scoman123
New member
Hi,
I got a Congo African Grey last Sunday and have now had him 7 days, he's 2 years old a have had one set of previous owners who raised him from hatch. He was bonded with the husband of the couple we bought him from, he didn't like any other members of their family as they didn't socialise with him.
The first day we brought him back he was unhappy about being in his carrier but came out without any issues and found his food and water etc and was happy to take food from my hand through the cage bars.
The second day he appeared to be settling in very well so I let him come out for what i planned to be a few hours but instead he wouldn't go back in so, he slept on top of his cage. again he was happy to take foods and some sunflower seeds from my hands usually being gentle about it. if he lunged for the food slightly then i will normally pull my hand away, say gentle and give it too him again and he will take it gently. That night he was also happy to climb on my legs and sit there for an hour.
The third day I let him out and this time started touch training him, which worked perfectly and got him into his cage quite happily. he now also mimics the sound of the clicker. again he sat on my legs and took food and treats happily.
The rest of the week there were a few bites, especially on a day where he was hungry because i tried training before his T because i thought he might have more incentive to get the treats, instead lunging for the treats and biting my fingers.
he seems territorial over his cage, when you put your hand on his cage for whatever reason he will rush over to try and bite, he will do it quick enough that he doesn't care if he slips of he perch.
Yesterday i was cleaning a bar of his cage while he was sat on the door next to me and he suddenly jumped off clamped his beak onto my finger and wudn't let go, so naturally i moved my hand to get him off, which worked he flew off my finger and wasn't on me for more that a second but obviously still hurt. a few hours later he did it again.
The biting i can take, i don't mind that he's drawn blood every time. Its the fact that he clamped on and hard. I havn't exactly felt like i have a connection with him all week and he sort of just feels like a bird in my room as apose to my other 8 birds which feels like my birds.
Im very very close to getting rid of him because of this and the clamping on pushed it over the line, i simply cant trust him and now my hand shakes slightly when i go to feed him.
A lot of the time it seems like there's a look that makes it seems like he's not scared, territorial but that he is just being aggressive for the sheer hell of it.
He has more that enough toys to chew and interact with, he has also taken a shining to the cardboard toilet roll holders and uses them as foot toys.
i need some advice on a few things,
one: can anyone give me some very specific advice about how to stop the biting. Im still doing touch training but getting him to go round my hand with it is hard because he wont always go onto my bed or any other surface with enough space. He also wont step onto any of his perches when im holding them.
two: anyone had any experience of the feeling like he's not the bird for me? Will this get better when he becomes more affectionate?
He gets plenty of sleep, has plenty of toys, i feed him vegetables and pellets and have made him some birdie bread which he absolutely loves. I use sunflower seeds as training treats.
I know i've only had him a week and it takes time but its getting too me. the clamping did freak me out but with my other 8 birds i knew within hours that they were my birds.
I know im not going to get a bond woth him or get him to step up any time soon, im fully aware it all takes time but i would like a bird that doesnt bite and seem to do it simply for the fun of it. Im trying my best to give him the best life possible and as im sure some of you can relate - being bitten after doing your best is a big kick in the teeth
Please help!!! thanks in advance if you need any more info please ask! thanks!
aggression
I got a Congo African Grey last Sunday and have now had him 7 days, he's 2 years old a have had one set of previous owners who raised him from hatch. He was bonded with the husband of the couple we bought him from, he didn't like any other members of their family as they didn't socialise with him.
The first day we brought him back he was unhappy about being in his carrier but came out without any issues and found his food and water etc and was happy to take food from my hand through the cage bars.
The second day he appeared to be settling in very well so I let him come out for what i planned to be a few hours but instead he wouldn't go back in so, he slept on top of his cage. again he was happy to take foods and some sunflower seeds from my hands usually being gentle about it. if he lunged for the food slightly then i will normally pull my hand away, say gentle and give it too him again and he will take it gently. That night he was also happy to climb on my legs and sit there for an hour.
The third day I let him out and this time started touch training him, which worked perfectly and got him into his cage quite happily. he now also mimics the sound of the clicker. again he sat on my legs and took food and treats happily.
The rest of the week there were a few bites, especially on a day where he was hungry because i tried training before his T because i thought he might have more incentive to get the treats, instead lunging for the treats and biting my fingers.
he seems territorial over his cage, when you put your hand on his cage for whatever reason he will rush over to try and bite, he will do it quick enough that he doesn't care if he slips of he perch.
Yesterday i was cleaning a bar of his cage while he was sat on the door next to me and he suddenly jumped off clamped his beak onto my finger and wudn't let go, so naturally i moved my hand to get him off, which worked he flew off my finger and wasn't on me for more that a second but obviously still hurt. a few hours later he did it again.
The biting i can take, i don't mind that he's drawn blood every time. Its the fact that he clamped on and hard. I havn't exactly felt like i have a connection with him all week and he sort of just feels like a bird in my room as apose to my other 8 birds which feels like my birds.
Im very very close to getting rid of him because of this and the clamping on pushed it over the line, i simply cant trust him and now my hand shakes slightly when i go to feed him.
A lot of the time it seems like there's a look that makes it seems like he's not scared, territorial but that he is just being aggressive for the sheer hell of it.
He has more that enough toys to chew and interact with, he has also taken a shining to the cardboard toilet roll holders and uses them as foot toys.
i need some advice on a few things,
one: can anyone give me some very specific advice about how to stop the biting. Im still doing touch training but getting him to go round my hand with it is hard because he wont always go onto my bed or any other surface with enough space. He also wont step onto any of his perches when im holding them.
two: anyone had any experience of the feeling like he's not the bird for me? Will this get better when he becomes more affectionate?
He gets plenty of sleep, has plenty of toys, i feed him vegetables and pellets and have made him some birdie bread which he absolutely loves. I use sunflower seeds as training treats.
I know i've only had him a week and it takes time but its getting too me. the clamping did freak me out but with my other 8 birds i knew within hours that they were my birds.
I know im not going to get a bond woth him or get him to step up any time soon, im fully aware it all takes time but i would like a bird that doesnt bite and seem to do it simply for the fun of it. Im trying my best to give him the best life possible and as im sure some of you can relate - being bitten after doing your best is a big kick in the teeth
Please help!!! thanks in advance if you need any more info please ask! thanks!
aggression
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