Welcome Grayson

[Darklotus555]

Two weeks ago I was gifted a CAG named Grayson. He is almost 50, but no one knows his exact age. He was wild caught in Africa and brought to the US in 1978.
He loves sun conures, and his last cage mate, a sun, plucked his head. Giggle, he looks looks like a bald eagle. Grayson is not skiddish, nor overly friendly. Yet he and i are building trust daily with the help of his favorite treat, raw almonds.
He is not very talkative, he mostly calls for "Jane", his last owners nurse, who cared for him until he passed away. Grayson went to stay with my friend afterward for 5 years, and she gifted him to me.
He does make lots of sounds, and we call to each other with whistles throughout the day.
He does not step up. But I leave his cage door open during the day and he has ventured out and made it to the window perch for a long look out of the window and to sit in the sun. I managed to get him back into his cage on the perch without incident. Yay!!
I love this beautiful creature so much. He eats great, he seems happy. We even play toys together which he really seems to enjoy. I hope we have many years together. Welcome to my heart Grayson.

 

[BirdG1rl]

Congrats on your new feather baby! May you enjoy many more years with him!

 

[SumitaSinh]

Both of you are lucky to have each other ... We want to see his photos, pleeeeez

 

[Darklotus555]

Before everyone tells me, this is NOT his permanent cage. The only one i can fit in my room and want him with me while he settles in.

 

[Hankmacaw]

My Hank (GW to the left) was imported and sold at auction in Las Vegas in 1978. Your Grayson is a wonderful addition to your family - I envy you.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Congrats!

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome Grayson! Thank you for giving him a home. I have a wild caught goffin.

 

[Camsan]

Awe, welcome Grayson! What a handsome boy

 

[Darklotus555]

My Hank (GW to the left) was imported and sold at auction in Las Vegas in 1978. Your Grayson is a wonderful addition to your family - I envy you.

My roommate has a cag I have gotten very close to. I have been wanting one of my own for so long. Grayson is amazing, sweet in his own way. I love spending time just talking to him, playing with him. Even just watching him. I am so blessed to get him. Wild caught Cags can live even longer than most, so I feel I will have a very long time to enjoy this precious gift. He has his forever home now, and he seems to like it here. I want to give him his best life left.

 

[Darklotus555]

Grayson update: Grayson is not at all aggressive. He is not afraid of new item/toys. Grayson's original owner was very sick for a long time and passed away. Grayson was in a very small cage. Im not exactly sure what his situation was, but he didn't have perches, and stood on the floor of his cage for a long period of time. He has foot issues now.
I purchased several types of perches for Grayson hoping the different shapes and sizes may help his feet. One was a wooden branch like perch, that was flat on one side. Grayson sat on that perch for over 2 weeks, never really moving only turning around. Next, he started perching on the rope perch. I think he liked the softness. Now, its a hard, almost cement type perch good for beak grinding.
His toes don't curl around perches. Its like his toes stick straight out. But he manages to hold on. He uses all of the perches, and now stands on his food dish, so I think his feet are getting better.
Here is where I need help please. He doesn't step up. Im trying to teach him, mainly because he has gotten out of his cage, flies, usually crashes....and I need to get him back in his cage. I have toweled him 3 times now. He SCREAMS horribly. I think he would bite me if he could, but only due to fear of the towel.
I have started taking a wash cloth, showing him my hand, then covering my hand with the cloth. I place an almond on the cloth, and off it to him. This was easy, he took the almond pretty quickly after doing this a couple of times. I praise him, and say, "YAY!"
I want to work up to larger clothes, dish towels, and then towel, to reduce his fear. I just don't quite know how to get him to step up. He won't step up on my hand, he lowers his head, and i cant see his eyes to know if he's pinning. So I can't tell if Im gonna get bit. Im also afraid he would fall off my hand/arm due to his foot issue.
LOTS of challenges.
Being able to have Grayson step up would REALLY improve his quality of life. I was leaving his door open, but a loud noise made his shoot out of his cage. Chasing him around with a towel to get him back to his cage is not instilling trust in me. Now I leave his door shut. I would love for him to sit on the window perch, or his playstand, or even walk around on my bed.
I have gotten him foot toys, but he mostly likes to bang them on the cage with his beak, which is fun too. Im teaching him peekaboo, and he really likes playing.
Grayson is maneuvering around his cage much easier now. I know its time to get up and feed him when he yells "Jane". I reply "Mommy" hoping he will call me one day. He's a happy boy. He eats great, and plays. He adores a millet spray!!
I just need advice on how to teach this old dog a new trick. "Step up". Btw, I know all the "usual" ways....not working. I need some creative ideas. Thank you for reading. Sorry this is so long.

 

[Oscarbird]

Btw, I know all the "usual" ways....not working. I need some creative ideas.

Have you tried offering a toy to step up onto? This method sounds weird but it worked for my lovebird (which yes, I understand are different from CAGs in terms of intelligence.) You can offer him some millet and try to encourage him to step onto the toy. I have tried numerous toys and the ones I found to be the most successful were pinata toys and toys with crinkle paper to hide my hand. Hopefully this helps, good luck with Grayson!

