katana600

That looks like some serious studying going on there on your "leisure" day. Good thing you have Nala to help you with the tough stuff. LOL. She is charming and has the sweetest little face. Thanks for the update.

Phew, I was looking and looking and rereading the posts trying to see how I missed two greys or if it was a photoshop trick shot. Omigoodness you have two rehomed greys and they are sitting this close already. Lucky lucky you and Vasco and now Shani. Nothing could have made me feel happier today. Well done. I know you are being rewarded and challenged at the same time.

You have effectively rendered me speechless. My husband would pay handsomely for that superpower. Fortunately, I have immunity, so... I started this journey out of heartbreak and I kept the thread running because I could look back and see the nearly imperceptible changes that add up to a transformation in Miss G. Every one of you who have gone before me have given me the tools and encouragement to win over this precious little soul. I want new people embarking on this undertaking to know I have been discouraged and worried that I didn't have it in me to help this little character feel safe and loved. The only glue that held us together sometimes has been that from the beginning, I carefully considered if I was going to make this commitment nothing could deter me from carrying it all the way through. The stakes were too high, she has already has seen so much and I fear she would not rebound from another rehome. Even with that plus all the support, I often had a secret worry that I was not the one and it was beyond my ability to be what she needed from me. It was every word and every click on the thanks that kept me hanging on by a thread. (oops, no pun intended) I will continue to keep this thread going but I will also work hard to get some video of her sneaking up on that door and flinging it wide. I was so close today but the second I moved from my chair, she retreated and it is going to take some serious stealth work to set up a camera with a remote to capture her in action. For someone new, this thread can be a little too much. I just haven't mastered the art of the summmary. But obviously, I wasn't speechless either. You all make me feel humbled in your presence of caring and loving your parrots and giving to this forum. Thank you.

Keri, its our nature to want to be affectionate and giving with our companions. It hurts and feels personal and a lot like a harsh rejection when our beloved greys subject us to a seemingly unprovoked and harsh onslaught or bite. The advice given to me early on is that a grey is a subtle creature. When their subtle clues are not recognized, they may resort to a bite to bring it to our attention we are upsetting them. Its a learned behavior and what is learned can be unlearned with careful diligence, praise and trust building. A rehomed grey will especially hold her cards close to the vest and keep the poker face. To this day, Miss Gilbert barely, almost imperceptibly pins her eyes to betray little emotion before she loses her composure. It has taken me a great deal of patience and intense observation to recognize her "tells". Something in her past has created the distrust and a fear of being handled or forced and for some reason there was a lady caretaker prior to me and myself she was close enough to whom she could express her less refined side. I have learned some boundaries and "parrot rules" and daily we make progress. Another wisdom imparted to me from forum friends who have walked my path is that you may think you are not making progress with a rehomed grey and sometimes even feel hopelessly over your head when slowly and gradually you reach their heart. Once they turn the key in the lock of trust there may be sudden rapid improvement. I am just now experiencing that exact "syndrome" if you will. We are almost three years in and I am beginning to reach the point of joy which is the exquisite and complicated grey companion. You ask the same question I did in the beginning of "what can I do to change this?" For me the answer was to stop doing and trying to effect a change in her and just love her through the hard part. It is hard not to try everything under the sun but consistent, gentle loving care and time are going to bring you great rewards. Morgan may be telling you "not now" but I believe that is not a life sentence, just that it will take more time. Also, lest your husband gets too delighted with his favored stature of the moment, it too will change as she unpacks her baggage and progresses past her "honeymoon" stage. Be gracious when she decides you are the favored one of the day.

Excellent points Dan. I will give it my best effort and I will keep some updates here as Miss Gilbert progresses but will find a way to video her progress and post with all the other normal greys. Our daughter came home last night to watch a baseball playoff game and came in late at night with her dad. Miss Gilbert was positively social as she elicited scratches and asked for more and more attention. She now will shove that door wide open with attitude, then reach out and grab the "porch perch" attachment to slam it closed again. She couldn't garner enough attention from that so she snatched out the stainless steel bowls and flung them to make more racket. She has come a long way from the furtive and tentative motions to asserting herself and the "I am woman, hear me roar" attitude. We still have plenty of room to soar even though her tattered little wings may not carry her high into the wind.

