Need help

[Alain]

hello, i own a Congo African grey parrot and I've always been afraid of letting him out of his cage i did once but he couldn't fly well enough and kept hitting furniture i basically keep him in his cage i don't want him to fly away or get hurt or bite me I've had him for 9 to 10 years now and i really want to be able to interact with him outside of his cage but i don't know where to start he's a biter and get's scared really fast so any help or tips on how to get him out of his cage without scaring or injuring him would be appreciated..

[judygram]

Hello Alain and let me get this straight, you have had this grey for 9 to 10 years and you have only let him out once, lets just say I am shocked to say the least, no wonder he couldn't fly well and kept hitting furniture, he was probably so shocked to be out he couldn't control himself. I must say you have your hands full for he is old enough to be set in his ways and won't easily calm down but you should not be afraid of being bitten as we all get bit from time to time and ours come out every day.

I am not going to say much for I think Dave007 will have the best advice for you since you are dealing with a cage bound adult grey.

I still cant believe you have had him this long and not out of the cage but once!

[Alain]

i know i seem like a monster for not letting him out of his cage but i felt its for his own good he doesnt know how to fly and i dont want him to get hurt i let him out a couple of times when i first got him and he almost injured himself badly he flied into a wall i tried alot of times to get him to come out but when i open the cage door he doesnt show any incentive to come out i left it open for a whole day and he stayed inside his cage he's a great bird he sings he talks he's happy he doest pluck his feathers he has a healthy diet he doesnt scream he likes company and talks alot and sometimes he lets me pet him on the head but he gets scared really easely...i tried many times to get him out of his cage but he doesnt want to i dont want to stress him by using a towel to get him out so im looking for any tips to help me get a hands on experience with him outside his cage..in my defence im 19 years old now and i got him as a gift when i was maybe 8 9 years old so i didnt know anything about parrots and that they should be let out of their cage i thaught he would fly away immediatly so thats why i kept him in his cage all the time im not cruel towards animals..i love them im just laking the basic knowledge to properly care for him and train him

[judygram]

Ok well being 19 years old explains a lot but you have come to the right place to learn how to get him out of his cage and enjoy some time just being a bird. He has not had the opportunity to be out so he could be flying so no wonder he flew into the walls, he needs more time to regain some of his flying skills and that will come with time. I would imagine he is cage bound now and feels safer inside for he doesn't know anything else. This is where Dave007 will be of great help to you, he has lots of experience being a breeder of greys and also has pet greys and has handled these kind of cases before.

I do know that it will take a lot of time and much patience on your part to get him to where he will come out but it will be so worth it because no bird should be kept in a cage with no time out to enjoy just being themselves.

Please take the time to read as many of the threads here that you can for you will find a wealth of information that will help you with him in all aspects of his life.

Btw, what is his name?

[Jayd]

If I may, I have a question?:confused: Does he flap his wings? fully extended? How often and how much?:confused: I have 2 older birds 9 and 18 years old who never learned to fly, the 18 yr old never will. Any attempt to let him out of his cage, please thickly pad where he might fall. I doubt he has much strength in his wing muscles, and his heart can be in poor condition. Thanks

Jayd:o

Edited June 8, 2010 by Jayd

[Alain]

His name is koko ...he stretches his wings alot fully extended he flaps them when he looses grip in his cage as a reflex to falling but on his own i dont think he flaps them

[Georgiesmum]

I really hope you get the help here to gain the confidence to let Koko out and also that he gains trust and confidence not to be frightened to come out. I really cant imagine a grey or any bird being in a cage for that long. They should have about 4 hours out of cage time a day.Best of luck to the two of you

[Alain]

well i let him out 15 minutes ago and the whole experience to him was so horrifying he literally pooped his pants 5 times in 5 minutes.. i left the door open for 30 minutes and he wouldn't go out until i disassembled his cage around him and he flew straight into a chair to the floor he stayed in one place for 5 minutes looking around and pooping (i watched him from a distance) he then walked around got scared and started flying into the walls 3 to 4 times until i had to towel him so that he wont hurt himself and i put him back in his cage i think i am gonna try it for a couple of days for 15 20 min a day so doesn't get scared as much... do you think its a good idea? because he got scared a lot!!!!

[Georgiesmum]

i think i would just open the door and leave it open and let him come out when he is ready. i wouldnt make him come out as he is obviously not comfortable with this. it might take him a few days but he will come out eventually. also i would let him go back in himself. doing that with the towel will be very frightening and he wont want to come out if he knows this is what will happen....

[Georgiesmum]

You will have to try build trust with this little guy so that eventually you will be able to hold him and put him back in the cage. It will take alot of time and Patience as it is all new to the poor fella

[Greywings]

You may be going too fast for him taking the cage apart to get him out. Set a time every day when you leave the cage door open. Just sit near the cage and talk to him or read out loud or sing to some music. Let him get used to seeing the door open knowing he will be safe and can stay or go as he wishes-birds are motivated by what is in for them not to please us. He has to feel it is safe, perhaps putting one of his favorite treats on or near the open doorway for him. It may takes days or weeks as his last trip out of his "safe home" was very scary. Patience is the key to helping him overcome his fears. Rewards even gentle verbal confirmation like "what a good boy or bird" will let him know he is doing well. Have your doors and windows closed to avoid a loss when ever he has an open cage. Welcome Alain.