 

[Darklotus555]

I have tried perches, but not toys. It has to be something that will support his weight, and accommodate his foot issues. I have tried millet, and almonds to get him to step up on my hand/arm. (Not sure if he would bite me or not). He has never tried to bite me except when I am toweling him. Even then, I don't....i know if it would be a bite, or if he is just threatening.
My roommate has a cag. I saw her bite him, thru a sweatshirt and took a huge chunk out of his arm. I handle her all the time. I got her from being cage bound, to taking her upstairs to my room. She gets scared going up and especially down the stairs and has "beaked" my ear, but has NEVER bitten me. She gives me kisses, and i have taught her to play. But my roommate won't even try to let her step up on him. I spent a LONG time building trust with her both ways. Her trusting me, me trusting her. But I am not afraid of her. I have not owned Grayson long. I am still building trust and bonds with him. I am not afraid of him, but I respect the beak!! Lol

 

[Oscarbird]

I have tried perches, but not toys. It has to be something that will support his weight, and accommodate his foot issues.

Arg, I didn't think of his weight and feet. That's my fault. I can imagine that some toys would be rather rough on his feet, so my suggestion doesn't really fit the bill. Hopefully someone will come along and offer a better solution.

 

[Nikomania]

Congrats! You're making really quick progress already with earning his trust. Greys oftentimes take a long time before they do.
He's an absolute sweetie!

 

[Toy]

It's possible Grayson chewed up his perches & they never replaced them. Sad.

Our CAG (Jengo) will not step up off or out of her cage. She will only step up off the seed skirt or the floor. We've had Jengo for almost 22 years, got her at age 6 months. CAG's are very defensive & most are not hands on birds. The head down seems like they are wanting you to give them a scritch, but in reality they are baiting you in for a good bite.

I learned a long time go I have to tell Jengo why I want her to step up, where I'm taking her, etc. or she will try to bite. Even then she moves at her speed, which is a slower more cautious movement. Where my U2 will run & jump on my hand or into a towel. My goofy B&G Macaw will roll on her back, stick her feet up in the air. She likes being carried upside down by her feet. She also steps up. I've recently taught Jengo to walk into a travel crate. She is fully flighted & we had been wrapping her in a towel to carry her outside to the aviary, but I feared she'd get loose if I stumbled, etc. She will now step into her crate from a perch, the floor, outside in the aviary, etc. I'm working on getting my macaw to do the same.

Getting Grayson to step up will require a lot of patience & time. I'd suggest letting him go to the floor & walk around a bit. Then slowly walk over, ask him to step up. Tell him, why you want him to step up & where you will be taking him. Offer a treat. Once he steps up, do not move right away. Phrase him first, then slowly walk him back to his cage. Again lots of phrase & a treat if needed. Another thing you can try is a cage ladder. Let him climb down to the floor. Then ask him to step up. You can try a perch placed on the outside of his cage, either on the cage door or on top of the cage. Once he learns to trust you & he knows the what, why & where you want him to, he may step up easier.

As much as some hate towels it's a must you towel him at times. Jengo took a while, but she will now accept being toweled & jabbers away when toweled.

This is a long shot, for now, but once you get him to accept being toweled, try rubbing/massaging his feet & legs. All my birds get foot massages & they love it. I use aloe gel when I rub their feet, which helps to keep their skin moist.

As far as foot toys....Jengo likes a large acrylic pacifier, those small cat balls that have a jingle bell inside, a large bead, etc. Those things she can pick up & hold in her feet. Try a in-shell walnut.

 

[Darklotus555]

Today I got Grayson out of his cage, yay! He was sitting in front of his door, and looking out. I opened the door hoping he would fly out. He did not. I moved his cage up against my bed, and lured him out with an almond. We played toys, we say quietly, we just hung out. Soon, Grayson decided to chew or put holes in my sheet with his beak. He seemed to enjoy this best. I was not as enthusiastic about it. I gave him a cloth instead. That seemed fine with him for a while. But soon he went back to the sheet. He seemed to enjoy rubbing his beak on it as if to sharpen or polish his beak.
My question is the behavior. Is this a threat? Or just an enjoyable new game? He seemed to bite holes in the sheet more if I put my hand closer to him.
I managed to get him back in his cage by using a big towel, but only getting it close to him, guiding him in the door. Still not great, but for Grayson, it is really good.

 

[Toy]

Parrots are geared to destroy things. It's in their nature. You can not teach a parrot not to put holes in things or destroy them. So yep it's normal behavior. The rubbing is to remove any food, smooth rough areas & rub off layers of beak that need to be replaced.

 

[Clueless]

Secret rubs her beak on perches after eating.

I bought baby blankets at a yard sale that I use for bird defense (put those on my lap before Secret sits on my leg). The bird will chew on those and I protect my clothes.