Not playing as much anymore

[wildmike556]

I got my grey Rascal, who is 10 years old, a little over 2 months ago, and her behavior seems to have been changing continuously ever since. She seems to trust me pretty well now and will sit with me, play with me, and even cuddle from time to time.

 

However, she seems to be taking less interest in playing on her own than she has previously. I added several hanging toys for her to chew on or swing around, but she seems to be completely ignoring them. I've had the toys in a few different arrangements, and they've been in there for about a month now, so it's not just that they're new.

 

She also used to climb all over the cage, hang upside down, chew cardboard that I hung from the bars, but now she pretty much just sits there in the same spot unless she's eating.

 

She doesn't seem unhappy at all, and seems to have plenty of energy when I have her out and about. I just want to make sure she's not sitting in there bored, especially when I'm gone at work all day, because I have a feeling that if she is it will cause problems eventually.

 

Any ideas for things I should try, or should I not worry about it as long as things are available for her?

[lovemyGreys]

Has she had more out of cage time lately than usual ? Is there two many toys in there ? Are they unfamiliar toys to her ? maybe she is feeling over powered by them,try reducing the number of toys.Greys are notorious for not liking change.As long as she is eating,preening & showing no signs of illness,then keep the toys down to perhaps 2 & see if that helps.

 

she may well play with them to amuse herself when your not in the room,just an after thought

[wildmike556]

I have been letting her out a bit longer during the evenings now that she's not quite as bent on destroying my furniture (although she still tries to nip it sometimes when she thinks I'm not looking... silly bird).

 

It'd be nice if she's playing with them while I'm gone, but the toys for chewing never show any signs of being worked on. At first when I'd hang a peice of cardboard in the morning it'd be a pile of little pieces on the bottom of the cage by the time I got home. Now I've had the same peices in there for 2 weeks and hardly a nibble.

 

I can try reducing the number and see if that makes a difference. I did add several at once, so maybe it was a bit much.

[Dave007]

This really doesn't sound like a health problem but it does fit the African grey species and you might not know the whole scope of their personality and habits so I'll tell you about them to relieve your mind.

 

Your bird is 10 yrs old and has already developed the typical traits of an older and more mature grey. Those traits were with the the bird way before you obtained her since she's already 10 yrs old. It's just that you're seeing them for the first time. The visual situation with your grey happens to many people who see a gradual change as soon as their bird reaches maturity and it disturbs them. Nothing is wrong though although some people don't wanna believe it.

 

When a grey is relatively young up until the age of about 5 or 6, they have an interest in other things such as toys and other physical objects but as they get a little older, their constant interest in things is taken over by their interest in things that aren't there. Namely, the things in their minds. The are really thinking about things we couldn't possibly know about.. Greys will sit for hours and stare out of windows, be very quiet and to people who are watching, it's mistaken for an unhappy bird. Their constant interest in playthings lessen. They start playing in spurts. Steady relaxation has set in. They lose the constant need to be cuddled and constantly petted. They begin to set the rules concerning when they want that done. An African grey doesn't require intense constant attention from it's owner in order to be content. There are other species that do.

 

Your bird has finished up the novelty of moving in with a new owner, having new toys and is now settling down to being a grey again.

 

She will show interest in all the things you say she physically does but it will come in spurts such as coming out of the cage, playing with things, chewing things, being visibly active but again, only in spurts.

 

A grey's habits and personality traits can be put on the back burner but only for a while.

 

What I'm saying here is that you will never experience or see the lifestyle that your bird had when it was very young. Being an adult has permanently taken over which is absolutely normal.

 

As far as your bird being unhappy when you go to work...that can't be answered here but you can contact the previous owners and ask about the general habits that existed in the past. Many bored birds will do things to themselves when they're uncomfortable. Your bird isn't doing that yet but you need to watch for signs in the the future that seem strange such as plucking, sneak attack biting, constant low sounding growling when you're near by.

 

As long as you keep up with what you're doing physically with the bird, she should remain stable. If you can increase and decrease the routines you have with her, that also helps.

 

As far as toys---it can never be a detriment but the bird might not accept them or ignore them or be fearful of them. What you shouldn't do is remove her present collection of toys and replace them. The toys that are there are a part of it's home even if she doesn't play with them. Toys play two roles..playing with them and creating contentment for the bird. Example, the bird doesn't play with a certain toy but does like to sleep very near a certain toy.

 

You'll see many different parts of the bird's personality come3 to the surface now that the honeymoon and novelty is starting to wear off. You can't possibly see all of those things in 2 months. In the future if you see things that are strange to you or worry you, simply ask and people will give you their similar experiences that go on with their bird.

 

If you don't have one, one toy I would recommend that you get is a cow bell which can be purchased at a pet store. Parrots enjoy getting into very nasty fights with those bells and then after a time they also consider that bell a friend because the bell is reacting to the bird which many other toys won't do. The bird smashes the bell, the bell swings back and hits the bird in the face or head causing the bird to fight with it even more intensely until playing is finished for that time. Then the process starts all over again.

 

Good luck and stop worrying so much. Your African grey is just being an African grey.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/03/27 18:49

[judygram]

Tracy has some excellent ideas and suggestions, follow them and see if you see any difference. But I am guessing that you have had her out more lately and now she is accustomed to that and maybe just sitting there waiting for you to come and get her, they can be a little difficult to figure out sometimes.

[judygram]

Thanks Dave, as always he has the situation down pat, he knows grey behavior because he has been there and done that, he has a wealth of knowledge on this subject, you the man.:kiss: B)

[wildmike556]

I can certainly see how the end of the "honeymoon" could change things. She hasn't had any problems with plucking, at least not of her large feathers. She does wind up losing quite a few down feathers when she preens, but I imagine that's normal. She's only dropped two large feathers from her wings and one tail feather since I've had her.

 

I just hope she doesn't lose too much interest in me. She doesn't like to be constantly petted, but often she's content just to sit on my leg or shoulder.

 

Thanks for your insights!

[lovemyGreys]

loss of down feathers when they preen is normal,As for petting, all greys are different,some dont like the contact as they mature,others contitnue to enjoy it,if she is happy sitting with you thats great

[Acappella]

I second Dave on the bell. Dorian isn't big on playing with toys, but he and his bell do battle a couple of times a day. He also uses it for communication, like in the mornings when he hears me up but I haven't gone in to him yet he rings it gently, at least at first! Make sure you get one that is bird safe and meant for a bird the size of a grey. It will have the clanger in the bell secure so that your bird can't get to it and possibly detach it.

[judygram]

Some of the online bird sites have an indestribell that is encased in a hard plastic cover that they can't destroy, my Josey loves to grab ahold of that thing and give it a good pull so it goes banging, she can really give it he** sometimes.:woohoo: :blink: :laugh: