julie41

i guys, I was reading in a book the other day, that if your grey is above you when you ask the step up command, he thinks he has control over you, but if your above him your in control over him! Is that right or is it wrong? I,m confused because charlie will not step up if i'm below him but he will if i'm above him, so that way works for me, but is it the wrong way or the right way bacause i don't want him to be afraid of me. Please help.

i will try again tomorrow and hopefully i will get them smaller, im not all that keyed up on things like this yet but i hope to be soon.

I bet he's the biggest grey on here lately ahhhhh my poor little boy :P

As you see i dont do things in small packages:silly: :silly: :woohoo:

oooooops its a bit big, well at least hes on now, ill do a bit smaller nxt time i hope, sorry folks lol:ohmy: :blink: :unsure:

Lets try again folks here i go lol

this is the first pic of charlie on the site hope you all like him hahaha

Ive had a great break through tonight! Charlie has been in a great mood all day, so i decided to open the cage and play on the floor, he was watching my every move but didn't venture out, so i just left him and went about my housework, then he decided he wanted a bath, so i new he was coming round because that's the first one he's had since ive had him, so i decided to open the cage again, he came right out and flew onto the floor so i decided to play with him and he played right back and he even stepped up onto my hand which i am really excited about, i can't stop smiling, what ever i am doing is working which is really great but i couldn't have done it without everyone's kind words and helpful advice. thank you all, hope to put some pictures up soon.

thank you

My grey charlie is a real challenge to me, ive only had him a month but as time goes on he still is resisting me from time to time, as the days go on his background was worrying me, so last night i decided to ring the man i bought him from just to ask some more questions. I started by asking him why he didn't like his ex girlfriend? because when i went to get him, he told me he didn't like her but wouldn't say why, but it has been haunting me ever since, his reply was that on occassion she would bang the cage because he was making too much noise! Isn't that what they do! I was quite taken aback by this, so now i no he doesn't trust females at all, he associates females as a threat, apparently after that he wouldn't come out of his cage for two weeks, not even for the love of his orignal owner. Then he would only come out if she wasn't around and would go straight back in on her return. This behaviour to a defenceliss animal appauls me, not only do i have to gain his trust, i have to show him that not all females are bad. I do think that if she banged the cage at him when he made noises and his owner was there, what did she do to him when no one else was around, but there is one thing for sure the best thing he has ever done for this bird was to sell him. He will never be mistreated again, i don't care how long it takes me i will win him over and i will love him forever.

great new, today charlie had been very focal, singing, talking, ive paid him so much attention today and he seemed to responsed, he even took treats off me,then tonite he came to the front of his cage and was talking to me so i opened the cage door and out he came, i was eating crisps at the time and i think he may of wanted one, but he's out, i couldn't be more happier, im nearly in tears, how sad am i but i love him and i just want him to be happy, all of the great advice is paying off, thank you all very much

yes it is like shivering, and it is just the chest area, ive never noticed it before so it worried me a bit

hi could anyone please tell me why my parrot charlie shakes when ever i talk to him, it may be nothing but im just checking. any advice would be gratefully received

That story was lovely, im in tears now, but im sure that if Gizmo could let you no, he'd be saying thankyou and he loved you for what you did for him, even though you had him for a short time, thank god there are people like you out there, i wish you goodluck and happiness for the future. Your story touched my heart.

I don't understand why when i first had him, he loved to come out and sit on top of the cage, he'd fly around and end up sitting on the back of the sofa, then one night he decided to take himself in on his own accord, since then ive left the cage open for long periods of time, but he doesn't want to venture out, nothing happened to scare him that i no off. could it be ive other pets, like my dog and cats? but then the man i bought him off had a cat and it used to sit by his cage and watch him, so i was told.

I have to say you've all given me some great advice, which i am truly thankful for, i do realise this is going to be a long proccess with charlie but i am in it for the long haul, even though ive only had him for a short time, i love him very much and he will be with me for the rest of his life and mine.Tomorrow i will be home alone, so there will be no distractions so i will be trying some of the advice given but for today im leaving him alone because i think he wants that.thanks guys.

hi guys, well yesterday i woke up with a positive mind to charlie after all your great advice, i sat by him for a good hour talking about everything and anything, he seemed to be enjoying my silly conversations, so then i decided id try him with a treat if he'd wave bye bye for me, which he did wih great excitement, my heart was jumping with happiness that he'd done this because on numerous occasssions before had refused, so then i left him for a while, thinking i won't push my luck and go back to him later. so i went about my business and went back later, he was still taking notice of my conversation, so i decided to open the cage to see if he'd come out which he did when i first got him, no response at all, so again i thought i'd try with another treat, this time i'd give it him in the cage, ouch he bit me, my poor hands are covered in bites, but i didnt give up, he kept biting but i did'nt move my hand, still no response, so i left him alone and this morning hes completely ignoring me. Oh well ill try again later. Thanks for all your advice its much appreciated.

I do talk to him quite alot but i do no when hes had enough because he turns his back on me so i respect his mood and leave him alone, i don't understand why he won't take treats of me now when he did when i first had him, but i am hopeful at winning him ova, thanks for all advice and i will keep you posted

I dont no why he hated her, he didn't really explain that so i can't comment.I will try your advice and i will ring the vets tomorrow, i will do all i can to help him, but he does draw blood when he bites so i do find it very difficult to keep my hands there but i will persist. He has plucked the accasional feather out.Thank you for your advice its much appreciated.

hiCaroline, Ive had charlie a month now, and he was Dna'd a male, i dont no much about his past really, but the man i bought him off said he hated his ex girlfriend, for what reason i do not no, they since split up and i felt charlie had just been left, the man wasn't in the same house, so my opion was that he was a bit neglected because i didnt notice till i got him home he'd plucked some chest feathers off

hi ive just bought a african grey parrot called charlie, hes four years old and apparently has only been used to a male handling him.Ive always loved these birds and now ive got one i dont want to get it wrong, at first he would take treats off me and come out of his cage, now he wont take any treats and will not come out of his cage, i am worried he will never bond with me, he really bites so i would appreciate any advice i can get. thank you