My parents used to have a grey - never mimicked human speech, but it learned that my mom would come running when the phone rang, so it would mimick the phone ring sound and other household noises
Cressi: Humans as pets are complicated, but some are great. This one here can scratch my head like no other. She talks a lot, but that's OK. Most of her species do, it is perfectly normal. Sometimes she suddenly makes weird sounds and scary moves, but that's not dangerous at all. 😁
Hi I'm a veteran and I had an African gray parrot named Buddy since he was a baby. Buddy died 2 months ago. He was my partner he made me feel happy till the day he died in my hands. I loved him very much it's nice to see your birds on your channel. THANKS
I got my Grey, Pepper, in my 40's, planning on her being my nursing home companion (my genes will have me living well into my 90's - 100 years) I have always had dogs, birds and small parrots - a Senegal and a love bird. All wonderful pets, but my Grey is as sweet as they come except her hormones, which makes me a loyal follower of your channel - she and I are so much more content without all that business going on. She is suspicious of strangers, meaning she stops talking and stares at them. But will go to anyone if I introduce them to her. She is quite quiet and doesn't yell except when she is mimicking me. Her weird phobias still occur out of the blue, but she is easily comforted. She has never drawn blood (something you can't say about a broody love bird) and only yells and mouth me when I care for her beak and nails. She is pushing 30, content with the routines. Love to ride in the car, hates walks - too many people with hats, and loves TV time for "tickles". Her favorite word. I can't imagine life without my Grey. I felt like I lucked out with her, but my husband used to point out that I thought all of our pets were perfect, when in truth, they were not. My good friend gave me a plaque with Mark Twain's best observation: "She was not what you would call refined. Nor was she unrefined. She was the kind of person who keeps a parrot."
it’s so cute to see her be absolutely unbothered by everything. my budgie spooks at the randomest things, including suddenly seeing her reflection when she’s falling asleep lol
I love how smart they are, ours vocabulary is huge, and his scolding of our dogs is appropriate. "Knock it off" when they bark to much. I love their contentment to be just by you, not flying all over. I love that he wakes up talking a mile a minute, putting words together to make new phrases, "Ho Ho Ho Merry Christbird" He always makes me laugh.
My African Grey has turned 44 years old, but he has never been keen on talking! I think it really differs per bird. However, he could whistle all day long!
I have since about 30 Years an African Gray as a Life time Guest. He mimics Speech, all kind of Noises, whistling and other stuff... The Bird is now about 35 Years old and is very much focused on me. His "phobia" comes from being in the City with my Dad when it was Bombed by the US (Tripoli 1986). Soon afterwards all foreigners were forced to leave the Country and so my Dad brought the Bird over to Vienna, Austria. Since that Bombing the Bird mimics the sound of a dropping Bomb and the impact. So every New Year he gets nervous when the fireworks going off but it got much better lately compared to the first years. I love your videos and what you are doing for all those Birds. As soon as I master some personal crisis I intend to buy this Book about recipes to give my Friend a better health care. Stay save. All the Best!
I was so surprised how quiet she is! She didn’t do any bird babbling at all that I noticed. She really was chill for this video. I thought it was adorable how she was loving all the scritches you were giving her while talking. 💘🦜
Great video! Ligaya and Cressi are so similar in so many ways! I heard it's a grey thing (not sure), but one of the things I love about having our grey is that she never really screams, just talks/pops/whistles/oohhhs. When I visit bird stores, I sometimes hear how loud some of the other birds can be, even smaller birds like the sun conures. Like you and Dave, I feel I lucked out. I also love how my grey can "just be" as you put it. So convenient, especially if you happen to do a lot of work from home! ❤🖤
I have a 10-year-old grey, and I feel like I lucked out with her too. She is very vocal, makes up her own songs, and is super-affectionate. She gets annoyed with her two Caique little brothers (same reasons as you described with your Conures), but she loves cockatiels. I completely agree with your recommendations: they are complex and nuanced, and I've met way too many that have not done well in captivity.
I've had a lot of birds over the years, from Amazon's, Cockatoo's, ringnecks, cockatiels, parakeets, and even a hawk-headed parrot. My African Gray is and always will be my favorite. She's 34 and I've had her since she was 13 weeks old. She has a great vocabulary and yes, she does have the annoying alarm call...lol...Cressi is adorable.
lol Cressi reminds me of the ‘Classy Matriarch’, the one who can maintain her composure no matter who is annoying her. You know she’s annoyed, but she stays cool and collected. Then, when the person walks by.... ‘WHAMM!’ Right to the back of the head. Then back to the cool and composed vision of elegance. ❤️
I inherited the African Grey that my parents got when I was 2. He was a bit of an asshole when I was growing up. After my dad retired he worked with him a lot and his mood is much better. When I took him to the vet when I got him and they said he was the most well behaved Grey they'd ever seen!
Greys are my favorite parrot. For the most part, they have a calmer, more studious nature than other parrots. Slower and more deliberate as they study you carefully...
♥️🐦🌞 Hahaha!! My parrot is also a closet talker! When I cover him at night, he is chattery...so cute! He'll mumble himself to sleep like a sleepy toddler 🐦🤩 after he is done telling me about his day 😂, but he doesn't do it during the day when the cage is uncovered.
Im in love w an African Grey!!!!! He's only 13years, and has lost almost all feathers, though the owner keeps his cage clean. But I love him so much!!!!! African Grey😍🙏🌻🍀in my house, if I get to buy it, he shall be able to fly free, and I'll learn alot, from You, ofcourse, and both of us will be happy! (Let My Wish Come True🙏🌻🍀🌿) Thanks for your splendid work, Familly!! (&YES, CRESSI SI CUTE!! 😍💖🐦🎶🕉️)
Just remember if almost all his feathers are gone it doesn't have anything to do with the cage being clean. It can be stress, behavioural and much more. It's hard work to keep a bird from plucking (self-mutilating). Really hard work and it doesn't always turnaround. Just some advice so you can make a good decision if you are ready to care for the bird. Hope this helped some.