Hi Red, thanks for joining us and welcome to you and Kuku. Many of us have been where you are right now, just getting started with a young parrot that is just beginning to know his world and then being rehomed and kind of scared at everything suddenly being different and hard to understand. Just be loving and kind and treat him like you want to be treated and slowly you will see when he is ready for you to come closer. For me to get Miss Gilbert in her cage when she was new and I was as scared as she was is to always feed her in the cage. She would come out for a while, then go back in to eat. Every time she went in on her own, I would praise her and give her an almond in the shell. That helped her understand that good things were coming to her when she went inside. Take your time, as the others have said, this uncertain time will pass and you will become good companions and learn many things from each other.

It is pretty wonderful and I will never catch up to be able to predict what she is going to do or say next. She continues to open and close her door at her choice. It has to be the cutest thing she has done yet. "This is mine. Don't go in there when I am out. I have things to do. I want all my stuff left alone. Don't clean unless I ask you. Don't feed me until I tell you it is my preferred time. Above all, don't go in my house without permission. In fact, do not come in when I am home or even if you do think I have given you permission. I have not given permission. None of this hostage crisis was my idea. The years of being held captive are liquifying my mind. I'll tell you what, I will make you a list of what to bring and where to put it. Sigh. I have tried so hard to train you to please me LuLu. You are hopeless. Just leave my stuff alone and I will figure out if there is anything you might do right to serve me. I don't think so. But perhaps there is something. I may have to ponder that for a while." Yep, she is sounding just like a normal grey to me these days. She really is seeing the light and opening her heart. I have tried so hard not to set a timetable of expectations but every time she gives me a little opening, I stick a wedge in it and use the opportunity. She's on to me. That's why she is closing the door. LOL. It really is a joy to see her play with toys and bang on the spoons or the puzzle toys with reckless abandon. I even heard a Pterodactyl scream today. Well, it was either that or she was mocking David's sneeze again. No, it really was a Pterodactyl scream and purely lovin' life. We are coming to the home stretch of my wearing braces and I am planning for when they come off, she will recognize me again as human form and accept me back into her good graces. Thanks for all the affirmation and good will to our continued evolution. I may just pan out to be an okay place for her to roost a bit.

Kizzy has a charmed life. He gets to walk you and the dogs and drive you on the pontoon boat and hang out in the garden to watch over you. I love looking at his pictures. The silver eyes make me wistful for the baby days. I saw that cockatiel on the floor stand a while back and enjoyed the interaction between Kizzy and your son. Its going to be so much fun when Kizzy starts telling stories to us about what goes on in his house. You are doing such a great job with him.

Hi Keri, I have been trying to be Miss Gilbert's friend going on three years now. She has willingly gone to my daughter, my husband and my sister but has been hands off for me. Lucky for me she is equal opportunity Jeckyl/Hyde and I have learned it is more a reflection of where she has been and who I may remind her of... or possibly that I am not her first beloved. To this day, she may be quiet all day and when he walks in after a business trip away for a few days she gets all happy and chatters and does acrobatics. This also ebbs and flows. I love to know that she responds to anyone else just to give a chance at her opening her heart. I have learned to accept that she is never going to be an affectionate hands on parrot but she does have an incredible entertainment and companionship value to me even if she won't get warm and fuzzy to me. Also, she is evolving in our household and is beginning to really show signs that she is getting comfortable. There is just no way of knowing when that moment comes that you will find Morgan's soft spot and find a way into her heart. I'm sorry she was a snot and bit your ear. It has been more than a year since Miss Gilbert bit my finger so suddenly and so hard that I have still not forgotten the pain was intense and it left a scar, but the hurt and surprise that she would do that when I worked tirelessly to make her life wonderful was worse than the physical pain of the bite. As far as the love dance and chirping to your husband, he will displease her and she will give him the cold shoulder some day in the near future and dance for you. I have glimpses of success from time to time and it is sweet reward. Good things come to those who wait. But... sometimes while I am waiting I want to tell her the ingredients in parrot stew.

Ya'll make me cringe to think of what Miss Gilbert is holding close to her fluffy little chest. I know she is just waiting the perfect opportunity to come out with something unsavory. She is still biding her time, watching, taking in every nuance of weakness in her 'captors'. Deary me, I do hope I stay in her good graces. Oh, who am I kidding, I have yet to get INTO her good graces. It could be worse. Now you all have me on edge wondering what will come next.

