romaneagle

Follow-up... My Grey travelled cross-country with me in my car. She wasn't one bit scared!!! Hurray! In fact, she loved it. She perched up in the front corner (the area that I left uncovered) so she can stare at me (and talk quite frequently to me) the whole way. We stopped at some hotels along the way with no incidents. She got extra chatty Cathy in the hotel rooms, but I gave her some TLC and put her to bed (to keep noise minimal). On the last travel day, however, she started picking at the seat belt (her cage was seat belted in for her safety). I told her to stop it, but she was a little defiant... so I pulled down the cover on the side I had left uncovered. Well, the little stinker had gone to the other side of the cage and started picking apart the passenger car seat!!! No wonder she became so quiet after I scolded her! Well, anyway... She's happy as a clam now because I get to work (a lot) from my home away from home here. I bought her a big cage so she can have room. And now she gets to stare at me working at all hours and occasionally prompt me to take a chatter box break. Hahaha.

The follow-up... (they say later is better than never) I placed Harriet's small cage on the floor (made sure she'd be safe) in front of the TV for about 45 minutes. Day 1: She wasn't freaking out. She just looked at me. Days 2-4: I opened the cage doors and encouraged her to come out on her own, with treats and much ado. Once she came out, I softly told her to "Come Here" with my index finger extended. She jumped on board and I just sat there and gave her tons of praise so she would like staying on my finger. After a while, I put her back on top of her cage and gave her a banana treat. She went back into her cage and we called it a day. Day 5: I placed the cage back on the floor in front of the TV and gently put my finger in there with the "Come Here" command. She hopped on board and I took her out and gave her tons of praise. Now, she'll comply with my "Come Here" or "Step Up" commands about 80% of the time (from anywhere). But sometimes, she just doesn't feel like it. We'll work on the 100%. However, now, she has started a thing where she'll obey, but she'll grab the sides of the doorway with her beak so she can dismount the finger perch (even though I put my thumb on her claw). I'm not sure how to remedy that, but she's already improved so greatly... that I'm happy for that. But this might be a little passive-aggressive streak. I'm sure there's a trick to fix it. Anyone? :-) Another weird thing is that when I get her passed the door, she tries to fly/leap/flutter on to my shoulder (her favorite place). Of course, she fails, so she goes flopping to the ground. It's very dramatic. I rescue her and she leaps for the shoulder again... even when my finger perch is pretty far from my shoulder. She's just determined! I really have no idea how to train her so she STAYS on the finger perch. I've heard that Greys are not good for the shoulder... because they can be unpredictable and accidentally bite ears or poke out eyes. I would rather keep my ears and eyes so it's worth keeping her off the shoulder. But, she wants to be there so badly (her first parent taught her for the five months he had her), that I have occasionally let her go to the shoulder. Well, that's the update. :-)

Thanks! I did do a search for a parrot place, but all I got were breeders... and pet stores that obviously wouldn't have quality parrot goodies. I'm lucky that Shamelessmuse is in ATL... perfect tip. I'll definitely go to Fancy Feathers! Thank you so much!!!! My baby girl (Grey) will be ever so happy. :-)

Hi! I brought my Grey to Atlanta with me for a long-term work contract. Does anyone know a great bird shop where I can buy her a bigger, nice-quality cage and some high-quality seed? Thank you!!

Here's my mug...

Great responses! Thank you!!! Yes, too bad Harriet can't just fly herself to the destination! Hehehe. I'm glad to hear that flying and driving are okay. Flying sure sounds the easiest, but I don't think the TSA Screening process would go to well. My baby girl might prefer driving. I definitely have some things to think about!!! Also, I won't be staying in a hotel there. Except for a few planning meetings, I get to stay in a corporate-provided house (no maids). So, I'll actually get to be around my Grey tons. That's the bright side of this far, far work project. Again, thanks for all your insights!

Hi All, I have to be on the other side of the country for a work contract (gotta work). I'll likely be there for 4 to 8 weeks. But, eeek! I cannot live without my bird! Hehehe. (Harriet is 10 months old now.) So, has anyone had success (or nightmares) of driving on long road trips (like 1,600 miles!). Or is there an easy way to FLY commercial with a bird? I'm new to all of this and don't know what to do. If she had to stay behind, she'd still get good love... just not from Me (I give her the most lovin'). What do ya'll think? Thanks!

