Training an older bird! Any more suggestions!

[bobby2007]

Good evening all!

 

Well, I have posted before under "angy boy!"

 

I have a 7 year old grey called Bobby. He came to us from a family who had fell apart which must have been awful for him, he lived for a month in a horrible pet store until I took him home. As far as i'm aware he hasn't been mistreated. He was tame to the female of his last family. He's definitely getting more settled with us. We have him in the living room so he's at the centre of everything and we love him dearly; apart from him trying to chew the furniture opposed to his toys!! He lets us itch his head through the bars of his cage and sometimes when hes out on his perch; we think that it's because he feels safe in his cage? He comes on the floor quite a lot but won't come up to us unless we have a grape or something else he likes, he seems very cautious of us otherwise. He will step on my partners hand if he has to but he doesn't really want to, if i put my hand there he bites!! I think thats cause he senses my otherhalf is the boss as he's quite loud where-as i am a soft touch!!! He definitely is fond of us both...he gets so excited when either of us come in the house and he regurgitates his food for me!

 

We've had him 8 months now and I'm just worried he'll be like this forever. I want to do things at his pace like people have kindly advised but what if he's always scared? Has anyone else had similar experiences with an older grey, I really don't know the best way forward...I got a clicker for training but it makes him jump!!!!!

 

Many Thanks

 

Helen

 

 

Photo is when we first got him

[Kibibi]

Eventually they'll become more trusting of you but it isn't possible to tell how long it will take. It's a combination of their past history, their personality, the amount of interaction, etc etc. There's just too many variables to predict. There is only one thing for sure and that's your patience will be tested/required

[ziggy]

Hello Bobby,

Patience is the key to sucsess with him. Please watch giving him grapes you need to take the skin off it is toxic to them.

The trick is to have patience. He will come around. Greys are very smart and they are also very stubran. So he will need to trust you before he will perform anything for you.

[KatB]

Ziggy, that's the first time I have heard grape skin is toxic. I've been giving it to Oliver. Thanks for the word, I'll peel the grape from here forward. At least I was only giving him one or two a day.

 

Bobby, I've had my grey for two months. He also was distrustful of people, and still is to a large degree. He has recently started coming along, though. I've been spending every possible moment holding him, playing with his toys with him, trying to get him fond of a towel by holding a towel on my lap and putting him on it... he still isn't crazy about the towel but at least now he will sit on my lap on top of the towel without panicking. I think he started making progress when I started pushing the envelope just a LITTLE. For instance, he never voluntarily stepped onto the towel, but I would distract him with a treat or a toy and put him on it and after a while he understood it wasn't going to hurt him.

 

I'm far from an expert, but this seems to be working for me so far...

 

Good luck,

Kat

[bobby2007]

Many thanks for all your answers! I didn't realise about the grapes...will peel them from now on! He's addicted to them...i've tried loads of different fruit and veg but thats the only one he really likes!!

 

Kat, how do I go about using a towel...I have heard this method before. Do you think I should just give it more time and not push things? I don't want to step back with him. I will give it all the time in the world, we just want him to be as happy as possible with us and for us to be able to handle him out of his cage. For the moment he's got millions of toys and lots of love and company from us.

 

Another thing thats been mentioned is nail clipping.....I know theres other posts on it. I don't think hes had it done before....his claws don't look overly long, can it wait as I don't wanna stress him out?

 

Thanks from a FREEZING and WET UK!!!

 

 

Helen (and Bob)

[lovemyGreys]

You sound as if you have made great progress already, patience & time as the other members have said is the biggest factor.Continue to go at Bobby's pace & never push things.You have achieved a lot in 8 months, if you progress further then that's great but if this is as good as it gets then be proud of what you have achieved & don't be disheartened.Love & enjoy Bobby & im sure in his own way it is returned.

 

Do you have sandy perches etc.. for his nails to wear down ? if there not curling over then you can delay a nail clip for a while.

 

here is a link regarding the towel to give you an idea.

 

http://www.featheredfamily.com/toweling.htm