Advice please

[MLaCross]

A friend of mine has taken in her mothers african grey (not sure is CAG or TAG) I am on here for my conure so I thought i would ask for some help for her. Her mother hand fed the bird and it was very sweet and loving. Apparently she took him to get his wings clipped and he was always mean after that. She eventually gave up trying to handle him. My friend would like to be able to handle him and isn't sure what to do. I gave her the best advice I could, but i figure you guys would know better. She can not put her hand in the cage, she cannot hold him or pet him, but he will let her feed him treats. She lets him out by just leaving the door open. She has to wait for him to decide he wants to go back in his cage until she can go to bed, which one night wasn't until midnight! I guess he bites, and he bites hard.
HELP!!!

[Astrid660]

I use a step up perch for my Greys. When I adopted them last year, both were aggressive and only Ellie seemed to want to step on my hand, and then she wouldn't want to step down after. I find the step up perch helps a lot of birds in the initial steps of training. Now my Greys are both prolific in using that perch, so they go back in their cage without a fuss. Just make sure it's long enough.. haha many times I grabbed the shorter one (I have two) and Kato usually lunges if I use that one. Good luck!

[MLaCross]

I advised her to use a perch to pick him up, she said he just attacks it.

[JGMAP]

It is Hard when they are bent because you took there flight away from them. But it is a part of life. They are spiteful for a bit after that. I agree a step up perch is a good idea. But, she needs to connect with the bird. Reading to the bird next to the cage or just sitting there talking to the bird. Helps. Letting the bird know you not the bad person. it is going to take time a patience. I have a grey that HATES women. I was just a chew toy for awhile. It has been night and day with him after I took some time and talked with him. he now is not the evil bird that has come into my life. But a sweet bird I know he can be.
Good Luck.

[Greycloud]

I have a 12 yo rehomed CAG. He absolutely refuses to step up on a perch. Runs and growls. If she leaves the cage open for him to come out she should make gentle approaches and offer treats to him then. Talking and whistling to him will slowly allow him to build trust. The more she forces him against his will that trust will disappear. He may never step up. But that does not make him a bad bird. When she wants him to go back to bed save only his very favorite treat for this. Show it to him and place it in his food cup. Eventually he will go in after it and she can quietly close the door and praise, praise, praise!

[MLaCross]

Thank you for the advice, I will let her know all that I have learned here. I really hope she can make progress with him. I know they offer him treats from their hand and he has no problem taking them, even when they reach in and give them to him. She said any other time she reaches in he will bite.
I am going to try to go see him this weekend.

[Lisa B]

Its not uncommon an attitude after being clipped.
What they learn, is by snapping at their owners(who they are agitated with) that the owner goes away. So they get the desired response they want.

One important thing is for her to remain calm while working with her. I have seen alot of clients and hyper households that greys dont do well in. Forcing the issue or demanding things from a grey wont work. They feed off our emotions, and we have to keep them in check when working with them. Soft voices work wonderfully.

Many years ago, We had our grandkids come to our house to visit. The birds were afraid not being around small kids before. What I found worked, and have advised ever since, was to have them sit down, remain calm, and read to them. Often, if a new grey is in a home, its also best if the bird is nervous, to stay out of their comfort zone(maybe 10 ft, maybe 15?) and sit and read. Every few days, moving a foot or two closer till you see the bird is comfortable with you being in their zone.

Here's a picture of Emma getting used to our grandkids

[Greycloud]

What a great picture! And very good advice.

[Lisa B]

Originally Posted by Greycloud

What a great picture! And very good advice.

Thanks. By the end of the visit, Emma was sitting on her leg, ripping up the book

[r2rusmc]

Not much I can add except that all my birds seem to really enjoy music. During the evenings when everyone is excitable and in an uproar some classical or jazz music really does soothe the savage beast.

On the flip side, a little Disturbed on the loud side tends to get them all disturbed. lol

Really though it is a combination of calming and low stress activities in close proximity.