Poppy163

Thanks Dave for commenting on this post first of all. Poppy will climb out onto the door of the cage to be brought to another area of my home. He has been taught from an early age to get onto a basket (as seen in photo). He will not take to any other baskets or hand perch at this point. I will say he did come to three family members, me being one of them at one time standing on our fingers. I believe the trama caused him not to trust quite yet. I will try getting him to use a perch instead of the basket.

Poppy is 5 years old. Lived one year with my sister at first, then was handed down to my mom. My mother was caring for him and the bird was very loving at the time. My mother decided to move in with my brother due to a quieter house and that is when the incident happened. I was asked to take him since he took to me very well. He is now back in the same room as before in my home. I have taught Poppy so many things in such a short time,I can tell he really missed being around me. My mother and sister are also shocked on fast he started to respond to my caring for him. He did more in the first month being with me than in the previous 2 years. He has now been with me for two months now and I plan on keeping him with me forever now.

I have taken Poppy from my mom since he hasn't been the same since she hit him. She was cleaning his cage and scared him and he bit her lip. Her response was to hit him. I see this as a bad move and now he won't come to her or me at all anymore. Mom had lived with me for 3 years and poppy had taken a very big likeing to me. I have read the book "For the love of gray's" and see myself as the Alpha to Poppy. He has been this way for the past 2 years now. This all transpired whan my mom moved in to my brothers house. Every time I went to visit Poppy would get very excited as soon as he heard my voice so I allways showed him I cared by visiting with him also. When he talks he allways mocks my voice and voice pitches. I have brought him to my house and have been training him on animal sounds and phrases. He has picked up very good and learned more in less than 1 month than he has in the past 2 years. The family is now excited again now knowing he was meant to be with me. I love this bird very much and want him to love me back. I have also been able to teach him half of the phrases that Einstein will do but just not in front of me.. I have 2 problems..... 1. He will not step up on my hand anymore since the incident. This did not have anything to do with me. He only trusted 3 family members since he has been with us. The basket in the picture is the only way he will come out of his cage. If he jumps to the floor he won't let me pick him up anymore. He does not trust humans now. He will go to the basket or try to go to the cage. Also they would use a towel to cover him to pick him up as he hated this very much but the only way to get him (also caused by the incident). Should I force him to come to me then hold him close to me to show him love or will this terrify him further. I don't want to harm him anymore than he has been in the past. Please Help 2. He will talk like crazy around my wife and daughter but when he hears my voice he stops. I believe he is allways in listening mode when I speak because I am him trainer. I can see it in his head movements that he is paying close attention to me. He duplicates allmost everything I teach him. When he is around me he chirps and whistles. I have taught him many whistling sounds, phrases and animal sounds. Will I ever get him to talk to me or is because he is mocking my behavior? This is not new this has been this way for a long time.<br><br>Post edited by: Poppy163, at: 2009/03/23 00:57