Lost of trust :(

A week ago, Armando, my congo grey was behaving a bit moody, not health issues, but he has been moody about not getting his way or being touch(I think is molting what it's making him that way). Anyway I wake up early before work to clean his cage and I was in a sleeveless shirt and while cleaning his cage he bites me in the back. I moved or shook abruptly and he got super scared and flight away(he es partially clipped) when to pick him up and he got even more scared(that never had happened to him) and flight away and scream in terror, to the kitchen, now I was worried, and try to get him to step up and take him to his cage to I followed him and cornered him and he screams in terror but he stepped up and went to his cage(all this happened in a few seconds and I ended up with an ugly bite in my finger).
This left me sad and feeling extremely guilty about cornering him.
The first two days he didn't speak to me and was in shock, now a week after he is a bit relaxed but I'm unable to touch him and he will fly away if he feels I'm getting to get close. I don't know what to do or if he will ever trust me again.
Any advice? or similar experience?

You can repair and rebuild trust absolutely.

I like hand feeding a bazillion times a day little yummy things. And every time he takes say good birdie ( or good boy) choose a phrase and always say the same thing. They start being happy to see you pretty quickly.

Also you both are probably stuck in a a fearful loop, you are fearful to bit and hesitant because you don't want to spook him, and he us picking up on that. Yiu have to try really hard to be happy and calm in your heart when you come near and move wuth confidence , he can read so many cues it like reading your mind.


If a burd ever dies a fear flight. Stand still remain calm, don't chase, wait till they land. When they land say good burd, wait a few seconds or a minute and the whole time yiu can baby talk them say oh so sorry you got a flight. But its important not to speak while they are flying crashing around.
Then walk over calmly and rescue tgem and take them back to the cage sweet talking the whole way and give lots if treats st tge cage. If when you went to tgem rgey took off again, then wait stand still dint talk till tgey land and repeat the above. Bird will tire quickly with a freak out, and almost always want to be rescued. And you want to end on a positive note with lots if praise who brave tget were and treats

Thanks, Laurasea. I had a super busy week and that seems to helped alot, I just gave him treats every time I saw him (like you said) but nothing else. Now he is still a bit hesitant but he is not scared anymore yesterday he even followed me. I feel it will still be a bit longer until he fully trusts me, but I'm confident now that everything would be back to normal.
Thanks for your advice and kind words, no more chasing next time.

Always good advice from Laura. Chasing parrots is a sure way to bust trust. Greys are so sensitive but I am sure with lots of love ( and treats), you and Armando will be right as rain again.

wrench13 said:

Always good advice from Laura. Chasing parrots is a sure way to bust trust. Greys are so sensitive but I am sure with lots of love ( and treats), you and Armando will be right as rain again.

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Thanks, wrench13, Armando did great today, we watched tv and he is really good. I feel much of what happened is my stress reflected on my poor sweet bird, we had been getting hit by tropical storms and had unreal amounts of rain and on wenesday very possibly hurricane Delta. I´m a bit worried about mold(among other things) since everything seems to be molding in our super high humidity. Any advice could vinager cleaning reduce chaces of mold growing?