WOW, when I see Cressi I just cant believe that such a calm and quiet african grey exists. I used to work in a vet clinic and they have a grey, but unlike Cressi she is super loud (her name is Rori btw). At first she mimicked the sound the patients make, after a while me and my coligue started teaching her words and songs and turned out she is a quick learner. Unfotunately when you are in the same room with her she tends to mimic barking of small dogs and she does it in a very high pitch, one that makes your ears ake, and if you dont give her attention she just screams until you do.The other thing that I failed doing is socializing her. When I try to pet her she would just fluff her feathers and get very aggressive and try to bite, she lets you pet her only if she is in the mood witch is rare( and the petting is done only through the hole of the cage). When you clean her cage she tries to bite, if you try to put your hand in the cage you will get attacked( I almost succeeded in making her feel comfortable when someone is sticking his hand in her cage, but one day I opened the cage to give her a treat and she bit my finger without warning) I realized that she has potential and that she can be trained, and I wanted to take her home and get her out of the clinic, but unfortunately my boss was her owner and he was not giving her :(. Sorry for the long post, you guys are awesome!
I raised Congo African Grey Parrots &kept them 26 years & adore them. Of all birds they are my favorite. Their personality is very similar to my own. I am low energy, gentle. I speak softly.I got their parents & raised their babies from 9 days old, hand fed them. Don’t remember how many I raised, but initially I tried to sell them to earn some money. I kept my first one, a male, two years later had a female got attached kept her . She was very attached to me, she was very affectionate,wanted to be with me all the time. My male talked fluently in my.voice. Timy rode on my right shoulder, Moka(girl) rode on my left. I wish I knew what I have learned since watching Bird Tricks. I studied everything I could find prior to getting them, & still try to learn more constantly. During all this time I have been very sick & gotten older too. I raised other smaller parrots at the same time. Being concerned about their future I turned them over to an experienced family. Miss them every day & night.
I’m so glad you posted this. I adopted a family members African Grey 2 weeks ago (after the family member passed ) and he’s about 20 years old. He’s starting to trust me and I let him perch on my knee, but when I let him on my arm/hand, and he touches my skin, he’s instantly hormonal! Even when I give him a treat or talk to him sometimes he’s hormonal. I only pet his head/neck too (that is, when he allows it). I feel bad because I don’t want to “ignore” him when we are still gaining trust with one another, but nothing distracts him when he’s in his mood. It’s hard to even get him to step up anywhere else when he’s like that, but I’m still super new to this so I probably don’t recognize soon enough that he’s getting hormonal. It makes me feel better though knowing even your African Grey gets super hormonal around you and you’ve discovered how to “untrigger” it. Thanks so much for all of your videos. You’ve been one of my primary resources (I knew nothing before adopting my bird) and you’re making my parrots transition so much easier by sharing your knowledge.
My now deceased African Grey Yogi, loved to whistle. A neighbour had a friend that would whistle to announce his arrival. Yogi copied this & loved to repeat. We called it his counting sheep time. He also lived to impersonate fire engine/police car sirens. His favourite toy was a suspended dog choke chain which he used to lean into / rub himself against. I think he found it very relaxing as he often fell asleep like that. He wasn't a big talker, but always whistled to us in the morning if he heard us talk when we first woke up & a chirpy greeting when we walked into the room. Wish you had been around when we first got him. Here in England we could never find a decent vet which put us off getting another parrot. I don't recall ever hearing him do the "alarm call" - his whistles were pleasant.
We are the same here with our Alex. He is just amazing and beautiful! He was my baby but does choose my husband over me as his main squeeze ;). He will walk down his perch when he knows he home from work and yells dad daddy’s home! Right next to our two children. He talks a ton and actually our cockatoo and him will talk with words to each other all day like one of the kids. Thank you for making your videos , I see so much of how you are with all the parrots same As I care and try every day with ours. It’s a lot of patients and understanding so thank you for letting me know there is another out there :)
Cressi is gordeous!!!!!! She seems abit timid, not very scandalous, and very attent to her owner, who is one of the BEST teachers on How To Treat&Keep A Bird!! Fantastic😍🙏🕉️
Love that my Grey Astrid is relatively relaxed . She does chew alot but being a carpenter door and window trim is a breeze so it doesn't really bother me . I wish everyone liked me as much as she does . What awesome birds..
You and Dave are so respectful of the birds' likes and dislikes such as talking for Cressi. Instead of forcing them to do what YOU want, you nurture their own preferences, which I think is true love. Stay well and HUGS from Austin, Texas.
I have a female African Grey who is just calm as can be. Your right about hormonal happens so easy, and is difficult to get her focusing on something else.
My African Gray is like Cressi too except minus the alarm call. I try to get her to whistle and talk more but she is content to just have me around her and be in each others company.
Cressida, is a beautiful bird, I think she's the best. You're a wonderful woman and I love the fact that you're so smart when it comes to birds. I would love to have another bird, but I'm not sure that I'm ready. I lost the love of my life on March 4th, and I'm still devastated. Sebastian Rose was my Sun Conure. I got her in September of last year, she was shipped to me from Florida. I was in love with my baby girl, Sebastian was my world. Cressida reminds me of her, I think Cressi is great. Thank you for being the wonderful person you are.
I love African Greys I love their intellect. All parrots amaze me. My GCC is so intelligent she really amazes me and I have my own language with her too.... she also has a loud alarm call, there are certain things that set her off, like if I grab a pot out of the cupboard or wear a red towel on my head after a shower.....
I taught my Timneh tricks from the original birdtricks video that your husband and his brother created. It took one session to teach him a trick. He can find a card in a deck with a hole, do the eagle, nod yes when I ask him if he wants something, will wave, answer a phone and turn around. If he sees me doing something he has not seen me do, he will ask what are you doing? He does expect an answer. Love my buddy. JuJu has been with me for 17 years (since 3 weeks old)
I raised CongoAfrican Greys for 24 years.One was a male the other his sister. I loved her affectionate nature with me. Timy on the other hand would have conversations with me.I had their parents& raised a number of other babies. Greys are my favorite bird of all parrots. I absolutely adore Congo African Grey Parrots.
