|
Some new pictures mixed with old ones! Ivanicus is a Hawk-headed parrot. These are also known as Red-Fan parrots, for the particular crest they have.  Hawkheads are known to talk, but they are also good immitators. Ivan doesn't speak very well (Up up, Hewo and a high pitched'woooow'), but I have known him to immitate a few of the local birds, microwaves, telephones, whistles and the like. When he is begging for juice he makes a sound that is remarkably similar to fast-dripping water. If Ivan is any indicator, they aren't the brightest creatures, so if you want a feathered Einstein I'd look elsewhere.  (Note: The image above is exactly when you don't want your fingers near him) Hawkheads are notorious for being vicious birds with very nasty temperments. They are medium-sized birds, so are easily 'handled' in that sense, but they are very prone to biting and screaming. I was foolish in choosing Ivan as my first parrot, but I love him so much that I wouldn't have it any other way.  Despite him giving me countless scars on my hands and fingers (as well as on my poor friends and family) he is a lovable goof who, in the end, wants nothing more than to eat strawberries and cuddle me at the end of the day. I should be more persistant with clicker-training, as it has helped immensely with Scream Training and Bite training. From what I've heard, Ivan is a very friendly Hawkhead, which says a lot about the average one.  He doesn't do any fancy tricks, but he will give me kisses when he wants to go back home. His favorite toys are wooden blocks, jingling bells, suede or leather binding, pinecones, sunflowers, corn and the little jingly cat toys. If it makes noise, Ivan will either love it or hate it. Either way it will be torn to pieces. He is potty-trained, in that he has specific areas he can poop (on newspaper, in or around cage, outside of the apartment on the grass/pavement). He does still revenge-poops, but that's the only time he poops where he is not allowed to. I'll admit that he kinda trained himself there, it was completely on accident. Fun fact! Many species have a 'second eyelid' for protecting themselves from sharp objects (like other beaks). I accidently caught Ivan's on photo here.  In summation: Pros: On the smaller side, beautiful colors, snuggly and isn't too picky on food. Very hardy and is tolerant to strangers if I take him to places he hasn't claimed for himself. Is okay if I leave him alone most of the day and can easily entertain himself if needed (read: not a cockatoo). Cons: Will tear through leather, shred windowsills, and crush your fingers if the mood takes him. He is extremely defiant and daring if he feels threatened (by, say, a strange hairdo). And oh god is he LOUD if he decides to have a screaming fit. Thankfully the training has helped tons so that's not so much a problem anymore. Still, I am thankful the lock on his cage is made to be un-pickable. Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 08:05 on Oct 27, 2012 |
#
¿
Oct 27, 2012 06:44
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 3, 2024 19:37 |
|
|
Deadly Chlorine posted:Oh my god there's an adorable hawk head parrot at a pet shop nearby! Must resist bringing him home... I demand that if anyone here purchases this bird we must compare fluffed crests. Ivan demands it as well. Or he may be begging for food. Hard to tell.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 6, 2012 18:45
|
|
|
Deadly Chlorine posted:UPDATE Oh man an Ivan cousin! Huzzah! You must provide pictures when you can, and I hope your friend was adequately warned about their tempers.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 7, 2012 07:51
|
|
|
Slinky Weasel posted:
Ivan(icus) is a wonderful name and I approve! Just make sure he's every bit as spoiled as my hawkhead is and we are cool.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 27, 2013 10:10
|
|
|
Oof, it's been a bit and I swear I keep up with the thread, I'm just quiet about it. Apple keyboards are something Ivan knows if he pecks at it he doesn't get cuddles. It's gotten to the point that he will sit on the keys of my macbook just so he can get more of my attention. It works and the keyboard gets to remain in tact. What's great is he doesn't care for the regular keyboard for the PC. It must be how thin the keys are? In other news I was super excited last time we went to Omar's. I take Ivan for grooming and to socialize him a little and every time I go in someone stops me and asks about him. This week there was a middle-aged mother and her two teenagers looking around, petting the cockatoos and all that. The mom asked some questions about Hawkheads and explained they were interested in a pet bird, but didn't plan on getting anything right away as there was much to learn. She happily questioned me about birds in general for the better part of an hour and it was really refreshing to see someone trying to approach it from a sane angle. After a while Ivan kept asking to go home by offering me kiss after kiss (which impressed her) and I ended the conversation with a few book reccomendations. Although I was a little irritated at the one of the teens for touching Ivan without my permission, I'm rather impressed he did little more than glare at her. I pointed out to the mom that it is not OK to do that but we left it at that. The other teen asked and followed my directions, but panicked when he fluffed and dropped a feather. 
