tickle Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 I took on an African Grey. I did not think I would like having this bird but it has been the best 2 weeks so far. Even though this 5 year old is still getting used to us. I have lots of questions. This bird I call "G" went from having no interaction to alot of interaction. He is not bitting me but just nibbles. The nibbles are sometimes harder at times. When he does this, am I to leave him alone? He has not spoken since he was moved to my house. I guess this can be expected. We are new to him as he is new to us. I am getting him out of his home everyday and I talk to him all day long. I work from home and he sits in his home behind me. I roll with my chair to him constantly during the day when he is not cat napping. Is this too much for him? How long will it take for him to get used to us? Thanks for all the help I can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Two weeks is not enough time for him to be settled into his new home especially since he is 5 years old, it takes longer for an adult bird. I would allow some out of the cage time every day also, maybe he could perch on some kind of stand so he is nearby. I would ignore the nibbles/bites or tell him no and turn your back on him, they don't like to be ignored and soon he should do it less and less. Of course he is testing you too to see if you are afraid of him. I take it you have not named this grey yet since you are referring to it by "G", thats ok, maybe something about its personality will help you decide on a suitable name. Since this is your first post why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us a little more about yourself and "G". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdmom Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Hello there. You said: This bird I call "G" went from having no interaction to alot of interaction. My reply: Good. More interaction means he is getting more comfortable. Its a good sign. You said; He is not bitting me but just nibbles. The nibbles are sometimes harder at times. When he does this, am I to leave him alone? My reply: Yes. Accept it, greys are known to do that. both of mine use their beak like their hands, they nuzzle my hand with it, and sometimes mouth my fingers gently, sometimes not so gently if they get excited which can include affection. And, if he wanted to really 'bite' you, he could have by now and I am sure he is aware of it, so you should appreciate his self restraint, he is being respectful. Or maybe you havent' given him a reason, he may be on good behavior while he feels things out. But if you develop a tolerance for some nibbling you can develop mutual trust, but set a boundary line and if he crosses it you will need to give him loving guidance. (It happens to all of us, and you can't get mad....the bird is trying to tell you something if he does bite you hard. Greys get moody but they are wonderful. You will have to be prepared for that and react calmly, but give him an appropriate correction if it does happen and use Laddering and 'step up' with your hands to distract from whatever is on his mind will help. By the way never get angry at a parrot it won't help it makes it worse.) You said: He has not spoken since he was moved to my house. I guess this can be expected. My Reply: Yep. One day he'll just come out with it and surprise you. But you have to talk to him first. Play the radio and loosen up, act goofy. He'll come around. Be very patient. It may take him a month or two. good luck, birdmom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourtrap Posted December 28, 2007 Share Posted December 28, 2007 Hello Tickle & G...your grey is acting normal remember everything is new to him/her, new cage, home, people etc. Don't worry you can bet that he/she is keeping a close eye on what is going on around him/her, be patient and before you know it you will see a change. Rug his head, beak and try to include him/her in daily activities even offer him.her a treat when you go near the bird. Good luck and welcome to the group. Benny:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 Thanks! I have never been around a bird so this is all new to me. I do spend a lot of time with G. I want him to feel at home here. He really pays attention to me when I talk to him. Like I said, I talk to him all day long. Is this a good thing? Should I talk to him this much? How long do you think it will take him to adjust. I am so excited for me and G. I am looking forward to having him in my life. My dog is very jealous. He likes the bird too. I have been taking G out of his home in the morning and again in the evening. Around 8 pm he is ready, I think to come out. I have been taking him to the living room on the floor so that our family dog and G will get used to each other. I think it is going well. They seem to like each other. Jupie is a small dog so I think this helps. The people who had G had a large dog. What else can I do to make him adjust any better? I have bought a book, The African Grey Parrot Handbook. I have been reading this book but it tells alot about a baby not an adult Grey. When he nibbles me, I will start leaving him alone. Let's see how he does. I feel like since he has not had anyone to spend time with him, I should spend all the time I can with him. At night, if I go somewhere, I cant wait to come home to play with him. Should I be like this? Any help I can get would be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 Thanks for the advice. I will leave him alone when he nibbles. How much time do you think he will take