I appreciate your honesty about greys. They can be extremely rewarding. We had one as a baby that we needed to rehome at about 3 years old because our child was allergic to him. We took the time to find the perfect person and he's been with them for over 20 years. It wasn't something we wanted to do to our grey but made sure our child's wellbeing and our beautiful parrot's wellbeing were top priority in the process.
This was great info for me. I’ve had over 50 rescue birds in my lifetime but never a Grey although I’ve always wanted one. I adopted Rocky, a female rescue Grey, 3 years ago (the owner had passed away) and she has been a joy to live with but I never understood why she will screech in my face sometimes as I pass her cage - I’m guessing now that this is her Alert Call, meaning that she doesn’t appreciate me walking by so close. She’s also very territorial and will attack my hand everyday when I change her water but she will tolerate me reaching in if I say “Head scratch” first. She has a vocabulary of maybe 20 words/short phrases (you’re a Turkey is her favorite and “Hi Mom” which I taught her) but she gets very animated after I cover her at night and will talk and go thru all her sound effects for about 30 minutes. This bird really saved me when covid hit us as I had just retired and I live alone so it would have been pretty lonely without her daily antics that amused me so much and really got me thru those 2 years. Love your videos, and yes I’d love to see more of Cressi. 💕
My favorite thing about my grey is that she whistles back to me when I speak to her like shes having a conversation with me. Shes also very chilled around me and she loves to sit on my shoulder or knee
I have a year old African Grey Timneh., Abbey. She’s such a cuddler! She loves hanging out with my friends. Take her everywhere. Your videos help so much...thank you!
Cressi is my favorite! I grew up with a grey who preferred my mom but bonded with me a little bit as well. At least, she would talk/play with me long enough to where I would take her to mom! I miss you Tatu.
Cressi is such a beautiful and healthy Grey, definitely looking her optimum! Cressi seems to really enjoy her time with you, and if I didn't know how Dave found her, I would think you were the 70 and Dave was the 30, lol. Really enjoy the more relaxed video with Cressi, it's as if we are there sitting and just having a pleasant talk, but don't get me wrong, I enjoy Bubba (Jinx), and his hilarity too. Thank you!
I dont usually comment on youtube but really enjoy your videos.. especially the lack of BS.. and I never thought id relate to a bird so much!!! They have such intense personalities!! Fair play to you and your husband!! Doing great work!
Oh my goodness, TH-cam is making it so hard to leave a comment!! Why?!? Ok rant over. I got 2 budgies from pet store 2 wks ago and I feel REALLY lucky! They both jumped on veggies & pellets with no problem, I have 2 baths but haven't seen them use either except to drink, but tried a spray bottle yesterday n neither got spooked, both gave bathing response, so I sprayed until all the bars were dripping with water! They both looked so clean after drying!
Yes, we live with a TAG, just starting to fly again, indoors. Folks might think he is attacking - but it usually a cheek rub or a full beak kiss and "Wow"!
Thank you for making another amazing video on African Greys! I love this species so much, I think I like how aware they are of their surroundings at all times. They are generally phobic like you said and I can relate to that so hard. Life is scary as well as some people. The greys have some of the most obnoxious alarm calls though. Oh my goodness. Kills your ears. It’s interesting that Cressi does as well even though she seems so quiet. Also, I think it’s really cool that you feel so close to macaws. I don’t know how you do it. They are so big with huge beaks and the dinosaur noises freak me out a bit. I think it takes a larger than life personality to hold their own with macaws, and a lot of confidence. That’s clearly you and Dave for sure.
Watching all your videos because I want a forever friend and want to do the very best at caring for them. I’m going to be researching parrot care for at least a year before adopting.
My Green Cheek bullies my Greys. Would love to free flight but too afraid. I’m filming wild Greys again next year and it is breathtaking to see them in a flock flying. Btw, I appreciate you discouraging people from purchasing a Grey or Cockatoo and encouraging exposure to birds in sanctuaries.
I loved this second video of cressida. I am surprised you didnt reccomend grey's as a preferred birds since she is so sweet and easy going. I would love to see her and the macaws in more videos please.....
I had a Congo Grey male. He was much like Cressi but not weirdly hormonal. But that calm quiet demeanor was more desirable to me. He didn’t talk but made sounds or whistled. I took him to the vet and found out he had a cyst in his throat requiring surgery. He didn’t have weird phobias. But he definitely was a one person bird. I think that people who surrender them probably have uninformed or unrealistic expectations. I don’t agree about sun conures. I find them to be extremely obnoxiously loud. Macaws also really loud. So I guess it’s a personal preference and particular birds you’ve had experience with that shapes your opinion.
I would love to see more videos of Cressi. I recently adopted a grey and would love to learn from your experience. I was lucky, too. My grey is a great bird. It took him about a month or so to get comfortable enough to share with me his vocabulary. In the beginning, while learning his "tells," he's drawn a bit of blood, but it was a great learning experience for me anyway. I have plenty of Band-Aids! My grey is super chill as well. He likes to sit on the table next to me. He's not too big on being on my shoulder. We did that once and I could tell he was not diggin' it. So, if you still have Cressi, I would love to see more videos. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with everybody. It's really wonderful stuff.
I'm surprised she's a "closet talker," I never heard of that. Monty, my CAG, goes through his repertoire twice/day, and also whenever I'm *on the phone*. I can tell when he wants to learn, his pupils dilate. We also whistle a LOT together. He's a stellar whistler, and I've become better.
I have a rescue CAG. I took her on at age 5. She is now 17. Yes they do stand their ground, I have scars to prove it. Her 1st mom became very ill, so she had been neglected. Ketah has a vocab. of over 500 words, speaks in complete sentences. She started out as a closet talker. The CAG doesn't mimic the human voice, but knows the context. The behaviour problems come from having the IQ of a 5 year old and the EQ of a 2 year old. She is a wonderful companion bird. Yes I would go through it again, gladly.
I was surprised that you shared that Cressi isn't very verbal. My grey picks up all kinds of things to say from me. But, he too, is a "closet talker" and rarely says anything on demand. He's my alarm clock right now, since he starts chatting to himself when the sun comes up, He is a much easier bird to live with than my slender billed cockatoo. Much quieter and easier to entertain.
