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1 Person Birds

RockyP

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
11/12/20
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17
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Rocky
Why are African Greys labeled as "1 Person Birds"? Is that true or a myth? Are most Greys introverts and don't want to be petted by kids? family friendly pets?
 

Meerkat07

Strolling the yard
Joined
7/12/20
Messages
120
Well whether or not they bond to one or many people depends on how they have been socialized, and all birds are individuals. I would say that if you worked on it consistently they could definitely get better but grey's do tend to be more shy one person birds, in my experience. In regards to family friendly, all birds can be family friendly if the kid is up to the challenge of watching body language and understanding how birds work.
 

RockyP

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
11/12/20
Messages
17
Real Name
Rocky
Well whether or not they bond to one or many people depends on how they have been socialized, and all birds are individuals. I would say that if you worked on it consistently they could definitely get better but grey's do tend to be more shy one person birds, in my experience. In regards to family friendly, all birds can be family friendly if the kid is up to the challenge of watching body language and understanding how birds work.
thank you
 

Snowghost

Rollerblading along the road
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Virginia
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Terri
I have had Paco for almost 2 years, he is in my bedroom for safety, my roommate goes in and they dance together. He did bite my roommate when he stuck his arm in cage to ask to step up. I wasn't in the room so I don't know how roomie approached him. He has stepped up on my friends and families arms with out biting. He has always been the perfect gentleman in accepting treats from my tiny 3 year old granddaughters fingers. So I'm not sure if they are a "one" person bird, yes he does respond to me more and chatters to me, however he is sociable.
 

Ira

Sprinting down the street
Joined
8/7/20
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399
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South Florida, U.S. of A.
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Ira R.
My dear Tonto (RIP, Congo, egg binding) was a 1-person bird.

She used to purposely climb down from the cage or play stand and walk way across the living room to find one of my wife’s dangling feet and exposed toes to take a bite out of one. Me?

Never laid a mean beak on me and I could hold, cradle, and snuggle her like the very best Cockatoo. But...

That being said, did I actually practice CORRECT socialization with others for her? Of course not. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing, and my wife knew less than me. She simply resented having her beautiful toes bitten. My point is...

We know the parrot is never to blame, but the primary caregiver is ALSO not usually to blame. If we want the bird to accept another person in the immediate family, it’s up to that person to put the time, patience and effort into it. The primary caregiver, or the one the bird most bonds with, can’t do it FOR the hated one.

Also...expecting a bird to tolerate everything, from every one, even complete strangers?

Oh, we know there are species more prone to this, owners more talented at training than others (not me), but to expect this to be the case? Wishful thinking.

Hell, I run across people every day whose toes I would love to bite off myself if I was a parrot.
 

Ira

Sprinting down the street
Joined
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399
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South Florida, U.S. of A.
Real Name
Ira R.
I have had Paco for almost 2 years, he is in my bedroom for safety, my roommate goes in and they dance together. He did bite my roommate when he stuck his arm in cage to ask to step up. I wasn't in the room so I don't know how roomie approached him. He has stepped up on my friends and families arms with out biting. He has always been the perfect gentleman in accepting treats from my tiny 3 year old granddaughters fingers. So I'm not sure if they are a "one" person bird, yes he does respond to me more and chatters to me, however he is sociable.
I no longer...ever, ever, EVER...put my hand deep into any cage for a bird to step up. Even my own guy, who I trust.

I open the door and offer my hand later to step up OUTSIDE of the cage after he LEAVES the cage on his own accord.

If you open the door and he doesn’t gleefully leave the cage in the first place, there’s something wrong there. Or he’s just tired, and doesn’t want to be bothered at that moment. You gotta respect that. You don’t have to understand it. Don’t feel bad if you feel that you love him more than he loves you at this particular moment.

Interestingly and ironically, once you continually respect his domain (his cage) and never intrude upon it by sticking your arm way deep in there and DEMANDING him to step up...

He respects you when you have to do it for maintenance reasons, like fixing a toy, perch, etc., when you can’t remove the bird to do so.
 

