LouieMasonPics Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 A week ago I get a call from a friend who's mother inlaw has an 18 year old congo grey that she can no longer take care of and asks if I wanted him, I said yes. I went to pick him up and the lady reached out her hand and he stepped up on it then she handed him to me and he stepped up on me. Now he's at my home and it's a new ball game and I knew it would be. I took a 18 year old out of the home he has been in all his life and he's scared. Now I have the task of trying to gain his trust and I believe it's going to be a long road. I work from home so I moved my desk by his cage so I am by him at least 6 hours a day in my family den. I figured the more interaction the better. I have started to change his diet from a mixed food he was on to a diet of that food, harrison's pellets, and fresh fruit and veggies. So far so good with the food. Any advice on getting this beautiful bird to bond with me would be great. It's like having a Christmas present you can touch LOL. I look forward to talking with y'all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezron Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Hi Louie, What a Christmas present! Please give us as many details as you can so we can provide you with more assistance. You are embarking on a challenging and fulfilling endeavor. We have had a rehome amazon parrot for a year and a half, and I believe he is just now really settling in at our home. It takes awhile. For smarter, more sensitive parrots like greys, it takes longer. Be patient, kind, and consistent. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 I don't think Casey has ever had a bath. When he preens himself he has a bunch of dandruff fly. How do I introduce water to him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Hi, and welcome to this forum, pretty baby. The diet change sounds good, just a small piece of fruit a day is plenty. It's very important especially during the winter months to bath your fid a couple of times a week and spray them with Aloe Vera Juice which you can get from Walmart, this is great for all your birds...Let them air dry, never use a hair dryer. When we say bath, we mean really wet them, no drafts, and your birds will be happy around 72-76 degrees year round........Thanks More photos, You might want to get a Vet Well check up from a true Avian vet....I hope his baggage is light...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189753-Bathing-possible-method-1 http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189752-Bathing-possible-method-2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 It would be very helpful if you can get as much information about your grey from the previous owner as you possibly can. What he likes to eat, his every day routine, etc. It's best to take things slow and to interact with him in a calm and non-threatening way. Interact slowly and tell him what you are doing. I find that my parrots are very attentive and watch what I am doing and try very hard to understand what I am trying to say and do for them. They so very much want to belong. Proceed on your grey's terms. Let him take the lead. On what we call "Grey Time". I look forward to learning more about your new friend and you. What his is name? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 His name is Casey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 I love to hear of older Greys being adopted. I think you will a new friend for life. Having him with you as you work is great. He will thrive on as much contact with you and the family as possible. Do you have other pets and other family members who can interact with him? You have had good advice from the others but as far as bonding goes I believe whistling to him may help. If he has any tunes of his own, whistle them back to him. These may be his contact calls to his flock so calling them back to him helps him feel more at home and accepted. If he talks or makes other sounds at all repeat back to him as well. This is a natural bonding process that many birds do in the wild. I hope you both get to a point when Casey can have lots of out of cage time. If he is clipped my preference would be to let his flights grow back but he looks good and he may now be happy the way he is. A vet check is a good idea and have him chipped especially if he is at all flighted. Steve n Misty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 You have a lot of good things going for you. You were chosen for Casey and his beloved introduced you and gave her blessing to him you so I think that is hugely fortuitous adding to a handover that was the least stressful for him. It is different when you get to your house and allowing him to quietly get the lay of the land and a predictable daily interaction will open his heart to you and in a little while you will get to know him better too. Having his cage where you spend the most time daily is a great idea. If it is good for you and your family to also put a floor stand in your living room, he may start getting friendly to get a ride out there when he hears you all gathering and talking. Thanks for joining our forum, you will get some ideas that may be adapted to suit his personality and your home perfectly. Expect him to be slower in coming around than a more domesticated pet, our rehomed Timneh African Grey (TAG) is just now starting to be comfortable after almost two years with us. It is well worth the wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Congrats on taking in this grey in need of a new forever home, take everyone's advice thats already been given and just give it time and be very patient with him as he settles in and feels comfortable, you can't rush the process so take is slow and easy, the rewards will be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 I have a cockatiel, parakeet, 2 four month old sun conures, 2 dogs and a cat. He will have plenty of company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Baby steps! Good that you can work next to the cage. Open the door while you are working. