Puzzled???

[Jay317]

I rehomed a CAG about 2 months and I'm puzzled because she will let us pet on her all the time while she's in her cage but a soon as she comes out of her cage she will try and bite whoever comes near her. This bird is so sweet when she's in the cage and I'm puzzled I know it takes time but our hands can only take so many bites,thanks

[murfchck]

She will come around in time. 2 months is nothing to a grey. I don't know her history but is having outside cage time new to her? Even if it isn't new, it is a new surrounding so she would be timid and scared. Don't try to handle her when she is out, let her adjust. Greys seem to want whatever they shouldn't or don't have so go about your day and when she is ready she will join right in. With my guys i know what triggers bites so i avoid that situation, I don't want to encourage the biting by putting them in the position to bite. Now on the other hand, if i need to handle them for safety reasons and they bite, its time out for 5 minutes then back out to their stand. (unless i am moving fast to get them and they bite from being scared, that is natural so no time out then, just to clarify)

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Very unusual! Most greys will bite when you put your hand in their cage, which is their territory! You have the opposite. I would suggest, opening door cage when you get home from work. After dinner, go sit in front of cage, door opened, read a book. Have the family play games in front of the cage, with door opened. No pressure on bird to come out. Sophie graduated to the door, eventually cameout to each of us while playing the game " trouble!" She LOVED the bubble that popped. She wanted to pop it so bad! We played the game in front of her cage for a week. She finally climbed down, we ignored her. She climbed on me, I said " Hi Sophie!" Once she realized it was someone else's turn, she knew she had to stepup to them, in order to pop the bubble. She did it. Everytime she would stepup to who's turn it was. They helped her pop the bubble. Crazy that a bird could learn to love the entire family over a silly game, but thats how Sophie initially met our family. Now she goes to anyone, but we still play her favorite game.Sometimes we think it is going to be so difficult, but it doesn't have to be. Nancy