Update on Ozzy and a few more issues

[MaiTai]

So last night I was sitting watching tv and Ozzy got down from his cage and walked over to me and tried to climb my leg. This is very exciting to me because he came over on his own will and wanted to see me. Now to the problems.

He chews no stop holes I just have a towel or old sweatshirt covering my shirts.

He wants to be on my shoulder and will fight to get there. problem being he bites my ear and it hurts. last night he got up there and was playing with my hair then bent down and bit my forehead OUCH!

Anyone have these problems and been able to correct them?

he doesnt seem to be doing it to be mean, like with my hand he will nibble lightly then bite down. I think he just has not been handle so he doesnt know how to interact with people? Does this make sense?

 

[parrotqueen]

He chews no stop holes I just have a towel or old sweatshirt covering my shirts.

Does he play with toys? Greys are one of the 'chewers' of the parrots, and they need destructible/shreddable toys. And for in or out of cage, there's some really cool foot toys that you can buy, and that keeps his mouth off of you and on the toy. Chewing is a way for parrots to entertain themselves, so all you need to do is replace the habit of chewing on fabric to chewing on toys instead.

He wants to be on my shoulder and will fight to get there. problem being he bites my ear and it hurts. last night he got up there and was playing with my hair then bent down and bit my forehead OUCH!

Wow, he sure is putting up quite a fight to get up there. When he bites your ear, try to ignore it at first. If he persists, very gently nudge him away. Nudging a bird away from doing something undisirable helps them to understand what exactly you don't want them to do.

Try this out, and see if it works. Please do tell us how it goes!

 

[MaiTai]

He chews no stop holes I just have a towel or old sweatshirt covering my shirts.

Does he play with toys? Greys are one of the 'chewers' of the parrots, and they need destructible/shreddable toys. And for in or out of cage, there's some really cool foot toys that you can buy, and that keeps his mouth off of you and on the toy. Chewing is a way for parrots to entertain themselves, so all you need to do is replace the habit of chewing on fabric to chewing on toys instead.

He wants to be on my shoulder and will fight to get there. problem being he bites my ear and it hurts. last night he got up there and was playing with my hair then bent down and bit my forehead OUCH!

Wow, he sure is putting up quite a fight to get up there. When he bites your ear, try to ignore it at first. If he persists, very gently nudge him away. Nudging a bird away from doing something undisirable helps them to understand what exactly you don't want them to do.

Try this out, and see if it works. Please do tell us how it goes!

Yeah he just HAS to be up there he climbs and climbs I try to discourage it but putting my hand out to get him on my hand but he goes up and over the hand amd just goes and goes. He has shredder toys and wood toys and all kind of toys. I will try the foot toys or maybe a smaller shredder toy for when I hold him.

 

[antoinette]

Ouch, being bitten on the ear, anywhere in fact is soooooo sore.
Parrotqueen, gave some great tips.
When Ozzy is on your lap, ALWAYS keep a toy nearby, the moment he starts "nipping" give him the toy. Try to distract him as much as possible.
Keep us updated.

 

[MaiTai]

Thank you all I will work on this some more.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

No offense, but I don't quite understand how you can try yet fail to prevent him from climbing up to your shoulder. If you try to stop him and he gets their anyways, then you LET him stay, you're teaching him that he's in charge and he need not heed your dissuasion.

Try to stop him, then if he gets to your shoulder abruptly toss him back in his cage and leave him there for a minute or two. He will learn that nothing good comes from getting on your shoulder.

Also as others have said have some toys for him to beat up while he is on your arm or lap. Key chains full of keys are great.

 

[HRH Di]

AD has a good point - you need to be the one in charge. Ozzie's mobility issue may make it harder for you to discipline him because you feel guilty due to his disability - especially after he works so hard to get to your shoulder. It's just like with children - being the parent of a special needs son, I know how easy it is to tell yourself that this little thing just this once won't make a different because so many other things are so hard for him. But this "little thing" becomes bigger and "just this once" becomes all the time.

