Loco11 Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Hi all...Felony is doing great...fitting in seamlessly with all the other pets, eating well, and she seems very comfortable with us. But I want to get her started out right and some behaviors I'd like to nip in the bud are: chewing holes in clothing, chewing off buttons, etc and chewing on my glasses and earrings when she's on my shoulder. Also...right now she is fully flighted and we are contemplating leaving her so...but right now she flies to one of us whenever we come into sight. I would like to leave her out of the cage to play on the play top as much as possible when one or both of us is at home...but is it reasonable to expect that she will stay there unless we invite her to fly to us? We are holding her and loving her at frequent intervals throughout the day. But I'm just nervous about her flying around on her own. Any thoughts would be greatly welcomed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 She's a grey..you can't train them not to chew holes, buttons, zippers off.. You can not train them as you would a dog. They are not Pets, they are wild beautiful creatures that will always have that wild instinct. They desire to be with you at all times, you are their flock and will never stay put as you desire, it has to be their choice. Make sure you have lots of playstands, perches around, toys for their entertainment, things to keep them busy. They will still desire to fly to wherever and whatever you are doing and "help". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 I have four flighted parrots, two greys and two zons. They follow me around my home. They have perches and boings, etc. in each of the rooms they can go into. I just flick them off my shoulder if they fly there and I do not want them there. Because they are flighted they just go to a boing, window perch, etc. Easy, you just have to be consistent and in charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Luvparrots, it is a rare occasion in my house if there is not a parrot on my shoulder. I have to tie my hair up when I come home from work, ash their talons get tangled in it and the left side of my hair (they always want the left one) is damaged. Nilah mostly lives there..but if I am cooking, its Rikki's place...Talon gets it when I vacume!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 (edited) GreycieMae trained me not to wear a shirt in the house unless I want a hole in the shoulder. Therefore I have a range of t-shirts that are for house use only. Also, she has trained me to make nice little beaded necklaces using twine so that she is not bored to tears and reduced to going after my watch, my buckle, my ear or other things she must use to curb her urge to chew. Now we are having issues with the ear plugs I choose to wear when she is on my shoulder. Since she has started the ear-piercing shrieks that she learned from my damn Caique, I have to protect my hearing as she has deafened me temporarily on several occasions. This is where we are currently at odds. Constant NOs seems to be working as she is getting less and less interested in trying to get them out of my ears. Edited August 19, 2014 by SterlingSL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco11 Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Sigh...talon, that's why I phrased my question "is it reasonable to expect?" If it isn't it's ok to just say so. I'm simply looking for some guidance here...now I just feel chastised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco11 Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Sterling and Luvparrots...thank you...some advice I can use without feeling like an idiot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco11 Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 (edited) Sterling and Luvparrots...thank you...some advice I can use without feeling like an idiot! Edited August 19, 2014 by Loco11 Did not want Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Sigh...talon, that's why I phrased my question "is it reasonable to expect?" If it isn't it's ok to just say so. I'm simply looking for some guidance here...now I just feel chastised.[/quote My post was anything other than chastising, nor did I tell you in any way shape or form you were an idiot. I gave you a "reasonable" explasnation of what to expect, and I offered you suggestions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco11 Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 My bad, then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 The biggest mistake new parrot owners make is to play with their new babies/parrots continually and then get bored. The newness is gone and the new owner just stops carrying their parrot around and interacting with it all the time. The parrot is confused "Why the neglect?" What did I do wrong." Parrots get into routines so when the new owner stops carrying the new parrot around or immediately letting it out of its cage, the confused parrot shrieks for attention. Start the routine you intend to maintain. The schedule you intend to continue. Don't confuse your parrot and then not expect a little loud feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 It is possible to train your parrot not to go to your shoulder but it takes a lot of time and 100% consistency. Pick them up with your hand and hold them with your thumb over their talons. Hold your arm in a V shape. It's against their instincts to climb down. Since your baby is flighted you'll have to duck and weave to stop her from landing on you, while always giving her a safe landing option near by. (Make sure nobody is filming you for YouTube during the ducking and weaving part.). Keep a bag of her favourite treat with you at all times so you can reward her when she allows herself to be re-directed. Lots of happy praise helps as well. As a typical grey, she'll likely get more persistent in her unwelcome behaviours before things start to turn around. Everyone in the house has to be on board with any training or it will just confuse her. