|
With my Grey, the best way to make a bird 'forget' something is to COMPLETELY ignore it when it makes the sound.
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2013 06:58
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 30, 2024 20:43 |
|
|
mikerock posted:Scout is going to make me go deaf. She picked up a screeching habit from (I think) the African Greys that were boarding at the same time she was. She didn't do this before but now she has taken to peeping really loudly and sometimes she does it on my shoulder. Will she grow out of this or will we have to train it out of her? This happened with Ozzy the first time we boarded him. He eventually stopped doing those horrid screams except for when something REALLY REALLY scares him. We did the same thing that John Don Baker suggested. Try your best to ignore her when she is making noises you don't like. Of course Ozzy also learned the high pitched contact whistle that my cockatiel uses. It sounds even more annoying coming out of a conure beak  . I don't think I'll ever get him to stop doing that one.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2013 14:37
|
|
|
It's been some weeks now and Iro still won't play with any toys, preferring instead to stare at me. I love that bird, but jesus christ girl, do something that isn't acting as if I keep you in that cage 24/7. All I have to do is glance in her direction and she'll leap off her perch and onto the wall giving me her best avian attempt at puppydog eyes. I love this drat bird. She won't stop dancing to Boney M's Rasputin song. uglynoodles fucked around with this message at 15:14 on Jan 3, 2013 |
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2013 15:11
|
|
|
uglynoodles posted:It's been some weeks now and Iro still won't play with any toys, preferring instead to stare at me. I love that bird, but jesus christ girl, do something that isn't acting as if I keep you in that cage 24/7. All I have to do is glance in her direction and she'll leap off her perch and onto the wall giving me her best avian attempt at puppydog eyes. You might need to teach Iro how to play with her toys. Bash them around with your fingers and act like a crazy person because OMG SO MUCH FUN!!! Do you have any foot toys or jingly balls? My conure loves those things. He's also a butt and still will attempt the puppydog eyes/leaping off the perch when someone walks by, but after a while he gets the hint and goes to entertain himself. It took us a while to get there too. We had to "teach" him how to play with toys when we brought him home. He's turning 4 next month and still 100% prefers to come out and take a nap in my hair than play with any toy though, no matter how cool it is. I can't really complain about that though 
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2013 15:20
|
|
|
Haha conures are always like that, I only catch mine playing with his toys if I'm peeking around the corner and he can't see me. They just act like complete angels in their cage so you'll let them out. By the way, a Taiwanese gal posted her Youtube videos in our bird group thing on Facebook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhZc_rF0Vlo Those are very adorable cockatoos.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2013 15:21
|
|
|
Man, I know that bird is trained and all, but I'd be scared to death of it flying away and something bad happening.
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2013 15:36
|
|
|
Yeah I wouldn't dare let a pet bird really fly around like that, but I guess it's a culture thing, in Asia it's more common to leave your pet parrot fully flighted. There are a lot of accidents so I don't dare to risk it though. But it's a lot safer for big birds, most of the lost pet reports I have are for smaller birds like cockatiels or conures. 
|
|
#
?
