Carpet Scratching

Hi there
i have only just joined, my grey who is now 4years old has started
to fray our rug ,
if he is out of his cage and no-one is taking any notice of him or her
(not had it sexed)
he will rub his beak up and down the rug its not always in the same
place but he does do damage to the rug. i was told that its something
to do with breeding season
 >> Stay informed about: Carpet Scratching 

thanks steve, i think you may be right on the foraging, it was the
single patch that concerned me more, but the security issue does make
sense as well! He often sits on a lamp in the hallway well away from
all windows for an hour or so if he has been startled.

Every night about 10pm he says "bedtime now" and always starts the day
with my flat mates "good morning" when the cover comes off. :)

M and O

Steve wrote:
> Murry and Oz wrote:
> > Hi Guys, Just joined the group and am keen to know anyones opinion of
> > Carpet Scratching, like feet wiping, beak on the floor, sometimes it
> > happens next to an object he likes, my keys, my shoes etc, but there is
> > one patch where Oscar goes behind the door and has now created a bald
> > patch in the carpet, as i wasnt listening closely enough to what he was
> > up to! (still got the bits, will glue them back in!) he doesnt eat it,
> > it just gets tossed aside as does everything!
> >
> > Anyone any ideas? someone has previously suggested nesting? I have not
> > had him sexed.
> >
> > some background;- Oscar is 4, i've known him since he was three weeks
> > old and had him at home since he was 12wks. He isnt clipped, has the
> > run of the house, he is out of the cage as often as i can let him, in
> > fact he is sat on the monitor half asleep watching me now.
> >
> > look forward to hearing from you all.
> >
> >
> > Murry and Oz.
>
> Hello Murry and Oz.
> I think trying to work out why Greys do the odd things they do is a
> fascinating persuit.
> Could it be that your parrot's carpet scratching relates to their
> ground forageing in the wild?
> Its hard to say why he might pick on one particlar place. Perhaps he
> feels more secure behind the door. In the wild ground foraging is a
> group activity for Greys but there are usualy sentinel birds who keep a
> watch for predators. They are vulnerable on the ground and they know
> this.
> My GAG Misty is the same age as yours but now that he is fully flighted
> he rarely goes on the floor. He does like to scratch around the floor
> of his cage. Like yours he spends most of his time out and also has the
> freedom of the house. The only time he is put in his cage is when there
> is no one in the house or when I go to bed. The first thing he asks in
> the morning is "cn I comeout"
>
> Steve n Misty
 >> Stay informed about: Carpet Scratching 

thanks steve, i think you may be right on the foraging, it was the
single patch that concerned me more, but the security issue does make
sense as well! He often sits on a lamp in the hallway well away from
all windows for an hour or so if he has been startled.

Every night about 10pm he says "bedtime now" and always
starts the day
with my flat mates "good morning" when the cover comes off.
:)

M and O

Steve wrote:
> Murry and Oz wrote:
> Hi Guys, Just joined the group and am keen to know anyones opinion
of
> Carpet Scratching, like feet wiping, beak on the floor, sometimes it
> happens next to an object he likes, my keys, my shoes etc, but there
is
> one patch where Oscar goes behind the door and has now created a
bald
> patch in the carpet, as i wasnt listening closely enough to what he
was
> up to! (still got the bits, will glue them back in!) he doesnt eat
it,
> it just gets tossed aside as does everything!
>
> Anyone any ideas? someone has previously suggested nesting? I have
not
> had him sexed.
>
> some background;- Oscar is 4, i've known him since he was three
weeks
> old and had him at home since he was 12wks. He isnt clipped, has the
> run of the house, he is out of the cage as often as i can let him,
in
> fact he is sat on the monitor half asleep watching me now.
>
> look forward to hearing from you all.
>
>
> Murry and Oz.
>
> Hello Murry and Oz.
> I think trying to work out why Greys do the odd things they do is a
> fascinating persuit.
> Could it be that your parrot's carpet scratching relates to their
> ground forageing in the wild?
> Its hard to say why he might pick on one particlar place. Perhaps he
> feels more secure behind the door. In the wild ground foraging is a
> group activity for Greys but there are usualy sentinel birds who
keep a
> watch for predators. They are vulnerable on the ground and they know
> this.
> My GAG Misty is the same age as yours but now that he is fully
flighted
> he rarely goes on the floor. He does like to scratch around the
floor
> of his cage. Like yours he spends most of his time out and also has
the
> freedom of the house. The only time he is put in his cage is when
there
> is no one in the house or when I go to bed. The first thing he asks
in
> the morning is "cn I comeout"
>
> Steve n Misty
 >> Stay informed about: Carpet Scratching 

basanistes wrote:
> "Steve" wrote in message
>
> >
>
> > watch for predators. They are vulnerable on the ground and they know
> > this.
> > My GAG Misty is the same age as yours but now that he is fully flighted
> > he rarely goes on the floor. He does like to scratch around the floor
> > of his cage. Like yours he spends most of his time out and also has the
> > freedom of the house. The only time he is put in his cage is when there
> > is no one in the house or when I go to bed. The first thing he asks in
> > the morning is "cn I comeout"
> >
>
> How did he learn that?
> Did you say that phrase during opening the cage?

