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kalu
Just hatched
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 30
Location: portugal |
| Help me with my bird |
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Hello... I've got two grey parrots. One of them came to my house with 4 months old and it's doing fine. It's now 1 year and a half. The other one I got from a friend a month ago. I call him Berros, well he used to be in a dark plece inside a cage, and the cage was in a place together with pigeons and chickens. So this friend of mine gave me the parrot as he couln't stand the screams. Anyway, I brought the parrot home, each time I get nearby he screams an puts his feathers in the air. After two weeks I put him in the same cage with my former parrot, they go along very well, but Berros doesn't allow me to get closer. Whenever I clean the cage, or feed them he screams and doubles his size putting his feathers up... Every day I open the cage to let them out, sometimes Berros comes out, but poor thing he can't fly... whenerver he tries he falls. He has already started to make new whistles and sounds... but doesn't stop screaming when someone gets near the cage.. He's not feroceous, he never tried to bite me. So, maybe, someone can tell me what should I do to gain his confidence in order to stop those terrible screams. I think he's about 3 years old. I'm very found of parrots, I'd love to touch him and caress him as I do with the other one. By the way "Berros" in potuguese means "Screams". Please give me some advice. I apologise for my english. Thank you. |
Monday May 22, 2006 10:59 am |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
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Hi Kalu  Welcome to Fluffies.
I like Berros' name  very funny. From what you've described, having been in a cage in a dark place, it sounds like Berros was maybe neglected in his previous home. Do you know if he ever was allowed to come out of his cage, or if his owners ever handled him? Having been cage bound for 3 years, he's probably fearful of humans because he hasn't been properly socialized or tamed, and he's extremely territorial. Raising his feathers and making himself poofy is a sign that he's trying to defend his territory and doesn't want you near it. It's great that he hasn't tried to bite you, it'll make taming him easier. I recommend that you remove him from his cage, and take him to a small room, away from his cage and your other parrot, daily for training sessions. You will have to start from scratch and teach him the step up command, but don't worry, a 3 year old parrot is still a baby, and very trainable. Here's a really good article on the most basic bird training that should be very helpful to you:
http://animal.discovery.com/gu.....ining.html
As far as the screaming, it may stop once he stops being scared of you, because from the sounds of it, I don't think he's doing it for attention, just out of fear. How do you react when he screams? the best thing is to ignore it, and when he's quiet or makes pleasant sounds reward him. But I think first you should focus on getting him used to you and socializing him, and then after the screaming should be much easier to correct.
Good luck to you, and please let us know of his progress |
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Monday May 22, 2006 10:45 pm |
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kalu
Just hatched
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 30
Location: portugal |
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Hello Shirin,
Thanks for your words. I don't think Berros was ever allowed to come out of the cage... and yet, he wouldn't be very interested in socializing with pigeons and chickens...  Yes, he's scared of people! I read the site you told me, and I tried to go into the cage with a wooden stict( I wouldn't dare to try with my finguer), he took a long time to step up... and this all along with the screams  as he did I gave him some seeds. But he doesn't accept food from my hand. He doesn't care about fruit, he doesn't play with the toys... the only thing I think he's interested is in the seeds, as I feeding him, now, with special food for parrots. For instance, right now, he's alone in the cage with the door open, the other one is on the top of the cage talking and laughing... while I'm in the computer which is quite near of the cage...Berros is or doing new whistles or screaming... Perhaps he doesn't feel confortable with the cage opened. Or he doesn't like to see the other one flying around. This is a really adventure I came into... a new novel has started in my life... " how to deal with sceams without becoming nuts"... Well, I'm going to try to be in contact with him a few minutes everyday, besides feeding and cleanig the cage. I hope i don't became deaf... Berros looks very healthy, and he's beutiful. But, what a bad temper!! I'm also going to try to sit next to the cage, in the end of the day... and who knows if I read or sing he gets calm and more confident... ( I hope he likes my singuing...). I'll keep in touch and please keep on giving me hope. Becuse I'd really love that this beutiful bird could became friendly. See you. |
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Tuesday May 23, 2006 3:19 pm |
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Chaquita's Mom
Experienced flier
Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1028
Location: Pennsylvania, USA |
Awwww, poor Berros  To be locked up with pigeons and chickens  These are animals that a parrot should never come into contact with as they carry many diseases. Did you get him a clean bill of health before you put him in your other greys cage?
