Buying a Grey
	Hopefully if you have reached this page you have already put some thought into why you want a parrot, and after careful consideration, decided that a grey is the one for you.

You are not alone in your decision as the grey is now the most common pet parrot, due most likely to its ability to mimic humans and our world. What you must also consider is that greys can live for many years, and will often outlive their owners, they need constant attention and care, and are known to pluck out their feathers if they are stressed or upset. They will also incur vet bills and are best seen and treated by a specialist avian vet.

Like other parrots, it is true that the grey does tend to bond with one member of the family and may not be so keen on attention from others, although I think this behavior can be alleviated to some extent by the way the chick is hand reared. This brings us onto where you buy your grey from, and you have a very simple choice here.

You can buy a bird that has been caught in the wild, shipped over to this country in a small box, then lucky to be alive it is offered at half the going rate and advertised as "Needs to be fully tamed". This bird and thousands like it will never be tame, ever, no matter how long you spend talking to it, they are wild and the wild is where they belong. It will not have a CLOSED ring on and will most likely "growl" every time it sees you because it is terrified. No doubt it will end it's life in a sanctuary after being passed on by many owners who have been unable to control it.

OR

You could buy a chick that has been captive bred in this country, has been hand reared by a responsible and knowledgeable breeder who has socialized the chick to accept people, children, dogs and other items that it might come across in your home. It will have a closed ring and a hatch certificate to let you know all it's history. When you get the chick it will also be fully weaned and will accept a wide range of foods. It will want to be with you and won't growl or bite you. The breeder will also be able to answer any questions you might have about greys and will be there for you after buying the bird with help and advice.

OK, so there are some birds that are exceptions to the above, but please beware of any that are not close rung and hand reared if you are looking for a tame pet bird.