My Grey is mad at me

[Letta4]

I recently adopted a 16 year old Congo African Grey who came from a home where she was not receiving a lot of attention nor was she supplied with very many toys. After a month and a half of letting her adjust to being in a new home and me, I decided that it was time for her to get some new toys and a new rope perch. I introduced them to her one at a time and even left them sitting out by the cage for a couple of days so she could adjust. She welcomed the new toys but when it came time to add the rope perch she wouldn't have it. I put it in her cage and she refused to touch it with her feet and just attacked it. I thought that she just needed time to get used to it so I left it in for a week. Still, she wasn't talking and only sitting in the corner of her cage and wouldn't come out to me. It has now been another week and she is starting to make noises again but still wont come out to me and will try to bite me if I get close. Will my new baby ever love me again? Has anyone else had similar experiences that can shed some light on the situation?

[friend2parrots]

the biting and unfriendliness seem to be displaced aggression. your parrot seems to be stressed out by the new rope perch and the stress has built up in her body. now, shes taking that stress out on you.

when it came time to add the rope perch she wouldn't have it. I put it in her cage and she refused to touch it with her feet and just attacked it. I thought that she just needed time to get used to it so I left it in for a week. Still, she wasn't talking and only sitting in the corner of her cage and wouldn't come out to me.

from what you've written, the rope perch seems to be the cause of your bird's stress.
your parrot may have had a negative experience with rope perches in the past, or may just not trust them, having never really been exposed to them in a positive way prior to coming to live with you.

i think the best thing to do would be to remove the rope perch from the cage, and put the inside of the cage back to how it was before, before the new toys and the rope perch. it might take her a few days for her mood to return to a calm state of mind.

once she's back to normal, you can gradually desensitize her to the rope perch over a few weeks. for instance, you can make up a little routine where she gets a treat for being near or on the perch, while its outside of the cage, in her general play space. only when she really loves the rope perch, and sees it as a cool place to hang out to get treats, should you think of very gradually introducing it into her cage (i.e. placing it in the cage for 2 min each day, then 5 min each day, etc, )

hope this was helpful don't worry, she'll come around!

[Letta4]

Thanks! I did take it out after it was in there for a week and she was still not acting like herself! She has been more vocal and acting a bit more normal since then. Since she is rescue, I unfortunately do not know her past, so you are right, she may have had a negative experience. I am sure she will come around, it just breaks my heart knowing that I may have broken her trust.

[friend2parrots]

I know how you feel - it is heartbreaking when your birdie acts like it doesnt trust you anymore...
but I agree with you, I think she will come around. the fact that she is acting more normal is good, that means your working in the right direction. keep doing what youre doing that's making her act more normal. I went through a similar rebuilding trust type of thing with my GCC last summer and fall, and what really helped me was in the cage and out of the cage target training and practice. i did it like a game, all over the cage, room, house. i think it gets their mind off of whats bothering them and helps them focus on the positive, which helps to rebuild trust, as the bird sees you as the purveyor of yummy treats