You have a highly intelligent bird on your hands, which I'm sure you already know, so it may take some time and patience to get him used to you and learning how to become a parrot. At this point he probably thinks he's a pigeon or a chicken Please, have time and patience, you'll be rewarded greatly in the end!! Let us know how things go. |
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Thursday May 25, 2006 12:35 pm |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
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Step 1: Put Berros in another room away from your first bird to avoid contaminating your first bird with any infectious diseases. It will also be necessary to have Berros in another room so that you can tame him later without too many distractions as you go about your usual routines caring for your first bird.
Step 2: A veterinary check-up is essential! Berros has been neglected for 3 years. He could be sick with any one or more of a dozen different kinds of diseases. He might even be in pain from some kind of injury. He could have been fed a very poor quality diet and might be severely malnourished. If Berros is in good health, then he is probably screaming because he is a very scared bird. He is not used to having people around and feels much safer alone (because this is what he is used to).
Step 3: Identify what is Berros' favorite food. Stop giving Berros this food for now. Do NOT add it into his food dish. You will be feeding Berros this favorite food later when you start taming him. You want Berros to learn that this favorite food can ONLY come from YOU!
Step 4: You need to keep yourself calm, breathe slowly, avoid any sudden movements with any part of your body. Keep a good distance away from him where he feels safe and can remain calm. Try to wear clothes similar to him in color. Try keeping your hands behind your back. DON'T LOOK DIRECTLY AT HIM!! We are a predator species and predator species have eyes at the front of our heads. Parrots are prey species and their eyes are at the sides of their heads - so they can have a wider field of vision to notice any lurking predators around. Lower your eyes and only look at him sideways. Start by only spending a few seconds with him like this, a fair distance away from him so he doesn't feel threatened. Initially, do this for only a few seconds at a time. You reward him for staying calm (which is what you want) by leaving the room (which is what he wants). Come back and repeat this in a little while. Repeat this a number of times. Remember, don't push it! Reward him for staying calm for a few seconds by leaving the room! Over the next few days, he should gradually start to let his guard down. Start to shorten the time that you stay out of the room, until eventually, you are only turning your back and taking a couple of steps away before you return. After you can do this with him staying calm, you can start doing this exercise a few inches closer to him, and after some days or weeks, you should be able to stand next to his cage with him staying calm.
Step 5: As soon as you can get close to his cage with him staying calm, drop his favorite food into his food bowl and leave the room. Over the next few days, just gently walk by his cage and if he stays calm, drop his favorite food into his food bowl, and then walk away. Soon, Berros will start approaching you as you come near his cage. When you notice him taking one step closer to you as you come near his cage, reward this behavior by dropping his favorite food into his food bowl. From this moment on, ONLY reward him by dropping his favorite food into his food bowl WHEN HE TAKES A STEP TOWARDS YOU AS YOU COME NEAR HIS CAGE. After a while, only reward him with his favorite food when he takes TWO STEPS TOWARDS YOU, and so on, until he only gets his favorite food when he will eat it out of your hand.
Step 6: Start to teach Berros behaviors such as Step Up
The main idea here on how to desensitize very scared birds comes from:
a) Clicker Training for Birds by Melinda Johnson. I left out the clicker training part as I didn't want to complicate the issue for you. By all means, get this book and learn all about clicker training! You can use a clicker if you want! A clicker would certainly be very useful later on as you progress to teaching Berros other more complex behaviors.
