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Getting to know each other been a week, next step?

Snowghost

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Paco seems to be settling in, tries to nip a little but I say no and he withdraws his head. He is enjoying the fresh veggies (goodies), put in a water bowel, hoping to take out water bottle soon. He loved it, flipping his beak in the water. I have not let him out of cage yet. Due to plucking his feathers are not real good but I have seen improvement, he looks better and smells better. Starting to get vocal, a little mumble here and a few whistles. Still trembles when I cam close but I continue to talk to him. He is preening, sitting on one foot and stretching. I want to switch him over to pellets, brands are limited here as I live in a rural area. Suggestions welcomed.

When should I start letting him out? I have a T stand for him to sit on. I don't really know what the next step is. I don't want to scare him. When I moved him from one cage to the other he wouldn't move to the other cage, silly me thought he would just walk out. So I stuck my arm down and said up and he calmly stepped on my arm and I put him in new cage.

I am going slow but have never had a parrot this big before, I talk to him all day long, establish a routine and play music. What is my next step and how long should I wait?
 

EkkieLu

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Get some fruits and veggies into his diet too. Just take it slow and let him take his own time getting cozy with you. He'll figure out you're his buddy and warm up soon enough!
 

Snowghost

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oh I have, lots of fresh veggies and fruit. He love nanners, red and green pepper, hard boiled eggs, brocali, carrots, not crazy about radishes. He is such a joy my heart is about to burst.
 

EkkieLu

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Sounds like you're on the right track! Good job!!!
 

Snowghost

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Awe thank you that gives me encouragement!
 

BertAllen

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When I moved him from one cage to the other he wouldn't move to the other cage, silly me thought he would just walk out. So I stuck my arm down and said up and he calmly stepped on my arm and I put him in new cage.
If he stepped up to be moved to a new cage he already trusts you.
Time and good food will do the rest.
 

Clueless

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Just remember to be slow. That is soooooo important.

Just move at HIS speed.
 

Fuzzy

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Get him used to a food routine. Then think about getting him out maybe an hour or so before the breakfast bowls get slotted in. When you feel the time is right, open his cage so he can choose to come out if he wants to. Hopefully when the food bowls are slotted in, he will take himself back in because he is hungry. This is what I did with Ollie my Orange-winged Amazon who wasn't tame. I never had to touch him - he took himself back into his cage to eat and I could gently shut the cage door. I was careful to shut the door only when he had a mouthful of food so that he would pair the shutting door with something good. Gradually his cage door was open for longer and longer. Now he is out of his cage all day as he is (almost! :D) totally trustworthy.

You may have to desensitise Paco to the T-stand before he will be willing to get onto it. You could bring it increasingly closer to his cage over days or even weeks, being sure not to evoke more than the mildest of responses. Just get him used to it being around. You could tie similar toys to his favourites to it to entice him to get on.

All sounds good so far, Terri!
 

Snowghost

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Thanks everyone for the advice. I'm sorry I wasn't clear, he was in my old Amazon's cage and he stepped up to go his larger cage. I had to clean it before I would let him back in it. We are starting a routine and getting more vocal, breakfast of veggies and fruit, fresh water bottle. I did put a new water bowl in his cage as I feel the bottle will breed bacteria. It's a wonder he didn't get sick, the bottle was brown with slim, the lady I adopted from seemed very nice and had a clean home but his cage was appalling.

We are going slow, I give him a veggie to keep busy while I slowly take out his bowls for cleaning. Talking to him all day.

I worry, I"m not working so I am home all day and that will change, I hope this doesn't upset him.

No feather plucking, no new feathers. He is cleaner, smells fresh and seems happy.

Great idea about moving the T stand closer, I bought a new toy but it scared him so it's hanging outside of his cage for right now.
 

Zara

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I want to switch him over to pellets, brands are limited here as I live in a rural area.
Surely Amazon will deliver to you? Or some other online retailer?

A week of not being out of the cage is a long time. Leaving the door open and letting him come out when he is ready is a good idea.
@Fuzzy made some great points RE a schedule and food routines :)
 

Snowghost

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It really wasn't 7 days, his cage is very large and climbs all over it to get to his toys. We have outside play every evening. I don't want a morning routine of him getting out in the morning as I will be going back to work soon.
 

Snowghost

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Update, Paco is getting very vocal. Paco is a pretty boy, hoots like an owl, water drips, eating well, will not eat chopped greens, likes sweet potato, eggs, carrots, I did notice with the carrots he tried to hold a small piece in his foot. So I cut some in strips and he enjoyed them.

I guess I have more to learn then I realized. Although we are getting to know each other still, I frightened him and he landed on the floor.

He steps up fine onto my arm so we sat on the bed. He was scared and looking around the room, he could see out the door and the light and was closer to the fish tank.

