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Post by Scratchpost on Nov 24, 2022 6:01:02 GMT -7
Hi all, My in-laws stay about four hours away so we don't see them very often. They have seen Aka, and Aka has seen them, but this was when he was a baby and I don't know if he remembers them. My in-laws surprised us yesterday which was awesome, but whenever my mother-in-law came close to Aka's cage, he growled and puffed up like a mad thing. My MIL was wearing a very busy shirt with bright patterns and flowers and I think this might have scared Aka. My MIL also has short pink hair and I know Aka is scared of hats so he might have thought that was a hat. It was so weird because this is the first time he has responded like this to anyone (except when I was wearing a hat that made me realise he was scared of them). I have asked my MIL to wear something different the next time she visits, maybe something less busy, although there isn't anything I can do about the hair. Is there anything else I/we can do? I don't want Aka to become scared of my MIL, but I know I can't really control how he responds.
Thanks.
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Post by Jane on Nov 24, 2022 6:37:08 GMT -7
Greys can get very unsettled by anything such as clothes, hats, hairstyles etc. It might be best if your mother in law doesn't go so close to Aka's cage but just spends the time in the room not too close and also not making any sudden movements as that can cause alarm. She could talk to Aka from a distance and make sure she always says his name when doing so.
Jane
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Post by Adele on Nov 24, 2022 9:25:57 GMT -7
It sounds like Aka was very afraid of your MIL. They can be scared of strangers. Aka would get used to her if he saw her everyday, but only once every few months will take a very long time, if ever, for him to get used to her. In that case, I wouldn't worry about it, just don't ever expect him to like her. If he's growling, I might even cover the cage so he doesn't have to see her and doesn't get so scared.
When I would move, Manzi would freak out over the furniture being moved and he would growl, and even start flopping around in his cage if they got too close. So then I just covered him when movers came by, cause it was way too stressful for him.
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Post by Haz on Nov 24, 2022 11:26:07 GMT -7
You never know what will frighten these birds. Chy likes some strangers more than others.
Once my friend went up to Chy while still wearing her coat. Chy asked her if she was cold so my friend removed her coat. It was the removing of the coat that frightened Chy.
Haz
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Post by Scratchpost on Nov 24, 2022 16:30:00 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
Thanks, I'll suggest that the next time she/they visit. It might only be in another few months which won't help him get used to her. When she realised he was scared, she sat on a chair further away from the cage and he stopped growling/puffing but every time she got up, same thing.
Hi Adele,
Yes, he was very afraid, but I have no idea why. He was very rattled after they left, it was his bedtime shortly after they left but he was too nervous and agitated to go to bed so he went a bit later than usual. The reaction was unlike I have ever seen before, and we go through stages where we have guests in the house quite often. Never before has he reacted like that to anyone. I will cover the cage the next time she visits. I have to cover the cage when I move the furniture around when I clean, I didn't think I'd have to cover the cage for people but I will next time.
Hi Haz,
Aka is OK with a lot of things, even his new toys. He isn't scared of them and apart from the feather duster, hats, and furniture being moved around, he is OK. He is OK with strangers (except my MIL apparently) as long as they don't try and put their hands on the cage (which I tell them not to). That's mad, maybe Chy thought your friend could be hiding something dangerous in her coat. You learn something new about parrots every day haha.
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Post by Scratchpost on Nov 24, 2022 16:37:33 GMT -7
Thinking about it now, I have a feeling it was the combination of my MIL's clothes and pink hair. My husband and I don't really wear bright colours, I think the brightest thing in our closet is a red T-shirt for my husband and an orange skirt for me. It's normally just black, dark colours, or white. The combination of my MIL's very bright clothes (orange pants and top with busy patterns) and pink hair night have thrown Aka off because I don't think anyone we know dresses like that. He might have thought "Danger! Unfamiliar territory." He was fine with my father-in-law who was wearing dark colours.
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Post by Jane on Nov 25, 2022 4:22:24 GMT -7
Bright colours and patterns can frighten them, some Greys don't even like red which is surprising considering they have red tails.
They are very observant and will also notice even small changes. I once had those eye drops in my eyes that make your pupils really big and Mitzi noticed straightaway when I got home.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Nov 25, 2022 16:28:37 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
Yeah I heard that red and orange are the colours Greys are wary of. I haven't seen that with orange, Aka actually likes orange, when we put him outside I have this orange throw that I put over the cage to block some sun out, and the minute he see's it, he will run towards it and start looking at it and speaking (to the throw). When we get toys for him, he destroys the orange parts first and then the rest of the toy, it's quite mad actually. Wow, that's impressive, I didn't realise their eyes were that perceptive. It might have been a small change too. I also normally tell Aka when people are coming over at least a few hours before they get here so he has some time to think about it. I have noticed that when friends/family rock up out of the blue, he seems agitated. I'm assuming it's because he wasn't given enough warning.
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Post by Jane on Nov 26, 2022 6:12:06 GMT -7
Yes it is good to always tell them what is going to happen. Greys like their routine and they like to know what is going on.
I have been able to move small items of furniture as long as I tell them what I am going to do and do it slowly.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Nov 28, 2022 5:14:48 GMT -7
Yes telling him helps, and he loves his routine. In summer, bed-time is 18:30 because that's when it gets dark, (in Winter it's around 17:30), and if I don't have his bed ready for him to climb into it, he gets really cranky.
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Post by Jane on Nov 30, 2022 4:41:38 GMT -7
Aka is such a character. Can you take a photo of him in his bed?
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Nov 30, 2022 10:26:49 GMT -7
He is. I will take a photo tomorrow, I can't promise he will look pleased though. He doesn't really like the camera haha.
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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 1, 2022 10:46:25 GMT -7
 _ He is closing the cage door after last minute scritches from my husband. |
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Post by Jane on Dec 1, 2022 11:29:04 GMT -7
So sweet. Aka knows where he wants to be.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Dec 1, 2022 12:06:05 GMT -7
Yip. It's actually quite a sight, Aka's bed time. He gets into the bottom part of the cage and waits for the top part and his sleeping perch. My husband and I both put him to bed because someone must put the top on before Aka climbs out and eats the table cloth or other things on the table while the other person gets his water to bring to the room otherwise he squeaks and squeaks for it.
It's normal for us but we don't change the routine when we have guests. As a result, for about 10 minutes every evening, our guests have to listen to my husband and I wrangle Aka. "Is it bedtime for Aka," "Why are you playing? I thought you wanted to go to bed," and "No, don't eat the tablecloth" on repeat until we switch the light off. I can just imagine how it looks haha.
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