Jellybean update

[DanielaWelborn]

I have had him/her now for about 5 weeks and I think we might be making some progress.

My husband is much less afraid of the bird as he has not been bit yet. I have been wearing a glove to handle the bird, just to give me more confidence and it is working so far.

Here is what happened since yesterday: Jellybean has been flying around the house since we got him.

At night we like to hang out in our bedroom ,which is somewhat to the side of the living/kitchen area and that is a big circle.

So he is flying around in said circle and finally lands on our bedroom doors to his left. This is amazing!

I think he wants to be with us?

Another moment; he is whistling all the time if he is in his cage and we are in our bedroom. Now that he is in our bedroom he is quiet. Does that mean he is calling out for us if we are not with him?

One last thing, the last two days if I talk to him he bobs his head. Is that a good thing?

[Jayd]

Hi, thank you for the update, please don't wear a glove around your baby, they don't like them and as long as he relates it to you, you'll have problems. You shouldn't keep him in your bedroom, it's just pacifying him, both you and him need your own space. On a second note it's really unhealthful to have him in your bedroom, as you know greys give off dander, while sleeping you inhale it more so then in a group room, inhale enough and you can become sick or even develop a allergy to it. His head-bob is great. What I would do is not to worry about holding right now, he knows your affraid of him, sit back, talk, read' sing to him and become at ease with him, you'll notice a positive change in time......

[Ray P]

Jay has given you some great advice.

Being around hem in the day time and talking to him and interacting with him are some of the best things you can do.

You don`t want him to be afraid of your hands so gloves are a no no.

[Luvparrots]

Frankly, if the gloves work for you or your hubby and Jellybean is not concerned about them, I think its great if everyone is more comfortable with them on. Bobbing heads are a good thing, my greys do it when they are excited or just happy. As for the whistling, whistle back. My three whistle and I answer back. I believe it is just so they know where and am and that I am close by. Enjoy your new friend.

[DanielaWelborn]

Just to clarify, he is not sleeping in our bedroom just perching on top of the door to visit with us.

I thought it was a good sign since he seems to chose to be with us.

He is sleeping in his cage at night.

The glove just makes me feel more comfortable. Remember I am the third owner and he is only 4. It would be different if I would have a baby on my hands.

He tried to bite me again today as I removed him from on top the parakeets cage. Trust me, I was glad for the glove. I am sure we will work it out somehow sooner or later.

[Acappella]

It does sound like he is seeking you out, both with his contact calling and coming to your room. Be careful of him perching on door tops. Birds have sometimes lost toes when a door was closed on them. I would put something in the way to make sure the door can't be closed whenever Jellybean is flying around. As for the glove and biting. When JB does bite you, can you get a sense of how hard it is? Is it finger amputating hard, puncture wound hard, or leave a dent in the skin hard? When are the bites happening? Are they in situations where you absolutely have to handle him? Eg. Dorian tends to bite at night when he doesn't want to go to bed. If he tries, I make a sad face and turn my back/ leave the room, and, if it's dark, I turn off all lights but the night light. I don't go back into the room until he is really calling for me. When I do I immediately offer him step up again. If he refuses, I repeat my behaviour. The message becomes clear to him pretty fast. "If I try to bite I'm left alone". Then when he does step up I praise and praise, give him a treat, and lots of scratches. Same idea if I want him to come into another room with me. What I'm doing is letting him make the choice and giving him some control. I believe it's key to building a trusting relationship. Of course, if he's in a dangerous situation you have to force a step up and take the bite but, as much as possible, try to steer Jellybean into making the choice you want him to make. It's time consuming at first, but you'll end up with less puncture wounds!

[Wingy]

I was having an awful time getting Jake back into his cage. It was a battle that neither of us was happy about. Then I discovered Jake would about walk through hot coals for a piece of rotini. Now there is a routine of giving him a choice, he can go in or not but he doesn't get the rotini without going in. I am hoping that eventually I'll be able to place that rotini inside his cage and he'll go in on his own but that hasn't happened yet.