New guy here

[Billy]

Hi Everyone. I'm a new member. I have a white capped Pionus (13 months old, had him just over one year) and a 5 month old Timneh which I've had for about 3 weeks. Also have two dogs. No name for the Timneh yet. I read somewhere that birds should not roam, bite or scream. The screaming is the over the top kind, not the usual mutterings. I have the birds next to each other in two nicely sized cages in my bedroom. Monday - Friday I leave for work at 5am and come home at 5pm. The birds are out for 3 hours with me in the evening. On weekends they're out just about all day. The Pionus is always on me, the sofa or climbing the curtains. The Timneh is either with me or on his manzanita perch with food and toys. He will, every day, fly off this perch (he has clipped wings) and I put him back 100% of the time. After a few times, he lets me know he isn't happy by not stepping off my hand to the perch and today he bit me, but the bite truly was a warning bite as it wasn't hard. When he leaves the perch he walks over to where I am. I'm afraid that if I keep this up he won't want to come to me. Any thoughts? I was thinking of maybe getting a play gym with more stuff on it to keep him occupied. He already does have a lot of toys. I want this to be a great relationship and want to do everything right. The birds are in their cages during the day, but someone is home playing the radio or tv. They are talked to, given treats, but are not let out til I get home. Bill

[Dave007]

Hi, welcome

***I read somewhere that birds should not roam, bite or scream.***

 

I don't where you read that and also if you're only referring to your TAG. All parrots will roam, at times will bite and at times scream. Over the top noises to you may not actually be over the top if you're comparing it to other types of parrots. In general, greys are quiet birds and the ones that aren't can be classified as screamers/squawkers because they do this all day long on a constant basis. Periodic noise from a grey isn't unusual. The same goes for other parrots although many other types of parrots do it much more often throughout the day.

Greys will bite because they're willful when they don't get their own way and what you just said is a classic example

***** After a few times, he lets me know he isn't happy by not stepping off my hand to the perch and today he bit me, but the bite truly was a warning bite as it wasn't hard.*****

He wants to be with you, you don't and he's telling you that he doesn't agree with your ideas.

The time schedule you created doesn't make a bird bite. being in a cage will give him the incentive to roam when he's finally out of the cage. He's clipped so he can't fly around and roam. He has to walk around and roam. Nothing unusual about that. Greys aren't stationary birds.

3 weeks won't allow you to see or judge just how the bird will eventually be. If he comes from another home or place that he was in for a long time, things are now different for the new bird.

ASs far as screaming, the most normal screaming is when greys and other types of parrots start playing with toys that they have mock fights with. It can get loud when the bird is trying to kill the toy.

It will be hard to convince a bird to stay away from you unless you do something drastic to the bird and make him permanently frightened of you.

Your bird need much more time to show you his personality. It taks a lot of time for a bird to adjust to all the new things that surround him. It may look like he's adjusted but it needs more time to accept things.

Many times, being on or with a person is much more appealing than a playstand even if there's no toys on that person.

[Billy]

Thanks, Dave. The roaming, biting and screaming comment I read about on some other site. People can sound very know it all and authoritative in their convictions. I'll let him roam now. I made a mistake when I said he was 5 months old. He's 6. I'll be spending more time with him off the perch. Bill

[Dave007]

Well, I see nothing wrong. You're getting a well adjusted parrot who loves you, wants to be with you, wants to bite you because you don't want him around, wants to be all over you because he finds you very appealing. Your time schedule is something that he'll learn to live with. All people have their own time schedule but I can tell you that schsdules have nothing to do with a bird's likes and dislikes of a person.

The only exception to the *wanting to be on you* is this--if your bird can't control seriously biting your ear lobes, clothings, face, breaking jewelry, nipping at your neck, well it's time to realize that he's not a shoulder bird. Many are shoulder birds and many aren't. They can't be trained to not like doing that.

I'm truly sorry that you came across such info. Hundereds of people here would tell you that they've been bitten, kissed, have been cuddled by their birds. People even buy certain types of toys so that the bird can vent on the toy--cowbells being the common choice. Watching a bird fight with it can be scary but watching the same bird cuddle up to it all night while sleeping is even stranger. Just try to understand the different parts of the personality and I'm sure you'll be happy that you own a TAG and all of this even applies to CAGs.

