FIVE MONTH OLD BABY CAG

[JAC]

HI. JAC, OUR BABY CAG, HAS BEEN WITH US SINCE OCTOBER. HE IS 5 MONTHS OLD. THERE ARE FIVE PEOPLE IN OUR FAMILY, ALL ADULTS AND ONE NINE YEAR OLD BOY. WHEN JAC FIRST CAME HOME, HE SEEMED TO LOVE EVERYONE AND WOULD NEVER BITE. BOY HAVE THINGS CHANGED. EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY, BUT ME, IS DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE JAC IS AFRAID OF THEM AND BITES THEM WHEN THEY TRY TO PET HIM OR HOLD HIM. JAC IS FINE WITH ME, THE MOM OF THE FAMILY. I HOLD HIM, CUDDLE HIM, KISS HIM, BATHE HIM, ETC. HE IS SUCH A BABY DOLL. I ADORE HIM. I DO FEEL BAD FOR THE OTHER FAMILY MEMEBERS THOUGH. I OWN THREE PARROTS, JAC THE CAG, LUCKY A BLUE AND GOLD MACAW AND OSCAR A NANDAY CONURE. LUCKY WILL TOLERATE OTHERS BUT TAKES TO ME THE MOST TOO. OSCAR IS THE BEST AT GETTING ALONG WITH THE OTHERS, BUT I AM HIS CHOSEN ONE TOO. PLEASE, CAN ANYONE ADVISE ME ON HOW TO GET JAC TO LOVE THE OTHERS? I HAVE HEARD THAT GREYS ARE SENSITIVE AND I AM WORRIED ABOUT WHEN WE GO ON VACATION THIS SUMMER. WILL HE BE OKAY WITHOUT ME OR WILL I COME HOME TO A BIRD THAT NOW HATES ME AND IS BALD. HOW DO I GET HIM TO SOCIALIZE AND TRUST OTHERS SO HE DONESN'T ONLY RELY ON ME. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM. HE IS SO SWEET TO ME AND I DON'T WANT TO RUIN OUR RELATIONSHIP AND HE NOT TRUST ANYONE. HELP. THANKS FOR THE ADVICE. DORIS

[Tycos_mom]

Hi Doris it sounds to my like you have a very busy house hold it might help to answer some of your questions if you could tell me a bit more. where is you Grey kept in the house and does he have a place that he can retreat to if he wants to be alone. He may feel overwhelmed with everyone around him. if you could find a place where he can watch the others from a distance mabie in a corner where he has 2 side of his cage covered. then ask the others if they could try to approuch him only one at a time offering treats ar just to talk. it sounds as though he may just be feeling bombarded by to many people all at one time. I might be wrong but at 5 months old he should still be open to socializing and if he's not there nas to be something wrong

[danmcq]

Hello Jac,

 

They normally do select a "Favorite" in the home. It seems your the one and the rest of the family will have to be content with just being friendly, offering treats and hope he comes around a little more in the friendliness department.

 

If they would also help out in feeding, cage cleaning etc. That would help in his view of them also as being key parts of flock as close ties he can count on.

 

Others will chime in also as Pat already did with good suggestions. :-)

[casper]

Like Dan said, they choose their favourites and it sounds like this is what he has done already!

 

I am the main carer for my birds and the only person who can handle them, this was through the birds choice not mine. Each baby I have brought home was well socialized and would go to all the members of my family then a couple of months down the line it all changed and would only come to me.

 

My middle grey will come and sit on my husbands knee and all three will accept treats from the rest of the family. My husband feeds the birds on a morning just to make sure there would be no problems feeding if I am not here for some reason, he also covers them at night.

get other members of the family to help you do this.

 

On the question about the vacation, will you have someone who will be staying in the home with the birds who they will know? You will need to plan ahead for this and make sure the birds are used to the sitter, I would start to plan this now. They are very sensitive and most greys are very wary around strangers.

 

Caroline.

[JAC]

So, I have become the chosen one. Thank you so much for the info. I will tell my family not to take this personally and will get them to participate in his care more. Right now, I am the only one that feeds him, cleans his cage, etc. I love him sooooo much. Thanks again.

[casper]

Good luck and please keep us updated, would love to hear more about your baby grey and see some pictures if you have any to share.