Other ideas and information I've used here come from:
b) A Guide To Pet & Companion Birds by Ray Dorge and Gail Sibley
c) Parrots For Dummies by Nikki Moustaki
d) Companion Parrot Handbook by Sally Blanchard
e) Guide To A Well-Behaved Parrot by Mattie Sue Athan
f) Guide To Companion Parrot Behavior by Mattie Sue Athan
Good luck! |
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Thursday May 25, 2006 2:18 pm |
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kalu
Just hatched
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 30
Location: portugal |
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Hello Chaquita's Mom,
Pleeeease donī't scare me! I didnn't take Berros to a vet... remember... I'm in Portugal... it's hard to get a vet who knows about parrots... and yet, taking him to a vet would be another trauma for him. Besides, probably the vet would charge me more, for having to listen to those CRAAAAAAAAA... You got me worried, He looks healthy, lovely feathers, strong and full of energy, but as soon as he calms down I'll take him to a vet.
Both parrots are very fond of each other... and Berros became happier since I'm put them together. It's like a team - Berros & Birras - by the way, you already know that Berros means "screams". Birras means "tamtrum". As he came to me as a baby, he is very spoiled and when we don't give him what he wants he really makes a fuss... and when I embroiding and Birras wants my attention he pulls my neddle, he goes under the cloth, he puts his head in my hand , and he literally jumps over my work, really mad, calling for attention. He loves to walk around standing on my head, ( maybe he'd like to be a hat... ). If I lay down and cover myself with a blanket pretending I'm sleeping... he comes under the blanket and lies down on my chest asking for kisses and pamper. Well, we are a very happy family... just Berros is still afraid.
Thank you for your words and keep in touch.
Best regards from Berros & Birras |
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Friday May 26, 2006 11:39 am |
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kalu
Just hatched
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 30
Location: portugal |
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Hi Fruitynutbird,
Thank you so much, for your advices. I'm already full of hope and anxious to start.
In what concerns contamination, let's be practical, they are together for more than a month, if there was some kind of diseases, Berros has already contaminated Birras, so let's hope there's no deseases at all. In the house where he came from, everything was very clean, they have a few exoctic birds in cages in open air. Berros was in a cage, inside and in a dark corner of a huge cage in the yard. This cage had two floors, on the top pigeons and chichens, and in the bottom Berros in the cage. Very lonely. Berros' favourite food is Sunflower seeds. I've stopped giving this to him, and changed his food. He accepted this new food, very well, but when he sees the seeds he gets execited.
So, the problem is...he's scared of people. I realize that he's less afraid of me than of anyone else. But, you know, sometimes I have the feeling that he gets jealous of Birras, or he doesn't like when I speak to near the cage, and he really doesn't like me looking at him... so it makes sense what you say in step 4. But he loves when I speak to them from far, and ,for instance, when I go out for several hours and I come back... he seems happy to see that I'm back home... but wants me quite far from the cage. He answers to my whistles and we communicate from far...only from far away. If I sit with my back towards him...his quiet...but if I turn around he presents me with a loud CRAAAA or a very loud whistle... a terrible noise.
Well, it's a pity to separate them, But I'll follow your advices. But gee... changing Berros to another cage will be a problem... but I'll do it patiently.
So, jumping to step 4, here I go.
But I have one doubt... when I go out for the day, once or twice a week I get out in the morning and come back in the end of the day... can I put the cages together in those days, so that they don't feel so lonely? Or is it better to keep Berros in a quiet place until he looses his fear?
I'll be here telling to all of you, the episodes of this adventure, "The wild parrot and his new mom"...
See you!
Best regards from Berros & Birras! |
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Friday May 26, 2006 1:08 pm |
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kalu
Just hatched
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 30
Location: portugal |
Hi,
I've started my new diary. First page with Birras. Very soon I'll introduce you Berros.
Best regardes from Birras & Berros |
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Friday May 26, 2006 10:17 pm |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
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Hi kalu!
I really like the names you've given your two parrot companions! Birras and Berros sound perfect!
