Hi, new to the forum and have a question

[ambrosialyn]

does anone else here have greys and young children? I have a 2 year old boy and a 3 year old CAG. Until recently, they have stayed away from each other (except for the grey bandit stealing an occasional toy). But my son is getting more and curious about Brutus, and Brutus has even tried to get on his shoulder once before I realized what was going on. Any one else been in this situation, trying to find a safe way for young kids and birds to interact?

[CeasarsDad]

I think it might be better to keep the bird away from the child at least until the child is a bit older. Your son doesn't really understand the bird and I know the bird doesn't understand that when your son reaches to touch him he doesn't mean to hurt him. I would not want to see your sons finger bit. At that age the Grey can do some damage.

 

I had this problem with my Yellow Nape. When my daughters were born I had to keep the bird away from my daughters. My Yellow nape was never the same after that.

[Talon]

I have a hard enough time with my 8 year old son! I can't imagine a 2 yr old. The biggest problem I have is my 8 year old tends to startle Talon with loud noises or quick movements. I'm constantly reminding him to be careful and not to yell so loud.

Maybe you could have some time each day when the three of you interact together and play. That might help build the relationship between the two. I definately wouldn't leave the 2 of them alone. That's all I can think of right now, I'm sure others have better & more helpful advice.

[ambrosialyn]

Thanks so much for your advice. Right now we have meals together, me and Jakie at the table and Brutus on the back of a chair at the counter (the counter is the perfect height for him to reach). I never leave them in a room alone together. Talon, I have the opposite problem. Brutus like to yell a bit when hes playing (my husband describes the yell as an ear shatter scream) and I end up with a crying 2 year old in my lap tryin to tell him brutus is just playing. Other then that the closest Jakie gets to brutus most of the time is to open the cage door if I havent gotten that far yet, and feed brutus fruit loops through the bars (them things are like baby and birdy crack).

[Talon]

Wow! I never thought it would be the opposite. You poor thing, my heart goes out to your son, and I know how you feel when that happens.

[ambrosialyn]

Jakie can yell and scream all he was, Brutus has turned it into a game. Jakie yells, brutus yells back louder. Ive gotten a few migraines from this. Jakie will play along most of the time (while I scream silently in a coner) but every so often he gets startles and cries. The cool thing is not only does Brutus learn words with him, Hes even learned to wave his claw when he say hello or bye byes and blows kisses :lol:

[Guest Monique]

We have a 10-year old Macaw and an 11-year old daughter who grew up together. She has never really been allowed to physically mess with him (or vice versa) except just this year she has started to ask him permission to give itchies. She would verbally interact with him plenty. In fact she named him ... Jack be Nimble ... Jack be Quick ... he ended up being named Jack .

 

We have always allowed her to give him treats from her hand but that has been about it. And he has always been gentle when taking a treat.

[Guest]

Ambrosialyn, welcome here

 

Definitely not letting the two interact without supervision (but you don't let that happen anyway, I read above) - and also be very careful. Small children have such sensitive skins that if they bit a wound that would heal without a trace on us can stay a scar when happening to a todler (I know, because I got one - not from a grey tho).