CAG Separation Anxiety

[GreenWing]

So, when Chance came to me, she had broken feathers and was clipped badly, poor thing. Of course, I'm flighting her.

Now, at this point, while she still has missing/broken feathers, she can fly about six to seven yards, but this is the kicker: she only does so when I am getting ready to head out.

I was putting some makeup on and I walked into the living room where her cage and orb is, and she was nowhere in sight. After calling her and looking for her for a few minutes I found her hiding in the shoe rack, near the front door.

I know Greys are soooo smart and she knew I was getting ready to head out for a bit. She has flown at me twice as I was getting dressed so she gets scared and upset that I am heading out. But when I do so, she's only alone for a little bit before my spouse comes home.

Another instance is her YELLING at me. This is especially the case when she is on her orb, she is "meaner" when she is on her orb... if she's on her cage she'll step up more easily. Still, either way, she'll yell: "Step up NOOOOOW!" when I just go to get some coffee in the kitchen! I spend a lot of time with her and show her a lot of love. But she makes these vocal demands, in a demanding tone, and then I try to have her step up and she attempts to bite me -- same with my spouse. She's not always this way. Eventually she'll be "nicer" and step up. She get about 12 -13 hours of sleep.

She's eating fine, she ate with me today, and she is not plucking.

What can I do to help Chance's separation anxiety?

[Pajarita]

You have to make it so there is something super interesting waiting for her in cage -like a couple of difficult foraging toys with a nut in each of them.

[GreenWing]

Thank you, Pajarita, that is helpful. I think turning on the radio helps, too, when I leave.

[Pajarita]

I also always use the same words so my animals know that this absence is exactly the same as all the other previous absences when they heard me saying 'the' phrase and that I will be back this time, same as I was back the others I say "OK, you be good babies and I'll see you later, OK? ByeBye, good babies, byebye, I love you" but any phrase as long as it's always exactly the same works.

[KimberlyAnn]

I do the same as Pajarita, but I think I start much earlier. I get up and feed her and eat myself. Then she takes her bath in her sink, dries herself on the top of the shower while I shower and sits with me as I get ready for work. Then I bring her to her cage with rosemary or other greens in that clear ball toy that hangs with holes in the bottom. She likes it so she goes right for it. I close the cage, then she climbs up and watches me sadly hanging off the side of the cage while I say, "Bye Emmi, see you later." Lol I'm assuming she goes back to the ball after because she never calls after me. I've sat outside for awhile and she's quiet. But if I leave into the next room without saying anything, she will call after me a few times.

On Monday, the routine has been off because of the weekend. We sometimes have trouble getting her to go in. I just slowly say step up as she walks backwards for awhile, like that helps! Then she gives in. But the power of routine is priceless!

Night time also has a routine. We scratch her head and she falls asleep grinding her beak beside our cheek. Then we bring her to her sleep cage and say, "Goodnight Emmi" and she goes in on her own and lately instead of saying "goodnight" like she normally had for months...she says, "Thank you." Everythinghas been "thank you" recently. Not sure why? Lol

But I bet with a good routine, things will work out great! I am guessing it will take awhile, but it will work. I'm going to have to really work on this more myself when Emmi starts really flying because I am wondering if she might get in the habit of flying away, Mondays can be a little tough! It's that break in the routine.