jla Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Well today will be day 3 of my 5 month old grey being home. So far he has been nervous, and growls when I enter my hand into the cage to change food and water. I want him to have some cage free time, but unsure how to go about it. I think my main concern is how to place him back in the cage when play time if over without making it a bad experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 have you tried just opening the cage and letting your baby come out as it wants to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jla Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 Im sure he would, Im just curious how do I place him back in without making it a traumatic experience? I am worried he wont let me pick him up since he still growls at my hand from within the cage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Hi jla It would be nice if you went to the Welcome and introduction Room and tell about your self and your new grey, Is it a he or a she and what is its name We like to know our new members and chat. Thanks Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 (edited) Welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your new baby. I'm pretty new myself, so I don't feel qualified to offer much advice except to say that a calm demeanor and lots of time just sitting and talking to your baby are the way forward. Three days is the blink of an eye. Don't set a time table and let things evolve naturally. Growls are a sign of fear, so don't push things. Let your parrot set the agenda. You have 50 years with this creature ahead of you. Just radiate love and safety to your grey, and I think you will find that he will adjust and thrive just fine. Also, a hand entering a cage is more frightening than a hand outside the cage. You mentioned that you have to put your hand inside the cage to change food and water. Is the cage not built to allow you to change food and water from outside the cage by opening little doors next to the food and water dishes? I've never seen a cage without those. I think if your cage is set up like this you should change food and water without putting your hands inside the cage. When I first brought my Grey home, she was also fearful of anything entering her cage. Once she was out of her cage,however, my hand was not nearly as threatening and she stepped up nicely. Don't be discouraged. Greys know when they are loved and as you consistantly show love your you baby, you will be amazed at the progress you will see. It may take a few months, but it will come. Edited May 10, 2012 by JeffNOK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jla Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 Well yesterday I opened the door and he slowly exited his cage, walked up to the top and paced a little bit. I started doing some chores and the next thing I knew he was flying across the room and landed near the window. Guess I have to remember to close the blinds some. Anyway I went over there and pick him up, guess he scared himself so bad that he didn’t mind stepping up on my hand. I sweet talked him a little and set him back on his cage. When dinner time came, I distracted him with a grape and got him to setup without biting my hand then gently placed him back until meal time was over. After dinner I opened his door again and let him out. This time I made him setup, taking the bite until he was on my hand. Once he I had his toes pinned I started petting him and sweet talking him, doing a slight earthquake anytime he tried to nip. Didnt take long and he got the idea. After only a few minutes I was able to touch him all over, his tail, back, head, beak, and under his wings. All the while I was praising him and letting him know what a good boy he was. Then we did step-up practice, I am so impressed with how willing he was. After a few successful completions we took a break and I let him on his cage. Just to see how he would react, I brought out “the towel” to start practing, he didn’t care for it much but stepped-up anyways with it in his sights. We sat on the couch and I brought the towel closer to him, ever so slowly until he started getting uncomfortable. He walked up my arm, to my stomach and starting climbing up my chest to my shoulder, it felt good to know I was his safe spot. I hugged him told him it was alright and after a few minutes put the towel down. We had accomplished so much yesterday I didn’t want to push it. This morning I opened his cage door to take out the food bowl and he came over thinking it was play time. It was a big change from the growling I use to be greeted with! LOL So proud of my Tango! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Wow, that's what you call a fast change from frightened grey of new home to "Lets enjoy each other"! You shold be proud of Tango and yourself. In regards the towel, just let him get used to the look and feel. Once he is used to it you may find him playing with it and wrapping it around himself. Let this evolve naturally and interact when you are sure he would enjoy you doing so with him. It is important that he views the towel as something enjoyable, not just what is used to hold him when you must. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 jla... you are doing GREAT! Focus on learning stepup, stepdown. In my experience, toweling makes them MORE nervous. I always taught stepup with my hand, but I know many people have taught stepup other ways. I was always sure that bird being taller than me on cage, caused more aggression, so I always had a stepstool available. ( not everyone believes in this, but I do). I also believe in " wrist status only"... until my grey understood what I expected. When I got Sophie at age two, she immediately went into terrible twos. I allowed her on my wrist only. Oneday, I was on the computer, she was hanging on my wrist. She started biting the air! Saying... " NO BITE!" She did it over and over. I knew she wanted to bite me, but she knew I didn't like it! It was a " forever" changing point in our life. I KNEW she finally understood. I called the kids... was doing a celebration dance with Sophie... they all thought I was crazy, including Sophie! I knew I was NOT crazy. Sophie went to my shoulder that day, and has been there ever since. I haven't been bitten since! ( a parent, always knows!) Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I am impressed. You and Tango have done really well in just a few days. I suspect he came from a very good and caring breeder. Flying is great exercise for a young Grey but make sure your room, floor and windows are parrot safe. Steve n Misty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Oneday, I was on the computer, she was hanging on my wrist. She started biting the air! Saying... " NO BITE!" She did it over and over. I knew she wanted to bite me, but she knew I didn't like it! It was a " forever" changing point in our life. Nancy LOL, thats hilarious!!! I wish my grey would just bite the air and yell No Bite - No Bite, rather than nailing me. Alas, it will probably never happen.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeFernandez22 Posted May 12, 2012 Share Posted May 12, 2012 Okay.. silly question, but what is this "toweling" you guys are referring to? Sorry for my ignorance, this is all new to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezron Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Good job Jla! You are on the right track with Tango. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Okay.. silly question, but what is this "toweling" you guys are referring to? Sorry for my ignorance, this is all new to me Toweling is referring to what you have to do at times in their life when something happens and you have to use a towel to restrain them for some procedure such as a broken blood feather or maybe they get injured and you have to keep them from further hurting themselves and you. Usually when you take them to the vet he will wrap them in a towel as it makes working on them easier. Most if not all greys will fear a towel but some members will play games with their greys using a towel like in hide and seek so they become more familiar with being around a towel. If your bird took a fall and broke a wing a towel is a must to keep them from damaging it any further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeFernandez22 Posted May 13, 2012 Share Posted May 13, 2012 Thanks for the clarification! Makes perfect sense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 oh goodness and FALLS are super easy for them ! :rolleyes: Marco took a tumble off the top of the cage over the weekend and fell between the wall and the cage thankfully she is ok but it happens so quickly! we started to play the "towel peek a boo game" and just putting anything over her head she takes it well and nips at it in fun hopefully if I ever need to, she'll be ok with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 14, 2012 Share Posted May 14, 2012 danmcq... Yes... it CAN happen! That was my goal, and was alot of work! Timeout for five minutes, for every bite, in a timeout cage.( NEVER, their cage). When Sophie finally understood after six months, It was a celebration. ( believe me, she was quite spoiled, but... got five minutes for any bite!) We were all exhausted! I haven't been bitten since. Many people will comment " I was abusive", blah blah! Sophie has never been abused, very spoiled, and VERY sure of herself! She is a perfect angel, with open door cage. Her best friends are other birds and dogs. Its worked for us. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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