New to the African Grey World

[Keeks]

Hey there! As stated in my profile and in my first Intro thread, there's an African Grey (Smokey) at my job. His story isn't too saddening; it's rather simple actually. His owner is the manager of the practice, and the reason Smokey lives at the vet and not the manager's house is because my manager didn't have much time or energy to give him the correct socialization. He thought bringing him to the vet and letting him live there would help relieve some of his stress -- and for a time, it did. My manager refuses to rehome him or give him to a rescue, though, and he's convinced that giving Smokey a bigger cage will somehow solve all his problems.

 

My previous supervisor (who's moved jobs) connected most with Smokey. She could let him out, pick him up, perch him, clean him, etc, all without a problem. Unfortunately, she didn't have the money to completely take on the responsibility of caring for him and living with him. It's been about a month and half since she moved jobs for better opportunities. I might not know much about birds, but I know they're smart and understand a lot more than people give them credit for. Smokey knows she's not coming back. And he worries me because he's begun to pluck himself. No one can take him out of the cage because having to put him back in typically ends up getting someone bitten or Smokey getting so stressed with us trying that he tries to fly, and he's already (quite literally) slammed into the window across from his cage twice.

 

He's still eating, he's still singing, and he does this adorable little happy growl and whistle when we spray him with the water bottle. I'd like to make it clear that literally no one knows what we're doing when it comes to Smokey. The best we've figured is that giving him something to destroy takes his attention off of his feathers for a bit of time. He has happy days when he plays with the toys hanging in his cage. And don't get me wrong -- he's not a complete menace. He's just better about not trying to snatch fingers when he's in his cage. It's clearly a safe spot for him, and he feels more confident and safe there. It's been that way since my prior supervisor left.

 

It took us a while to notice him plucking -- the area that he's plucking at is just under his left wing and kind of on his side, near his back. It's completely obscured by his wings when he tucks them. There's no down or feathers there; it's completely naked, and now that I've begun to watch him more closely, I've noticed him hiding it. >__< He knows he shouldn't pluck, I'm convinced!

 

But anyway -- I'd like to just get some tips. Smokey leaving the facility is not an option. I've spoken to my manager, and he's not interested in any attempts to rehome him.... I've been trying to get to the point where Smokey will at least let me take him out and put him away, and I've nearly lost several fingers in this endeavor. Any advice will be much appreciated!! Thank you all~

 

[Inara]

Hi and welcome to you and Smokey! Smokey sure is a pretty guy, and sounds like he is missing his friend who moved on. That being, said, sometimes it's easy to look at two unrelated things, and put them together because they happen near the same time. I'm taking it that the vet practice is a general one and not an avian vet. It might not be a bad idea to have an avian vet give Smokey a once over to make sure that there is not something under that wing in that area that is bruised, injured, has mites, or just any number of things that might cause him to pluck at that particular spot.

 

As for handling, I am a big one for always linking any type of handling with some type of positive reward, whether it is a very special food tidbit, extra affection, a scritch, a whistle, whatever motivates a particular bird. All of them are different. My TAG, HRH Inara, will sell her soul for a wee bit of cheese and gets one whenever (and only when) it is time for her to go home to the perch on her cage door, and after the door gets shut with her then inside. She happily goes home without complaint. For other things, she just loves attention and playing games that she and I have invented together. When it comes to flying to me, she doesn't care at all about treats, she *loves* hearing me say in an excited voice, "Very good! You are a great flyer!"

 

So with Smokey, initially, I'd suggest just offering him a wee treat as you go past his cage and build up your friendship with him. There are tons of posts her in the forums on making friends with your bird (look for "sticky" threads, the ones that stay the same at the top of each section of the forum) and read, read, read.

 

If he likes shredding things, weave some strips of newspaper in and out of his cage bars, do the same with some millet sprays/stalks, and just know that he will make new good friends but will miss his former favorite. It would be like you having broken up with a romantic partner, and then some new person comes along and wants you to buddy up before you are ready. So just give him time, but do have the vet check out his underwing. You will likely get other advice too, I'm notorious for looooooooooooong answers, so have tried to keep this short and sweet!

 

Loved the pics, looking forward to more, and to more Smokey stories.

[Kya]

Hi, and welcome! I am new to greys, too, just not new to parrots.

 

How is his diet? Does he get fresh veggies and fruit?

 

We recently transitioned ours to a large cage, he was in what I would call a medium sized cage when we rescued him, not near enough room to stretch his wings well. The owner couldn't figure out why he started plucking when she rehomed his partner and moved him into this tiny cage in another room by himself. We moved him to a huge cage, and now he has become cage aggressive. He has all kinds of new toys and I am making huge dietary changes, and he has new flock mates. Lots of changes for him, and it doesn't take much to upset the apple cart in the parrot world.

 

We are just being patient with him, and giving him opportunities to make his own choices - cage door is open and the opportunity is there. He understands NO, so if he tries to bite when we are doing something inside the cage (food, water, toys) we can make eye contact with him and tell him no and he backs off. He'll come out when he's ready, but your friend does need the opportunity to come out! Are their blinds at the windows you can close? Could you go in early or stay after hours and let him have the opportunity to come out? If you can find a high value treat, you might be able to lure him back in the cage with that.

[katana600]

Thank you for taking an interest in Smokey and trying to find ways to help him through this transition. It's a tough spot to be in when your supervisor is the decision maker. Hopefully your observations will be well received and you can all work together to get Smokey through the transition of job changes with his caretakers. He is a beautiful parrot and you will find yourself being a "bird person" before you know it. We have a rehomed parrot and it has taken her a long time to accept changes that came into her life without her permission. If you pay attention and listen to Smokey you will learn his preferences. You are on the right track with giving him things to destroy. One of Miss Gilbert's favorites is a roll of paper tape for adding machines. Make sure it isn't the thermal fax kind, it very inexpensive and you can find it at Sam's Club and places like that. Each parrot will have "favorites" such a leather toys, wood toys, puzzle toys etc. When you are thinking of changing cages it would be helpful to know how long he has been in his current cage. It would be good to keep the old cage and let him choose which one he wants to be in. My best tip in dealing with a new bird and out of cage time is if possible do it at night because you can turn off most of the lights, make it dim in the room and they naturally will not want to fly and will be ready to return "home" for the night. I live in Georgia, northeast Atlanta. I am not a bird expert by any means, I just love my African Grey Timneh and would be willing to volunteer if you are near just to stop by and visit with Smokey and see if there is any help I could offer. I understand this is a new situation, new supervisor and all. I understand and will not impose, just know I have some free time and would come to you.