I’ve had a grey for 40 years still learning thanks to these Chanel’s. I’ve been given another 26 years old owner died family said they would only want me to have. It’s a huge responsibility I never leave my pets alone. I’ve spoken to my daughter about future she said it’s ok just take it, it hasn’t even got a perch. I visited. They say it’s female but never laid or regurgitate mind I had dna she laid eggs first time a few months ago and she likes to feed my hand. So I think they were told by the breeder 26 years ago as a guess. I won’t put them together but will let them see each other over time will tell possibly
This needs a lot of work , and dedication and time , and unconditional love for the bird. And of course , a lot of studying about good and proper parrot care.
Jami, did you catch that?? When you said I don't think we'd get another African Gray after Cressi, sh totally turned her head to the side and looked at you! Like, OH YEAH?? Such a great ha ha clip!
My sister really really loves parrots,and even has her own Quaker, and I live the bird that bobs around her room and I’m trying to figure out if when I’m older I want a bird myself and your channel has really been this huge help with me knowing the facts and talking about not just the good stuff you just give us all the information and that just really helps me so much
The more I watch your wonderfully informative videos the more I believe that training is everything for any bird, animal so they can be their best. You and Dave are the voice of reason and I admire you for it. Thank you.
When I first got into birds I really wanted an African Grey. But now I honestly not to into the idea. They are a bird that I’m not quite ready for. I did so much research on them, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready.
My 2nd CAG was a rescue a year and a half ago. They are just the species I have always been drawn to. I called our local parrot shop with zero intention of getting another for a 2-3 years. I was told they had one there who had been there for 3 months. I had a nagging feeling. And just told my husband I'm just going to see if there is a connection at all. I got there, asked a ton of questions about her. I found out she had stepped up for the first time 2 days prior to me meeting her. It took her 3 months to trust the people there for her to feel comfortable to do it. She let me pet her, she was very interested in me, and came to me instantly. She stepped up after flying away from the lady at the shop annoyed from grabbing her. She had loads of people interested in her but the feeling was not mutual back. 😅 I adopted her 2 days later. The day she came home she was talking up a storm and let me pet her like crazy. Day 2 she was putting her foot out but not quite ready. And day 8 she was stepping up anytime I was near her and asked her if she wanted to step up. This was a 3 year old bird who previously was never taught step up. And was never handled. She is pure love. And I'm so glad she now is in her forever home. We had to majorly desensitize her too. But the thing that has surprised me the most about being a grey is the fact she has been so open and accepting of change. She is very happy now. And I'm so glad I decided to not ignore that nagging feeling I had to go meet her to see if there was a connection. She truly picked me as her person. And I'm truly honored. ❤
That's what I really want to know too. I have a pair of green cheek conures and they already take a lot of time out of my day :D I'm thinking about getting another pair of a bigger parrot species now too. I can handle cleaning aviaries and stuff, spending time and training with 2 pairs of parrots, but they have like 6 or 7 birds at home😅
My mother had a Congo African grey from a hatchling since she was in college. His name was ember. We always joked that he was our oldest sibling and put up with us! He was very talkative! He did every toilet noise in every house my mother ever had! Ringtones, whistles, etc. He would mimic cats to get them close to bully them. He would say good morning when we woke up, night night when it was bedtime. Our baby cries. Our names, he constantly made me think my mother was hollering for me. We loved him so much! And he was a major foodie too, his favorite treat was peanuts. He would get moody. He hated men. He hated the color red! He loved my mother he was very bonded to her! He passed away at 32 pretty unexpectedly and we were devastated. I hope one day to have another or a macaw because the house has never been the same. Way to quiet. I love your channel
I have a baby Grey named Pumpkin, and my favorite thing about my Pumpkin is how she craves my attention. She comes to me immediately when I hold my hand out. She does everything she can to be with me. My other Grey, Dobby, doesn’t care about me as much as he does my husband. Pumpkin is wonderful to me. I hand fed her from five weeks old, and it’s amazing.
Who else thinks Cressi is so cute.
Meeeee 😍
Meh
Katie Bacchus omg yess shes my favourite😊
@@orchid7493 man i can alreay tell u watch gacha life lol
She so cute❤️💯❤️
My parents used to have a grey - never mimicked human speech, but it learned that my mom would come running when the phone rang, so it would mimick the phone ring sound and other household noises
How smart!
Awww 😂❤️
SMARTT
Ours always has us running to the microwave for food
200 IQ play
Cressi: Humans as pets are complicated, but some are great. This one here can scratch my head like no other. She talks a lot, but that's OK. Most of her species do, it is perfectly normal. Sometimes she suddenly makes weird sounds and scary moves, but that's not dangerous at all. 😁
😂😂😂
😄
😊😊😊
😂😂😂😂😂
Hi I'm a veteran and I had an African gray parrot named Buddy since he was a baby. Buddy died 2 months ago. He was my partner he made me feel happy till the day he died in my hands. I loved him very much it's nice to see your birds on your channel. THANKS
Jamie: "Cressi prefers her love and attention from Dave"
"Me too Cressi, me too"- lol that part of the video killed me. 😂
Yes, so cute! 😍
CAG’s are my favorite parrot because my personality is the same as Cressi ❤️
She acts like a old lady who just can't be bothered, seems she knows better.Thank you for the informative video.
I got my Grey, Pepper, in my 40's, planning on her being my nursing home companion (my genes will have me living well into my 90's - 100 years) I have always had dogs, birds and small parrots - a Senegal and a love bird. All wonderful pets, but my Grey is as sweet as they come except her hormones, which makes me a loyal follower of your channel - she and I are so much more content without all that business going on. She is suspicious of strangers, meaning she stops talking and stares at them. But will go to anyone if I introduce them to her. She is quite quiet and doesn't yell except when she is mimicking me. Her weird phobias still occur out of the blue, but she is easily comforted. She has never drawn blood (something you can't say about a broody love bird) and only yells and mouth me when I care for her beak and nails. She is pushing 30, content with the routines. Love to ride in the car, hates walks - too many people with hats, and loves TV time for "tickles". Her favorite word. I can't imagine life without my Grey. I felt like I lucked out with her, but my husband used to point out that I thought all of our pets were perfect, when in truth, they were not. My good friend gave me a plaque with Mark Twain's best observation: "She was not what you would call refined. Nor was she unrefined. She was the kind of person who keeps a parrot."
