Alex update / where to go from here?

[merlin]

Hi Alex, Maureen & Tim,

Sounds like you've made lots of progress. Please introduce him to the new perch very slowly. Most Greys are afraid of new perches and cages that look nothing like what they've known. That's because of their wild instincts that tell them that anything new near them may be predatory. Wild greys are partial ground feeders, so it's in the genes to be leery of ANYTHING that is not familiar. That is the instinct that Alex and all other Greys have. So, give him time to become comfortable with the perch.

Also, that's wonderful that Alex and the dogs have become more trusting and friendly. However, DO NOT EVER leave things unattended and assume they are good enough companions to leave alone. By nature, dogs are predators and one of them could snap and attack Alex. Please don't ever forget that. Okay?

Before you get over the issue of biting, you will need to work on yourselves. By having fears of being bitten, you are giving Alex a telepathic message that you are afraid and you are actually asking him to bite by having that fear. That is a mistake so many new bird people do. Yes, the beak hurts but it doesn't kill you. Try to get through your fears. If you don't, there will always be some sort of wall between you and really getting closer to Alex. Please read my articles on visualization. It helps to visualize in your mind seeing Alex acting perfectly without biting. This will project to him how he is expected to behave.

A DVD may help you, but since you need to get through some of your fears and learn some sound techniques, I recommend more that you get help from an avian behavior consultant. Lisa can help you through telephone consultations.

Positive reinforcement is really what is going to help you and Alex. You need to find the right treat reward for this. But lavish praise also works for positive reinforcement.

Keep moving forward.
Congratulations,
Maggie-

[Lisa A. Bono]

It sounds like things are going along wonderfully and I am very proud of you ALL!
The beak nibbling is normal. And you being nervous is normal. But it will pass as you work through things. You are learning about eachother FROM eachother!
I would love to be able to talk to you about Alex when I return back to my store. I am out for recovery after surgery. If you are interested in speaking when I return, I welcome it.
Keep up the excellent work and as Maggie mentioned, read her articles for some help on the nervousness issues.
Also note, my guys like praise MORE than offered treats.
We are here if you need us!

[merlin]

Hey guys,

It's me again. When I first got Merlin, she turned into a terror at 9 months old because I did not yet have the control and know what I was doing. It may help you to read about that through an article called "My First African Grey." It is in the article section.

Basically, Merle had total control over me and I had to even roll on the floor to get her off of my back. Your experience with Alex is NOWHERE near this, but I want you to see that some go through even worse and still get it together.

In Merle's case, the two strategies that helped me were the visualization techniques and taking Merlin with me on trips. On trips, Merlin was out of her precious territory, which made her better behaved, thus giving me the chance to build control and confidence.

Lisa is right, praise is just as valuable as treats. Merlin learned to make animal sounds on cue, based on me lavishly praising her.

Please keep us informed. AND keep up the GREY'T work!
Blessings,
Maggie-

PS: You can consult with me by telephone, too.