Discouraging a grey to bond with one sex ?

[Gazbhoy]

Sorry i posted this in sombody elses post.

 

 

Ive noticed for a while now that my 2/3 year old CAG Finlay loves woman and dislikes men, i dont really understand this as im the one that feeds and waters him every day gives him some treats and he stayes in my room whick im always in talking to him. Dont get me wrong he will step up for me but he gets bored with me easily and will have a bite at my arm. Trying to get him bk into/on his cage starts him biting too. But once my mum comes into the room you see him turn to jelly lol. Is there any way to get him to open up to me and accept me as his master and the hand that feeds him ? I love him but im getting to the end of my tether with all the biting as i just got a real bad oane on the nail and its all split. <br><br>Post edited by: Gazbhoy, at: 2009/02/08 05:22

[LisaM]

Many greys have a definite favorite, and for yours it sounds like that's your mom. I don't know if any way to change that but there are a couple things you can try that could make your life with him a little easier (other than kicking your mom out of the house :-)).

 

1) You should be the one to give him his favorite treats. Never your mom. Each time you approach him you can give him a little something so that he relates you to something he enjoys.

 

2) Once he steps up, hold your hand so that your elbow is down by your side and your hand is up (in about a 45 degree angle if you can picture what I'm trying to say). That way, he would have to bend down really far to bite your arm and your hand will be at a slight angle which makes them work a little harder also (not hard, just different). If he bends down to bite your hand by his feet (the only place he should be able to reach in this position), tilt your hand slightly forward, not enough for him to fall but just enough for him to have to lean back to keep his balance. Just a slight change in the position should work, nothing drastic. Might help save you some bites.

 

Another way is to make a tight fist (not clenching and tense, just to tighten the skin) with your arm still down and have him step onto the back of your hand. if you're holding your hand so that your skin is tight, it is more difficult for them to find skin to grab and bite. It certainly keeps the fingernails away from reach.

 

You say he does step up but gets bored easily. What do you do with him when you are holding him. How long is it until he gets "bored"? In my experience with my three, they each have difference tolerance levels for the amount and type of direct holding they want (for instance, my CAG only wants head/neck skritches, one of my others will sit on your arm/shoulder as long as you'll let him but doesn't want to be touched at all, and the other would rather sit by us but not directly on us and also doesn't want to be touched at all).

 

At 2-3 years old Finlay might be coming out of his cuddly baby stage and so that's why you're seeing this more lately. He might be getting into that "teenager" stage where he's becoming more independent and stubborn and maybe even hormonal...but others with youngsters can speak to that much better than I can. Just a thought though due to his age.

 

I'm sure you'll get some more good ideas. I do think his age has something to do with it and maybe some of the ideas I gave can at least help you manage through it.

 

Lisa

[Jane08]

Our female (who is bonded to by bf) used to be like that with me and we have finally become friends, all on her terms of course.

 

I started off by giving her treats everyday and praising her for good things she did. She then started to trust me and then I started to train her with step up, retrieving a ring for me, spinning on her perch etc. This is where she thought it was fun to be with me and the trust grew even more. It even got to the point where my boyfirend would put the ring on the table and tell her to fetch and she would run after it and bring it back to me and not to him, hehe.

 

Now we are at the point where she lets me touch her and she is so gentle with me whereas before she thought nothing of lungung to bite me.

[danmcq]

Everyone has given good comments and ideas.

 

One thing to understand about Greys, is they will have a "Favorite" and they wil also show a preference for either male or female humans. Some Greys will be extreme in their behaviour to one sex and others will tolerate one sex and interact at a very reserved level versus the sex the prefer, they will be very outgoing and loving.

 

You are doing everything right in keeping up the feeding, cleaning and help with your Grey. Atleast you do have a relationship with him, just not at the level you would like.

 

As others said, the age of your grey is when they show very strong independence and are trying to let everyone know THEY have arrived and know they can make choices on their own. :-)

 

As they age, many become less and less cuddly and more independent. They like to be with the flock, but at more of a distance.