Need Help Choosing Parrot!!!!!!

LSBuckOE said:

15 year old of what breed? Definitely don't want a plucker as a first. Very difficult for even experienced owners to overcome that. Is the 15yo DNA tested as male? Breeder issues will be lack of "manners", being flighty, overly cage aggressive, generally don't trust humans right away. Will you be content with a bird you will have to work daily with to retrain? Also if it is male, springs will be, for lack of a better word, hell for you. Especially being a breeder in the past, his hormones will kick in (more than normal) and they get mean. Biting, mood changes, screaming, the works. Best idea for spring is to clip the wings so that if he's in attack mode, he can't fly over to someone in the vicinity and attack. My jenday did that to my boyfriend, he almost had multiple piercings on his ear cartilage. Fun stuff! Lol. Definitely post pictures. And I know for Indiana there are multiple parrot groups on Facebook, I'm sure your state will have something at least similar as well. That way you'll have constant contact to people who can help you out with various things, it's awesome. Good luck!

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Actually, I met the 15 year old and he was one of the calmest birds in the rescue. He was even allowed our of his cage during the open house to fly freely because he was not at all antisocial or aggressive, the the rescuers even let me hold him for a while and he was just fine! He did very well with the crowd of people and birds and showed absolutely no aggression what so ever. The rescuers explained to me that he was a very gentle, relaxed, well mannered bird and though he was very quiet an didnt talk, he was still very intelligent. Yes he has been DNA tested as a male. He is an African Grey named Sully. The rescuers obviously believed I would provide a good life for a more advanced bird like him or else they wouldn't have let me choose him and wouldve had me focus more on the cockatiels and budgies or sent me away until I was an adult.

Ah! You found a good one! Obviously was a breeder that interacted & socialized all the pairs, plus a good rescue center. Awesome. Pictures!!!

I am so glad you got a Grey! You are going to love their temperament and personality. I just came across your thread today, and that is the bird I would have recommended you look into if I had read this earlier.

Two things you might consider are:

1) Consider having a sleeping cage in your room and a big gym/perch filled with toys and stuff for the Grey in the living room. When you get up in the AM, out comes the Grey as well. At sundown, back the Grey goes. A sleeping cage in your quieter room also means a nice, peaceful location to rest if your Grey gets moody or ill or just needs to calm down a little. Good for when you have house guests as well so your new baby can adjust on their own terms.

2) Remember, a happy bird is a loud bird, and Grey's are no exception. Watch what you say around them because they can and WILL repeat everything they hear!

I have a grey (timih not spelled right) I got him when he was 14 years old he is 28 years old, here's some funny things that your grey will do, he will catch on the ring tone, then use it to watch you pick up the phone, he will beep when the oven not in use so he can watch you check the oven ..door bell is another game they love, again to watch you run to the door ..becareful of cussing it only takes one time.
my grey, named Charger, (name fits him he will charge at you if you are close to his cage (home) respect his home. Charger picked me, am his mate, as for my hubby will a little BBQ sauce on his skin suits charger fine he will attack him. Charger likes my daughter but she cannot get close to his house he only lets me.
Grey's are as smart as a five year old child. You can get toys from a thrift store, baby toys they will be cheap and safe, just clean them very good before you give him them, lol at first they will growl like a dog because this toy might kill them lol to funny but if you sit outside the cage for about a week then they play with it.
I am so happy that you picked a grey that needs a forever home, so many birds that needs forever homes.
have a great time with your feather friend, remenber THEY OWN YOU LOL all parrots owners will say this, you don't own a parrot they own us!!!!
Take care sherry