|
|
#
¿
Mar 11, 2013 00:05
|
|
|
Bird Crazies I hate to make this post. But I need help. Ivan has grown extremely aggressive as of late, and I cannot place a particular reason why. I think it's an attention issue. However, it's gotten to the point that I cannot handle him without fear, and it breaks my heart. I am attempting to re-introduce clicker training and a reward system but I am finding that, perhaps due to my errors or otherwise, this is failing. This is a problem that has been slowly escalating for some time and has come to a point tonight. I have had vet visits, a trip to Omar's for a trim, bloodwork done and anything I can think of and he is showing an abolutely clean bill of health, this all points to a behavioral issue. The vet was quick to point out that other than looking a little frazzled and a stress bar here and there he's one of the healthiest birds he's seen. He's perfectly well behaved at the vet and at omar's but on the ride over he did try to bite me through the carrier. This was a few days ago. In the last couple months the following has happened, either out of my control or not: My roommate (that Ivan dislikes) cut and dyed their hair(maybe 6 weeks ago) I went on a 5 day trip to the mountains (4 weeks ago) I recently got a new, full time job (two weeks ago). I was part-time before for about 3 months, full time before that. His schedule has adjusted so that he sleeps earlier (2 weeks ago) There are robins outside that I am sure he talks/flirts to(I don't know when they got there) Flock calling has increased, in process of training this again (months ago) Unfortunately I have to pay rent, so the job and the roommate must stay. I've put him to bed earlier to try to make up for how early I've been waking him up. I give him attention when I wake up and when I get home, with cuddles and the like. However, he is now ignoring the bite training that worked for years. Pressure on the tongue he ignores or simply lets go to lunge again. Throwing off his balance makes him jump off and go for my feet. Flipping him upside down makes him do similar. This week I have recieved 9 marked bites alone, not including the ones through the towels that didn't take chunks out of me. Tonight he lunged for my face with no warning. He bit my finger without pinning his eyes, making happy chirping sounds afterwards. I try not to make noise or to deeply say "no" when he bites. The latest bite took a sizable chunk off my middle finger and I couldn't help but cry out in pain after about two seconds. He responded with amused cries. It's at the point I need an animal behavioralist and as much as I hate it, I admit I am a little frightened of my bird. He attacks my shoes when I stand up at full height. He lunges out of his cage at me and the roommate. We do not feel safe in our own Apartment, which is a studio. I feel at the end of the rope and a bad bird mom. Does anyone know if there is someone in the LA/Orange/San Diego area who can help me? He turned 9 today. He's still very young for a hawkhead. I just feel like I'm in too deep now. Edit: Yes they are notoriously ill-tempered. My teenage self bought him thinking it was a challenge. I'm really kicking myself at this point, but I love him. Sanchez, I'm sorry that we are in the same boat. I guess we'll figure this out together. Edit Edit: I was changing the bandage anyway. Timg'd for a little bit of blood. 
Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 07:20 on May 3, 2013 |
|
#
¿
May 3, 2013 06:04
|
|
|
SaNChEzZ posted:It's all the lower beak, which I don't want to file as I'd pretty much have to pry his mouth open. And yeah, he doesn't bite too hard on accident, nor does he do it in attack mode, he just... does it. It's like a nervous tick or something, he'll waddle over, get snuggly, then bite as if our fingers are toys, he just outright enjoys doing it I think. I think it's from being a baby at petco, watching the people handle him they didn't really enforce no biting, they just shrugged it off so he's used to it perhaps? I dunno, but we've tried everything and cannot break him of it. It's okay. He has attacked my feet even with shoes. I cannot rely on that. He will run at me and when that fails, run back for his cage (I assume to climb up and lunge at me from height). Toweling him results in biting through the towel. I have to hold my fingers in a ring around his neck in order to not be bitten at all. He *will* calm down just long enough for me to let go or pick him up so he can attack me again. His beak was *just* filed short and dull, that bloody bite is with the dull beak. I'm struggling to keep that skin on my finger, honestly. It's much deeper than it looks in the picture. The only thing that has worked is putting him in his carry crate (which is now associated with punishment and I hate that). It's simply so I can move him without bleeding.
