CAG Jealousy?

Our CAG (Papito) is doing great! We have had him for a month. He will come out of his cage to the couch and have his head scratched and eat off of our plate. He will let us hold him on our arm but doesn’t seem comfortable with standing on our chest. He still seems to be nervous like something is going to get him unless he is in his cage, on our arm, or on the perch in the kitchen.

Last weekend We took in a Quaker parrot. Her name is Puffers. Her and I had almost an instant bond which in my opinion is because she was kept in a very small cage with one perch inside and one perch on the top. She had 2 toys… EVER! Well the day after we got her I cleaned all of the pin feathers off of her neck for her, this was an hour or so of neck rubbing and she enjoyed every minute.

Monday Puffers spent an hour getting her pin feathers cleaned. Tuesday she sat on my chest while I watched TV. Wednesday same thing she sat and talked to me for about an hour. Thursday she actually went through the motions of regurgitating. Mouth open and head bobbing while on my shoulder. This whole week I have been spending time with Papito as well but he usually prefers my girlfriend Lisa’s attention over mine.

Here’s the shocking moment. Later Thurday evening she was sitting on my chest again while watching TV, I notice Papito fluttering his wings at me from his cage, looked like he was thinking about flying to me. I said “what cha doin papito?” he stood up and started chewing his nails. Hmmm, so I put Puffers on her cage and walked over to Papito, his foot was in the air pointing at me before I got to the cage. He stepped up and said “thank you” as he always does, then gave me a kiss which means he wants something. He took a sunflower seed (treat) from me and threw it. I sat on the couch and put my arm with him on it on my belly and started talking to him. He stepped off of my arm on my chest and laid his head down for scratches. He has NEVER been comfortable with this before, he has always stayed on my arm or on the arm of the couch. So, what I can’t figure out is, is this jealousy of Puffers, or is this him thinking “it must be safe if Puffers is doing it”. I always greet Papito first when I come in the room because I’m afraid of him getting jealous, as well as I offer him to step up more often than puffers.

The other thing I noticed is Papito will only step up if he wants to, if he doesn’t then he will push my hand away and I don’t try again for a little bit. Puffers will step up almost every time I ask her to. In the last couple days I’ve noticed Papito stepping up more often. So, the same question applies here. Is he competing for attention or just seeing another bird do it and be rewarded teaching him that it’s ok?

I only reason I don’t think it’s jealousy or competing for attention is because I have put the two just out of beak range and talked in a soothing voice to them. Papito slowly tries to move away after a minute or two of just looking at her. Puffers seems curious but doesn’t try to get closer or farther away.

its like monkey see monkey do. he see that it puffers is haveing fun and he wants to have fun to. that is what i think but other well chip in

I agree. It doesn't sound like jealousy at this point. That might happen down the road though, but maybe not since each bird has a different favorite person.

Birds being flock animals, I have used a tame bird to show a new rescue that I am no threat. I think it is both a bit of jealousy, and a bit of reassurance that it is okay to do whatever the other bird is doing. They do learn by example from each other. As long as you see no aggression, use one to show the other, later on with training. Sounds like the beginning of a well knit flock.

I agree with everyone else. My zon is exactly like Papito. He will sit on my hand or my knee but is scared of the chair arm, the couch cushion, by chest, etc. We were birdsitting a cockatiel for a few days and suddenly my zon wanted everything that the cockatiel was getting (including veggies that he usually just left in his bowl). lol I think it's a bit of jealously but mostly they figure if the other bird can do it or eat it, so can they.

This is a perfect opportunity for you to bond a bit more with Papito now. Take advantage of it and you'll have a grey that won't become just a one person bird.