Adopted A 10 y/o African Grey. Help please :)

Katelyn

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Aug 25, 2018
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I adopted a 10 year old african grey from an older couple. They said she was lovely, sweet and a great bird, even sent me photos of them touching her, playing etc.. They did not get her DNA sexed but call her a girl. From the visuals, i think "she" could be a male but im not sure. Anyway, I went to pick her up after a 3 hr drive, she arrived home. Came out of the pet taxi, and into her cage. I also purchased the cage she was currently already in , as an attempt to make her more comfortable. Since shes been home, she seems happy , by whistling, singing, talking a little, coming out of her cage, playing with toys, and even got on a new play stand we built her. (sat the playstand next to her cage with some treats on the end) The only thing is, she bites if you try to touch her or ask her to step up. Its hands she hates. She wasnt like this with her previous owners. We have had her for one week so far. Shes eating Harrisons blue label, and some vegetables and fruit. Particularly she nibbles at broccoli, greens, carrots, grapes, some orange slices, apple, and she loves peanuts and millet as treats. I try not to give her too many peanuts. She does know a few phrases and words. The one that stands out the most, is when shes scared or startled in any way at all, she will say "woah!" My husband actually went to her cage in attempt to ask her to step up and she said "go!" and makes fart noises at him. (too funny, but not funny?) lol! Anyway, my question is, do you have any tips other than just sitting and talking with her, offering treats, etc, basically just time..? What should I do when she tries to bite? I have read so many opinions on this. So far, If she flies down from her cage and I pick her up from the floor (the only time she steps up) and she tries to bite , I say "no" firmly. Shes only actually bit me hard once, right after she got home, and I didnt react.. I sometimes pull away but never too quickly. Im not sure what to do about it. I am the primary caregiver for her, as she seems to like me a little more than my husband but doesnt mean shes not trying to bite me as well, she just tolerates me. Her sleep schedule is slightly off , due to us recently moving here in our new home (got her after we moved) and my husband works different hours , so her sleep is different from the schedule she had with her previous owners. Im not sure how to not bother her if were in the same room as her. Meaning, if I cover her at night, and need to stay up , will the noise of me being in the room bother her sleep? Ive owned a bird before (cockatoo) but got him as a baby and he was never a biter , loved me to death so this is confusing for me. I know African greys can be a bit complicated but thats the bird I wanted, and I am in this for the rest of her precious life. I just love her to pieces and want this to work out and her to trust me. How long does it typically take for one to bond to you to the point of physical contact? She seems fine and happy other than the hands. Should I stop trying to touch her? :confused:
 

LaManuka

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Hi Katelyn, sorry I cannot advise you on this but you have certainly come to the right place! Even if no-one responds to you straightaway you will find a wealth of information already here from people who have found themselves in a similar position to you so do have a look thru the relevant species information. It may help if you let us know where you are located because you may get help finding a good avian vet near you too. I'm pretty sure some great advice will be coming your way soon. Thank you for your good work so far!
 

LordTriggs

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for now stop pushing her. She's not a dog and isn't pre-disposed to like anyone and everything trying to pet her. It's the unfortunate truth that birds even hand-raised and been with humans for years have more people they'd snap and bite at than touch.

Just remember she's suddenly in a strange place with a stranger trying to touch her and she's scared of it all. Just offer her treats from your hand and not go for touching and stuff yet, let her realize your hands mean good and nothing but good, try to avoid situations where she can bite you, cause the best way to stop her biting is to not get bitten first.

as for the other stuff like night time for her just try not to make too much noise they can handle some (my Green cheek dealt with a bit of noise when he was sleeping as my apartment is open plan), if possible is there a different room away from the action you could put a smaller 'sleep cage' in so she has her night time in there? I've seen others use these and they do seem to work and seemingly curb some nest behaviors away from their daytime cage.