Jan 3, 2013 16:12
|
|
|
Zupreem club just sent me an e-mail about a website they're sponsoring to analyze different bird foods: http://www.birdfoodfacts.com/ It lets you add different foods into a mix by percentage and gives you a breakdown of protein/fat/fiber/moisture. It's kinda neat to play with, but doesn't give any vitamin breakdowns that I can see. I thought it was relavent to some of the pellet vs. homemade mixes chat we had a couple pages ago.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 03:39
|
|
|
There's a parrot trainer around this area that has his birds fully flighted and lets them fly around his reserve at home. It scares the crap out of me to think about that.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 04:06
|
|
|
mikerock posted:Scout is going to make me go deaf. She picked up a screeching habit from (I think) the African Greys that were boarding at the same time she was. She didn't do this before but now she has taken to peeping really loudly and sometimes she does it on my shoulder. Will she grow out of this or will we have to train it out of her? I've had good luck (with my GCC) with taking her off my shoulder if she makes a noise that's too loud. It doesn't keep her from making objectionable noises in general, but there is a definite limit past which she will be put on the ground and ignored. It helps that she's super codependent and HATES being ignored.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 04:38
|
|
|
Pile of Kittens posted:She's super codependent and HATES being ignored. gcc.txt
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 04:46
|
|
|
Does anyone else have a cockatiel that looooves being pet? I was able to scritch Pichus head and after maturing, shes way more fussy and even when she accepts headpets shes doing that peeved cockatiel beaking notquitebiting at my finger most of the time. Bart is so much different; when he first came home with me he was a bit more fussy and unsure of people. He'd bite a lot harder than I was used to when doing that annoyed cockatiel beaking. Nowadays, I can handle him a lot easier, he doesnt beak as hard, and be super cuddly- super headrubs, stroking his back, holding him in cupped hands or to my chest (Pichu I know would protest wildly at this), grab his beak, etc. Either way, I love it. Pip pip pip posted:Zupreem club just sent me an e-mail about a website they're sponsoring to analyze different bird foods: http://www.birdfoodfacts.com/ Not really sure how to use this website honestly. I played with it a little bit, with all the good pellet diets and then compared to the worst seed mixes I could find on that list (which mostly fell into acceptable range). Doesnt..tell me much other than the statement 'Your food is okay' ....and various premade diets differ wildly in those categories..fiber, fat, etc. Weird. I can see it being a bit more helpful for people who play around with making their own food though(mixing up veggies, fruits, seeds, etc)- but not for the typical bird owner. I like the faq though.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 05:46
|
|
|
Pip pip pip posted:Zupreem club just sent me an e-mail about a website they're sponsoring to analyze different bird foods: http://www.birdfoodfacts.com/ I wanted to like this, since 80-90% of my bird's food is fresh/homemade, but I tried recreating the latest version of her morning mash and found the whole site hard to use. The pellets I feed aren't even on that list.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 06:11
|
|
|
Anybody got tips for trimming a budgie's toenails? I don't have any problem with my cockatiel since he's bigger and clumsy and not as likely to run away. He's used to being handled and carried around and everything but he's still pretty flighty if he thinks I'm actively try to catch him (or it's bedtime). He's so little I'm worried about trying to towel him and put him in a headlock like I do with my cockatiel.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 06:51
|
|
|
Malalol posted:Doesnt..tell me much other than the statement 'Your food is okay' ....and various premade diets differ wildly in those categories..fiber, fat, etc. Weird. I see your point. I think it would be better used to assess relative quality of foods based on what you think your bird needs. Example: My bird needs less fat in his diet, and pellet A has less fat by percentage than the pellet I am currently feeding. Or if I adjust the ratios in my home-made mix, I can get a better macronutrient split that matched what my vet suggested. I suppose if one is really making something from scratch, you could just make a recipe in whatever calorie counter program you fancy and it would get the macro split along with the vitamins. Probably wouldn't give moisture content though.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 14:27
|
|
|
I called my partner last night and heard Steve in the background, whistling his butchered version of the Imperial March I'm back home on Sunday-wonder how they'll react to me this time.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 14:42
|
|
|
Those of you who work with rescues/zoos who house parrots: any materials advice for building large parrot (macaw/cockatoo) flight cages? I've finally bought a house and am going to turn one room into a parrot flight for the goddamn goffin. I'm thinking about something like http://www.wirewall.com which I've seen recommended in a couple other places, but wondered if anyone had any practical experience with other wire mesh materials. Cost is not a concern, I just don't know where to start looking.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 15:57
|
|
|
I miss having a bird so much - I used to have a cockatiel as a kid (we had a lot of fun together, and is partially the reason I have my username), and so I've been thinking about getting a parrot recently. After reading through this thread, I figured I should probably post something to see if it's even a good idea for me to get one in my current living situation. Any advice would be helpful. I currently work a full 8 hour day, so I wouldn't be home until (in winter) after dark. I'm not sure if this is a problem with certain species, but I figured it would be a good idea to bring up. I've been looking at Conures because I absolutely LOVE how they look and sound, and from what I've read here, read other places, and seen on youtube videos, they seem to be pretty intelligent and fun. I've been poking around different places in the area to find the bird for me, and found there's a parrot rescue in my state! http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?shelterid=MN340 and they have a Conure! ... but they don't know his age, which made me think, if I were to adopt an older bird, how likely would it be that it would be okay with a new owner? Another question I have is somewhat in regard to cage size, but mostly about cage features. I'm looking at this cage, as it seems to be very reasonably priced for its size (which I believe would be large enough since I don't plan on keeping my theoretical bird locked up while I'm home, which is most of the time). What kind of cage toys would work best with it? (I suppose this also depends on the personality of the theoretical bird. Would there be any toys to simply avoid looking at all together because they're just bad choices in general?) Finally, what kind of treats work well for Conures? Again, I realize that it will vary from bird to bird, and a list of things to NOT feed as treats would be insanely long, but I'd like to find something that would work as a reward for training. Sorry if these questions are stupid, but I don't want to go into bird ownership without knowing as much as possible. The last thing I want to do is be an irresponsible pet owner, because whenever I hear about neglected pets it breaks my heart. Thanks in advance for any advice you guys can provide (even if the advice is blunt or harsh.)
