Introducing Mister Beak

[MisterGoofy]

Hello

 

I have a four and a half years old grey called Mister Beak.

 

All was harmonious until about three months ago. At first, he became reluctant to be picked up and would squawk (which he rarely does) and become increasingly agitated when I tried to handle him. His anxiety increased over a couple of weeks such that he would not leave the room his cage was in and, eventually, he would not leave his cage itself.

 

Physically he was fine with no other signs of stress. He continued his usual varied diet and I carried on my usual routine of being around him and talking. After a couple of weeks he started beaking my fingers (nicely) when I was changing something in his cage but would neither step up nor leave the cage. This went on for a few weeks.

 

Perhaps three weeks ago, he started leaving his cage again. A few days after that and he started to land on me again. A few days later yet and he resumed stepping up and following me around the house, playing when he wanted to or cosying up for a scratch. His behaviour now is the same as it was before the episode. If anything, he now seems more watchful and even more inquisitive.

 

Has anyone had a similar experience? I'd be grateful for your thoughts and am happy to answer any queries.

 

Many thanks

 

MrG

Edited March 13, 2012 by MisterGoofy

[judygram]

Hello MisterGoofy and welcome to our family, so glad you could join us.

Well this behavior is a little unusual but something happened to make him react to you that way, it could have been anything, even something you would not have noticed but he did. Maybe he was not feeling well or something was hurting him or maybe it was just a phase he was going thru and now it is over and done with. I only have experience with one grey but we have some members who have more than one so maybe one of them will have a better idea of what may have been going on. Bet you are glad he is back to his old self, I can imagine you are worrying that it may happen again but at least you kept the same routine with him and when he was ready he went back to his normal self.

[Pria]

Mister Beak! I love it!

[Ray P]

Greys are so smart. Like Judy said you may have done something with out knowing it that upset him so he was going to make you pay the price.

So when your grey thinks you paid enough they let you back into their life like nothing happened. The little stinkers.

They really know how to play the game.

 

P.S. Welcome to the grey forum to you and Mister Beak

Edited March 13, 2012 by Ray P

[Greywings]

It sounds like he had a little fright at some point you may not even have been involved. A scary sound or something outside the window and it upped his caution levels for a while. You were smart and behaved as if nothing were different not adding pressure to step up allowed him to become reassured in the trust between you. Good Grey person!

[MisterGoofy]

Many thanks for your helpful replies. I can only think he might've received a shock of some kind when I wasn't around that set him on a "high-alert" mode. The advice that I'd read about before deciding to get a grey, mostly from Sally Blanchard's excellent "Companion Parrot Handbook", proved good eventually. In any case, he continues to be happy to be in my company and I in his, so all is well.

 

Take care out there.

 

MrG