Jaiden

He has not had complete blood work and exam recently. However he did do this behavior both before and after his blood work and visit. He did do this before and after I moved, and also when he was at my friend's house. To the best of my knowledge I've not identified anything in particular that causes him to do this. Its not something that I can replicate for a vet to see, and I'd say all in all, maybe he's done it 10 times in the 3 1/2 years I've had him. Its not a common occurance, but there has got to be SOMETHING this on his mind that he cant let go.

When Stormy doesn't want to step up, I dont force him. Unless its for his own safety. He readily goes into his travel crate and I dont have issues there. It just appears that he is inconsistant on when he'll growl. I guess I feel like maybe we are at a stand still. I've had him 3 1/2 years, with the exception of the 6 months we tried him in another home. I've been very patient, offer treats (cheese is his fav), I've bought new toys, new cage, and new hanging play gym. He has an outside cage, and a portable perch so he can move from room to room. He does well on all of these surfaces. Stormy will step up to new people, he has been many different places and always seems to accept his surroundings quite well. I'm just afraid that somewhere deep inside, he is unable to let "something" go. He will growl when he's being pet, or your giving him a treat. I just want to help him get past whatever it is that is holding him back. My friend has a 15 year old CAG, and he does not do what Stormy does, but yet Stormy is much more friendly than his bird.

This is a long post, for that I am sorry, but I am requesting advise from the knowledgable African Grey owners, especially those that have dealt with abused or rescued birds... I got my CAG, Stormy, in Feb 2006. The woman I got him from was going to use him as a breeder so he was not socialized nor handled much. He lived in her basement with all her other birds for the first year of his life. She was able to handle him, but she told me that he wont trust me until he gets to know me. I was pretty new with african greys, but familiar with several other large birds. So I accepted this and took him home with me. Stormy was not named when I got him, but on our 3 hour drive home, he growled and screamed at me. He sounded like rolling thunder and I named him Stormy. When he first came home, Stormy would lunge at me, making every attempt to bite. After much work with him, I was slowly able to stroke his beak, then his head, then neck. I got to the point where I can rub under his wings, lay him on his back in my arms and hold him like an infant. All in all, I really made great progress with him. Last year, I moved across country and Stormy seemed to change, he was leary of coming out of his cage. When I tried to take him out, he would scream and jump for the bars on the cage. If the door was open, he would freak out and flap all over his cage. I dont know why this huge difference in him. I had moved in July and in December a friend of mine told me that she has always wanted a bird, but she didnt want one that liked to be out of the cage, cause she didnt trust her dogs/cats. I thought it might be in Stormy's best interest to rehome him. My friend bought him a HUGE cage, so that if he was going to live inside the cage, he had plenty of room. She has had him for 6 months, he started coming out of the cage again and has increased his vocabulary. (She doesnt work, and is home all the time). Two weeks ago, she gave Stormy back to me. He now goes in and out of his cage freely. What I need help with is that Stormy gets very untrusting at times. He was like this before he went to my friend's house. When I go to pick him up, he steps up most of the without issues. But other times, he will run to the other side of his cage and climb down the side. When he's being held he will growl. He has always made this growling noise since I got him. Some say he sounds like a perculator. At times (he hasnt done this for a few months now) he would just flip out. Screaming, flapping all over either inside his cage, on top of his cage, or even on the floor. I dont want him to have to live in fear, or have these explosions of psychosis. I dont want him to step up on my hand and be carried around because he feels like he HAS to. I want him to WANT to be out. But I feel like whatever is causing him his issues to growl, and occasionally flip out is something that must have traumatized him early on. What can I do to help him get past that? We've obviously gone leaps and bounds from how he was when I first got him in 2006. But I almost feel like something is holding him back from trusting.

I do need to find some good foot toys. Also, how does everyone feel about the name Jazzi? She is DNA'd female.

Maybe I should clarify. I got stormy February 2006. I had him for almost 3 years. I was able to hold him on his back, touch him anywhere on his body. He trusted me, but he was terrified still to be out of the confines of his cage. He progressed leaps and bounds from when i had gotten him, but I think he just never got over the care (or lack of care) that he got in his first home. He was originally going to be used as a breeder. The woman I bought him from told me that he was friendly, but wouldnt trust me until I gave him some time. She said she couldnt handle him while I was there because he was afraid of me. She planned to use him for breeding, but when he was 13 months old, decided to sell him as a pet. I have a few scars where he got me really good while I was working with him and trying to tame him. It took months before he would start to come around. I still love this bird, and I've seen him at my friends house. He has a much larger cage (since he stays there) and has lots of new toys!! He is very spoiled, and very happy. I gave my bird away to make him happy. I miss him terribly, but I know he is being well taken care of, and he is in a great big cage, and not stressed out by being taken out regularly. My friend is home all day and interacts with him throughout the day.

I am expecting a new CAG baby in a month. I'm very excited about her arrival. I did have a CAG before, and he was very special to me. I gave him to a friend in December because I felt he would be happier. I now have empy cage syndrome and bringing a baby into the house. When I had gotten Stormy, he was a 1 year old untamed bird. He was not socialized and was terrified of people. He did great inside his cage, but hated to come out. After he was out, he did ok, but it was so traumatic to get him out that I didnt like forcing him to. My new baby, I want to socialize her alot while she is a baby. I want to have a companion that will go out with me, and enjoy time outside of her cage, as well as being able to entertain herself inside the cage. Since I've never had a baby african grey(I have hand raised baby cockatiels and lovebirds), I want any suggestions on what I should have for her when she comes into the house. This is what I have now.... 36W x 24D x 60H Cage with play top play stand just ordered hanging gym (I know she cant use this right away) http://www.parrotplayworld.com/centurian.html Lots of toys, perches flight suits flight harness (by parrot university) I am looking for suggestions from breeders or people that have recently had new babies. What are you finding that you really need to have.... or what makes this transition best for a baby?