|
|
#
¿
May 3, 2013 07:31
|
|
|
Pip pip pip posted:Chaosfeather,I wish I had good advice for you, but it sounds like you are already doing everything that I would suggest. Do you think it has to do with the weather warming up and maybe Ivan becoming hormonal? I don't really know much about hawkheads, but I would assume that 9 years old is past puberty age. I hope you can find an animal behaviorist or some other solution. We're all rooting for you! It's a definite possibility. He has responded before in the spring, just not so drastically. He is obviously jealous and thinks I am his mate, but beyond that I cannot decipher why he has decided to have this change. Chili, Battle Pigeon, thank you also for the replies. I figured I'd give an update: I still cannot handle Ivan and he's throwing a bit of food around in his tantrum. I let him out this morning and he was fine chilling on his door and whistling at me, but as soon as I made any slow movement to interact physically (scritches, pick up) he pinned his eyes and hissed. Good news is I can feed him just fine when he's like this. Bad news is not handling him makes him a grump. As we speak he's giving me the stink eye from the closest corner of the cage and doing his stalking motions. I'd take a picture because out of context it's hilarious, but I don't want to worsen the situation. His cage is huge and after a call to another bird owner we determined that at least for now he should be fine with his 7 toys and fresh food until I figure something out. He's about a foot from beak to tail tip and his cage is approx 36"x28"x52" on the inside. Edit: Alucinor, thank you so much for that information. I think I have a few ideas on how to interact with him until I feel fine with my fingers around him again (if ever) due to your post. It also is encouraging to hear that your bird seems fine with this kind of interaction and instills a bit of hope. I think I've seen those foraging toys at Omar's, I will probably stop by on the way home and check those out. Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 15:57 on May 3, 2013 |
|
#
¿
May 3, 2013 15:40
|
|
|
Ivan report: I can't pick him up at all, and that's fine. I opened the door to his cage and he'll come out and whistle at me, and I try to ignore him when he's in the cage and eating so he feels safer. I think I'm starting to see the problem and the potential solution, though I'm not sure why it's gotten to this. He's mostly reactive to my (now ugly) hands. He acts with fear, goes to the places I normally pick him up and, after a small 'flinch' of ducking his head and crouching, will move somewhere else. For whatever reason he's now scared of my hands, and that must be part of the problem. The only aggression he's shown this afternoon is when my hands come out to move something or offer a treat. I've been dropping them off in his bowl and he'll come out and threaten me. After a short stare down he'll retreat, and I'll let him go get it. Is this the right thing to do here? I feel it's better than making it dramatic. So I suppose I'll let him adjust to a hand-less lifestyle until he calms down a little and I hopefully have a behaviorist. Which leads me to a (much more minor) problem. I have an appointment with an exotic specialist that I managed to get a hold of, and the appointment is this wednesday. How do I get Ivan into the carrier (that he now dislikes, and I dont blame him for) without using my hands and scaring him more? I was thinking of a bribe but I'm not sure the power of pistachios will compel him to fall for the trap. Any other tricks? Once again, thank you guys so much for the help. This guy seems to be awesome and if he turns out to be just that I'll be happy to let other socal goons know about him. Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 03:45 on May 4, 2013 |
|
#
¿
May 4, 2013 03:41
|
|
|
AvianPundit posted:An amazing idea He is clipped and I have those sketchpads everywhere. This is brilliant and a huge relief. Thanks again.
