By Sally Blanchard
When we appraah her cae to tuke her
out, she throns herself around the cage. We
heve been told to go ahend and take her out
of the cage, despite her tear, and that when
she ses that nothing bad has happened, she
will get used to it and accept our attention.
Now we can t even look at her wvithout her
getting upset. Is this hopeles?
There are more than enough
birds in rescue situations without
adding one that has dedicated care-
givers willing to work with the par-
rot’s problems. Clearly, at this point
in her life, your grey s best hope is
with you.
Winning the trust of your par
rot will take much longer than a
few weeks. The more you try to
demand progress from her, the
harder it will be to make any
progress. Give up any timetable
you have, and work with her in a
manner that is guided by her level
of acceptance to new experiences.
lf your grey is stressed and fear-
ful every time you try to take her
out, nothing else bad has to happen
to her for her to associate fear with
Coming out of her cage or stepping
on your hand. Forcing her to comee
out in the hopes that she will get
used to it will not win trust.
One of the most important rules
of companion parrot behavior is
“all work should be trust-building
and not trust-destroying” Realize
that your grey may be on the edge
of beconming a phobic parrot,
and being too direct with her
could push her over that edge.
Becoming Phobic
Phobic behavior is not unusual
with greys, although not all greys
are in danger of developing exces-
sive fears. While many parrots that
exhibit phobic behavior do not do
so until they have reached the age
when they would normally start
being independent of their par-
ents, some seem sensitive from
the very beginning
With some parrots, the quick
slide into phobic behavior seems
way out of proportion to the trig-
gering trauma
or event. The immediate cause is probably SOme
situation where, Consciously or
subconsciously, the parrot sensec
that it is simply not prepared to
deal with what is hapPpening
In the wild, an ill-prepared par-
rot can be killed quickly by a pred-
ator. Fear puts the parrot into a
hyper-vigilant mode where normal
activities, and even the favored peo-
ple, can easily be viewed as a threat.
People who are sensitive to the
needs of their parrots tend to pro-
tect their overly sensitive birds
from any change and situations
that may create problems. This is
just as big a mistake as being obliv-
ious to the parrot’s fears.
The positive middle ground is
to present sensitive parrots wiun
Small changes in a consistently
nurturing manner so that they are
not overwhelmed, and they
and
instead learn to accept new expell
ences. Teaching a parrot to accept
new adventures should invo volve
8radual trust-building patterning
one step at a time, building
each step.
on
Winning Trust
African grey. While your grey may
always be somewhat sens
This brings me back
believe it is possible to build up her resiliency and win her trust, so that she
will be happy in your household. It will
take time and a good amount of gentle
persuasiOn to convince your grey that you
are trusted members of her flock.
Patience and consIstency are your two
best tools. In the beginning, indirect atten-
tion is less threatening than direct atten-
tion. Any behavior directed at your parrot
that is toO assertive may seem aggressive to
her. Approach her in a submissive manner
keep your head lowered, and do not
make direct, sustained eye contact. If she
won’t come out of her cage, and you don’t
want to threaten her by forcing her to
Come out, there is another way-but it
may take a few weeks to work.
lf you do not have one, purchase a basic
Tperch with a food bowl on it. Placeit
near her cage, and if she doesn t have any
problem with its presence, move it a little
closer until it is right up against the cage
door. Most greys can be food bribed with
great suCcess. Pick out her absolute favorite
food whether it is a nut, a grape or a bis-
cuit, and stop feeding this to her for a day
or SO.
Without approaching her and making
eye contact with her, open her cage door,
and put the stand up against the open
door. Show her the special treats, and make
it very obvious you are placing them in the
food cup. Once the treats have been placed,
walk away and busy yourself with some-
thing else. Don’t act as if you have any
interest in what she is doing, but watch
with your peripheral vision.
She will probably not come out until
she is patterned to accept this new situa-
tion. After a few times, she may come part
of the way out but run back in the cageif
Something else gets her attention or star-
tles her.This will be particularly true if you
show to0 much interest in what she is
doing. Let her get used to coming out onto
the stand until she does it almost immedi-
ately when you place the treat in the T-
stand bowl
The next step is for her to come out
onto the stand with you there. After that,
start lifting the stand, and move it a little
bit at a time. Pay lose attention to her
comfort level, but try not to stare at her or
give her too much direct attention. The
plan is tO eventually move her into a neu-
tral room where you become the most
1amillar aspect of her environment. Most
parrots are much easier to work with away
from their cages. Plan ahead, and make sure there are a
few special bribe treats ready in the neutral
room. Always be calm, and go slow at her
pace. After you have spent a little bit of
time in the neutral room calmly interact-
ing with her, you can take her back to her
cage on your hand. Get her used to being
on your hand for a short time betore you
place her back inside.
Stop and think before you do anything
with her will she perceive your
approach as being too threatening? Learn
to approach her in a calm manner that
shows her you are a friend instead of a threat. Measure your success in small steps
rather than looking for some sort of mirac-
ulous major breakthrough. Many people
do not see progress until they look back,
and then it seems amazing. 3T
Sally Blanchard has been working with parrots and
the complexities of their behavior for more than two
decades and is a well-knovwn writer and speaker.
