|
I'm glad to hear she's perking up a bit! I hope it's just some kind of case of the derps and that she'll continue to eat.
|
#
?
Nov 15, 2012 19:16
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 20, 2024 04:45 |
|
|
She'll have you know that she does not get "the derps" as she is a regal and commanding conure.
|
|
#
?
Nov 15, 2012 19:28
|
|
|
RaspberryCommie posted:So I've got a pair of Quakers/Monks, named Amigo and Ozzie.
|
|
#
?
Nov 15, 2012 20:20
|
|
|
Battle Pigeon posted:You say it didn't stop her-did you ever, at any point, go back into the room while she was still screaming? Even if it was, say, two hours later and oh god you can't take this anymore I just want to grab something near the bird cage and can't wait anymore? When Ohtori came home, he would scream nonstop and I would have to wait for half an hour, an hour, multiple hours before he quietened down enough that I could go in and not have him think his screaming worked. In a tiny apartment with four rooms, that really sucked, especially since he's kept in the room where the computers and fun stuff is. Yeah, I usually come back after 20 or so minutes and she's stopped screaming. I'm almost certain she does it for attention as Amigo has this particular scream he does if he sees something that scares him, and she's started mimicking that and does it whenever because she knows that'll make me come check on them. As for toys, yeah, they have toys. Amigo plays with them all the time, but she doesn't even touch them. She just stays on the bottom of their cage, or up on their food container or water bottle and just stares at me all day. When I let them out of their cage, she just climbs up to the top and stares at me from there. Sometimes she divebombs my cockatiels or my head though. Never making contact, but I'm not sure if it's an attempt at play or a threatening gesture. Also she will step up, yes. But only if I can get her off of the cage to begin with. And I think she does see him as a mate, as they've attempted to mate several times. I say attempted because Amigo doesn't seem to know how to do it. DarkHorse posted:I've heard that Quakers are especially prone to being cage territorial, I'm not sure what the best fix for that is. Your best bet is operant conditioning, removing good things (you, food, toys, stimulation by a short time-out in a boring, empty room) when she's being bad and providing tons of good things when she's behaving the way you want (or at least more like the way you want). You'll have to know what is rewarding for your particular bird, and you have to be 100% consistent and always vigilant, and it's going to take a long time regardless. It seems you have a good instinct for it, so keep doing what you're doing. You can also look into clicker training, which tends to also emphasize operant conditioning. That would be a bit difficult as they both share a cage, and if I remove the toys I'd be taking them away from him as well. Plus as I said, I think I've seen her play with them once in the entire time I've had her. Anyway, I've had Amigo for nearly fifteen years now, but this is the first I've ever heard of clicker training. Maybe it's because I've never actually had to do any kind of remedial training for him?
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 00:29
|
|
|
Yeah, if everything is hunky-dory the only reason to do clicker training is if you want to do crazy complicated tricks. If there are problems, though, clicker training is great because you can reward specific actions precisely (and it also trains the trainer). Check out the dog training thread by a life less to get an idea of the proper way to do it. I'm sure there are bird-specific examples you can find online but the principles will be mostly the same. I think she goes into operant conditioning too.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 01:02
|
|
|
Novolo is much better. The vet looked her over and took some blood and pronounced her reasonably healthy. The tech did an awesome job of making sure we knew about basic bird care (and was particularly impressed that we knew things about nutrition and behavior - apparently there's a lot of seed diet birds that come in). On Saturday we will know how the cultures came out, and we have been duly chastened to not let her have any dairy at all, no matter what acrobatics she accomplishes to get to it. I've been scared straight and I won't be letting her lick my yogurty spoon any more. Thanks for putting up with my histrionic hourly posts, guys. Looks like we're out of the woods.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 05:01
|
|
|
Pile of Kittens posted:We all made it through the night, and I learned that I rather love being in an 85 degree room all night. Reminds me of Burning Man, I guess. This morning I asked my boyfriend if we could just keep our room this temperature all the time, and he just glared at me. Yay! Bird is better! Give her soy yogurt! Also, as a person of the man breed, nothing on earth is worse than trying to sleep while hot. Don't hate the glare, hate the fact that women are freezing and men are burning up AND MEN ARE FROM MARS WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS ah har har har har I hate myself. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 08:35
|
|
|
That is excellent news! See, I'm still holding out for a rare cross-species case of derps--or, more seriously, some useful results from the labwork. Keep feeling better, little Novolo.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 14:09
|
|
|
Ha, in my apartment it's the opposite. I'll be the one freezing while my girlfriend complains that it's too warm. I live vicariously through all of your birds until I have the space and money to get a derp of my own, since I remember from the Quaker my stepdad had when I was younger just how obnoxious they are when improperly raised -- good luck Novolo!
