and the parrots name.... ted Jaraz
I Got this Parrot
by Honesty 66 Replies latest jw friends
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FreedomFrog
Also try to avoid teflon, this can be toxic to birds...no chocolate/avacodos because this can kill birds instantly. I use stainless steel when I cook. Oh, and don't let him eat after anyone because humans can give them bacteria that can kill them also. It's a chance I won't take with my bird.
Get him on a good pellet diet because seeds are like Big Mac's to birds. They eat berries/seeds/nuts/and other kinds of foods in the wild. Plain 'ol seeds are a bit too fattening for them but are good for treats.
Try to remember, birds need naps too, just like small children. They will become grumpy if they don't get proper rest.
I will also try to help you to the best I can. I am well aware of how to handle grey's and cockatoos since they were the birds I had mainly when I was working for the rescue place.
Restrangled is right, they bond with their owners and are very sensitive creatures. A bird can become depressed which can start into feather picking. My bird is very attached to me that he blows kisses at me.
restrangled, I'm sorry you lost your bird. I don't know if you guys remember when I lost Cheeko...she was the sweetest thing. I had a very hard time with her death. You're right, they become like children.
I can also try to help you with questions...still, get a good book on African Grey's at Barne's and Nobles or some other book store. That will help out quite a bit. Learn, learn, learn...when you understand your bird, you'll find that he'll be easier to train and it can be very rewarding.
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FreedomFrog
Here's a link that may help you...
http://nh.essortment.com/africangreypar_rkli.htm
"You can discipline your parrot by telling him no very firmly. He will associate no with doing something wrong. He will actually have temper tantrums and when this happens I just ignore him for about ten minutes or so then come back and gently talk to him. He can learn to associate your leaving when he pulls these little tantrums and realize this is not a good thing to do."
Sorry, HL, but I disagree with this statement here....
"So maybe, when it says something you don't like, make a noise."
Sure, maybe a firm "no" but if you make too much noise or too much drama the birds can actually like that kind of attention and do the thing more. I find it more effective to say "no" then walk away and ignore him...they don't like to be ignored.
Never spray the bird, don't hit his cage or yell at him. It will only make things worse. I've gotten in birds that were scared to death of water bottles because their previous owners would spray them for a punishment option.
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FreedomFrog
This is "Sweety"...a bird I fostered and trained. Here he was very thin and started picking his feathers. He was sprayed with water bottles for punishment. The owners also threw shoes at his cage. He now lives with a wonderful couple in Dayton but it took me almost 2 years to get him use to a water bottle (for bath only) and he wasn't screaming as much.
This is Cheeko...I lost her to kidney failure about 2 years ago. My sweet sweet baby. She was the best bird ever. Also a rescued bird.
And this is my African Grey...he was stuck in a pet shop for over two years and had a horrible time with biting people. He was very aggressive. Now he'll lay upside down in my hand (because he has developed trust in me) and I can pet his belly. I have him on my chair by me as I type this. So you CAN retrain birds...don't give up. African Greys are the sweetest.
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restrangled
Freedom Frog got it right.....I was thinking teflon but said aluminum.
Also try to avoid teflon, this can be toxic to birds...no chocolate/avacodos because this can kill birds instantly. I use stainless steel when I cook. Oh, and don't let him eat after anyone because humans can give them bacteria that can kill them also. It's a chance I won't take with my bird.
Also, please keep the cage clean...very important and fresh water always! Birds are pretty messy.
That bird will become your lifetime companion if you treat him right. They live about 70 years.
Right now he is repeating what he has been taught and you need to teach him new. He will respond pretty quickly if he feels you like him or her and you talk to them all the time.
African Greys tend to freak with new toys, depending on the bird, but they do love toys....If you get something new hang it outside of the cage but not on it so he can see it. After a week you can introduce it into the cage. Get the large parrot stuff becuase these bad boys can destroy anything.
Just to reiterate, these are some of the most affectionate birds going. If you have ever seen a program of them in the wild, they are "Pack" birds. They love their family and travel together in the thousands.
Take care of that baby for me please!
One more thing, never, never discipline a parrot....I have never heard of such a thing. They are naturally sweet and attached. Learn to "read" your bird so you know when he is feeling tired, fiesty, threatened, etc.
Think of all the bird sayings that are said and you will begin to understand:
"Don't rattle my cage!"
"Pecking order"
"Don't get your feathers ruffled" .....Just a few that apply!
Please let me know if you need more help.
r.
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beksbks
I was looking for a site I had seen in the past. It was about an African Grey named Alex. Looks like he recently died. But here is an interesting link. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/070913-alexparrot-video.html
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FreedomFrog
African Greys tend to freak with new toys, depending on the bird, but they do love toys....If you get something new hang it outside of the cage but not on it so he can see it. After a week you can introduce it into the cage. Get the large parrot stuff becuase these bad boys can destroy anything.
Oh yeah...I forgot to mention that...lol Thanks restrangled!! You can even "play" with the new toy in front of your bird to show him it's safe. As retrangled said, go slowly with him. I like those puzzle (very hard plastic) toys for parrots where you can put nuts in them, my bird will shake the crap out of it but he loves to figure things out. Challenge his mind.
I sooooo agree with restrangled... if you discipline a parrot, thiswill only lead to a depressed/aggressive bird. Positive reinforcements are the best way to help a bird learn what they need. If he's misbehaving, turning off his light to his "place" or ignoring him will show him it's not what he should be doing. He should have a quiet space where traffic isn't so much especially when he naps during the day or sleeps during the night.
I can read my bird now...they do, as restrangled mention, send out messages. Once you can understand this "silent" communication, you'll be able to understand what is making your bird misbehave.
My African Grey will make a "water" dripping noise when he wants a bath. Even their eyes will convey so much if you know what to look for.
The eyes in the picture (of my African Grey) I posted are the eyes of "loving" very content bird...but he's aware too because of the person taking the picture.
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FreedomFrog
OH!!! Poor Alex...I hope they find out what happened to him...restrangled is also right in that these parrots can live between 60-70 years...
More about African Greys...
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horrible life
Now guys!!!! Don't spread around that I beat my daughters bird!! LOL The only time I ever discipline her, is when she hisses at my daughter. She loves ME.
or She has to be with me all of the time. In the same room. So when I am in my bathroom/laundry room, I put her on the shower rod. She scoots to the side, and starts gnawing on my painted wood. I have little gashes out of the wood. So in these 2 cases, I raise my voice and say "eck". Which is really the same thing as NO to her. I don't scream at her. I also didn't want her learning the word NO. I had a friend of mine, that her bird said No all of the time. If my bird says "eck" it sounds like a normal noise a bird makes. She is my baby. But she doesn't gnaw on the wood very often any more.
But she still hisses at my daughter, when I am at home. When I am not at home, they get along great.
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dogisgod
Mouthy!!! Count the time?????? You crack me up!!!!!!!
