Cobi Hay

Yep. He's clipped. I know there are many who disagree with this method but my house is all windows. A flying parrot would crush into something for sure. When he moves from side to side it's more like "Get your hand off me. I don't like it". The rest of the time he would just sit on my arm relaxed and look at me with big eyes. He likes it when I talk to him. But he hates it when I touch him. From what I read here it sounds reasonable. When I place him on a table (or the floor) he would just get out of my reach and stay there. When I show him a treat he just ignores it. If I step forward giving him the treat, he would grab it and get further away to eat it. Then hehe would stay there and ignore any effort of mine to show him another treat. But i do know he wants my attention. He enjoys being with me (when on my arm or in the same room with me. He's calling me from other parts of the house for company and he surely feels safe enough around me to speak. Ok - So I can define the "problem" with a normal African Gray behavior with touching, and not something I accidentally did to harm him (I feared I might did something like that!). Should i kind of "start over" - building his trust using treats from inside the cage and taking it slowly and easily? I would just give him the time and the patience needed for him to want to get out and get some more attention? How should I respond to his calls ? I can't be in the living room (Where the cage is) all the time. On the other hand, he's calling me but doesn't want to get out of the cage. It's confusing: He's calling me, but he doesn't want to be with me: He wants me to be with him. Does it sound reasonable? Thank you all for the help! I will surely go through the site you gave me :-) Cobi

Hello all ! As I was telling in the "welcome" forum, my name is Cobi, and my Congo - Neptune, is 1 year old already and I'm starting to take training more seriously now. So far he knows to step up on my finger and he's usually giving a good feedback (wagging his tail, asking for patting on the neck) - but it's a bit complicated: 1. He's more than eager to get a touch in the cage, bending his neck and exposing his feathers there but on my arm he would refuse my fingers. He doesn't bite (unless he's surprised from a quick movement, and than it's a gentle "stay away" bite, nothing aggressive). But he would refuse my touch, moving from side to side uneasily and waving his wings. 2. When he's around me he would happily step - up on my finger. When on my fingers he would step up, step down, turn around and cross from one finger to another, but he wouldn't come to me when im asking him to come (like - when he's on his favorite branch in the cage. * Im sure if i was able to find a good training method covering everything it would be much easier for me. I've seen "birdtricks" (?) and it seemed like a good system. Prob it's mostly based on DVD's, and im a hard of hearing. Though I AM able to communicate with people, I have difficulties to understand speakers on digital media without Subtitles or captions (mailed the site asking for it - and they said "No. We don't have captions. Sorry"). Anything I can do to get a better contact with Neptune? Thank you Cobi

Thank you all for the warm compliments :-) It encourages me to take some new photos of the young fella. I had some guests last night and Neptune was having loads of attention from all over - and i was surprised that he started saying "Neptune" Aloud and some other unclear mumbling. In front of guests!

Thank you all! I will surely keep informing you about our progress :-). I do have other questions but i will post them on the dedicated forums

Thank you all again for the kind reply! The funny thing about Nep was, that he actually started talking when he was 6 months old! He Quickly learned his name and mine. Then - his progress stopped and the following 6 months ('till now) were dedicated to repeating these 2 words (and many other sounds. he makes me laugh when mimicking a cat's "maw") and I feared of regression - He "lost" my name for some time (Just stuck to Neptune, not saying Cobi) and in the past 2 weeks he started saying "Cobi" again. I know it might sound silly but i'm not so sure what to do with a parrot that "unlearns" something? I do keep talking to him. All the time. I also call him when im in the other room. Sometimes I try to make a conversation and sometimes I describe things he's doing ("Wonderful! You eat a nut! Do you like nuts?"). He's surely curious about me talking but he replays with beeps and sounds.

Thank you so much for the warm welcome :-) Nep is one year old. i got him when he was just weaned. He's on a very good diet based on pellets, vegetables, some kinds of nuts, fruits and calcium enriched mix (based on eggs mostly). Pellets are given all the time. Rest of the foods are switched for variation and interest in life :-). I try to give him the best. Got him a big cage, i change his toys randomly and i try to be with him between 2 - 3 hours every day. He's my only pet (i also have an aquarium). Here are a few pics - hope you like 'em: I fear my biggest problem with Nep. is the fact im single, and live alone. He lacks the interaction that will help him learn to speak. I give him an ample TV time (3 - 4 hours a day) but he says only 2 words: Neptune and Cobi (my name and his. awsomely cute).

Hello everybody! My name is Cobi, im 31 years old and i own an African gray (Congo) named Neptune, who recently celebrated his first bDay. Wonderful to join this community dedicated to African grays and i surely hope to learn a thing or 2 from the people around here.