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 14:12
|
|
|
Prototypical posted:Ha, in my apartment it's the opposite. I'll be the one freezing while my girlfriend complains that it's too warm. Maybe, but if you raise them properly they're the sweetest little things. So long as you can stand the noise in the morning. Amigo likes to share my food and drink too. I never let him have anything that would be bad for him, but I let him take bits out of my hamburger or whatever. It's adorable as hell when he drinks out of my glass though. He'll hop up to the rim, and then he'll make a little burp noise before he takes a drink because he thinks that's what he's supposed to do. (And before anyone asks, I only let him do this with water, or something else appropriate for birds. Never soda or alcohol or anything)
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 14:21
|
|
|
Pile of Kittens posted:Novolo is much better. The vet looked her over and took some blood and pronounced her reasonably healthy. The tech did an awesome job of making sure we knew about basic bird care (and was particularly impressed that we knew things about nutrition and behavior - apparently there's a lot of seed diet birds that come in). On Saturday we will know how the cultures came out, and we have been duly chastened to not let her have any dairy at all, no matter what acrobatics she accomplishes to get to it. I've been scared straight and I won't be letting her lick my yogurty spoon any more. Yeah, birds can't digest dairy properly so it probably wasn't life threatening, but it's great that you brought her to the vet! Thank god Novolo is fine.  Also here's a gift, a video of my friend's parrotlet doing a sexy dance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsZGwOSuwIw Whoever said in the Gabriel Foundation thread that parrots are like soap opera actors are right, the parrotlet loves the yellow lovebird, but she doesn't like him and is a lesbian lover of another green lovebird, which in turn has a love hate relationship with my conure, who has a sort of on-off relationship with another guy's quaker. Parrots.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 14:36
|
|
|
I'm such a sucker. Novolo will totally charm me into giving her whatever I'm eating, even when I know it's not great for her. I mean, just a little won't hurt? Okay, maybe a little more... and maybe a little more... 
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 19:16
|
|
|
Don't feel bad - there's a zoo in Florida using skittles as training treats.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 19:30
|
|
|
At bird club this week, Kiwi the eclectus had his face covered in potato chip crumbs. It was kinda but also  don't give your bird salty chips please.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 19:39
|
|
|
Those are nutritionally bad, but lactose can cause an intestinal fuckup quite easily apparently. Soy yogurt it is. Good thing I live in a vegetarian house with a buncha hippies who will happily eat the extra, because I'm not eating that poo poo.
|
|
#
?
Nov 16, 2012 20:47
|
|
|
loving hell. She's back down to 54 g, but not fluffy at least. And she refuses to eat her pellets. Think I should try soaking them in soymilk? She loves my granola when it's in that.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 03:16
|
|
|
Pile of Kittens posted:loving hell. She's back down to 54 g, but not fluffy at least. And she refuses to eat her pellets. Think I should try soaking them in soymilk? She loves my granola when it's in that. Soaking pellets in orange juice and later, warm water was the only way I could get Peep to eat pellets at first. I'd suggest warming the soy milk, soaking some pellets in it, then when they're soft, mashing them up into a nice, warm, milky mash. She might well like that.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 03:21
|
|
|
I hope Novolo is doing okay!! 