Lastly I would cut the peanuts out 100% they can and do have some pretty nasty bacteria living in them that can be deadly to birds. Her diet outside of that sounds pretty darn good to me.

Best of luck getting her used to you!
 

Billdore

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I'd say it sounds like you guys are doing pretty well so far. Greys can move at a slower pace than other birds. Very stubborn and they do not like change. If and when you do try to get her to step up try a little distraction. A treat in one hand and then go for the step up and give the command. I would give a bit more time for her to get used to you guys though, try pine nuts for an alternative to peanuts. Lots of talking, my Timneh drew blood quite a few times from me before we established our bond. I'd say you guys are ahead of the Gray schedule. Good luck keep us posted and welcome to the forums.
 

bigfellasdad

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Other than what has been said, as far as touching/scratching is concerned go at her pace. She will lower her head when she wants affection in a submissive way. She will also lift one foot up if she wants to step up or come out of her cage. Just go at her pace.

One warning though, even if she does go submissive and lower her head, be ready for her to bite as she may well be leading you in with a false sense of security. Greys are awesome and worth building the trust and friendship with. Mine is ridiculously friendly with me and yet I still need to be on guard occasionally, body language is absolutely crucial so observe her Just as much as she will be observing you, she WILL no your mood when you interact with you and will act accordingly... no fast motions, calming environment, never bring your hand towards her unless she has full vision of your hand etc etc. You know the drill :) good luck
 
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bigfellasdad

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One body language tip to know is how they use their head


A single shake of her head means, I'm tense, observe the warning and back off a little.
Shaking of the head 3 or 4 times in one motion, sometimes with vocals, means I want to play and interact.
Shaking of the head and tail feathers means I REALLY want to play Now! This is when she is really really happy and quite possibly over excited. But be careful here, Enzo can sometimes get nippy when really playful and she doesnt care where her beak goes and seems to forget all about pressure...... When this happens or I or somebody gets a bite/nip, ill back off, fold my arms and stare at her silently. She will 90% of the time recognise that she has overstepped the mark and will calm down within seconds, her body language will show this. the remaining 10% of the time, ill talk sternly with her and put her back in the cage, if im strong with her she mostly backs down and will step up to allwo me to do this. I know many say dont use the cage as a 'naughty step' but with Enzo it seems to work. After a 5 minute time out ill normally bring her back out if she raises a foot to let me know she wants out again.


After a year of living with my CAG, there has never been a day I have regretted her, fabulous.
 
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noodles123

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My bird won't really sleep if I'm making noise and she is covered in the room. She has also injured feathers from flapping when startled by small noises at night
 

bigfellasdad

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My bird won't really sleep if I'm making noise and she is covered in the room. She has also injured feathers from flapping when startled by small noises at night
Id agree with this as well, they do seem to be very light sleepers, best havign a seperate room when they go to bed, and turn the subwoofer down a bit ;)
 
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Katelyn

Katelyn

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Wow! Thanks for all the speedy replies, yall! Okay I will take the advice to heart! If I dont try to get bitten, she will forget about it! Sounds good to me! I like the idea of the seperate sleeping cage, but the issue is getting her from cage to cage since I cant pick her up. Also, wont that be too many changes at once? I will cut out the peanuts entirely and order her pine nuts instead. Ill let my husband eat all the peanuts. LOL I know this will take time and patience. Thanks guys!
 

Kiwibird

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Trust with parrots is earned, not automatically given even if they had a wonderful prior owner(s). From her perspective, you stole her from her home and humans she was very happy with by the sounds of it. She doesn't understand the reasons she was rehomed only that she is now in a strange environment with strange humans around. Parrots are prey animals, they naturally fear larger predatory looking animals (i.e. humans). African grays specifically are a more 'timid' species overall as well. Just go at her pace and have patience as she determines if you're trustworthy. I'd suggest the 'tried and true' method of trust building of sitting next to her and reading out loud every day. It helps her associate you with being a clam and non-threatening presence. When she starts to seem more comfortable, start offering her treats through her cage bars to further build trust. Once she has gotten to know you a bit better and is calm in your presence, then will be the time to start step up training. Don't worry about her being stuck in her cage during the acclimation process. If she's timid, it's the safest option for now and certainly not permanent. Best of luck.

