African Grey First Meet Up - Behavioural Breakdown

[pterry97]

Hi all,

Last night I finally went to retrieve the much unloved family parrot, Bobby. He’s now safe with me in a new scary environment, starting off from the basics, but I recorded our initial meet up at collection.

Ultimately I can say the situation was extremely tense. Bobby used to like me 6 years ago when I lived temporarily at their place for 3 months (excessively so - he would regurgitate a lot and was prone to biting out of frustration). I tried using the same talk I gave back then but he didn’t seem to recognise me. Understandable - 6 years is a long time.

I’m looking for assistance in breaking down his behaviours seen in the video. His slow exaggerated swings indicated that he was very wary of the situation, but he was also lurching his head a lot as if about to regurgitate, and was constantly beak grinding, so I was receiving mixed messages.

I know there is a very dramatic change when his previous owner walks into the frame. He goes incredibly still and tries to bite when reached for, ultimately spooking into a flight. But I’m no parrot expert. I’d appreciate a breakdown of what people can see and possibly explain to help me better figure out how to read him. He’s 12 years old and stuck in his ways - a very notorious biter and an equally stressed bird (through no fault of his own)

 

[texsize]

My best piece of advice is to go slowly.
Some birds can be willing to associate with you as soon as they are brought home.
Most will take time to get use to all the new things.
work with the bird when he is ready.

 

[LeeC]

I’d appreciate a breakdown of what people can see and possibly explain to help me better figure out how to read him. He’s 12 years old and stuck in his ways - a very notorious biter and an equally stressed bird (through no fault of his own)

Congratulations on taking on your first parrot! :] It is always a delight to learn that a parrot just got a better home. Congratulations to Bobby as well.

Like most any wild-ish animal (I say that because parrots have not been domesticated—and, Bobby is far from cuddly.), respecting their space is so important, always, but especially in the beginning. The top reason to learn parrot body language is to learn when to back off. For me, when in doubt, give them more space.

There is a highly-effective therapy/training that focuses on just that, giving the animal space. It was invented for dogs; it is called CAT; it works great with birds.

I used Constructional Aggression Treatment (C.A.T.) to quickly resolve fear-aggression issues with a Conure who was abused before I got him. In short, the training lets the animal remote-control the fear stimulus (me).

Roz, of ThinkParrot explains it well here:

Aggression In Parrots | ThinkParrot

What is the purpose of aggressive behaviour in our parrots? How to address aggression using the least intrusive methods.

thinkparrot.com

 

[pterry97]

My best piece of advice is to go slowly.
Some birds can be willing to associate with you as soon as they are brought home.
Most will take time to get use to all the new things.
work with the bird when he is ready.

Trust me, we have been going slow and steady today. He has already become a different bird overnight in his new environment.

Last night introduction to the new cage he was too afraid to use any of the perches, ultimately only settling for a perch after I had to turn the lights off for bed. This morning he was climbing around giving all of his perches and toys tentative little taps. He successfully caught interest when I ate a fruit salad beside the cage and even accepted some fruit to try for himself, though he only liked the grapes out of the selection.

By lunch he had successfully touched everything in the cage willingly. Then he spent the majority of his time napping or rather excitedly ripping his newspaper into shreds. I was warned he was a very loud bird who often screamed for attention but this first day he's been surprisingly quiet. He beeps regularly and has a lot of phone pings and random machine beep sounds he makes, but no talking from him just yet. He's known to be very vocal. Though it's still early days of course.

Finally, around 3-4pm this afternoon, he began a behaviour I used to see constantly with him back when I lived with him temporarily for 3 months, all those 6 years ago. He was extremely hormonally imbalanced back then, and I always let him out of the cage because nobody else would, and he would constantly shoulder rush me to make this bizarre whimpering sound in my ear. It'd be followed by regurgitation and eventually biting at my ear and neck and face, not a fun time.

The other behaviours haven't been exhibited here so far, though that may be just because I haven't let him out of the cage just yet (I want to make sure he's comfortable in it so I don't have a bad time trying to convince him to climb back in when I do let him out, since he's unfamiliar with it), but he very rapidly started his whimpering behaviour again. It's only when I sit by the cage, he just begins this sound and doesn't stop until I leave. It doesn't seem like a mimicked sound, so I'm wondering if anyone is familiar with the noise and what it could mean. Is it possibly a precursor for something?

Any answers are appreciated.

 

[LeeC]

He has already become a different bird overnight in his new environment.

I love it! I tell my parrot-keeper friend, and remind myself, that each of the parrots in my care reserves the right to change or evolve at any moment on any day. They have all changed a lot and continue to do so. It is easy to come to expect them to behave as they did yesterday, so to speak.

 

[LeeC]

The fruit-salad adventure was brilliant, @pterry97 ! Early on, I love to gently blow their minds. I think it helps set the tone for new place, new person, new ways. Food is so important and fruit is one of their favorites, so it's a great way to connect with them. They love good fats, too! My Timneh African Grey, Grady, loves Kerrygold butter, grass-fed ghee, pasture-raised lard, etc. Fat is a nutrient and their tongues know it!

I think the quick dislike for some fruits may be due to acidity. Grady keeps trying with such fruits. He will eat some, shake his head (fruit juice flies, he then wants more, and repeats. Parrots. :]

Interestingly, Grady's notes from the previous owner said he hated grapes. I offered him grapes early on, and he loved them. I've tried different colors and varieties. I've yet to find a grape Grady dislikes. It just goes to show that they can change, even their preferences for foods.

You are doing great things for Bobby! You two are off to a wonderful start.