Strange Behavior

[rbpittman]

I'm new to owning an African Grey but am absolutely in love with my Dixie. She is a 14 month old, dna sexed female that was hand raised and I've had her about a three weeks. We've gotten along wonderfully the whole time and I'm learning her body language with great response from her when I get it right - she now gladly comes over and gives me a kiss - literally - for no reason.

 

The behavior in question is new as of this week. When I scratch her head and neck and she nuzzles my hand, she seems to want more. She doesn't flatten out her wings, but rather raises them slightly at the shoulders and squats down and whines. I can't find anything else to explain this behavior. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Tycos_mom]

She just wants more scritched and cuddled it just sounds to me like shes letting you know that shes ready for your relationship to go on to the bext step see what she does when you try cupping your hand gently over her back. I know some greys like to lay on their humans chest and be held and scritched and petted all at the same time. she is still very much a baby and this may be her way of saying cuddle me please.

[rbpittman]

Thank you sooooo much. I do love this bird - more than I have ever loved any of my dogs, I guess because she really does seem to understand me and respond to me in an intelligent way. When she displays this behavior again, I will gladly cuddle her and see how she responds, she is really a great companion, to me, my son and my husband - she loves us all it seems. Thank you again. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[judygram]

Hello Rbpittman and welcome to our family, you have just joined an elite group of grey lovers who care deeply about their birds.

 

Dixie sounds like a real dream of a grey, some here on this forum would be so jealous for we all know that greys have their own individual personalities and some are sweeter than others, you have a real sweetheart.

 

I would say that Dixie really loves to have her head scratched, that is a favorite for greys and that is her way of asking for more, boy she has you pulled in hook, line and sinker.:laugh:

 

You will find lots of useful information in our many threads and do not hesitate to ask questions you may have and we will help you in any way we can.

 

Pictures, we love pictures here so if you have some besides the one in your avatar please share them with us.

[myafricanqueen]

Awe!! that reminds me of my sweetheart Dalia.

She sits in my lap and lays her head down low and waits for my fingers to start! If I dont start petting/scratching she makes little noises and nudges my hand or lightly nibbles and she doesnt let me stop either.

I have to say okie pretty girl its about 1130pm and you should probably get into bedtime mode, after an hour of cuddle time she is ready for bed anyways.

she starts to yawn and close her eyes, enjoy that time with your grey as a lot of owners don't have the pleasure of this interraction.

[Luvparrots]

Congratulation on your new grey rbpittman. What is her name? From your Avatar she looks like a fine grey. If you have any other pictures of her you would like to share, we would love to see them. Can't wait to hear more about your fid. Welcome to the family!!

[kittykittykitty]

What a lovely grey! Her loving is very similar to that of my Precious. Do enjoy it.

[Janfromboone]

I love your comment that you love your grey more than you have loved your dogs. At one time I would have said I could never love another animal more than my dogs. Now I say just what you did. These parrots seem to relate to us on a whole different plane. Aren't they great.

[rbpittman]

An update on Dixie's strange behavior - which isn't strange at all - when I took the great advice, we learned something new. I was scratching her head and she was happy as can be, when she stepped up on my finger she cuddled next to me she started rubbing her head under my chin. What a dramatic display and what a wonderful feeling. I'll post pictures of her as quickly as I can.........she truly is a dream!

[Tycos_mom]

My baby just loves to be cuddled she will lay on my chest all night with her beak pressed up against my face or chin and if I stop she makes the cutest little scolding noises. and pushes her head even more up against me they are trully wondeful. I love my dogs but my birds are more like my children then my pets. I couldn't imagine my life without them and don't ever want to find out.

[PrettyPax]

You're very lucky to have a bird that is so adorable!! It took a little while for my baby to trust me enough to let me scratch her head. Pax was three months old when I got her, and I must admit that we were very hesitant of each other. I had never owned a bird before. Now we're best friends and she is really out-going.

So, you mentioned your AG is 14 mos. old. Does she talk yet?

 

Post edited by: PrettyPax, at: 2009/05/15 01:48<br><br>Post edited by: PrettyPax, at: 2009/05/15 05:47

[SamsDad]

Great story! You are off to a excellent start with Dixie - no question she bonding with you very quickly.

 

She's the same age as my Sam who I've only had a month, and he's a real sweetheart too. He and I have laptime in the evenings while we watch TV and I swear that bird would have me scratch him until there was no skin left on my fingers or feathers on his head! He does the nudging and will even try to get under my hand with his beak and try to flip my finger up onto his head. He'll make soft clucking, "bubbling" or kissing noises if I stop and don't respond to his nudging.

 

The squatting and whining behaviour sure shounds like begging to me. Dixie is doing a great job of showing you she wants your attention. She got you and is now slowly wrapping you around her talon and turning you into a pool of melted mush!

 

The more you get to know her and read he expressions the more she will amaze you. Greys are MASTERS of manipulation and you are sooooo doomed!

 

After owning a grey for over 20 years they still amaze me. I find myself just watching them and wondering how can all this intelegence and emotion come from an animal that has a brain the size of a peanut? WOW, I soooo humbled.

 

Enjoy Dixie and keep us posted. Remember - she's got you, and resistance is futile!

 

Tom

[rbpittman]

Dixie has quite a vocabulary for 14 months. She says hello of course, rings like a telephone and makes kissing noises. Those were with her when she came home. In the less than month I have had her she has also learned to say "gimme a kiss" "come here" "step up" "i love you" and whistles for the dogs. I believe she's working on something new since she is whispering again.

 

Yes I'm wrapped tight around her little talon's, she's great though, today we spent the afternoon reading Steinbeck (I'm a full time student) and she ended up with her own book to look through.