Biting grey won't go back in cage

[Timmysmom]

Okay, I am at my wits end with Ozzie. I have been working with Ozzie ever since he gave me my stitches and I am only having luck with him while he is inside the cage. He will come to me for a treat (of course) and a head rub. He doesn't try to bite me while he is inside. I'm just working on handsoff training like targeting inside the cage before hands on.

 

When I let him come out of the cage on his own, he won't go back in on his own. Apparently he was never perch trained and is petrified of a perch coming close to him. If I do get it too close he will fly to the ground but try to bite if I try and pick him up of the ground or while on the cage top.:angry:

 

The only way I have been able to get him back in his cage is by toweling him, which I hate to do to him. I do not want to make him stay cage bound while my other birds are out having a good time.

 

Any suggestions? I am going to Barbara Heindreich's workshop towards the end of this month so I hope she can shed a light on things for me.

[Anmlhggr]

Hello! I'm sorry you having so much trouble Other's here will be able to give you better advice I'm sure, but just a note: If you are trying to get him down from the top of the cage, are you standing above him? If he is looking down at you and you're trying to get him down, I could see why you're not having much success.

 

Hope it all works out!

[Timmysmom]

Ozzie is eye level with me while sitting on his cage. I can see how this might cause a problem while he is on top of his cage, but I don't understand the floor part. All of my others want up off the ground but he tries biting me if I go to have him step up.:huh:

[Jane08]

Barbara's workshop will help you with this. We went on one with her and she helped heaps. Hope you are taking Ozzie with you to the workshop as it is great to do the hands on stuff while Barbara coaches you.

 

We had the problem that our man wouldn't step up or go back in his cage. She showed us using treats how to train him to go in and it took a lot of practice but he finally got the message and is now an angel at stepping up (even when I place my hand in front of him he says "up" even before I say it to him and then he gets straight up). He also goes back in his cage no problem now.

[danmcq]

Hi Dina,

 

You have a long road to go down with Ozzie. Since he has a known issue for years of disliking women, this is not going to change even in a month.

 

The challenging part, is not knowing "Why" he dislikes women so much. It seems that part of his previous 5 years has no explanation, based on your previous posts.

 

Sometimes, Greys just latch on to one sex and that is the preferred gender they wish attention from. One other thing to consider is that Ozzie may be hormonal at 5 years of age and that just amplifies the problem.

 

I would also suspect, since you have received a severe bite requiring several stitches and know that he hates women, that you can not help but be fearful when try to get him to step-up. You know they pick up on our emotions instantly and know if we are angry, sad, fearful etcetera. I can only imagine the anxiety you must have when trying to get him to step-up, knowing that another trip to the doctor for stitches may occur.

 

Do you possibly have a husband or other male at home that can handle Ozzie in these situations? If so, go that route and just work on becoming trusted and friends with Ozzie at a distance and on his terms while the male counter part gives the attention and love that Ozzie certainly wants as part of the flock.

 

I do hope that going to the workshop gives you advice and methods of overcoming this behaviour. Please share any good tips and ideas you receive. They will help us all also and anyone here that may have a similar issue. :-)

[Timmysmom]

Thanks Dan.

 

I am trying my best not to show any fear and have only accomplished small steps with Ozzie, like scratching his head and beak. While he is out on the floor he lets me rub his head but not pick him up.

 

My husband works late at night so he would be of no help at all. I just hate to leave him in his cage all the time. My other birds playstand is in the same room so he sees them out playing about.

 

This may be a stupid question, but here goes. What are some of the signs a Grey gives off if they are hormonal? I know my Eclectus parrots well and can tell when either my Male or Female is hormonal but Timmy is less than two years old and hasn't gone through that stage yet.

 

Dina

[danmcq]

Well, Greys do not show as pronounced Hormonal changes as Amazons od for example. Greys are more laid back. They may become more nippy or they may not. Also, if Ozzie is sitting on your husband for example, drops his wings and walks around funny, that is mating dancing and come-on. :-) If he exhibits that, it's best to put him up or at least do not stroke or touch him, which would encourage the behaviour.

