I've got two Congo African Greys, one of each sex. I've read that female parrots prefer male humans and vice versa.
In my experience this isn't so. My female, Mojo, absolutely ADORES me and ONLY me! Shinda just likes everyone regardless of their gender.
As for time out of the cage, mine spend a MINIMUM of five hours a day out of their cage and in the same room as me. I'm lucky to be able to do that because I either work a split-shift or only work until midday so I always have several hours free in the afternoon.
I've got my dining/computer room set up as a great play area for my birds. You can see from these video clips what I've done for them!
VIDEO CLIP. MESSY MOJO! on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
VIDEO CLIP. MOJO & SHINDA on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
They have plenty of room to fly free and get the exercise they need to keep them fit and healthy.
On days when I'm not working in the evening they are out for about eight hours.
Every day before I leave for work I make sure they come out for a short play.
It's usually only half an hour but that's long enough for them to stretch their wings, have a fly about and a play and gives me time to change the newspaper in their cage and wash and replenish their four bowls in their cage.
At weekends they are out for pretty much the whole day from morning til night, either at my house or at my boyfriend's.
I appreciate not everyone can do this due to working different hours but I personally wouldn't like them to be out for any less than the times I've stated. But I just LOVE to have them out and in the same room as me as I love to watch them. They fascinate me!
I see no reason why a Grey wouldn't be any good as a first bird, PROVIDING you do ENDLESS research first!
Obviously you'd be buying the bird with a view to you having full responsibility in case your son decides in a few years time (college, work, girlfriends, leaving home, having kids of his own etc etc) he's no longer interested.
They do live a LONG, LONG time if correctly cared for!
All I can add to all that is I absolutely love to spend time with my Greys and I think the time I devote to them is paying dividends as they are extremely well-adjusted birds with no hang-ups.
Greys are well known for being scared of everything and anything new, or old! My two don't bat an eyelid when I introduce new foods, toys etc.
They're happy to travel in their travel cage to the homes of my friends and relatives and regularly have overnight stays with me at my boyfriend's house where a stroppy Yellow Crowned Amazon resides!
Best of luck with whatever you decide!
