Peck CAN fly!

[Muse]

For all the climbing he does, when properly motivated, it seems Peck flies very well. Today I had the door to the playroom open and he decided to fly into the kitchen, made an arcing loop towards the back door (screen door was closed), and then flew right back into the playroom and landed perfectly on his cage top. Our kitchen isn't very big, but it was a real, controlled flight and I was so proud of him!

 

I imagine his stamina is not too good since he does not fly often, but that will improve in keeping up with Miss Megan, I am sure. He was all over that playroom today, on the net, on both stands, just loving it. And he makes the most beautiful calls. I was working in the garden and could hear him clear out there.

 

It made me feel so good to see him fly. I can't wait until we have the aviary built. I think he is going to love it.

 

Tonight, he was acting like he was going to bite me through the cage, so I just held the back of my hand to him. Instead of biting, he started licking it.

 

He's also been making all kinds of noises when I come in the room. "Whooo!" or "Whooo-hooo!" usually. Sometimes just a wild Grey call. I am loving it.

[Luvparrots]

This is wonderful to read. I am so proud of Peck and look forward to hearing more. Life is good in a home with greys. Fantastic!

[SRSeedBurners]

Good for Peck! One of many reconnaissance flights. His biggest challenge will be that Megan I'm sure. Those girls...

[judygram]

Yeah, the beat of more grey wings in the house, Peck is fitting right in.

Edited May 10, 2014 by judygram

[katana600]

Way to go Peck! I'm guessing his stamina will improve now that he is showing off his mad skills to the women in his life. LOL. Happy happy day for Peck.

[Brat Birds]

Such a great day for the both of you!!

[birdhouse]

This just keeps getting better & better! So glad for you guys!

[Muse]

Update for tonight: Peck has been pretty well behaved except for tonight. I let him out of his cage after we finished steam cleaning cages. (His was done a few days ago while he was in the playroom). First thing he does? Goes over to Megan's cage and jabs at her between the bars. He couldn't reach her, of course, and this drew an irate "a-WOOOO!" from her highness. Daddy arrived just in time to wisk her away to bedtime and I had to towel Mr. Peck after a couple of laps around their bedroom to get him into the playroom for some out time before I go to bed.

 

He won't step up on my arm, just lowers his head or takes a stab at it, but he also seems to be afraid of the step up stick. I have never run into this before. They are just dowels. I'm not sure why he doesn't like them but he gets all puffed up, and when that does not work, he flies off. So for now I am just rolling his cage around to get him back and forth.

 

I have discovered he adores cashews. Maybe I can use these to my advantage and coax him into getting used to the stick. Time will tell.

 

For some reason the attachments window isn't working here, so I uploaded some pictures to our Flickr.

 

(this link should be to Peck's album)

[Luvparrots]

You might try closing the drapes and turning off the lights to darken the room to get Peck back in his cage. Most birds will return to their cages more easily if they believe it is evening time. I at one time has a parrot that I rehomed who was very much afraid of dowels/sticks. Apparently his former owner would threaten him with sticks/dowels and he would hide at the sight of them. Peck may be afraid of sticks and dowels from prior times.

[birdhouse]

Phenix' rror of sticks is something that's never diminished even a little. After 25 yrs. he has a meltdown even if I have to change out a perch.

 

I don't know if someone was abusive about stick training. It could also have something to do w/his capture. I don't know but it's Big, Big Bad!

 

Since he's almost as afraid of gloves, I eventually made a double layer sleeve out of thick terry cloth. There's a cuff that's actually 3 layers so I can tuck my fingers in safely. He can bite all he wants but I don't get much more than pinched & my clothes don't get ruined.

 

Maybe something like it would help w/Peck? And I'm w/Janet about creating a bedtime routine whenever Peck starts to settle in. We have a ritual here, too & it usually works pretty painlessly.

[SRSeedBurners]

Here's an example of one bird queuing the instinct to fly in other Greys:

 

Monkeys see - monkeys do!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

I imagine it is very difficult, near impossible to establish bedtime unless you have a bird that will " stepup " Sophie was always great if away from her cage, and would stepup off the floor in a heartbeat!Sunny our sunconure also would stepup if in a neutral territory. He was much slower to ever stepup and their were times I really needed him too. Hence.... my white terry cloth bathrobe. It really is a no no... but when desperate, if I put on my white bathrobe ( I have several), there is no arguement. He can bite me all he wants, I don't feel it. ( not best for training!)

Sophie was also afraid of the stick and I gave up within two weeks. I did notice, if I was taller than her when she was on top of her cage, she would stepup. ( I had a step stool so I was taller). Many have argued their birds don't care about height, but Sophie did. Just a thought. Peck has shown such progress, and we parrents don't appreciate birdtime as we should. It took Sophie six months to be trusted to go to shoulder level, but before that, the plan that was successful, was 1. open the cage door, let bird come to door or on top of cage. 2 practice stepup and step down. never going anywhere, but praising when Peck does.3. Once Peck stepsup, praise like crazy, give a tour of your home, but return to cage if nervous. This worked with Sophie, while developing the trust, she had control of us and her enviroment. I have NEVER asked any of my birds to stepup from inside their cage. Thats their domain, and I have always respected their territory. Nancy

[Ray P]

With greys its always gets better.

[Muse]

Phenix' rror of sticks is something that's never diminished even a little. After 25 yrs. he has a meltdown even if I have to change out a perch.

 

I don't know if someone was abusive about stick training. It could also have something to do w/his capture. I don't know but it's Big, Big Bad!

 

Since he's almost as afraid of gloves, I eventually made a double layer sleeve out of thick terry cloth. There's a cuff that's actually 3 layers so I can tuck my fingers in safely. He can bite all he wants but I don't get much more than pinched & my clothes don't get ruined.

 

Maybe something like it would help w/Peck? And I'm w/Janet about creating a bedtime routine whenever Peck starts to settle in. We have a ritual here, too & it usually works pretty painlessly.

 

You know, I think in one of the videos I watched, they used young trees to spring their nets. Perhaps you are on to something. Maybe it does have something to do with their capture.

 

We don't have as much trouble getting him in at night, but sometimes his out time needs to be in the daytime. So far, he's been getting pretty good about it. Last night, I asked him to go back. He declined so I went to the kitchen, did a few things, and came back. When I asked him to go back that time, he did. Tonight, he decided to take a different approach. I got my laptop as my PC is still torn down, and sat in their bedroom on the lone chair. He was in the playroom alone, as Megan was in time-out (again). He played contented on the net as I typed out a work email, when suddenly the WOOOOSH of flapping wings and he came soaring in. I thought at first he was going to try to land on me. I put my arm up, but he decided he did not want that as a perch and went to the highest spot - the top of Megan's cage. This meant making a loop around the entire room, which he navigated flawlessly. Unfortunately, there is paper on top of Megan's cage to deter her from biting the little birds when they land up there on their way to/from the playroom. He hit the paper, lost footing, and did a rather well-controlled crash landing on the floor. He promptly got his bearings and walked over to me. He was doing fine until he decided to climb Aria's cage. I said "No, Peck" and for once he ignored me and kept climbing. I said "Get DOWN from there." More ignoring. I got a stick. He even ignored that! So in the end, I had to get the towel out. This was met with some muttering and grumbling and resulted in a catch-and-release into his cage. He muttered a bit then settled down and started preening and has been doing that ever since. I was *very* shocked that he just shrugged off the stick. Every other time, he has flown away from it. Maybe he's learning that it is not so bad?

[Muse]

Here's an example of one bird queuing the instinct to fly in other Greys:

 

Monkeys see - monkeys do!

 

Beautiful pictures. And I agree. Megan showed Peck he was a bird. It was what I was hoping would happen.

 

I have to agree with their description of the Grey's calls. I love to listen to them. His former owner said when they lived in the city strangers would gather on their front steps to listen to Peck's calls.

[Muse]

I am hoping we can get to that point. He is still doing the 'cobra dance' and fluffing up so I don't think step-up is coming any time soon. But he's very new. I am very strange to him. He's only been with family for 22 years and I am willing to let him adjust to the newness (and chaos) of our flock.

 

Our sun conure used to bite really hard, breaking the skin quite a few times with that small pointy beak. He's since become a mama's boy and almost always steps up unless I am trying to put him back and he does not want to go. But then he flies off rather than bite and it turns into a chase. It's the cockatiel that bites on a regular basis. Too bad for him his bites are such a joke compared to the other birds that I just laugh at him. Hehehe.

 

I do know Peck is loving pine nuts, so I think I may win him over eventually. Hoping, anyway!