HELP - Earning Trust

[Jaiden]

This is a long post, for that I am sorry, but I am requesting advise from the knowledgable African Grey owners, especially those that have dealt with abused or rescued birds...

 

I got my CAG, Stormy, in Feb 2006. The woman I got him from was going to use him as a breeder so he was not socialized nor handled much. He lived in her basement with all her other birds for the first year of his life. She was able to handle him, but she told me that he wont trust me until he gets to know me. I was pretty new with african greys, but familiar with several other large birds. So I accepted this and took him home with me. Stormy was not named when I got him, but on our 3 hour drive home, he growled and screamed at me. He sounded like rolling thunder and I named him Stormy.

 

When he first came home, Stormy would lunge at me, making every attempt to bite. After much work with him, I was slowly able to stroke his beak, then his head, then neck. I got to the point where I can rub under his wings, lay him on his back in my arms and hold him like an infant. All in all, I really made great progress with him.

 

Last year, I moved across country and Stormy seemed to change, he was leary of coming out of his cage. When I tried to take him out, he would scream and jump for the bars on the cage. If the door was open, he would freak out and flap all over his cage. I dont know why this huge difference in him. I had moved in July and in December a friend of mine told me that she has always wanted a bird, but she didnt want one that liked to be out of the cage, cause she didnt trust her dogs/cats. I thought it might be in Stormy's best interest to rehome him. My friend bought him a HUGE cage, so that if he was going to live inside the cage, he had plenty of room. She has had him for 6 months, he started coming out of the cage again and has increased his vocabulary. (She doesnt work, and is home all the time). Two weeks ago, she gave Stormy back to me. He now goes in and out of his cage freely.

 

What I need help with is that Stormy gets very untrusting at times. He was like this before he went to my friend's house. When I go to pick him up, he steps up most of the without issues. But other times, he will run to the other side of his cage and climb down the side. When he's being held he will growl. He has always made this growling noise since I got him. Some say he sounds like a perculator. At times (he hasnt done this for a few months now) he would just flip out. Screaming, flapping all over either inside his cage, on top of his cage, or even on the floor. I dont want him to have to live in fear, or have these explosions of psychosis. I dont want him to step up on my hand and be carried around because he feels like he HAS to. I want him to WANT to be out. But I feel like whatever is causing him his issues to growl, and occasionally flip out is something that must have traumatized him early on. What can I do to help him get past that?

 

We've obviously gone leaps and bounds from how he was when I first got him in 2006. But I almost feel like something is holding him back from trusting.

[she]

Is Stormy just letting you know that he wants interaction on his terms,this would be quite normal in an adult grey.It sounds like you can handle him quite well when he wants.I would take notice to his body language and react to it,if he wishes to move away from you let him, Come back and try again later.Some greys do growl, this usually means they are very unsure of what is going on and scared.Stormy was not socialised as a baby and been in a few homes so also may be feeling abit insecure,some greys are like that.As you say you have come along way so continue what you are doing but my advise is watch the body language and back off if he is giving you signs that is what he wants,and take advantage of the times he is receptive to contact.Good luck.

[Jaiden]

When Stormy doesn't want to step up, I dont force him. Unless its for his own safety. He readily goes into his travel crate and I dont have issues there. It just appears that he is inconsistant on when he'll growl.

 

I guess I feel like maybe we are at a stand still. I've had him 3 1/2 years, with the exception of the 6 months we tried him in another home. I've been very patient, offer treats (cheese is his fav), I've bought new toys, new cage, and new hanging play gym. He has an outside cage, and a portable perch so he can move from room to room. He does well on all of these surfaces. Stormy will step up to new people, he has been many different places and always seems to accept his surroundings quite well.

 

I'm just afraid that somewhere deep inside, he is unable to let "something" go. He will growl when he's being pet, or your giving him a treat. I just want to help him get past whatever it is that is holding him back. My friend has a 15 year old CAG, and he does not do what Stormy does, but yet Stormy is much more friendly than his bird.

[danmcq]

You have made GreYt progress with Stormy. It is always wonderful to hear from those that have put so much love and patience into rehabilitating one of these Greys or other Parrots. :-)

 

You wrote" "At times (he hasnt done this for a few months now) he would just flip out. Screaming, flapping all over either inside his cage, on top of his cage, or even on the floor. I dont want him to have to live in fear, or have these explosions of psychosis."

 

Something has to be triggering this type of behaviour. Something your wearing that you don't normally, sounds not normal etc. You will really need to be paying close attention to details with all your senses to figure it out.

 

The other possibility, is there is an underlying health issue that truly is causing a type of psychosis or similar mental change. Has he had a complete blood work up and exam?

[Jaiden]

He has not had complete blood work and exam recently. However he did do this behavior both before and after his blood work and visit.

 

He did do this before and after I moved, and also when he was at my friend's house. To the best of my knowledge I've not identified anything in particular that causes him to do this. Its not something that I can replicate for a vet to see, and I'd say all in all, maybe he's done it 10 times in the 3 1/2 years I've had him. Its not a common occurance, but there has got to be SOMETHING this on his mind that he cant let go.