Post by badmaw320 on Jul 5, 2020 7:30:36 GMT -7
Hi, I am new to African Greys and everything I am doing to try and bond with her is not working. I recently started caring for her after my brother didn't realize the responsibilities that came with taking care of a parrot. I feel really bad for her and I just want her to have a good life. She is a lot more work than my rabbit or cat. I can't touch her, I can only pick her up with a glove, and she lunges at me every time I try to change her water bowl and give her food. I have had her for a month and my family has had her for about a year and a half. She is between 2 and 3 years old. I know this doesn't help, but I cannot get over my fear of her biting me. I feel like my fear of her might be what's making her fear me. The only other thing she lets go near her is my rabbit. If anyone has any advice as to how I should try and approach her, any help would be greatly appreciated. So far, I just put my finger up to the cage and wait for her to bow her head. She usually lunges at me, but in the rare occasions she lets me pet her, she'll suddenly turn her head around scaring me. I don't know how to get her to trust me more, but I don't trust her either.
I clean her cage every two days, and food/water everyday. I let her out when I am watching TV and she seems to like that (She gets all puffy and sits on one leg). She will look at me and talk very quietly, she will do the same thing with my rabbit who's cage is right beside hers. She seems comfortable and safe as long as I don't go too close to her. If she's not trying to bite me, then she flies away and she does not land very gracefully (I am afraid she is going to get hurt). My cat will not attack her, he just likes to sit and watch her. She seems curious by this as she will fly towards him and land beside him. I am trying to figure out if her environment is good too.
A lady in the pet store told me that she feeds her African Grey anything she eats. I always giver her some of my dinner and she just throws the things she will not eat. Except she will eat meat and cheese, and then throw all the vegetables. Should I stop doing this? My only issue is that if I just give her only vegetables she will not eat them. She is free fed seeds as well I just like the idea of giving my animals treats. At this point she also expects dinner (She will yell if she doesn't get).
She doesn't bathe in her water bowl even though its pretty big. I just ordered a bathing perch but she hates new things. She creates so much dust it's hard to manage. She also only likes metal toys. I buy specific metal for parrots, but I hope it is not bad for her beak or anything.
I am sorry for so much information and that I really don't know much about parrots. A lot of what I'm doing I found online already. I just feel like no information is specific enough for my African Grey. I also want confirmation or corrections towards what I am already doing. All of her basic necessities are met and she is in a clean cage with lots of toys, we're just missing that bonding aspect. Thank you for any help!
I clean her cage every two days, and food/water everyday. I let her out when I am watching TV and she seems to like that (She gets all puffy and sits on one leg). She will look at me and talk very quietly, she will do the same thing with my rabbit who's cage is right beside hers. She seems comfortable and safe as long as I don't go too close to her. If she's not trying to bite me, then she flies away and she does not land very gracefully (I am afraid she is going to get hurt). My cat will not attack her, he just likes to sit and watch her. She seems curious by this as she will fly towards him and land beside him. I am trying to figure out if her environment is good too.
A lady in the pet store told me that she feeds her African Grey anything she eats. I always giver her some of my dinner and she just throws the things she will not eat. Except she will eat meat and cheese, and then throw all the vegetables. Should I stop doing this? My only issue is that if I just give her only vegetables she will not eat them. She is free fed seeds as well I just like the idea of giving my animals treats. At this point she also expects dinner (She will yell if she doesn't get).
She doesn't bathe in her water bowl even though its pretty big. I just ordered a bathing perch but she hates new things. She creates so much dust it's hard to manage. She also only likes metal toys. I buy specific metal for parrots, but I hope it is not bad for her beak or anything.
I am sorry for so much information and that I really don't know much about parrots. A lot of what I'm doing I found online already. I just feel like no information is specific enough for my African Grey. I also want confirmation or corrections towards what I am already doing. All of her basic necessities are met and she is in a clean cage with lots of toys, we're just missing that bonding aspect. Thank you for any help!