EmmaApple Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Hi everyone I'm new here and we're new Grey owning family (new to greys but not new to birds). We just got our baby yesterday, he's 4 months old, it was the first time we'd met and he is a very curious and friendly little boy. He's obviously a little bit nervous of the new surroundings but in general he is acting comfortable and happy, eating well, preening, playing, napping, vocalizing (doesn't talk yet), letting us scratch his neck and stroke his wings etc. I'm assuming it's just because he doesn't know us well yet, isn't used to us etc. but wanted to ask anyway. When we get him out of his cage (either to play with us or play on top of his cage where there's a perch, toys etc.) he will play for a minute or 2 and then take flight, last night he landed on the lamp and this morning he landed on the blinds and slid down to the floor (he wasn't hurt or anything either time) his wings are clipped but I wonder if we need to have them checked or re-done because he flies really well and definitely has lift, I don't want to subject him to that at this point though. What's the best way to teach him not to fly away like that or to approach him at this time? At the moment we've decided to leave him in his cage with the door open so he can observe and just sit close to him and talk gently to him and scratch him and play with him etc. through the door so we can build his trust, but I'm very aware of the need for them to be out of their cage a lot so not sure what the ideal approach is. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Welcome. sounds like your doing Grey't, he's just learning to use his wings, exploring, it takes time and patience. May I ask, why would you want to clip his wings? To put it simply, flying is what helps keep a Grey sane! A majority of problems a Grey might have, is contributed to clipping.. There's a lot of good articles on clipping, please reconsider... Keep up the good work,..Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Hello EmmaApple, thanks for joining us but you just brought this grey home yesterday, please give him time to settle into his new home, remember he is in all new surroundings, new home, new parronts, new cage and it is all new to him plus he is trying out his wings, even with a clip he still has lift. He is going to take a few falls and bumps into things as he learns to become more proficient at it. I will also say here that hopefully you will give it a lot of thought about clipping his wings again as a lot of us here follow the no clipping rule and allow our birds full flight capabilities, it makes for a more confident bird. He sees you as strangers at this point and it will take time and patience for him to come to trust and love you so give it time. Don't put him on any high perches when he is out of the cage so he doesn't have as far to fall but just let him be a grey and continue to allow him out and things will fall into place very soon.l Why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us more about you and this grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaApple Posted May 30, 2010 Author Share Posted May 30, 2010 Thanks Jay and Judy, that's what I thought but just wanted to be sure, our last parrot was a Sun Conure and there is a lot that we can carry over from our experience with him but as I'm sure you know, Greys are quite different birds. As far as wing clipping goes, I've read compelling things on both sides of the fence as to whether or not it's the right thing to do, our Sun Conure was fully flighted (and fully flew away when someone forgot to close the balcony door, that was a horrible experience for us and the kids, we never found him), our Grey (just named Ash) already had his wings clipped when we got him and we lean towards clipping them for safety, we initially clipped our Conures wings though and when we decided it wasn't necessary we stopped clipping them, so really we're inclined to do what we feel is safest for that individual bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 I am so sorry about the loss of your sun conure, I share my house with a grey and a sun conure, she was my first parrot then I got my grey, she is fully flighted but only flies when spooked but I love to see her fly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Sorry about your suns, We have a couple ourselves, all our fids are flighted for their safety. As you know, a bird with clipped wings can still fly, a slight breeze and their gone, problem is the get in a tree or roof and they can't get down,if they do, no breeze they fall and kill or hurt themselves. A Grey is a much more intelligent than a conure, mentally a clipped wing Grey most times develop mental problems when clipped. a Grey thinks, and contemplates his surroundings, a Amazon or conure says "Oh well", a Grey says "What if" before the fact. Hears some good reading on Grey's. Thanks Jayd http://www.africangreys.com/ http://www.alexfoundation.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaApple Posted May 30, 2010 Author Share Posted May 30, 2010 Judy, Sun Conures are gorgeous aren't they! We were very sad when he left and we couldn't find him, he only flew when spooked as well. Jayd, thanks for the information and links. I understand the difference in intelligence which is why I feel almost like a first time bird owner! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaApple Posted May 30, 2010 Author Share Posted May 30, 2010 Good news, we left him for quite a big rest and to observe inside his cage, just talking to him and having the kids talk to him while he was comfy in his cage and now he's out with some toys and perfectly happy outside on his top-of-cage play area, not flying away! So he's getting more comfortable. Thanks again for the advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 I understand the difference in intelligence which is why I feel almost like a first time bird owner! In the last hundred years or so, I've raised so many different kind of birds, even weaned a few Grey's, When I finally got our own Grey's, it was to the Grey Forums I turned to... There is a different's...You truly are first time bird owner!!!!Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Hi Emma congratulations on your new baby Ash. I got my grey when she was 4 months old also. They are so trusting and affectionate when you first bring them home wanting so much to be part of the "flock". You and your family are doing great by letting Ash explore and get to know the family on his own. When I go get my Ana Grey from her cage or from a hanging perch, I always say "Come here' and use to give her a treat. She now flies to me when I call her with a "come here." It's just automatic to her and she gets a scratch on her head. They are very intelligent as you say and they understand so much more than people give them credit for. I so enjoy hearing the sound of Ana Grey's wings as she flies to me. She is fearless and so trusting. Enjoy your new baby. Welcome to the Grey family, Emma! