Scared of Perches & Toys! Advice please?

[Devin Corso]

Hello I'm having a problem with my African Grey Korra. She really likes rope perches, and she just finished demolishing her old one. She ripped through it so it was lying on the ground, and was not able to be hung up again. (You would think I gave it to an alligator, haha)!

 

So anyways I had to get her a new perch, but wanted to get her two new ones, and a new toy as she had demolished her toys too. So I got her a rope perch (her favorite type), it was cool and zig zagged! I also got her a special SAFE pediperch. It is soft and snooth on the top so if won't hurt her feet, but it is rough on the bottom so her talons can (hopefully) get filed down.

 

The problem is that she is MORTIFIED when I put anything new in her cage. I put them in all at once so she could get used to them all at once instead of scaring her again and again. I had her out of the cage and put them in. I introduced her to the perches. While holding her I walked up to them slowly and waved to them and said hi to the perches! She was so skinny! All of her feathers pressed to her body, her wings were out and down, eyes pinned, breathing heavy and loud, and growling. She also gripped my hand very very hard and mine started bleeding a bit.

 

I said oh look at this! New toys! New friends! I named the perches Sandy and Zigzag and I started talking very friendly to the perches. I pet and stroked the Perches, talked to them, and then pet and talked to Korra in the same way to show her that the perches are friendly and kind.

 

She flew away 4 times before I finally was able to get her in the cage. But now she is in the back corner of her cage on one of her old tiny perches (probably not good for her feet which is why I have other perches in there), sitting behind her old toy.

 

I want her to be happy and enjoy the new things I got her. To stretch her feet, explore, and have fun! But she is just sitting there, although she is talking as usual. I did everything I know to encourage her. What can I do to help my sweet girl see that new things are good things?

 

Sincerely, Devin

[SRSeedBurners]

Certain items are sure to kill a Grey. Just ask them

 

I would remove the offending items and set them somewhere in the room where she can have a good look at them for a few days. Might help if she sees you messing with them occasionally too.

[Acappella]

The best way to introduce new things to a fearful grey is to start out with the new, scary, things across the room where she can see them. Let her see you handle and play with them and gradually move them closer and closer to the cage, stopping if she shows fear. You'll gradually get them near the cage, then attach them low down on the outside of the cage, moving them up slowly until it makes sense to move them inside. This is how I successfully introduced Dorian to his Boing. It took a while.

[katana600]

My little Timneh grey has taken an exceptionally long time to accept new things. She was rehomed and I know little about her former life except she had been rehomed several times. One of our members, birdhouse recommended that when adding new things, make sure they are lower than her favored perch. It really upsets them to have something new above them. Maybe since they are a prey species it is an instinct because something above them may pounce on them. As Sterling says... they are sure the new thing is about to kill them. Some things I have done trying to get Gil to learn to play was to use paper adding machine rolls. At first I would tear off a slip and put it in her cage just woven between a few bars or leave a few strips lying on the cage play top when she was up there. Many times, I had to take everything out of her cage and start over trying to figure out which thing was causing her to be so upset. Be patient and choose your battles. New things may never be okay or good things as she is concerned. As others have said, approach it gradually from a safe distance, introduce things when she is at her best time of day, never at bedtime to frighten her overnight etc.

[Greywings]

When gradually is mentioned that may mean over a few weeks rather than hours or days.

[Devin Corso]

Ok, yesterday about an hour after I put everything in I took it all out. I read what you had said. I put her only perch that is still available to sit on in the middle upper part of her cage, and put the two new perches on a low chair in front of her cage and hung the new toy on the outside of her cage. While I was doing this I let her be on top of the cage.

 

She easily went back into the cage, sat on her worn old perch, and then went over to eat! I was very pleased. She is very tentatively watching the perches so I will keep them there so she knows they are ok. I will keep the perches away from her and slowly hey them closer as she gets comfortable. (Following what Sterling and Acapella said).

[Greywings]

Yay good save there Devin, they are often suspicious of new things and slow to accept them. Grey time is a concept that takes a bit of adjustment on our parts-perhaps they are here in part to teach us patience.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Greys take forever to adjust to changes, new toys, etc. Even though I have had Sophie for more than a decade, I have to make any changes, very slowly.I have spent a small fortune in new cages... California cage she spends around an hour or two playing in it.

All of her new play gyms, she puts her nose up at. Her original metal play gym she came with at age two, has been resottered, fixed, and put back together again. She watches Sean like a hawk when he is fixing it! When he says it is ready.... she jumps on it, slides down the sides 90 miles an hour, and is thrilled! Same exact model... she has no interest in. Nancy

[Timbersmom]

I had to hang a new boing for Timber a few weeks ago. He still refuses to go on it, though it is identical in pattern and material to the old one (learned THAT lesson the hard way) he had shredded too much to use. I'm trying to remember how long it took last "change" but it was awhile. The others aren't just kidding when they say it can take weeks for them to accept new things!

[jakibros]

I share your pain & frustration. My disabled CAG, Lily, has been enjoying her new cage since early Dec. I had to make some internal cage changes so she could climb easier. HUGE mistake. I had to take out almost everything I put in and she still argues about going back in her cage. I put back in the old manzanita steps so she could step up to the upper levels of her cage, but she is not having any of it. I will have to be CAG patient. She chatters the same in her cage but won't move around her cage like she did before. I tried all sorts of favorite treats to tempt her near the perches but no go. I feel badly with her staying in one spot now in her cage.