P.S. I wouldn't bother with a sleep cage, just a heavy, solid dark colored cover for her regular cage. The jungle, after all, is neither pitch black nor completely silent at night so she will adapt to a home environment that isn't either. Obviously, a raging party would disrupt her sleep, but once used to her routine, she will fall asleep quickly even if theres noise from a TV or normal conversation etc... after the covers are on. And be sure to get her on a 12 hour awake/12 asleep schedule now. It will help a lot come spring when her annual breeding hormones kick in (which are exacerbated by increases in daylight and can be helped by a consistent sleep cycle year round).
 
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LeaKP

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Congratulations on your grey! Oh my with patience your new addition will become an amazing addition to the family. Please read all the stickies and threads on grey training and behavior in the grey forum. They are a definitely sensitive birds but once trust is earned, the sky is the limit! Keep your eye on the prize!

With my greys I've always moved at the bird's pace. Sometimes you'll have days where there's lots of progress and others it's as if the bird has changed his mind totally! They can be moody - especially after a rehome. Give lots of space and time - it may take a very long time for stepping up to happen but once the threshold is broken, you will make tons of progress. It may take only weeks, or months or even a year. Don't give up though. You can do it and the payoff is amazing.
 

GaleriaGila

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Welcome! Great input so far, huh? :)

Here are some readings I like to offer new parronts...

Bonding
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
General Parrot Information - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community
http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.com/2012...n-parrots.html


Most of us swear by our avian vets in the event of health concerns. I don't know where you are, but here are some links. I only have USA info...
Certified Avian Vets
https://abvp.com/animal-owners/find-an-abvp-specialist/
If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.


Since you're a new parront, I'll just drop a note about avoiding teflon pans, which are lethal to birds.

I'm glad you're here. Lots to learn and share and enjoy!

Oh, and congrats on the Harrison's staple... The Rb has eaten that for 30+ years.
 
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Katelyn

Katelyn

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Trust with parrots is earned, not automatically given even if they had a wonderful prior owner(s). From her perspective, you stole her from her home and humans she was very happy with by the sounds of it. She doesn't understand the reasons she was rehomed only that she is now in a strange environment with strange humans around. Parrots are prey animals, they naturally fear larger predatory looking animals (i.e. humans). African grays specifically are a more 'timid' species overall as well. Just go at her pace and have patience as she determines if you're trustworthy. I'd suggest the 'tried and true' method of trust building of sitting next to her and reading out loud every day. It helps her associate you with being a clam and non-threatening presence. When she starts to seem more comfortable, start offering her treats through her cage bars to further build trust. Once she has gotten to know you a bit better and is calm in your presence, then will be the time to start step up training. Don't worry about her being stuck in her cage during the acclimation process. If she's timid, it's the safest option for now and certainly not permanent. Best of luck.

P.S. I wouldn't bother with a sleep cage, just a heavy, solid dark colored cover for her regular cage. The jungle, after all, is neither pitch black nor completely silent at night so she will adapt to a home environment that isn't either. Obviously, a raging party would disrupt her sleep, but once used to her routine, she will fall asleep quickly even if theres noise from a TV or normal conversation etc... after the covers are on. And be sure to get her on a 12 hour awake/12 asleep schedule now. It will help a lot come spring when her annual breeding hormones kick in (which are exacerbated by increases in daylight and can be helped by a consistent sleep cycle year round).

