Simourg
Baby Bird
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 10
Pets: Jojo the CAG
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Post by Simourg on Oct 12, 2017 7:21:52 GMT -7
Hello! I love birds and I have experience in owning a small bird, but I'm absolutely new with Greys. I didn't actually plan to get one, but I couldn't stop myself from taking in a CAG that had to be rehomed. The saddest thing is that I don't know the story behind it. A woman that gave him up had him only for about 1.5-2 months, and she got this bird as a present and was told it was a male and that he was 2 years old. She also found out that he can say a short phrase "who's there?", which he would repeat when someone knocks on some surface like door or table. He doesn't have a ring on his feet, neither is there any certificate from a breeder. I'm not really sure about his/her sex, but I will refer to the bird as to "him" for now.
Also, I don't know whether he was raised by a human or by his bird parents. He doesn't bite (yet), but kind of growls and fluffs his feathers, bending down a little bit, when a stranger approaches him. He also makes a rapid and very loud clicking sound when super annoyed. This behaviour happens when my brother or dad approaches him or when I offer him something unfamiliar as orange slice to eat. It's been only three days since I took him in and he is a little bit more comfortable with me and my mom. He takes familiar treats when I offer them with my fingers or on the tip of my palm. He also vocalizes when he's hungry, making a "woooo" sound. In the morning he makes what I call a good morning dance: he leans forward and bounces up and down on the perch with wings slightly put away from his body and makes small "ehee" sounds and then somersaults climbing upside down in his cage several times in a row. He enjoys bouncing even more when I address to him or sing for him or keep nodding along with him, so he seems quite friendly towards me at these moments. But then, two or three hours later, he becomes really silent and unfriendly, though on 3rd day he appears to be more relaxed and more curious. He doesn't go out of his cage yet and I am not sure if I should let him out, even though the cage is VERY small with only one perch fitting in it. I didn't get to make any preparations for his sudden arrival and at the moment I'm desperately searching for an appropriate cage here, in Baku. I'm from Baku, Azerbaijan, and life is pretty tough for pet birds here. They don't sell pellets, toys or perches here, it is really hard to find a fitting cage made from stainless steel, so most of the parrot stuff I will have to purchase online. More sadly, he refuses to eat anything but sunflower seeds and unpopped popcorn, and I guess it's gonna be a long road of converting him to a healthier diet with pellets and veggies.
The main problem here is that I don't know where to start. As soon as I find a spacious and suitable cage I will move him there and start the training and taming process, and as soon as his pellets arrive I will start the convertion process. What are the chances that he will bond with me and become tamed? What impression of him do you have based on what I told you about his behaviour? Is he wild-caught or human bred? What should be my next steps right away? Your opinions and advices are very welcome here!
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Post by Jane on Oct 12, 2017 9:10:24 GMT -7
Hello and welcome to the forum. Growling and fluffing the feathers is normal behaviour when a Grey is uncertain about something or someone. They can be nervous of anything new - food, toys, perches, new items in a room etc. and they can be moody. They also have times when they are more active and playful and times when they just want to sit and do nothing. It is quite common for them to prefer one gender over the other - this might be why he is more comfortable with you and your mum but growls at your brother and your dad.
He seems to be settling in well if he will takes treats from you and enjoys interacting with you so continue to do this as much as you can. They can be stubborn about trying new foods especially if they have only had a limited diet in a previous home. Eating in front of them usually makes them more interested, they often refuse to eat food that is in their bowl but will eat it if you give it directly to them. For example mine throw carrot out of the bowl but will eat it if I give it to them.
Jane
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Post by Haz on Oct 12, 2017 18:44:00 GMT -7
Welcome to the forum.
I agree with everything Jane says. She is definitely the most knowledgeable person on this forum.
The only thing I would add is that you can easily make your own toys. These birds love to destroy things such as cardboard boxes, inner rolls from paper towels or unpainted parrot-safe wood.
Take things nice and slow and you will become good friends with the bird.
Haz
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Simourg
Baby Bird
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 10
Pets: Jojo the CAG
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Post by Simourg on Oct 13, 2017 11:14:42 GMT -7
Thank you for your replies! I am happy to hear that this is not such a severe case. But, as a regular person without proper experience I guess I made a mistake today: I let him out in the morning. He craved so much some activity that I could not watch him suffer in this little cage for three days in a row, not being able even to spread fully his wings. I found out that he can actually fly, a little bit clumsily. He ate in the morning, when I offered him some sunflower seeds and corn from my hand, and then, when I went out to search a new cage for him again, my brother fed him again, it was noon. Now it's bedtime, and he's still on the top of his cage, hungry, making "wooooo" sounds and asking for food. But I don't give him any, because I want him to go back into his cage and eat there. I refilled his bowl with his favorite (not much choice, uh), showed it to him, shaked the bowl, attracted his attention and let him see the seeds and then put them back into the cage. He tried to get to the bowl from the outside, but not with much success, so he climbed back and now sits there and asks for food. I feel torn between guilt that this baby is starving and the neccesity to teach him to go back in his cage for food, preventing a bad habit. But I don't know what to do now. I think I'm going to turn the lights off when I go to sleep and leave only a little night light so he could see around and maybe that will make him want to go in his cage again. I don't feel desperate but am worried because it is not healthy for him to starve so much.