❤️ Pepper & You are lucky to have eachother💖
I love that!
it’s so cute to see her be absolutely unbothered by everything. my budgie spooks at the randomest things, including suddenly seeing her reflection when she’s falling asleep lol
Omg that's adorably funny!
I think your African Gray really loves you.☺
Yeaaaa me to man
I love how smart they are, ours vocabulary is huge, and his scolding of our dogs is appropriate. "Knock it off" when they bark to much. I love their contentment to be just by you, not flying all over. I love that he wakes up talking a mile a minute, putting words together to make new phrases, "Ho Ho Ho Merry Christbird" He always makes me laugh.
My African Grey has turned 44 years old, but he has never been keen on talking! I think it really differs per bird. However, he could whistle all day long!
Yes, he is imported and has been in our family owned store in the Netherlands for over 40 years!
@@LauWWrens Some were bred in NL even in those days, but not the numbers you see today. Glad he is still with his original family!
Have you had it the whole 44 yrs?
I have since about 30 Years an African Gray as a Life time Guest. He mimics Speech, all kind of Noises, whistling and other stuff... The Bird is now about 35 Years old and is very much focused on me. His "phobia" comes from being in the City with my Dad when it was Bombed by the US (Tripoli 1986). Soon afterwards all foreigners were forced to leave the Country and so my Dad brought the Bird over to Vienna, Austria. Since that Bombing the Bird mimics the sound of a dropping Bomb and the impact. So every New Year he gets nervous when the fireworks going off but it got much better lately compared to the first years.
I love your videos and what you are doing for all those Birds. As soon as I master some personal crisis I intend to buy this Book about recipes to give my Friend a better health care.
Stay save.
All the Best!
Oh I miss Bandit so much ❤️
I was so surprised how quiet she is! She didn’t do any bird babbling at all that I noticed. She really was chill for this video. I thought it was adorable how she was loving all the scritches you were giving her while talking. 💘🦜
Great video! Ligaya and Cressi are so similar in so many ways! I heard it's a grey thing (not sure), but one of the things I love about having our grey is that she never really screams, just talks/pops/whistles/oohhhs. When I visit bird stores, I sometimes hear how loud some of the other birds can be, even smaller birds like the sun conures. Like you and Dave, I feel I lucked out. I also love how my grey can "just be" as you put it. So convenient, especially if you happen to do a lot of work from home! ❤🖤
PS - I was most surprised that she couldn't deal with dread locks! Lol!
Yeah! Good luck getting through my conure Q&A when that comes out... omg... the noise.
African grays are just really cute 😜😆
I have a 10-year-old grey, and I feel like I lucked out with her too. She is very vocal, makes up her own songs, and is super-affectionate. She gets annoyed with her two Caique little brothers (same reasons as you described with your Conures), but she loves cockatiels. I completely agree with your recommendations: they are complex and nuanced, and I've met way too many that have not done well in captivity.
I've had a lot of birds over the years, from Amazon's, Cockatoo's, ringnecks, cockatiels, parakeets, and even a hawk-headed parrot. My African Gray is and always will be my favorite. She's 34 and I've had her since she was 13 weeks old. She has a great vocabulary and yes, she does have the annoying alarm call...lol...Cressi is adorable.
lol Cressi reminds me of the ‘Classy Matriarch’, the one who can maintain her composure no matter who is annoying her. You know she’s annoyed, but she stays cool and collected. Then, when the person walks by.... ‘WHAMM!’ Right to the back of the head. Then back to the cool and composed vision of elegance. ❤️
I inherited the African Grey that my parents got when I was 2. He was a bit of an asshole when I was growing up. After my dad retired he worked with him a lot and his mood is much better. When I took him to the vet when I got him and they said he was the most well behaved Grey they'd ever seen!
Its crazy how well behaved birds are when they are getting enough attention.
Greys are my favorite parrot. For the most part, they have a calmer, more studious nature than other parrots. Slower and more deliberate as they study you carefully...
♥️🐦🌞
Hahaha!!
My parrot is also a closet talker!
When I cover him at night, he is chattery...so cute!
He'll mumble himself to sleep like a sleepy toddler 🐦🤩 after he is done telling me about his day 😂, but he doesn't do it during the day when the cage is uncovered.
Im in love w an African Grey!!!!! He's only 13years, and has lost almost all feathers, though the owner keeps his cage clean. But I love him so much!!!!! African Grey😍🙏🌻🍀in my house, if I get to buy it, he shall be able to fly free, and I'll learn alot, from You, ofcourse, and both of us will be happy! (Let My Wish Come True🙏🌻🍀🌿) Thanks for your splendid work, Familly!! (&YES, CRESSI SI CUTE!! 😍💖🐦🎶🕉️)
Just remember if almost all his feathers are gone it doesn't have anything to do with the cage being clean. It can be stress, behavioural and much more. It's hard work to keep a bird from plucking (self-mutilating). Really hard work and it doesn't always turnaround. Just some advice so you can make a good decision if you are ready to care for the bird. Hope this helped some.
@@Neverending1 The owners don't want to sell it to me. Everyday. I can talk with him from the street .., but the bird is for their son.
@@Neverending1 But thank you very much for answering, Renee. I am so sad because it never is allowed to go out of the birdcage.
WOW, when I see Cressi I just cant believe that such a calm and quiet african grey exists. I used to work in a vet clinic and they have a grey, but unlike Cressi she is super loud (her name is Rori btw). At first she mimicked the sound the patients make, after a while me and my coligue started teaching her words and songs and turned out she is a quick learner. Unfotunately when you are in the same room with her she tends to mimic barking of small dogs and she does it in a very high pitch, one that makes your ears ake, and if you dont give her attention she just screams until you do.The other thing that I failed doing is socializing her. When I try to pet her she would just fluff her feathers and get very aggressive and try to bite, she lets you pet her only if she is in the mood witch is rare( and the petting is done only through the hole of the cage). When you clean her cage she tries to bite, if you try to put your hand in the cage you will get attacked( I almost succeeded in making her feel comfortable when someone is sticking his hand in her cage, but one day I opened the cage to give her a treat and she bit my finger without warning) I realized that she has potential and that she can be trained, and I wanted to take her home and get her out of the clinic, but unfortunately my boss was her owner and he was not giving her :(. Sorry for the long post, you guys are awesome!