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 (edited) Hi Loco, It is reasonable to expect to be able to shape your companion's behavior to an extent using gentle, positive methods. They are extremely smart and competent creatures, and in the wild their parents and flock members would let them know what is acceptable behavior and what is not in order to mesh with and get along with the flock. In our case, the flock is "human." Talon is correct, Greys are not domestic animals like dogs, cows, etc. Many are still only one to two generations away from the wild. Also, being prey animals rather than predators, their sense of being in the world is much different, therefore you need to ensure that any training methods you use are not ones that will reinforce your bird seeing you as a predator. Training should never be harsh, and works best when it is a natural part of your interactions. My personal recommendation is anything by Barbara Heidenreich. It is a long, incremental process but worth it to enhance the bond between you and your bird, and also to help your bird and you find a great middle ground where you both can live well together for a long, long time. Starting young is a wonderful opportunity for you both as you start with very basic things that have to do more with simply living harmoniously together. Many people are also fine with not bothering to do any behavior shaping, and they and their birds live very happily that way also. I'm personally an advocate for learning things with your bird, early to decrease the potential of later issues that can end in rehoming. Oh, and as for the shirts? I have tons of bird shirts, and I just think of them as a "fashion statement." :D Edited August 20, 2014 by Inara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco11 Posted August 20, 2014 Author Share Posted August 20, 2014 Thanks Inara! I did get the book by Ms Heidenreich and it made a lot of sense to me. Not that we were ever aggressive with Oprah...but I can see now how we unintentionally rewarded some of her " less than stellar" behaviors..lol! But we had her for so many years, we had all come to an agreement about our arrangements...she thought my husband was HER husband...but she tolerated me and never bit anyone hard unless she was pushed beyond her limits (which my son was liable to do). We would have happily kept Oprah forever...but you know the rest of that tale! So with this new baby I'm just trying to figure out the new ground rules. I'd love for her to EVENTUALLY be able to sit on a play stand or her cage top without constantly flying to me, as she does now. We are giving her a lot of attention in the way of cuddling and scratching...but I don't want to turn this into my whole day! Right now...just to prove me wrong...she is happily sitting on a play house on our screened in porch that my husband made for Oprah...preening and just being happy...yay! So I need some guidance...should we encourage her need to be seeking us out constantly because she's just a baby? Should we set some limits? It's confusing because we've never had a baby before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffNOK Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 (edited) Loco, I find that with my CAG I can't really train her not to do certain things, so I try to create an environment where she has less opportunity to be "naughty". I arrange her environment to limit temptation. I do think that you can communicate with your parrot and let them know how you wish them to behave with positive reinforcement, love, and clear communication. You need to set limits of course. But this requires removing Felony from dangerous situations and limiting access to forbidden things. This works to a certain degree--but it serves as a minimizer only. They will do what they want if they are so inclined. My mother takes great pleasure when I tell her about my grey's "willful disobedience". She loves to remind me that when I was 2 I rebelled despite all her strategies and numerous readings of Dr Spock. I did what I wanted as a two year old and Gracie my CAG does what she wants. Parrots are perpetual toddlers. In time you will be able to cope with it and lessen its affect on your life. You may even find it endearing. I love Gracie's sharp mind and independence. She can be a rebel, but that is part of her charm. Maybe Felony is trying to earn his name! Edited August 21, 2014 by JeffNOK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Hi Loco, you can also look on youtube for some of Barbara's videos, and/or visit her website. As Talon pointed out, our companions' drives to fly to us and be with us are very strong. HRH Inara will hang out happily on her perches for varying lengths of time, but is most happy when flying from them to me and now from them to my husband also. That being said, the time when she is most likely to simply want to perch on them for extended periods of time are after she has eaten her breakfast (full tummy); has completed several exercise flights from perch to perch to me and back etc. (burned off physical energy); and then lastly after she has finished her daily shower/misting (feathers wet and cool and stimulated for preening time). So for her: Full tummy + physical energy burned off + a signal that it is preening time = longer time hanging out quietly on one of her perches. Thus, leaving me a short window of coffee sipping time while I (truly) bask in time just watching Inara do what she does best -- being a magical bird. All this being said, I love it that she flies to seek me out and likes to hang out with me up close and personal. Because we have a routine where she spends time in her cage each day while I conduct chores, work, etc. we have a rhythm and then when she is out of her cage, she has my mostly undivided attention and I hers. So that might be something for you to think about, as luvparrots suggested. Establish a rhythm now that will allow Felony time to learn to self entertain and also have some private time to him/herself daily, for us that means in-cage time (which Inara actually seeks out and enjoys). As she has become more and more accustomed to her daily rhythm, I have begun leaving her cage door open when I am within line of sight of both her and our Rhodesian Ridgeback and she has the freedom to hang out outside of her cage if she likes. She generally, once ready to go home to her cage, prefers to putter around inside of it rather than avail herself of the open door. You and Felony will continue to do great, and so much of living with these fine companions (as you already know from your sweet years with Oprah) is feeling our way as they feel theirs each unique to our and their personalities, temperament, age, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 loco11... I know talon,she didn't mean for you to feel " chastized". Talon is passionate. You are NOT stupid, and don't ever feel that you are!I got a grey knowing NOTHING! THAT was stupid! LOL That was more than a decade ago, and I have learned. We will help you....Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 The written world of texts and email leave out the nuances of verbal or face-to-face interactions such as tone and body language. I remember when I first lurked of months and then joined this, my first and only forum, I thought members were "fighting" and it made me nervous. What I learned is our members work to keep this forum a place to come to share and lift each other up to the task of living with incredibly intelligent exquisite companions who will give us a daily challenge to dodge and weave and never catch up to their antics. A short answer to the original question is 'not really' Limiting undesirable behavior is more about distraction and substituting a less undesirable option. I heartily agree with suggestions about Barbara Heidenreich's work, particularly the one about "Problem parrots". That one helps me so much in the beginning to avoid the pitfalls of inadvertently creating a tyrant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 This thread brought up a few suggestions that I would not have considered and some I had forgotten since adopting a baby grey five years ago. One thing that saved my clothes was to buy five button-top, Henley style tee shirts. I cut them off just below the sleeves and cut open the sleeve seam. Then, I had a quick "drop cloth". It was easy on and off, I could pin toys to it and minimize the opportunity to go to the grocery store with poop down my back. If you buy them all the same color, Felony will quickly recognize it as an invitation. I lost my baby and his brother too soon to PDD and have a rescue parrot and pine for the moment she could fly to make mischief. With that said, she also vexes me sorely with a recent penchant for biting off a chunk of my door frame with newfound courage to come off her cage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I thing you can see that we each have our own expectations and ways of dealing with behavior. Which brings up the bite holes in your shirts and how we deal with it and reminds me of a story that happened to me. Some times some poop and holes in you shirt can bring a loving memory, may not been funny at the time, BUT. A number of years ago I had been playing with Corky my CAG when the wife was ready to go shopping. We live in a rural community and it`s 10 miles to the nearest shopping so we only shop once a week. We got out of the truck and went into the store. We were there about 20 minutes when a lady came up to me and said that one of the sea gules flying around the parking lot had hit me. Than I remembered that I had forgotten to change my shirt. Thank GOD there were a lot of sea gules flying around the parking lot that day. I didn`t have to explain. Your grey will always leave a mark on your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco11 Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 Thanks guys...all good info. I guess it's just a learning process and we will get it(or make it up) as we go..lol! Right now she seems to want to spend all her time with us and we're basically letting her...my thinking is that it's still all new to her, she's just a baby and hopefully will get a bit more independent as she gets older. One funny thing she does, actually she's doing it right now as I type...she sits on the arm of my recliner right next to me, making funny little "purring" noises and goes right to sleep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 Enjoy these early days with your baby because they are like kids s, as they get older they can become independent as hell. LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aunali9 Posted September 1, 2014 Share Posted September 1, 2014 hi loco. i raised my CAG Echo from 4 weeks old. he grew ridiculously attached to me, and i ran into more or less the same problems as you mention. i had almost started getting frustrated with him at times but barbara heidenreich's videos rescued me. you need to realize that he comes to you because thats what he wants whether its love, entertainment or whatever the motivation. but just like when you want kids to spend time with parents, they get distracted by things like tv and playstations so always remember if you want your parrot to do ANYTHING almost, you need to make it entertaining enough or enough of a distraction to lead him away from some behaviors. i have made toys from bottle caps and cellphone dummies and who knows what that has since been demolished trying to get echo to start enjoying himself by him self. find things destroyable that are not harmful, not made of material you dont want destroyed (wires etc) and of no use to you. so empty bottle caps or bottles, straws, and other things that he can wreck are the best items. if you made a toy out of buttons he will be encouraged to rip them off clothes. aside from this, you need to change somethings about your house hold. and you will learn what all attracts your feathered friend the most and it SHOULDNT. i had to stop echo from chewing through my laptops power cables once and he had nearly got to the wires which can be dangerous for him. so i got coiled wires found on telephone handsets and run all the power cables in the house through them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanlung Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Take a look at this setup for alternative areas for your birdie to hang out on in addition to you. Shanlung foraging for birdies // Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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