Lesson 2: Buying an African Grey Parrot
When you have made your decision to purchase an African Grey the first item on your list should be the source; breeder, bird fair or pet shop. Should you buy a baby or an adult? Do you want to try managing a pre-owned bird? Is the bird healthy?
Baby Sources and Considerations
I don’t know any person who loves birds that could resist the fuzzy big eyed charm of a baby grey. They certainly bring out the parental instinct but don’t be talked into hand feeding your own bird unless you are a seasoned bird owner and wish, for some reason, to do this. Feeding baby birds can be tricky; mistakes fatal. It is time consuming as well. In the early days, babies have to be fed every two hours during a twenty four hour period. Are you up to setting the alarm and getting up two or three times every night for weeks to feed your bird? Breeders who offer babies for hand feeding at a reduced rate from weaned birds aren’t doing you any favors. You are far better off paying the going rate for a properly weaned baby than making a heartbreaking error which not only costs you money but emotional pain. If they tell you the bird will bond closer when you are its feed source, be assured that they have got their information a little mixed up. In the wild, birds are fed by their parents for a few weeks, and then booted out of the nest so another hatch can be started. If you bird perceives you as its parent it will most likely, by nature, not bond with you. It will soon be looking for a playmate, a mentor to teach it, or a lifetime companion and it will probably not consider you.
Babies are usually feeding independently at the age of eight weeks. Most breeders offer them for sale at ten to twelve weeks. Again the process is variable and goes according to the individual bird. Reputable breeders will make sure that the bird is eating properly and is on a healthy diet. Ask for recommendations about what to feed before you leave the aviary.
Buying a healthy, suitably weaned, baby from a reputable breeder is probably the most rewarding way to start on your new venture into the world of companion birds. If there are no breeders in your immediate area perhaps you could attend a local bird fair. The breeders are there with their birds and you can ask questions and get recommendations before buying your parrot. You can purchase from a pet shop but won’t get the same kind of ‘hands on’ information. If you do go to a pet shop ask how long the bird has been in the shop. Retail atmosphere is highly stressful for any bird and a sensitive species like the grey will not do well if left there too long. Remember, the intelligence thing again. Emotional trauma can be ingrained in the parrot and will be difficult, if not impossible, to overcome.