 

The other thing that may be going on is jealousy. He see's the other Parrots out and probably getting attention from you. While he sits in the Cage bored, getting angry and jealous.

[danmcq]

Well, Greys do not show as pronounced Hormonal changes as Amazons od for example. Greys are more laid back. They may become more nippy or they may not. Also, if Ozzie is sitting on your husband for example, drops his wings and walks around funny, that is mating dancing and come-on. :-) If he exhibits that, it's best to put him up or at least do not stroke or touch him, which would encourage the behaviour.

 

The other thing that may be going on is jealousy. He see's the other Parrots out and probably getting attention from you. While he sits in the Cage bored, getting angry and jealous.

[sandra902]

i did not read all the posts but i can tell you how we handle mr merlin who has a strict no-touchy-birdy policy and who greatly prefers big daddy over mamma.

 

merl allows big daddy to touch him and he will also touch big daddy but for mamma, there is no touching. he will take a treat from my hand which satisfies me for now. we interact richly in other ways and since parrot time is next to the eternal i am working on my own inner patience.

 

but back in the cage time is not next to the eternal. so what we do is gently hold out our hands and arms from our bodies as if to embrace the cage and softly tell merl it is time to go back in. it might take a rotation or two around the cage to guide him back in and occasionally he will go spud (hurl himself to the floor in which case he will climb right back in up his ladder) but he usually is very willing to go back in when it is time.

 

and of course he gets lots of praise and macadamia nuts for his cooperation.

 

as for the biting, he has not had opportunity to bite me so i am taking it very slowly (he has been with us since oct) and maybe one day he will step up for me. i am expecting him to step up for big daddy by the end of the summer with the great progress they have made together.

 

personally i do not begrudge merlin's preference for daddy. with his rocky start in life i am happy he likes anyone! and the interactions he and i have together are sweet and funny and very satisfying. i can wait for him to come round someday. and really rescuing a bird is more about the bird's happiness than it is about mine.

 

tell us all about your seminar with miss barbara. i had the good fortune to see her in minneapolis last sept and you will gain very valuable information as well as lots of great exposure to other birdies. i will say those birdies had all the people wrapped right around their little talons!

[Timmysmom]

Ozzie does hold out his his and dance around on his perch. I call it his happy dance. He actually does it when I approach the cage. His wings don't actually droop downward just held out away from his body where you can see under the wings.

 

I make a point to spend extra time with him talking and rubbing his head while the others are out playing, so he doesn't get mad or jealous...at least I hope he doesn't. If any gets jealous it's my Female Eclectus that makes groaning sounds when I'm not paying attention to her and her only. She would be a Big Mommy's Girl.

 

Dina

[NASY]

HI DINA.I ALSO HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEM, NOT A BIG ONE LIKE YOUS AS I AM HIS BEST GIRL,I WORK WITH TREATS AND TOYS WITH BELLS TO MAKE HIM INTERESTED IN THE TOY AND IT SEAMS TO WORK. GOOD LUCK.

[Laurie]

I am probably the laziest one on this forum and I will put a nice, big, irresistable walnut in the cage when I'm desperate to get Klaus to go in.

Does the cage have a leg your bird could climb up? (You could lead him up with the treat.)

I'm sorry you're having trouble.

Try looking at the bird sideways, lowering your head, and narrowing your eyes a little. This will make you appear friendly to the bird.

[windchimetime]

tell me about is:woohoo:

my little bella looks cute, but shes a devil! lol

she will bend her head for a head scratch and say in a cute voice :give me a scratch" but then when i reach over she tricks me and goes to bite my hand off!:ohmy:

[shazbaby36]

i have 2 greys my girl when will bite me if i go to get her out of the cage but she lets my hubby do everythink for her she loves him to bits she used to let me do everythink when she was a baby but she will be 3 in dec soshe has pick the male .and my other grey barney is neally 2 and he loves me to bits but if he in a gd mood he let anyone touch him but if he aint he will bite to