i adopted a cag and i have some questions

[Joerawlings23]

Hey guys my name is joe and i adopted an cag that is male and he is 5 yrs old. i got him from a lady who had him in a shed with a lot of other breeder birds. he lived inside her house for 3 yrs then the past 2 he has been in the shed. i brought him home on saturday and he takes food from my hands but wont let my hand to close when theres no bars between us, he just lightly growls at me. he knows how to step up just will do it on the dowel right now. i let him out today i thought he would just stay on his cage but he took off and bumped the wall, i put the dowel in front of him and told him to step up and he got right on it.

questions

1) should i let him out before he is really used to me, especially when he flys into the wall?

2) should i clip his wings?

3) when i gave him some cantaloupe and cheese bits today his eyes started pinning like crazy what does that mean, is pinning eyes always a bad thing?

4) is there anything i can do noe besides talking to him and hand feeding him treats?

5) is there any good bonding games?

 

Sorry for all the questions! this site has given me alot of information so far thanks guy. Sampson says thanks too.

[Summerc25]

Karma to you for adopting that poor baby. It makes me so freaking mad when I see that someone got a grey and then tired of it and shoved it out in a shed or garage. It is very good that he is already taking food from your hand. The wing clipping thing, there is alot of controversy about. My birds wings are clipped because his previous owner always kept them clipped and when I tried letting them grow out he seemed to not know how to fly or control his flight. The vet said it was probably best that we clipped them because he kept flying into walls and other things. we were afraid he would get hurt. With a bird who has not been having his wings clipped, I am afraid that might change his personality a bit and make him very unhappy. I still want to let my bird grow his wings out. I have only had the vet clip them once and I am going to try not to do it again. I really think it is so sad to clip them. If you try to get him to step up to your hand instead of the dowel what does he do? Bite? One thing I learned very quickly when shaka zulu bit me was not to let him know I was afraid of the next bite. I was afraid at first and he totally knew it and he had control until I just let him bite and acted like it did not hurt then he stopped with the biting. He has bitten me a few times but he does not bite alot. One thing he loves, and I think most greys love, is having their head rubbed and scratched. Maybe that would help getting him used to allowing you to touch him more.

 

The cheese is not very good for them, I think they have problems digesting dairy products. I think one tiny bit here and there may be ok but not alot. My bird does that with his eyes if I give him something new that he has not tried before. It usually seems to mean they are freaked out when they do the eye pinning thing. He was probably just freaked out by the cantelope and stuff. If she had him living in a shed, I doubt he was given a lot of fresh food. As far as the bonding games I don't know on that. Sorry I cannot help more. I will be glad to help anyway I can. What type of food is he eating?

[JillyBeanz]

Hi Joe, welcome to you and Sampson. You say that Sampson was kept "with" breeder birds, but was he part of a pair? If so, it is very difficult to "tame" a breeder bird - they rely on their partner only, and don't tend to want human companionship or tenderness.

 

If not, and he's an "unloved" bird (up until now) then it's small steps all the way. He's in new, unfamiliar surroundings and if he has not been used to human contact then this is even more scary for him.

 

You are doing the right thing in talking to him and letting him know you are there. Don't push it - it may take months and months until he feels he trusts you enough to handle him.

 

Cheese is fine in moderation - but healthier "treats" should be given. Let him get used to his cage before you let him out - he hasn't been let out in years and therefore he won't know what he is doing.

 

Clipping his wings is one of the biggest debates you will ever enter into about birds. There are various threads with the pros and cons on this forum - do a search - it's a personal choice.

 

Just keen talking to him, telling him you are there and most of all that you are going to love him!

 

There's tons of people on this forum who have adopted birds and will be readily available for your questions. Good luck to you and Sampson

[danmcq]

Welcome Joe and Sampson!!!

 

It always warms my heart to hear that someone has "rescued" a critter from a bad situation. Then to start immediately seeking help and information on how to properly care for it is even more exciting and shows you are a very responsible pet owner. :-)

 

The others have given GreYt comments and thoughts.

