# African Grey parrot?



## giglamesh (Aug 23, 2010)

i saw an add recently for hand raised African grey parrots. and was quite interested but what are the legalities of them here... Are they legal?


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## Retic (Aug 23, 2010)

Yes they are legal, it's just one of those peculiarities of our wildlife laws.


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## Miffy (Aug 23, 2010)

Yeah you don't even need a licence. But they live for 70 years and require lots of attention like a 3 year old child.


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## cheola (Aug 23, 2010)

I would also be pretty weary of the adds they have around for handraised greys. There are a lot of scams worldwide that rip heaps of people off who are trying to get a good deal. 

Make sure that you get the bird from a reputable website and go and visit the bird and the breeder before you send them money. 

People love them because they talk and are very interactive, but grey parrots are not really suited to a life in a cage. They require a heap of attention and are high maintenance so if you are thinking of getting one, do as much reading as you can beforehand. 

But yeah, as everyone has said, it is legal to own them.


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## Miffy (Aug 23, 2010)

Eclectus Parrot would be another alternative. about the same size and rated as the 3rd best talking parrot in world (african grey is ranked 1). They look nice too, and are generally fairly quiet and need less attention.


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## solar 17 (Aug 23, 2010)

*There are a lot of greys with calcium issues [lack of] if you proceed be sure to view the bird prior to purchase plus the fact they are "not" cheap either solar 17 [Baden]*


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## giglamesh (Aug 23, 2010)

i think with the price of the one i saw they must have been a scam $550. what does a hand raised eclectus go for?


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## Asharee133 (Aug 23, 2010)

males, around $600 to $800, females around $400 to $800


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## kak1 (Aug 23, 2010)

Grey's here in Australia usually go for between $5500 to $6000. We sold out like lightning last year and will probably do the same again with all the inquiries we get. I'd suggest that anyone wanting a grey do their reading and have a few years experience particularly with other birds before purchasing a grey. Grey's require lots of work and to keep one you should have a good understanding of the need for mental stimulation, calcium requirements etc. 

Baden is right there have been a few calcium issues with some birds and indeed an inspection is a must. Having an avian vet perform a once over of the bird and a few tests is well worth the few hundred it will cost you and will identify a bird that is not healthy. I see paying a few hundred better than loosing thousands.

Regards,
Jade

Baden I met you at the reptile show on the Gold Coast if you remember (I have the macaws, grey's, amazons etc). Nice snakes you have mate and the GTP's were to die for. Hopefully i'll get some soon.


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## giglamesh (Aug 23, 2010)

has anyone had experience with sun concurs? there another one i have been looking at


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## kak1 (Aug 23, 2010)

Giglamesh go to my website and I've done a write up on Sunnies as they are affectionately known. They are a noisy bird however handreared individuals are usually a lot quieter.

Regards,
Jade


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## giglamesh (Aug 23, 2010)

thanks.


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## kak1 (Aug 23, 2010)

No problems let me know if you need any more assistance. I am only too happy to help.


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## raaaa (Aug 26, 2010)

sun conures are the bomb! affectionate out going and crazy. like keeping a lorikeet without the sloppy poo  relatively low maintenance and hardy and most good breeders will have them eating there fruit and veg when you buy them. but be warned they are LOUD!!!


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## morgs202 (Aug 26, 2010)

raaaa said:


> sun conures are the bomb! affectionate out going and crazy. like keeping a lorikeet without the sloppy poo  relatively low maintenance and hardy and most good breeders will have them eating there fruit and veg when you buy them. but be warned they are LOUD!!!



Green cheeks are better though


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## Kristy_07 (Aug 26, 2010)

morgs202 said:


> Green cheeks are better though


 
+1!


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## giglamesh (Aug 26, 2010)

there pretty much the same bird only a different colour aren't they?


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## raaaa (Aug 27, 2010)

yeah but your biased green cheeks are quieter but not so pretty...

*waits for morgan to send minions*


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## Kristy_07 (Aug 27, 2010)

giglamesh said:


> there pretty much the same bird only a different colour aren't they?


 
They're generally a bit quieter and nicer tempered, gig


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## raaaa (Aug 27, 2010)

Kristy_07 said:


> They're generally a bit quieter and nicer tempered, gig



nicer tempered my hind leg lol ive known plenty of viscious greencheeks in face from what ive heard morgand is a holy terror  there beatiful if they decide they like you not so much if they dont sunnys tend to be better adjusted and bond to more than one person....

in saying that i do have a soft pot for greencheeks  in fack i may be inheriting morgans ones brother or sister


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## Kristy_07 (Aug 27, 2010)

raaaa said:


> there beatiful if they decide they like you not so much if they dont



This is all things with a beak isn't it?  All the parrots I've owned and fostered, from conures to cockatoos, seem to have suffered some kind of bipolar!


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## guzzo (Aug 27, 2010)

I saw a documentary years ago with an African Grey…..It was very intelligent ….even when its owner pointed to a block and asked it what colour? it would respond with the correct colour. Was quite amazing. Did not have many feathers though.

Has anyone else seen it?


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## Kristy_07 (Aug 27, 2010)

I haven't seen that doco - but I did seen another that blew me away. This AG parrot was the focus of a lady's study of about 8 years or something, and new heaps and heaps of words. It could name colours, objects, shapes, and solve fairly simple puzzles (of about 2-3 child standard). 

But the two things that absolutely astounded me where that, 

1) the parrot had a favourite tree near a window in the lab that it loved to sit in. When it got bored of doing test, the parrot would say "Want to go home" (home being the tree)... And if the scientists asked it to keep going with the tests, the parrot would say (ask even?) "Soon - home soon" 

2) The parrot loved to eat apple - one of his favourite foods. When asked to name different kinds of fruit in a bowl, the parrot would call it an "apple". However, when the parrot wanted a piece of apple as a treat, he would say "Want Ban-erry". Ban-erry?? When an observer asked the scientist why he called the apple a ban-erry, the scientist said that, to birds, apples taste quite a lot like bananas, and they look like a big cherry, so the bird had taken to calling his favourite fruit a "ban-erry".

:shock: OMG!! I couldn't believe it - it is one thing to say these birds are smart because they are one of the best mimicers in the birds world, but it is quiet another to see a BIRD be able to learn the English language, and then be able to use that work to convey feelings (like wanting to go "home soon") and to combine words to describe something that reminds him of two other objects! That is not just mimicry - it's intelligence. I was and am completely in awe.


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## coastalboy (Aug 30, 2010)

african greys about 5000 - 6000 auzzie dollars in auzzie ecelectus 600-800 males usually dearer for some reason. and the big and bold blue and gold macaw are same as greys 5000 - 6000 id rather a b&g befor grey. as they can live to 90years old.!!!!! and talk incredable amazing.

cheers
nick


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## christiano (Aug 30, 2010)

*Hello*

Hello are you still interested in buying the african grey please so then contact me viaemail* [email protected]* for more information and pics
thanks


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## Geared (Aug 30, 2010)

Guzzo and Kristy, you're probably referring to 'Alex' the African grey studied by Dr Irene Pepperberg. There's a few doco's around on him and a book too! Really interesting stuff!


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## giglamesh (Aug 31, 2010)

christiano said:


> Hello are you still interested in buying the african grey please so then contact me viaemail* [email protected]* for more information and pics
> thanks


 bit suspicious... uk? but i think it will be to much of a responsibility for me at the moment


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