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 17:00
|
|
|
alucinor posted:Those of you who work with rescues/zoos who house parrots: any materials advice for building large parrot (macaw/cockatoo) flight cages?
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 17:23
|
|
|
unprofessional posted:I was told that galvanized wire was an issue for birds that like to chew, but it wasn't explained to me why that is. Galvanization is the application of a zinc coating. Birds can ingest enough zinc from galvanized wire (either through direct removal of the zinc coating or through it leeching into food or other chewable materials) that it accumulates in their body and kills them from metal toxicity. Apparently some types of galvanizing are okay, but I'm leaning towards stainless steel or powdercoated steel options. unprofessional posted:How much is cost not an issue? If you're totally loaded, start looking through some of the suppliers on AZA.org. BITCHIN. This was exactly what I needed. Yeah not quite totally loaded, but I only need something like 10'x10'x8' (basically enclosing the inside of a room so he can't damage the drywall) so a couple-three thousand is fine. I've had this fucker for 18 years, whatever I buy is gonna have to last another 60+ so I'm willing to splurge.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 18:10
|
|
|
YarPirate posted:CONURES FOR THE CONURE GOD As long as you give your bird plenty of love when you're home, and toys/activities/treats to entertain it while you're at work, I don't think working full-time is a huge issue. As far as treats go, most conures seem to love Nutri-Berries, millet spray, sunflower seeds, apples and carrots. I've found sunflower seeds work really well as training treats, because they're relatively small and quickly eaten.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 19:47
|
|
|
LITERALLY A BIRD posted:As long as you give your bird plenty of love when you're home, and toys/activities/treats to entertain it while you're at work, I don't think working full-time is a huge issue. As far as treats go, most conures seem to love Nutri-Berries, millet spray, sunflower seeds, apples and carrots. I've found sunflower seeds work really well as training treats, because they're relatively small and quickly eaten. Ooh, sunflower seeds sound great. Do you use shelled or whole?
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 20:41
|
|
|
YarPirate posted:Ooh, sunflower seeds sound great. Do you use shelled or whole? Whole if the bird likes to crack the shells open, otherwise shelled is fine. Absolutely no salt or other seasonings of course. Keep in mind they should be a special treat only, your bird should NOT be eating many seeds as they are high fat content. You can also use small bits of Cheerios for training aids, or crackers. The macaw shelter that Lenswork volunteers at uses Nilla wafers, though for a conure you'd have to break it into very little bits. Per my warning on the previous page, it's really important to make sure your bird is on a healthy, low-fat-content diet to avoid fatty liver disease or other nasty dietary-related diseases. Seeds and other "unhealthy" treats are ok as training tools but only if the rest of their diet is very low fat content.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 20:58
|
|
|
Kenshin posted:Whole if the bird likes to crack the shells open, otherwise shelled is fine. Absolutely no salt or other seasonings of course. Keep in mind they should be a special treat only, your bird should NOT be eating many seeds as they are high fat content. Are birds like dogs at all in that switching their diet even a tiny bit can produce noticeable behavior changes? My initial thought is (assuming I'm able to find the right bird from the rescue) to simply use the same diet that it was receiving from the caregivers there... I'm especially interested in what vehicle for protein they'd be using (before reading this thread, it didn't really occur to me to give a bird meat), because I have to admit I'd feel a little bad feeding my bird some chicken (yeah, I know), and would have to substitute something else. I couldn't find much information on what is probably a stupid question, but I'll ask it anyways: Would protein powder be acceptable in any form? Obviously the artificial flavoring, sweetener, and coloring would be bad, so assume the powder in question wouldn't have any of those.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 22:11
|
|
|