|
|
#
¿
May 4, 2013 05:02
|
|
|
Status report: This morning I had an appointment with an exotic specialist, Dr. Levine. I don't wanna bore you folks with the details, but my first impression of the guy was amazing and I cannot stress how happy I am to have taken care of that. In addition to taking time to come down to the clinic (apparently he lives about 30 miles away) he happily discussed all of the things that could possibly have set Ivan off and what I can do about it. Most of it was pretty basic, but some of it was new material and I'd like to test these things out. Stuff like having a specific time-out spot in place of pushing down on the tongue for a bite punishment. At least from I can tell the Doctor was very knowledgeable concerning parrots and had some experience with hawkheads. He suspects that the changes happened to occur at the same time as a testosterone spike in Ivan, which would be the one-two combo of why he would bite and show no fear. We drew blood for sexing to check this and will act accordingly. In addition, he pointed me to the West Los Angeles Bird Club to find a behaviorist if I needed one, but felt we would do just fine with time and patience. In the meantime, Ivan has been taking treats from my hand and rarely steps up, but at the vet office he was back to his old, cuddly self. Thanks for renewing hope. As a side note, he also stated Ivan was the most well behaved Hawkhead he has seen, even with the damage he inflicted last week. 
Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 01:42 on May 9, 2013 |
|
#
¿
May 9, 2013 01:34
|
|
|
SaNChEzZ posted:Hey! We're members of WLABC! The meeting is tonight at 7:30 if you're local. Glad to hear you got some good advice as well, we've also asked our vet about the biting however maybe I could give your guy a call for further information. Not quite local! I'm in central Orange County, so it might make a good trip, but not today. It is nice to know that I wouldn't be the only goon there if I decided to attend. A quick google shows that Dr. Bruce Levine is well known enough that you could probably find a way to contact him closer than Southern OC. I believe he lives in Huntington Beach, but you can make appointments to see him at hospitals ahead of time. Electricgoat I'm glad to hear that Bird's owner has at least enough grey matter to see that she likes what you are doing. Hopefully this will lead to good things, like more scritches for Bird. I also really hope Bird gets a better name, otherwise that poor bird is going to be so confused one day.
|
|
#
¿
May 9, 2013 03:16
|
|
|
Christ guys, I'm so sorry, between the lost birds and the infection I'll take a few more chunks out of my hand any day. If it's any consolation, I too adopted a lost budgie as a child. It was found by a tourist family in the rain and they took it to a Petco, where the family was trying to convince them to take it in. It seems like by law the store couldn't, and I already had budgies at home, so he came with me to his new place. Please don't give up hope.
|
|
#
¿
May 12, 2013 09:08
|
|
|
Well, we aren't back to 100% yet but I figured I'd give a progress report. Flock call: Still, but better. Screaming: Other than a 2hr episode today while I was gone, pretty decent Biting: Only warning nips recently Treats: Hell yes Scritches: Only on his terms Step up: Sometimes on my terms Cuddles:  I kindasorta have my fluffbutt back now, guys! It'll continue to be difficult, but I am pleased I can do this again. Thanks for all the help. Also sorry for the crappy phone image. Cameras are death devices, don't you know?
|
|
#
¿
May 31, 2013 05:38
|
|
|
Hey Bird Crazies. I wish I had happy pictures to offer you, but I don’t really have any new ones. A crime, I know. My life has taken an unfortunate turn and soon I won’t be able to afford to keep Ivan. Or at least, keep him happy and healthy. I am fortunate enough that I do have a bit of warning, so I am looking into finding a good home for my favorite little feathered fury while I have that luxury. Does anyone have experience in rehoming a one-person bird? I am concerned that he will take the change so drastically that it will impact his health. If I can find a good person that he gets attached to that would be ideal, but I am not confident in my ability to find one by myself. I am aware of bird sanctuaries and volunteered at one for a long time, but I am concerned that I would have no say in who takes Ivan. He is aggressive at times and although I can handle that, I am afraid that a sanctuary may place him with someone unprepared for the reality that even small parrots can have a serious bite.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 12, 2013 04:40
|
|
|
