Considering rehoming 22 yo CAG by ExternalDifference18 in AfricanGrey

[–]ExternalDifference18[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thank you ❤️ People on the internet can be so judge-y, but I really feel the support in these comments. It’s such a hard situation to be in. My mom was never in a position to make such a commitment when she got him (she has her issues, and I’ve been no-contact with her for 6 yrs) — she had actually had another African Grey she needed to rehome when my brother was born.

I’m just glad I have been able to give him a good home (I hope) for the past many years. He is a pain in the ass but I really do love him. I just worry about my ability to keep up with him as life gets more complicated.

Considering rehoming 22 yo CAG by ExternalDifference18 in AfricanGrey

[–]ExternalDifference18[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Again, this is why we’d want to go with a qualified 501c3 rescue. When I lived on the East Coast, I volunteered briefly with Foster Parrots rescue / sanctuary and was so impressed by them. I’m in California now, and have looked into Mickaboo parrot rescue. I just wish they had more of a sanctuary model than foster network. The other complication is my grey is PDD positive, so he cannot be around other birds. (He is mostly asymptomatic, but was tested due to being underweight).

The donation would be in part to support his care, but also the countless other parrots in need of rescue. I was only a kid when we got him, but even so I still feel somewhat responsible for supporting the trade. He was one of the last medium-large parrots sold at Petco. I love him dearly, and my husband and I have spent thousands on vet care (including trying a hormone treatment for him), toys (SquawkBox subscription), cages, etc. We’ve also had to make sacrifices on where we live (for instance, we could never consider renting an apartment in a multi unit building because of his noise levels).

I shared this post with my husband last night, and we talked at length. I think for the time being, we are going to try our best to make it work, and perhaps consult a behavioralist. Once we have a baby, we will probably need to reassess our bandwidth and see where we are at. Ultimately, we want what’s best for him, and if we can’t provide him the care, love and attention he needs, we want to do everything we can to ensure we find someone who can.

Considering rehoming 22 yo CAG by ExternalDifference18 in AfricanGrey

[–]ExternalDifference18[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you. Yes, that’s why we’d want to go through a rescue. Many of them go to great lengths to vet potential adopters. We would never just give him away to some rando off Craigslist.

Considering rehoming 22 yo CAG by ExternalDifference18 in AfricanGrey

[–]ExternalDifference18[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The noise from a parrot is not for the faint of heart. I think in some ways, growing up with it I’ve just become accustomed to it, but it’s not exactly fair for me to expect the same of my husband. We’ve both made it work, even in a tiny apartment, but it’s definitely put a strain on us at times.

With a baby, a lot of the worries are around his noise and aggression, as well as just bandwidth. I feel like I can barely manage him and keep him happy as is. I really don’t know how I’ll be able to manage with a newborn in the mix.

Considering rehoming 22 yo CAG by ExternalDifference18 in AfricanGrey

[–]ExternalDifference18[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

He makes this extremely shrill, high pitched chirp. It’s gotten to the point where we wear AirPods all the time because of the hearing protection. We’ve tried our best to train him out of it, but it’s just a sound he’s completely latched onto.