We are now about a week away from Scarlett coming home! I was wondering if you all could offer up any advice or suggestions for the new grey owner? Any helpful tips? Just anything I should know in general about owning a grey. I've read a book on greys but any personal, hands on experience with a grey would be great!

My Grey was almost 6 yrs old when I got him. I think one of the most important things I learned was, they need red palm oil in their diet. The next thing, talk to her! Soon enough, she will talk back! It doesnt take long with greys! Most important..enjoy her!! Good luck....pics, pics!!!!

I have never used red palm oil, do you just put it in some pasta or something? How do you give it to them? Also is it good for the other fids too?

The advice I give to all new baby grey owners is this: Expose her to a large variety of things/situations when she's young. If she gets used to stuff when she's young, then she is less likely to pluck from new/stressful situations as an adult. Ollie was exposed to my hectic schedule from the very beginning, and is so calm in just about any situation I put her in!

If you're going to want to have her harness trained- start NOW! And stick with it! I didn't work hard enough with Ollie, and although I can eventually get the harness on her, I do often lose a little blood.

Most importantly, have fun with her, and cuddle while she'll still let you! You're gonna love being owned by a grey!

It is always said that one should not anthropomorphize when it comes to dealing with … pets, but I am going to have to disagree with this when it comes to African Greys, for you see, you are not getting a bird, but rather a little person in a feather suit.
I know it sounds silly but that is how I approach all my birds, especially my Greys, they are cognizant creatures with the ability to talk back (and they will, lol) and they understand everything you say even if they pretend to be stupid, they are far from anything but.
I would suggest, and that’s all it is a suggestion, that you talk to your new family member, show her every room and explain what it is for, show her the cupboards, the pillows, the records, the magazine rack, the … everything, show her everything and all the while you are talking to her telling her what they are and what they are for, … or at least you get the drift here, lol.
Just include her in your daily life but also remember to not dote too much attention on her for she will expect that for the rest of her life, so … love with a measure of temperance, lol.
Treat her like the intelligent cognizant and emerging mind and personality that she is and you will reap rewards to gladden your heart for many years to come.
I personally do not talk “baby talk” to any of mine and treat them just like any other family member and get sooo much back from them on a daily basis.
I guess what I want to say is Congratulations on the new Fid, I am so exited for you, and if you treat her well she will do the same to you. You’ll do fine, and if there should ever be anything … you know where all the smart folks hang out, lol.

Rose and I care for 2 TAGS here, Sammy & Athena, neither of our kids pluck, many people ask, "whats your secret?"
Toys Toys Toys, Toys that require thought to get them apart, waffle balls packed with 100% safe paper and or leather, those little nut and bolt toys, they cost more, but well worth the money, greys love to take things apart, the more you give them to keep there little destructive ways buzy the better.
Most Important is the time spent with your bird, always remember Greys want you as there mate, they will love you Unconditionally, you must not allow this kind of love to happen, there must be set times you will spend with your bird, and consistency with such times, a bird that is with a human all the time, weather on there shoulder or there arm. or the counter top as the meal is being prepared will eventually come to learn and demand this closeness all the time, then when something interfers with this closeness plucking begins.
Your bird must remain just that a BIRD.
Plucking is something that is not common at all in the wild, fact is it is extremely Rare.
You will need to be Patient,Persistent, and always remember your a human, and your grey is a bird, there simply can't be a "soul mate" type of BOND between the 2 of you.
Socialize your friend, introduce your little friend to your other friends, allow them to have time together when they pay you a visit, there's a bottom line here, if your Grey learns to depend on your love and your love and attention all the time, what happens to your friend when that attention isn't there...they become frustrated and begin to pull at themselfs.
No the limits of human and bird Bonding, follow these limits, love your bird dearly, but not to the point where your bird depends on this love.
Good Luck.
Arty

Okay, I need to re-word this, I want to be more help than I wrote above.
If possible do some reading concerning african greys in the wild, all birds not just greys are curious little creatures, they spend there day search for food and there curiosity takes them from tree to tree,
Now that this bird is caged and seed and water are readily available it will be up to you to provide your bird with items of curiosity, Toys and more Toys, we make our own toys here, the toys will need to be changed often, my wife takes out old toys and places in new at least 2 times per week, chew toys, tear up toys, as stated above, toys that require thought to either take apart or tear apart.
Out of cage time, all birds need out of cage time, this doesn't mean (with you time), but simply out of cage time, then if possible place different toys on the outside of there cage to keep there minds buzy, and please keep in mind the hazards within the room, electric cords, please visit other areas of Parrot Chatter and learn the common household hazzards to birds.
Time with you, if possible the time spent with you should be exciting-learning, birds want you to be happy, they want to please you as I know you also feel the same twords them, teach your bird to step up and down, different sounds associated with different words, if you allow your little one to eat with you on the table as we do our kids they will learn when seeing steam coming from the food that it is HOT, we always tell our birds this, so now they tell us HOT and wait for us to cool it down for them.
Disapline, hopefully you will understand the need to always be in control of your grey, the only bird on the shoulder is a bird that is asked to be on the shoulder, if your bird crawls up your arm to be on your shoulder without being asked, then have your bird step up with a firm NO, and be consistent, training your bird while (with you time) is vital.
Taping your words and recording them to play over and over and placing a recorder next to there cage will assist you with training, we also provide a TV for our many kids to enjoy, you can find whistling tunes on the web to record also.
Please be careful how you handle your bird, to many times I see folks stroking there birds all the way down there torso, this stimulates your bird, just as one will see when petting a cat, there rear end will push upward when stroking there hind end, I can not express this enough, there simply is no need for such stimulation between human and animal.
My wife and I limit our touch to the head and neck area with all our birds.
If you spend to much time with your bird, this will always be expected, if you don't spend enough time with your bird, this will also be a problem.
There are Overdoers and Underdoers, knowing neither get much accomplished is a valubale tool.
Staying somewhere in the middle will assure both human and bird will live a safe, enlighting life together, virtually PLUCK free.
Oh yea, and bathing, Greys love to bathe, we mist our kids here 2 times a week, some birds love misting, some prefer bowls of water, bathing may also be something incorperated into the (with you time) session.
Diets will always vary from person to person, here we aviod an all pellet diet, more and more vets are also reccomending a variety of seed and nuts and pellets, fresh vegetables and fruits, there is much information here on Parrot Chatter offered by the members as do's and don't's, please search the site and learn all you can.
We pray your relationship with your grey is very rewarding.
Arty & Rose Ann