pugwash Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 Ok where to start??? Quite a few months ago I lost my African grey, I had brought him home at the age of sixteen weeks, he was pretty much from day one..confident, cuddly, and he went on to become a very sociable, clever and talkative bird. One day aged five he took flight and after a few sightings was lost to us for good:( So a few months pass by and my partner comes home with an African grey baby,aged 13 weeks, semi tame but hand reared. I am just trying to find ways of gaining the birds trust, right now it mainly revolves around peanuts, he spends most of the day sitting on top of his cage I can get him to step up onto a stick hes fine"ish" with that for a while then he gets all nervy and wants back to his point of safety ..ie his cage. He has only been with us for a week, I know this is a short time but any tips would be greatly appreciated I do have several books on the subject and like I said I have had a Grey before and I thought I was pretty confident and experienced But all birds are different I guess..so any help please??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 20, 2008 Share Posted November 20, 2008 You are right, one week is not nearly long enough to gain his trust and each grey is different, they each have their own personality, the one you got now is not like the one you lost. He is going to view his cage as his safety net and that is fine but you are going to have to work on gaining his trust and you do that by day to day talking to him, playing with some of his toys in front of him and giving him treats. We do have a lot of threads here that will help you with gaining his trust and a lot of other things so please read thru as many as you can for lots of useful information. We have a lot of knowledgeable members who will chime in with their ideas and suggestions but the main thing is time and patience, I can't stress that enough. BTW, welcome to the family and share some pictures of your new baby if you have some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted November 20, 2008 Author Share Posted November 20, 2008 Thanks for your response..I am digesting as much info on here as I can. For some reason I am struggling to upload the photos but I wont let it get the better of me Thanks for giving me a bit more confidence..have a great day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Congratulations on your new baby. Sounds like you are a bit nervous. So relax and enjoy your new fid. Your new friend just needs to know he is safe and with all your luv and calm attention, that is just around the corner. Can't wait to see pictures of your grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyric Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Hello Pugwash and welcome here. I'm sorry to hear about your first grey flying away, it is a hard thing to have to go through. This bird may be totally different as far as personalities go. You will need to give him a little time to adjust to the changes in his life. Giving him treats is a great way to start. Also, you may want to get him away from the safety of his cage into a different room and work on the step-up command. Just do it for a few minutes a few times a day and give the bird praise and treats for stepping up. He'll soon come to see that you are a great person to hang out with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 I totally disagree about taking your bird away from his cage especially since he's only been with you for a week. If there's any place that will help a bird get used to things, view things, check people out, see what goes on surrounding him/her, see the activity and speed of the activity around him, it would be from a cage which is the safest and most secure place to take all of these things in. Trying to train your bird to do different things right now such as stepping up isn't important.That can be done in the future when the he/she feels like he's totally part of the household and is familar with the people in the household and what they do. Letting the bird get used to the interior and exterior of his home which is his cage will make the bird feel secure. Even your bird knows that now. You approach him with objects that shouldn't be used on baby birds and he immediately goes to the safety of the one area that he knows will be safe. Sticks are used on birds that are older and very obstinent and have developed a fear of being physically touched and are sometimes aggressive. Any touching right now and in the future should be done from the hand to the bird even though the person might get bitten. That's part of owning a parrot. The only item he has to show his feelings with is that beak. You wanna give him peanuts? Fine. Giving him peanuts and simply walking away shows the bird that you're a friend and all he has to do is be there in order to get those nuts. Lose the stick especially if you don't know the whole process of using a stick and having a bird graduate to your body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 Just take it slow. You have years to train your parrot to do things like step up. He is very young and nervious in his new home.Right now he just needs to settle in and become friends with you.Just keep talking to him and give him treats by hand if he will take them.This will help him associate hands with good things.When he is more settled you can then move forward. This should be done in his own time, when he is good and ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 Hey..thanks for all of the advice.Firstly the only reason I am using a stick for step up now and again is because his handler used it with him and he has kept parrots for over twenty years, however I am not keen on using it but if I can keep him placid and calm whilst moving him I think its ok for the moment am taking notes and digesting fully all of the great advice that has been given Of course I am also spending time with Elvis not just giving him treats willy nilly. Ive noticed this morning he is even more at ease with me so I must be doing something right!! I still miss my other bird a lot and perhaps I am trying to over compensate and am trying to get everything just right because in a way I still feel bad at having lost Charley, I shouldnt be underconfident with the experience of birds that I have had, I have had a green wing macaw now thats a bite I will always remember lol. Anyways thanks a lot for all of the advice I will keep you posted on the progress. The great thing about having joined this is that theres heaps of lovely well advised people at hand Still having probs loading bird pic aaagh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 http://www.greyforums.net/forums/the-photography-room/89533-how-to-post-picturesphoto-tuturial.html#89 Hiya Pugwash. Are you using a photobucket account? This is the easiest way to upload your pics. Above is a guide read through, I hope it will help. Caroline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 pugwash wrote: Firstly the only reason I am using a stick for step up now and again is because his handler used it with him and he has kept parrots for over twenty years First, Welcome Pugwash!! It's GreYt having you here. :-) It sounds like the breeder is one that does not spend a lot of time socializing their birds, working with them, playing with them etc. Normally a hand fed bird from a good breeder is very familiar with hands, step-up and interacting with humans on a close and loving level. Thats explains a lot in regards why you have to use a stick to get him to step-up, thats all he is familiar with. He sounds like a great baby Grey that is going to give and receive a ton of love in his new home with a very capable and experienced Parrot owner. It's is sad to here of the loss of your much loved Grey after 5 years. I can not imagine the grieving process and hope to never have to go through it. Looking forward to hearing a lot more from you and seeing some photos of your new baby. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted November 21, 2008 Author Share Posted November 21, 2008 I love it on here everybodys just so friendly..thanks all:silly: Elvis has been quite vocal today..ok I think he just wants me to get him some peanuts, im still " chuffed" though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHAN Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Yeah you'll be fine, by one he'll be latching onto you. Sounds like he's going to get spoilt rotten. Sorry to hear about the one that got lost though mine is only just 2 i couldn't imagine loosing him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted November 23, 2008 Author Share Posted November 23, 2008 Elvis is doing just great and adjusting to life in his new residence just fine, he went crazy over his new toys the other day. I do think about my other bird everyday..he was such a bright bird and he used to call in the dogs for me, tell the kids to get in the bath etc . Guess he was my side kick really. I just hope that if somebody picked him up they looked into how to take care of him properly and that hes happy somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tycos_mom Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 If you want to post pics the easy way open an account on photo bucket down load your pics there and then copy the image code and paste it here thats all there is to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugwash Posted November 24, 2008 Author Share Posted November 24, 2008 Thanks all signed up and should have pics on soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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