CAG Owner Advice

[merlin]

Hi Tim,

Sessions should be no more than 10-15 minutes at a time, but can be many times in the day. As earlier, I suggest that you also spend time just hanging out with Alex and talking to him. You need to get him comfortable with your hands. This would start out with the scritches, but don't do that until he bows his head for one. Just sit with him and talk. When he bows his head, rub his head. Keep the food reward for special rewards and verbal praise is also powerful. Liberal praise makes a difference!!! When he gets scared, don't chase him. Let him get settled first.

I'm relieved to know that you are vigilant about watching the dogs with your prey pets, including your rabbit. Please keep being careful, though. You don't want your dogs to feel jealous when you are spending lots of time with Alex... and then pounce. But as long as you are vigilant, it will be all okay.

As long as you inch along and let Alex set the pace, you will be fine. He wants a relationship with you, as much as you do with him. I'm sure he's so relieved that he's no longer stuck upstairs alone. Just take the time.

The Barbara Heidenreich DVDs are good. I recommend that you go in that direction. I'm sure Lisa will have grey't advice, once I figure out how to set it up here. Waiting for my webmaster to help me set up Lisa to help moderate this board. I'm NOT a techie!

Maggie-

[Lisa A. Bono]

Hi Tim. I congratulate you on trying to work through things with Alex. Time and Patience is the key. A grey needs to trust you to work with you. I read through the other posts to try to get a backround on what has happened.
It seem Alex bit you right around the time most greys start to push the limits. Thats a delicate time in the learning process.
I too have been bitten while my own have been on my hand. That type of bite is usually a result of stimuli in the environment.
We usually misread body language and it results in a bite. In fact, the worst bite I have ever received was from my own hand fed baby grey, Sydney!
Know you can work thought this. If you want to interact without touching just yet, sit down by Alex and read. Just as you would to a child. Show pictures and have a good time. Alex will learn that you will not hurt him and he will be interested in what you are doing. He will make the first move to be part of what you are doing. You can also offer a piece of a favored treat for good behavior and LOTS of praise. They LOVE praise(who doesnt?)
I recently took in a 13 year old female grey named Abigail. She was a real sweetheart with the person she lived with and obvioulsy loved. If you look at things through her eyes...I invaded her home, took her from the people she loved, put her in the car and made her throw up and then stuck her in a small cage in a strange place. I paid for that several times with bites I did not see coming. However, it's now 4 months since she has been with me. Everything has been on her time frame. I let her know that I wouldnt hurt her. She watched as I interacted with my other greys. Its only been in the past week that she has offered to let me scratch her.
I have to admit, she is a big lover and now will mouth my fingers with her beak but there is absolutely no pressure. I know the damage she can do, and she chooses NOT to. It's a learning process and it takes time, but is so worth it!