[Alain]

Do you think its a good idea to just keep the door open for a couple of days? i can't keep my eye on him that way

[Georgiesmum]

no not all the time only when you are there to watch him then when you are going away close it again

[Alain]

thank you all for your posts i'm gonna set a couple hours each day to let him out i hope he gains the confidence to come out on his own

[Georgiesmum]

He will but give him time and don't rush him. He's been in a cage for nearly ten years. he doesnt know any different and is very afraid of whats out there. so if he does comes out on his own make it a good experience for him and don't frightening him so then next time he wont be afraid to come out again. maybe you could leave his favorite treats or toys hanging outside near the cage to encourage him to come out. make sure your on your own in the room with him because he might be too nervous to come out with to many people around. Best of luck

[Jayd]

His name is koko ...he stretches his wings alot fully extended he flaps them when he looses grip in his cage as a reflex to falling but on his own i dont think he flaps them

Thank you for you reply, your baby is weak in his wing and shoulder muscles, his cardiovascular also needs. a work out badly. Now, we can't work on getting him in shape till trust is threre, so don't worry about flying now.

What is your relationship with Koko like? will he finger perch? stick perch? take food from your hands?, can you pet him? where?. Ok 1st, sit by his cage, door open, and read a picture book to him, showing him the pictures and giving him a treat every now and again, don't set a routine up, do it as often as you can each day.

This is just a start! What is the most favorite things he likes to hear you say, like his name, I love you, kiss etc?

Jayd

[Dave007]

I'm not really sure about what you meant but I'm gonna assume that your bird has been caged for 9 to 10 years without a lot of time out of the cage ( you'll correct me if I'm wrong). Some of the most serious problems arise with a parrot who's been cage bound for a long period of time.

There are a lot of questions without answers when it comes to cage bound parrots, but here I will try to answer the ones I can. Most long term cage bound parrots can turn into birds that are truly frightened of the space and area outside of the cage, especially if they've been in that cage a long time. As far as the bird is concerned, it's his sanctuary. It is very common for a cage bound bird not to allow a human to put any part of their body into the cage, as this is the parrot's''s' safe place and will not be breached as long as the bird lives.

In order to understand this behavior one should remember, the cage most closely resembles a nest for a wild parrot. The nest is the one place that the parrot can stop vigilance watching for predators Cage bound birds are often misunderstood and thought to be aggressive, when in reality the case is they live in fear when his/her home is disrupted. It takes many years for a cage bound parrot to turn into a happy cage bound parrot. When that happens, many of the normal relationships that a person can possibly have with a parrot lessen greatly.When you are dealing with a parrot in this condition it is extremely important to remember that the strange and other unwanted behaviors are generated by fear. You must, for the sake of the parrot, treat these as normal behaviors. Correcting them without correcting the underlying condition will accomplish nothing more than terrorizing the parrot. Obviously, you don't know the underlying reason which isn't your fault. It's my feeling that many years ago someone should have told you about all the different phases that a parrot ( any parrot) goes through starting out as a baby. All babies and adolelscent parrots crash into walls, furniture, windows, even the floor. You had good intentions. You didn't want him to get hurt. They usually don't get hurt. That's also the time when they learn how to fly with accuracy. That's the time when they build body strength, developing muscles. Your bird didn't get that opportunity. Instead, he was caged for a very long time and as he went through the natural phases of getting older, all of it happened inside a cage. If a bird goes through all of those phases in a cage, he'll get used to everything going on as long as he's in his safe area which is the cage. Eventually, flying isn't really important to him.

How does a person treat a cage bound parrot? Treating a parrot who is terrified of coming out of its cage is often hard, and breaks many of the rules we are trained to live with when raising parrots. One of the most important things when working with parrots who aren't cage bound is to be the one to allow it out of its cage. With a cage bound bird you need to break this rule and many others as time goes on. Open the cage door, make the environment safe, and walk away. The very first step outside of that cage must be taken by the parrot, for the parrot's sake. Just as we are taught to confront our fears in order to overcome them, the parrot must confront the fear of being outside in order to learn to desire to be outside the cage. This process can take a long time. You may leave the door open for a month or more with the bird never venturing to stick so much as its beak outside the door, but in time the bird may come out, its natural instinct to interact with the world will win out over the fear. Your bird has 9/10 years of being in a safe place. Basically, he's happy there. Flying scares him. Handling him scares him. He has to develop his own safety net.

Biting is part of him being frightened and he'll do anything to protect himself. Also, by being in a cage for so long, there was probably very little physical contact with you and the bird. Yes, you talked to him but they need a lot of physical contact.

In order to assist the bird in coming out of his or her cage try to leave interesting items and treats on top of the cage, an area they can climb to easily. Some birds will eventually come out, grab the item, and run back to the cage, but the whole point is that they DID eventually come out of the cage.

