The latest crisis......!

[pearllyn]

Hay Folks,

My last plea for help on here was "I feel like I'm losing her".

Ok, so maybe I did overreact a tad, but everything is such a big deal when it's your first grey! Well it is for me anyway!

With some good advice tho, we got over that little hurdle, the biting has pretty much stopped and things were sweet again.

Until yesterday.

It seemed to come out of nowhere. David was away for the day. I let Alfie out in the morning for her breakfast as usual. When I came to put her back in her cage an hour or so later, she didn't want to go, which isn't all that unusual, she sometimes has a wee protest, but it took us 40 minutes to get over this one, which was unusual, no, unheard of.

When I got back from the horses and hour later, Alfie didn't even say hello - also unusual. Normally when we get home, she's standing at her door waving a claw in the air, ready to step up and come out! 2 hours later she still wasn't talking to me and hadn't asked to come out once. She was chattering away to herself tho.

I maybe should have left her where she was, but I let her out again for a couple of hours and after she was out, she wouldn't have anything to do with me.

She would let me stand close, but if I put up my hand for a step up she was off. I tried to persist with her, but she was just getting stressed so i backed off.

By this time I was needing to go out again and had tried alsorts to get her to step up but nothing worked. She wouldn't step up onto a perch, she wouldn't come for a treat, as a last resort I tried to towel her but she was off as soon as she saw it, even tho she has never been towelled like this before, although we have played peekaboo with a towel, which she usually loves!

In the finish I just gave up and waited for David to come home, at which point she pretty much went back to normal, and even came on to my knee for a cuddle that evening, although I didn't try to ask her to step up again.

The other thing that concerned me, when she was evading me and doing circuits of the living room, she did get out of breath, but then she started to sort of hiccup. It didn't sound like one but it looked like one, the sound was more a sort of quiet gurgle. It didn't look like something she was doing, more of an involuntary bodily function.

I haven't seen it since.

I think thats everything. Just wondering what your thoughts were on this behaviour, and what can I do if it pops up again - I feel almost certain it will!!!

I have to say thanks to Jillybeanz for helping me out with this in "real time"! I chatted with her yesterday while I was pulling my hair out!!

 

Hope you and yours are all well!

 

Lyn

 

x

[danmcq]

Alfie sounds a lot like Dayo and other greys that are flighted. They certainly do not like to go back in the cage during what they think is normal out hours and all day long.

 

We used to go through the same ordeal as you everytime, all though it would not take 40 minutes, it would take a good 10 or 15 sometimes.

 

We finally realised he was feeding off our apprehension when we would approach him, knowing that he would not want to go in his cage.

 

Then as the chase ensued, he become more alert and nervous, we became more alert and apprehensive and it would just keep building up.

 

One thing I started that may help you, is I nor kim act as if we are going to go any where and approach him saying what a good boy he is and praising him. He has always responded to praise and I swear you can almost see him stick his chest out and put on a big grin, if he could.

 

At that point he is calm and in a good mood and I must say we are too. You can not praise someone and not be calm and happy. :-)

 

I have seen Dayo get very upset and nervous from a chase, become out of breath and one time threw up I believe everything that was in his crop. Since, then, we never pursued him if we could tell he was becoming that desperate.

 

I hope this gives you some insight and ideas.

[pearllyn]

Yes, very helpful thankyou Dan, if for no other reason it let's me know Alfie is more or less a normal grey doing grey things, because that's what they do, and not because I am doing anything wrong in particular.

danmcq wrote:

One thing I started that may help you, is I nor kim act as if we are going to go any where and approach him saying what a good boy he is and praising him.

 

This bit especially, if I can get her to come to me before she know's anything is up, is def the eway to go.

 

I did just give up yesterday as I could see she was getting stressed.

I do feel the whole thing started cos David was away for the day. He left as well before Alfie was up, that might have added to it.

 

Thanks Dan. Most helpful as ever.

