stacylh77 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I'm new here! I was excited to get an African Grey. I am now the proud owner of a TAG! I took a chance & purchased her from someone who had her for 9 years. I figured there might be some separation anxiety and she was ok at first but now she won't stop biting me and it HURTS! What do I do? They were honest and said she was prone to stress. She has a lot of short feathers. They said she usually doesn't pluck but does pick at her feathers like someone might bite their nails. Can I help her overcome this habit also? Thanks everyone. It is starting out rocky but I have NO regrets in my purchase! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Hello Stacy and welcome to our family, so glad you got a grey and now maybe we can help you with some issues you are having. How long ago did you get this grey? It takes a while for a grey to settle into a new home especially when it was with her former owner for 9 years, she needs time to feel comfortable and biting you is her way of telling you to back off and that you are pushing her for more than she is willing to give at this time. A bird that has had previous homes has what we call baggage that she needs to unpack, realize she is an adult bird who is set in her ways and once you get accustomed to her body language then you two will get along better but just give her some time and space right now to settle down. Why don't you tell us more about her so we can be of more help to you, what is her name, do you know a lot of her background, did she have any previous homes before the person you got her from and so forth? You can also find lots of useful information in our many threads so do read thru as many of them as you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacylh77 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 Thank you! Her name is Elliot. Not sure of sex but previous owners thought she acted like a female so that is what they went with. They gave me her hatch certificate. She was born 17Oct2001 and went home with them in Feb02. They did say she was prone to stress but weren't specific on what triggers. She is suppose to have a medium vocabulary already with lots of whistles. They said she is on a healthy pellet diet with fresh fruits & veggies. I actually just got her last night. I know I'm rushing her and I need to stop but she seemed so excited at first. Once her cage was set up and she was near it she got a bit aggressive. I did lots of research and I have read about them being territorial so that may be it. They said she was very socialized and never bit. I think maybe she has but they didn't want me to change my mind. I'm still happy with her... I just don't want to be scared to mess with her! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Go slow with her and do not rush to interaction. Let her get used to her new household, new people and surroundings and new schedule. Let her make the first move toward friendship. Keep speaking to her softly as you move about when you are home. Stop and give her a little treat even if you just place it in her bowl. These clever birds need to feel safe first and loved second. Do take a look at where her cage is, does she have a n area she feels sheltered in? Can she see what is going on in other rooms? I my experience lots of spray misting always seems to help the birds that over preen and damage feathers and adding some good fatty acids like Red Palm Oil and some Walnuts or Almonds will not hurt the situation either. Glad you found us and I hop[e you feel welcome. More of us will be along with some great ideas and suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Then you definitely need to back off as it is much too soon for her to feel comfortable, no wonder she is biting you, she is telling you to not push her so heed her warnings. It may take weeks or months for her to feel comfortable in her new home so allow her plently of time, let her come out of her cage by herself, never go into her cage to get her for most greys think of their cage as their safety zone and intruders are not welcome, when she is ready for more interaction she will let you know. Observe her for body language for that will tell you a lot about what is going on with her, we have a thread or two concerning that so be sure to read it. You will need to work on building trust with her and it can't be rushed, it has to be earned and take it in short steps, you will not get anywhere but backwards if you push her for more than she is willing to give right now, patience is key to setting up the trust to bond with her. Most greys are prone to stress, they don't like changes, they notice everything, mine notices if I put on fingernail polish as she freaks out over it so I never wear it. Put her cage where she is where the rest of the family is as they like to be part of the family and she can see what goes on, sit by her cage and talk to her in a soft voice, give her treats and tell her what you are doing for they understand more than what we give them credit for. I doubt she will talk for a while as they usually have to be more relaxed to do that so give her time and you will hear her vocabulary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacylh77 Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 You all are amazing! I have her door open now so I will wait for her to come to me. I also have a sun conure so I know they too will need time. I am going to read other posts! Thank you and I can't wait till I have tons of stories to share. Oh and real quick... she is in the living room. We are a quiet family ... well besides Buddy the little screamer.. lol. I was also told she loves scrambled eggs so I gave her some this morning and when she was done she went and rang her bell just as they said she would do to say thank you. I just worry about over doing it with people food. I have pecans... are those ok? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I also have a sun conure so I know all about the screaming but you got to love the little buggers. We have a bird food room where you will find all kinds of threads on what to feed and not feed our greys so do take a good look thru them for ideas and suggestions, pecans are fine in moderation along with the eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Welcome to the forum. There is a lot of info here and it will take time to go through it and sort out what you need. If you can`t find what you need just ask some one will step up and help when they can. Have fun because this is a good forum with good people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morana Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Hello and welcome! :-) I just wanted to say, you already got great advice,. Just be patient and take it slow. My last parrot, that we found on one rainy day, needed six months, six hard and frustrating months to settle down but after that he was the best friend in the world. So don't feel discouraged, it may take longer than you expect/want but rest assure, they bring back ten fold for all your love, patience and troubles ;-) PS: and my birdie also bited. Hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacylh77 Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 I'm feeling good about our relationship. She is on me now making little noises. I left her cage open all day and she finally came to me. I had to put her up so I could leave out for a few minutes and as soon as I got to her cage she refused to go in and got a bit aggressive. I had to put a carrot in her bowl to get her in. I know we have a ways to go but it makes me smile knowing we are both trying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Hi Stacy, welcome to the Grey family! I look forward to hear more about your new grey and seeing some pictures when you get a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenzMama Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Hi & welcome! Sounds like you are making progress already. One of our 3 Greys is a foster we've had for just over 4 months now. Dorian is such a watchful little man out of necessity. He was relinquished due to being deemed less than perfect for minor plucking. When he was given over, he was in a small crate which was quickly shoved at the Foundation worker, along with a baggie of pellets & not much information. His 1st day with us included a long drive + a new cage in a totally unfamiliar environment. In the time we've had him, he has only come out of his cage 3 times on his own. We recognize that he was subjected to adverse conditions & treatment over time, so time is needed to overcome his fears. We progress at his pace. On a bright note, he doesn't say nearly as much all the hateful words/phrases he'd obviously had shouted at him from his prior home. Not saying your baby came from an adverse situation, just that time to adjust cannot be predicted. Please keep us posted with your progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Yes you are making progress but take it easy and slow, never push for more, just think in terms of short steps, take them for what they are and keep us informed on the progress and some pictures would be great too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacylh77 Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 Hello everyone! I stopped by the other day to try to upload pics of Elliot but I am not able to from my cell phone. My computer at home has crashed so I will as soon as I can. Well, Elliot has become so much more aggressive. I have lost a lot of confidence. She loves my son but seems to dislike me. We had a vet visit today, which went well. She had lots of yeast that is probably contributing to her feather mutilation but all else checked out well! The doc was amazing. He spent time with both of us and informed me that she is dominating me. I know its sad but definitely true. He said because she bites and doesn't let go its natural for someone to begin to fear their pet. He gave me tons of info on how to regain that trust safely and effectively. We did the dna test and they said results can take 1-3 wks. But he agrees she is probably a she cause she likes my son. I will keep you all posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bran Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Welcome to the forum Stacy!! You're posts just made me smile. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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