 

I am going to answer each of your questions as best I can:

 

1) should i let him out before he is really used to me, especially when he flys into the wall?

 

A - Sure, as long as the room is not so big he can gain enough speed to break his neck and that you have the windows and mirrors covered. They are very smart and will learn very quickly how to fly slower, bank etc. Just make sure you do not do anything that will scare him. When afraid they panic and don't pay attention to where they are headed except away from the threat. When yo uget a chance, it would be good to buy a large T-Stand with food cups or a Tree-Stand. He will naturally target it as a safe landing spot or place to flee to. It will also teach him targeting a perching area.

 

2) should i clip his wings?

 

A - As others said, this a highly debated topic as the others said. The two sides off the fence will never agree. My opinion is "NO!". It is traumatic to them and if nothing else, you don't need to add any more traumatic experiences to him at this time. He needs to know he is in a safe and loving home that he will be given the respect he deserves.

 

3) when i gave him some cantaloupe and cheese bits today his eyes started pinning like crazy what does that mean, is pinning eyes always a bad thing?

 

A - He loves that stuff and you will see his eyes zooming (pinning) in and out like an auto-zoom on a camera. :-)

 

4) is there anything i can do now besides talking to him and hand feeding him treats?

 

A - It sounds like you are taking things slow and with lots of love and understanding. That is the right way to introduce a bird to a new home and flock. Just keep giving him space and letting him explore and interact at his own pace, as you are.

 

5) is there any good bonding games?

 

A - No games, just respect, love and always making them feel safe. You can ask him if he wants a scratch for example. If he lowers his head, he understands and may desire one or he could be playing they famous grey move of "Gimme a scratch" then when your finger touches the head, they flip it around and nail you.

 

I look forward to hearing more from you and seeing some photos when you get a chance. :-)

[Greywings]

You have been given some great advice already so I will just add that you are in for an interesting time establishing a rewarding relationship with Sampson. Time and patience will be you most reliable tools. Move slowly speak softly and share time together. You can read or sing to him enjoy music and share little pieces of what ever healthy snacks you may have around the house. Looking forward to sharing stories of how your interactions unfold.

[Joerawlings23]

thanks guys that was all very helpful. when he was in the shed he was with breeder birds but he had his own cage. there was also and umbrells cockatoo in a cage that was im guessins 20x20x30 pretty small if you ask me, anyways. when he was on the ground and i put my hand near him he growled so thats when i just used the dowel. and the cheese i gave him was just a pinch,not an everyday thing. also when i covered LoJack Mcfeathers cage sampson acted like he wanted to be a little more vocal and move around his cage. im feeding him a parrot mix the lady gave me. But, im a chef so he get alot of fresh stuff. she fed him fresh fruit by throwing a whole apple or orange in the bottom of his cage. both time i went to see him he had a rotten piece of fruit in his cage.

ill post some pictures sometime today so yall can see him. thanks agian for your help.

[ecodweeb]

Time and your attention are the best suggestions I can give to you. You have a spunky one on your hands I'd guess, and he wants to trust someone and love on them but hasn't found the person to trust yet.

 

Stick with it and that person will be you.

 

As for flying, personally, mine are clipped (one plucked hers out). My home is too small and too many things that they could land on that would hurt them.

 

However that decision is yours alone. In time he'll become a better flier. I wish I could let mine fly, but one has to stop plucking and the boy needs to lose the attitude.

[Greywings]

If he had rotten fruit in his cage do please keep an eye on his droppings and his breathing. If he inhaled any mold spores he could develop some nasty breathing issues later. So nice that you are a chef and have a variety of fresh veggies and fruits available. Most Greys also appreciate some whole grain pastas cooked or raw and enjoy sprouted grains and a cooked mash of beans and grains as well. Hope you have no nonstick pans at home they can be a quick death for your Grey.

[Luvparrots]

Hi Joe, welcome to you and Sampson. Sound like you have been given some good advice. Just be patient and keep up the good work. Karma to you for taking in an older grey!