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Post by Thomas on Oct 13, 2017 11:16:40 GMT -7
You are doing everything right, just have patience and go at the grey's pace. Sounds like he prefers women over men, but that isn't set in stone. As was mentioned, they like to chew. My grey loves cardboard boxes more than wood. Especially ones she can crawl inside and chew her way out. I lived out of the USA for a few years and know how hard it is to get good parrot food. I ended up with a mix of corn and safflower seeds and fresh fruits and vegetables, they also like pasta, my grey, Sheeba loves cooked spaghetti.
Thomas
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Post by Haz on Oct 13, 2017 17:04:37 GMT -7
My Chyloe loves Cashew nuts. If my husband wants her to go in her cage, he just shows her a cashew and she rushes into the cage because he only gives it to her in the cage.
I am her favourite person so I just have to tell her to go in her house and she goes. Eventually, you should get a relationship like that with your bird.
Haz
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Simourg
Baby Bird
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 10
Pets: Jojo the CAG
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Post by Simourg on Oct 13, 2017 22:37:34 GMT -7
Thank you, Haz and Thomas, for your great advice about toys and foods!
A little update about my little stubborn striker. So he has spent this night on the top of the cage. Since yesterday afternoon he only had two pieces of sunflower seed and some water and a piece of corn today in the morning. He still won't go down, and his poop got dark and starving-type. He did again his good morning dance, flapping his wings and acting friendly and curious, even took a flight in my room. He comes to my hand expecting food to be there and makes his begging "woooo" sound again, but is generally scared when I put my hand into step-up position, he would just back away from it. I am really worried, is he gonna starve himself to death? Should I feed him and then wait till evening and catch him in a towel?
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Post by Jane on Oct 14, 2017 1:21:12 GMT -7
They can be very stubborn, and he is still settling in. I think you should feed him by hand if he won't eat. Will he take some apple (for example) if you eat some in front of him and then give him a slice?
Jane
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Simourg
Baby Bird
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 10
Pets: Jojo the CAG
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Post by Simourg on Oct 14, 2017 3:00:28 GMT -7
Dear Jane! Thank you for your advice, he takes only his favorite seeds from my hands, I will soon try some more! I guess I just made another mistake. I consulted our vet, and she advised me to catch him in towel and put back in his cage because he hasn’t been eating for too long and his poop got worse. She was strongly against feeding him on the top of the cage, so I caught him and forced him back. It was a horrible battle, but at least he started eating immediately as he got in his cage. I know toweling and forcing parrots is really bad, I guess I made a bad choice and it will take a lot of time to undo the consequences and regain the birdie’s trust.
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Post by Jane on Oct 14, 2017 3:22:09 GMT -7
He should be okay. Just keep talking to him,spending time with him and feeding him. It could be that he wasn't sure how to get back in his cage, it is good he is eating again. They usually like nuts - almonds, cashews, walnuts.
Jane
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Post by beakertrout on Oct 14, 2017 9:13:23 GMT -7
Good luck, sounds like you are working hard at it.
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Simourg
Baby Bird
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 10
Pets: Jojo the CAG
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Post by Simourg on Oct 15, 2017 22:56:31 GMT -7
OK, today is the day! We finally got a big cage for my new friend (we named him Jojo, after all), and we're gonna get it installed! So the main question is: how do I get him in his new cage in a less stressful way? We got Ferplast Expert 70 for him (the only and the best option I found in Baku), but i guess he would rather recognize it as a threat, not a better place to live. Searching the web I've found recommendations only for moving tamed birds, but we don't fit in there yet. I also feel like I shouldn't let him out of his cage yet, I will be super grateful if you help me with some advice! I'm not sure if I should have created a new thread or it's okay to post my questions here, but I hope I did it the right way.
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Post by Jane on Oct 16, 2017 0:57:51 GMT -7
If you put the new cage near to his current cage you will be able to see how he responds - whether he is frightened or curious. They can be very nervous of anything new. It might be best to just have it there for a while so he can get used to it. Show a lot of interest in it yourself and put toys that he enjoys inside it.
Jane
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Simourg
Baby Bird
Joined: October 2017
Posts: 10
Pets: Jojo the CAG
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Post by Simourg on Oct 16, 2017 1:49:01 GMT -7
Hi, Jane! His current cage is so small that no toy would fit in without getting him really frightened and pressed against the wall of the cage. His previous owner never introduced him to any, so he is very nervous about anything new and unfamiliar. He doesn't even recognize a walnut as food. He doesn't also trust my choices yet, so he won't try a thing just because I eat it in front of him. So I don't know how to attract him to his new cage. UPD: As much as I've read about different ways to put your bird in a new cage, I feel like in my case the best way would be to put the smaller cage with his door open into the bigger cage and leave his favorite seeds in the bigger cage. I think he would go there occasionally and then I will just take away the old cage. Because I don't think I can handle (in any meaning) him right now and I don't think it's a good idea to let him out until I train him a little bit inside the cage (which is impossible in this super small cage he is in now). I would love to hear your opinions on this matter.
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Post by Jane on Oct 16, 2017 3:55:33 GMT -7
Yes I think that might be a good way. Greys can be very nervous of anything new but, generally speaking, curiosity gets the better of them in the end.
Jane
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