Sleeping positions?

[Snowghost]

I wasn't even sure how to title this question. I noticed that Paco sleeps with his head hanging down in front of him at night. Since I work nights now and sleep later, I get up and feed him, open his cage and we both take a nap. When the door is open he turns his head around and tucks his head in his feathers.

So I thought I would move his perch back to give him more room so he could tuck his head in back like he does when cage is open. He still sleep with his head hanging down. First question is this ok?

Now that the perch is further back I noticed he is not climbing out of his cage during the day and he is further back from his bowl. Should I just move it back so he will get out of his cage?

He does not know how to fly and there isn't any room if he did, so getting out of his cage is his only exercise. I feel kind of silly posting this question, but I have no bird friends and I don't trust any advice from folks on FB groups.

Thanks!

 

[expressmailtome]

Bump.

 

[Snowghost]

What does bumb mean? I really think it's a silly question, I'm just trying to make sure he is happy. His previous owner said he turned his head and tucked it in his feathers. On the other hand, she had a water bottle hanging outside of his cage (filled with nasty brown water) which gave him more room in his cage. He hasn't come out of his cage for two days, so I thought the perch was to far away from the door so I put it back.

 

[Kassiani]

Oh, not 'bumb', the word is 'bump' like to bump the thread up when someone clicks on the "New Posts" it will be closer to the top of the list. That way, your thread would receive more attention since it hadn't yet gotten an answer. I've noticed that the moderators do that in this forum to make sure that all threads receive the attention they deserve.

And I don't have an African Grey, but my birds sometimes sleep with their heads hanging in the front, and sometimes tucked under a wing.

 

[Toy]

Parrots will sleep in any position they feel comfortable. Most tuck their head over their back. I have one that rests her head on her wing. Another will sleep part time with head tucked & other times with her head hanging down.

Can you post photos of Paco's cage? That way someone will be able to suggest the best set up.

 

[Ulis_Beast]

I don't think it's a stupid question... Rather you're a caring parront
Loki (also AG) sleeps only with his head hanging down towards his chest...
Daytime naps are taken with the head tilted slightly backwards.
I'd move the perch back to where it was to get Paco to move atleat some..

 

[Snowghost]

He stayed in his cage for 2 days when I moved it back and he still slept with his head hanging down. Grrr so I put it back, he sure noticed I moved it too. I will post pics soon.

 

[Ira]

My zon sleeps with head tucked in back, and he alternates between two perches now.

He started using the rope perch which is at a really sharp angle...not level...but it’s right up to the roof of the cage.

If he now started sleeping with beak on chest, I would be concerned.

 

[Snowghost]

I am concerned about Paco's foot health. I replaced his original dowel as it was crusted with Lord only knows what. He does stay in the back of his cage on a larger, I think its concrete? Or some rough material. He is so terrified of any thing new, I know a rope perch is not going to work.

A little more history here on Paco's background. I found out that the woman that had him before me, when she got him he was almost bald. His first owner got a new boyfriend and Paco did not like him so the owner put him in a basement. This poor guy has had 20 years of neglect. How can I help him realize that I am a good guy and I want him to be as healthy and happy as I can make him?

 

[Ira]

I am concerned about Paco's foot health. I replaced his original dowel as it was crusted with Lord only knows what. He does stay in the back of his cage on a larger, I think its concrete? Or some rough material. He is so terrified of any thing new, I know a rope perch is not going to work.

A little more history here on Paco's background. I found out that the woman that had him before me, when she got him he was almost bald. His first owner got a new boyfriend and Paco did not like him so the owner put him in a basement. This poor guy has had 20 years of neglect. How can I help him realize that I am a good guy and I want him to be as healthy and happy as I can make him?

Why are you so sure a rope perch isn’t going to work?

 

[Ulis_Beast]

Paco did not like him so the owner put him in a basement. This poor guy has had 20 years of neglect.

20 years is a lot of time to be stuck in a basement.
I was occasionally locked in a dark room as a child and.. Oh well.

I know a rope perch is not going to work.

