Guest ilovemygrey Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 (edited) Hello My husband and I had been quite interested and intrigued with birds, especially the African Grey, when we stumbled upon an ad selling one for 500.00 with the cage online...a steal.. We drove three hours north to pick it up. I stood in shock as the owner pulled up in a Ford truck with this bird in a cage, uncovered and scared. he rode that way in the back of a pick up for twenty minutes!!!! The cage was like a Guinea pig cage or something, being very small and extremely uncomfortable-looking-it was rusty and very dirty. (We bought him a large, very nice one which he is in now). The toys were from the 18th century and worn and probably as old as the bird, ten years or so. I am a major animal lover so all of this broke my heart. Now we have him home-brought him home yesterday and he has shown us that he can do call and response whistles and "dance" up and down. These are great. I know not to expect anything especially in this situation or normally since I must first earn his trust. My husband reached into the cage to adjust something and Jaq'O bit him and drew blood. I had heard this would happen and could but I didn't expect it right off the bat. I immediately became very discouraged, but then I remembered that I had to keep in mind the horrible life that this bird may have had...at least it sure looks that way. They told us that he is a boy. So...we FINALLY got him into the new, fancy cage after my husband picked him up with two super-duper thick gloves and placed him inside quickly. Now...what now? We are afraid to open the cage back up. How do we deal with the newness and the biting situation? He seems to look okay and all, but he rubs his beak on one of the perches in the new cage. The mean lady that had him even had the nerve to tell us that she often kept him outside on the porch-that she put him in such a small cage so she could "get to him easier". I am in love. I joined this forum to help give Jaq'O the best life possible and be the best mommy I can be to him. I want to make him happy and see him thrive. So, If you have any ideas or comments on my situation, the biting, or advice, I would love to hear. Thanks guys! Edited May 6, 2012 by ilovemygrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Kudos to you and your hubby for rescuing this sweet grey. Jaq'O is most likely quite scared and because of his ill treatment most likely believes you and hubby will do the same. So relax and talk quietly to Jaq'O. Let him get use to his new cage and being treated like the sweet grey he could be. We have a Rescue Room for threads about mistreated greys and Jaq'O so fits that description. For now, just talk to Jaq'O and let him relax and get full of healthy and nutritious foods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Hi ilovemygrey and welcome to the grey forum. I think the first thing you should do is give him a chance to settle in to his new home with new people and new surroundings. As bad as his life might have been he now has to face something new and does not know what to expect. Give him the time he needs to feel better about what is going on with his life. Sit by his cage and talk to him or just sit there and be with him, give him a treat when you go by his cage so when he sees you coming he knows something good will happen. Remember a grey is very smart and they sometimes over thing about whats going on with their life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Just let Jaq'O chill and observe. Sit beside his cage and talk to him quietly. It's best if his cage is up against at least one wall so that he doesn't have to be 'on guard' from all directions. Somewhere he can observe the activities of his new flock, but have some security in his new cage. Also, try to limit the things that might startle him. For example, if you are coming into the room let him know. If you are carrying something that might scare him, warn him. Once, when Dorian was still new here, I came into the room carrying a big box and it scared the stuffing out of him, caused him to startle off a perch and break a feather. Now, as long as I warn him, and tell him 'it' won't hurt him, he knows he's safe. That kind of trust takes time to build, especially with a bird who has been abused and neglected. Also, grey time is slooooowwww. With a rescue situation like yours, we could be talking in terms of months, even years, before he is the bird you want him to be. Luckily, we have that time because greys are so long lived. It can be frustrating for us humans, but learn to celebrate every little step forward. We're here to cheer you on. Bless you for rescuing this little grey soul. He doesn't know it yet, but his life is going to get better every day from this day forward. <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Remember a grey is very smart and they sometimes over thing about whats going on with their life. Yeah, you can bet he's sitting there furiously trying to figure out what the heck is happening. One thing I forgot, greys need 10 - 12 hours of dark sleep time every night. It will help his stress and help him be more resilient to the changes going on in his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Please don't take that bite personally as this bird is in an all new to him surroundings and it doesn't sound like he came from very good conditions to start with so it will take some time for him to feel comfortable in his new forever home. He needs time to settle in and it is advisable to not reach inside his cage with him in it for some birds view their cage as their safety zone and become territorial about it so if something needs adjusting wait until he is out to do those things. Just take your time with him, you can open his door and step back and see if he wants to come out, I would always do this instead of reaching into the cage to get him, that way he makes the decision to come out or not, if he does then let him explore the top of his cage. Don't rush towards him if he comes out, just let him show you if he wants