Jade will bite my ear from time to time - usually for 2 reasons:
1. just after I get home from work and she's a bit angry with me because I've been gone for so long and she missed me and I really shouldn't do that again.
2. when she's been out of her cage for awhile and is hungry. For whatever reason, she doesn't want to fly to her perch for a little snack, she wants me to carry her. Once she's had a few pellets, she flies back to me or her boing and is just fine.

Try different things to see what Ozzie's trying to tell you when he bites. Antoinette & PQ have good advice - keep something nearby for him to chew on. Baby toys are great because they're shreddable, safe and inexpensive. They're also usually small enough to fit in your pocket. Finding out what he's trying to tell you makes everyone's life so much easier.

Honestly, I don't know what you're going to do about the holes in shirts. I've lost so many shirts to Max and Jade - especially Max. I think they're just trying to preen me and help keep my "feathers" in good repair. Unfortunately, to their birdy brains, my feathers are all stuck together and they need to separate them for me. Or they could just be shredding for the sake of shredding.

Animals never do something for "no reason" or "unprovoked". They always have a reason - we just may not know what it is. Good luck.

 

[MaiTai]

No offense, but I don't quite understand how you can try yet fail to prevent him from climbing up to your shoulder. If you try to stop him and he gets their anyways, then you LET him stay, you're teaching him that he's in charge and he need not heed your dissuasion.

Try to stop him, then if he gets to your shoulder abruptly toss him back in his cage and leave him there for a minute or two. He will learn that nothing good comes from getting on your shoulder.

Also as others have said have some toys for him to beat up while he is on your arm or lap. Key chains full of keys are great.

Well it is very awkward since he uses his wing so I worry about damaging his wing, he twists turns his leg gets caught behind him. Its not as easy as asking him to step up to get him off.

 

[MaiTai]

AD has a good point - you need to be the one in charge. Ozzie's mobility issue may make it harder for you to discipline him because you feel guilty due to his disability - especially after he works so hard to get to your shoulder. It's just like with children - being the parent of a special needs son, I know how easy it is to tell yourself that this little thing just this once won't make a different because so many other things are so hard for him. But this "little thing" becomes bigger and "just this once" becomes all the time.

Jade will bite my ear from time to time - usually for 2 reasons:
1. just after I get home from work and she's a bit angry with me because I've been gone for so long and she missed me and I really shouldn't do that again.
2. when she's been out of her cage for awhile and is hungry. For whatever reason, she doesn't want to fly to her perch for a little snack, she wants me to carry her. Once she's had a few pellets, she flies back to me or her boing and is just fine.

Try different things to see what Ozzie's trying to tell you when he bites. Antoinette & PQ have good advice - keep something nearby for him to chew on. Baby toys are great because they're shreddable, safe and inexpensive. They're also usually small enough to fit in your pocket. Finding out what he's trying to tell you makes everyone's life so much easier.

Honestly, I don't know what you're going to do about the holes in shirts. I've lost so many shirts to Max and Jade - especially Max. I think they're just trying to preen me and help keep my "feathers" in good repair. Unfortunately, to their birdy brains, my feathers are all stuck together and they need to separate them for me. Or they could just be shredding for the sake of shredding.

Animals never do something for "no reason" or "unprovoked". They always have a reason - we just may not know what it is. Good luck.

Holes no problem I wear a old sweatshirt now. I understand about the special needs but its just much more difficult then asking him to step up. I am sure we will work this all out.

 

[MaiTai]

So if you remember I was having issues with Ozzy wanting to be on my shoulder then wanting to shred my ear. Well since then we have worked on it, he will now ride on my shoulder (have to walk slow or sit he has hard time gripping tight) and he no longer even looks at my ear, He also loves to give me kisses, the first time I tried it he nailed me but since then I have been working on gentle and offering the back of my hand, when he would kiss it he got a treat when he would bite he didnt and he now gives me kisses without tearing off my lip and he will put his head down for me to kiss his head. Man I love this bird! He also plays the piano (a barbie sized one)

I also have videos I have to upload.

 

[antoinette]

That is such great news to hear, you are finally winning......
I BET HE IS GETTING SO MANY TREATS NOW, AND YOU GETTING TO MANY KISSES.
Please try video him playing the Barbie piano, that will be awesome.
You have persevered and it has finally paid off.