# Bird question...



## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

This is primarily pointed at Holly, but anyone else with bird experience feel free to chime in. The day I took the photos of Henry was the last day he would come out of his cage. He normally jumps out onto me because he is so happy to be out. Every day while Mike works I take Henry out, put him on his perch for treats, and let him sit with me on the couch til he gets bored and starts eating my shirt. Suddenly he won't come out, I can reach in and scratch, touch him all over etc, I have felt for any bumps or signs of illness, felt his crop, all is well. He is eating, pooping, and drinking like normal. I looked him over, and there's no sign of mites, plus he's not scratching. I would ask my bird forum, but their answer is always "take him to the vet". But the avian vet will be at least $200 for all the tests, which will probably be inconclusive, and hubby flat out refuses to take the bird to the vet because he's ornery lol. If I try to get him out, like when I took him out to look him over, he bites me after a few warning pinches. I have tried bribing him out with food, like the NILIF program, only pellets in the cage, and all fruit and treat outside. The only food he came out for was pizza, and since we hardly ever order pizza, that is not a real solution lol. He turned down pineapple, apple, carrots, pretzels, sun flower seeds (i teach him tricks with these, and he has always loved them), those balls made out of seeds I think they are called Nutra something, )I tossed the bag because I put everything in tupperware), nothing but pizza worked.

Any ideas? I thought the mouse electric repellents might bug him so I unplugged them, and I'll see how the next couple of days go.


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## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

Keep a close eye on him, but it is possible that he is acting out due to breeding season. Some birds get cranky around breeding time lmao. Other than that I am not totally sure. My Nanday acts out like that from time to time, however he is a rescue so I always assume its just his issues lol.


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

I hadn't thought of breeding season, since Henry is most likely a female, maybe he/she just wants to stay near what she considers a nest. I'll have to research their breeding season. Once out of the cage, he acts totally fine, stepping up, cuddling etc. In the cage he's fine, no aggression, so he isn't protecting the cage. I have only had him since july and he wasn't a rescue, but he wasn't in a good situation either, so who knows maybe he is just batty sometimes. I was so surprised because it was such an abrupt change.


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## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

Its not always due to protecting the cage. When birds breed they can get rather aggressive with each other so they often just get more aggressive during this season. Each bird varies tho.


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

Update, we had mac n cheese tonite, and I offered him some to step up. 1st try he said no, I said ok, closed the cage and went to the bedroom to change into pjs. I came back and he was bouncing around at the door, I opened it, and said mac n cheese, step up, and he jumped onto my arm. I gave him tons of mac n cheese piece by piece on his perch and put him back, I'll try again in an hour or so with more mac n cheese. I offered him a piece of popcorn, once he was out and he threw it at me lol, guess mac n cheese trumps popcorn.


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## Carriana (May 13, 2008)

What kind of bird is he? 

Sorry, I have no advice...

I grew up with birds and am wistfully wishing I had a bird now :/

The thread just caught my attention


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## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

Hes an African Grey..They tend to have attitudes to begin with lol.


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

LOL he has a huge attitude.


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

Carriana said:


> What kind of bird is he?
> 
> Sorry, I have no advice...
> 
> ...


You want an African Grey, I'll box him up and ship him out lol.

Actually he has always been great with me, just hates men, but now he's being a punk.


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## MetalGirl30 (Apr 15, 2008)

Some birds are like that.

I know the Quakers we use to own would have mood swings. Sometime Rocky would come out and then sometimes he would down right abuse you.

Birds can have bad days to...wish I could just sit there and get treats all day!!!

I really would not worry unless you see weight loss and excessive plucking of his feathers. Sometimes it is not mites, but stress.
They do have something you can put in their water if they are stress. I will see if I can find it on the internet for you.
Birds will not do what they don't want to do!!


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

I have seen the stress stuff, I think its avicalm or something like that. I hate chemicals though, I have read you can put a bit of chamomile in their water and get similar results. He doesn't seem stressed, no plucking or screaming, just being a jerk. This morning he stepped up with no food, but he seemed scared. Perhaps something in the room has him scared, Ill have to look around for anything new.


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## vdubbinya (Oct 8, 2008)

you should use a set phrase when addressing him to get out of the cage ex. grey (my senegal) i use the term "step up" which was ingraved into him from the breeder. If you tell him/her to "step up" his/her foot pops right up because he associates that w/ coming out of the cage. umm....like holly said, they do act werid @ breeding time, if everything seems dandy besides that wait it out and hopefully nothing is wrong. sorry for the rant, im not quite myself right now but its all good :thumbsup: congrats on the birdie, shes quite beautiful. i wanted a grey, the breeder i got my senegal breeds all types of birds. The choices i had when i aquired grey, were a nanday (loved, but very "vocal") a yellow headed amazon (i think that's what it was), and my senegal. i chose the senegal due to the quietness their supposed to be, key word, supposed haha  and because their cousins to the grey their also, very acrobatic/social birds. She mimics my daughters scream to a T. you'll think that its my daughter in the living room screaming but its really the bird lol.


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

I do use step up, he knows what it means and tells me "no" lol. He used to happily jump onto my arm. He's being difficult i think something has him scared.


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## vdubbinya (Oct 8, 2008)

hmmmmmm weird. i dunno then.


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## Carriana (May 13, 2008)

FloorCandy said:


> You want an African Grey, I'll box him up and ship him out lol.
> 
> Actually he has always been great with me, just hates men, but now he's being a punk.


Would love one!!! I have always wanted a grey. Send him my way 

My co-worker has a grey named Bono and she is always telling us hilarious stories about his bird-itude.


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## American_Pit13 (Apr 23, 2007)

vdubbinya said:


> i chose the senegal due to the quietness their supposed to be, key word, supposed haha


Ha! You should hear the Nape lol. (Yellow headed Amazon) They make all kinds of noise! I have a Nanday and an Amazon and both are rather loud. Nandays and Sun conures are some of the loudest conures.


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## vdubbinya (Oct 8, 2008)

yeah that's why i opted as a no for the nanday. beautiful birds though! grey is rather quiet.


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

Mike's aunt has a Yellow Nape Amazon, he is so smart, but the meanest bird I ever met lol. He will climb off his cage and chase people around, and if he catches you he draws blood. He says "bombs away" when he poops lol. He also makes the door bell sound, tells people to come in when they knock or ring the door bell, and a bunch of other cute stuff. He sings too, not just whistles, but sings on key and says the words.


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## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

He juts stepped up for millet, so thats a better sign. He has stopped regurging on me though, I think hes mad at me for something :-(


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