to feel like part of my family? Over all, I think he has done really good. He is making little sounds now and each day, it seems like he does more and more. What else can I do to help him feel more at home? The prior owners did not spend any time with him at all, this is why we have him now. Please let me know what I should and should not do at this point. I was looking on his tag and I think this bird is older than 5. It reads 96 on it. Does this mean that he was born in 96? Am I going to be able to teach him things? I think this site is going to be the best for me to get advise. I am loving it. I will definitely go the welcome room now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdmom Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Good for you! BIG KUDOS to you for giving the guy a home!!! I also have a Grey that is between 4 and 5 that I've only had since April. It may take six months for him to settle in. Be patient and let him tell you what his pace is. A grey will pick his favorite person, and then later, it could change but keep talking to him, that's great! I would tell him you love him every day Also, I think playing a radio really loosens them up. You can try to get him to be himself and relax You'll be fine. If he is biting you, just don't react loudly but if its just a nibble, no big deal,he's just testing you ignore that. But if he really bites and you bleed, you must correct that with a firm NO, and then you have to ignore them, they want attention and a big reaction is attention. If biting becomes a problem some of us use a timeout cage. It worked with Charlie, only took 3 or 4 times in the timeout cage. You may want to cover his cage with an extra table cloth at night if you don't have anything else, he'll feel more secure. I use an old drapery panel on one cage, just make sure its been washed. And if you can, buy him some toys. If you can't right away, some of use use a new roll of T.P. for them to chew up I just set it on top of the cage, they tear at it thru the top, or just put the empty roll up there. Well I hope this helps you and Good luck! Joanne Post edited by: birdmom, at: 2007/12/30 04:31<br><br>Post edited by: birdmom, at: 2007/12/30 04:39 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 So I should talk to him as much as I can. That is great news. What about bathing him? I have read that they need this. How does this work in with him still trying to get used to us? I want to make sure I am doing eveything I should be doing for his health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 You can provide a bowl in the bottom of his cage for him to bathe in, if he doesn't use it, you can use a hand sprayer and wet him with that while inside the cage or you can take him to the shower and see if he will be receptive to going under the stream of water. He really should have a bath about 2 times a week and a lot of us use aloe vera juice for wetting them down, it is soothing for their skin especially now that cold weather is here and we have the heat on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevjoe Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 You have been given good advice from other members. My feeling is to treat G like he is learning for the first time with you. His past has to be his past. Everything you are doing is ALL new to him, so it’s best to do it all at once. Your the boss, not him, and teach him Now that’s the way it will be. The most important thing is you show, and make him feel LOVE. WHEN HE DOES SOMETHING GOOD, YELL A GET HIM EXCITED, LIKE YOU WOULD LIKE A CHILD. You are his world now, and soon he will be a large part of it. Learn the main things you will have him to do Like: Food (Making sure its always fresh), health (Weight and grooming), cleaning daily his surroundings, shower two times a week (Fully, and under wings and BODY (Cool water) towel dry him), change his toys monthly with new ones, and change them back and forth, 10 to 12 hrs sleep time (Not disturbed, with no light) The most important to me is, my night with some soft music and him being the world to me, and letting him know that. KEY! Is LOVE, but be his parent, not his slave. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Thanks Joe, I couldn't have said it better myself.:kiss: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 I will try the dish at the bottom of his cage. I wonder how he would react to me spraying him. Where do I get the aloe vera juice from? And, do you spray him with this diluted or full strength? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Thank you for giving me all this information. Is there anything that I need to be doing with him that is important to his health? I see bird vitamins and such for his water. Do I need to use this? I am going at this completely blind. I do appreciate all the help I can get. I want to make sure I am doing important things with him so he is healthy. Prior owners did not tell me a thing. I am not even sure he was given a bath or sprayed down. God I am looking forward to this adventure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 He is scared of the empty roll of TP. I have put two of them on top of his cage. He does not like it at all. I guess he will have to get used to this first. I find that he likes baby rattles. My brother left one of his here over the holidays that his baby just got for Christmas. G absolutely loves it! I hope this is a good thing. He plays with it on the floor with me. G throws it around for at least an hour while I have him out. One good thing is, when he came here, he had no feathers on his