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 03:36
|
|
|
I couldn't figure out what she was staring at below her cage and whining for... then I realized that she could see the bag of millet from her cage. No wonder she's refusing to eat pellets! The millet is so close.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 03:58
|
|
|
Pile of Kittens posted:I couldn't figure out what she was staring at below her cage and whining for... then I realized that she could see the bag of millet from her cage. No wonder she's refusing to eat pellets! The millet is so close. Yeah my female budgie Birdy is not usually that friendly and has never been receptive to touch or really tried to be close to me beyond preferring to be in the same room. When she sat on her cage door yesterday and started making eyes at me while singing softly I was so confused...then I realized she was staring directly into my bowl of popcorn.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 04:12
|
|
|
Zippy has also decided that whatever I'm eating is absolutely delicious and she must have it now, OMG. I've actually started leaving new foods I want her to try around the house. I'll eat from the pile in front of her and let her "find" it during exploring time so she feels very clever for discovering a forbidden treasure. Like plum. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 06:19
|
|
|
Heh, a drawing of cockatoos won me an iPod, so my attitude towards them has grown a little more positive. Thanks galahs.  Pile of Kittens posted:loving hell. She's back down to 54 g, but not fluffy at least. And she refuses to eat her pellets. Think I should try soaking them in soymilk? She loves my granola when it's in that. Wow, Ohtori is almost twice her weight. She's so tiny, even for a Green Cheek! If the vet wasn't worried though she must just be a tiny bird who's a little on the light side right now. I'd be letting her have most of the things she wants just to get her to put some weight on, and deal with any pickiness later. The idea of a conure that won't eat is completely foreign to me, though.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 15:03
|
|
|
I thought Novolo was a 'tiel, either way, I hope she gets better  Ritz has still been sneezing in the morning, way more often than usual. However, he doesnt sneeze at all throughout the day. I called the vet, they said it could be allergies, or it could be a sinus infection or something else. HIs nose looks normal, he's not blowing out any discharge or wheezing at all, and he's actually gained 3 grams since Monday, piggy. The vet charges around $220 for visit/culture or $120ish for gram stain and visit. I don't want to spend the money if I don't have to obviously, what would bird crazies do? Just thought about this.. When he makes the kiss sound, he makes it with his nose I think, so he may just be doing it because he knows that when I'm half asleep I'll sit up and look him if he sneezes. If that's the case 
Frozen Pizza Party fucked around with this message at 18:19 on Nov 17, 2012 |
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 18:14
|
|
|
SaNChEzZ posted:I thought Novolo was a 'tiel, either way, I hope she gets better Did he take a bath? Sometimes its that.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 20:40
|
|
|
SaNChEzZ posted:
Novolo sneezes for attention too, because I'll always look at her and primly say, "bless you!"
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 20:47
|
|
|
Pile of Kittens posted:Novolo sneezes for attention too, because I'll always look at her and primly say, "bless you!" Yeah, Pookie fake-sneezes all the time too, but I know for a fact that it is entirely for attention because if I get concerned and check up on her about it she runs off to a corner and giggles. This is why one of her permanent nicknames is "Dreadful" Or "Terrible Parrot". (I really do address her by both of the above when she is being really awful. She thinks they are funny.) Edit: She really is awful.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 20:54
|
|
|
I dunno.. he's sneezed twice today, but both times he was mid preen and figured it'd be a good idea to pick his nose with his toe. Birds. All other signs point to healthy, still flying around like a hellbat, playing with toys, eating food, begging to come out etc. If he's still sneezing Monday I'll take him in I guess.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 21:24
|
|
|
Pookah posted:Yeah, Pookie fake-sneezes all the time too, but I know for a fact that it is entirely for attention because if I get concerned and check up on her about it she runs off to a corner and giggles. She sounds the opposite of awful to me
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 22:07
|
|
|
I broke my birds. Archer and Charlie have been warking at each other all afternoon, by which I mean they've just been saying "wark" to each all afternoon.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2012 22:38
|
|
|
SaNChEzZ posted:I dunno.. he's sneezed twice today, but both times he was mid preen and figured it'd be a good idea to pick his nose with his toe. Birds. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 02:16
|
|
|
We got a call back from the vet. The culture came back clean, but the blood chemistry levels were all wonky in a way that indicated fatty liver disease. This is quite uncommon in young birds, apparently, so we'll be going back in for more testing next week. It won't kill her right now, so I'm not worried, just a bit exasperated with whoever was in charge of breeding and diet that resulted in a 1.5 year old conure with fatty liver disease. In conclusion, here is Novolo trying to eat my boyfriend's glasses while he takes a nap. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 03:37
|
|
|
Pile of Kittens posted:We got a call back from the vet. The culture came back clean, but the blood chemistry levels were all wonky in a way that indicated fatty liver disease. This is quite uncommon in young birds, apparently, so we'll be going back in for more testing next week. It won't kill her right now, so I'm not worried, just a bit exasperated with whoever was in charge of breeding and diet that resulted in a 1.5 year old conure with fatty liver disease. I'm sorry to hear about her health problems, but I showed my wife your picture and said "See! It's not just Scout who likes glasses!"