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 9, 2012 Author Share Posted December 9, 2012 What happens if I leave his door open and he comes out but doesn't want to go back in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 He's eating Banana from my hand, I guess that's good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Keep his food and water inside the cage he will want to go back in eventually it is his safety net while everything around him is new and might be a little scarey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I don't feed my three parrots outside of their cage. They always go back, well most of the time, without too much trouble because their cages are where the goodies are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 I'll leave his cage open and see what happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 ok he's out of his cage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 ok he's back in. I thought he was going to take flight. I forgot I took his food bowl out to put a water bath in. I was hoping he would take a bath. He has a lot of dandruff. I continue to open the cage door and feed him bananas so I'm hoping each time is a little closer to better trust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 As an "older person" I can tell you how "greytful" and relieved we can be when our fids find loving homes when we can no longer give the care they deserve. Thank you for doing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouieMasonPics Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 It's my pleasure. I love a challenge. If not for challenges I wouldn't be where I am today. What you get out of something is what you put in to it, so I know hard work pays off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Congratulations on your new flock member and thank you for re-homing an older fid. It sounds like he was loved in his first home, which may make some things easier and some things harder. He will know how to trust, but he will mourn his former owner. I wouldn't rush the bath right now, even though he clearly needs one. This is such an important time. You have to build trust and make him feel safe. Scaring him with a new experience, even if you know it's for his own good, may damage his ability to trust you. If you have other birds let them lead by example. Just let him watch your interactions with his other new flock members and let him figure things out. If you do want to give him the option to bathe, try putting very cold water in his water dish. Most greys prefer very cold water to bathe in. If he starts to try to dunk himself in his dish, praise the heck out of him! Lots of smiles and happy sounds - not so loud you'll startle him though. With my Dorian, who had never had a bath before he came to me, it took years before he figured out water will not kill him lol. Even so, it has to be his idea. When I see him itching, or feel lots of pin feathers coming in, I change out his water several times a day and wait for the urge to strike. Typically for a grey, that urge usually hits when I'm on the way out the door, in the middle of a job, on the phone. Then and only then can I mist him with a small sprayer I found that gives out an extrememly fine mist. It's actually meant for people, the type sold in the summer to mist peoples faces. I mix 50/50 cold distilled water with 100% aloe juice for the first couple re-fills (the disadvantage of this sprayer is that it doesn't hold a lot so I have to re-fill often), then finish off with 100% aloe juice. Works like a charm, but it was a lot of trial and error to get here. There is actually a forum room specifically for rescues and re-homes. You may want to start a thread there so people know where to go to get an update and help you with questions. Threads here in the lounge can get bumped to the second page pretty quickly. Again, thanks for giving Casey a new home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittykittykitty Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I agree. We must wait for Precious on her own time. A sprayer works well for her also. And use pure aloe vera juice, not the gel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Use pure aloe vera juice, don't dilute, Aloe juice every other time. Try misting, when a parrot reacts to misting it's not because their afraid, it's because it's new to them, maybe your baby has been misted for the last 18yr's and likes it. And remember only a small piece of fruit a day....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 I would hold off on spraying or shower for now. Work on the trust and relationship. A little dander can wait. I'm glad you tried the open door. I wouldn't worry too much about going back in... they will ask to go back in usually pretty quickly! FANTASTIC progress in such little time.Your new baby sounds wonderful! Not timid. Sounds curious about you and brave enough to check you out! Excellent!I suspect your new friend has a wonderful future with you. Nancy P.S. we will help you every step of the way. Many of us have been there, didn't know a thing. Boy. Sophie taught me quickly! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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