Hello from Wisconsin

[Christopher Tequila]

My wife Maria and I have adopted a CAG who is 6 years old and has already been through 5 homes. We found her at the bird sanctuary we volunteer for. Her name is Zoe, although I do not think she has ever been sexed. She has only been with us for about 11 days. She already will step up on my wifes hand and loves her to pet her head. She also lets my oldest daughter hold and pet her and my youngest daughter can pet her. She lets me give her food and even clean and change things around in her cage, but she is terrified of my hands if I get close to her or try and get her to step up for me.

 

We are going to try having my wife and I go into a small room with her and just sit until she gets more comfortable with me. We would be patient and not rush her, but hopefully get to trust me. We do not know enough about her past to know if she was abused by a male, or what might be causing this. We are looking for other suggestions.

 

I should also mention that we have an Umbrella Cockatoo named Casper which we recently adopted as well. He is 20 years old and a real nutter. We are having to work on some screaming issues due to the improper socialization he received in his previous home. We make sure that Zoe can see me interacting with Casper. I never thought I could have another Umbrella since we lost our previous one to PDD about 3 years ago, but Casper has been a blessing for all of us.

 

Again, hello and we hope someone has some suggestions to help us get Zoe to trust me.

 

Thanks

Christopher

[JillyBeanz]

Hi Christopher ~ so glad you found us and hats off to you for your two rescues! What a shame that Zoe has nearly had a home for every year of her short life - now hopefully she's found her "forever home". Sorry to hear about your too that you lost - PDD is a devastating condition

 

Can't wait to hear more about you all ~ You'll have already been reading about our experts at rehoming - we have a few, alas I am not one and not able to offer any advice, but I am sure that they will be along shortly with their words of wisdom to help with your trust issues with Zoe.

 

Hope you like it here

[judygram]

Hello Christopher and welcome to our family and congrats on adding a grey to your flock.

I would tell you to just keep doing what you are doing now to gain Zoe's trust but realize that it will take a lot of time and much patience on your part for this bird has been passed around from owner to owner and it is going to be a while before he trusts again for in his mind your home is just the stopover on the way to yet another one.

Some greys will just prefer one sex over another and that may be the case here or like you said he could have been abused by a man and now he associates all men with mistreatment. He may just like your wife more and that is not unusual either for a lot of them will prefer one person more than any one else.

You will find lots of useful information in our many threads so do read thru them at your leisure and ask questions you may have and we will help you in any way we can.

We would love to see some pictures of Zoe if you have some you would share with us, we have an other birds room where you can put some of Casper if you like.

[Luvparrots]

Hi Christopher, how totally wonderful of you and your family to re-home such needing parrots. I can hear the love and patience you and your wife have to help these sweet fids. I look forward to hearing more about Zoe and Casper. Welcome to the Grey family!!!!

Edited June 9, 2010 by luvparrots

[Jayd]

;)The post's you've received are Grey't advice.. If I may, go into the bedroom, dim the lights, sit on the bed and place Zoe on the other side, read a book to him! don't try to touch or pick him up, just say something like "Mary had a little...."While looking at the book, It can be People Magazine, it doesn't matter!

If he comes to you, pick him up. After a few days, have you wife leave the room. Do the same thing around his cage, just sit there and talk to him.Try this to start. Jayd:o

[Georgiesmum]

welcome

[Malikah]

Welcome fellow Wisconsinite!