MickeyandMe Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Our baby congo came home Saturday night. When he first got home he was the sweetest thing, didn't seen nervous at all despite being in unfamiliar surroundings for a better part of the day. He stepped up when asked and made normal parrot noises. Sunday he was fine as well, ate everything we offered, came out of his cage when asked, played on the floor etc. Well today he seems unsure of us. When asked to step up he squawks and opens his mouth as if he may bite. When on top of his cage he refuses to come down, which I know may be a bit of a dominance issue since I'm a shorty. I'm sure he is still feeling a bit leary of his new home, I guess I just want some reassurance from other new parrot owners that he isn't going to have a nasty personality. I know he needs to learn to trust us,and that he is still a baby, I just wonder why all of a sudden he seems to not trust us as he did when he first arrived. Any advice or similar stories to share?<br><br>Post edited by: MickeyandMe, at: 2007/05/21 22:34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caspersmum Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Hi Amy, I think you hit the nail on the head with the dominance bit - I think he's probably just testing out his boundaries, combined with a bit of nervousness at being in a new environment. I don't know if I can help you with all the points, but when Casper tried to bite me from the top of the cage I used a step so that I could get above his height to get him down. Now he's fine, and I don't need to use it any more. As to the stepping up, I find it amazing that he'd learnt to do this before you got him. I think the main thing here is confidence. When you know just how strong their beaks are, its easy to get scared if it looks like they're going to bite. I find that using my forearm instead of my hand decreases the likelihood of bites. And be as confident as you can, saying 'step up' in a firm, gentle voice (sorry if you've heard all of this before). When I got Casper, he'd never been taught to step up, and I had a few chunks removed from my arm before we came to an understanding! It really helps if you do step up training in a quiet environment - just the two of you in the room, with no background noise. And keep it up for about 5 minutes (some of the books say 10, but in my experience birds get bored!). And remember that he might not be trying to bite you - they test the stability of surfaces with their beaks, especially when they're young - so try not to pull away, as it'll knock his confidence too. I have a funny feeling I'm rambling a bit. Hopefully someone else will be able to translate this into coherent English for you! Good luck, and let us know how you get on, Julia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest briansmum Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 thats good advice from caspersmum. he most likely is just testing his boundaries. it probaby is best to make sure you're taller than him till he learns that you are in charge or he will see himself as head of the flock. it is rather amazing that he can already step up.. are you sure he knows the command and it wasn't cooincidence . don't be scared of his beak and be prepared to take a couple of nips, if he nips to hard say no firmly and take your arm/hand away for a short while then try again. don't make a fuss because if you get excited he will learn it gets a reaction and do it again.. you probably know this though. maybe it't not that he doesn't trust you as he seemed to when he arrived, and it's more that he was timid and unsure of you and was a bit submissive.. now he's sussing you out and going "hey this is me, i'm here now, i'm gonna show you who i am!" he is a baby so he's very impressionable, you can easily put a stop to any biting or trying to dominate. i'm going through it with my baby at the moment, it's hard work but he's learning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickeyandMe Posted May 22, 2007 Author Share Posted May 22, 2007 I'm pretty sure he knows the step up command. His breeder said he knew how to step up and to give kisses so of course it's the first thing I tried. I did call her today and told her I was having problems getting him down when he was on top of his cage. She suggested getting a stepping stool so dh is out shopping now. Thanks for the advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dblhelix Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Sounds like fairly normal activity to me. You really cannot judge their personality day to day, particularly in the first few weeks. Good advice provided above. If you have only had him home now for a few days the adjustment period is usually 2-4 weeks before they feel comfortable and really show their true personalities. Think about it, they just got pulled away from all that they knew/loved and are now in a strange place with strange people! Give it some time, be consistent, calm, unthreatening but firm. They will test you at first to get a feel for their new home/owners! They will test you their whole life for that matter!! Have fun and keep us posted on how its going! You should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoesDad Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Just one more point to add- If your bird is still a baby, what you understand to be biting could actually be beaking. This is the name given to the behaviour in which young birds, still unaware of their beak strength, grip and squeeze everything they encounter for the sake of exploration. Apparently, they have many pressure sensitive nerves in their beaks that they love to test on different objects. It's simply part of a developmental phase a kin to that seen in human infants when they grip and squeeze everything with their hands. If this is, in fact, what's going on, try to offer your bird something else to beak on (like a toy or branch)whenever he tries to clamp down on you. Whenever he does get you, try not to make a big deal of it. Just tell him "no" and redirect him to an appropriate chewing object. Zoe went through this phase, and is still partially in it, but she's a lot more gentle with her beak now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Monique Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Hi MickeyandMe!! Welcome to our forum! Well ... this might be a dumb thing to say but pretend he is a 2-yr-old child, corporal punishment is not allowed ... and what would you do? You'd take him out anyway . If he knows how to step up and is a baby if he won't step up lift one foot and raise his body and the other one will follow. You do have to be willing to take a bite to have success with a parrot. Good thing is once you spend the time training him you won't be bitten often (but probably on occasion). There are some really great books out there helpful to new Grey owners - For the Love of Greys by Bobbi Brinker is one. Please let us know how he comes along for you ... !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dblhelix Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 For the Love of Greys is an excellent book, actually a complilation of very valuable articles on many subjects. It is a great resource to have available and I recommend everyone one (particularly new owners) should read/have this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 I second that Dblhelix, that book should be required reading if you plan on getting a grey. I heard some very good advice here in this thread so I don't need to add any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickeyandMe Posted May 22, 2007 Author Share Posted May 22, 2007 Zoesdad- The biting behavior I described is different than beaking. I understand what you explained though since he tested his beak on my knuckle several times.(ouch! :laugh:) Maybe he isn't trying to actually bite because he's not striking at my hand, he just opens his mouth up and tips his head back when I place my hand close to him, kinda hard to explain I guess. He also does it when I try and rub his head, almost like he's hand shy so to speak. Rather than approaching him by reaching over him I try and direct my hands torward him if that makes sense. Thanks for the book recommendation. I have a bunch already such as The Pleasure of Their Company by Bonnie Munro Doane, Parrot Training also by Bonnie Munro, Why does My Bird Do That? by Julie Rach Mancini and several others. Guess I better sit down and read them huh? I love this forum already! Thanks so much for the quick replies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 He may just be pushing you away like he does not want you to do that right now. Mine kind of puts her beak on me and pushes at me as if to say not now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Monique Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Is he squawking really loud when he does it? That is what baby birds do when they are hand fed. Tilt their beaks up and give loud squawks and open their mouths. If he is doing this then if you put your fingers at the corners of his mouth he would head bob. If that's what he's doing it's just sort of a regression thing, and happens frequently with new baby birds when they go home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickeyandMe Posted May 22, 2007 Author Share Posted May 22, 2007 You know what Monique, I bet that's exactly what he is doing. What didn't I think of that? Geesh lol Should I be hand feeding him still then, would be a good bonding experience. Aren't there pellets you can soak in warm water and feed them? Edit to say he does squawk but it's once not over and over. I thought it meant "I don't want to be picked up right now" but it very well could be as you suggested.<br><br>Post edited by: MickeyandMe, at: 2007/05/22 03:06 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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