Tracy and I (and Hello)

[Budman17r]

I just wanted to share this story, which I'm sure has parts that some of you will not like.

 

Anyway, about 5 years ago a neighbor of mine had to get rid of Tracy. A male African Grey. (not knowing anything about parrots), my mom, and I agreed to taking him.

 

So, this neighbor brings tracy and cage over. We set it up, and here he is. While she was here, Tracy was affectionate but visually frightened (as anyone would be in a new home). As the first week went on. Daily, I would get him out work with him (antagonize him as I would call it (reaching in and petting him, giving him peanuts and in general lots of attention). (He went from a back room with a TV, to a room shared with me.)

 

This bird used to get very upset whenever anything changed. New people/new furniture/toys, anything. He was a very frightened bird with every change.

 

So the previous owner came to visit. Tracy got noticely affectionate to the previous owner, and then noticeably aggressive, and angry with me.

 

The following week, it took me 3-4 days before I was allowed to hold him. All was appearing to be well again.

 

Until the next visit a 2-3 weeks later by the previous owner. At that point Tracy had decided to pull a grudge that would last for 2 or 3 years. After the previous owner had left. Tracy started violently lunging, and had bitten/broken the skin on the first attack. (Granted, being a wuss when it comes to bird bites) I noticeably would withdraw my hand.

 

Because of my wussiness ™, and because the bird would lunge for my hand with enough force it would break skin on it's own accord. I was under the impression that I would have to get rid of the bird for him to have a full and happy life. (I didn't agree with having him downstairs constantly stuck in the cage).

 

However, my mother (God rest her soul), decided to take the bird/cage and put him upstairs in the living room. (For a bird that did not like change, this was an initial shock). Over the years, tracy (albeit cage bound), became accustomed to and even attached to change. He loved when anyone came in the living room (Which 90% of the time had people in it). He loved parties with lots of people (He would interact and even argue (Verbally) with my extended family members.

 

(One argument)

 

Tracy: Want a peanut?

Marcie: No I don't want a peanut.

Tracy: Well, *in the tone you can imagine* I do.

 

Or, when covered up.

 

Tracy: Hello, is anyone out there, it's dark in here!

 

or even giving instructions.

 

Tracy: To cook a pizza you must set the oven to 225 degrees farenheit.

 

During this time he would allow me to pet his head a bit, but if I would open his cage to pet him/pick him up he would begin to attack/bite. (And not just looking to get on my hand either).

 

Two months ago we had to move him to the back room. (This back room is not what you would expect). He can see the whole house, has a window, can see the entire house, and everyone heading to the bathroom will bribe him with a peanut.

 

So two days ago, during my son's first birthday. I went in there, and was giving him scratchs on his head, he decided to quickly grab my finger. He began to preen my finger up and down my hand.

 

I feel this was his way of showing sorrow/forgiveness/wanting another try. Later that evening, I put my hand in there to try to pick him up again.

 

He immediately grabbed my finger very delicately and started preening and kissing my hand. (and regurgitating on me). He literally grabbed my hand and would not let go. (That almost broke skin, it started to hurt but I can deal with that). I had to pull his talons off my finger. I purposely left his cage open.

 

Low and behold, my feathered friend and come to me and watched me from the top of his cage. Allowing me to pick him up, move him around, and even other people come near him.

 

Later that night in giving him a spray bath. He got aggitated as he normally does and went after the spray bottle. However, if I place my hands in the cage he does not bite, he doesn't even grab for my hand (his sign of leave me alone), and at one point my hand startled him (I was tightening something on the cage and he moved his head and hit my hand).

 

He still did not bite or lunge.

 

 

Granted I know there will be other times he's "angry" but over the past few years there was no holding this bird.

 

In the course of those years though. He has become very used to change. A bird that used to get frightful of new items in the room, now is playing with toys before I get them into the cage fully. You can take anything up to him, and he will "see what it is" not getting visually shaken at all.

 

Tracy is 7-10 years old now. This story is just to scream gleefully that I can finally handle tracy again. Giving him physical attention rather than just attention.

[bettyboop]

Hello Budman and Tracy , welcome to the forum .Ver neat story . Looking forward to hearing more about Tracy .

Mary

[lovemyGreys]

Hi Budman and Tracy, Welcome to the forum,look forward to hearing more from you

[judygram]

Hello Budman and welcome to the family, so glad you decided to join us and we look forward to hearing more about you and Tracy.

 

What a wonderful story of Tracy and your relationship with him, it's so heartwarming to hear these kind of stories with a happy ending and it just goes to show that time and patience can bring great rewards.

 

Tracy carries on quite the conversation doesn't he, I especially love this section::laugh:

 

"""Tracy: Want a peanut?

Marcie: No I don't want a peanut.

Tracy: Well, *in the tone you can imagine* I do."""

 

Please read thru the many threads for lots uf useful information and do not hesitate to ask questions you may have. We will do our best to find you some answers and help you in any way we can.

 

If you have some pictures of Tracy you would like to share with us we would love to see him.

[Guest]

Budman and Tracy: {Communicate-00020121}

[danmcq]

Welcome Budman and Tracy !!!

 

What a great story that played out literally over years. It is wonderful to see such a good example of patience, determination and not giving up on a Grey or any other bird for that matter.