I've only just noticed that in your original post, you mentioned that Berros can't fly and falls when he tries. This is very important, because everytime Berros falls, he will suffer just that bit more of a blow to his self-confidence and therefore he will get just that bit more fearful. Do you trim Berros' wings? While I am certainly not suggesting that you stop wing-trimming altogether, perhaps a less drastic wing-trim will help to build Berros' self-confidence, by giving him enough "air-lift" to land gently on the ground when he would otherwise fall straight down. Also, a less drastic wing-trim will allow the surrounding feathers to protect any new, sensitive and fragile blood feathers. The last thing Berros needs is a broken blood feather the next time he falls. That would REALLY make him scared and lose his self-confidence! Finally, make sure you provide Berros with good, natural branches preferable with bark, which makes them easy to grip, in order to improve Berros' sense of self-confidence. Mattie Sue Athan discusses all these issues in her book, Guide To Companion Parrot Behavior.
It's great that Berros has a favorite food of sunflower seeds and has changed to a pellet diet. Now, you know that when you can finally get close enough to Berros' cage without him screaming, you will be able to drop a sunflower seed into his food bowl and when you can do this, the hardest part of your journey will be over!
In your more recent post, you mentioned that Berros seems happy to see you when you come home and that he answers to your whistles and that the two of you communicate well from afar; the only problem being that he wants you to do this from a far distance away. This is VERY GOOD!! It shows that Berros' trust in you is building up! Keep imitating any happy behaviors that Berros shows from afar, such as whistling and tail-wagging, etc. The more opportunities that Berros has to feel happy, the less opportunities he has to feel scared!
Also, you can build his trust in you by assuming a vulnerable, prey-species stance, rather than our naturally assertive, predator-species-like bahavior. By this, I mean doing things like crouching down and staying lower than him when you enter his room, and letting him occasionally see you sleeping on the floor, ie, becoming completely defenceless in a vulnerable position that is lower than his cage (still at a far enough distance from him that he stays comfortable with your presence). These behaviors on your part should help convince him that you are a safe, fellow prey-species and therefore OK to have around.
I'm really glad that you're considering keeping Berros in a separate room to Birros for now. For the time being, I'd keep them separate even when you're out of the house. The reason for this is that Berros is still very fearful of you going near him, and will still scream whenever you get close. The more times you have to get close to him and he screams, the more established this behavior becomes and the harder it will be to change. If you have to keep getting close to Berros whenever you have to separate him from Birros, the more opportunities Berros will have to scream and the more established this behavior will become. Also, you don't want Berros to keep identifying you as the one who repeatedly separates him from his very good friend, Birros, do you?!? It's better to have to do this only once, and see if you can do this maybe using a towel so Berros doesn't realize that you were the one who did it, until one happy day, when Berros is all better and no longer fearful, you can be the hero who reunites these two friends! That's HEAPS better than being the nasty, mean baddy who repeatedly separates the two of them multiple times a day!! Also, you want to maintain the quality time that you spend with Birros, and if Birros and Berros are together, you cannot but help get close to Berros when you get close to Birros, and when that happens, Berros will scream and once again, this behavior becomes that much more entrenched and harder to change.
If it's any consolation, Mattie Sue Athan says in her book, The Second-hand Parrot, that a neglected parrot like Berros is the best kind of second-hand parrot to get, when compared to either an over-nurtured or abused parrot, so you've done REALLY WELL to get him! Keep us posted on your new life journey together with Birros and Berros! |
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Monday May 29, 2006 3:00 pm |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
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Hi, kalu! It's Andrew here again!
They say a picture equals a thousand words, and this is certainly true in Birros' and Berros' case.
I just saw your diary pages, and Birros and Berros are both absolutely gorgeous! I was especially moved by the photos which show how well the two of them are getting along. I even see them preening each other (this is called allopreening), which is a sure indication that they are getting along fabulously.
I do wonder how sure you are that these two birds are male?? Have they been DNA or surgically tested?? It's hard to be certain, but some of the stances that Berros are showing to Birros, with the back facing Birros but with the head peeking around, can be seen as very coy and flirtatious poses! Even if both of them are confirmed to be male by either DNA or surgical sexing, it does not rule out the possibility that they are bonding as a pair. Same-sex bonded pairs used to be quite common in the past, before DNA or surgical sexing was widely available, when people could not tell which birds were male and which birds were female before they put sexually monomorphic birds like African greys into the same cage.
