Joe Rainbow

[greymullet]

We picked up Joe from his breeder Thursday and the last four days have been great. He is eating up a storm, playing and chewing up balsa wood blocks, egg cartons, and a necklace my duaghter made for him, took a shower in the sink, and is socializing with us perfectly. So far so good in other words. I guess we got lucky.

 

One question though, he is using his beak to explore, which includes our fingers. He is not biting, just exploring. He loves it when I pinch his beak between my fingers and tell him this means kisses. Problem is the kids want to do this to but my daughter is only four so she puts her finger near his beaks when she says kisses rather than putting his beak between her fingers. Joe nibbles her finger and my daughter loves it. Does this seem okay to allow or should I not let Joe "nibble." Both kids know not to pull their fingers away and that Joe is not biting.

[chimaysmommy]

Hmmm....I don't have much experience in the way of greys+children, just greys

 

On one hand, I would think that allowing this behavior will both a) Get your grey familiar with the handling behaviors of kids, and b) Really familiarize your kids from a young age how to properly handle a bird, and prevent fear of them.

 

On the other hand, I would of course be nervous about a bite. As much as one can be aware of how bad of an idea it is to jerk your hand away from a bird's beak, it's still an instinctual reaction I think. I mean, my boyfriend still involunarily does it from time to time.

 

Hopefully there will be more responses from those with kids and more experience in this area, but that's my two cents!

[Tycos_mom]

Nibbling can sometimes turn into beaking and harder bites. Make sure when your Kids are interacting with the birds that you are supervising. Your bird is just settling in and is on his best behaviour until he gets comfortable with his surroundings and new flock. I would be very Leary about little fingers around any birds beak your bird could bite that little finger off almost. Make sure the kids move very slow around the bird they can startle and bite easily if your child moves to quickly. The bird will get used to having children around and soon enough it won't bother him at all. I think its good your letting your kids get involved in the raising of him. Just be careful and watch the birds body language and try to teach your kids about the birds body language as well

[LuvThoseGreys]

I'd nip the nibbling in the bud right now! It will turn into biting, when he nibbles give him a toy to nibble on, not you're fingers or the kids fingers.

[she]

I would not let the children have fngers in reach of a bite. Teach the chldren to observe body langage and be calm and slow round the bird.

[danmcq]

Congratulations on Joe's homecoming!!! :-)

 

As others have said on the children. I would keep the hands and fingers out of the mix.

 

All birds "Feel" everything with their beaks. The tonguing and light beaking is normal. However, as others indicated. This is the time to start differentiating between a good beaking and a hard beaking.

 

If the beaking starts becoming harder, replace the finger by offering a wood block or other toy they are more than welcome to bite hrad on and tear up. They will get the idea fairly quickly.

 

The other option is to just stop the beaking altogether by removing your finger or hand the instant it starts.

[greymullet]

Thanks for the advice...my wife and I have been right there with the kids and Joe but we will heed your cautions. Although I can tell Joe really loves having his beak scratched and squeezed, I think we'll just stop the beaking behavior all together at this point.

 

In terms of the kids, he does not seem to get upset even when they get excited near him. I have been watching him carefully and he appears to be taking them in stride. He allowed each, at differnet times, to scratch the back of his head for several minutes last night as I was holding him on my hand. It was kinda cool to watch.

 

The kids, especially my son, is already in tune with some of Joe's behaviors and currently loves to announce when Joe is going to poop, this then is followed by a high five.

 

Thanks again for your help.

[GorgASS]

i wish willis was like this around MY kids! he was really good around them the first 3 days i had him home but after that he decided he decided he didn't like them anymore