Second hand Grey

[Caz]

I don't really like that saying 'second hand', but I have seen this expression used frequently to decribe a Grey you have acquired from a previous owner.

I am just wondering if there are any other people who have bought their Grey from someone else and what steps they took to gain the trust and friendship of him/her.

I will give you some background on the story of my CAG Alfie.

I saw an advert for 2 CAg's, with cage and accessories,and the seller asked anyone interested to make an offer. I emailed her explaining that I had previously had a CAG but had to leave him behind when I seperated from my ex husband as he belonged to him. I explained that I had been looking to get another Grey ever since but could never afford to.I made an offer of £400 thinking she would not accept such a small amount for 2 Grey's with accessories. However she did accept my offer, saying she and her husband were not really bothered about the money but wanted a good home for the parrots.

The information she gave me about them was that they were male and female. The male (Alfie)is 4 years old and she had had him from a baby. He used to talk but went mute when they rehomed the 8 year old female and put her in the cage with Alfie. The reason for sale was that she was working full time now and did not have the time for them.

My friend, who owns 3 CAG's, told me that putting the rehomed female into his cage was a really bad thing to do, and would have caused him alot of stress hence him going mute. So we agreed between us to go halves on the money and she would take in the female and I would take the male and the original cage.

As I lived quite some distance away, my friend, who lives closer, said she would go and collect them. When she got them home she seperated them, leaving Alfie in his cage, and putting the female into a new cage she had bought for her.

A week later I travelled down to my friend's house and collected Alfie.

So as you can imagine he has been through quite alot recently.

The cage he is in is approx 2 feet wide, so as my frien said it really was not big enough to house 2 Grey's together.

I have now had Alfie at home with me since Sunday. He is eating and drinking well, and looks in perfect condition. He is very wary of us, and he trembles and ruffles his feathers when we get too close to him, occasionally screaming.

I understand that it will take time to gain his trust and it will be on his terms the whole way. I won't force him, or put pressure on him in any way.

Basically I was wondering if there are any members who have been in a similar situation to me, and I would welcome any advice anyone can offer having read my post.

Thankyou for taking the time to read through all of this, I appreciate it x

[danmcq]

Hello Caz,

 

You would treat this rescue as any other. Give it plenty of time to become accustomed to it's new cage, surroundings in his new home and to the flock. Treat him with plenty of respect for his space, sit next to his cage and let him come out if he so desires.

 

Time, Patience and Love will overcome anything with a rescue. :-)

[Ajilon]

all of my birds except my CAG are rehomes. And yes, some of them can be rather difficult. You need to become the good guy in his life now and he needs to learn to trust you. Don't worry about getting bit. It's inevitable. Just don't react when he does bite you.

 

Sit next to his cage every day. Read a book to him, talk softly to him, treat him like he's a 3 year old child who's been traumatized. When he calms down a bit and starts to show interest, open the cage door and let him decide to come out. Don't worry about how you'll get him back in. He'll go back eventually on his own. Try to resist the urge for physical contact for a few days. He'll let you know when he's ready. Give him the opportunity to come to you. When he does, try scratching his head a little and telling him he's a good boy in a soft voice. You want to keep your voice and movements as animated at possible. Sudden moves may frighten him.

 

Keep us posted on your progress and let us know how things are going.

[lovemyGreys]

Hi Caz,

 

As you are aware time & patience is the key factor with any rehomed grey.Depending on their past history this can have a bearing on the progress in a new home.I'm convinced that greys can sense that new owners want to provide them with a great life,it just takes times for them to feel secure & comfortable.sometimes you may feel like you have took two steps forwards & one step back,but thats perfectly normal

 

Here is a link for you that explains your greys body language,well worth a read....

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/african-grey/70476-your-greys-body-language.html#70827

[Luvparrots]

Thanks Tracy for adding the post site for Grey's Body Language. Once again great information. Now if I only had a grey!!!:dry:

[Caz]

Hi all, thankyou for your responses. The link to body language really helped. Going from that he does seem to be uite happy and content. However the only thing that unnerves me a little is that he has now stopped ruffling up and trembling when I get close, but today I had to enter his cage to adjust a toy that had come loose and as soon as I opened the cage door he screamed at me. It seems like a bit of a set back to me as he had just started to come out of himself and was making good noises and comical movements. Now I feel like I have just undone the progress.

[Anmlhggr]

Hello Caz! My CAG, Woody, is a 'second hand' Grey, but you would never know it if you saw us together! When I first got him I put his cage in my study, where I spend most of my time. I spent the first two days with the door of his cage open and I was on my computer reading more about Greys and doing homework. Everything I read or was thinking I said outloud so Woody could hear me. I would stop and have my meals and I would face him and talk calmly and lovingly to him. For the first two days he wouldn't come out, he would bite my if I tried. I would lean into the cage and move slowly then move my hand (slowly) toward him. Eventually one day I held an almond to his left and my hand to his right and while he was distracted with the almond I slipped my hand underneath his feet and he stepped up - almost like he was so excited about the almond that he forgot I was 'the bad guy'. :laugh: We then moved to a new room where he couldn't see his cage so he wasn't protective of it and we did step up practice and fetch...this went on for several days...now he steps up for me anytime, anywhere and loves to cuddle and have his head scratched!!