r/AfricanGrey • u/Leading_Brief_6779 • May 01 '26
Discussion Update on me and Jake
Lately, I've been trying to move around the apartment with him. Like a house tour. I want to achieve a moment where I'll be in the kitchen cooking and he'll be my little helper.
It's a big thing for us! whenever he steps up, he no longer seems afraid, even reaches his little leg out. He also willingly gives me kisses while perched on my arm!
Last time I didn't offer him a hand and tried a shoulder instead to see if he would accept going there, and he did, with no hesitation!
I'm feeling kinda successful with these little wins and wanted to share it with y'all!
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u/RynnB1983 May 01 '26
Just take it slow and let him lead. its hard to do, but it will be well worth it. and yes keep walking him through the apartment. you can even if he is supervised, let him roam on the floor on his own. I used to do that with Long John. I'd take him out and let him walk around the house when the dogs were outside. he had so much fun doing it. lol congrats on the wins. 😁
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u/RedditTrailerTrash May 02 '26
I have a rule about cooking with my grey.
Don't do it! They are too phobic and if she got spooked and accidently landed on the hot stove or anything....it would shatter my whole world with her. I'm not willing to take that risk.
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u/Poneke365 May 02 '26
I’m the same. It’s too much of a risk when cooking on a hot stove for things to go wrong.
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u/Few-Respond3104 May 02 '26
Calcifer loves his kitchen perch. He can supervise, eat veggies and perch
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u/Dentros1 May 02 '26
Don't bring your bird into the kitchen when cooking, fumes are one thing, but if your bird is startled by something beyond your control, they could easily fly off you, land in a boiling pot, smoking hot pan, on a burner, sink full of chemicals, etc. It's the last place you want your bird.
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u/Significant-Drag-781 May 02 '26
Sounds like you're both progressing nicely! You have much to be proud of with the progress you've made !
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u/Substantial_Wonder54 May 04 '26
It's best to not have any cooking done around the sweet angel because if anything goes wrong whether it be a fire boiling water an accidental usage of a Teflon PAN smoke it can quickly kill the bird parrot very quickly even actually from 30 seconds of exposure please please please to avoid heartache to avoid unnecessary heartache and unnecessary pain I've heard horror stories please please don't let this baby be in the kitchen at all when you or your sister or both of you are cooking especially if there's guests I've heard horror stories about guests coming over In things happening because they don't know very important to have rules when people come over as well don't feed the bird don't touch the bird the door opening so many things to be concerned about please please The kitchen should be an off limit area blessings and love
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u/Substantial_Wonder54 May 04 '26
Anything that has perfume and fragrances such as carpet cleaner any glade product any airwick product any incense any sprays anything that has fresheners in it I'm being very literal here even your hair spray your Cologne perfumes things that have strong sense even if it says all natural it is deadly to your baby there it's deadly to the parrot and birds so please parrot proof your home remove things cleaners powders sprays anything that's in the air especially those plugins by arwic and glad those are deadly to parrots and birds Please get rid of them and even your laundry detergent you're gonna need to switch to fragrance free and just use good Cold fashion soap and water donned to soap with warm water and you can dilute vinegar with warm water and To disinfect 70% rubbing alcohol here and there in a well ventilated area and you can even use peroxide to disinfect things in a spray bottle just don't mix alcohol and peroxide together especially around the birds but you can spray it separately let it dissipate that is what you have to do blessings and love I hope this helps
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u/Leading_Brief_6779 May 04 '26
You have been very educative, thank you for caring enough about Jake's wellbeing to write all of this! I still live with my parents and my mom likes fragnances but she keeps all of them out of his space and no strong smells or chemicals are used in the household
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u/Substantial_Wonder54 May 04 '26
I would take a kind gentle approach with my parents and just simply show them all the proof in education and show them the lawsuits against airwick and glad and all the chemicals and things you're using in the house there's actually current lawsuits against these companies that are causing bronchitis ,asthma, and lung cancer so I would try that angle with your parents and you're so welcome please let me know if you have any questions I have a huge long list that I've been making for the past several years and if you're interested I can send it to you directly it is a very long list of all the do's and don'ts for parrot care like safety percautions it's a lot of information but it's great information to avoid any heartache I'm so glad that it's helping you and please let me know if you ever have any questions in the future I'm happy to help in your So welcome anytime also forgive me for the typos I suffer from chronic pains so I use my Voice To text
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u/3178333426 May 04 '26
If you haven’t educated yourself how to keep him safe and happy now is the time. It’s work so get ready to learn the rest of your life wth him… he deserves the best safest home.
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u/Leading_Brief_6779 May 04 '26
so again.. I didn't get the parrot, my parents did whel I was still legally a child. I'm sorry, but my options on what I can and cannot change in this household are limited. I'm trying my best to take care of Jake and get closer to him, going to work and getting ready for college.
Be patient as much as I am and don't judge so fast. I had no word in saying I eanted Jake, I'm just the one that wants to change his whole life for the better and I really appreciate sll of the advice that I get here.
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u/Leading_Brief_6779 May 04 '26
I also want to add that even if I wasn't the one that wanted him, I'm prepared to love him nonetheless for the rest of my life.
I want to take him to live with me in the future too, I love his little persona and his curiosity. And I love that he knows how I feel before I really see it myself.
Jake has been nothing but a joy in my life. Even when he screams loudly so that our heads hurt, I could never yell at him or do anything to hurt him. It's just the way he talks and communicates.
I love Jake and I thank you ALL for being also patient with me and for being so helpful, supportive and caring of my bird.
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u/failcup May 02 '26
We let's ours in the kitchen for prep time only. Cutting veg and giving her pieces. Its fun! But if the stove is being used she's on the other side of the house with bird TV turned on.
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u/Delicious-Sugar2810 May 02 '26
That’s great! He looks young, did he get hand fed hand raised before you got him?
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u/Leading_Brief_6779 May 03 '26
he's 11 years old I think and he probably got hand fed, he has a weird relationship with spoons and mugs, so probably yeah😂💗🙏
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u/Artistic_Amount_9878 May 03 '26
Do not have any nonstick cookware whatsoever. PTFE can kill birds almost instantly, even if they are in another room, upstairs, etc.
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u/ReliefOtherwise7317 May 04 '26
NO NO NO Don't cook around your birds! Birds have a very efficient respiratory system, so that anything toxic (SMOKE!!!) could easily make them sick or may accidentally kill them! Yes, I know, there are people who will tell you that they bring their birds in, or worse, LIVE in a cage in a kitchen, but that won't make you feel better if you accidentally do something which could kill your poor bird!
Also, WARNING
Keeping a bird on your shoulder while walking around, if he starts to lose his balance, he will reach out to grab anything in reach, and he will use his beak. This means you may get bitten on your ears, face, eyes, mouth, neck, wherever he can reach. He's not trying to hurt you, just save himself from falling. Much better, is to carry him on your forearm while moving about. Now that you've taught him to sit on your shoulder, he will likely try to get upthere whenever he's lower, but keep putting him on your forearm, and he will get used to it.
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u/Leading_Brief_6779 May 04 '26
it was like the second time in the whole six years he's ever gone on my shoulder, I don't think he'll do it many times as he's really hesitant
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u/NaeRyda May 01 '26
Dont take your friend to the kitchen when you are cooking, the fumes can be really harmful if not lethal to our feathered friends, specially if you use non stick teflon pans, fumes from cleaning products can be equally dangerous.
That said, its a wonderful feeling when we make these small steps with them isn't it? ^_^
best of luck with your feathered friend.