Staryberry posted:I've heard a lot of horror stories about people who rehome their birds, only to find them for sale on craigslist a month or two later. As strange as it may seem, there are bird "flippers" out there, posing as loving homes for rehomed birds, then selling them for a profit. Make sure you have a contract with whomever you give the bird to that if they cannot keep the bird, they will offer it back to you before they are allowed to give/sell it to anyone else. Even if you don't want to give your bird to the sanctuary, they may be a good resource for you with advice about how to rehome your bird to someone who will love Ivan and apperciate his challenges. Thanks for the advice, I've thrown the nearby sanctuary an e-mail and already gotten a response. I'll keep an eye out for these bird flippers. On a lighter note that simply makes me imagine someone using a spatula to flip Ivan like a pancake. If only.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 14, 2013 01:22
|
|
|
I figured I oughta make up for the lack of photos while I still have the chance. Hard to follow Mindo's act, though. Hey bird  What are you plotting?    Bonus Couch Time Ivan  
|
|
#
¿
Aug 17, 2013 20:57
|
|
|
Battle Pigeon posted:And he's beautiful. I'm sorry things aren't working out for you both. Is there no chance of being able to take him back in a year or two, say? There are places where you can board the birds long term, or maybe they'd know someone able to take him long term, if you felt that was an option. I'd love to take him back one day, this is tearing me up. I just don't see a time in the foreseeable future that I can, but I'll definitely mention that I am open for a long-term foster type thing. Hell, even if they let me just come visit him I'd love that. I just talked to the woman I purchased him from at Omar's and she gave me the phone number of a re-homer that she trusts. Maybe that gal has an idea of how this can work out. Wizard of Smart posted:Mickey just died. I'm too hosed up to post more right now Dammit, now I feel like a major league jerk. I'm so sorry. Fuckin birds. 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 17, 2013 23:05
|
|
|
I love the way Ivan mimics the sounds that we make imitating him. It becomes this circle of mockery where he will whine, then I will make his whine (but not quite), then he will make THAT whine, and then roomie will make the whine, then he'll get all huffy, so I make the huffy sounds and... It just keeps going until all of us are laughing. Except Ivan is laughing in anger, but that's still hilarious.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 27, 2013 04:01
|
|
|
uglynoodles posted:Aggressive Iro I'm nthing the specialty vet, if you can afford it. Ivan was at his absolute worst about a year ago and I think I posted about it on here. The specialist determined it was hormonal and gave him a long-lasting injection to help us out. It took a few weeks to fully kick in and he wasn't entirely 'safe' even after that, but it got us out of the really rough patch and back into training proper, which was great. Nothing was quite as bad as him lunging for my face out of the blue. If that's out of your price range just hang in there the best you can.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 13, 2014 05:11
|
|
|
Olothreutes posted:rehoming If you choose to re-home, and only you two can make the call on that, know that it's going to be just as stressful as keeping her in an environment like this. After a lot of blood, sweat and tears I successfully re-homed Ivanicus earlier this year. I still have withdrawls and wonder if I did the right thing, but then I ask his adopter for an update and I know everything is okay. As I am in socal I can't give you names that are helpful, but I would start by looking up rescues and specialists, since they have a huge network of people they work with and that goes a long way. I made the decision to re-home him after several, several months of training, horomonal treatments and just about everything I could imagine under the sun. He was home alone all day with someone he hated and the attention I gave him when I got back simply wasn't enough. He had all the toys in the world but was immensely frustrated all the time and began to overgroom and have stress bars in his feathers. I couldn't stand the thought of neglecting him and knowing full well that he was used to having bird buddies to talk to, but I couldn't afford another bird. It was a really tough choice, but I am glad now. It took me 9 months to get Ivan into the home I got him in, and even then it was iffy for a while. There were three other potential places that looked very promising but each one of those fell through in one way or another, and starting the process all over again was a total nightmare. I contacted several rescues, his breeder and vets to get the best advice. I ended up getting the aid of a local animal behaviorist who knew a family who would absolutely love him. He eats out of their hands, he gives them kisses and talks to their other birds, has an outdoor aviary to play in and is in a neighborhood with so much money that I felt bad just driving in my old little honda in there. There are options out there, you can do it if this is the path you choose to. I had many mental breakdowns during this period and still miss him dearly, but I feel very strongly now that this was the best for the both of us. I still lurk this thread because I love birds, and I miss Ivan. But I don't think I could take him back from this family, he has everything I could ever dream of him having and he's set for life.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 18, 2014 07:43