[Billy]

Again, thanks for the good comments. I would really like him to be a shoulder bird. Whooza, my Pionus is. I don't think I could handle having the two of them on my shoulder at the same time, at least not until they are (?) comfortable with each other. The differences in their beak sizes is quite different, with the Timneh's being much larger. He's a great little baby. When the time comes to let you know more of our history, you might enjoy how we got together. I read that some parrots don't necessarily have the "terrible" stages. Hope this is one of them. I'm going to get the play gym for him anyway. It is quite remarkable how he has bonded with me. Bill

[Dave007]

You've got a long way to go before worrying about the *terrible twos*. It's temporary and can be dealt with very esily. Not all greys go through that experience but many people here can tell you what they did, how they put up with it, when to recognise it . It's not as bad as you may think. It's simply a stage. The beak is larger but don't let that frighten you. You've got a bigger bird, hence a bigger beak. As far as having 2 on your shoulder, well only you can see if that's gonna happen. Both may vie for your attention but who knows. You should make sure that you ask questions considering that you're a new grey owner. There's loads of people here that are and were going thru the same things as you. I'm still pissed at the person/people that told you about the biting, roaming and yelling. A person who enters the parrot world willl experience those things. It's like saying that a dog won't bark. Greys don't yell as much as much as they make low sounds which is their way of practicing what they've hearing. I'm sure you're in for an unusual but rewarding experience.

[judygram]

Hello Bill and welcome to our family, I see Dave has given you some excellent advice as always and I had to laugh at that statement "I read somewhere that birds should not roam, bite or scream" what a bunch of crap as they will do all three if they like but greys tend to be one of the quieter parrots. My grey did not go thru a terrible two stage, at least I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary so maybe yours won't either but enjoy what you have.

[Luvparrots]

My grey is now 2 years 8 months old and I have no idea what the "terrible twos" are supposed to be as my grey has remained her sweet self. If anything she is just more self-confident and easy going. Perhaps you will be just as lucky. Ana Grey certainly is not a shoulder bird as she loves to nibble my ears and poke holes in my clothes so no shoulder grey in my house. I do have perches and boings close to my computer so she can sit and visit with me while I type. I do have to cover the keyboard when I leave the desk as Ana Grey loves to pull of the keys and those little buggers are expensive! Al my birds are flighted as I believe they should be able to be self-mobile and life to me is so much easier when they can get around on their own.

Edited December 6, 2010 by luvparrots

[Azzie]

Billy, it breaks my heart to read that you were exposed to such information. This poor little baby just wants to be with you, and at 6 months he definitely still IS a baby. If he wants to cuddle with you, please let him, because there's a chance he won't want to anymore when he's a little older. And what better way to bond and establish trust than to engage in a smooching session.

 

The clipped wings are a bit of an issue for me I admit. Are you considering letting them grow so he can learn to fly, like a bird was born to do?

[Billy]

Thank you all for lowering my anxieties so quickly. I knew that it couldn't be right regarding the roaming, etc. Right away I felt better. If I find the site where I saw it, I'll let you know. Right now his wings are clipped and I would love for the feathers to grow out. Whooza's feathers were clipped and when it's warm he is outside with me all the time. I don't know how that would work with a flighted bird and the harness. I have a harness and lanyard that I bought but never had to use it. He was flighted when he was weaned so he has some experience with it. Still don't have the DNA test results. Hopefully tomorrow. I've wanted a Grey ever since I remember and I know that this is already a very special bird. I love him a lot. He is a cuddler and gets even more so every day. I can touch him anywhere on his body and he loves it. Even under the wings. I have a vet appointment this Saturday with what is considered to be the best Avian/Exotic veterinarian here in Connecticut for his first wellness check. I'm taking both birds in the morning. The Timneh already likes his travel cage as well. I have a list of questions, but if anyone has any ideas of what I should ask or stuff to avoid (vaccinations/tests I should or shouldn't have), etc. I'd love to know. Glad for this site. Thanks again.Bill

[Dave007]

Probably, because it's gonna be your first time at the vet, you'll be paying more than normal. The vet will tell you that particular tests need to be done and of course, because you're a new grey owner, you'll say yes which is understandable. But it is the first time going so you'll need to live with that. Many breeders have chicks checked out by a vet before sellingAs time goes on, you can be more careful about when to go to a vet. The thread below will tell you alot for the future. It's very recent.

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?191683-Wow!!!-522.oo-at-vet-for-check-up-!!!!!