We used to volunteer for a wild animal rescue center and they had a pair of rescued African Grays. When she laid eggs my wife volunteered us to raise one. We raised him from a hatched egg, fed him by syringe and hand fed him as a baby. His name is Buck because he is the same color (scarlet and gray) as Ohio State Buckeye team colors where we went to school. He is friendly to my wife and I but everyone else better watch their fingers...that is the way of African Grays. When we hear a new sound from him it's always fun to figure out what it is: squeaky faucet knob, dripping sink, someone's laugh, the beep from the dryer cycle being over, E-squad siren from when we lived in town near the fire station and so on. We used to leave a TV on to keep him company since they are very social, but quickly learned that was a mistake as he picked up some pretty sketchy lanquage. He likes to take a shower and when he hears the shower running, he'll climb off his cage and wander right on in with us.
We lost him once for four days in November about 15 years ago. We took him to work with us at our nature shop so we could keep an eye on him, and the customers loved him. One day he timed the door opening and flew through several customers and right out the door and up and away. He must have been planning the great escape for a while! We posted signs all over town and one night got a call from some kids who remembered the sign. He had flown into a high school football game and landed on the field. Someone threw a coat over him and called us. That was a one in a million chance! Needless to say, he now is kept in his cage when doors are being opened.
My secret training weapon with him is to keep a pecan in my pocket and slip it to him when I talk to him every morning. He'll do about anything for a pecan or cashew (actually so will I).
