Does Baby like her new, very different, home??

[VICTORYCC124]

So we just got Baby on Sunday, and our home is quite opposite from where she came from. Her previous home was with an 80 year old woman and 3 other (large, I believe) birds. I don't believe Baby was around many, if any, children. The woman ended up in assisted living 10 months ago due to her health. The woman's son was going to the house everyday to care for the birds; change papers and feed and water, but not much cleaning of the cage or attention to the birds. I'm pretty sure Baby spent almost all of her time in her cage, with only a few toys/things to chew on, but they look very old.
My house has 3 kids, aging from 4-13. The "bird room", which is an open room across from our living room and is the first thing after entering the house. Everyone talks to the birds all day long in my house, since you have to walk by the bird room to get to a any other rooms in the house. My mom had spent the last couple days here taking care of 2 of my boys and the animals while we took Wyatt to his 2nd chemo round, which ended up being 2 nights in the hospital since he got so sick. And her and Baby hit it off as well. She's so shy, yet being social too. I have a bunch of different toys and things for her to chew and pick at. Now, I allow my birds to stay out of the cages all of the time. Now with Baby here, I may need to put her or Jewel in their cage if I'll be gone, but here's the thing... Baby doesn't seem like she ever wants to go back in her cage again. Her first night, I put her in her cage at the end of the day but she started crawling around in her cage, almost panicking, and then started swaying back and forth from foot to foot. Like dancing, and making all kinds of little peeps. The guilt got me and I let her out, and I let her sleep outside of her cage. Jewel and Charlie do, well Charlie does when he feels like it, it's really up to him. Now, tonight I our Baby back on her cage and said good nights to the birds and she started getting antsy. Then I shut the light off, while allowing her to stay on top of her cage, and she started doing the dancing back and forth thing again. What does that mean?? I'm still learning her body language of course, and I realize this Chasse is HUGE for her, which Greys don't necessarily like. I do have several books in hand that I am trying to read, and will, but haven't got thru them just yet. I meant to read them before we got a Grey, but this kind of all happened faster than anticipated. I'll keep asking questions and advice at the risk of sounding stupid, so I can be the best for our birds. Please, give me whatever ideas/opinions/advice you think I should hear. I would LOVE to hear it all. And I can handle constructive criticism. TIA

 

[OutlawedSpirit]

I wouldn't really worry too much about her behavior when you put her back in her cage, or when you turn off the light. To a lot of birds, that signals "bed time". And like a lot of toddlers, they don't always want to go to bed when you tell them they should. They are incredibly intelligent and can learn very quickly, "if I do this, Mom won't make me go to bed right now and will play with me more instead."

 

[Christinenc2000]

I wouldn't really worry too much about her behavior when you put her back in her cage, or when you turn off the light. To a lot of birds, that signals "bed time". And like a lot of toddlers, they don't always want to go to bed when you tell them they should. They are incredibly intelligent and can learn very quickly, "if I do this, Mom won't make me go to bed right now and will play with me more instead."

So true they learn quick. I was late coming home Tuesday and BB did not get much out of cage time. Yesterday when I got home I was greeted with a full blown Macaw yell fest. Blew my ears out.
While I understood his excitement I did not rush and let him out . He had to LOWER the volume first lol

Just like a child you can't give into the bad habits. No reward.

And no question is stupid !!

 

[Terry57]

Justice, our CAG, also came from a completely different environment. He was kept as a breeder bird in a shed, basically, and only saw people when he was fed. No toys at all in his enclosure. We were supposed to get him and his mate, but she had gotten rid of his mate before we arrived.
He was very scared when he first came home, and would throw himself into the bars when we came close. Eventually, he settled down, and started being interested in us. We have had him almost 2 years now, and he now comes out of his cage, and allows me to give him scritches. He plays with toys, and eats everything in sight, talking up a storm.

Justice actually looks forward to bedtime, and I don't think he would be happy unless he was on his favourite perch in his cage. He has a lot of phobias.

The longer you have Baby, the easier it will be for you to read her body language. When you left her out of her cage, where was she in the morning? Is it the same cage she has always been in? Justice took a couple of weeks to adjust to his new cage.

I also wanted to wish Wyatt well. I am so sorry for what you all are going through.

 

[VICTORYCC124]

When you left her out of her cage, where was she in the morning? Is it the same cage she has always been in? Justice took a couple of weeks to adjust to his new cage.

I also wanted to wish Wyatt well. I am so sorry for what you all are going through.

She is in the cage she came with, I assume she's had it her whole life. She sleeps on top of the door to her cage.

And thank you, that means a lot. He's a pretty tough kid. Tougher than both of his parents these days.