Good advice! I was reading to her for about an hour. Coincidentally, a book about remaining calm and happy during stressful situations. LOL! I am going to get her a darker sleep cover as well. As far as her being comfortable, she comes out of the cage, gets on her perch, plays, whistles, talks, sings, takes treats from my hand in the cage or even through the bars. I just tell her "wanna come out?" and open the door every time I go to let her out. She just doesnt like to be touched/hands and I am stopping that all together until she is more comfortable and ready at her own pace. As for when shes ready to step up, thats up to her. I will deal with the biting when that time hits. Thanks for your reply! :):60:
 
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Katelyn

Katelyn

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Congratulations on your grey! Oh my with patience your new addition will become an amazing addition to the family. Please read all the stickies and threads on grey training and behavior in the grey forum. They are a definitely sensitive birds but once trust is earned, the sky is the limit! Keep your eye on the prize!

With my greys I've always moved at the bird's pace. Sometimes you'll have days where there's lots of progress and others it's as if the bird has changed his mind totally! They can be moody - especially after a rehome. Give lots of space and time - it may take a very long time for stepping up to happen but once the threshold is broken, you will make tons of progress. It may take only weeks, or months or even a year. Don't give up though. You can do it and the payoff is amazing.

Thank you! I will read the stickies! Great info! I hear ya on the moody part. I feel exactly that way about the progress. I am willing to wait for her to bond and cant wait til she does, gonna be a great family here :)
 
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Katelyn

Katelyn

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Welcome! Great input so far, huh? :)

Here are some readings I like to offer new parronts...

Bonding
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
General Parrot Information - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community
http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.com/2012...n-parrots.html


Most of us swear by our avian vets in the event of health concerns. I don't know where you are, but here are some links. I only have USA info...
Certified Avian Vets
https://abvp.com/animal-owners/find-an-abvp-specialist/
If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.


Since you're a new parront, I'll just drop a note about avoiding teflon pans, which are lethal to birds.

I'm glad you're here. Lots to learn and share and enjoy!

Oh, and congrats on the Harrison's staple... The Rb has eaten that for 30+ years.

Thank you for the Vet references! Gonna need those! I plan on taking her after she settles in and I can handle her. Want to get "her" DNA sexed and make sure shes healthy. I like the Harrisons as well and so does Chloe! Makes me feel like shes eating the right thing :) Great nutrition!
 

noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
It is just hard to know if a covered bird is actually sleeping---I know that mine will often be pretty quiet under there if I am up, but I hear her moving occasionally, so I don't think mine gets good sleep (and she is annoyed the following day, all day lol).
I wish she were more "chill" about noises, but she is pretty sensitive (even though not all birds are).
 
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Katelyn

Katelyn

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It is just hard to know if a covered bird is actually sleeping---I know that mine will often be pretty quiet under there if I am up, but I hear her moving occasionally, so I don't think mine gets good sleep (and she is annoyed the following day, all day lol).
I wish she were more "chill" about noises, but she is pretty sensitive (even though not all birds are).

Yes , I know what you mean. Chloe seems that way too. Like you can hear her moving around in there. Its hard for us in particular because my husband works nights so we will be up during the night, yet still want her in the room with us to encourage bonding, so its just confusing. Were gonna have to figure something out soon.
 

Scott

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RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Just want to welcome you and your Grey to the forums! Our brain-trust has already given the best of advice!
 
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Katelyn

Katelyn

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Just want to welcome you and your Grey to the forums! Our brain-trust has already given the best of advice!

Haha thanks! Do you have a grey? I just love her to pieces! If only she liked me . LOL
 

Scott

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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Just want to welcome you and your Grey to the forums! Our brain-trust has already given the best of advice!

Haha thanks! Do you have a grey? I just love her to pieces! If only she liked me . LOL

I have my last TAG, about 27 yrs old. E.T. tolerates me but is not aggressive. Doesn't like to be touched most of the time, does not cuddle. Lives in a room uncaged with 3 Goffins and rarely associates. But I love him for who he is, not who I may wish him to be!
 

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