What is a coligue?
@@gloriawright909 another employee you work with
@@bigsky445 That’s a colleague. I know it’s picky, but it’s hard to understand when there’s spell check.
I raised Congo African Grey Parrots &kept them 26 years & adore them. Of all birds they are my favorite. Their personality is very similar to my own. I am low energy, gentle. I speak softly.I got their parents & raised their babies from 9 days old, hand fed them. Don’t remember how many I raised, but initially I tried to sell them to earn some money. I kept my first one, a male, two years later had a female got attached kept her . She was very attached to me, she was very affectionate,wanted to be with me all the time. My male talked fluently in my.voice. Timy rode on my right shoulder, Moka(girl) rode on my left.
I wish I knew what I have learned since watching Bird Tricks.
I studied everything I could find prior to getting them, & still try to learn more constantly.
During all this time I have been very sick & gotten older too. I raised other smaller parrots at the same time.
Being concerned about their future I turned them over to an experienced family. Miss them every day & night.
Cressi is so adorable...praying i get a remote job so i can have the time to give a companion bird a good healthy life
Cressi is gorgeous!
As an Aussie, it’s amazing to see our galahs in this show - we see them swooping around in flocks here 😀
I’m so glad you posted this. I adopted a family members African Grey 2 weeks ago (after the family member passed ) and he’s about 20 years old. He’s starting to trust me and I let him perch on my knee, but when I let him on my arm/hand, and he touches my skin, he’s instantly hormonal! Even when I give him a treat or talk to him sometimes he’s hormonal. I only pet his head/neck too (that is, when he allows it). I feel bad because I don’t want to “ignore” him when we are still gaining trust with one another, but nothing distracts him when he’s in his mood. It’s hard to even get him to step up anywhere else when he’s like that, but I’m still super new to this so I probably don’t recognize soon enough that he’s getting hormonal. It makes me feel better though knowing even your African Grey gets super hormonal around you and you’ve discovered how to “untrigger” it. Thanks so much for all of your videos. You’ve been one of my primary resources (I knew nothing before adopting my bird) and you’re making my parrots transition so much easier by sharing your knowledge.
Cressi is truly adorable! It's fun to watch her interaction with you, so chill!!!
My now deceased African Grey Yogi, loved to whistle. A neighbour had a friend that would whistle to announce his arrival. Yogi copied this & loved to repeat. We called it his counting sheep time. He also lived to impersonate fire engine/police car sirens. His favourite toy was a suspended dog choke chain which he used to lean into / rub himself against. I think he found it very relaxing as he often fell asleep like that. He wasn't a big talker, but always whistled to us in the morning if he heard us talk when we first woke up & a chirpy greeting when we walked into the room. Wish you had been around when we first got him. Here in England we could never find a decent vet which put us off getting another parrot.
I don't recall ever hearing him do the "alarm call" - his whistles were pleasant.
We are the same here with our Alex. He is just amazing and beautiful! He was my baby but does choose my husband over me as his main squeeze ;). He will walk down his perch when he knows he home from work and yells dad daddy’s home! Right next to our two children. He talks a ton and actually our cockatoo and him will talk with words to each other all day like one of the kids. Thank you for making your videos , I see so much of how you are with all the parrots same As I care and try every day with ours. It’s a lot of patients and understanding so thank you for letting me know there is another out there :)
Cressi is gordeous!!!!!! She seems abit timid, not very scandalous, and very attent to her owner, who is one of the BEST teachers on How To Treat&Keep A Bird!! Fantastic😍🙏🕉️
Love that my Grey Astrid is relatively relaxed . She does chew alot but being a carpenter door and window trim is a breeze so it doesn't really bother me . I wish everyone liked me as much as she does . What awesome birds..
She gets so fluyfull and lays down in my hands like a baby bird
You have an amazing bond regardless how much she loves Dave.
Under cockatoos we have grays that are most surrendered at the rescue I volunteer at. I feel if you want a bird spend time at an sanctuary/rescue
You and Dave are so respectful of the birds' likes and dislikes such as talking for Cressi. Instead of forcing them to do what YOU want, you nurture their own preferences, which I think is true love. Stay well and HUGS from Austin, Texas.
I have a female African Grey who is just calm as can be. Your right about hormonal happens so easy, and is difficult to get her focusing on something else.
Just love this lil lady...... makes it hard not to want one because she’s so good lol. So sad that I’m allergic but maybe that’s a good thing 🤒
She's so beautiful! And I love how chill she is -my kind of bird! 😍 Yes I would love more videos with her, she's awesome!!!💕
My African Gray is like Cressi too except minus the alarm call. I try to get her to whistle and talk more but she is content to just have me around her and be in each others company.
I think my favorite thing with greys are just how observing, and those eyes!
She is tugging at my heart strings!! I love African greys for their laid back temperament their intelligence and their voice is so very human like!!
Cressida, is a beautiful bird, I think she's the best. You're a wonderful woman and I love the fact that you're so smart when it comes to birds. I would love to have another bird, but I'm not sure that I'm ready. I lost the love of my life on March 4th, and I'm still devastated. Sebastian Rose was my Sun Conure. I got her in September of last year, she was shipped to me from Florida. I was in love with my baby girl, Sebastian was my world. Cressida reminds me of her, I think Cressi is great. Thank you for being the wonderful person you are.
I love African Greys I love their intellect. All parrots amaze me. My GCC is so intelligent she really amazes me and I have my own language with her too.... she also has a loud alarm call, there are certain things that set her off, like if I grab a pot out of the cupboard or wear a red towel on my head after a shower.....
Oh yes, we would definitely like to see more Cressida videos. She is precious.