Snowghost

Rollerblading along the road
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Virginia
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Terri
I agree, never stick your hand or arm into the cage, that is their home and they well bite. I did teach Paco to scootch over so I can get his bowls out of the cage. When he came to me, he was neglected and on a poor diet. The lady had a water bottle hanging on the outside of the cage (for a hamster? the water was so dirty it was brown slime) That was the first change I did. It took patience and time to teach him to trust me to reach in for bowls. I watch his body language and make sure he has a treat before I reach into his space. Its about patience, respect and consistency.
 

dollfish

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
12/10/19
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1,000
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Istanbul
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Zeynep Dollfish
My AG will take treats from anyone. She is always shy at first but after three or four treats, she is able to approach and climb on top of everyone for more. That is unless the person is uncomfortable / nervous. I don't know how but I feel like she senses nervous energy and refuses to interact or I stop the interaction because I see that both my bird and the person are nervous. I am Astro's main caregiver but she loses herself with my boyfriend and absolutely adores him. I can pick her up, open her wings and so can my boyfriend. She steps up for everyone if they are not nervous. I must say though that we have worked on properly socialising her. I guess if you never introduce other people to an African Gray, they can easily become one person birds but like I said, they can also not become one.
 

Ira

Sprinting down the street
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399
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South Florida, U.S. of A.
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Ira R.
My AG will take treats from anyone. She is always shy at first but after three or four treats, she is able to approach and climb on top of everyone for more. That is unless the person is uncomfortable / nervous. I don't know how but I feel like she senses nervous energy and refuses to interact or I stop the interaction because I see that both my bird and the person are nervous. I am Astro's main caregiver but she loses herself with my boyfriend and absolutely adores him. I can pick her up, open her wings and so can my boyfriend. She steps up for everyone if they are not nervous. I must say though that we have worked on properly socialising her. I guess if you never introduce other people to an African Gray, they can easily become one person birds but like I said, they can also not become one.
You’re very lucky! As a general rule, greys aren’t that multi-social!
 

dollfish

Rollerblading along the road
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Istanbul
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Zeynep Dollfish
You’re very lucky! As a general rule, greys aren’t that multi-social!
Mine is a bit of a treat freak. And her treats are nothing fancy usually. Just her old pellets which were actually not all that bad.
 

Ira

Sprinting down the street
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South Florida, U.S. of A.
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Ira R.
Mine is a bit of a treat freak. And her treats are nothing fancy usually. Just her old pellets which were actually not all that bad.
My guy doesn’t give a crap about food, which is both good and bad.

He eats the proper stuff and volumes to keep him at good weight, but he simply doesn’t care about treats, which could be helpful for training.

He is totally uninterested in all food when he’s interacting with me or my wife.

Maybe I can get him a job as a spokesman for Weight Watchers.
 

dollfish

Rollerblading along the road
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Istanbul
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Zeynep Dollfish
It’s really weird how food doesn’t motivate him.

He doesn’t get any sunflower seeds or peanuts in his diet, so maybe I can try THAT as a reward treat, but I’m so paranoid about the health dangers.
Try scritches instead maybe? Or fruit? Mine will not take a piece of almond, cashew, hazelnut or a peanut either but goes insane for her old pellets. Some are not that food motivated and sometimes they fall out of that training spirit. There has been a time where I was literally working on "training to train" with Astro when she lost interest lololol.
 

Ira

Sprinting down the street
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South Florida, U.S. of A.
Real Name
Ira R.
Try scritches instead maybe? Or fruit? Mine will not take a piece of almond, cashew, hazelnut or a peanut either but goes insane for her old pellets. Some are not that food motivated and sometimes they fall out of that training spirit. There has been a time where I was literally working on "training to train" with Astro when she lost interest lololol.
You know what a big part of it also is?

He’s so good, well behaved and entertaining 99% of the time...that I’m not really interested in teaching him “tricks.”

I WOULD like him to learn responsive talking...I ask something and he answers...but not only haven’t I read up on the proper method to teach him, again, he just doesn’t care about food! Scritches?

He‘s not always in the mood, but when he is, he feels that he’s ENTITLED to them anyway!
 
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