I found Ashye on the internet. Advertised as a 2-year-old African Grey Congo, needing a new home. Her human was a college graduate who accepted a job in Paris, France and could not take her with him. He had already left the States and placed her with a family member who was afraid of her. She lived in her cage in the middle of a dark apartment all day long. Her caregiver was afraid of her, so her “house” hadn’t been cleaned for two weeks. Ashye started plucking and the vet said she needed more vegies, less seed and should be covered at night. It appeared she was suffering from anxiety and stress. “It’s been a few days since I last saw my human. I’m scared and it’s dark most of the time where I am. I’ve been plucking my feathers, and now I have none on my chest, my belly even my legs are bare. A nice man brings me carrots at the end of these very long dark days. No sunlight, no one to talk to me, I sit alone in my cage. I don’t know where my human is and why I am here, but I am frightened. This nice man who feeds me carrots, took me to a doctor to find out why I am plucking. Doesn’t he know I miss my human? Doesn’t he know I am frightened and lonely? The doctor tells him to feed me more vegies and cover me at night. Now it is dark and sometimes I am covered for hours and hours and hours. Then this human uncovers my home and brings me carrots but doesn’t spend much time with me. I think I frighten him. Where is my human?”

I went to meet this pretty soul and was horrified to find her in the dark, in a partially covered cage that hadn’t been cleaned in many days. As soon as the lights were turned on, she came over to the side of the her cage. I reached out and she nuzzled my finger. I held a carrot while she ate it and knew I wasn’t leaving without her. It took several minutes for her person to capture her, and he placed her in a cardboard box. He quickly took her cage outside and took it apart. It was covered in feathers, feces and leftover food. I had him place it in my car and she I took off on her new journey.

When we arrived at my place, I had a smaller cage set up for her and was able to coax her into it. She was shaking and moved as far away into a corner as she could get. For days I sat beside her talking to her, singing and reading to her and offering her fresh vegies and fruit. She was so frightened I couldn’t move her back into her own cage. The plucking continued. But she was eating and drinking very well now and trying new foods every day.

“My new Mom is nice. She feeds me every morning with all kinds of interesting things and my carrots, of course. I am by a big window and there is water outside. I can hear the other animals and can see the sunshine. She spends the morning with me, gives me lots of food and water and then tells me to be a good girl and she will be right back. I hear talking and music while she is gone and then she comes back. My door is open, but I don’t venture out. “Who is this human and why am I here? I miss my human still.”

Ashye’s journey is a long one. She is not a young grey but closer to a 10-year-old. We had a full exam and work up. She is a healthy Grey with anxiety. No doubt due to the circumstances of her arriving on my doorstep. I had researched Greys for 2 years before adopting her. My best friend had a wild caught Grey at the time, and I was fascinated by him. By the time I met Ashye I had read everything I could get my hands on and was thrilled to have her as a family member.

It’s been 16 years since we came together, and many things have changed for both her and me. Her story will continue as we share her journey and the knowledge we have gained as a family of 2 humans and a magnificent African Grey Congo.