CTKatie Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Hello All! I just got my first CAG 4 days ago. He is 18 months old and was a wonderful bird for his owner. Sadly his owner was forced to relocate for a job and had to place him. Luigi was fine for the first two days. Even after a traumatic first day. He charged me while I opened his travel cage door into the door of his cage and spent the next hour flying our house. My husband threw a towel on him while he was on the floor and placed him in his cage. He wasn't at all happy about it but we don't need a new bird who is afraid of us flying around the house. It's a danger to him! The next morning he was his normal self, just sitting and taking it all in. The issue has come over the past two days. He does nothing but circle his cage. He climbs the walls in a circle non-stop. He only stops to eat and sleep and then he is back at it. His past owner had put newspapers over the grate in the bottom of the cage, but I had to stop doing that because each time I went in the cage to change them out, he would freak out at my hand and fly all over and growl. He never attacks though. But I don't push him. The second he growled I backed off and didn't put newspapers in his cage. I realize it could take months for this guy to trust us. But I am worried about the constant circling in his cage. Is there anything I can do? Or is he doing it because he is used to having run of his last home and he's upset he's caged? What I do is sit outside his cage and talk to him and the other bird. I offer him treats but he won't take them. I just want some advise and ideas!! Thanks! Katie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovethatgrey Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 (edited) I posted some links on this thread which will help you learn how to earn and build trust with your parrot. Do understand he hasn't known you for long at all. His entire world has been turned upside down and he will need alot of time, patience, gentleness, calm and kindness to start feeling at ease. Do also note that just like you and I are our own individuals, so is he. Therefore it is important to respect HIS pace and his comfort zone when it comes to adjusting. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?199980-how-to-gain-trust Edited August 20, 2013 by lovethatgrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Welcome to our Forum CTKatie. Circling around the cage as you describe, is indicating that he is presently going through high anxiety. Many Greys will do this for example when they loose eye shot of their much loved owner. Two days is nothing when rehoming a grey. After the high anxiety toweling event, you guys are the scary captors right now.Especially one that is only 18 months old and still very much a baby and has just been separated from his much loved flock. The flock is everything to a bird and when separated, in the wild it means certain death. This is a deeply embedded instinct in the still wild grey that goes by it's instinct as guidance in most everything it does. A newly rehomed bird that has escaped will of course flap around and try to escape. In his mind it is not his home and he wants out of there. He should be left in his cage and just sat next to and talk to him, assure him and let him get used to the new surroundings, items and people in the home. Keep any up close and personal interaction at a minimum and don't push it. If you can, get any info on his favorite snacks, previous schedule and what he was fed. The more comfortable you can make him, the sooner he will start wanting to interact with you perhaps begging by accepting a favorite snack from you offered through the cage bars. The most important thing you must build is trust. That takes time and patience. Just don't push him and keep invading his "Space" as much as possible. You should also realize, the cage is his safety zone, so charging you is just cage aggression and it is normally with many greys and other parrots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTKatie Posted August 20, 2013 Author Share Posted August 20, 2013 Thank you to all who responded. The links were helpful! It wasn't our intention for him to get out so soon. We knew there would be an adjustment period! We have been just sitting with him and only Go near his cage to feed, change water and cover him at night. I'm hoping he comes around someday. I just want to make the change as easy as possible on him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Hello and welcome CTKatie! The links and what Dan said are very true. When I brought my rehomed TAG home, we had a couple days of what we call the "honeymoon" period, followed by a few weeks of "if you try to touch me one of us will die" behavior. It's pretty typical. Keep sitting near his cage and talking softly to him when you have a chance. Give it lots of time, because that is what it usually takes. Good luck and God bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 His pacing and high anxiety is as the others expressed, as natural reaction to his separation from the ones Luigi knew and loved. For now, just getting his food and water changed and clean will be your challenge. We have had our rescue grey for more than two years and he is still a little reactive to anyone touching his cage. He was older than Luigi and had been rehomed several times so, as stated, individual parrots will process this