What a beautiful expressive little face. Toby is the perfect addition to your family. That is just an adorable picture with the popcorn beak. I hope since he is still a baby and Greycie is also young that they will become lifetime friends. I have never seen a caique in person, thanks for sharing your picture, it is just delightful.

Good question, we don't get any notice posted, a friend just shows up in our profile when our friend request is accepted. We learn something new every day here, thanks for pointing that out. And thank you for being a friend, as we travel 'round the world and back again through the life of our grey companions and wonderful forum members.

Aww, you guys make me feel teary for happiness for Miss G. She has been so interesting lately. Along with her new activity level she has started closing her cage door. At first I thought it was getting closed accidently or that I was forgetting to let her out. Then I started noticing it was closed while she was out on her play stand and I know I wouldn't do that to her. Once I started watching, she will come out walk around the back side of her door and push it closed. When she goes in, she hangs upside down from the inside of the door frame, pulls it close, then moves to the ceiling of the cage to pull it again to close it. It isn't latched, so she still can come and go as she pleases. She just seems so pleased to be able to control her surroundings with that small gesture. This morning I was awakened about four thirty with her hooting and calling out and saying all sorts of things I had not heard before. I was hoping I had been dreaming, but no. Hubby had gotten out for his early morning run and left a light on. Miss Gilbert was apparently giving an ongoing commentary on the sad state of affairs that he left an inside light on and awakened her. It may be my imagination but since we have discovered she is a girl, daddy seems to be more doting and she is really responding to him in a big way. As long as she is happy, I will remain her domestic help and she will continue her takeover plot of hostage turned queen. @Ray, thanks for the vote of confidence but I have seen the depths of love and devotion by so many of our members to the rehomed and rescued greys and other parrots that I am humbled in their presence. It just happens I have more time to write about it and I am loving so much the subtle changes in Miss Gilbert that are adding up to be remarkable progress.

Deary me, after the previous post, no wonder Miss Gilbert has been quiet for a few days. I was only "thinking" about babies, no chance of bringing one home. After a couple quiet days I welcome her chatter and playfulness today more than ever. It seems such a short time ago, the quiet days huddled on a perch were her "normal" and I wished and wished for her to find her mojo and come out to play. There is nothing quite as satisfying as for her to pull a strip of adding machine tape down through the bars of her cage top where I just threaded a tiny piece so it would be non-threatening and available when the moment was right. This morning she has been practically swinging on it. She also has "discovered" a wooden toy that was with her when she came to us and has been quietly waiting on the outside of her cage. She banged it around last night and actually did hang upside down from it. She made a sport of removing all her "birthday" foot toys from the cage top, from the top of her basement apartment and from all the little porch perches on the outside of her cage. At least it proves to me that while she may have looked like she wasn't budging from a perch for a few days, she obviously left evidence that she was stalking her new playthings methodically and cautiously. She has ridden herself of the intruders and it was with great drama and emphasis when she flung the last one down with a loud punctuation mark.... "Yeah, and there's more where THAT came from!" I tried again to offer her a ceramic baking dish filled with water and a couple of ice cubes hoping to entice her to play in the water. Nope. Not yet she says. She always has such a way with her communication. She snuck up on it. She watched it carefully for a few minutes. Then she perched on the edge, turned around deliberate and calculating as she deposited her droppings into the fresh water. "And that dear madam means no thanks on the bath, why don't you hop right in though, the water is fine... and I conditioned it for you." We have moved from a phase of "will Miss Gilbert ever come out of her cage" to wondering what she is going to do today. It is lovely to see her move around and especially to see her getting a little playful with the stainless steel measuring spoons and a few of the hanging toys. Life is good with Miss Gilbert.

Is your grey a baby or a rehomed older parrot? The approach will be similar but a baby has generally had a calm and consistent lifestyle prior to being placed in his permanent home. Are you picking him up or are you having him shipped? Sometimes the transition is scary and your parrot will growl or otherwise show it is upset. If that is the case, have the food and water already in its cage and let it come out on its own terms. If you are picking up your grey, ask lots of questions about how it's cage was set up and what the routine and food has been so you can keep as many things familiar as possible at first. When we brought home our first baby, he was ready to come out of his cage and explore his world on the very first day. When we brought home our rehomed, older and troubled Miss Gilbert, it has been an entirely different yet very rewarding experience. If you watch your new friend, you will get some ideas of talking softly, approaching slowly and letting him lead your way. Trust yourself, you will know what to do when you see an opening to come closer or if you see a fear reaction, to wait a bit to get any closer while you still talk gently and reassuringly.

