loviechick Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 First off let me say hi, I'm new here! Look forward to meetin everyone! Anyhow I recently rescued a CAG from a situation in that she was in an 18X18X32" cage and was cage bound for 4 years. Before that she only came out maybe once a week. She only had 2 toys in her cage, and they were VERY ratty, and you could tell were very old, on top of being sized for a cockatiel. She is making leaps and bounds by the day, but I'm looking for pointers as to how to get her to play more. I give her foot toys, she just drops them and is like "Mom what were you thinking, that wasn't a treat?!" She has found one toy that she chews on, and I am more than giddy about it, other than that, she doesn't touch the other 8+ toys in her cage. I've tried rotating toys after a few days, nothing, I've tried leaving toys in there for over a month, nothing. She has 2 foraging toys that she rolls around on the bottom of her cage to get the almonds out of but that's it. Any suggestions?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Welcome to our family and I am very proud of you for rescuing that grey from that situation, how sad for her. She needs to see you play with the toys with her to show her how to have fun with them. She has been cage bound for so long she does not know how to play. And with 8+ toys that may be too many at one time. Take a couple of them out and try that. Good luck to you and let us know how you two get along. Looking forward to hearing more about your rescue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Loviechick, Welcome to our family here. I'm so happy to hear that you rescued that poor little bird. What a wonderful thing you did. :cheer: Judy is right. She needs to see you playing with them and having fun. I know it sounds silly, but she will learn from you. Get excited about them when you are playing with them. Use an excited voice, she'll pick it up and do the same. It may take several tries, but don't give up. She'll catch on! Good luck and please keep us posted as to her progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lidia Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Amen to what Judy and Talon said! Well done you for rescuing her and giving her a loving home. I can't really add to what Judy and Talon said, except be patient, it might take some time, but I am sure you will get there. What's her name? Can she fly? How, other than her reaction to the toys, is she getting on? Welcome to our flock and karma to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loviechick Posted July 20, 2007 Author Share Posted July 20, 2007 Well I have had her since April, and by no means do I expect her to be a normal happy playing Grey in a matter of months, I know it will take time, and I'm in it for the long haul. I do get down on the floor with her to play, however she does not like playing on the floor and starts to run to her cage, even if I play in the bird room near her cage, she still doesn't like it. So I will put her on her manzanita stand and play with some of her toys, for instance her foraging toys, and she will play with those. For some reason though, she just won't touch the hanging toys. Unless she gets excited to see me when I get home, and then she throttles this one thats near her door LOL and Lidia, her Name is Red...when I first rescued her, her name was Ted, and I had her sexed, found out she was not a Ted LOL So I changed it to Red. She can't fly, she's clipped, but she flaps her wings and pretends to fly when she's on her manzanita perch several times a day. As far as how she is, she deinitely likes doing things at her own pace, which is fine. Memorial day weekend she let me scratch her head for the first time, and now she cues me by putting her head down and she will scratch under her chin with her foot while I'm scratching on top, it is freakin adorable! So that was progress. She was on an all seed diet before, I managed to get her on all pellets now as far as dry food, and she gets tons of fruits, carrots, and other veggies she's decided to like, on top of eggs, she loves eggs. She's a big talker too, I can count at least 75 words, and she learns new ones all the time. IMO I think she is happy, I'm just trying to get her to play with toys more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest briansmum Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 hi there, welcome and well done for giving a grey a second chance. she's on a good diet, be careful not to overdo it with the eggs though. she does sound happy enough if shes eating and talking. as for the toys as everyone has aready said, make them look fun and be patient, as you know. also you might like to try something human as a toy, i know for sure my little guy loves everything but his own toys. i leave DVD boxes, un used hair bands, bottle tops, bits of string and empty boxes laying about for him. he thinks he's found something wonderful to chew on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Oh, Jeeezzz, I have to play with toy's so Dayo will know they are fun? Ok, I guess I can stoop to that level. My wife accuses me of being a child at times anyway..... I have a Furby that I love to just interact with sometimes :laugh: Hope, Dayo doesn't get any Ideas about the Furby :ohmy:<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2007/07/20 12:29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lidia Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 danmcq wrote: Oh, Jeeezzz, I have to play with toy's so Dayo will know they are fun? No, you probably don't! That advice was specifically for Loviechick and Red, whom she got from someone who kept her locked up for long periods of time. Red needs to adjust to her new free(er) lifestyle and does not know how to play with toys. {Emotions-00020070} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lidia Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 loviechick wrote: IMO I think she is happy, I'm just trying to get her to play with toys more! You are doing a great job, there should be more people like you out there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loviechick Posted July 21, 2007 Author Share Posted July 21, 2007 Awww Thanks Lidia! I think I will try that idea Celery and see where it gets me. I've learned her bribary treats are almonds and avicakes, she goes crazy for both of them, maybe I will try throwing some in there and seeing how she responds! thanks everyone for