Qtpyinnj
New member
- May 15, 2016
- 107
- 0
- Parrots
- Shades: African Grey Congo Male, hatched June 20, 2016
It's been awhile since I've been on here. Home, work, and school are filling my time. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to return to school full time. I must need my head examined. Anyway, Shades is doing well. He doesn't like my husband anymore. He lashes out at him, and tries to bite, aggressively. We try to show him he isn't a threat by hugging in front of him, and telling him my husband is a good guy and everything is okay. I'm not convinced that will work, so if anyone has any suggestions, please send them my way. I've told my husband to just sit next to him and talk to him while offering him a banana chip or a few seeds to help him learn to trust him. We shall see what happens. Of the children, he's better with my 13 year old, although he gives him a tough way to go at times. My 18 year old, is well, a typical teenager who only has the time and desire for his own wants and needs. My 11 year old really likes Shades, but he's also very leery of him. Shades puts his head down for head scratches, but sideways so he can still see when the best time to attack arrives. Luckily, my baby boy is quick enough to get his finger out of the way.
He still bites when he is on my "steady" hand, and most times he is really applying painful pressure. It does seem as though he is getting better, but whenever he bites hard after being told "no biting," he gets a timeout in his cage with his perch door closed. It's only been 3 months, so I'm not really making a big deal out of it. I see some progress, or what I'm hoping to be progress, but then he goes back to biting again. He's very lovable when he wants to be, which seems to be when he's getting tired. He actually let me hold him on the couch for a good 30 minutes one afternoon. Of course, I was super delighted, but it hasn't happened again. I'll keep working on him. I ask him if he wants to sit on the couch with me, which he seems to want to do, but I'm starting to wonder if he just wants sit on the couch. One afternoon he was really quiet, and when my husband looked in his cage to see what he was doing, he wasn't in or on the cage. HE WAS ON THE COUCH!! LOL!!! Just sitting there as is he were saying to himself, "well, I'm finally on the couch. Now what do I do?" It was a funny story, and I wish I could have seen it at that moment. Thankfully it didn't take that long for him to fly down from the top of his cage to the couch again. I was finally able to see that sight with my own eyes, and yes, he just sat there wondering what should he do now that he'd made it to the couch again. As intelligent as these parrots are, I'm wondering if he is trying to spite Kitty, our cat. She isn't allowed on the couch, and we're constantly telling her to get down. Now that she's seen him on it several times, she thinks it's okay for her to make her way to the couch. NOPE!!! Maybe he's saying, "ha ha Kitty, guess who's on the couch?" I wouldn't be surprised if some of his first words are, "get down Kitty!"
He's eating well. He tries whatever I give him, which is great. He clearly loves green beans because I cannot say those two words together without him getting excited. I introduced walnuts to him a few weeks ago. At first he was a bit nervous, but once he realized there was a treat inside that shell, his bravery quickly returned.
Yikes, I didn't intend for this to be so long, but I just wanted to let you all know Shades and us are doing well. Taking one day at a time. He is an absolute delight, and a dream come true. I really love him and look forward to many years together. We've learned that he mimics our neighbor's dog, and he's trying to mimic multiple whistles/songs. I'll post a few entertaining videos.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ME86cAR4k&feature=youtu.be"]YouTube[/ame]
He still bites when he is on my "steady" hand, and most times he is really applying painful pressure. It does seem as though he is getting better, but whenever he bites hard after being told "no biting," he gets a timeout in his cage with his perch door closed. It's only been 3 months, so I'm not really making a big deal out of it. I see some progress, or what I'm hoping to be progress, but then he goes back to biting again. He's very lovable when he wants to be, which seems to be when he's getting tired. He actually let me hold him on the couch for a good 30 minutes one afternoon. Of course, I was super delighted, but it hasn't happened again. I'll keep working on him. I ask him if he wants to sit on the couch with me, which he seems to want to do, but I'm starting to wonder if he just wants sit on the couch. One afternoon he was really quiet, and when my husband looked in his cage to see what he was doing, he wasn't in or on the cage. HE WAS ON THE COUCH!! LOL!!! Just sitting there as is he were saying to himself, "well, I'm finally on the couch. Now what do I do?" It was a funny story, and I wish I could have seen it at that moment. Thankfully it didn't take that long for him to fly down from the top of his cage to the couch again. I was finally able to see that sight with my own eyes, and yes, he just sat there wondering what should he do now that he'd made it to the couch again. As intelligent as these parrots are, I'm wondering if he is trying to spite Kitty, our cat. She isn't allowed on the couch, and we're constantly telling her to get down. Now that she's seen him on it several times, she thinks it's okay for her to make her way to the couch. NOPE!!! Maybe he's saying, "ha ha Kitty, guess who's on the couch?" I wouldn't be surprised if some of his first words are, "get down Kitty!"
He's eating well. He tries whatever I give him, which is great. He clearly loves green beans because I cannot say those two words together without him getting excited. I introduced walnuts to him a few weeks ago. At first he was a bit nervous, but once he realized there was a treat inside that shell, his bravery quickly returned.
Yikes, I didn't intend for this to be so long, but I just wanted to let you all know Shades and us are doing well. Taking one day at a time. He is an absolute delight, and a dream come true. I really love him and look forward to many years together. We've learned that he mimics our neighbor's dog, and he's trying to mimic multiple whistles/songs. I'll post a few entertaining videos.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ME86cAR4k&feature=youtu.be"]YouTube[/ame]
