African Grey Behaviour

Kendra

Regular Member
Misty managed to get on the top of the freezer (about 1.5m high) which is about 35 cm away from his cage and he said he was stuck. When I went to him to offer help he lowered his head, fluffed his body feathers a little but not on his head, he appears to be begging.  I put my hand infront for him to stand on it, yet he backed away.  This is the common practice, I have waited, coaxed, talked in a gentle voice, he still 'begs' yet still will not step up.

Sometimes when he takes this position he lunges, so I left my hand in place once to see what he would do, he bit my arm. 

Am I reading him wrong?  Could you suggest how I may sort this please?  He can fly but not confidently.
 
Well from what I know of my two when they are not sure about something they are being asked to do or not sure whether they want to do it, they ask to have their heads scratched instead. That is what this sounds like. I have interpreted it as them trying to get comfortable with me so I would go ahead and scratch. After that see where you are with him. It is as if he wants to know he can trust you.
 
Traff and I have had a few moments so far

If Traff gets on the floor being none flighted he can't get back to be where he wants to be on the counter top.  Bob is always ready to just pick him up and pop him back on. Acouple of times now I have told Bob to leave him and stay out of it and I have sat myself on the floor and offered my hand and Traff has "chewed the dreaded toe nail" the threat to bite me. So I have continued to sit there and not offer my hand....the first time it took Traff 20 minutes to decide ok Bob isn't going to just scoopme up and pop me back up and daft lass is still sitting there he stood peering at me and then ever so gently lifted his foot towards me, so...i ignored him :laugh:   Traff looked at me as if to say errrr excuse me daft human female i want to get up there now what the hell are you playing at??!!! But he moved closer to me and then again offered his foot to me. This time i obliged I put my hand to it and when he was firmly grasping hold and ready gently and slowly lifted him to where he wanted to be. Out come me happy and not bitten and Traff happy were he wanted to be, Bob stood there saying its quicker if i do it he knows and likes me :dntknw:   Not the point really Traff needs to know if he wants something or is worried about something I will be there if he needs me when bob isn;t around :thumbsup:

Zuri is a whole different ball game he doesn't like me doesn't want to interact with me unless i have something he wants which is always a chillie!! The chances of me and him becoming friends....more chance of a snow flake landing in hell!!! :laugh:   Luckily for me Zuri hasn't got a real bite on him he's a half hearted hard man ...more chicken than African Grey thank goodness!

Can't wait for Bob to try and win over my lot Henni bites, Tuppy is a screaming loonie, Denarii growls like a pack of hungry wolves and Alfie....well that's the major biggie he really doesn't like men....i don't have a door frame because Alfie doesn't like men!!! Saw the neighbour through the doorway and began ripping it off trying to get to him :shock:
 
Moral of my above blithering .... i let Traff work it out for himself...sit there and stew or ask for help and accept it when it was offered

Parrots are smart.....real smart! :animated-parrot-image-0025:
 
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This behaviour above is a clear signal do not approach me or i will kill you and if you take one step closer to my dad I'll kill you too!!


Warning signs are very clear


Fluffed feathers and head down are often warning signs to be very aware x
 
Has your little one ever stepped up for anybody when asked Kendra or is it just yourself he isn't too sure about?  Perhaps its the feel of skin that he doesn't like? :dntknw:   if he keeps asking but isn't doing it perhaps a stick to step up onto?
 
I just have the feeling he wants help, either lifting up or head scratching/stroking Julie, yet will allow neither unless he is really, really stuck/scared.  He flew to join me and landed on the floor, I popped my hand in front and he climbed on, his previous keeper said he would step on the hand.

In your picture Nikki he is looking at you, Misty is not, he tucks his head down and is probably staring at his navel.

Stick, I have offered a couple of times but he is scared of them in your hand. 

I need him to feel confident being with me.  He is now playing on the table, wrecking everything in his path (I have moved anything he may harm or is dangerous)  my camera has already flown to the floor before I could rescue it.  The fun will be when he has to go back to his cage.
 
Is he asking you for a head scratch hun, a lot are moulting heavily just now and appreciate a good scratch?? Xx
 
I wondered, it does look like that and he is casting little fluffy feathers everywhere, but if I try he flicks his head back.  It seems he wants the scratch but can not let me do it.
 
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image.jpg


This behaviour above is a clear signal do not approach me or i will kill you and if you take one step closer to my dad I'll kill you too!!


Warning signs are very clear


Fluffed feathers and head down are often warning signs to be very aware x
But that looks like Blue in her happy place :dntknw:   :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
 
I think he needs time and patience Kendra, he did step up for his previous owners, I watched him do it and he was very good with them.
I think you've got to remember that he was owned by the couple all his life, he's never been "round the block" so to speak, so for around 18 years he's had that only home, now it's all new, new home, new people, new sounds, new accent etc. he's going to take time and patience for him to learn to trust and understand that this is his new home, it must be so weird for him with all this change and no understanding why x
 
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... I put my hand infront for him to stand on it, yet he backed away.  This is the common practice, I have waited, coaxed, talked in a gentle voice, he still 'begs' yet still will not step up.

Sometimes when he takes this position he lunges, so I left my hand in place once to see what he would do, he bit my arm...
I think because he previously backed away he was telling you he didn't want to step up - maybe because you are new to him or maybe because he was having a fun time on the fridge - and then because you didn't remove your arm he bit it as a last resort in communication.  He may be offering confusing behaviours as he's not sure yet of what he wants. 

You might have to be hands off for the moment until he gains confidence in you.  Engineer time out before meals so that he goes back in of his own accord to eat.  That's how I worked it with Ollie who hates hands.  Will he let you skritch his head from behind the safety of the bars of his cage without biting?  Or could you skritch his head with a toy?

Bobbie was similar in behaviour when she first arrived so I was hands off with her for a while - she came around very quickly and now can't wait to step up and have fun or hugs with me. 

If you wanted to stick train, instead of using a stick you could try another object he is familiar with.  Kobe also hates sticks so I taught him to step up on a folded rope perch since he has them in his cage.

As Julie said... "time and patience..."  :thumbsup:
 
Yes, I understand he is a little confused but I do see progress every day.  He came to me last night, (not on me but close) trashed a few things on the table and spent ages playing with some crumped brown paper.  Later he went onto the door again, but eventually tried to climb down.  I offered my hand but No, thank you.  He was still later on struggling to get down and ended up clinging to a hinge, so I offered my hand again and he stepped on.

We will get there but as you say it will take time and considering his past I think he is settling remarkably well, it is just his servant who does not understand him yet.
 
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