any interaction with you but don't be surprised if he stays a little standoffish for a while as he begins to feel comfortable, let him make the decision if he wants to step up onto your hand. One thing you can do is both of you get in the floor with a couple of toys when he comes out and act like you are playing with them and having a good time, it might be enough to entice him to want to join you, if not then try again another time until he does join in. Keep in mind that this is a mature bird and will take longer to win him over, he has been mistreated and probably doesn't have good feelings towards humans right now so it will be a difficult task to gain his trust but it can be done if you are patient enough to let time take its course, a grey's trust has to be earned and you might think it will never happen but it will if you follow our advice. Greys love to wipe their beak on perches or most anything, it helps to keep their beak in proper order and if they eat something that sticks to their beak they are going to wipe it off with whatever is available, sometimes even shirts. By all means read thru as many of the threads here for you will find lots of helpful advice and if you have any questions feel free to ask and we will help you in any way we can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Congrats! I am sure all of this sounds backwards and i am guessing you want nothing more than to hold and kiss and love your new fid and assure him everything will be alright, right? Lol, i know that feeling! The best thing you can do for him is be patient! He needs to adjust and feel safe. You need to take it slow with him and let him lead the way. Please know for your own peace, this could take months, and as some here have experienced, years. Expose him to the good things, toys, veggies, fruits and your new best friend almonds! ( but keeps these to a few a day, all about that can be found in the health room) Please do post in the rescue thread and you will learn alot from those who have been and who are in your shoes! You and your husband have done a wonderful thing, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Thanks for taking Jaq'O into your heart and home. I know it is discouraging when you know you just made his life exponentially better and you will be patient and kind to him, but he doesn't know that yet. We have an older grey with "issues" and past rehomes. We have had him a year now and he is just now starting to play and sometimes will be trusting and sweet and ask for a scratch, but it takes a long while for these guys to settle in sometimes. It all depends on the parrot and his own personality and experience. While the small cage is inadequate and let his previous people "get him", he still is probably attached to it because it is what he knows. He is scared and disoriented and biting is his first recourse to try to stop what he sees as an intrusion. The biting and defensiveness is exactly what to expect right from the get go. It will take a little time and the above posts have the best advice. It may seem unnatural to just let him be left to settle with a minimal of interaction. They build trust slowly with every interaction that ends on a positive note. After about a week of settling in, he may be a little less fearful. If you approach and he growls or gets agitated just tell him okay, not now and back away. Sometimes I would stand with my hands behind my back and just talk as it took Gilbert a while to start coming toward me with interest. He is just now starting to explore his toys, they have scared him too much to play or explore and he just now starting to feel more at ease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ilovemygrey Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Thanks everyone for all of the helpful and encouraging comments and information! Please keep them coming as we are completely new to this whole part of life. Also... My husband opened the door to the new cage, and instead of instantly transferring himself from the old rusty cage to the nicer, cleaner one, the bird Jaq'O ended up coming out after about an hour and a half and climbing on top of the old cage and just sat and hung out with us, and bobbed his head. However, we soon realized we had no idea how we were going to get him back in the cage or either cage...so, my husband had to put on snow gloves to handle him into the new cage without getting bitten. So...if we let him out at his leisure, how would we go about getting him back in? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I don't know if the other members will agree with me or not, but my instinct is to let him hang in his new cage and keep the door shut for at least a few days. I know this is contrary to the common assertion that a grey needs several hours of out-of-cage time to be happy and healthy, but here's my thinking. If you have to glove/towel him to get him into his cage, then that is the opposite of ending every interaction on a positive note. In addition to being afraid of you, he's probably afraid of all the space in his new cage. To be happy, a grey needs to feel his cage is a safe place. If you have to manhandle him to put him into the new cage he may start to associate negative emotions to the new cage, and to you. I would leave the door closed and let him settle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 (edited) Welcome to the forum. The others have given you so much good information here to think about and apply. If you let him out of his cage as described, the problem will always be how you are going to get him back in. The first thing to try is see if he knows "Step-up" using say a one inch diameter 12 inch long perch you slowly move forward and under his his body asking step-up? Watch to see if one of his talons start to raise, if so he will step up and you can then just place him in the cage with it letting him step on to another perch in it. If he is not willing to step up, the best thing to do is use a towel, not welding gloves. You do not want him to associate bad things with hands. Do you know how old