a little help if you will...

[amerrie]

Wierd eating habit - 2009/08/27 22:46

HI!!! I'm the companion to a really cool African Grey named Taffy. She is 5 years old. I have only had her 3 days, for you see I have adopted her from a rescue. (I have had another Grey male that I adopted and ended up giving back to the rescue for he had been severly abused and was in need of intensive care and training I was unable to provide.)

My question?? Curiosity is this....Taffy will only eat or drink if it is directly from my mouth. She has food and water in her cage, and has not touched it in 3 days. When I realized she wasn't kissing me but trying to get food from me I was interested. She drank for 1/2 hour straight. (The rescue had only had her 3 or 4 days when I adopted her and I wonder if she drank there at all?) I have tried hand feeding her, (she was a hand fed bird from birth), I've tried wetting some food and trying to get her to eat it, I finally got her to eat some melon by putting her at the dining room table with it in front of her. I can't eat or drink at all around her unless I plan on sharing! I find it odd that she only seems to know how to get food or water this way. As I said she refuses to even look at her seed type food, and I am wondering if someone has an idea of how to get Taffy to eat and drink normally? I told her today that she has baby bird syndrome and needed to learn to eat on her own for crying out loud, she laughed at me.:woohoo:

[Lyric]

When you say "Taffy will only eat or drink if it is directly from my mouth." I hope you don't mean literally from your mouth...it is bad to feed birds anything that has been in your mouth- our mouths are full of bacteria that can make a bird very sick. You can share food with her but break off a piece that hasn't been in contact with your mouth before you give it to her.

She hasn't been with you very long and has been through a lot of changes in a short period of time. Give her time to settle in and adjust. If she has food and water in her cage she will eventually eat it if she gets hungry. Are you feeding her the same kind of food that she ate at the rescue? If not, you may try to find out what they were feeding her and perhaps getting the same kind of food will help. Good luck, take things slowly and check out the "food" room on this site for ideas of things to try giving her.

[amerrie]

I have read all the stuff on feeding and definately know about the bacteria issues. I literally mean she bombards me and shoves her beak in my mouth to try and get whatever I have. I had to pry her off of me several times. She has me concerned that her former owner, whom raised her from infancy possibly fed her this way, like a momma to a baby. I don't want this to be how she eats, truly I don't. I am only afraid that this is what she is used to...that's why I need the advice on how to break this habit. I don't want her to dehydrate or starve while trying to figure out she can't do this with me. BTW: previous owner was old lady who was alone and became very ill and was on death bed when family called rescue to get her. I can't know what happened in her previos life or how was fed or anything...shelter and I get along great and have calls back and forth all the time..I follow their and vets instructions as much as possible, she is just taking CONTROL of MY mouth or anyone else who has food!!!!

[Talon]

amerrie:

 

I adopted a 2 year old grey named Rikki, a little over a year ago. She tried to do the very same thing to me, especially if I drank anything. I contacted her first owner (I am her third and last) and she told me she would put water in her mouth and let Rikki drink out of her mouth!! :ohmy: :ohmy: The previous owner thought it was a pretty neat and okay to do!

I had problems with Rikki diving into my mouth when ever I put anything into it. After I realized what she was trying to do, I watched her like a hawk every time I would eat or drink, and always turn away from her, and make a hmph sound, or put my hand up over my mouth and tell her NO! Then I would give her what ever I had out of my hand and praise her. Sometimes I would give her a bite first or second so she had no reason to try and get some from me. It's been a year and a half, and it is rare when she tries this, mostly when I try to drink out of a glass or bottle, so I put her down and turn away from her. It took a many many times, and being very consistent about it, but she no seems to understand and not try it.

[Talon]

One other note, most greys will expect to eat when you eat, regardless of their own food. But you will find that when they are in their cage and your not around, they will indulge themselves. IT takes time to establish a routine with them, especially when it's a bird that has been passed around so to speak. Rikki is still learning and adapting to us, even after all this time we are still learning from each other! So, be patient, and enjoy these times!!

[amerrie]

Thanks alot!!! I will try anything because I know the health of her and the sanity of our relationship counts on it. Could you imagine if I went away for a night or 2 and had to have her birdsitter actually feed her like this??? No...I think not!

[Dave007]

Plain and simple----a healthy bird will not starve itself. When the time comes and she's hungry enough, she'll find that the bowl of food sitting around is just as attractive as your mouth. If you use a white bowl, you may fool her into thinking it's a large set of white teeth.:ohmy:

[Luvparrots]

Amerrie, perhaps until Taffy starts eating from her food bowls you should keep her in her cage when you are eating. It's wonderful that you have patience with her and with a little time all will be on the right track.

[amerrie]

wanted to let ya'll know that I "caught" Taffy eating out of her dih today and there were shells and tidbits left behind. I have refused her anything from me what so ever since I first posted and got a response. So thanks to you all...I am positive that this is a bad habit we will be able to end soon!!