Congratulations on finding her new name, it is a good one. Also big kudos on your approach to Bailey and letting her have choices as she builds trust with you. You won't be sorry for all the extra time you are giving her to adjust and come to you on her terms. Every positive interaction sets up the expectation for the next one and it just keeps getting better. What a tribute to both of you that this process is going along so well. She is worth all the best you can give her and she will give back to you in a thousand unexpected ways. Thanks for sharing your progress with us. Well done.

It felt as if I was there with the wind howling and the relentless rain beating on the windows. Has Cosmo vocalized storm sounds or other things to let you know he remembers the big storm? Miss Gilbert lived on the Mississippi coast and has endured hurricanes in her lifetime. Even now when it storms she will make the sound a a log foghorn or sirens. She used to be extremely agitated during a thunderstorm but has gotten much calmer so it barely seems to bother her now. Good job on finding ways to keep you and Cosmo and your cat warm and fed.

Whoop. Imagine the things you will hear once Paco gets comfortable. Life is good in the home with a grey companion.

You have to think quick on your feet when you have a parrot. If Pooka makes that sound again, be prepared and say in a huff "Well, that's the last time I hire THAT bird sitter when I go away". Hahaha. Miss Gilbert has a checkered past and she will make sounds of bodily functions. Every time she makes one, I say my husband's name in a chastizing, disdainful tone hoping she will pick that up and blame him. LOL.

We get the over-sized hospital type bed pads at Sam's or Costco. They have green plastic on one side and an absorbent quilted side on the other and are safe next to human skin. They don't fly in the breeze and are easy to shake off outside for the bark, jute and other shredded toys and last quite a long time. As a bonus, if they take a bath and fling water, it is easy to pick one up off the floor and replace it with the next one. I have them under the playstand, around the edges of the cage and under the door.

You all have been giving me some great new ideas and reminding me to try some of the stuff I bought long ago but Miss Gilbert was too timid to try. All things old become new again as she gets a new attitude. One of the favorites was to use the penny wrappers from the bank, (I got mine at the dollar store). They are sturdy enough to take a little while to get into and make good foot toys. I put some pine nuts, little bits of shredded paper and stuff in them and twist the end closed. Coffee filters or cupcake wrappers also make smaller size "paper" bag foragers. Miss G is too afraid of things like toilet paper rolls but the smaller things are easier to hide around the cage and she is beginning to seem interested.

Miss Gilbert recently started doing that with me at bed time. It is a cute little woooo sound, but it is unusual in that she sits in the dark and says it. Maybe they are getting ready for Halloween and practicing their sound effects. LOL. After more than two years, I suddenly became "LuLu" a few months ago and she is determined not to let that one go. They are so creative and fun. Wooo.

Bless your heart. I wonder if it was a threatening sound to him and he is pretending now to be the "predator" to make sure nobody out there comes looking for a little grey bird. Java did that for weeks after hearing a hawk. Of course that doesn't help your headache. Miss Gilbert drives me crazy with the loud obnoxious form of "Maaaaa". Hope you find peace soon.

Welcome to the forum Spiersy and George. When I read the first post of this thread I thought you said you needed advice because you got four greys. LOL. If you got four at once as an initiation to living with African greys, you would indeed need a boatload of assistance. LOL. I read it more carefully the second time. George's video debut is sweet, I like the added touch of his breakfast on his beak, he looks just perfect to me. He is relaxed and happily exploring his new domain and will have you just where he wants you in the coming weeks. Thanks so much for sharing this incredible journey with us. We all learn from each other and its heartwarming when someone joins us to share the delight of a new friend.

I vote for Vixen for her bushy little tail. She does look like a bright eyed bushy tailed little fox. She is just precious in her photo sessions, I can only begin to imagine how she is on your lap. She could motivate me to get right out to the kitchen and bake her some cookies if she gave me the beggin' face.