bran Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 (edited) What a way to wake up this am!! Now before I go into this rather interesting and somewhat comical story, I have to foreshadow... and tell you about Dexter. I had wanted an African Grey for twenty years, and actually had a subscription to Bird Talk from the time I was twelve. Through the years I had my share of smaller birds, and even a Mexican Red Amazon, but never had the funds or the opportunity to find that perfect Grey. Fast forward to Seattle Washington, a relationship where I wasn't portrayed as a crazy "bird person", time, funds and most important the maturity to make a lifetime commitment to a Grey. Doing my research for weeks, looking for the perfect opportunity, I found Dexter on Ebay classifieds "Timneh African Grey for forever home". I did research about adopting an older bird and basically stayed up in antiscipation (yep like a kid on xmas am)... and fell in love with him when we finally met. Twelve years old... gives kisses, and seemed to be full of personality. Can you spell SOLD? I was actually expecting a little more of a transition with Dexter, but he basically took over the house, and became the clown that loves to make people laugh. Woo-Hoo! We have traveled with him in his travel cage (which he LOVES), and we have had to get used to his "own" personality, and the things he likes. Dexter isnt that physically affectionate and gets a little "goosey" sounding when I go to pick him up or anything that involves the hand. He is very nervous when he is on his cage and you approach (even slowly and with warning) and I actually think he may have been struck by a previous owner with how he cowers. Okay, thanks for reading this far... This am I was awoken by my partner who said "dexter bit my lip" I of course was shocked, and still half asleep. Now until this point Dexter had bit him a couple times, but nothing major. I said "you can't take it personally" and "he's still a bird, and doesnt have the ability to put his little claw in the air and say, leave me alone, so that's his way of communicating". I got up, and saw that he was had been recovered and NO morning treat, as I uncovered him, he was "canoodling" with his foraging toy (he swings it back and forth and lets it pet his neck) My partner then said "I dont think it's fair that he has never bitten you" (yes in a year he has never struck me, nor bitten me). "I responded with "well it's because I am an alpha personality"... Spoke too soon! BAM Dexter bit into me like a cow in an Amazon river and he was a piranha. I tried to stick my distance going right in to the breast bone to get him to step up, but there was this look in his eye, and I knew I just needed to give him a do-over and calm down. So I waited until he calmed down, and tried it again. He gave the saddest little squeak and you could feel the "I'm sorry" oozing out from his little body, all morning he has been rather somber, and doing his ususal playing just very quietly. I chalk it up to a bad morning, and The HoneyMoon is Over. Just remember new grey owners, don't get cocky... and remember, if your beloved little fid doesn't take a bite out of crime, but takes a bite out of you, don't take it personally... they are just communicating the only way that they know how. [/b] Edited January 14, 2011 by bran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Lots of personality there. Thanks for sharing!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 What is it they say, "Never say never" guess Dexter decided it was time for your first bite, it happens but from your description he was truly sorry for what he did, just take it in stride as it will likely happen again and it happens to the best of us even me, at least you are a good sport about it, thanks for sharing that story with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdnut Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Sorry you got bitten, but good job in shaking it off and moving on. Any bird can bite, and none of us should get too complacent. (When I saw this thread title, I thought it must be about lovebirds ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bran Posted January 14, 2011 Author Share Posted January 14, 2011 okay... Update. Dexter went after me again, this time drawing blood... and puffed up like a sumo wrestler. I was reading an article about hormones and behavior. This actually blew me away, because I thought to myself... this is my TAG! However, can Timneh's have such hormonal shifts at 12? Its cold dark and winter in Seattle, don't breeding behaviors happen during spring?? I recently bought him a toy a few weeks ago, and I did notice that's when his behavior started shifting (also this is when he bit my partner for the first time). He started cuddling with it, and I have never seen him act this way with ANYTHING... friends joked "oh he has a new girlfriend" the voice in my head said "I hope this doesnt cause some weird breeding behavior". So is this a possibility? I have chosen to give him space today, and see how it goes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotfaith1989 Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Rocky bit my finger *hard* for the first time a couple days ago. It HURT like the dickens and I think he got a nerve because it tingled for awhile! But I know he thought my finger was *the bad guy* and didn't intentionally WANT to hurt me so I shook it off. Meanwhile, I'm training my husband to let it go easier when Rocky nips him. My husband has a harder time forgiving and understanding Rocky is a bird, not a dog, and also has a harder time understanding Rocky's body language so ends up getting bit when I normally would have recognized Rocky didn't want to be messed with and walked away. Thanks for sharing your story! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Our grey Corky is for the most part sweet and gentle but every now and than she will make sure you are paying attention. She just turned 10 and we have had her from a baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pearllyn Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 What a great post. It's a little reminder to us all that while, for the most part, we have the most darling, unobnoxious birds, sometimes they wake up on the wrong side of the perch... so we must give them some space! We all have bad days - why can't they? Great post - thanks for sharing. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bran Posted January 15, 2011 Author Share Posted January 15, 2011 after yet more and more research, I have limited the full spectrum lamp near his cage to a minimum. I have taken the "Heidi Fleiss toy" out of the cage, and he seems to not be soooo territorial. Let's hope that this works, and my lieel hormonal boy can get back to his normal self. Live and learn... Thanks everyone for your responses!! Nice to be part of a forum that doesn't have such cliqueish uppedy people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) I don't think a group of people who spend as much time as we do talking about poop could ever be uppity. Edited January 15, 2011 by Acappella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 There is always high class poop from rich birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdnut Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Yeah, like the my poop smells better than your poop thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 If you say so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Thanks for the smile today you two! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 YOur right, the honeymoon is over, biting is a normal behavior many times and you just need to be very acute at reading his body language. It has nothing to do with hormones, it's a parrot and when body language is missed, bites occur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morana Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 after yet more and more research, I have limited the full spectrum lamp near his cage to a minimum. Well I also read that breeding behaviors can be induced by artificially extending the photo period to 14-16 hours. How long, exactly ,did you had your lamp on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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