For now, I can certainly understand your strong reluctance to separate these two best friends. It seems a real pity at first, but I think that it is actually more important now than ever at this stage. The danger which is staring me right in the face is that Berros may become bonded to Birros as a pair without having firstly developed a secure and trusting relationship with you. It worries me that you may one day find out that you've become an unwanted intruder in a wonderful relationship that's developed between these two birds. If this happens, there is a real danger that the screaming behavior which, until now, we've considered to be based on fear of you, would turn aggressive when Berros tries to prevent you from going near his/her other half.
I'd STRONGLY suggest that you have both birds DNA tested so that you are absolutely certain what sexes they are! You COULD be in for a big surprise! |
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Monday May 29, 2006 4:47 pm |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
LOL, it's past 4AM and I CAN'T GET TO SLEEP!! I'm SO envious thinking of you possibly having a bonded pair of Congo African greys, LOL!!
Over here in Australia, a pair of bonded and mature Congo African greys will sell for AUD$15,000!!! YES!! THREE ZEROS!!!
Get them DNA tested!
Get them DNA tested!
Get them DNA tested!
I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!! I WON'T BE ABLE TO SLEEP UNTIL YOU GET THEM BOTH DNA TESTED!!!
Lordy, Lordy, Oh My! You could be in a WHOLE NEW BALL GAME HERE, kalu! WOOT WOOT!!
Don't leave it until you find a fertile egg on the bottom crate, LOL!! |
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Monday May 29, 2006 6:16 pm |
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fruitynutbird
Fledgeling
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 226
Location: Sydney, Australia |
quote:
Originally posted by fruitynutbird
Don't leave it until you find a fertile egg on the bottom crate, LOL!!
Ooops, bottom crate = bottom grate, heheh! I'm so excited I can't spell! |
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Monday May 29, 2006 6:25 pm |
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kalu
Just hatched
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 30
Location: portugal |
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Hi Andrew,
I'm not sure at all about their sexes! Maybe I'm lucky and they're a couple. DNA Test??? I have to get some information where I can have this test.
Berros is flying already, he doesn't fall down or go against the walls anymore. And he likes it! He lands perfectly wherever he wants.
Yesterday I separated the parrots. Berros is now in a smaller cage in the kitchen... (also learning how to cook ).
Yesterday, following your advices I managed to put the seeds in the feed drawer inside the cage and he realized that if he screamed I'd go away with the food. So he kept quiet, but poofy...
Today he managed to open the door cage and there he was up on the cupboard standing on a basket., I took the basket down... so far so good... but he wouldn't go into the cage, so I had to use a towel to catch him... he was furious... and all the screams came back. after two hours coming in and out of the kitchen he has calm down. So, I'll try again to give the seeds in the end of the day... right now my head is buzzing...
See you later, then
best regards from Birras & Berros |
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Wednesday May 31, 2006 3:18 pm |
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shirin
Moderator
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 7405
Location: Canada, Toronto |
Kalu be really careful with cooking. Birds are extremely sensitive to fumes. Fumes from burning food can kill them. Also make sure you absolutely don't use any non-stick cookware, even if you don't burn anything in it. the fumes are still very toxic to birds. |
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Wednesday May 31, 2006 3:34 pm |
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Yupra
Flying tumbler
Joined: 05 Feb 2006
Posts: 2206
Location: CA |
I'll second that. If possible its probably best to keep Berros in another room rather than the kitchen - its full of hazards! Hot stovetops and sinks full of water, just to mention a few, and now that he's managed to open the door on his own.. who knows what he could get into  If it isn't possible to put him in a room you don't have then please make sure there isn't anything in there for Berros to hurt himself with. |
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Wednesday May 31, 2006 5:56 pm |
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