Need help

[MrBackpack]

My wife and I have had Bobby, out 7-year-old Congo African grey for around 4 months and we need some help.

After moving him to a much larger cage, we were able to, finally, beat out his plucking issue, but now we're trying to deal another problem.

He will step up and step down on command, most of the time, but our problem stems from his actions once we have him out of the cage.

Sometimes, while trying to feed him or get him to step up, he goes for mine or the wife's hands and will bite down with as much strength as he can muster.

I go over and put him on one of the three perches throughout the house to spend time outside of the cage. Within seconds he starts shaking, holding his wings away from his body and jerking his head up and down all the while making squawks and squeaks like he's struggling with something. This behavior continues after 'fighting' with him to step up again and move him back into his cage.

Granted, I'm tired of being bit, but I know that comes with the territory of owning a bird, I just want him to a part of the family and not just cage bound.

 

[MikeyTN]

Mating mood......try using a perch to bring him out of the cage. Once out then use your hand. Same when picking him up using the perch on one side and put your hand on the other side he will step up with ease. If he tries to bite even with the perch then get him onto the perch then hand.

 

[MrBackpack]

Mating mood......try using a perch to bring him out of the cage. Once out then use your hand. Same when picking him up using the perch on one side and put your hand on the other side he will step up with ease. If he tries to bite even with the perch then get him onto the perch then hand.

We were using the perch stick to get him in and out of the cage for the first month and a half; the behavior was still present.

Ever since we got him, he's been like this, he was like this when we picked him up from his previous owners as well.

 

[MikeyTN]

Are you not using the perch anymore? If not you need to. Even after 9 years I still use perch to get Dixie out of her cage. She was forced off her cage at her first owner's home as she yank her off her vage by force, that's what her last owner told me when I question them why she was petrified of hands at her feet. So something must of happened to your baby for him to act this way. So you may have to use the perch always.

 

[MrBackpack]

Okay, perch stick is back then, no problem.

Is this going to help with the " mating behavior" as well?