 

Moving to another room and having such a dramatic change personality is amazing. I guess that adds another thing to try when all else has failed in getting a Grey to settle down.

 

Do you think it was something in the room that was agitating Tracy?

 

Looking forward to hearing more and seeing some photos. :-)

[Budman17r]

danmcq wrote:

Welcome Budman and Tracy !!!

 

What a great story that played out literally over years. It is wonderful to see such a good example of patience, determination and not giving up on a Grey or any other bird for that matter.

 

Moving to another room and having such a dramatic change personality is amazing. I guess that adds another thing to try when all else has failed in getting a Grey to settle down.

 

Do you think it was something in the room that was agitating Tracy?

 

Looking forward to hearing more and seeing some photos. :-)

 

Personally I feel that the change to the living room was the change that sparked it all.

 

When he was in my room (for months), the same thing would happen. Very little changes/new people/different people would interact with Tracy.

 

When he moved to the living room.

 

These are the benefits (that over time he became accustomed to)

 

CONSTANT interaction, there was literally someone in that room 16+ hours a day. Very close to 350+ days a year. If I wasn't there, my mom was, if she wasn't my dad, and then eventually my wife would be there too.

 

Being in a central location in the home, Whenever anyone came he would have to be ok with it. Also the living room was full of change. This area is basically the Living room/Dining Room, and you can see in to the kitchen. In general he would be in the center of all happenings in the home, be it birthday parties, get togethers and just company over. Because he was in the center of the house.

 

As I'd like to call it safely antagonizing the bird with new toys every once in awhile, and changing the surrounding when he was covered up. Not intentionally changing, (but how often do you straighten up, change curtains, change the quit that is out, etc).

 

I found these things helped tracy (even though he couldn't be held at this point).

 

He would still talk when new people would come up to him (maybe not the full vocabulary, but he would make sounds/interact.)

 

We'd have strangers (to him) feed him peanuts/grapes. (Constantly reassuring him that Change is goooooood).

 

The bird changed from being petrified for days of a single change in the room, to being so used to change/havoc that one can trip into the birds cage, and aside from the initial start this bird calms down almost immediately, after saying, "Oh shit!".

 

Personally I would not be ok with a bird that freaked out easily. It's hard on them and it's hard on us because we hate to see them in terrible shape.

 

Tracy's in perfect health, never plucked, never had an infection, calm happy, and verbally plays with almost every child he meets.

 

Interestingly enough before this house he never interacted with children before.

[Budman17r]

images of Tracy

 

He did not mind the phone until it started making sounds.

 

After getting a beak touch he got ok with it.

 

 

and

 

Update:

Basically, I got him out today, and started stretching his boundaries, Brought up my phone (for aforementioned picture.

 

I've noticed that his cage is his "safe" area, when he's by the cage he repeatedly decides to feed me. When I walk in to another room, he is starting to get flustered. But again, he quickly settles down afterwords. He does not lash out.

 

He was still unsure of me holding him, not "comfortable" I left my hand on his cage, he kept getting on my hand, then off my hand, then on, eventually not wanting to get off. (and I do not have the calluses (sp) to deal with the talons digging in to me. He won't let go, and I have to pull his talons off me.

 

He got angry that I wouldn't let him bite the phone/put his beak around it, but I am too attached to my phone.

[danmcq]

Hi Budman,

 

Great photos of you and Tracy.

 

Your absolutely right on with you description and findings that all Greys want to be a part of the Flock. This means if your "Congregational" area is the living room, thats where Tracy wants to be.

 

He sounds like he is making tremendous progress.

 

Aw, come on, whats a phone between "Best Friends". ;-)

 

If it's theirs, it theirs, if it's yours, it's theirs, if it's a a friends, it's theirs..... So get used to it. :-)

[Talon]

Hello and Welcome ! B)

[Lyric]

Welcome Budman, I'm glad you had the patience to continue trying with Tracy. It is wonderful to see a bird making such progress. Keep up the work with him and you may be amazed at what will happen.

[Budman17r]

Update #2 (moving right along we shall be)

 

Still continuing to get him out daily, as much as I can with two dogs and a cat and a 1 year old son.

 

He's started stealing kisses. Scared the crap outta me at first.

 

I had him in my hand, fairly good distance from my face. Well he suddenly leaned forward/lunged, and kissed me on the lips. Beak to mouth.

 

Now he keeps trying to do it. (It was not the same body language as before. I think he was trying to feed me too...

 

After he got it, he went let out a sigh and an ooooooo.

 

It's quite amazing to be able to interact with him like I've never been able to. He's getting past the point of just being affectionate, to wanting to play outside the cage, and checking out his surroundings.

[danmcq]

Awww, what a sweet Grey you have coming along there.

 

It sounds like wonderful progress and the relatioship is building greater day by day. :-)

[judygram]

Great photos of Tracy, thanks for sharing them with us.

 

You say you have to pull his talons off you, I imagine he is unsure of his footing for the time being and when he becomes more comfortable with you and you moving around with him on you he will ease up a bit, just give him time and be patient with him.

 

You are doing a great job with him so far.

[Budman17r]

it's not so much when he's on my hand, it's when he's holding my hand and he's on the perch trying to regurgitate for me. He just wanted to hold me for awhile i guess.