Questions from a new Grey owner

[TN Mama]

First, you should know I've had birds most of my life - parakeets, a Lorrie, and two Cockatiels (one is still living at 25 years old). I've always be fascinated with African Greys. A friend of mine was looking to place her 13 year old grey into a new home because they were just not home often enough to give her the attention she needed. I took Scarlet in 3 weeks ago, and at that time the owner said that she had been molting and pulled all the feathers from her chest. Her chest was bare skin but she began getting a little fluff within the first week and is still getting more fluff. I think she is really happy with us because she started repeating some of our words within a week. Until today, I've been uncertain as to if Scarlet is male or female because she had never been tested. However, she laid an egg today so she is a SHE after all. So what am I to do with that? Does this mean she is happy an healthy here with us? Additionally, the previous owner had not had Scarlet out of the cage in 12 years - very, very sad but she does have an enormous cage 3'W x 2'D x 5.5'H not including the gutters. She takes food from anyone very gently and will let me scratch her head but she will not perch. I spend time with her daily -talking and holding my arm inside the cage. She has no interest in perching at all, but she does enjoy regurgitating food on my fingers. I read that this is a sign of affection. Any suggestions on how to eventually get her to perch? Any other advice would be much appreciated also!

[Ray P]

Hi TN Mamma and welcome to the grey forum to you and Scarlet.

Give her time to settle in to your home as every thing is new to her. You are going to hear about a thing called grey time. when they are ready things happen, but not until than.

It sounds like things are going well for the short time you have her.

[judygram]

Thank you so much for giving Scarlet a new forever home and wow an egg. About the egg, leave it with her for if you remove it that may encourage her to lay another to replace it though she may lay another one anyways, just do not provide anything she could make a nest out of for you don't want to encourage egg laying. If she lays another or two just leave them for a couple of weeks until she loses interest in them then start removing them one at a time until they are all gone. You might want to up her calcium intake at this time offering foods like some eggshell and other calcium rich foods.

 

Thats sad she was not out of her cage for so long but now she can enjoy time out of her cage, even though it might be roomy nothing takes the place of quality time out to be with her family.

 

You say she will not perch, do you mean step up? If so then allow her to come out of her cage on her own and then ask her to step up offering your hand to step up on, we do have some threads about teaching birds to step up so be sure to check them out.

 

Yes regurgitating food is a sign of affection but you don't want to encourage it, when she does this just say "thank you" and then walk away.