Hi Loviechick, thanks for your tips. Indeed, the previous parent had her stepping up. The only difference I can find is that the previous parent has giant hands and I have "normal" hands. But, I suppose she's also anxious about the safeness of the new home. She was not happy about the stepping up thing with me from the get-go. So, that's why I gave her a month to get used to me and her cage and the environment. She is comfortable and as happy as can be. I feed her treats, hang out by her cage a bunch, chat with her a ton,... I suppose another month wouldn't hurt. But, I do want her to be unquestioning with the step-up soon so that taking care of her won't be as traumatic (any vet visits/clippings). Thanks! Hi Trish, I agree. Harriet would totally 1) run away from the stick and 2) go into self-defense kung fu biting mode to get the stick away. I would prefer not to foster that kind of attitude towards my hand. Sounds like your Baby Girl is going through the same kind of process! Just FYI (and really to help me think it through). Here's what I think I'm going to do next: 1) Before I take her out, I'm going to place the cage on the floor -- this will (a) give her motivation to cooperate with the step-up command & (b) help protect herself from her dramatic actions. 2) I'll give the "step-up" command and hand sign... offer my hand and persist with the command. I will persist until she goes and pulls her dramatic move of flailing out of the cage. However, I would much prefer it if she opted to step up like a good girl. Either way, she's coming out. 3) I will try gently applying my thumb to the top of her claw (even though I really prefer the Egyptian hand method of protecting the precious opposable thumb) to keep her there. Although, I already know she won't like this. Perhaps, I will reconsider this one for another time when other things are mastered first. 4) Instead of delivering her directly to her living room play tree (oh, that thing I spent way too much money on), I'm going to see if she'll stay on my finger if I stay near to the floor. Each time she flails off, I'll have her step up again and reward her for stepping up, which will further reinforce the step up command. Coincidentally, I've noticed she's quicker to abort the finger the higher I am from the ground. So, close the floor will be key for this. 5) Then, I'll put her up on her living room play tree... where I lavish her with fresh fruit and veggie treats. She likes to chill out up there for an hour. 6) After that, I'll have her step-up and hang out with me (on the finger) for 15 minutes close to the ground. This is where I talk softly to her... she loves it. 7) I'll take her back to her cage. *) If she shows no progress or hope, I'll consider letting her be for more "adjustment" time. I'll let ya know what happens with that!

Hi Judy, Thanks for your comments. I have added "For the Love of Greys" to my book ordering list. I'll also try out the search tool you mentioned for the stepping up woes. Yes, I have a date of birth certificate that the first parent provided me with. So, she's certainly at 9 months. It could be the San Diego sunlight bouncing in her eyes, lightening 'em up more than if the light source had just been room lighting. I have noticed a remarkable coloration difference in the two settings. Hehehe. Thanks again.

Hi siobha9, Thanks for the tips. I've had Harriet for about 4 weeks now. She doesn't seem to have any "issues" about the cage. She might, however, feel nervous about what's beyond the cage and beyond what she can see. Maybe I need to do a better job of showing her around those areas... finding a comfortable way for her to get to know those areas. I agree. Somehow, stepping up is scary for her. I will be sure to give her tons more praises. Not sure if the stick will work. The poor girl gets scared to death of new toys (even little tiny jingle ball toys). Takes her a while to warm up to them. She's so sensitive. Hehehe. Thanks again!

How 'bout grapes? Mine loves green beans and green grapes (and shreds of green apples).

Here's a picture of my girl.

Hi everyone. My name's Chris. My African Gray's (Congo) name is Harriet. She's about 9 months old. She's my first bird... so hopefully, I don't do too many wrong things! That's why I'm here. Harriet is awesome. She likes to talk to me, get petted, and eat dried bananas, fresh green beans, and fresh green apples (all her favorites). She does not like stepping up without stirring up drama (with occasionally biting), but we're working through that... slowly. Oddly enough, she has "captured" my allergy coughing as though she were Memorex. It seems allergies spread. We're in sunny San Diego. And I'm glad that this GreyForums community is here!

Hi, I've adopted a 9-month old African Gray. She's awesome. But we're having severe problems with stepping up. I announce "Step Up" while showing the step-up hand, then put move hand forward into cage, continuing the command. But even from the very first "step up" command, she goes into anxiety mode. She immediately finds the hardest corner for me to get to (the safest corner) and does the panic dance over there (lifting legs up and down over and over, not going anywhere). Now, it's impossible for me to place my hand at the ideal breast level to step up onto since the cage bars are there. Not wanting her to get the idea that this is an effective way to avoid stepping up, I persist. Needless to say, she bit me three times this week (just hard enough to do a little damage, will heal soon). As I persist, she eventually throws a tantrum and flails herself out of the cage. That's where I have her step-up successfully each and every time! If we could just have that same success, willingly, from the perch! All of the training directions I've read assume that the bird's going to be sitting nice and pretty on the perch. Mine goes into a panic. Okay, so when she's on my finger/hand (the Egyptian hand), she tends to not want to stay there long. She flutters away and she has to step-up again. Really, the whole process is chaotic and frustrating (to both of us). :ohmy: After she's had fun time in the living room play pen, I have her step-up, and then I sit down on the floor (so she's not scared), and we hang out for fifteen minutes. During this time, I talk to her and she actually stays on my finger/hand--the whole time. My intent is to get her more and more comfortable with staying on the finger/hand so she won't feel the need to move on to the next best perch. If anyone has advice on how to get my anxiety-ridden, cage-corner-hogging Gray to step-up on to my finger and enjoy staying there, please let me know. I imagine that once these steps are accomplished, I can train her to move on over nicely to the perch for a civil, drama-free step-up. THANKS!