Newbie w/questions

[Teejj]

My name is Tawnya. My husband and I live in Colorado Springs CO and are novice bird lovers. We started with a tiel about 6 months ago and now have 2 tiels (Rocky and Belle), 3 Quakers (Quincee, Burt, and Boodah) and are fostering through a local bird rescue group, a Timneh named Jiggabird. She was kept with a wild caught Congo and picked up a few bad habits. She does not want to be touched and will charge and bite through the cage bars although will not bother me when I am in her cage changing out paper, food, water etc. She has seemed to take a liking to me more than my husband and will let me beak her and sometimes stroke the side of her head. I have been pretty badly bitten and am somewhat afraid to do much more physically with her. Her cage is in our living room at the end of our couch so I will sit and talk with her alot throughout the day. She desperately wants to join us when we are petting and playing with the other birds, she will dilate her eyes and rock back and forth on her perch, occasionally will come out of the cage and sit on top. I have noticed at times she will change the shape of her eyes from round to more of an almond shape. Does this indicate anything? I have read several books and can't find anything to answer this. She seems to be happy...lots of beak grinding, standing on one foot, fluffing her neck feathers, quivering her chest feathers etc. Any advice would be much appreciated and I apologize for the long post.

[Guest]

Jiggabird sounds wonderful! It sounds like you are describing her "pinning" her eyes. Pinning happens for many different reasons. Sometimes it indicates that they are "concentrating" on something, like listening to speech .....or in your case, intensely watching your interaction with the other birds. However, when pinning is in conjunction with feathers standing up and other aggressive signs, it means "stay away from me"....or "if you come near, I'll bite." So, you need to read her behavior within the confines of what is going on.

I think overtime, she will let you handle her. It takes time and trust building. Please listen to my lecture on working with nervous birds. The same strategy will work for cagebound/untamed ones. Spend LOTS of time by cage talking to her. Rub her head thru bars when she lets you. Pick a treat she LOVES and ONLY give it from YOU by hand. Do NOT put it in cage. If it is seeds or something, break into bits so you can feed her the treats more often.

When she lets you, start rubbing her head with your hand in the cage. It helps if the time is in the evening and the lights are low.

It may take weeks....months....or years....but keep up this strategy, and she will become closer to you.

Please keep us posted,
Maggie-

[Guest]

Thanks so much, Maggie! In regard to her eye shape....what I'm trying to describe is not pinning, that's the dilation of her iris, right? I'm seeing her change the shape of her eyes from round to more of an almond shape. I saw the lecture and was planning on watching/listening to it soon. She is such a funny bird! I can't wait to be able to participate with her. We are already playing peek a bird with a towel to get her used to towels, blinking games, head bobbing, things like that. She's come a long way in the few weeks we've had her, I'm the one that's impatient!

[Guest]

I understand now about the eyes. I have seen mine change shape too.

Sounds like you guys are in love already! Keep up the GREY'T work and just give her time to have trust in you!
Maggie-

[Teejj]

I found in a book about African Greys that the almond shape eye indicated relaxation. So I guess its a good sign!!!!

[Guest]

Sounds about right.
Maggie-