 

x

[rbpittman]

Lyn,

 

I'm sorry you had such a terrible experience with Alfie yesterday, but thank you for sharing it with us. Your experience and then the experience/advice you received from Dan may help with some of the problems I'm having with Beau. He doesn't want to go back into his cage and that is when he performs his feather pick routine in his cage. My anxiety level of putting him in his cage because I'm afraid he will chew more feathers may be adding to his anxiety and causing him to actually do that. Now I have to work on making myself accept that he won't like going in, and he may chew some more feathers and I'll just have to deal with it. Hopefully we may break this terrible cycle by not stressing ourselves and our birds out over these behaviors.

 

Robin

[Jane08]

This sounds so familiar. The first thing I learnt is that it's no good to chase them. Our 2 used to always be able to tell from my anxiety level when it was time to go in the cage. This really affected them. If I stressed them I would then go away and come back a few mintues later when I had compossed myself.

 

Now I put this image of me successfully putting them in the cage in my head before I even start. I then approach them very calm and explain to them that I have to go to work and they need to go in and how good they are and I am so proud. This is all done in quite a high pitch voice like I am excited.

 

At this point I always used to have a treat in my hand as well. I then tell them they can have the treat if they go in. I then ask them to step up and slowly walk them to the cage. Pretty much 99% of the time I give them some sort of treat for going in the cage. I have found over time that they have learnt how it works and they go in the cage without a hitch 99% of the time. Of course they always expect the treat which they do get all the time.

[pearllyn]

rbpittman wrote:

Hopefully we may break this terrible cycle by not stressing ourselves

Robin

 

Robin, that's an excellent plan! Let's just stick to that!!

If it were that easy eh! lol!

How old is Beau Robin? I'm sorry you're having this trouble too, on the other hand, I'm relieved i'm not the only one! Does that make me mean?:unsure:

And how long has Beau been playing up with you in this way?

I have to admit, while this was going on yesterday, the feather problem popped into my head! I thought that'll be next! Fingers crossed that neither of them go down that road! I'm hoping Alfie is hitting the terrible two's a bit early and that she'll grow out of it!

 

x<br><br>Post edited by: pearllyn, at: 2009/10/19 17:46

[Lyric]

I have trouble getting my Sadie back into her cage too. It is really a common issue with birds, they want to be out, have their freedom and do what they want. Getting her back into her cage works best if I remain calm. If I can get her back into it before she knows that is what I am planning it is best. Sometimes she just knows though and then I have to trick her. I can sometimes trick her by distracting her with something she wants or a treat. She likes to play on a boing outside the cage and sometimes I just take her on the whole boing and put it into the cage. I feel much better if the process goes smoothly and I can get her back inside without a lot of drama! Sometimes I will leave the room, take a few deep breaths and calm myself and then go back and try again. Also, acting like I don't really care what she's doing will occasionally help the situation. You will eventually develop techniques through trial and error that will help you with this process, just remember to remain calm, it really does help.

[pearllyn]

I most definitely do try not to get stressed myself.

I'm able to control my breathing and heart rate when I'm on an excitable horse - you would think it would be easy enough to transfer the technique to parrot handling! Lol!

 

Thanks for the advice and comments folks - much appreciated.

x

[JillyBeanz]

pearllyn wrote:

I have to say thanks to Jillybeanz for helping me out with this in "real time"! I chatted with her yesterday while I was pulling my hair out!!

 

Ah - thanks! I didn't offer any workable advice tho!! I hope things get better soon with Alfie x

[pearllyn]

Workable advice - invaluable!

Moral support, Jilly - Priceless!

x

[katana600]

Perhaps Alfie was reading the forum over your shoulder and saw that the little girl with the curl on her forehead was horrid and she was practicing. I am learning a lot from you though. Juno is coming to us flighted and I expect we will have some of these days soon. I will have to think up a plan. Java has been pretty easy. When she doesn't want to get into her cage, she flies to the silk mango to rip off the leaves in protest. She doesn't realize I can step on a stool and reach right up to get her because she is being crazy and hanging upside down and taunting me.

[pearllyn]

Lol that's funny Dee, look what I've just put on as my fancy signature thingamy!

