nims Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 My 6month old CAG indy will not go anywhere near me since last nite. Something scared her at night and I let her out and she was flying frantically around our room until she crash landed on the floor I managed to sccop her up and put her to bed. She even slept at the bottom of her cage. I am really worried about her. I have to bribe her to step up otherwise she will bite......i dont know what to do! Nims Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaedyn Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Are you positive something scared her? Has anything around her or within view changed? My grey did the same sort of thing when the earthquake hit in Chicago, and I'm in Atlanta. So, they can sense things that we may not. Which means, you might have to do some investigative work. Are you able to remove her from her current environment--such as taking her outside on a harness--just to rule out something within her room or the house? Of course, if you can't find a reason for such a sudden change in behavior and she doesn't snap out of it real soon, you might want to have her checked by your avian vet, just to be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Nims was this during the night ? Was she asleep prior to this ? Sounds like Indy may have experienced a night fright.Parrots do not see well at night so if something spooks them in turn they panic. This leads to them flapping and thrashing. A bird’s natural instinct in the wild would be to fly away but since the bird is in a cage ,it normally ends up trying to do this and hits everything within the cage.Ideally you need to turn the light on,some say get your bird out of the cage to reassure them,others say leave them in their cage.Once they have calmed back down, leave a dim light on and let them go back to sleep. Providing your bird some light is the most important thing you can do,Perhaps leave a dim light this evening. Just be patient with her,this has been traumatic for her,Try to carry on as normal around her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nims Posted September 4, 2008 Author Share Posted September 4, 2008 I think she may have had a night fright though I am not fully sure if she was sleeping. I am really upset as we were very close and now she wont even come anywhere near me. Nothing in the room has changed if anything its a bit cleaner!I am planning to leave a small night light on now hoping she this will not happen again. How do I go about dealing with Indy and re-establishing our bond? Thanks Nims Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siobha9 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 My Liath decided a few weeks ago that she hated me. She wouldnt step up, fluffed up and tried to bite if I tried to make her step up. If she was out and I went near her she flew as far away from me as she could get. I must say I was very upset at her complete change of heart. I knew what caused it but that didnt change her view of me. What I did was just kept behaving normally. I acted as if nothing had changed at all. Spoke to her like I have always done. Offered her crusts of bread, or pieces of pasta like I have always done. She wouldnt take them, but the offer was still there. I let her get out of the cage herself. Asked her if she wanted cuddles. I played with her foot toys myself telling her how much fun I was having. After about a week of sulking, she finally started to accept treats from me again. Then she started playing with the toys with me and eventually she started stepping up and looking for her cuddles. I think the key thing was not to let her know that her behaviour was upsetting me in the slightest, that I still loved her anyway. She took her time about it, but she is completely back to herself about 3 weeks on. I hope this helps Siobhan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaedyn Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I've never experienced a situation where a bonded grey, suddenly unbonded. Of course, I've seen them get angry and pout for a while, but they typically snap out of it given a bit of time or comforting. From your description, it sounds as if this happened last night and now it's later the next day and she's still upset? Or has it only been a short time, since she got frightened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Kaedyn,if Indy indeed experienced a night fright this can have an instant impact on their behaviour.I know of one member whose grey changed literally overnight.These frights can be very traumatic to a grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaedyn Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Thanks for the info LMG! I've seen them go for a day or two after a night fright where they were freaked out, but the only time I've ever seen it last longer was due to a lingering issue, such as an unseen injury, or mites, etc. Don't panic Nims, I don't think that's the issue here! I'm just bringing it up for discussion, since I haven't experienced a trauma (yet) that caused such an overnight change as LMG mentioned. Was this a permanent change in behavior or just a very long lasting issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nims Posted September 5, 2008 Author Share Posted September 5, 2008 Well she's only been like this since last night, she playing with her toys at the mo and im fixing her dinner. Will keep everyone posted on her and thanks for your advice. I keep doing what im doing and and see how things