check and the sides of his neck. Now, he has little feathers growing back. I have noticed a difference in him already. I am hoping the TP rolls will help him not to pluck his feathers too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Do not put anything in his water unless it is a drop of vinegar, he should be getting his vitamins and minerals from the foods he eats. If you have a Walmart in your area, you can get the aloe vera juice there and use it full strength, do not dilute it. He will be afraid of new things so gradually introduce new things to him, leave the TP rolls nearby and eventually he will be more curious about them. Baby toys like rattles make excellent toys for greys, most are safe for them also and usually are cheaper than made for bird toys. That is good that he is not plucking feathers anymore, the extra attention is probably the reason, and do not be afraid to talk to him all you want, he probably loves the extra attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 I believe we live in the same area. I live near Covington. I believe you live in Eagle Rock. We pass this area on the way to Roanoke. Where do you buy your bird stands and things like that in this area? I would like to get a portable stand for him. Delivery charges for this area are outragous. As far as spraying him with a water bottle, how wet should he be getting and should I dry him off? Would I have to worry about him getting cold? What if I scare him alot. I am worried about that. I dont want him to stop progressing. How should I approach him with this spray bottle? I have placed a pan of water in the bottom of his cage. He keeps looking at it and I think he is interested. If he starts using this pan to take a bath, should I not spray him anymore or is it a good idea to go ahead and still do it? (Seems like I have never ending questions) Why would vinegar in his water be beneficial? I am trying to introduce to him pellet food with his parrot mix that he is use to from Walmart. I have read that the pellets are much heathier for him. He is not taking to well to it. I have lots more questions about his food. I guess I will wait for that until later. I am not as concerned about that as I am some other stuff like this bathing thing. We do have gas heat. We have a grate in the floor between the living room and dining room. I have placed a big chili pot of water on the grate in order to get some moisture in the air. I have seen a difference for myself and would think this would be a good thing for him too. Is there anything else I need to be doing for him other than showering him twice a week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I bought my birds in Covington, small world isn't it. I have bought most of my stuff online and some of it came with free shipping you just have to check around and find some suitable sites. If you spray him make sure you do the chest area and the area between the wings and body, the water will just roll off the back. Do not dry, just put him back into the cage or on a stand and let him air dry, he will preen himself after getting wet. A drop of so of vinegar in their water bowl will help inhibit bacteria growth, for a lot of greys like to dunk food and stuff in their water. If he is not eating his pellets try soaking some in some juice like apple and see if he will eat them that way, some have even ground them up and added them to soft foods, like some oatmeal. The increased humidity will benefit him as well as you but that pot on the grate might not provide enough, you may have to invest in a humidifier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Very small world. Thanks for all of this information. What web sites do you recommend? G has been playing on top of his cage now for about an hour. That's good right? Man does he love those rattlers! I think that this is the best toy he's got. I change his water every morning. Should I be putting a drop of vinegar in his water every morning? I have crushed up some pellets but he is not eating them so I will try wetting them and doing these other things you have suggested until I find the right thing for him. Should I put his regular food in there as well? I know I should not stop giving him the seeds right? At least until he starts eating the pellets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 www.bird.com www.thecountryroost.com www.drsfostersmith.com www.avianlove.com www.birdsafestore.com These are a few of the sites I have used. Some here do put that drop of vinegar in the water every day or every time it is changed, some change it often during the day. Yes give him his regular food as well as the pellets and if and when he starts eating the pellets you can start backing off the seeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tickle Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Thanks. I will do this with the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronda477 Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Tickle just to let you know your patience will be rewarded! We have had SweetHeart since the end of Oct and we are still trying to make her feel like family! But slowly but surely she is coming around! Sounds like you have great advice that the other members have given. Welcome to the forum and keep us updated! And yes they love baby toys! My TAG doesn't like when I spray her by the way either but I do it occasionally just cause she's too big to do what she tries to do herself which is get in her water dish lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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