It dawned on me that he is fine in the corner where his cage is so I guess we need to learn to venture out of the corner and into the rest of the room?

I have never had such an intelligent bird before.

Are there any websites I can look at to help him adapt to his new home?

All suggestions are welcomed.
 

BertAllen

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Are there any websites I can look at to help him adapt to his new home?
This is the best place to be for information and help.
Look at the top of this section in the stickies for more info. You can also post your questions in the Gray section and you will get lots of help.
 

Clueless

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This is the best place to be for information and help.
Look at the top of this section in the stickies for more info. You can also post your questions in the Gray section and you will get lots of help.
Tons of help here.....
 

Snowghost

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This is the best place to be for information and help.
Look at the top of this section in the stickies for more info. You can also post your questions in the Gray section and you will get lots of help.
Not sure where the "stickies" information is? I don't see it at the top of this screen, I'll look on the main page.

He is afraid of new toys and even an empty roll of paper. The more I get to know him, I wonder how much interaction he had with the previous owner. His cage was in the corner of the living room in front of a sliding glass door. He is in my bedroom and can see out a regular sized window. He readily gets up on my hand, will stand on top of his cage (this will be a challenge) The cage is taller then I am so he is able to look down on me, I know I'm short. He didn't want to step up on my hand so I got a stool so I would be taller then him and he readily stepped up onto my arm.

He still will not go to T stand, I guess it will take time to get him used to it. I have introduced green veggies, chopped, seems to ignore them, will eat carrot sticks I make for him, Pepper slices. Should I try chopped and sliced? I'm not sure, if he tosses it to the floor does that mean he doesn't like it or that is just the way Grey's are?

His previous owner said he likes banana's and he does. Her sister gave him a piece of carrot This leads me to believe he did not get veggies on a regular basis. I give him chopped and sliced veggies and fruit twice a day, fruit just once.

I guess I will continue to be patient and keep offering him a variety of food and see what he likes.

In the beginning I thought he rescued me, I now believe we are rescuing each other. His cage was in terrible shape, his feathers were dull and dirty, he has really brightened up and I look forward to a long and healthy relationship with him.

Thank you all for your information and I will be a regular here!
 

BertAllen

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Someone in one of the bird groups I follow posted this. It’s absolutely true.

13 Ways to Really Prepare Yourself for Getting a Pet Bird

Are you thinking about getting your first pet bird? This 13-step guide will emotionally and physically prepare you for what it’s like to live with one. If you follow this, you will have a fairly good idea what it’s like to have one of these lovely creatures in your house.

1. Take a big bite of carrot. Chew it up well, but don’t swallow it. Now go out to your dining room and spew it all over the wall. Leave it there until it dries. Get a sponge and a scraper and scrape it off the wall. Repeat at least three times a week.

2. Go to the bird supply store. Buy everything you need for the month. Then with the leftover money, go to the grocery store and pick up a five-pound box of macaroni, some parmesan cheese and some margarine. These provisions should last you about two weeks, and it’s about all you’ll be able to afford after all that money you spent at the bird supply store.

3. Take a newspaper to the bird supply store. Place it in the bottom of an empty birdcage. Read it while it’s laying on the bottom of the grate. This is how you will be reading the newspaper from now on.

4. Get some pelleted diet, some chopped up vegetables, borrow some bird poop from the bird supply store (they’ll look at you funny, but they probably won’t charge you for it), some parrot feathers, pieces of bird toy parts, some wood chips and some almond shells. Combine in a one-gallon container. Throw some of it on the floor. Now clean it up. Throw more of it on the floor. Now clean it up. Repeat at least twice a day.

5. Get a screwdriver from your toolkit. Make some gouges in the paint on the wall. And while you’re at it, use it to rip one of your lampshades and smack up a couple of picture frames.

6. Make sure you know the meaning of all of these terms: Cloaca, preen gland, PDD, PBFD, calcium to phosphorus ratio, polyomavirus, E.N.D., and boing. This task involves a lot of research. At least you'll be on your phone for a good reason.

7. Measure out a cup of flour and place in a sifter. Move about your house and lightly coat all surfaces with the flour. Now dust all the surfaces. Repeat at least three times a week.

8. Look up some wild parrots on YouTube. Turn the volume up on your phone to full blast and place it right next to your ear. Repeat at least three times a day for 15 minutes.

9. Take some of that bird poop you borrowed from the bird supply store and place it on a spatula. Now reach over your shoulder with the spatula and rub the bird poop on the back of your shirt. Let dry and then go grocery shopping. Count the number of people who either stare at you or tell you that you have bird poop on your back.
 

Clueless

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Prepare the veggies in multiple ways.

MC likes chunks. Secret likes finer pieces. Carrots I take off a fine sliver (I use the potato peeler).

My amazons train me well.
 
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