I taught my Timneh tricks from the original birdtricks video that your husband and his brother created. It took one session to teach him a trick. He can find a card in a deck with a hole, do the eagle, nod yes when I ask him if he wants something, will wave, answer a phone and turn around. If he sees me doing something he has not seen me do, he will ask what are you doing? He does expect an answer. Love my buddy. JuJu has been with me for 17 years (since 3 weeks old)
"Jamie the mood-killer" haha
I raised CongoAfrican Greys for 24 years.One was a male the other his sister. I loved her affectionate nature with me. Timy on the other hand would have conversations with me.I had their parents& raised a number of other babies. Greys are my favorite bird of all parrots. I absolutely adore Congo African Grey Parrots.
Our baby grey prefers my husband too but I love that she talks in my voice which I love so much❤️ We cannot imagine our life without her.
I appreciate your honesty about greys. They can be extremely rewarding. We had one as a baby that we needed to rehome at about 3 years old because our child was allergic to him. We took the time to find the perfect person and he's been with them for over 20 years. It wasn't something we wanted to do to our grey but made sure our child's wellbeing and our beautiful parrot's wellbeing were top priority in the process.
This was great info for me. I’ve had over 50 rescue birds in my lifetime but never a Grey although I’ve always wanted one. I adopted Rocky, a female rescue Grey, 3 years ago (the owner had passed away) and she has been a joy to live with but I never understood why she will screech in my face sometimes as I pass her cage - I’m guessing now that this is her Alert Call, meaning that she doesn’t appreciate me walking by so close. She’s also very territorial and will attack my hand everyday when I change her water but she will tolerate me reaching in if I say “Head scratch” first. She has a vocabulary of maybe 20 words/short phrases (you’re a Turkey is her favorite and “Hi Mom” which I taught her) but she gets very animated after I cover her at night and will talk and go thru all her sound effects for about 30 minutes.
This bird really saved me when covid hit us as I had just retired and I live alone so it would have been pretty lonely without her daily antics that amused me so much and really got me thru those 2 years.
Love your videos, and yes I’d love to see more of Cressi. 💕
My favorite thing about my grey is that she whistles back to me when I speak to her like shes having a conversation with me. Shes also very chilled around me and she loves to sit on my shoulder or knee
I have a year old African Grey Timneh., Abbey. She’s such a cuddler! She loves hanging out with my friends. Take her everywhere. Your videos help so much...thank you!
Cressida is adorable, so chill! I love how well the African Greys USUALLY talk. I just learned that they don’t always talk.
Cressi is my favorite! I grew up with a grey who preferred my mom but bonded with me a little bit as well. At least, she would talk/play with me long enough to where I would take her to mom! I miss you Tatu.
soft and very gentle
Cressi is such a beautiful and healthy Grey, definitely looking her optimum! Cressi seems to really enjoy her time with you, and if I didn't know how Dave found her, I would think you were the 70 and Dave was the 30, lol. Really enjoy the more relaxed video with Cressi, it's as if we are there sitting and just having a pleasant talk, but don't get me wrong, I enjoy Bubba (Jinx), and his hilarity too. Thank you!
She seems like a sweet calm bird I guess she loves and trust you!! Pretty awesome
I dont usually comment on youtube but really enjoy your videos.. especially the lack of BS.. and I never thought id relate to a bird so much!!! They have such intense personalities!! Fair play to you and your husband!! Doing great work!
I have honestly nothing to comment....
Sending love💕💕
YAY more Cressi! She's so cute and just seems so sweet!!
Oh my goodness, TH-cam is making it so hard to leave a comment!! Why?!? Ok rant over. I got 2 budgies from pet store 2 wks ago and I feel REALLY lucky! They both jumped on veggies & pellets with no problem, I have 2 baths but haven't seen them use either except to drink, but tried a spray bottle yesterday n neither got spooked, both gave bathing response, so I sprayed until all the bars were dripping with water! They both looked so clean after drying!
I love your two’s mellow chemistry!
Yes, we live with a TAG, just starting to fly again, indoors. Folks might think he is attacking - but it usually a cheek rub or a full beak kiss and "Wow"!
Thank you for making another amazing video on African Greys! I love this species so much, I think I like how aware they are of their surroundings at all times. They are generally phobic like you said and I can relate to that so hard. Life is scary as well as some people. The greys have some of the most obnoxious alarm calls though. Oh my goodness. Kills your ears. It’s interesting that Cressi does as well even though she seems so quiet.
Also, I think it’s really cool that you feel so close to macaws. I don’t know how you do it. They are so big with huge beaks and the dinosaur noises freak me out a bit. I think it takes a larger than life personality to hold their own with macaws, and a lot of confidence. That’s clearly you and Dave for sure.
Your bird plays Marco Polo with your husband and that is adorable!!
Watching all your videos because I want a forever friend and want to do the very best at caring for them. I’m going to be researching parrot care for at least a year before adopting.
4:53 epic! looked so cool :D :D 20:42 - "pet me properly, huuman!"
My Green Cheek bullies my Greys. Would love to free flight but too afraid. I’m filming wild Greys again next year and it is breathtaking to see them in a flock flying. Btw, I appreciate you discouraging people from purchasing a Grey or Cockatoo and encouraging exposure to birds in sanctuaries.
Cressi, so calm & comfortable with you, I much admire your honesty re birds in general, thanks.
I have a African gray and my fav thing about her is all the funny things she says and her little dances😂
I loved this second video of cressida. I am surprised you didnt reccomend grey's as a preferred birds since she is so sweet and easy going. I would love to see her and the macaws in more videos please.....
I had a Congo Grey male. He was much like Cressi but not weirdly hormonal. But that calm quiet demeanor was more desirable to me. He didn’t talk but made sounds or whistled. I took him to the vet and found out he had a cyst in his throat requiring surgery. He didn’t have weird phobias. But he definitely was a one person bird. I think that people who surrender them probably have uninformed or unrealistic expectations. I don’t agree about sun conures. I find them to be extremely obnoxiously loud. Macaws also really loud. So I guess it’s a personal preference and particular birds you’ve had experience with that shapes your opinion.
