African Grey Biting Carpet

[Nobby]

My African Grey called Hugo is 4.5 years old and I have had him for about 3 years. He is a laugh a minute. Talks, whistles all kinds of tunes and sings. Imitates cat and dog, although I don't have any. Someone heard him through the window and asked me how does he get on with my cat ? I said the parrot IS the cat. I let Hugo walk around the whole apartment, he climbed up the curtains and took the curtain off the hooks, but I managed to stop him doing that. For the last few weeks he found a new toy, my carpet, where he bites out chunks and plays with them. He knows this is wrong because he shouts "Naughty" whilst he does it. He is a very happy bird, gets lots of attention and we have a great bond. How can this carpet biting be stopped ? I do not want to lock him up in his cage the whole day. Any advice PLEASE ??? Norbert in Cape Town. email kerano@mweb.co.za

[liz]

Welcome to the forum.

If Hugo says Nauty that means someone said it to him. Someone gave him attention, be it bad, when they caught him doing it.

You can't punish a bird. You have to distract it. If it is one place in the carpet - cover it. Put something else in his path that he is aloud to destroy and laugh at him while he does it.

Greys are ver intelligent and pick up on any emotion.