New and Confused

[Santaeid]

Well I adopted a 9 year old TAG named Zeus and I am changing his name to batman (he will elarn to say I am the dark knight, I am batman one day but one step at a time). However, I am having problems and don't want to do anything wrong. He knows step up and does it fine when he is out of the cage but when he is in the cage he never steps up on my finger. Or he may but then he decides that he must try grabbing any aprt of the cage to escape. I usually let the bird on my shoulder or put him down on the table in front of me while I am working on my computer and he can walk around. I put some stuff on the table that he can mess around with and chew so he has stuff to do. Sometimes he stars squawking and running away when I try to make him step up outside. He has made progress though since this is about 30%-40% of the time when before it was almost all of the time.

 

He only bit me once when I was getting near him but then my mom came out of nowhere and was getting close to so I think he got afraid but otherwise he has never put pressure on my finger again. Another thing is that if he gets on my shoulder he wont get off. He kind of arches back, gives me a look that looks like he is both irritated and astonished that I would dare move him, then squawks and runs to my other shoulder.

 

My point is how do I get him to be okay with stepping up and getting near him more. I also cant get him to step up more than once on my fingers outside. He decides to glide away if I do that. I have him on Harrison's pellets and he eats that with ease and I change his water every morning, and I give him lots of treats all day, let him out every bit when I can finally get him to step up, and I put him in a room where people are so he can chat and play with other people. I have also had him for a month and a half now.

[danmcq]

Many greys consider the cage "Their Home" and become territorial. You are an intruder and many will bite if you stick your hand in for a step up. It does not sound like Zeus is that aggressive, but just ignoring your step request. Respect and just close the door an walk away. Try again for a step up a little later. He will soon learn that if he really wants out a step up is the ticket to getting out. He is 9 years old and a month and a half is nothing. Your still in what is called the "Honeymoon" phase. You have not yet begun to see his true personality, just glimpses. He really sounds like a well behaved grey and just (as most) will ignore a step up request when they are out and doing what they wish to do and where they wish to be. Fleeing is a natural and common behavior we all see. This too will get better over time as you two come to an understanding of each other. Just keeping trying, watch his body language and learn his ways and behaviors. I can guarantee you, that he has already figured you out more than you have him.

Edited June 15, 2014 by danmcq

[Talon]

Hi, a month and a half is a very short time in a greys life for him to trust you. It can take a very long to e to build enough trust and bond for them to be compliant to your wishes. It is good you are letting him out and spending as much time as possible with you. But have you tied allowing him to come out of his cage on his own terms? Perhaps leaving the door out, and just talking to him? They are very cautious birds and it can take lots of time, praise and patience before they will always step up when you wish, and sometimes they just decide they don't want to. You have to respect that to build a bond. Just relax, give it time and have no expectations from him. You need to allow him a time to adjust to you and your home. He does t even have a clue that this is his forever home just yet. It took my cag who was a year and a half old when I got her, and I was her 4 th home...2 years to final settle in and understand this was her home for life.

[Dave007]

AND--just remember that you're dealing with a 9yr old rehomed bird. Some things just won't be accepted by an adult bird. There's different rules that apply to an adult rehomed bid.

[Santaeid]

I see. Well I guess I will let him come out of his cage more. And the whole him figuring me out more than him scares me kind of lol. Mostly because at night he will laugh randomly and says gibberish. I just like to be safe and assume he is talking to the shadow people (that trailer for Deliver Us From Evil did not help either).

[Talon]

Yes, the secret closet talkers. They do love to talk when no one is listening. Don't worry, he's not plotting his next attack! Be patient and confident he will pick up on your nerves ness . Also, you have to remember, he comes with 5 years of baggage, they never forget..

[Santaeid]

I bet you are working with him to try to calm me down! I will not be offered as a sacrifice.

 

But seriously, I am fine with the whole satanic gibberish. I just tell him what a good birdy because I heard that means he is trying to say new words. But he has a built in sarcasm laugh. Anytime something happens in a show or I get scared when I palyed a scary game he would laugh at me. And a few times I was playing a scary game and he started to flap his wings and make noises. EVIL!

[kpflynn]

If you want to get him to step up or get off your shoulder and he refuses, you might try and bribe him. If I need to put my bird back in her cage and she's not in the mood to go I'll show her a sunflower seed and she'll do whatever I want her to.

[Santaeid]

If you want to get him to step up or get off your shoulder and he refuses, you might try and bribe him. If I need to put my bird back in her cage and she's not in the mood to go I'll show her a sunflower seed and she'll do whatever I want her to.

 

I haven't found a treat like that yet. I hope to one day. With ym dog it is so much easier. Peanut Butter. She will do whatever you want if you give her it.

[Brat Birds]

You might try an almond, that is my birds go to item if I want something from them. I trained them to go back into their cages with pieces of almonds.