I am not sure. I would say "do you want to come out" and it seems to
have morfed from there.
Its the only time he seems to refer to himself as "I". If I put him in
because I have to go out
then he will say "got to go out" and then "won't be long" or sometimes
"bye bye" This is obviously picked up from things I say when I go out.
On the other hand if I put him in due to bad behavior
usualy when he has bit me to hard in play, he is quiet for about a
minute and then its "good boy ....no biting... can i cmout" after that
I have to let him out :-) He knows that "no biting" is assosiated with
biting as he says it when he is play biting with me. I dont think he
understands the word "no" yet but I live in hope :-)
He uses "stoppit" when he thinks I am teasing him such as when I have
food that he wants and I don't give it to him. This started when I was
teaching him to name food items which he got quite good at. He
ovbiously thought I was teasing him in the end so I stopped doing that.
When he wants to sleep at night he says "bedtime" but that dosn't mean
he wants to go inside I think he mean for me to be quiet to let him get
some peace.
He is adout four years old and I have had him for about two. He picks
up new words quickly especially if he associates them with some things
or actions that interests him. It takes about a day for the new word to
emerge. He is good at picking up names of both new people and cats. He
doesn't know any dogs. I have to say it is fascinating watching him
develop.

Steve n Misty
 >> Stay informed about: Carpet Scratching 

"Steve" wrote in message

>

> watch for predators. They are vulnerable on the ground and they know
> this.
> My GAG Misty is the same age as yours but now that he is fully flighted
> he rarely goes on the floor. He does like to scratch around the floor
> of his cage. Like yours he spends most of his time out and also has the
> freedom of the house. The only time he is put in his cage is when there
> is no one in the house or when I go to bed. The first thing he asks in
> the morning is "cn I comeout"
>

How did he learn that?
Did you say that phrase during opening the cage?
 >> Stay informed about: Carpet Scratching 

"Steve" wrote in message

>
> basanistes wrote:
>> "Steve" wrote in message
>>
>> >
>>
>> > watch for predators. They are vulnerable on the ground and they know
>> > this.
>> > My GAG Misty is the same age as yours but now that he is fully flighted
>> > he rarely goes on the floor. He does like to scratch around the floor
>> > of his cage. Like yours he spends most of his time out and also has the
>> > freedom of the house. The only time he is put in his cage is when there
>> > is no one in the house or when I go to bed. The first thing he asks in
>> > the morning is "cn I comeout"
>> >
>>
>> How did he learn that?
>> Did you say that phrase during opening the cage?
>
> I am not sure. I would say "do you want to come out" and it seems to
> have morfed from there.
> Its the only time he seems to refer to himself as "I". If I put him in
> because I have to go out
> then he will say "got to go out" and then "won't be long" or sometimes
> "bye bye" This is obviously picked up from things I say when I go out.
> On the other hand if I put him in due to bad behavior
> usualy when he has bit me to hard in play, he is quiet for about a
> minute and then its "good boy ....no biting... can i cmout" after that
> I have to let him out :-) He knows that "no biting" is assosiated with
> biting as he says it when he is play biting with me. I dont think he
> understands the word "no" yet but I live in hope :-)
> He uses "stoppit" when he thinks I am teasing him such as when I have
> food that he wants and I don't give it to him. This started when I was
> teaching him to name food items which he got quite good at. He
> ovbiously thought I was teasing him in the end so I stopped doing that.
> When he wants to sleep at night he says "bedtime" but that dosn't mean
> he wants to go inside I think he mean for me to be quiet to let him get
> some peace.
> He is adout four years old and I have had him for about two. He picks
> up new words quickly especially if he associates them with some things
> or actions that interests him. It takes about a day for the new word to
> emerge. He is good at picking up names of both new people and cats. He
> doesn't know any dogs. I have to say it is fascinating watching him
> develop.
>
> Steve n Misty

It's an honour to God!

Can you put him on youtube.com?
 >> Stay informed about: Carpet Scratching