follow up bird not hand tame

Question
Thanks Chris for your previous reply.  Had him checked out for feather plucking - vet said stress - was a bird vet.  Bird has never been handled to be hand tame, any ideas on this please
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Followup To

Question -
i HAVE JUST BOUGHT A 13 YEAR OLD AFRICANGREY.  HE FEATHER PLUCKS I BELIEVE AS A RESULT OF BEING LOCKED UP IN HIS CAGE.  I HAVE HAD HIM 3 DAYS.  I LET HIM OUT OF HIS CAGE AND HE WAS DELIGHTED.  HOWEVER HE WILL NOT BE HANDLED AND HE BIT ME WHICH PUTS ME OFF OF LETTING OUT.  THIS IN TURN IS NO GOOD AS HE FEATHER PLUCKS AND NEEDS TO BE OUT OF HIS CAGE.  I CANNOT WIN.  PLEASE HELP  I AM DESPERATE

Answer -
Hi, Vicky.  Thanks for posting!

Is this grey supposed to be tame?  Where did you buy this grey from (a pet shop or an individual)?  Why would you buy an untame bird if you wanted a tame bird?  

There's many reasons why a bird plucks it's feathers.  Could be medical reasons or psychological reasons (he may not pluck himself just because he's cage bound...could be other reasons and/or a several reasons together).  You need to have medical reasons ruled out by a checkup with an avian vet  first (a bird vet, not a cat/dog vet).  If no medical reasons for the plucking, then you can try to determine what psychological reasons there are for the plucking.  This is not an easy thing to do, especially if you've only had this bird a few days.

Greys are extremely intelligent.  They must have much human interaction on a daily basis, and mental stimulation constantly is absolutely necessary in order to keep them from plucking or otherwise behaving badly.  Also, you haven't had this bird long enough for the bird to have adjusted to it's new environment in your home and to you!  Give this grey some time to settle down in your home and to get used to you.  This is especially true with a 13-year old bird.  

I need more information about this situation in order to help further.  If this bird is untame, it's possible you could work with s/he to tame s/he down, but it takes time, knowledge, and patience.  It WILL NOT happen over night.  However, this bird might be tame, just not settled down yet from being moved and having a new human.  

Come back with more information and we can take it one step at a time.  Don't give up yet!  You've only had this bird a few days.  

Thanks.

Chrys

Answer
Hi again, Vicky.

It's going to be extremely difficult to tame a 13-year old bird who's never been tame before.  

I think your first step to relieving this bird of it's feather plucking is to start letting this bird out of it's cage every day as much as possible (under your supervision), since you state the bird is delighted when you let s/he out.  The bird just might be so delighted by this that s/he will stop plucking...not a promise or guarantee, but a step in the right direction.  Often times untame parrots who've been in bad situations prior to moving to a new home are so thankful to their new human(s) for "rescuing" them, they come around fairly quickly.  However, this depends on how much bad experience they've had during their lifetimes.  When your grey is out, don't even attempt to handle s/he until the bird is comfortable with you.  Interact with your bird as much as possible without handling s/he, i.e., talk to the bird, try offering food from your hand, etc.  This process may take several months or longer.  

Once you get past that part, come back and we'll work on next steps, depending on the progress up to that point in time.

What kind of diet is your grey on?  This is important.  Also, be sure your grey gets 12 hours sleep per night...this is also important.  How plucked is this bird...a little bit or most of the feathers gone?

Chrys