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Grey not liking change

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Grey not liking change

Postby GreenWing » Fri May 04, 2018 8:24 am

Now I know African Greys are like little old ladies who like the status quo. But we recently moved and Chance is adjusting, but has become a lot more vocal, even for a very vocal bird like her. She gets angry when I go up the stairs (a new change for her) and shouts at me to "be right back!!!" as soon as I start going up them. The worst is the loud, ear-piercing squeal she does. She would always squeal but it's louder now and a lot more frequent.

Chance has a great window view, she's right in front of it and gets to watch everything, but I'm saving up for a new playstand. If anyone can recommend a playstand at a great price I'd appreciate it.

Basically, Chance has seperation anxiety, if I go up the stairs or leave the room she freaks out. She has tried several times to fly up the stairs after me. It gets a lot better if I take her with me up the stairs but she's acting very clingy to me. How can I help her adjust more?
Advice?
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GreenWing
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 1165
Location: Portlandia, United States
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Congo African Grey ♥
Flight: Yes

Re: Grey not liking change

Postby Pajarita » Fri May 04, 2018 9:19 am

Is it possible that she is overly hormonal? Because, in my personal experience, they only act like that during breeding season - although, of course, if you moved to a new house or you moved her cage to a different part of the house, she would 'feel' the change. Grays are actually more independent [in terms of a bird NEEDING to be ON you all the time] than other species and are usually pretty content perching somewhere other than you as long as they KNOW you are nearby and will come back soon. But, in any case, the key to get them used to a new place is to continue exactly the same schedule and routine they had before.

But, there is one thing that caught my eye on your posting: she can't fly up the stairs?! Because the only two birds of mine that cannot do it right now are the two new ones that are not strong fliers yet as they haven't been here long enough - all the others go up and down without a problem or hesitation.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Grey not liking change

Postby GreenWing » Fri May 04, 2018 2:12 pm

Thanks for the reply, I always appreciate your feedback ;)
Acutually, Chance does try to fly up the stairs, but she only makes it halfway up. She has only been flighted since I adopted her five, six years ago. I wonder if she learned to fly for the first time in these years.
She does laps around the room before attempting to fly up the stairs. Since she is trying to figure it out, maybe it's just a matter of time before she can fly all the way.
I wonder if she is hormonal? She is on a solar schedule and low protein diet...
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GreenWing
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 1165
Location: Portlandia, United States
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Congo African Grey ♥
Flight: Yes

Re: Grey not liking change

Postby Pajarita » Sat May 05, 2018 10:00 am

Well, vertical flight is much, much harder than horizontal flight so it is possible that, as her wings get stronger, she will be able to fly up the stairs but, if, as you suspect, she was not allowed to fledge properly, she might never be a strong flier. I have a senegal that lived in a cage for many, many years due to his aggression and, although he has been with me for years and years and now flies everywhere, he is still clumsier than my other birds and has never been able to master a graceful landing [I can tell right away when it's him that lands on my head because he is the only one that semi crashes and has to grab my hair with his claws to find purchase].

She might be hormonal. And, although they are short day breeders and mine are over the first breeding of the season, I am giving all my birds higher protein this time of the year as this is the beginning of the 'plentiful' season. But, if you moved to a new house, that is, most likely, the reason for her being a bit more insecure than usual. Grays are VERY sensitive to even the minutest change...
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Grey not liking change

Postby GreenWing » Fri May 11, 2018 8:11 am

I'm kinda going crazy. Chance is being SO NEEDY. As soon as my phone alarm goes off to wake me up, SHE'S UP, and squeals. Then she has to be on me or next to me and squeals until she's perched on my shoulder.

Why is she squealing at me so much and watching my every move and waiting for literally to wake up? She's never been so needy.
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GreenWing
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 1165
Location: Portlandia, United States
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Congo African Grey ♥
Flight: Yes

Re: Grey not liking change

Postby Pajarita » Fri May 11, 2018 9:11 am

She sounds hormonal to me and, if that is the case, her behavior is perfectly normal. Parrots, even the ones that are kept at a strict solar schedule, get hormonal every year BUT as they get older, it's like their breeding internal clock ticks REAL LOUD and they get kind of like an urgency... Have you given her a nice cardboard box for her to use as a nest? Mine likes it on the floor, in a corner of the room. Also, is it possible that you are getting up much later than her? Because, unfortunately for parrot keepers, this time of the year, a parrot day starts at 5:30 am as, by then, there is already light enough for them to even fly if it's a nice, sunny day. And it gets worse as the days get longer... In the summer, I have to get up at 4:30 am :(
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Grey not liking change

Postby GreenWing » Tue May 15, 2018 8:30 am

We get up at 6:00 am. Except on Saturdays, it's more about 8:00 am.

I observed something interesting. When my spouse is home from work, she never squeals. But when he's away for his job, and it's just me and Chance, she squeals and is demanding and needy.

I don't know why.
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GreenWing
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 1165
Location: Portlandia, United States
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Congo African Grey ♥
Flight: Yes

Re: Grey not liking change

Postby Pajarita » Tue May 15, 2018 9:00 am

Maybe Chance learned that it needs to share when he is home...
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes


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