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xtreme575 Posted May 30, 2010 Share Posted May 30, 2010 Sounds like things are off to a brilliant start, and I would suggest that the flying was as a result of being nervous. It depends on your Grey, but the first couple of days are best left to observe from inside the cage while they settle in. This is tough advice to follow though as it is soooooo tempting, especially when they are new! Ash may already be settled in and comfortable, but it took mine a good month to really settle in and start acting like I was the visitor in the house. My parrot was severely clipped by the breeder without any input from me before I got him. We've now lived together for (only) 9 months, but what I've learned in that time, I need to adapt my house for the safety of my bird, not adapt my bird... Keep up the greyt work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaApple Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Thanks so much everyone, your advice and anecdotes is really reassuring. He is doing great today on our second day together, he's very comfortable and we can see bonds being made already (I'm pretty sure he's figured I'm the mother) he definitely owns his cage (inside and the play area on top) and that's his safe place so I'm really pleased about that! He will step up for me and for my husband (a bit easier for me because he knows me better) but he doesn't like to be on us much so we just hold him a minute and then put him back on his play area and play with him there. He's very comfortable and happy playing with us while he isn't on us, ducks down for scratches, he's very vocal with us (responds to what we say vocally, I think he's going to be a talker), we can feed him, hold his toys etc. he's still a bit unsure of the kids (they're 5 and 2) but in general is just curious about them and loves to watch them, he isn't frightened of them though or aggressive. Is there anything else we can do to get him more comfortable with us handling him or just keep doing what we're doing and slowly try to increase the amount of time he spends on us (according to his comfort)? I need to adapt my house for the safety of my bird, not adapt my bird... Excellent point! My husband and I discussed the whole clipping issue and probably won't get him clipped again unless we feel we have a good reason to do so. What have you done to make your home safer for your bird? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Is there anything else we can do to get him more comfortable with us handling him or just keep doing what we're doing and slowly try to increase the amount of time he spends on us (according to his comfort)? Time is what will do the trick, it just takes time to form a lasting relationship and build the trust it takes for them to feel at ease around you so be patient and it will come. He may not ever want to spend a lot of time sitting on your shoulder or whatever, they are each different in that respect. Just continue to do what you are doing now and be patient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaApple Posted May 31, 2010 Author Share Posted May 31, 2010 Thanks Judy, that's exactly what I thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 31, 2010 Share Posted May 31, 2010 Judy said it all. Her advice is gold...Time is the Key........Happy to you.....Jayd, Maggie, Spock and the Flock....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 In the last hundred years or so, I've raised so many different kind of birds, Jay - What did you do the previous hundreds of years? You know, "There can be only one". Haven't seen you in a few hundred, we should get together for old time sake. Back on topic. The others have given good advice. It sounds like you are doing well with your new baby grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 Jay - What did you do the previous hundreds of years? You know, "There can be only one". Haven't seen you in a few hundred, we should get together for old time sake. Back on topic. The others have given good advice. It sounds like you are doing well with your new baby grey. Dan, Uuuhhh, You don't still have your sword do you? I stay in the "Low Lands" now! Yes, we must get together, no Mackinaws! In the previous Hundred? Well that depends, I had a lot of episodes. Keep doing the Grey't job......Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvenking Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 Issac loves to fly, and most of the time, I love for him to do it. As far as keeping him on his cage, he usually decides to hang out there after a bit of exercise. No matter the efforts I must go through to keep him flighted, in the end they are all worth it. There is something majestic about being somewhere in the house, hearing a contact call, and then hearing the fluttering of wings to your location (my shoulder for Issac). Even if you do clip them, they will probably choose to do a bit of floor walking and then you have to mind your steps very carefully. Just my view on the subject, both clipping and not have pros and cons, but the bird makes out the best when you choose flight and can manage the cons of that decision. Anyway, it sounds like things are moving along nicely with socializing him with the family. I can also agree that a Grey is like no other bird I have owned. Certainly nothing at all like my Conure. Enjoy a fantastic ride with your Grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezron Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Congratulations on your new grey! I love that my grey is fully flighted. It has been a real joy to watch him master the intricacies of maneuvering in the air. Sometimes he accomplishes a real tricky landing, or joyfully tears over the whole length of the house and he visibly seems proud of his flying skills. It makes me so happy to see him puff up and stick his chest out! When he flies he truly seems his most happiest. I really recommend keeping your bird flighted just for this experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaApple Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 Thanks everyone, we have decided to leave him flighted, he was clipped by the breeder so once he gets new flight feathers we'll leave them. He absolutely adores being out of his cage but he doesn't fly anymore unless he is frightened or REALLY wants to get down and play on the floor. He's totally addicted to scratches and runs around the floor playing with the kids' toys, it is adorable! He amazes us everyday with how patient, tolerant, calm and gentle he is with the kids' (who are 5 and almost 3) and us, he's right at home after only a week and is even showing signs of trying to talk! We just adore him and he us, the concerns I had when I first posted this are all but gone. Thanks again for your advice and reassurance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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