Hannah_Rae Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Juji is about the most personality filled little package I have ever encountered. I need some advice with dealing with this little bundle of energy. 1. She chirps piercingly high pitched non stop for a very long time and I can't figure out what she wants. What do I do? I noticed that my ear felt funny after a session of her on my shoulder. It's usually after she hasn't been out of her cage for a while, so I feel bad about putting her back. Do I need to give her a little tough love? 2. She chirps a hungry chirp very loudly if she is being fed, and won't stop a long time after she is done, or she will just crouch and squawk and won't eat. What's that about? 3. She won't tolerate a misting for anything. She will do laps around the house to avoid getting misted. I am concerned about her dry skin in this very dry winter air. How can I encourage her? Thanks for putting up with the long post. Hannah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Hannah, no idea what the chirping is about, but about the misting - Bella HATES getting misted - she gets pretty darn mad about it. But she loves to get in the shower with me. Go figure! Maybe Juji would prefer the shower? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah_Rae Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 I tried the shower, and she hated that too...maybe I need to try again. What do you do for the shower? Do you put a towel on your shoulders or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamelessmuse Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 For now I would bring her in the shower with you, not under...but the moisture alone will help. Slowly introduce forms of water to her to find what does it for her. For example put a large, flat bowl with maybe 2 inches or so of water in it in the bath tub. Float some kale leaves, spinach, ect in there and try and make it a game and work your way up from there. As far as the noises go, other than trying to figure out what she wants, ignore it. Try to engourage softer tones making those the ones you pay attention to. Once she learns the loud ones get no response she may trade them in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaFawkes Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Some greys just despise water!!! There may be nothing you can do to get her to like it!! Greys are naturally dusty birds...one of the most dusy along with cockatoos and cockatiels. The loud noises, have you tried returning her to her cage when she does it..without saying anything to her? Same with when she does the noises over the food, do you talk to her when she does it? If so try to just leave the room and completley ignore her until she A) stops, or B) makes a noise you like...then go back to the room as fast as you can and praise her!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Josey does not like a shower either or a misting, but she gets it anyways, I put her in the tub and mist her where she can't get away from me. She does not protest too much, she doesn't like it but does not try to bite me. I am puzzled on the chirping, maybe she just needs more cuddling and reassurance.:huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah_Rae Posted March 4, 2008 Author Share Posted March 4, 2008 That's the thing...we cuddle all the time! She is the cuddliest bird I have ever seen. On Friday, we spent two hours just cuddling. Is she that insecure? I have tried putting her in a tub, but she is such a good flyer that she gets away from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Well there is where I have you on that, Josey is clipped so she can't fly out of the tub. Maybe you are doing too much cuddling then if you do that with her all the time, try the suggestions that Tiffani and Muse gave you and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GusandGloria Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 I am not certain what might be causing the chirping but hopefully it will pass. Gus recently started this unreal high pitched "WHOOP!" when he wants to be picked up. It's annoying as all get-out. I don't think parrots understand the concept of tough love or punishment or withholding something in order to learn a lesson. Parrots are all about body language and vocal communication and most of the time they are doing something or vocalizing for a reason and not just trying to annoy us. If you could make a video of this behavior, his body language might help us to understand the behavior better. When Gus gets overly excited and starts that chirping for me to go and get him, I get up and go get him. Why should I not? Just because he is annoying me is not a reason to punish him. He needs something and I wouldn't want to be ignored if I need something. It is important to remember that committing to parrot ownership is committing to the needs of the bird and parrots have many needs. I try and keep this in mind when I'm pulling my hair out. If there is no apparent reason for the vocalization and you're overwhelmed, you could try moving him to a dark-ish, quiet place, the idea and goal being to calm him and change his state, and not punish what is no doubt a very natural behavior. And this way you are helping him, and not causing him more distress. Good luck! Hopefully it's just a little stage he will grow out of.<br><br>Post edited by: GusandGloria, at: 2008/03/04 05:25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamelessmuse Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Greyce has this one whistle that is really loud. It was the first noise she ever made, now that she has other noises and I am totally ignoring that one she uses it less and less. It really doesn't bother me that much, but it is soooo loud I know they can hear it up stairs and even though I want to kick my upstairs neighboor for the noise his dog makes...I don't want to be that neighboor! She came up with a new whistle the other day that made all the dogs leave the room whining. It was a frequency that I don't think humans are intended to hear:laugh: I utterly ignored it and so far she has only used it three times. She did make her first cat Meow tonight...that was a hoot! Now if I could catch that darned word she keeps saying!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 Hannah_Rae wrote: I tried the shower, and she hated that too...maybe I need to try again. What do you do for the shower? Do you put a towel on your shoulders or what? No, first I put her on my hand and move her under the shower stream slowly. I make sure I dont' get her head. She'll get her head wet on her own terms. Once she's good and wet, I step in and then I put her on one of the platforms in the shower and she showers at her liesure then. I do however take the sprayer and give her a really good soaking all over so it does down to her skin. She particularly enjoys the massage pulse spray :laugh: I do have to say there may be a copy cat factor involved with this. Jiggy, my conure, LOVES water and the shower, and when Bella first joined us, she initially watched Jiggy go into the shower, so she may have just followed suite. I've seen both of them teach each other things. I'm quite sure if it weren't for Bella, Jiggy would still be refusing fresh foods. And Jiggy certainly taught Bella that new toys have one purpose: to be attacked!!!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: LOL ok - my 3rd edit here - you know, I'm wondering about the conure-grey combo. What I've ready about Greys is that they are naturally cautious, and prefer to stand on the sidelines and observe. Conures on the other hand seem to have NO fear! They have no concept of how small they are, and they seem to feel they are the center of the show at ALL times. So, I really think at least at hour house, Bella and Jiggy are feeding off each other's energies and things like showers etc.. are a bit easier to do. Hmmmm Post edited by: Nychsa, at: 2008/03/04 14:50<br><br>Post edited by: Nychsa, at: 2008/03/04 14:56 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 When they are very young, as Juji is, they do chirp a lot. They also want to be with their Mom and Dad at all times and will chirp and call constantly, especially if they can see you. :-) The bathing is an issue with many Greys. The only thing I can say, is mist them anyway. B) I get Dayo in the shower, put him on the floor and close the door as much as possible behind me as I lean over him and keep my hand over him while the mister is in front of him. He hates it, but gets a soaking anyway. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah_Rae Posted March 5, 2008 Author Share Posted March 5, 2008 Dan, that's exactly what my husband was suggesting. I just don't want to traumatize the child. As far as the screech, I really think it is just an attention call, and I DO think that she understands being put in her cage because she changes her sound nearly immediately. It's funny, b/c she was with me at work today and didn't shriek once. WEIRD! Thanks for the tips guys, I hope this is just a phase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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