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[Rebecca]

Hello to everyone, I've been a african grey owner now for a whole 2 days ! Tilly is lovely 10 months old, very friendly to my husband, I've wanted a grey for 12 years, since my parents emergrated to cape town, and i finally have one and she turns her back to me and wont let me tickle her, but lets my husband and asks him for tickles I'm sure my problem is though that I am a bit nervous of her, my husband isnt at all.

 

I need some advice of how to stop her pecking at me how do i respond to her? I am trying to be positive and not be nervous.

 

Also she has no toes on one foot and last night fell off the settee, she sometimes loses her balance in her cage but nearly always catches on to something with her beak she is very strong willed but also carefull and gets about her cage very well, I have read that greys can be clumsy is this right? does she just need to feel safer in her new home and then she will be more steady? she doesnt appear to be scared of anything, (apart from the hoover lol) but she has me a nervous wreck as i'm worried she will break something, any advice on anything, i know i've asked a lot ! lol, would be greatly appricated.

 

Thanks to all, Rebecca.

[danmcq]

Welcome Rebecca and Tilly!!

 

Two days is not much time for her to have settled in. She is in a whole new world, new cage and new flock. So it is normal to experience what you are in regards her nippiness.

 

She may indeed favor your Husband, but you can build a strong relationship with her also. Just learn to avoid the nips by reading her body language like eyes pinning, feathers ruffled or head down with eyes trained on you. If she does get a nip in, don't draw back. Just say No Bite in a firm voice while staring her in the eyes.

 

They are clumsy when young, as most young critters of any type are. Since she does have a small handicap (she doesn't think so) it would be best to let her fledge and become fully flighted to make up for the missing toes.

 

Looking forward to hearing more and seeing some photos when you get a chance. :-)

[BaxtersMom]

Hi, congradulations on Tilly! She is still new and getting used to her surroundings but will get more comfortable each day. I got a grey 2 months ago and now an eclectus Wednesday night. Both are adults. Both would bite (hard)in the beginning. You have to conquer your fears because they can sense that and it will only get worse. I got over my fears knowing I would be bit but when the time was right in my head built up my courage and knew I had to just grin and bear it. And say "no bite" when ever I seen it was going to bite like Dan said above and don't draw your hand back either. If you show you are not scared the biting should get less and less and with less pressure each time too or that has been my experience so far. If you jerk your hand back and I am guilty of this myself, they know that it worked and they are in charge and will keep it up. It is also a good idea to ball your fist up and tighten the skin so they can't get a good bite:) Once you get past the nervousness of getting bit and Tilly sees it is not working she will probably give up on trying to bite. Do it at yours and Tillys pace. If she does bite, don't leave the room, stay there so she knows she is not running you off. Like you said your husband is not scared at all and she can sense that. You have to be the same way:)

 

Just curious, does Tilly step up? Is she able to with the missing toes? I ask this because that is how I get through the biting process. It happens to me when I ask them to step up. The eclectus I have will step up by putting his beak on my finger then his feet. It is when he put his beak on my finger he would just chomp down on it:ohmy: and then step up. I've only had him 3 days and he really isn't biting me at all now. The first two days were doozies though and I have my battles scars to prove it:laugh:

 

When I would pet either of them in the beginning on their back or wings I would watch the body language to see if they were getting aggrevated. I would try to pet a few strokes and take my hand away before they had "had enough" and bit me. And each petting session try to pet a stroke or two longer without getting bit untill she gets comfortable with it.

 

We'd love to see some pictures of Tilly when you get the chance. Keep us posted. This is a great place to be if you have questions, too. Everyone here is always ready to help.

[judygram]

Hello Rebecca and welcome to the family, so glad you could join us and we look forward to hearing more about you and Tilly.

 

What a shame she is missing the toes off one foot but if she has been that way since a baby in the nest then she does not know she is handicapped and she does the best she can. Young greys can be a little clumsy and she probably more because of the missing toes but she will gain more confidence in time. You might want to lower her perches in her cage so she has less height to fall from.

 

Greys will sometimes favor one sex over the other but your hesitance to handle her because of being bitten is not helping any, she can pick up on that and act accordingly. She may always prefer your hubby as her favorite but that doesn't mean she won't have a good relationship with you, just somewhat different.

 

It does take time and lots of patience to get a grey espcially one a little older than a just weaned baby to feel comfortable in her new home so give her some more time and get over your nervousness around her.

 

Please read thru the many threads for lots of useful and helpful information and do ask any and all questions you may have and we will help you in any way we can.

 

We would love to see some pictures of Tilly if you would like to share some with us.

[bbrew5]

Hello and Welcome Rebecca and Tilly!!

[lovemyGreys]

Hi Rebecca & Welcome to the forum.The other members have offered good advice We look forward to hearing more from you & Tilly.

[Abernathy]

Heya Rebecca and Tilly, welcome!

[Guest]

Rebecca and Tilly welcome here Congratulations Rebecca on getting Tilly

[Rebecca]

Hi would just like to say thanks to every one for making us feel so welcome ! Tilly can step up onto the palm of your hand but she is quite wobbly, she has me petrified that she is going to fall off, she likes to climb but just walks of the end of what ever she's on, likes to sit on her cage door but fell off that last night, my hubby was next to her I was too scared to look, but then i sat on the floor saying oh you poor baby and she actually choose to walk to me and came up on my hand, i suppose at that particular time i was more worried about her hurting herself then nervous of her, so as i said i frightened shes going to brake something i dont want to let her out when i'm on her own, so shes learning that when hubby comes home she comes out, anyway i love her to bits and wouldnt change her for the world. Oh i did put a pic on of her chewing through her box and throwing everything out lol

[Broomer]

Welcome Rebecca and Tilly (And Husband, if he see's this)!

 

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[Lyric]

Hi Rebecca! Welcome to the forum. Tilly sounds like a sweet bird and it's not unusual for them to form a stronger bond with one person in the family.

Because of her missing toes you may want to consider getting or making her some kind of shelf to sit on in her cage- it may be harder for her to perch normally and I'm sure she may be more clumsy because of this. Also, if she falls off her perches a lot you may want to put a few layers of newspaper on the bottom of the cage to soften her fall if she does. In time she will get less clumsy and will come to trust you more.