aw i just need a bit of hope on my african grey :(

[kayleightommy]

hello there im in need of help here, i brought my African Grey at 8 years old yesterday off this male owner, he had about 3 African Grey but had pushed this one to the corner, whenever a male goes by him he makes a squawking sound, but when a woman goes by him hes okay, he doesn't bite at all, but my dad and boyfriend are not allowed by the cage and they want to mingle with him too as they like African Grey, also because his last owner never paid any attention to him and didn't give him much care he doesn't talk, do you think there's any hope for him to not squawk at men and also get talking? pleaseeee help me lol thanks guys, much apprechiated

[judygram]

You have only had this grey for one day, it will take much longer for him to settle in and feel comfortable in his new home.

 

Depending on his former owner's treatment of him he may very well prefer females and there is not much you can do to change his mind but please give him plenty of time and do not force him to do something he doesn't want to do.

 

There is much hope but it will require lots of time and patience on everyone's part, others will be along shortly with more advice for you.

[Georgiesmum]

As Judy said just give him time. Poor thing is in a new place with new people and is probably very causious and a bit scared. Him will in his own time settle in just be patient with him.

 

Look forward to hearing much from you and your new friend x

[Luvparrots]

Hi kayleightommy, as others have said your new grey is a little anxious and afraid. He needs some time to get use to his new home. If he is squawking it is most likely because he is afraid. So your dad and boyfriend should just talk nicely to him and not try to get too close until he is more comfortable. My grey loves pine nuts perhaps this is a treat to be saved for your dad and boyfriend to give to your grey. There are oodles of information in the rooms of this forum, please review this information and ask any questions you may have. Karma to you for taking in an older grey.

[Lambert58]

Just go slowly and gently. It takes a long time to earn the trust of a grey, in some cases months or years! Treat him with respect, educate yourself, and go slowly. The rewards will be fantastic, I guarantee

[Summerc25]

Everyone else gave great advice. It could take him weeks to feel comfortable. He may talk and just not be talking in front of you yet, however some greys don't ever start talking. Most do, but some don't. Just show him a lot of love and patience and he will probably want to communicate with you and therefore start talking. Hope to hear more about your new baby

[ecodweeb]

I have had my newest rescue, who is 10 years old, for a little over 6 months. She's only started talking in front of us in the last two. She was utterly silent for the first two months. It just takes time and patience.

[Acappella]

Everyone's given great advice. Your bird is an adult, rescued from a neglectful if not down right abusve situation. Even if you've rescued other animals before, a parrot is an entirely different creature. When we talk about time and patience we're speaking in terms of weeks, months, and even years for big-time progress. This may seem slow, but when you're dealing with an animal that with good care will be part of your life for decades, it's all relative.

 

The best thing you and all the members of your household can do right now is to let your bird observe his new home and flock from the safety of his cage. Sit by his cage and talk to him, read to him, even eat by his cage, because eating together is a major flock bonding activity. Watch him for signs of anxiety. For example, if you move a chair really close to his cage and he starts to shake or fluff up his feathers, just move the chair a little further away. If he sees you being respectful of his space and his fears, he'll begin to believe you can be trusted. When he does something 'good' like making a desirable sound or talking, or not freaking out when a male family member comes close, praise and reward lavishly, because greys thrive on that kind of interaction.

 

If you note every small step forward you take with your new grey and you look back six months from now, you'll be surprised at how far you've come. Of course you may want to make changes to his cage and his routine, and any time you need advice on how to do things without setting your progress back, there are lots of people here who have done wonderful things with re-homed birds who can offer their two cents. Karma to you for taking in this older grey and making the comittment to bettering his life.

[kayleightommy]

awwww just to let you all know how the progress is going with Tommy, hes started to make whistling noises already and he tries to mutter some words, those things must of been what his last owner taught him and hes found a bit of confidence to let them out , also hes not squawking as much with men but still very afraid so i do think there is a chance he could trust again thanks for all the tips and i will keep you updated