go. Nims Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 A horrifying event can change their behaviour for atleast 24 hours or more. Dayo was terribly frightened one day. When we came home, it was apparent. He would not step up for Kim or I, did not vocalize at all and would not except treats from us. This lasted a full 24 hours plus another half day or so. Our daughter-in-law had been over with a few of her kids that day. We called her and asked if anything happened to Dayo, the answer was, No Why? We explained and no was still the answer. We knew better by Dayo's actions and behaviour. We explained our main concern was perhaps he had eaten something "BAD" or fallen etc, as she was getting VERY defensive. A week later,a young one from her clan spent the night (6 yr old) and he started telling us a "Story" of Did you know what happened to Dayo? We're like no, did something happen to him. He explained his older sister had gotten Dayo out of the Cage while their mother had left them there alone. His sister could not catch Dayo to put him back in the cage before her momma got home and she knew she would be in BIG trouble. So, she chased Dayo all over the house while he was screaming, he wound up under his cage and she used a stick to push him out from under it and then sacked him in a sheet and dumped him in his cage!!!! :evil: :pinch: :evil: !!! Needless to say, I purchased 3 lengths of chain and 3 padlocks. All the openings on Dayo's cage are chained and padlocked when we leave the house now..... So, a bad fright can definitely change their behaviour, but it is temporary, thank god!! :-)<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2008/09/04 20:44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 My eldest Grey Charlie suffers with night frights and it is the most horrible thing to happen. He also had a traumatic experience when we had the earthquake at the beginning of the year, this was in the middle of the night and he lost his flights on one wing thrashing about in his cage. The most recent one was three weeks ago and he has lost most of his flights again. My birds have always been covered and are well settled before I go up to bed, they also have a childs plug in night light. There is no explanation that I can think of and I have tried everything I possibly can. But yes, especially since the earthquake incident it has changed my grey to a very nervous bird who has a tendency to bite as well, probably because he is scared. I hope this is a one off for you and your bird will soon return to its normal self. Please keep us posted and let us know how you get on tonight and if there is any change.Good luck Caroline;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaedyn Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I just put the padlocks on my house and keep the family out. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyric Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I think your bird probably did have a night fright. If you scooped her up during or right after this incident she could be seeing you as a predator or something that initiated her fright, just because you were there while she was panicking. You need to give her time to calm down and realize that you are still a gentle loving person in her life. Sit close to her and read in a soothing voice. Continue to offer treats and let her see that things are okay with you. She should settle down in a day or two and come around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nims Posted September 6, 2008 Author Share Posted September 6, 2008 OK so its been a few days since little Indy had had a fright she seems to be OK now but is still a little wary she will not let me touch her head area but everyelse is OK. My husband is not affected (she loves him......not fair:angry: ). She is stepping up fine and taking treats and eating well. She will even cuddle up in my lap. Progress is good so far.......thanks for all your advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Thats good news Nims. Thanks for the update. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Maybe with a little more time things will settle down to normal but you have made great progress so keep up the good work and thanks for updating us, we like to be kept informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 Im pleased Indy appears to be back to normal Thanks for letting us know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tycos_mom Posted September 7, 2008 Share Posted September 7, 2008 I read somwhere that when a grey is scared and you scoop them up right away after they crash land that they can become phobic. The book says to wait until your bird calms down and turns to you before you pick him up. I'm so glad that your bird is coming around again. just keep doing what your doing and I'm sure he will be back to normal in no time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 Dorian was badly scared by a thundr a lightning storm a couple of weeks ago and it took two days for him to start talking or walk around the outside of his cage. He's back to his normal (well, 'normal' may be pushing it!) self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted September 8, 2008 Share Posted September 8, 2008 I can see how that could be traumatic for a grey as I know some humans who are scared of bad thunderstorms:ohmy: Glad to hear Dorian is pretty much back to his "normal" self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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