Nonetheless I'd simply refuse to give up without trying. But it might be a while..
Reading this might help you understand better how to introduce new things to Paco;

neophobia – Pamela Clark, CPBC

Posts about neophobia written by Pamela Clark, CPBC

blogpamelaclarkonline.com

And here's my take on it.. I recently (a month ago) bought a pedi-perch (the blue thingy way down). Loki's terrified of it. So it was set aside on the coffe table (safe distance) for almost two weeks. I kept touching it, with my nose also, making a fuss and happy remarks like:"ooh how cool is this!" and not move it at all. Then it hung way down on the outside of the cage for another 6 days. When he fs fine with it there I moved it (same spot) inside 5 days ago. The plan is that when I see him stop oogling it, seeing that he had accepted, I'll raise it for a bar at a time.. until it is in it's final position between the feeding cups.

I really wish you the best of luck!

 

[Tazlima]

My grey sleeps both ways, head tucked backwards and just sort of sinking it down between her shoulders while facing forward like a little robot powering down.

Re: the perch location. If the previous location encouraged your bird to come out of the cage and explore, I'd put it there.

As far as the terror of new things, Ulis_beast has given great advice already. I'd just like to add that even if it seems really slow, it will happen eventually. When I first got my grey, she didn't do much but sit around. She ignored toys, wasn't much interested in interacting with us, and was just generally way more quiet and passive than any self-respecting grey ought to be. I kept trying here with new things and eventually she discovered a love of chewing on cardboard boxes. For six months, I made sure she got a fresh box to destroy every few days. It gave her much-needed exercise and mental stimulation, and eventually she began to shift her attention to other toys as well.

She now has a large play area hanging above her cage. When I first hung it up, she refused to touch it for three months. I didn't push her... I just continued with our usual routine and pretended it wasn't even there. I have to admit, at a certain point I thought she'd never come around, but eventually she got over her nerves and gave it a climb. Now she's up and down all day.

Just be patient and don't give up. That rope your bird is terrified of right now may end up being his favorite thing to climb a year from now.

 

[Snowghost]

I have tried for over a year to even get him used to a new toy. I have put it on top of his cage, next to his cage, I played with it. It continues to be scared. I'm at the end of my "rope". He growls, fluffs, won't go near anything new. I don't know what else to do.

 

[Ira]

I have tried for over a year to even get him used to a new toy. I have put it on top of his cage, next to his cage, I played with it. It continues to be scared. I'm at the end of my "rope". He growls, fluffs, won't go near anything new. I don't know what else to do.

How long do you leave it there before you give up and take it out? This doesn’t make sense to me.

Are we talking minutes, hours, or days?

 

[Ira]

Have you tried a hanging bell?

Small balls, or a small piece of wood...just laying on the cage floor?

A hard-boiled egg, whole carrot sliced in half, or baked chicken wing? (Because food can also be treated like a toy.)

 

[Snowghost]

Have you tried a hanging bell?

He does have a bell that was in his cage when I got him. He plays with it and gets mad at it sometimes and lets out a God awful parrot scream. Not sure what that is about. He has a wooden toy as well, I can see he chewed on it at one time but I don't see him play with it.

 

[Snowghost]

How long do you leave it there before you give up and take it out? This doesn’t make sense to me.

Are we talking minutes, hours, or days?

I bought a stack of thin blocks that are stacked and they are colored. I have had it for over 6 months, on his cage, next to his cage and if I play with it he attacks it. I haven't been able to get him to accept it.

 

[Ulis_Beast]

I don't know what else to do.

As stupid as this is to say out loud, here it is: you simply need to keep trying. A really active approach. Toys must be associated with pleasant things.
You could associate the toy with food also.
Do you think he'd freak out over a simple small mahogany pod in his food bowl? Or a simple bottle cork?
Non expensive, natural looking, easy to chew on! ... to get him started.
I'd still just leave it out in plain sight for a couple of days, so he gets used to it and preferably get him interested for a split second.
You could also try with just one thin slab of that toy you have and he hates... With a cracker on it..
Loki is afraid of bigger toys.. but loves the small (budgie size ones that are easy to chew)..

I can see he chewed on it at one time

But that's the whole point .. Find something similar but different to get him going..

 

[Ira]

I bought a stack of thin blocks that are stacked and they are colored. I have had it for over 6 months, on his cage, next to his cage and if I play with it he attacks it. I haven't been able to get him to accept it.

My grey wasn’t big on wooden chew toys either. The one you’re describing? It sounds like the one I have now for my YNA.

And I have to buy a new one every two weeks!

As suggested above, take it away, slide out just one or two of the pieces, and throw it on the cage floor. Maybe he’ll get into chewing it that way.

 

[Snowghost]

Great idea, it is a rather large and long stack of wood. I'll try something smaller.