YarPirate posted:Are birds like dogs at all in that switching their diet even a tiny bit can produce noticeable behavior changes? My initial thought is (assuming I'm able to find the right bird from the rescue) to simply use the same diet that it was receiving from the caregivers there... I'm especially interested in what vehicle for protein they'd be using (before reading this thread, it didn't really occur to me to give a bird meat), because I have to admit I'd feel a little bad feeding my bird some chicken (yeah, I know), and would have to substitute something else. I couldn't find much information on what is probably a stupid question, but I'll ask it anyways: Would protein powder be acceptable in any form? Obviously the artificial flavoring, sweetener, and coloring would be bad, so assume the powder in question wouldn't have any of those. Except: 1. Individual birds may freak out because they aren't used to eating something and want what they prefer to eat 2. Bad diets can cause behavioral or psychological issues and good diets can contribute to fixing those issues. I don't think you'd want to feed your bird protein powder. Your bird should be getting protein from beans, including beans in good organic pellets. It's also ok to feed your bird small bits of fish or even chicken occasionally. (yes, as strange as it sounds, our Amazon Parrot thinks that munching on a bit of chicken is delicious). But really a bean blend (kidney, chick pea, pinto, etc) is going to be a very good source of protein for your bird. Others can pipe in here with suggestions, and Lenswork is the one who makes all the food for our parrot so she'll be able to give better details. Assuming that the parrot rescue is a good place there may be no reason to switch the bird's diet aside from bringing in more variety--they are likely already feeding the birds a healthy, appropriate diet.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 22:23
|
|
|
Kenshin beat me to it, but yeah, don't feed the bird protein powder. Beans are your best way to go, and -- here's the secret -- if the bird is stubborn about trying them, let it eat them off your plate so it thinks it's being super slick and stealing your food. Amadeus looooves my homemade chili and munches away on the beans he "steals" from me.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 22:26
|
|
|
LITERALLY A BIRD posted:Kenshin beat me to it, but yeah, don't feed the bird protein powder. Beans are your best way to go, and -- here's the secret -- if the bird is stubborn about trying them, let it eat them off your plate so it thinks it's being super slick and stealing your food. Exactly, Zippy does the same thing. The best food is stolen food. New/potential bird owners: please look up "crop burn" and make sure you never ever ever let your bird eat food at a high temperature!!
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 22:29
|
|
|
You can also give eggs, scrambled, and even egg shells for calcium. Tofu is another good source, the only beans Ritz will eat is Garbonzos, but he LOVES tofu. So he gets a sprinkle of that along with veggies, pellets and seeds.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 22:42
|
|
|
Good to know! Crop burn sounds like a terrible, terrible way to go. So since I'm pretty much set on a rescue bird, I need to know... is it possible that the bird wouldn't warm up to me (ever)? The thing I am most nervous about is having a bird that would be afraid to interact with me in any way (although I would totally understand there being a need for an adjustment period.) Are there any toys that are pretty much guaranteed to be a good choice, or is it likely going to be a process of trial and error?
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 23:02
|
|
|
Crop burn is sad and terrifying. Even if the food isn't crop burn-hot you still need to be careful with the temperatures of your birds' meals, though. A burned tongue is a nightmare for a parrot. Toys that make a racket and things to chew and shred are always a hit! Ama's cage is stuffed with toys but he ignores anything that doesn't jangle, crunch, or rattle. It's pretty cute, instead of screaming when he wants to come out he starts spinning the toy next to the cage door. It's his doorbell.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 23:08
|
|
|
YarPirate posted:So since I'm pretty much set on a rescue bird, I need to know... is it possible that the bird wouldn't warm up to me (ever)? The thing I am most nervous about is having a bird that would be afraid to interact with me in any way (although I would totally understand there being a need for an adjustment period.) That said, if the bird enjoys interacting with you in the setting it is familiar with (the rescue) it is pretty reasonable to assume it will also like you once it is comfortable in your home.
|
|
#
?