Once you find the bird outside of the cage a number of times (even if it climbs right back in upon seeing you), it is time to begin working more directly with the bird. Sit next to the cage, with the door open, and talk with the bird. Offer it treats from your fingers. He may not take them but most of the things he's possibly gonna do in the future are gonna take a very long time, even small things. Allow your bird to take them while still inside the cage. Another method that has good success is to sit progressively farther and farther from the cage as your bird gets braver and braver while continuing to talk and offering treats to the bird. Many birds will climb outside the cage to be closer (the natural flocking instinct) to you, some will climb down to the floor, some will walk across the floor closer to you.

When doing this do not move your body as if to pick up the bird, allow him or her to come to you and go from you at will. Remember, you are teaching the bird that being outside the cage is pleasant and safe.

It can also be helpful to move the cage into a location that makes it seem very safe to climb out. Try to put the cage with two walls behind It, situating it so that it sits in a corner. This again makes the cage

seem more like a nest, and therefore it is very safe for the parrot. A parrot who feels safe is more likely to attempt to climb out of the cage than a parrot who is terrified. Never place a cage bound parrot,s cage out in the complete open. Parrots need at least one wall of the cage covered, a cage open to the room on all sides will not provide the same sense of security.

Remember that getting a cage bound bird out is a long process. It involves a long commitment on

your part. You must be committed to doing things as slowly as the parrot needs you to go, and to not giving up once you reach each milestone. Never think about time limits because it's gonna take time.

Sure it's easy to say "Well, he comes out of the cage now, I'll leave it * alone* but you need to continue to work with the parrot. Once it is willing to come out of the cage, then you must begin the process of teaching the bird that humans are safe. Taming the bird is a whole other article. If you have questions, comments, always come to the board. Don't be afraid to talk about successes or failures. Understand that I'm not guaranteeing you that this will work and the main reason is that the guy that lives down the street may have a parrot who's in the same situation as yours and these methods may work for him but not for you OR that same guy may have a parrot where it won't work for him but it may work for you. All parrots are different and I'll say that your situation is difficult to overcome but it can be overcome but it's gonna take a lot of time and patience. In the mean time, understand that your bird isn't suffering in that cage. He's learned how to be safe and happy in that cage. Actually the situation is worse for you than it is for him. Good luck.

[Alain]

he gladly takes food from my hand however it's been a long time since he let me pet him on the head...he doesnt trust me anymore ever since the vet perscribed eye drops for him when he was sick a couple of years ago and i had to give them to him for a week 3 times a day and he hated me for it and since then he doesnt let me pet him or touch his feet he lets me touch his toung and beak while im giving him treats but other than that when i try to touch him he just moves so that my fingers cant reach him inside the cage...i used to pet him on the head and back before the eyedrops and i've been trying since then to get him to trust me with no luck!! He's not agressive towards me he just moves away so that i cant reach him when i try to pet him...he likes it when i call his name or when i whistle he whistles back also when i say come koko i say it when im going to give him a treat every time he sees me he says come koko its his way of telling he wants a treat...any ideas on how to gain his trust back i tried spending time with him and giving him alot of his favorite foods but it didnt work

[Alain]

dave thanks alot your post made things alot clearer...i dont think its important but koko is a wild bird he was a gift from my uncle he used to be a customs officer and he received koko as a gift from someone who imports parrots into lebanon..koko was more than a year old when i got him his eyes were already golden so i guess he knew how to fly and over the years he forgot how exactly and as far as i know he's not from a breeder i thinks he was caught in the wild but for a wild parrot he never screamed ever he was and still is very calm and timid the first day i got him we went to a pet shop and the man said he's very calm for a wild bird i never heard him growl and when he bites he lunges with his mouth closed as if its just for show and he doest actually want to bite ill give your advice a shot and open his cage door every day but still eventually when he comes out how do i handle him i cant touch him cause i know for sure he will bite and how am i going to get him to go back to the cage without towling him i doubt that he will want to come back on his own....thanks again

[Dave007]

""any ideas on how to gain his trust back ""

 

Food has nothing to do with trust. I took the time to give you a very long list of things to do as far as your bird goes. Just about everything I spoke about had to do with trust. Someone asked if your bird was in a cage permanently for 9 to 10 yrs. You never answered that person so I just decided that it's what you meant and that's how I posted because I thought you had a very serious problem. I don't know your bird. I can only go by what you say.

[Alain]

sorry about that dave i was replying to jayd and i missed your post im online on my cell phone ...you assumed correctly he has been cage bound for 9 to 10 years

[Georgiesmum]

How are you two getting on now? has he been out of the cage since?

[Greywings]

You might try just leaving that cage door open for an hour at a time the same time every day to establish a routine so he knows what to expect in an effort to help him feel safe.

[Tricky]

if you're scared that he'll bite you, it'll make him nervous too. i suggest wearing a glove so that you won't be afraid of his beak when you handle him, that way he'll feel more secure as well.

[Georgiesmum]

i would love to have an update