is Jaq'O? That ride in the back of the truck with out a doubt had him terrified and confused. The arrival at a new home, new people, new cage and new everything inside the home has him very nervous. I think the best thing you could do at this time is to leave him in the new cage and just let him chill in the security of it. It will take days or even weeks for him to settle completely in and get used to his new surroundings and loving people. Getting bitten, especially by a mistreated and new parrot is not at all unexpected as he is protecting himself from he perceives as a predator and enemy initially. Thus the great comments from everyone here saying to take things very slowly. So do not be discouraged that he was not over joyed and just willing to jump in to your loving arms for hugs all the way around. A parrot is unlike a dog in every way. They are not domesticated and are still very wild at heart even if born, hand fed and raised by humans. Their primal instincts are that of a wild parrot when what the perceive as adversity strikes. You did the most important thing of all and that was rescuing him from the deplorable living conditions he was in. The best thing to do know is make him feel safe and loved. This only comes through a lot of time and patience. As the others have already said, do the following things: 1. Leave him in the cage. Out of cage time now is not the most important thing. It is him getting used to everything from a safe place. 2. Sit near and just chill, talk to him, watch TV, read a book etc. just sitting right next to his cage. 3. Carefully offer treats he may love like an almond, pistachio, walnut, piece of apple, grape etc. Try this through the cage bars, but watch closely to make sure he takes the treat rather than bite the fingers offering it. 4. Make certain the cage is placed where he can see you and family from so he feels like a part of the flock. 5. Watch his body language to determine if he his in a aggressive mode mode i.e. coming at you with head lowered and feathers ruffled meaning he is going to bite or wants you to back off. If he is just sitting with feathers fluffed, maybe preening or grinding his beak, he is a happy camper. There are many more things than this small list, but they are the basics in bring home a rescued grey. Please post as often as you wish with any questions or comments. As you have seen, we have many knowledgeable members here that love to help. Edited May 6, 2012 by danmcq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ilovemygrey Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I just want to thank each and everyone of you who helped out with the posts, Your advice and guidance with encouragement is so so very much appreciated! I am so grateful for all of you and your help. Its such a relief to know that there is such wonderful help here for us and Jaq'O! I love him so much and am willing to wait for the ultimate trust that someday, whenever, we will have. Thanks again!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murfchck Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I am also not a fan of groves, it is scary to them to see that coming at them. I know he doesn't want to get bitten but it is going to happen sooner or later and sometimes often. The trick is for us, when it happens, not to react to it in front of them. That way they learn that the biteing is not effective and they will stop trying that. Right now he is training you that he is going to bite and you are showing him that you have learned his lesson by putting on the gloves. Try using a perch or dowl instead at first, he is scared and rightfully so. I agree to leave him in the new cage, door open though when you have the time to encourage him back in. I have a macaw who won't go back in his cage when i need him to but a nut in his food bowl works every time! The first bite is the scariest, the second, you know what to expect so the pain is less, the third even less, the fourth, even less. By the fifth bite, you giggle to yourself asking why was i so afraid of this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 (edited) Welcome and well done "ilovemygrey " Thank you for giving this poor Grey a new chance for happiness. All the others have already given you great advice so all I will say is have an avian vet give Jaq'O a health check once he has settled and have him microchipped. Thank you again and please keep us updated on Jaq'O's progress. Steve n Misty Edited May 6, 2012 by Mistyparrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momo Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 hi ilovemygrey, welcome to the forum (im also new here as well and if u research in this forum, u can find all the answer of your problem) everybody give you really good advice already but i want to share my experience if u dont mind i got my momo from rescue,they said he came with a nasty cage and the ex-owner dsnt even change his watter bowl for almost 1 week.the water is getting yellow and the bowl very slippery,so they throw all his stuff.his wings is brutally clip,he never had a toy,and his body really shaking when there is human get near him. the first day i bring him home,he was very bad.biting,screaming,shaking and always prepare himself for an 'attack'. my experience: i let him settle down for 3 weeks and i dont let him out untill 1 month (i wait till he dsnt scream at all when i get near) after 1 month he go out of his cage and he ALWAYS come back himself.what i do until now is:''food management'' i let him eat breakfast as much as he wants,and i let him out-TAKE OUT HIS BOWL.around 2 pm i put little bit of snack that he likes but not much(cuz i dont want to starve him till dinner time)-and TAKE OUT HIS BOWL AGAIN.and around 7pm i put him greatful dinner with all the things that he loves.it never failed me.he always come with pleasure to finish his bowl-and then CLOSE THE DOOR.