I wouldn't be surprised tho, I'm just beginning to get an inkling of how really smart these birds are. Alfie's not just smart, she's wide with it!

I have to say aswell tho, yesterdays protest was a step beyond the norm - and do you know, in between the naughty bits she was sitting saying "Good girl, good good girl"

You've gotta laugh!

:laugh:

x

[JillyBeanz]

I can't believe you have posted such terrible things about Alfie - look at that picture - butter wouldn't melt!!!!! Have the hiccups stopped?

[she]

I am fortunate,Charlie and cracker go in the cages no problem,oops maybe I spoke too soon lol. I often just place them in the cage for a treat leaving the cage open so they dont know if they are going to be kept in ot having a treat and coming out again,I find this works well.

[pearllyn]

Lol Jilly - aren't I bad?! If you look really close you can almost see her Halo......

Yes, the hiccups have stopped. Haven't seen them again thank heavens. Will just have to watch that she doesn't get stressed!

 

 

She, I've done that with Alfie since day 1! Just for that reason, so she wouldn't think going in her cage was always a bad thing. I thought it was a right good idea too! Unfortunately, Alfie is a mind reader, and knows when I am going to put her in and shut the door! Grrr!

 

X

[JillyBeanz]

she wrote:

I often just place them in the cage for a treat leaving the cage open so they dont know if they are going to be kept in ot having a treat and coming out again,I find this works well.

 

Right - I've just tried this - I put him in his cage on his cement perch - he's climbed down onto his branchy thing - swung onto the door and out he comes! This must have taken, oooh, let's think - 8 seconds in all!!!

 

The only way to keep Harvey in is to nail him to the perch!!! :laugh:

[pearllyn]

Just a wee update on the latest crisis....! It seems to have passed - surprise surprise! Although she is still going through a "No, I'm not going into my cage" phase, she is going through it with David too, and is occasionally giving him the runaround just as she gave me last week! But it is happening less, and we've been able to avoid the making an issue out of it!

She just knows when we are wanting to go out and starts playing up as soon as she thinks she's going into her cage.

Something happened today tho that's baffled us. She's been in a particularly mischievious mood and has been hell bent on popping the keys off the laptop. Instead of just telling her "off", (which she knows fine well, but obviously wasn't going to listen to today!) I just got her to step up, with the intention of taking her to her cage, so she would think, for misbehaving, she was getting a time out! Well, lately to put her in her cage, we have had to secure her, so she couldn't just fly off, but for this excercise, I didn't bother, as I didn't intend to put her in, just make her think it. Well, wouldn't you know it, but I took her to her cage unsecured and she just went on in there!! I didn't shut her in as I was just trying to get it across to her that naughty = cage, so needless to say she beat me back to the couch every time! I repeated this manoeuvre a dozen times and each time, got her all the way into her cage!!

It didn't stop her from chasing the laptop tho - in the end I just put it away! But we were left gobsmacked at her willingness to go into her cage when she's been so deadset against it!

I've been trying to figure it out and can only think of one explanation - African Greys are psychic!!

 

xx<br><br>Post edited by: pearllyn, at: 2009/10/31 02:25

[Luvparrots]

:ohmy: :laugh: Our greys will always keep us guessing!!!! That's why we love them so much!!!!

[she]

Alfie may well be psycic who knows lol.I am glad things are starting to settle a bit though.

[pearllyn]

luvparrots wrote:

:ohmy: :laugh: Our greys will always keep us guessing!!!! That's why we love them so much!!!!

 

They sure do Janet - never a dull moment!

 

Things are on an even keel at the moment tho, She, long may it continue!!

x

[scar231068]

try limmiting the hours u have him that might help

[pearllyn]

Scar, do you mean limit the hours she is out of her cage? She does get a lot of out time, but I'm not sure if giving her less would make her more keen to go back in. Will give it some thought tho, thanks for the suggestion.

 

And yesterdays odd behaviour has continued today - everytime she tried to pinch my lunch, I made I was going to put her in her cage, and every time she just went!!!!:huh: