Petition the Government. You guys are definately missing out. I've added a story I wrote about him which in appeared in the Fall 2004 issue of the Companion Parrot Quarterly (
www.companionparrot.com ) Enjoy.
Bandit, my Congo African Grey is my best friend. He came into my life in January 2003 when he was 5 months old. I purchased him from Sylvia's A-Mays-ing Creatures in Madera Ranchos, California. Sylvia, The owner & Tammy her assistant, handfed him and raised him to be a great bird. When I walked into the store and mentioned that I was condsidering an African Grey, Bandit was the first bird that she showed me. Sylvia mentioned that he knew how to step up on my wrist which he did. Not knowing a thing about Greys other than they are incredibly intelligent, Bandit seemed a little annoyed that I had interupted his play time and promptly made his way back onto Sylvia's arm. She explained to me that this was normal because I was still essentailly a stranger to him. We talked for a while about Greys, they are one of Sylvia's favorite topics of conversation. I ended up putting a deposit on him and started doing more research. I had read that Greys were known to act cold, judgemental and high strung towards their human 'pets', however Sylvia helped convince me that a well raised African Grey would make a fantastic pet.
Another reason for my choosing an African Grey is the cognition factor. I had seen Dr Pepperbergs research with Alex and her other Greys and thought it would be great to experience that. I also wanted a bird that could do more than just mimic. It would be about 4 weeks before I could take him home as he was still being weaned so twice a week I would make the 50 mile round trip from Selma to Madera Ranchos to go visit & bond with him. At the time I was convinced Bandit only tolerated my being there as I seemed to have an endless amount of foot toys for him to play with. Now, having never owned a large parrot before and only having dealt with Budgies & Cockatiels, I must say that the beak of his was mighty itimidating. Sylvia was actually worried about Bandit coming home with me as I would not handle him. Finally the day came when he was weaned and ready to go hom. I went up to the store and picked him up. I talked to him the entire way home, promising him that he was staying with me for the rest of his life and that I would not give him up for anything. He did not make a noise the entire way home, but kept looking at me the whole way home, dilating his eyes in and out, sometimes slightly raising his facial feahteres telling me he was comfortable with my presence.
Living with Bandit has it's good points as well as some, not many, but a few bad points. The point would be that he can be VERY loud when he wants. Not as loud as a large macaw but louder than a mini macaw. He can be stubborn when he is having a bad day. There are days when he does not want to come out of his cage. I've lear to read his body language and work around it. If he does not want to come out of his cage I'm more than happy to leave his cage door open and let him venture out if he pleases. I've learnt not to buy him to many expensive toys, as he is quite content with anything that he recieves. He is particularly fond of the plastic caps from soda bottles. he seems to love to chew everything he recieves to pieces. His constant chatter is both a blessing and a curse. There are days where he sounds like your best friend that has overdosed on caffeine with his chatter and screeches. Other days he's not so loud. Despite the noise and the mess he makes, I would not change this even If I could
The good points about living with a well socialized, well adjusted, happy African Grey far out weigh the bad points If there is a way of describing his relationship with me it would be like this: Unconditional love, trust & loyalty. At 3 & 1/2 years old he is already showing signs of just how intelligent he's going to be If I forget to serve him breakfast before I make mine of a morning I can hear him in his cage asking me, "What are you doing?" To which I have to reply, "I'm making your breakfast" just to keep him quiet, otherwise the question will be repeated until he is served his breakfast. For the most part he is happy with his breakfast which is a mixture of what we have on the recipe page plus Sally Blanchards "Glop" recipe. However there are days when he is happy to settle with some Vegemite on toast and a taste of my tea. He loves his Dr Harvey's exotic blend dried fruit and nut mix, but is true sucker for a Walnut. He loves walnuts more than anything and will frequently ask for them. He also asks for Apples, Handfeeding formula. He will also ask for showers when he feels he should take one. One day he felt I wasn't listening to his request for some apple, I told him, "Bandit, you need to wait unitl I am done with your breakfast.He kept on for about 10 minutes and then blurted out in a disgruntled voice "I Want Apple". Well of course I had to drop everything to get his apple for him.
Bandit, loves to play. He gets to spend the majority day out of his cage, just hanging out with me. His time out of his cage is mainly in the mornings and in the evenings when "The Golden Girls" is on. It's our favorite TV show and during the show he will lay on his back on my chest and laugh along with me.
Bandit & I also like to play all kinds of games together. One of his favorite games is when I put him on the Dining Room Table and crawl under. I then pop my head up on the other side and tap the table and tell him "Come On". When I say that, he will proceed to do his little African Grey hop across the table. By the time he hops across the table I've moved back under the table to the other side and pop my head up just in time to see Bandit peering over the edge on the opposite side of the table. We've been doing this for sometime now and Bandit is at the point were he can tap on the table for me and tell me "Come On" if he feels I'm taking to long. He will also do this laugh as he runs across the table.
Another game we play is the "Smelly Bird Game". I've taught Bandit to lift his wing on command and when he does I smell under his wing, look him in the eye and tell him "pooooo, smelly bird". It took him a while but now he will lift his wing when I say & when I smell under his wing I pull away look at him and he will say "Pooooooo".
I've also taught him to go "Fetch" I will roll small wooden balls or Marbella Beads along the floor and he will go fetch. Every now and then he will run along and take off with the ball in his beak. I've also taught him to lay on his back in my hand. I tell him "dead bird" and he will lie deathly still until I tell him it's ok to move. When he gets a little to beaky I will roll him on his stomach and play "Get Bandit". I will then tickle his belly and act silly to which he replies "Tickle Tickle Tickle". I tell him he's a good boy and reward him with some almonds or half a walnut.
Life with Bandit sure is great. Yes he has his moments, but those moments are very rare and he truly is a special bird. One of the sweetest things he does is take my finger in his foot and gently beaks it. He will look me in the eye as if to say "Thank You for allowing me to share my life with you". He will then, while still holding my finger, snuggle under my chin for a quick cuddle. One such moment occured in May 2004. My partners 16 year old niece was killed by a drunk driver in a car accident and the day after I was sitting on the sofa crying and Bandit kept on talking and talking in his cage. I wasn't feeling up to him sitting with me at that moment, yet he persisted with his "Step Up" commands until I went and let him out. As soon as I picked him up his cheery demeanor changed. He studied my face and then without prompting climbed up on my arm and onto my chest ( I was sitting back down by this stage) and snuggled under my chin. After 5 minutes had passed he decided enough was enough and he took it upon himself to cheer me up
He really has bought something special into our lives here and I can't imagine my life without him. If he has done this much for me in the 3 years I've had him. I seriously can't wait for the next 50 years. Am I blessed or what!
Although it's been a while since I first wrote this Bandit & I are still enjoying life together. Every single day this bird manages to say or do something that totally takes me by suprise and makes me smile. Not a day goes by where I feel so lucky to be able to share my life with such special Companions. Not just Bandit, but Rico, our Blue & Gold Macw & Ryley - our Mollucan Cockatoo and all our other breeder birds too
And your friends store looked great... If only some stores here put that much enough in... 
