Winter

[quilter43]

Hi everyone - it's me - Sherry. I purchased my 14 year old Grey 2 weeks ago now. He is settling in nicely except I am too afraid to pick him up. He sits at the door of his cage and wants me to pick him up. No one else has this problem but me - anyway - this morning, I opened his cage and couldn't get him to step up - he always bows his head and I am not sure why he does that. So, I flinch. Well, he started to climb up on the door of his cage which I thought was a good time get him to step up - Wrong! He bit me pretty hard on the finger and drew a small amount of blood.

 

I am being super responsible because he is a super bird - I've hired a Bird Whisperer - if you will who will be coming for his first visit on Saturday. OK - now, this is what I've been doing - I let him out of his cage on his own because although I haven't had the courage to make him step up I feel he still should be able to get out and go on the top of his cage for a change of scenery. I have to bribe him with a treat to get him back in though. Now - here is the question! Am I doing any damage by letting him out on his own while I'm patiently waiting for Saturday to arrive? Should I not try to get him to step up until the trainer helps me? I don't want him to be afraid of me.

 

Thanks for your help! I love this place!

[Luvparrots]

So sorry Sherry that you are having a problem with trusting Winter. I hope your bird whisper will be able to help you with this fear. Our greys are very sensitive to our feelings so you must relax or Winter will also react to your uncertainty. When my grey drops her head it is because she wants me to scratch the top of her head for her and sometimes if I stop before she wants me to, she will nip at my finger to get me to keep on scratching. Birds use their beaks to test the stability of a perch so perhaps that is why your grey is biting you when you pull away. I use my arm or my hand to let my grey step up, I just always have as I believe that is a more stable way to perch her. I personally would continue to let your grey out to go on top of the cage, why not as you are able to get him back in with a bribe. Winter needs to get use to his new home. He certainly sounds like a wonderful grey, so relax, talk to him and let him get use to his new home and family.

[quilter43]

Thank you for your kind words. Winter is such a good guy and I just want to do what is best for him. I hope we form a great bond after a while.

[judygram]

Sherry he is sensing your hesitation and that is why you got bit, you have to be sure of yourself, approach him with confidence and when you are asking him to step up ball your hand into a fist and offer that to him, if he goes to bite you he will have a harder time grabbing your skin if its taut but don't pull back.

I am interested in hearing what the bird whisperer has to say so be sure to let us know and how it goes.

[quilter43]

I will thanks for the advice!