Blanchard is the editor of the Pet Bird Report, a
magazine dealing with companion parrot behavior. For
more information about Sally’s educational services,
please contact (510) 523-5303; sallypbr(@ix.
netcom.com or www.petbirdreport.com
When we appraah her cae to tuke her
out, she throns herself around the cage. We
heve been told to go ahend and take her out
of the cage, despite her tear, and that when
she ses that nothing bad has happened, she
will get used to it and accept our attention.
Now we can t even look at her wvithout her
getting upset. Is this hopeles?
There are more than enough
birds in rescue situations without
adding one that has dedicated care-
givers willing to work with the par-
rot’s problems. Clearly, at this point
in her life, your grey s best hope is
with you.
Winning the trust of your par
rot will take much longer than a
few weeks. The more you try to
demand progress from her, the
harder it will be to make any
progress. Give up any timetable
you have, and work with her in a
manner that is guided by her level
of acceptance to new experiences.
lf your grey is stressed and fear-
ful every time you try to take her
out, nothing else bad has to happen
to her for her to associate fear with
Coming out of her cage or stepping
on your hand. Forcing her to comee
out in the hopes that she will get
used to it will not win trust.
One of the most important rules
of companion parrot behavior is
“all work should be trust-building
and not trust-destroying” Realize
that your grey may be on the edge
of beconming a phobic parrot,
and being too direct with her
could push her over that edge.
Becoming Phobic
Phobic behavior is not unusual
with greys, although not all greys
are in danger of developing exces-
sive fears. While many parrots that
exhibit phobic behavior do not do
so until they have reached the age
when they would normally start
being independent of their par-
ents, some seem sensitive from
the very beginning
With some parrots, the quick
slide into phobic behavior seems
way out of proportion to the trig-
gering trauma
or event. The immediate cause is probably SOme
situation where, Consciously or
subconsciously, the parrot sensec
that it is simply not prepared to
deal with what is hapPpening
In the wild, an ill-prepared par-
rot can be killed quickly by a pred-
ator. Fear puts the parrot into a
hyper-vigilant mode where normal
activities, and even the favored peo-
ple, can easily be viewed as a threat.
People who are sensitive to the
needs of their parrots tend to pro-
tect their overly sensitive birds
from any change and situations
that may create problems. This is
just as big a mistake as being obliv-
ious to the parrot’s fears.
The positive middle ground is
to present sensitive parrots wiun
Small changes in a consistently
nurturing manner so that they are
not overwhelmed, and they
and
instead learn to accept new expell
ences. Teaching a parrot to accept
new adventures should invo volve
8radual trust-building patterning
one step at a time, building
each step.
on
Winning Trust
African grey. While your grey may
always be somewhat sens
This brings me back
believe it is possible to build up her resiliency and win her trust, so that she
will be happy in your household. It will
take time and a good amount of gentle
persuasiOn to convince your grey that you
are trusted members of her flock.
Patience and consIstency are your two
best tools. In the beginning, indirect atten-
tion is less threatening than direct atten-
tion. Any behavior directed at your parrot
that is toO assertive may seem aggressive to
her. Approach her in a submissive manner
keep your head lowered, and do not
make direct, sustained eye contact. If she
won’t come out of her cage, and you don’t
want to threaten her by forcing her to
Come out, there is another way-but it
may take a few weeks to work.
lf you do not have one, purchase a basic
Tperch with a food bowl on it. Placeit
near her cage, and if she doesn t have any
problem with its presence, move it a little
closer until it is right up against the cage
door. Most greys can be food bribed with
great suCcess. Pick out her absolute favorite
food whether it is a nut, a grape or a bis-
cuit, and stop feeding this to her for a day
or SO.
Without approaching her and making
eye contact with her, open her cage door,
and put the stand up against the open
door. Show her the special treats, and make
it very obvious you are placing them in the
food cup. Once the treats have been placed,
walk away and busy yourself with some-
thing else. Don’t act as if you have any
interest in what she is doing, but watch
with your peripheral vision.
She will probably not come out until
she is patterned to accept this new situa-
tion. After a few times, she may come part
of the way out but run back in the cageif
Something else gets her attention or star-
tles her.This will be particularly true if you
show to0 much interest in what she is
doing. Let her get used to coming out onto
the stand until she does it almost immedi-
ately when you place the treat in the T-
stand bowl
The next step is for her to come out
onto the stand with you there. After that,
start lifting the stand, and move it a little
bit at a time. Pay lose attention to her
comfort level, but try not to stare at her or
give her too much direct attention. The
plan is tO eventually move her into a neu-
tral room where you become the most
1amillar aspect of her environment. Most
parrots are much easier to work with away
from their cages. Plan ahead, and make sure there are a
few special bribe treats ready in the neutral
room. Always be calm, and go slow at her
pace. After you have spent a little bit of
time in the neutral room calmly interact-
ing with her, you can take her back to her
cage on your hand. Get her used to being
on your hand for a short time betore you
place her back inside.
Stop and think before you do anything
with her will she perceive your
approach as being too threatening? Learn
to approach her in a calm manner that
shows her you are a friend instead of a threat. Measure your success in small steps
rather than looking for some sort of mirac-
ulous major breakthrough. Many people
do not see progress until they look back,
and then it seems amazing. 3T
Sally Blanchard has been working with parrots and
the complexities of their behavior for more than two
decades and is a well-knovwn writer and speaker.
Blanchard is the editor of the Pet Bird Report, a
magazine dealing with companion parrot behavior. For
more information about Sally’s educational services,
please contact (510) 523-5303; sallypbr(@ix.
netcom.com or www.petbirdreport.com
