Behavior issues

[jgerardo]

What should I do when Luna behaves negatively? He is almost 5 months now I cant believe it! I know that I should not yell at him, or spray water, or anything like that. But i can't just let him be the boss and let him do what he wants. Its hard to get him to stop doing bad things (biting my keyboard, lunging at the dog, chewing on cords, biting my glasses! etc.) What should i do?

 

When I'm home he never wants to be on his perch. If i try putting him down he nips at my hand. Pretty weird. How do i confront these issues?

[Steve 2]

Hi jgerardo. Toulouse is a little over a year and there are still times when he acts out, nips at my ears, tries to take off my glasses, tries to bite the dog, etc.... I try to catagorize his actions as annoying verses dangerous for him to help guide how I try to intervine. Sometimes I just walk away, like when he messes with my glasses. I feel the leverage is that he genuinely wants my company. If he thinks he is going to teach my dog a lesson or two, I'll move him and accept the bite. There are those times when I place him back in the cage for a short period of time, more as a time out for me so I can remain calm and positive. Toulouse is worth the extra work. I'm sure Luna is too!

Steve

[BaileysPapa]

Everything Steve mentioned (keyboard, dog, glasses, nipping, etc.) is something we all have to deal with. They are curious, intelligent, and the center of their universe. Redirecting the behavior is the best way to handle these things. Give him alternate choices. Like when Bailey chews my glasses, I show him a favored toy to replace the glasses. Same with my keyboard. I keep some toys on the computer desk, and when he gets to the keyboard, I dangle a toy that he likes in his face, and he moves on to that. You cannot punish birds, because, unlike dogs, they do not associate your actions with what they have just done. They live in the moment, and will react to your action without thinking about why you are doing that. It can be difficult, but, as Steve has said, they are worth the extra work.

[JeffNOK]

Gracie's main issue is trying to land on lamps and chandeliers or wall hangings etc and try to chew them. At first I just removed her from those places, but she didn't like that--sometimes nipped--and then returned when I wasn't looking. Now I strategically place things she doesn't like on or around the "tempting items" to prevent her from going there. For example I have an empty coke bottle hanging on the chandelier. I have some aluminum foil projecting from the pictures. I put pillows over the lamps. As she flies to these areas--she gets deterred and goes to a safe zone. I'm not sure if you can do something similar--but that has worked for me.

[danmcq]

I do just the same as Jeff. I place small squeaky toys, stuffed toys etc. on or near places we don't want our grey. They seem to last about a month or two until Dayo gets used to them. Then I buy different looking toys to replace them. I have a pretty large box of toys now. I have found that if I rotate them every couple of months, I can reuse toys he became used to for another period of time. I have an Aflac duck that says "Aflac, Aflac, Aaaaffflac!" when pressed just right. Dayo will "Sneak" up on it slowly then pounce on it, bite the crap out of it and then sling it as far as he can.

 

They all have areas and things they will keep going back to even after you have moved them back to their stand or to sit with you. Those are the areas I place these toys. It just becomes too much of a battle when you've gone back for the 3rd time and that usually resorts in a stand off and someones going to bleed, namely me.

Edited November 27, 2013 by danmcq

[Inara]

Some great advice above ^^. I would add, remember to reinforce the behaviors you *want*. For example, when Luna is on his perch, spend some time near him and say something like "perch perch" in a cheerful tone and give him lots of attention and a few small bites of one of his favorite treats. When he is not going after your glasses, keyboard, etc. pick a word (I use "calm") and say, "Nice calm, " snuggle and reward. When in doubt, always go back to something Luna can do successfully like "step up" and then praise and reward and have him do it several times with praise and reward. Make the praise exciting and fun! I like to say to Inara when she's done something a few times in a row, "Rock and roll! Very good Inara!" With enthusiasm. It's easy to get into the habit of just saying, "good" or other too oft repeated word and it becomes lackluster after awhile, so choose a word or phrase that you can put some juice behind. After doing this, then ask Luna to do something a little harder, like "perch," and over time gradually extend the time that you want him to stay there. Inara will now hang out on her play perch for about 60 -90 minutes happily. It sits within arm's distance from me, and has lots of little things on it that keep her busy. I periodically tell her how great she is for "perch perch," and give her an intermittent mixture of verbal praise, tidbits, and scritches.

 

Do you move Luna's perch near you and do you change up doodads and toys on it so that Luna has some fun things to do while hanging out? I place Inara back in her cage after major play sessions, when I know she is getting hungry, and for just plain old quiet time for her. She enjoys her quiet time in her cage and that's when she does her practice talking and bird napping. When we first got her, she'd try all sorts of stunts to stay out. Now she cheerfully goes back as we have built up a good rhythm, and she knows she gets lots of "out" time with direct one-on-one time with me, not just hanging out in the same room time (which she gets on her play perch).

Edited November 27, 2013 by Inara

[jgerardo]

Thanks for your tips. I have a long-way with him but I will put it into practice everything you guys have said

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

For the first few years... it is important to develop the " trusting" relationship. Focus on establishing " flight", and encouraging the entire family to help. Encourage the entire family to be involved in training. Once they LOVE the family, focus on what your grey loves about each family member. It becomes important, once training becomes important. Greys know what they love about each family member. Once they have developed the trust, and they are out of control... I had no problem putting Sophie in timeout! She had a timeout cage, and was put in that cage, when she bit us. Kids did the same. Timeout should be around five minutes, be discussed after. It took around six months, for Sophie to understand, what our expectations were. Nancy and Sophie