Sep 28 2008
Avoiding Grey Parrot Rescue
Grey Parrot Photo by Dominic Morel
If you want to avoid having to call a grey parrot rescue team, you will want to think twice before you buy a parrot as a pet. Many pet store owners will tell you that they are a great pet to have, but if you are not prepared to take care of an exotic bird, you might be turning your new pet over to a grey parrot rescue organization sooner than you think.
Considering A Parrot Rescue Adoption
If you want to get a parrot as a pet, you will want to consider a grey parrot rescue adoption rather than buying the bird from a store. The people with the organization will give you all the information that you need to know in order to properly care for the bird as well as the estimated cost it will take to house and feed the bird. What you want to do with this information is decide whether or not you are ready to handle an exotic bird.
Because most people believe that exotic birds should not be kept as pets, a grey parrot rescue organization will never try to sell or trade an exotic bird. They strictly work with finding people to adopt the birds. These birds were born usually in captivity and would not survive in the wild. The kind, generous people that get a grey parrot rescue adoption know that all life is precious and a bird should not suffer for the mistake of their previous owner.
Knowing that these birds are special is the first step in understanding the care that they need. Because they are from the rainforest, they need baths at least three times a week to keep their feather clean and healthy. They also need mental stimulation. If you are thinking about getting a parrot, you will want to know about the noise factor. They call a lot, and although they are able to mimic humans, most of them are not interested in doing so. You will also have to buy them plenty of toys to play with in order to keep them from being bored or lazy.
A lot of care goes into a grey parrot rescue adoption that most people will admit they cannot handle. If you have the time and the money, a parrot can be a great companion to you. Visit your local parrot sanctuary and talk to the professionals there who can give you more information on whether or not your are ready for a grey parrot rescue bird.
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This is all very helpful information and in addition, I would recommend that any person looking to keep *any* kind of parrot should read “My Parrot, My Friend.” Used copies are readily available on Amazon. I found this book after my first rescue Grey died and read it in one sitting. Made me so sad to see all the things I could have done better for her.
One of the things missing in this article is a strict caution about taking on a rescue bird as your first parrot. Been there, done that. I was extremely fortunate in that my Jakebird had not become mean, only shy. Trying to rescue a parrot who bites, screams or growls constantly (and greys don’t do it halfway) is a long and difficult process which precludes even handling the bird for weeks to months as they learn to trust you. You have to make sure everyone interacting with the parrot is committed to doing EXACTLY the same things so the bird learns to expect the same treatment from everyone. Not so fun for kids and extremely hard for some adults. Takes an iron will and patience, patience, patience. Plus patience.
The other critical information needed here is a discussion of the psychological needs of a parrot, which are quite similar to our own. We need people around us. Parrots in captivity need people around them – they are extremely social and the wild they live in large flocks. Parrots have been proven scientifically to have the intelligence of a 5 or 6 year old human child. However, when you couple this with their Emotional Intelligence of a 2 year old, you get an extremely clever person who doesn’t like to share, has tantrums, little attention span, etc. For more information regarding parrot cognitive abilities, search Dr. Irene Pepperberg or The Alex Foundation online. Parrots are not mimics, they use conscious language. You pick up the car keys and they say bye-bye, it’s no coincidence.They know why they’re saying bye-bye.
I have lived with parrots (budgies are parrots!) since I was 2. I currently share my life with my TAG Gryphon (12), U2 Kyara (11), Rose2 Hero (4) and re-homed Hyacinth Lilly (13). There are days when the feathers, noise and fruit on the walls seem like *way* too much to take. Then I hear “Hey Char, Wanna GryphonBoy?” or “I love you” in 4 different voices and I remember why my life would be incomplete without them.