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 05:49
|
|
|
All birds love glasses. They also love keyboards. Why is a total mystery to us simpleminded humans.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 08:24
|
|
|
Going to call and hopefully bring Ritz to the vet tomorrow, er today. It's 1 AM and he's sneezing in his cage multiple times. It's been raining here lately so it's not dry anymore, so I doubt that's the cause. I'm going to clean his cages a bit tomorrow. It's so weird, it's only when he's in his sleep cage, when he's in the living room during the day he does his normal sneeze thing, which is if he picks his nose, or takes a bath.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 09:58
|
|
|
Pile of Kittens posted:We got a call back from the vet. The culture came back clean, but the blood chemistry levels were all wonky in a way that indicated fatty liver disease. This is quite uncommon in young birds, apparently, so we'll be going back in for more testing next week. It won't kill her right now, so I'm not worried, just a bit exasperated with whoever was in charge of breeding and diet that resulted in a 1.5 year old conure with fatty liver disease. I'm glad you have an answer, even if it's not a great one. Hopefully she'll be fine in no time and stay that way. mjs6643 posted:All birds love glasses. They also love keyboards. Why is a total mystery to us simpleminded humans. Ohtori couldn't care less when I wear mine, but when they're on the shelf above the sink then it's fun to try to throw them off before the humans see. Steve doesn't care at all, but, he's Steve. Neither of them care about keyboards unless it's to walk across them. SaNChEzZ posted:Going to call and hopefully bring Ritz to the vet tomorrow, er today. It's 1 AM and he's sneezing in his cage multiple times. It's been raining here lately so it's not dry anymore, so I doubt that's the cause. I'm going to clean his cages a bit tomorrow. It's so weird, it's only when he's in his sleep cage, when he's in the living room during the day he does his normal sneeze thing, which is if he picks his nose, or takes a bath. Anything different in the sleep cage? Could the sleeping hut have accumulated dust or anything like that?
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 14:34
|
|
|
Does any variation of toenail-buffing perches work? I hate having to clip the Tiny Bird's nails, it's a big ordeal for her and makes her super scared and mistrustful of people all over again.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 15:49
|
|
|
mjs6643 posted:All birds love glasses. They also love keyboards. Why is a total mystery to us simpleminded humans. Amigo hates my glasses. Every time I have him sitting on my shoulder he tries to rip my glasses off my face or tries to pry a lens out. I think he thinks it's some kind of animal attacking my face.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 16:59
|
|
|
Fat Dio posted:Does any variation of toenail-buffing perches work? I hate having to clip the Tiny Bird's nails, it's a big ordeal for her and makes her super scared and mistrustful of people all over again. They don't work for nails, and they can cause foot problems, so it's better to towel her. Here's a really good pictorial guide to using a towel and velcro restraint: http://www.hari.ca/first-aid-practice-makes-perfect-when-it-comes-to-towel-restraint/
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 20:35
|
|
|
My boyfriend is weird and took a video of Birdy eating some kale... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOKDgvoZsnU
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 22:27
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 20, 2024 04:45 |
|
|
I think I mentioned in the last thread, there was an advert by someone local online offering parrot training courses, and I emailed them to find out if they spoke English (yes!), if they had qualifications, what they offered, and generally nerd out about bird stuff. After a few replies they suddenly stopped responding, so I thought either they took something I said the wrong way, or didn't want to talk to someone who wasn't interested in paying. Oh well, move on. That was in September. Yesterday I got a response from them, saying sorry it took so long but they don't have internet (by choice!) and just use a friend's computer if they really need something, then gave a big reply to the last email I sent. They also asked, did I live in X area? Because their friend saw two people with a small parrot in the park while he was out walking his husky. Yup, that's definitely us. A guy with a husky, you say? It could have been someone who was just walking by in the distance, people often walk their dogs where we took Ohtori. Or, things could get even better-last time we took him out on a big walk where people were around somewhat, a couple with a husky were walking towards us. Ohtori was on my partner's back, so the couple wouldn't have been able to see him. As they walked past us, for some reason Ohtori took GREAT OFFENSE to the husky and suddenly screamed bloody murder at it (anger, not fear), frightening the couple and then embarassing them when they saw where the noise was coming from. They walked away laughing with a very confused dog. I really hope that's the friend they mentioned. Small world!
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2012 23:25
|
|