Candi Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hello everyone! My name is Candi and I just adopted a Timneh African Grey! His name is Echo, We believe he is about 19 years old and he is a plucker. I am a first time bird owner, so I have my work cut out for me, lol! I know first time bird owners really shouldn't own a grey, but he needed a home. I have done as much research as possible so I can be a good flock leader, but I need a little help. I was told that his previous owner, the one that had him before the one I adopted him from, played music for him and that he really liked one particular Bach piece and he would whistle along with it, but she couldn't remember the name of the song. So hoping that hearing something familiar would ease the anxiety of his move, I played some Bach for him. As soon as the music began he started doing this strange twitch, he would twitch his head and then twitch each wing, very quickly. He did this repeatedly while the music was playing. When the music stopped, he stopped. I looked it up online and found two posts related, one saying it means he likes the music and one saying it means he doesn't. I know its a silly question...im just terrified I'm doing everything wrong! If anyone could help me clarify this I would GREATLY appreciate it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 The head twitch is perfectly normal. Mine does it when she's listening intently to something I'm doing. She will also do it when she listens to Einstein videos on youtube and I know she likes those because she will come from anywhere she is in the room to get a closer seat. Then commences the head twitch. I've always wondered why they do it and have seem many birds on youtube doing the same - all of them intently listening. Welcome to the forums. Post a pic of your birdy sometime if you get a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyparrot Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 (edited) Hello and welcome to the flock Candi. May I first congratulate you for adopting an older Grey. I wish more people would consider giving homes older parrots. They can make wonderful companions and I am sure Echo will return your love for him in spades. My guess is that he likes the music. I think most Greys do. That said if you have not done so already a visit to an avian vet should resolve any doubts. Not all vets understand the needs and quirks of parrots. Some of the things that Greys do are not easy to rationalise in human terms. My Grey Misty who is nearly twelve does a strange twitchy thing but like your Echo it is a reaction to a particular stimulus. It goes like this: I say "Yum yum" as he is tucking in to a meal and his response is to begin a head twitch which becomes more and more exaggerated and finishes with him saying "Water water!" It used to be a lip smacking sound but he has changed that. He will also say "Yum yum" and lip smacks when he is enjoying his food. I have no idea why he has this quirk but that's Greys for you. Can you upload any pics of Echo? Steve n Misty Edited January 10, 2014 by Mistyparrot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hello and welcome to you and Echo! I have a TAG also, as do many others on the forum. Looking forward to seeing pics and hearing about your progress with Echo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Welcome to the Grey family Candi. Looking forward to seeing some pictures of Echo and learning more about him. Kudos to you for adopting an older grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candi Posted January 10, 2014 Author Share Posted January 10, 2014 Thank you everyone for your warm welcomes and insight! I am so glad to hear that this is not completely abnormal behavior. But I will definitely double check with his vet, he has his first appointment on Monday. I will post some pics of my bald beauty shortly! Thank you again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candi Posted January 10, 2014 Author Share Posted January 10, 2014 Ok I added a pic of Echo as my profile pic...he doesn't really want me too close right now, so I will post a better pic when he lets me, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 They have a lot of behaviors we see as "odd." Twitching, head jerks and bobbing, the standard "bat bird" upside-down hanging from any object that will hold them, shaking like they are freezing (but apparently they are just doing a "feather adjustment"). You will quickly learn what is "normal" behavior for your grey, quirky as it may seem to us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaileysPapa Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I welcome you & Echo to our flock also. I have a special place in my heart for pluckers. My TAG is named Bailey, but he came with that name, and I kept it. I wanted to name him Echo, but kept his original name. I do call him lots of things anyway, and "My Echo" is one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candi Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Thanks BaileysPapa! I wish I could take credit for his clever name, but it came with him, lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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