Jan 4, 2013 23:25
|
|
|
Kenshin posted:Yes, it is a possibility. However, from what I've heard, this is much more likely in larger birds like macaws and cockatoos than it is in the smaller highly-social birds like conures. Also, if a bird doesn't take to you, the adoption agency probably won't let you have it judging on how they usually work. But there's a feathered friend out there for you somewhere!
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 00:38
|
|
|
Conversely, you could still visit with birds that detest all of humanity but fall immediately in love with you and be a match made in heaven. I like to pretend I had a choice in the matter when I adopted Zeke and Zoe. Birds.
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 02:33
|
|
|
Official Bizness posted:Conversely, you could still visit with birds that detest all of humanity but fall immediately in love with you and be a match made in heaven. I like to pretend I had a choice in the matter when I adopted Zeke and Zoe. Birds. Incidentally, every story I've ever heard about GCCs/their owners indicates that the bird, the person, or both fall in love at first sight, the sort of love that moves mountains and sets the air afire. Could be confirmation bias, but I prefer to chalk it up to the fact that conures are goddamn magical.
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 02:40
|
|
|
I can confirm, when I saw Iro in the back of the cage with some cinnamons, I knew it was meant to be. We spent a few minutes staring at each other. It was definitely magical (or just bird crazy behaviour.) I second LITERALLY's 'More Conures for the Conure God' sentiment. That sounds like a subtitle for a new avatar for me. I got Iro a natural branch perch, a big twisty thing made from a Malaysian coffee tree. It's beautiful and has many different knobbles for her to scramble around on and she makes great use of it! I'm noticing a good difference too in that her clawtips don't cut me when she's sat on my hand anymore. They're still sharp, but wearing down. I'm spelling it Iro now because Iro is apparently the name of a Greek Goddess whose husband went to sea to war and she stayed behind lighting a beacon every night for him to come home. It kind of reminds me of a far more poetic version of what happens when I have to leave the room to go to the bathroom.
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 02:48
|
|
|
LITERALLY A BIRD posted:Incidentally, every story I've ever heard about GCCs/their owners indicates that the bird, the person, or both fall in love at first sight, the sort of love that moves mountains and sets the air afire. Could be confirmation bias, but I prefer to chalk it up to the fact that conures are goddamn magical. This is actually an AOE attack. Totally hits local family members too. My father (who lives two hours away) has a dislike for ALL animals (too dirty disease carrying etc) and loves this little dude.
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 02:53
|
|
|
LITERALLY A BIRD posted:Incidentally, every story I've ever heard about GCCs/their owners indicates that the bird, the person, or both fall in love at first sight, the sort of love that moves mountains and sets the air afire. Could be confirmation bias, but I prefer to chalk it up to the fact that conures are goddamn magical. Apparently this does not apply to Blue-throated conures.  He'd move heaven and earth for a cashew or sausage, though.
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 02:56
|
|
|
Cockatiels have the same power. My mom is a bit spooked by birds but I have to do a FaceTime call at least once a week so she can say hi to Ellie
Shark Sandwich fucked around with this message at 03:26 on Jan 5, 2013 |
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 03:14
|
|
|
YarPirate posted:Good to know! Crop burn sounds like a terrible, terrible way to go. Proper training and socialization goes a long way to preventing that, however. The bird is still going to have its favorites, but absent that person in the room it should end up tolerating or even loving other people. It sounds like you're approaching this the right way, and doing a good job considering the bird. Good luck, I hope you find a good birdy buddy! I had to pass up a "Fallow" GCC. It's one that my SO noticed and convinced her that maybe birds could be pretty cool; it would chirp curiously and nibble on fingers. Today when she showed it to me though it looked like it was bad tempered and tried to bite my finger some. I hope it was just tired and cranky, and not a victim of being in a pet shop all alone. If I could responsibly have a parrot I probably would have snatched her up.
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 03:27
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 30, 2024 20:43 |
|
|
mjs6643 posted:Cockatiels have the same power. My mom is a bit spooked by birds but I have to do a FaceTime call at least once a week so she can say hi to Ellie Ladytiels are the sweetest things on the planet. I refuse to believe anything different.  I'm feeling kindof guilty tonight. I decided to clip Nugget's wings after letting her be flighted for a couple months because she has started to be really naughty about flying to inapropriate places. She is all sad-looking and puffed up on my shoulder now 
|
|
#
?
Jan 5, 2013 03:57
|
|