I think my girl is very mad at me.

[Beharry]

I'm hoping one of the pros here can help me. My grey MJ has been with me for over 2 years and she is temperamental. I get a good bite from her every 2 months or so. She has let me give her head scritches but no body touching. But now I feel she is really mad with me. A week ago I was blessed to acquire the sweetest most affectionate grey on the planet. He needed to be re-homed and I am in a position to take care of 2 grays. I have a separate bedroom for my birds and their cages are in the same room. So they see each-other and have been outside their cages in the living room with me. My problem is that MJ will no longer step up. She gets all big bad bird with me, puffs up and will bite me if I try to pick her up. I feed her first, I greet her first and talk to her a lot. My new grey travels all over the house with me and sits on my shoulder with his beak pressed up against my face. He won't land anywhere but on me or the couch. So is this a aggressive behavior from MJ just jealousy and will it pass? My new grey needs affection and attention and I'm thrilled that he trusts me and is so sweet. But MJ is being impossible. I'm afraid she'll start to pluck or get more aggressive. What can I do?

[birdhouse]

Let's see, MJ's going to be 3 in Dec, right(?) & had a kind of feisty attitude pretty much the whole way. Now, another Grey shows up in her house w/o any warning & is glued to you. Yeah, she's probably pretty unhappy about that.

 

One of the side effects of quarantining a new bird is that it allows the resident fid(s) time to get used to the new guy being in the house w/o actually interacting with or seeing their parronts interact w/it. They ease into a relationship w/the new guy over a longish period of time, then take baby steps toward socializing it into the flock.

 

MJ's not the right age or temperament to just jump right into having a new flock mate. So, you're probably going to have to make very, very extra nice to get back into her good graces. Even still it may take some weeks & a whole lot of attitude before it begins to happen.

 

It's important that you don't give her any less individual attention than normal or less than the new bird. She should really get as much extra attention as everyone can possibly give her.

 

Beyond that, I'm afraid it's about being very sensitive to what is or isn't making her happy in the moment & working with it.

Edited September 21, 2011 by birdhouse

[Luvparrots]

I have three parrots, a TAG, Ana Grey, 3, that I have had for three years; a re-homed 3 year old ZON, Louie; and a new CAG, Sterling Gris, 6 months, that has been with me for 2 months. Both the zon and Ana Grey have a total dislike for the new addition, but Sterling Gris is larger than both of them and holds his own. I have had to constantly watch them all and now, Louie, just pays no attention to Sterling Gris, and Ana Grey will tolerate Sterling Gris as long as he stays out of her space. Ana Grey owns my right shoulder and Sterling Gris the left. Both are very affectionate greys and I see that they both are cuddled and given kisses. It did take a lot of scolding of Ana Grey and letting her know she was not forgotten. I never leave Sterling Gris out alone with the other two as although he is the largest, he is still a baby and frankly I don't trust Ana Grey and Louie to leave him along when I am not in the room. What these two spoiled three-year olds have not figured out is eventually Sterling Gris, my gentle giant, will soon grow up and perhaps not be so gentle! So give it time and continue to show your older grey that she is loved and not forgotten.

[Beharry]

Yes, MJ has been feisty all along. I am giving her lots of attention but part of that was getting her out of her cage every morning and sitting with me while I had my tea, and being with me during the day. I guess it's just too soon for her to just be normal. I just hope she is willing to step up again soon.