New parrot owner and in need of advice

[EllieMae]

Hi Everyone

I am a brand new parrot owner. I have teils and keets but I just brought home my newest family member today. I've been researching and reading about greys for about a year now. I had planned on going to a rescue to get one when I felt qualified but I was rushed into it by my heart this morning. I'd heard of this family that was selling their bird because it "wasn't acting right" any longer. Well I emailed this person all morning and upon learning that he had this poor baby in the garage because he didn't what what to do with it I finally after several emails convinced him to sell me his Grey for $300, half of what he was origionally asking. This poor baby is probably going to be a problem child for quite a few months but I am so determined to do what it takes and win his trust and let him know that he is home and will be loved. Here is what I know about him. This poor guy was bought a little under a year ago with a mate that he had been with for two years. The people that bought them clipped theirs wings and pretty much gave them run of the house. The female was the most active and friendly and the male (mine) was kind of reserverd and preferred to stay close to his cage. Well they took them outside with them when they went out and barbqued and things and let them free outside. On one of these occasions approx. two months ago they left the birds unattended for a period of 1-2 hours. They went back out and the male was back in his cage and the felmale was gone. All they found was a pile of feathers. They explained to me that a while before they had lost a cockateil to the neighbors cat in the back yard. (Idiots) So due to the trauma that this poor guy has endured with the loss of his mate and possibly being attacked as well he screams and growls at anyone that gets too close to him. This was too much for them to handle and they put him in a 12 in x 18in x 18in travel carrier and stuck him in the garage and that is how I got him. He's home and calm until I within 3 feet of him. I need any advice on how to help him. I'm sorry this is so long but I wanted you to know most of what I know.

Thanks in advance

[Luvparrots]

Well, I truly hope you really are "determined to do what it takes and win his trust and let him know that he is home and will be loved" because you will have to have lots of patience and love for this poor confused guy. What is your grey's name? When you say he lost his mate, I am assuming that they were not really breeders just a young male and female who lived together, not nesting. More informationa about this will help.

 

First, relax and let your grey get use to his new home. He is, or course, frightened and unsure of that is happening so talk to him quietly and let he know what you are doing around him. Don't try and touch him, if he is unwilling to be touched. Let him come to you when he is ready.

 

Frankly, I am really excited for you and your new friend and believe with love and patience you will have a true companion for many years. There are oodles of threads about greys at the forum and if you have any questions, just ask. Welcome to the Grey family.

[Timbersmom]

Hello and welcome!

[EllieMae]

They said his name was Big Daddy but they never used his name or talked to him so I've been calling him Leo. As far as his mate.. The previous owners mentioned a breeder box but said they had not had babies just that they had been paired up for two years befor they aquired them almost a year ago. As for being determined.. yes I am. I am home all day and have been researching these guys for a while just got this guy earlier than expected due to his living conditions..I just couldn't let him live like that. I have a 4ft x 4ft cage being delivered tomorrow and feel like I'm in for a roller coaster ride but so ready for the challenge. I just want Leo to be happy and healthy. I'm so excited and nervous all at the same time. I've just been talking to him and not getting to close so as not to aggitate him. I'm just worried about the process of getting hoim from one cage to the big one tomorrow

[katana600]

Since he has been in a small cage in the garage, it might be his "safety zone". One of the early mistakes I made with our ten year old rehomed Timneh was to try to give him too much too soon and it might have gone a little better if I had given him a little time to acclimate before making too many changes at once. Even though you have wonderful things in store for him, he doesn't know that yet. Find a good vet to be your partner because they will be able to access in person what kind of traits are innate to greys and what things might be health or trauma based. Our vet made a recommendation for Gilbert that changed his life with a homeopathic formula. Congratulations on taking a big step. Thanks for reading and preparing and for joining our forum. We will learn with you as you make this little fellow feel like a valued flock member.

[kitt4kaz]

I feel horrible for this poor baby coming from where he came from and I am so happy that you decided to adopt him! I am a new grey owner myself so I don't have any advice but just wanted to tell you welcome! Please keep us posted on his progress.

[Greywings]

Thank you for stepping up and giving this frightened traumatized guy a new start, patience will be your most important tool.

[DanielaWelborn]

Thank you for taking on this relationship. I had a dog that lived under my couch for six month after I adopted him. Dogs live for about 15 years? on average. I had my Grey for a month, he is four years old, and lives to be about 40 to 60 years old? You do the math.

Patience and a routine will work for you. I am German, I like routines:)

[murfchck]

Congrats to you and Leo! You are doing a wonderful thing and will be rewarded 2 fold in time. I was able to move my rehomed boy right into his new cage but others had to put their old cage by the new one and let them choose when they wanted to move in. Each bird is different and what works for one may not for another so take your time and don't give up! As far as food goes, the best advice i ever got was this: what they hate one day, they may like the next so keep offering all the good stuff.

