Ursula is a PEST! Help?

[domyoburk]

We (my husband and I) love Ursula, and she is a valued part of the family. She is two years old and we've had her since she was 4 months old. She is fully flighted, and when we are home she is out of the cage all the time - except when we have to put her in the cage in our bedroom to give ourselves a break for our own sanity.

 

She is such a pest she drives us to enormous frustration and distraction on a regular basis. She is bold, smart, and knows how to DEMAND attention. My husband can hardly move when he is home because Ursula lands on him and heads for the action (he's the favorite). I've trained her not to land on me so much, but then she just lands on all kinds of places she KNOWS she's not supposed to be, just to get my attention; I have to make her get off those places, because if I ignore her she starts happily wreaking havoc there (back of the couch, countertop, tops of doors... watching carefully all the time for my reaction). She has at least two good perches in every room of the house - one close to our level, and one up high with a good vantage point. But these aren't good enough; lately, she's happiest when sitting on our hand receiving our full attention. When I sweep the house she dive-bombs my head.

 

All she wants it to be with us. If we put her in her (giant, full-of-toys-and-treats) cage when within sight of us, she just shrieks repeatedly and digs at the corner to get out. If we put her in her cage in another room or leave her home, she just sits up in the corner and waits for our return (no evidence she plays with any of her toys or treats, although she talks a lot). It's a great relief when she finally has had enough direct attention and goes to a perch to talk or groom. My husband is alone with her all day Saturdays, his day off from work, and by the end of the day she's exhausted him and he can't wait to leave the house.

 

Does anyone have any encouragement or suggestions for us? We may just have to resign ourselves to things being this way, I suppose. Being a classic example of, "Watch out, parrots are a lot of work!"

[Jayd]

Welcome, Please join us in our home, all our fid's are flighted, it's so fun to have them all land on you at once, I have my own cage to go into to escape them....Jayd

[Luvparrots]

I have perches and boings in front of my windows especially the front room windows. At these sites, I also have foraging toys in which I keep treats and other goodies. I am retired so first thing in the morning I spend quality time with my fids, talking and singing and eating breakfast with them. They are all flighted and have full range of the house. I believe the special time with them just the focus helps full their desire to be with me. If they call me I just answer and they can always come an hang with me in any room.

[Azzie]

Yeah parrots ARE pests. They poop everywhere, all the time. They throw food everywhere. They shred and destroy everything. They make a lot of noise, especially at 6am when I am trying to sleep.

 

I wonder if you comment " I have to make her get off those places, because if I ignore her she starts happily wreaking havoc there (back of the couch, countertop, tops of doors... watching carefully all the time for my reaction)" might be a clue though. She watches for your reaction. To animals, attention is attention, whether it be good attention or negative, such as being told off and chased off a favourite place. Could you perhaps try playing WITH her, and reinforcing with positive attention?

 

Also, greys do like to be part of the family, and shutting her in her cage in the bedroom, away from her "flock" may be distressing to her. If she was in the living area, she could still see what is going on, but she would be restrained by the cage.

[Jayd]

Azzie, good point, thank you Janet. These suggestion are a head start in the right direction......

[Lambert58]

A busy beak is a happy beak

[domyoburk]

You're probably right about the only option when she is acting up/out to get attention is to stop and pay positive attention to her. We've taught her to say, "I'm QUEEN of the world!" because she is.

 

On the other hand, she really doesn't seem to mind spending some (some!) time in her bedroom cage while we are home. The light is on for her, it's a big cage, she can hear us nearby. She doesn't scream, she just talks and sings calmly and then sits quietly up on her favorite perch. Being in her cage within sight of us, however, seems very distressing and frustrating to her.

 

I guess they're all individuals, eh?

[Lambert58]

Just offering a data point: Our greys spend a good 6+ hours a day (during the week) out of cage. On the weekends is more like 14 hours out.

[Aly~]

A busy beak is a happy beak

 

HA! In my house a busy beak is a happy ME or a bleeding finger.....

[Jane08]

LOL sorry for laughing but this sounds exactly like our female Kea, so i know what you mean. She is also a pest (I actually call her something worse than that, but not where her ears can hear it) and for us we have found that we have to give her something to do, she seems to get bored easily and this is when she becomes a right handful.

 

It might just be something wrapped in paper that she has to get out, some puzzle that she has to solve, but it definitely has to stimulate her intelligence or foraging instinct. Sometimes I even give her my hair tie that has a metal bit on it and she sits there trying to get the metal bit off. The latest is a towel that she has taken a fancy to, we make it so she can go under the towel and role herself in it...she can spend ages with her towel.

 

She is also all over my BF and has an obsession with him. I guess we are lucky though in that we have another grey and she plays with him as well to give us a rest, although I am sure he wouldn't see it that way as her way of playing is not what he would call playing.

Edited September 30, 2010 by Jane08

[Mawnee]

You are not alone Cosmo is the same way, he likes to be a naughty bird for extra "attention". He knows what he is doing is not allowed, you can see him watching for a reaction out of the corner of your eye. I simply do my best not to reinforce this behavior or intercept him when i know he is about to start(I can read his mind now). I've found the only real way to deal with this is to distract him with a prefered behavior(popcicle sticks are great!).

 

Sometimes when he is being really naughty or repeatedly does something he knows he shouldnt I give him a timeout in the cage. First time I warn him "Are you being a naughty bird?", which usually causes him to stop and ponder me for a moment. Then if he continues the bad behavior I put him in the cage. No fuss, no yelling just a "What happens to naughty birds? We go in the cage". I know this probably wont work as a negative reinforcement, but its worth a shot. I figure at the very least it will lead to some amusing back and forth talk in the future

 

I know this can be frustrating, because its like dealing with a young child that doesnt understand "No" yet.....except they understand fully. Greys dont respect(or even recognize) authority. So we just have to encourage them to enjoy the things we prefer they do, and reduce the reward for things we prefer they dont

[Birdnut]

I have my own cage to go into to escape them....Jayd

 

That is a BRILLIANT idea!!!!! LOL!!!

 

We also have cages for some of the items in the house, like the radio/CD player in the bird room and the wireless internet router in the living room. Probably looks pretty weird to visitors. The kitchen appliances are arranged in a decorator style I call "circle the wagons." They're in little clusters against the counter outlets with their cords all bunched up and hidden behind them. I found the coolest leopard print towels to drape over my African drums to protect them, as Moussa loves to perch on them. I do everything I can think of to parrot proof the house, but I'm still constantly running around saying, "No, Moussa!" Sigh. The joys of parronthood!

[Ray P]

I don`t think there is a parrot proof house. When you think you have it they will find something you missed.

They don`t miss anything and always looking.

[Lex]

when i clean the guys cage out i often get in it lol they stand outside looking at me through the bars make`s you wonder what they are thinking lol they`d be correct lol.

[judygram]

when i clean the guys cage out i often get in it lol they stand outside looking at me through the bars make`s you wonder what they are thinking lol they`d be correct lol.

 

If you only knew!