Kakariki

:angry: I posted a forum a couple of days ago about my TAG, consisting of how wild he seemed to be even though he lived with a human who sadly passed away {according to lady who sold him} I have recently found out that he was from a zoo and has never had human contact {which explains why he can mimic monkeys, owls and what I now believe to be a tiger!} I am sooooo mad it's unreal! So does the advice I was kindly given before still count or does this start off a whole new kind of advice??

Hi. Can't thank you all enough for your advise. I feel so much better now. After I posted the problem I went back to his cage and offered him a nut as a treat and he growled but only very slightly. After I moved away he leapt on it like he'd never eaten before. He still hates me going in his cage though but I take heart that he will come round eventually even if it takes a year or so. If you can think of anymore advise that'd be great. Thankyou all so much!!!! I may get a good night's sleep tonight :woohoo: My Grey is called Harry. My son named him that because of the Griffin on Harry Potter apparently :lol: Thankyou all again x

Hiya. New to site. It's great!! I have a problem that I need advise with. It may be a long one but if you can spare time to read it I'd be so grateful!! I always wanted an African Grey but thought I would read up about them first so I have been researching African Greys for 2 years now via books and internet ect and decided that I did want one and had what it took to look after one. I started to save up and bought a large cage and lots of toys and food. I went to a local pet shop and bought a Grey last week. He was cheaper than most because the lady said his owner had passed away and they didn't know anything about him or his background. I bought him home and left him alone for a couple of days. However, I'm starting to wonder if he's actually wild. He's older than a year and looks to be in good health. He copies other birds and can wolf whistle but that's it. He will eat nothing but seed so I am trying to wean him off it. He's obviously never tried veg and fruit as when I put it in the cage he's scared of it and wont move until I remove it. Whenever I go near the cage he growls and hunches over and is obviously very scared. I put my hand in to change his food and he screeches. I have sat by his cage talking to him and I whistle and talk to him when I'm not in the room but he's so frightened. I put toys in his cage yesterday and he's petrified of them like he's never seen toys before. I took them out and left one in there but he still wont go near it. I'm worried he will start plucking his feathers due to no stimulation.:ohmy: I seem to have spent most of the week crying cause I don't know what's happened to him before he came to me or how to make him feel better. I am aware that this trust can come over time but what happens if he needs to go to the vets? I have a hospital cage but there's no way I can get him to go in there as he doesn't know the step up command or is even hand tame enough for me to put him in there. It's almost like he's had no human contact!! :angry: I don't want an all singing, talking or dancing bird just one I can at least move so he can enjoy the toys and perches I have bought him. The people I know who have Greys say their bird was trusting them after a few days and I understand that I have only had him a week. I spent so many months researching and deciding to get a Grey and feel like I'm failing him. I will not get rid of him even if 6 years down the line he's still the same. At least I know he's safe with me but how do I go about helping him enjoy his life with me. I'm upset, angry and fearful for him. Am I just being silly? Any advise will be so gratefully received.