change at his own pace. Its natural for you to want to "do" something to alleviate his anxiety but conversely, the more we do for them and around them, the more agitated they sometimes become. Letting him see that you are no threat and that you bring good things to him is the first line of acceptance. He's desperate to reunite with his familiar surroundings. As for cage cleaning, does the tray pull out for you to line it with paper etc. It may be a long haul so you will want to have a way to clean his cage. Avoid direct eye contact with him, gradually as you talk to him you might approach his cage, stopping when he growls and wait for him to get calm then slowly approach when you are feeding him etc. I found it helpful at first to use a piece of newspaper above my hand so I could quickly reach in and change dishes without him getting a bite in on me. I also have food and water doors on both sides of the cage, so if he would go to one side, I put the food or water on the opposite side until he could tolerate my hand near him. Believe me, it will get better, but it will take him some time to understand that you are good for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Hi Katie, first of all, just relax. Let Luigi set the pace. Talk to Luigi and let him know what you are doing. Move slowly and precisely. No jerking motions and no quick movements. Luigi is trying to figure out what happened to his life. Be patient and let Luigi decide when you are okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brat Birds Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Hi Katie. Welcome. You mentioned the other bird. Did he come with Luigi? If so, can the two see each other? If they came together, it might help to have them near each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Hi Katie and welcome to you and Luigi to the grey forum. The others have given you some good advice so just take your time with him and he will come around in his own time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTKatie Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 Thanks to everyone. The other bird didn't come with him, but he does watch him all the time. I also contacted his old owner, who shed some light for me. It seems he was out of his cage 90% of the time, only going in at night. He was allowed to fly all over too. That's not an option here due to all the large glass windows and vaulted ceilings. And when he was caged, he did nothing but circle his cage at his owners too. So it seems it's a behavior he has before. I was also told he is highy food motivated, but he won't take food for us yet. I also watched the videos that were given to me with him. One said that to use food on a bird that wasn't taking it, to limit what is in his bowl. So I did that yesterday and guess what? He takes food. He touches the stick and responds to the clicker again! This morning, he was begging for his treats even though he had food. And the circling of the cage has stopped for now. I'm just thrilled that he seems more relaxed!!! And I'm happy that he will take his treats through the bar. The rest of his flock was also placed and I wish I had the chance to take more than one. I think it would of helped with his adjustment. I wonder if they are going through the same thing. I told his last family that if the people who took the others can't cope, to let me know. I know it's going to be a long adjustment. I also know not everyone is as patient. Katie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Others here with more experience can give you better advice. I do abundant feeding (keep food in his bowls all the time). I do keep the special stuff (pine nuts and cashews in Timber's case) to hand-feed him as treats. I'm not much into training so can't comment on the clicker. You are making progress, and the info you got from his former home can explain some of the behavior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brat Birds Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Glad to hear he is making some progress. You sound as if you are in it for the haul and I applaud you for that. What is your other bird? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTKatie Posted August 21, 2013 Author Share Posted August 21, 2013 The other bird is a Nanday Conure. I found him through an online ad from someone who was "sick" of him. It was a town away so I went over and found this poor guy sitting in filth and terrified of his owner. When his previous owner left the room, I put my hand near him and he hopped up. The second he came back, he hopped into his cage and started screaming. Alex came home with me that night. He was on a seedy diet and had been changed to pellets and the vet said he was healthy. I was shocked. And he has turned into a lovely bird. He's quiet, he's friendly and he's very smart As for Luigi, seeing he's now trusting me enough to take food from me, I'm going to fill his bowls It was suggested to lower his intake to make him hungry enough to take food from me. I don't agree 100% with it, but it worked. He's taking food Katie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 Hello Katie and welcome to our family. The others have given you some good advice but it looks like you are off to a great start already, looking forward to seeing some pictures of Luigi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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