oldgreg

Welcome Scott, I just joined and this forum has been very helpful to me so far.

zooman, thanks. I guess I have to be more patient and just keep trying. I didn't know what to expect as typical behavior. He steps up just fine from the floor- doesn't hesitate at all. I guess I have to prepare for the bites. When I tried to use a wooden spoon instead he just backed up quick to his safe perch. Today he was very fiesty, he likes to make a lot of noise and spill his water in his ceramic dish.

He frequently takes the treats eagerly, other times he just looks at me. Sometimes I think he knows what I'm up to. I will keep trying to find his secret addiction. Thank you so much for your help.

Old Greg is such a fun bird, he always says "Good Morning" when I come out to uncover him. He can sing part of My darling Clemintine and since I didn't know what their names' were, I was kind of waiting for him to tell me what his name was. It is a big deal to name a bird who will carry it for decades. My boys 17 and 20 were trying to get it to say something they thought was funny from a u-tube video and when he said "I'm old Greg" their reaction- whooping and dancing around the house made him want to say it often. So since he says "I'm old Greg" I let it stick. The u-tube video they got it from is questionable, but I like the name. Anyway-- that was off topic. He doesn't want to step up yet but he looks like he's thinking about it a lot. He wants to have the interaction but he can't seem to go for it yet. I can wait.

Thanks for the book recommendations, I am still looking for what he likes for a treat. He does like almonds and apples. I've tried all sorts of fresh veggies and fruits on the list of stuff they love but he doesn't seem to like much. I think he's better today.

hello, I'd like to jump in and ask how you made your playstand too. I happen to have a manzanita tree which has a cool curvy branch I could cut. What did you use for the base?

thanks for the advice, Old Greg seems better today. This is the first time I have ever been part of a forum. You have no idea how I'm glued to it now. I joined yesterday and then didn't get a thing done the rest of the day. I just read and read and checked for replies every three minutes. I feel like I'm starting off with the advanced owner's birds and I don't want to do something and then find out it wasn't the right thing to do. It sounds like mistakes are sometimes hard to fix.:unsure: Should I do anything yet to get Old Greg to step up?

Thank you for your encouraging words. I did get "For the Love of Greys" and Barron's "Guide to the Senegal Parrot". I haven't read it all yet, I'm trying to figure out what all these behavious mean.

hello, My name is Lorri and I suddenly became an owner of a CAG(Old Greg)and a Senegal Parrot (Ollie). I have never had birds before and I just jumped in with both feet. The previous owner was a gentleman who was found dead in his home after a couple of days. His family didn't know what to do with the birds and in a twist of fate, I mentioned to a friend of the family that I had always wanted a bird, and by that afternoon, I had two. So I don't know how old they are or their names. I have been reading what I can about them. I just got some books yesterday. It has been about three weeks and things were going pretty well. The CAG talks a lot and is very smart, the Senegal just seemed freaked out. I thought the Senegal wanted me to pet him the other day and after a sec. he bit me and when I pulled my finger out he was still attached and was flung on the floor. It took a couple of minuets to catch him-- found out his wings are not clipped. I don't think he was ever out of his cage before. I got him back in his cage and since then the CAG has been either mad or scared of me. He had been warming up to me nicely, he let me pet him and would hang out on the outside of his cage and maybe once a day fly to the floor and then he'd step up on my hand. Now, how do I make up to him? Also, after reading my book on Senegals I started taking him in a towel to the bathroom and practiced stepping up and I'm able to pet him if his face is covered with the towel. Yesterday he stepped up with my hand covered and today on my bare hand. The whole time I was in the bathroom my grey was making a bunch of noise. How should I proceed? Any advice? Thanks

hello, I am wondering how to work with my African Grey to get him to step up and down. I have only picked him up from the floor. I want to give him his space and not rush him if that is what is best. He lets me pet him in his cage. I think he was warming up nicely to me and the family but an incident the other day has me thinking that he's mad or scared of me. The Senegal I got hasn't really let us pet him very much and he tends to snap wildly when you put your hand too close. The other day I was thinking he wanted me to pet him and after a sec he bit me pretty hard. When I pulled my hand away he was attatched and kinda was flung on the floor. It took a few minutes to catch him and get him back in his cage. I think that affected the grey's perception of me. I just got a book on greys and one on Senegals so I started to work with the little Senegal and take him in a towel in the bathroom and practice petting and stepping up, which is going very well. yesterday he stepped up on my towel covered hand and today on my bare hand. But the whole time I was in the bathroom with him the grey was making a fuss. Any advice? Thanks