I have been given an African Grey, she is 6 months old, she bites, I have only had her a few days. I am just looking for advice on how to put her at ease and for her to trust me. She is eating and drinking, and I talk gently to her a lot. Any advice?
Hi Jane,
I’m sorry you are having trouble with your new bird. Was she hand fed? It’s unusual for a hand fed bird to already be biting. Are you sure about her age? At 6 months old, her eyes should still be fairly dark to light grey. If her eyes are light yellow, she is a year or older. Once a Grey’s eye color changes to the adult color, there is no way to know her age. So far you are doing the right thing, letting her get used to you by just being near her and talking to her. Greys are very intelligent, and if she is already biting at this age, then someone didn’t give her a good start. Before her behavior gets any worse, I think it is very important for you to consult with an African Grey expert. I am going to refer you to Lisa Bono, our resident Grey expert. Lisa manages a Facebook group of African Grey owners, and she will be the best person to help you. She will need more details about the bird, as far as whether she was hand fed, did she have a previous owner or did she come from a breeder. You can email Lisa at theplatinumparrot@verizon.net and I will also email both of you directly to introduce you.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