(he dsnt step up yet so this is the best method that work for me) with this method,i dont need to catch him and he dsnt feel being 'force' to come back. slowly i sit and talk near him,give him fav food and exactly on second month i had him,i can touch him.nowdays i can pet him really easy and actually he asking for it. i hope this help u,and thanks to give the bird good home. cheers,good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 Acappella as well as others, have excellent advice. I would keep door closed, to allow bird to feel safe, get use to cage. Cage should be opened, when you are home, ready to practice stepup training and exploration of play gym. Only when supervision is available. Yes, I have " open door" concept. It was alot of work and required 24/7 supervision. The concept was not even possible, until Sophie new how to stepup and down, trusted all family members, as well as dogs. Dogs also needed to trust and love her, home needed to be child proofed. We got there... but it was a HUGE commitment, on everyone's part. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ilovemygrey Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 OMG guys!!! We have been extremely unsuccessful in all of our attempts to work with Jaq'O, but just begun holding a treat in one hand and attempting to touch his beak with the other finger in the other hand, telling him i want to "pet." So, this last time, after I tried a couple of times and he darted, I told him i meant it and that i loved him as he danced and mimiced my chh chhk chhk noise. I was so brave that after he trusted me enough to pet his nose I put my finger in his mouth, I know right? And,...maybe he knew i felt no fear. All I knew was that I really wanted him to be loved more than anything and feel it. I stroked his tongue back and forth once, and then praised him with his usual "good boy" and a banana, his favorite!!! I know I shouldn't get my hopes up and get overly excited, and maybe it was dangerous for my finger, but I wanted to... Any thoughts on how to further proceed? Should I try again? or what? Thanks soooo much!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Y'know that saying, 'always leave them wanting more'? Well, it's golden with a grey. You did great, ending the interaction while it was still positive instead of pushing until he had to push you away. That's how you build trust. Now, just hold that little success in your heart and give him some time to mull it over. Because greys are so intelligent, you can bet he's busy in his little head trying to figure you and the rest of his strange new flock out. He may be just as surprised by your interaction as you are. You're doing great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ilovemygrey Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 I just noticed that Jaq'O has a silver -metal-ring around his right ankle. I have no clue why....do you? Is this anything in particular? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 That would be an id band put on by his breeder when he was a baby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ilovemygrey Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Why is it that my Grey decided to pick up all his food out of the bowl and throw it into the floor. Is he angry? there is a bunch of newly poured food in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 (edited) I just noticed that Jaq'O has a silver -metal-ring around his right ankle. I have no clue why....do you? Is this anything in particular? You need to make a note of any letters or numbers on this ring so in the event of Jaq'O going AWOL you can prove his identity. Just saying he is grey with a red tail won't be much help! If you can, try to find if you bird is registered anywhere so you can have them link the registration with your address. I would still have him microchipped as a backup. If he does get lost or even stolen it can happen that some thieves will cut the ring off! Greys are very conscious of their personal space and they don't like to be touched by people or parrots they are not confident about and even then they will let you know when they want a little petting. Just like humans Greys have moods so you need to respect his feelings. There will be times when he just wants to be left in peace! and times when he wants to play and interact with you . They usually tolerate beak touching better than other areas. The next favoured part is the back of the neck but this needs more trust as it is a more vulnerable area. With Misty I can touch his beak at any time but if I try to tickle the back of his neck without is permission he will move away. He tells me he is in the mood by saying either "Your all right" or "Tickel tickle". Because Misty was was clipped when I got him which he clearly hated and even now he very much dislikes having his wings touched so I respect that. All these things come with time and patience. Keep on as you are but watch for his body language and do not push yourselves on him. Steve n Misty Edited May 7, 2012 by Mistyparrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Why is it that my Grey decided to pick up all his food out of the bowl and throw it into the floor. Is he angry? there is a bunch of newly poured food in there. No he is not angry. They are just messy eaters! One of the joys of living with a Grey:D What do you feed him on? Steve n Misty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ilovemygrey Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Jaq'O has two silver bowls in his cage and we feed him parrot food we bought that said parrot food on the bag, lol. He gets aggressive though when my husband tries to change the food and water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 It would be wonderful for him if you can begin to offer him some fresh or cooked foods especially some dark greens and bright colored veggies & fruits. We have a number of older posts you may want to read through with some "greyt" healthy food ideas to try with him. He may have had a very limited selection so don't be discouraged if he chooses not to try the new stuff at first. Do go slowly with your interactions lets build that trust first, good on you for saving Jaq'o. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now