I would love to see more videos of Cressi. I recently adopted a grey and would love to learn from your experience. I was lucky, too. My grey is a great bird. It took him about a month or so to get comfortable enough to share with me his vocabulary. In the beginning, while learning his "tells," he's drawn a bit of blood, but it was a great learning experience for me anyway. I have plenty of Band-Aids! My grey is super chill as well. He likes to sit on the table next to me. He's not too big on being on my shoulder. We did that once and I could tell he was not diggin' it. So, if you still have Cressi, I would love to see more videos. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with everybody. It's really wonderful stuff.
I think Cressi is adorable❤
I'm surprised she's a "closet talker," I never heard of that. Monty, my CAG, goes through his repertoire twice/day, and also whenever I'm *on the phone*. I can tell when he wants to learn, his pupils dilate. We also whistle a LOT together. He's a stellar whistler, and I've become better.
I have a rescue CAG. I took her on at age 5. She is now 17. Yes they do stand their ground, I have scars to prove it. Her 1st mom became very ill, so she had been neglected. Ketah has a vocab. of over 500 words, speaks in complete sentences. She started out as a closet talker. The CAG doesn't mimic the human voice, but knows the context. The behaviour problems come from having the IQ of a 5 year old and the EQ of a 2 year old. She is a wonderful companion bird. Yes I would go through it again, gladly.
I was surprised that you shared that Cressi isn't very verbal. My grey picks up all kinds of things to say from me. But, he too, is a "closet talker" and rarely says anything on demand. He's my alarm clock right now, since he starts chatting to himself when the sun comes up,
He is a much easier bird to live with than my slender billed cockatoo. Much quieter and easier to entertain.
I’ve had a grey for 40 years still learning thanks to these Chanel’s. I’ve been given another 26 years old owner died family said they would only want me to have. It’s a huge responsibility I never leave my pets alone. I’ve spoken to my daughter about future she said it’s ok just take it, it hasn’t even got a perch. I visited. They say it’s female but never laid or regurgitate mind I had dna she laid eggs first time a few months ago and she likes to feed my hand. So I think they were told by the breeder 26 years ago as a guess. I won’t put them together but will let them see each other over time will tell possibly
This needs a lot of work , and dedication and time , and unconditional love for the bird. And of course , a lot of studying about good and proper parrot care.
Jami, did you catch that?? When you said I don't think we'd get another African Gray after Cressi, sh totally turned her head to the side and looked at you! Like, OH YEAH?? Such a great ha ha clip!
My favorite thing about grey’s is how generally chill the species is.
I just had to resubscribe?? I have been following this channel for months. Anyone else?
Watching all the videos I can take in as I plan to get a grey next week. Wish me luck.
My sister really really loves parrots,and even has her own Quaker, and I live the bird that bobs around her room and I’m trying to figure out if when I’m older I want a bird myself and your channel has really been this huge help with me knowing the facts and talking about not just the good stuff you just give us all the information and that just really helps me so much
The more I watch your wonderfully informative videos the more I believe that training is everything for any bird, animal so they can be their best. You and Dave are the voice of reason and I admire you for it. Thank you.
Yay, I was waiting for a part II :) :)
Just beautiful to hear about and see the communication.
"Oh Flock"? That's brilliant, looking forward to it!
Great Video!!!
Thank you both!!!
"I don't think we'd get another African Grey after Cressi."
Cressi: *looks at you* "Oh really?"
I think she's quite pleased with herself! 😂
My favorite thing about my African grey is she talks and argues with her self and how tame they are
When I first got into birds I really wanted an African Grey. But now I honestly not to into the idea. They are a bird that I’m not quite ready for. I did so much research on them, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready.
My 2nd CAG was a rescue a year and a half ago. They are just the species I have always been drawn to. I called our local parrot shop with zero intention of getting another for a 2-3 years. I was told they had one there who had been there for 3 months. I had a nagging feeling. And just told my husband I'm just going to see if there is a connection at all. I got there, asked a ton of questions about her. I found out she had stepped up for the first time 2 days prior to me meeting her. It took her 3 months to trust the people there for her to feel comfortable to do it. She let me pet her, she was very interested in me, and came to me instantly. She stepped up after flying away from the lady at the shop annoyed from grabbing her. She had loads of people interested in her but the feeling was not mutual back. 😅
I adopted her 2 days later. The day she came home she was talking up a storm and let me pet her like crazy. Day 2 she was putting her foot out but not quite ready. And day 8 she was stepping up anytime I was near her and asked her if she wanted to step up. This was a 3 year old bird who previously was never taught step up. And was never handled. She is pure love. And I'm so glad she now is in her forever home. We had to majorly desensitize her too. But the thing that has surprised me the most about being a grey is the fact she has been so open and accepting of change. She is very happy now. And I'm so glad I decided to not ignore that nagging feeling I had to go meet her to see if there was a connection. She truly picked me as her person. And I'm truly honored. ❤
Looking forward to watching sunny progress
How do you give all the attention that all your birds need. It’s amazing
That's what I really want to know too. I have a pair of green cheek conures and they already take a lot of time out of my day :D
I'm thinking about getting another pair of a bigger parrot species now too. I can handle cleaning aviaries and stuff, spending time and training with 2 pairs of parrots, but they have like 6 or 7 birds at home😅
My mother had a Congo African grey from a hatchling since she was in college. His name was ember. We always joked that he was our oldest sibling and put up with us!
He was very talkative! He did every toilet noise in every house my mother ever had! Ringtones, whistles, etc. He would mimic cats to get them close to bully them. He would say good morning when we woke up, night night when it was bedtime. Our baby cries. Our names, he constantly made me think my mother was hollering for me. We loved him so much! And he was a major foodie too, his favorite treat was peanuts. He would get moody. He hated men. He hated the color red! He loved my mother he was very bonded to her! He passed away at 32 pretty unexpectedly and we were devastated. I hope one day to have another or a macaw because the house has never been the same. Way to quiet.
I love your channel
I have a baby Grey named Pumpkin, and my favorite thing about my Pumpkin is how she craves my attention. She comes to me immediately when I hold my hand out. She does everything she can to be with me. My other Grey, Dobby, doesn’t care about me as much as he does my husband. Pumpkin is wonderful to me. I hand fed her from five weeks old, and it’s amazing.
What a fabulous education I receive from you. Respect. An expat in the U.K.