Seeking Advice and Help

[KrystalG]

Hello - I am new to this forum. I was searching the web for some help and I came across this forum.

 

I bought a baby African Grey parrot about 8 months ago. (She is 13 months old now.)I thought that I had done the appropriate amount of research before purchasing this bird from a private breeder. I also purchased several books and talked to other African Grey owners. From her attitude, I quickly decided that she was not going to be a good fit for our family.

 

I have tried selling her on various online boards - but I keep getting strange email responses to my advertisements and have decided that I do not know which of these responses I can trust.

 

This bird acts very strange to me - although her behaviour could be normal. I just don't know for sure because I have never owned a Grey before. She acts VERY needy - almost to the point of being handicapped! I keep lots of toys in the cage. I give her fresh food and water every morning - sometimes I cook veggies and macaroni for her. And I take her out of the cage 1-2 times per day for various amounts of time. I also like to take her outside in the backyard when weather permits and we take her out and play with her on the carpet from time to time. She likes the floor. My kids talk to her too! However, even after all of this, she cannot keep herself occupied for even (1) darn minute. She screams, yells, shrieks and carries on constantly - even when I do take her out of the cage. She acts more like a noisey Cockutoo than an African Grey. But it has gotten to the point that I cannot stand it much longer. I spent about $2000 for the bird/cage/accessories. A huge amount of money for us -I had no idea that this could have happened to me!! I do know that the breeder grossly overclipped her wings! HE clipped 8 wings on one side and 6 on the other when he should have only clipped 3-4 MAX on both sides.

 

I don't know if this overclipping of the wings has caused her to develop a neurotic/needy behaviour or not? I felt really sorry for her for a few months when the Vet informed me of this overclipping. But the noises she makes are driving us all nuts. Maybe she would do better in a home that has another bird that could keep her busy every single minute of the day and night.

 

Does anyone have any advice at all? I could really use the advice from some experienced Grey owners.

 

Thank you for all your help.

Krystal<br><br>Post edited by: KrystalG, at: 2009/03/14 22:39

[danmcq]

Hello Krystal,

 

At 8 months old, your Grey is still very much a baby and wants to be with it's flock while viewing it from inside it's cage. You mentioned you take her out 2x a day, but for how long?

 

When your home, they want attention and to be with you. They are a flock bird and when they want the flock, they contact call to find them and get to them. The only way to stop the constant calling is to ignore it. It can take quite a while for this to stop. If you give any kind of attention, even yelling back at them or whatever, it's attention and the relish it. They will take attention most anyway they can get it, except for abuse.

 

Being clipped so severely leaves them dependant upon you for transportation and more needful than unclipped our partially flighted birds.

 

We have a ton of members here that are all more than willing to help you through this tough time. Stay in touch and correspond all you wish. :-)

[KrystalG]

Thank you for your reply.

 

I edited my post because she is 13 months old now - you mentioned that she was only 8 months old. So 13 months old is still a very young African Grey.

 

We take her out of the cage from 1 - 5 hours per day depending upon her attitude. If she remains calm and not too noisey we keep her out longer. If she continuously screams and shreiks - we put her back. Our home is not that big and the screaming is just too much when she is out on her perch in the living room which is right next to the kitchen and my den.

 

But I am glad that you touched upon the overclipped wings in your response. I definitely think this is a big part of her behaviour problems. We also believe that the breeder did this intentionally to her to get back at us for not choosing another bird. This breeder has been breeding African Greys for more than 5 years and his Vet is the same Vet that I go to. The Vet did mention that he always clips the baby Greys 3 on each side. The Vet could not understand why he would clip 8/6 with her? It is very suspicious and I think this has greatly affected her self esteem/self confidance. How could a breeder be so cruel?

 

Thanks.

Krystal

[danmcq]

I am positive you are right in regards your Greys attitude being affected by that bad clip. It is hard to imagine a breeder doing that intentionally though to a baby they have raised and loved.

 

Your Grey is wanting closer attention than sitting on the perch watching. She depends upon you or others to come and get her so she can be with you or them on your lap, arm, shoulder etc. getting some attention or just hanging out with you.

 

 

Finding your Grey another home as the solution to the problem, will not help it unless the next home has plenty of time to spend with her. Like 4 hours each day minimum. That Grey is dependant upon the "Flock" for movement and socializing and will continue to scream until it either gets it, or it could just shut-down and become completely non-social and possibly start pluck itself bald.

 

If you have the time and heart, it would really be best to keep her and work through this as her feathers molt out and fully come back in. This could take over a year though.

 

I know it's nerve racking and more like work than a joy right now. But over time she will be the Grey you wish her to be, with the right attention and care for now. :-)