was returned, she is one of the best natured birds I have ever met. Anyway my daughter was so happy to see her. Now the owner of the store is having second thoughts about even selling her. So for now we will continue to visit.

[marie83]

I can understand how you feel so don't take this the wrong way but I think you are trying to justify getting her by imagining her in a rubbish home if you don't "save" her. Now you could save her and have a lovely life together but equally you could end up in a situation where you can't look her well either as your not settled. Even settled people get disrupted and their plans go to pot.
Also you may save this one but where do you think the sweet grey they replace her with is going to go and then the one they sell after that and so on? believe it or not letting her stay for as long as possible is actually sparing others the same fate in the long run as breeders will have to cut down their breeding programs if the chicks aren't selling, the prices will fall and rise in accordance but eventually there will less birds in this horrible cycle.