[danmcq]

When you do get the new cage, I would not place any toys etc. in it. Just leave it bare bones with the food and water cups to ensure there is nothing in it that would possibly frighten him. After such a traumatic life and final occurrence of having a cat probably capture and tear his mate to pieces, there is no doubt he has learned to be very fearful of our human world and environment. As you stated that you are ready for the long haul, that indicates to me you fully understand this is going to take a lot of time and patience for him to become familiarized with the new home, furnishings, people, sounds etc. Just be in the area where he is as much as possible and stay at whatever distance his comfort zone is and read, watch tv, talk to him etc. Over time you can move in closer and closer just by watching his reaction day to day as you do so. Of course we all know there are times everyday you will need to encroach his zone and cage to keep him with food, water and a clean cage. He will just have to put up with that of course.

 

My hat is off to you for being willing to take him in knowing the long road you have to walk down of just providing time and patience, along with knowing that you have no idea or guarantee of just how close this relationship will become over the months and years. The good news is, it can only get better and there is no limit to just how close that relationship may become. I have known several rescued basket cases that have turned in to a kind and loving grey that you would never know had ever experienced the atrocities mankind has put them through.

 

So good luck and use us and or members as your support and sounding board. Thanks for coming to this forum.

Edited November 23, 2012 by danmcq

[judygram]

Hello EllieMae and welcome to our family.

Thanks to you for giving this grey a new chance at a real life, the others have given you some sound advice so just take it slow and easy. He is frightened right now and growling is to be expected so stay back until he shows signs of wanting you closer, speak softly to him, tell him what you are doing, offer him treats and don't push him for more than he is willing to give right nowl.

I think he can become an awesome companion if you are willing to give it the time and patience he needs for a good adjustment, your being at home will only help in this transition and I predict that next year at this time he will be an entirely new grey.

[EllieMae]

Hi Everybody

I'd like to say thanks to you all for your support and wonderful advise. Today is day 4 and things seem to be going well. We got the cage here and set up on Wed. I hadn't read the new posts so I set up with 4 perches of different thickness two toys and a ladder. The cage he came in was small enough to set in the door of his new cage so I just put it half way in the door and as the big open cage was more desirable than my hand being so close to him he went right into the cage. He went to the back corner and sat there all hunched up looking like a sad little penguin. He stayed like that for about 2 hours but then one of my cockateils Sassy Sammy decided that she wanted to talk to this new guy and hopped up on his cage and walked back and forth calling to him and getting aggitated because he wouldn't answer so she climbed down the cage to meet him at eye level and started calling him again. He looked at her and started preening and ignoring her completely. She climbed back to the top and this time he followed her. Yesterday she started bugging him.. she would run across the top and poke him in the head and run away. I moved her over to the top of the Cockateil cage but she kept going back and he ended up nipping her toe. It bled a little and it's sore but she's fine and hopefully will leave him alone now. I have his cage set up next to my couch and I sit close to him while I'm in here. I basically just go to the cage talk to him and put a treat in his food bowl and walk away. I can sit in the floor directly below him and talk to him and he's fine but when I stand in front of him he screams and growls. But the diffence from just 4 days ago is very reassuring. He's eating great. They were feeling him a seed mixture from Tractor supply but I bought him two types of pellets and he seem to like that. I've been giving him two or three different types of fruit and veggies each day to see what he likes and does not like. He loves grapes but throws honey dew melon on the floor. The banana also went to the floor. He nibbled a bit on the cauliflour. I'm really hoping that things continue to improve, I want so badly to see him in a much happier mood. Thanks again to everyone

Edited November 24, 2012 by EllieMae

[Luvparrots]

Great update on your new grey. Nice and slow with lots of patience is truly the way to go. Watch the toe nipping as those parrot beaks are very strong and can take a toe off in an instant. I can't wait to hear more and see some pictures!!

[pjbmom]

Your a good person for helping this poor bird out. Alot of patience will be needed. Good luck to you. I have only been on this forum for a few months and love reading the post and posting myself for advice. Good luck, look forward to hearing progress on your new addition.

[PerchDriverBri]

Definitely watch the toe nipping. Our Jenday and our keet both have "special toes" from another bird in the house. They get so determined to make friends/show off that they forget totally about the pain that they have been through before.

 

Keep doing what you're doing. Our grey was very limited as far as acceptance to touch goes when we first got her. We were patient with her and let her set the pace for what she would handle and what she wouldn't. The other big thing to mention is as he progresses, never get upset about regression or nipping/growling. We have to respect their limits, and sometimes they will be right in the middle of a good soothing scratch when they decide they have had enough and might nip and scare the dickens right out of you. Never over react...accept their boundaries (though they might change from one day to the next) and move on.

 

Good luck! Look forward to hearing how Leo progresses!

[Acappella]

Thank you for taking this grey into your home and heart. The most important tool you have is patience ( and of course the support of all of us at the forum family ). Don't get discouraged if you read here about other people and how they interact with their birds. We all have our own journeys. You might like to start a thread for Leo in the rescue forum room. Lots of people here have had rescues or re homes that arrived with lots of baggage, and sometimes it helps to vent to others that have walked a similar path.