your advice It is super helpful!:woohoo: Anything I can do to make Red more comfortable and/or happy I'm willing ot try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tari Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 I play with new toys all the time when I interduce them to Que I also hang them outside the cage and wait till I see her tring to beak them threw the wires before I move them in. You have gotton some great advice on how to work this out. I am so thilled you have taken this one. I have a couple rescue birds and while I am so glad to have them they were and one still is a lot more work then the birds I got as babies. Your my hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkitrev Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 hi everybody im still new to this just thought i would say my arnie is 14 week old african grey had im since he was tok from the nest box been pampered from day one ,comes out wiv me in a basket whether it be doctors appointments shoppin picnics ect he loves it wen he stays at home he is in his big open top cage 6ft tall and 3f wide wen im home hes rite out on his playstand very rare left at home over the last month or so we av spent over hundred pound on toys for arnie and he asnt touched one toy hes loked and put his head to the side i find it quite strange somebody did say that im givin him to much attention thats y hes not botherin with the toys any opinions on this one thanks nikki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Well it is possible to give them too much attention if you cannot keep it up for the rest of their lives. They can get used to it and then it is a problem if you cannot maintain it. I would allow him some time to play with just himself and like said in previous posts to this thread, show him how to play with the toys, show him how much fun you are having with them and maybe he will play with them by himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawzy4 Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Hi Nikkitrev, I to am new to both this forum and to looking after an African Grey. Like u i have spent a lot of money on new toys, But she refuses to play with them..I have been taking the other members here advice and playing with to toys myself just to let her see wot to do with them.. Also the bottle caps and dvd covers She loves them BECKY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Yes Shawzy4, sometimes the best toys are the free ones, the ones we have already in our possession, CD claims his Ceasar loves the plastic tops to the Starbucks coffee cups, he gives him those all the time to play with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeasarsDad Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Yes Judy.. I have found that the best toys have been silly things.. You mention the Starbucks lids.. Ceasar will tear one apart and keep himself entertained the whole time.. I also give him the soft plastic cold cups.. He shreds them like a shredding machine would. A simple slice of a newspaper is also one of Ceasars favorites.. He just loves to shred paper.. One thing that is widely known about Greys is their fear of new things.. This includes toys.. Ceasar sometimes is afraid but usually only takes a day or two of me playing with it until he wants it.. So take this into consideration before you think he/she wants no part of a toy you just purchased.<br><br>Post edited by: CeasarsDad, at: 2007/07/23 00:04 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkitrev Posted July 24, 2007 Share Posted July 24, 2007 hi everybody yeh i do sit wiv him and play but he usually just wants to get up on me and cuddlin in lol bless but i will keep playin wiv him and persistin wiv him hes pretty gd at bein on floor to alot like to be high but hes quite happy to b low iv loads of bottle top like cock milk tops ect even the egg cartons like carboard i play with marbles to he loved them wen he was abt 8-9 weeks but thanks for everybodys advice nikki:cheer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooman Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 YOu did a great thing in being patient it must be hard when you take on someone elses mistakes with your grey. I commend you on it. With my TAG he'll play with anything i have like i brush my teeth and hes on my shoulder my toothbrush is a prized toy unfortunately for him its off limits, pens im using geeze that too off limits, his toys well i had this cool shredding toy i thought he'd love and he left it for like 3 weeks all of a sudden it was destroyed in 2 days. what im gettign at is everyone is right shel come around and they want what we use and give them time and the toys will someday become used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tycos_mom Posted July 30, 2008 Share Posted July 30, 2008 Hi I to want to say what a wonderful thing you have done by taking on someone elses mistakes. I also rescue abused and neglected birds and find it very rewarding. Tyco my rescue doesn't play with her hanging toys either she does like the free stoff that I find laying around the house. the only hanging toy's that she really likes is her boing ,her bell and her swing all the others sit\ there and collect dust. she loves thing that make noise like baby rattles and things that spin so thats what I buy her or I just give stuff she can pick up and chew that I find laying around the house she loves things like that forbiden fruit sort of like old seed cups she love to chew and toss around as she also likes to dump all food cup out since the ones I give her with food in them are locked down she love the others I give her as toys. It sounds like your Grey is responding to you well in other ways I sure she will soon adapt to her toys also. she Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I over do it w/toys.Alcazar has 15 in his cage.I tried rotating toys.He gets weirded when I done that. I keep them all in there. Alcazar turned 1 in May and he is now starting to play w/all his toys and beating them up. He will even hang upside in his cage to beat them up.Its so hilarious. He'll growl at them and call them Alcazar haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Here he is playing w/his fav toy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 oops to big lets try this again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 lets try again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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