|
|
|
E30User posted:Thanks for all the responses. If you're near Costa Mesa you can check out the Lily Sanctuary. I used to volunteer there in high school and they have connections to other rescuers who may have a good match for you. Alternatively, you can contact Parrot Professors, I know one of them is in Yorba Linda since she helped a lot with Ivan's re-homing efforts.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 23, 2014 21:48
|
|
|
Oh great, so you are making an adorable, soft bird-army to infiltrate our houses and eventually take over the world with your fellow birbs? What's next, I'm going to find happy conures all over my sylvari? Oh I wish. I don't have plat, how do I get a quote for an adorable soft birb? vvv Sweet, thanks! Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 02:54 on Mar 5, 2015 |
|
#
¿
Mar 5, 2015 02:38
|
|
|
blackflare posted:I'm not really sure yet, the first one took me a REALLY long time to make but a lot of that was experimenting with materials and altering a pattern I found to work better. I'm hoping the second one goes a lot faster. But I usually sell my plushes for around 40-50$. I sew by hand (A machine wouldn't even be practical for most of this pattern) and it can take awhile. I am more than happy to be queued up for a hawkheaded parrot and would be more than happy to pay this price. I am also willing to help pay half of Literally A Bird's b/c I just got my tax return and no one should be without one of these adorable plushies. You accept paypal, right? I've got refs when it's my turn but I am in no hurry.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 10, 2015 15:41
|
|
|
blackflare posted:Don't take this as a reason not to post those pics anyway, but the first one was a sun conure so just like that p much? (post all the pics) Please let me know when you start literally a bird's so we can add it to my bill. I'll post Ivan (hawkhead) pictures when it's my turn, please put me somewhere in queue. I don't check this every day but I'll try to more often now. Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 08:54 on Mar 25, 2015 |
|
#
¿
Mar 25, 2015 08:35
|
|
|
Antoine Silvere posted:Hello Bird Crazies, I recently went to my local Omar's Exotic Birds store and took a few pictures of all the nice birds there: That one isn't local for me, but I did stop by and say hi to Gretchen a few weeks ago. Try cuddling her next time. Little lady practically fell asleep in my arms as I was walking around the store. Perfect birdy fix from a fluffy cockatoo. My local Omar's has Squirt as the mascot and he's not nearly as cuddly, but super talkative. Mad jealous.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 21, 2015 14:49
|
|
|
LITERALLY A BIRD posted:I got a new birb today!! Yaaaay double birb! I'm glad I could be of assistance. Artist person! When you are no longer busy I'll post Ivan photos for mine, and at that point I'll post/redact my e-mail address.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 26, 2015 04:35
|
|
|
blackflare posted:Sure post some pictures and give me any specific colors you want for certain areas. I might not get started right away but at least I'll have all the colors sorted so I can cut pieces out. Woop, just saw this. Here you go! Please contact me at Removed! I did just get an update on him last week. He's doing great! Unfortunately the cell phone pictures of him are even worse than mine, but you'll have to trust me when I say he loves his new home and is absolutely spoiled with his own loving aviary and everything. I'll start off by saying I don't know how on earth you'd do the crest, so that's entirely optional (but it would make me very happy! If it costs a little more in mats but you feel confident about it, I'll pay for it)   Head refs:    Body refs:   Colors:    He's got that bright reddish-orange on the inside of his tail feathers, but this is pretty much the only time it's visible? So it's optional. The inside of his wings have a similar thing going on, black with the little red-orange on the inside of the primaries. Secondaries are all black, the rest of the feathers are the black/green ones. Bonus Floofs:     JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT I MIGHT NOT BE A BIRD CRAZY  
Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 20:46 on Apr 27, 2015 |
|
#
¿
Apr 27, 2015 15:27
|
|
|
They are a normal species! They are just difficult to breed due to aggression issues (even with mates). You can see them labeled as"red fan parrots" sometimes. And thank you, he's a very pretty bird and he's a lot prettier now that he's happy and not super stressed over being stuck in a tiny place alone.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 27, 2015 17:26
|
|
|
Antoine Silvere posted:I took another trip to Omar's so here are some more birb pics (sorry they aren't very well-shot): Didn't see this until this morning. I don't immediately remember her having a bare spot in the back, so it could be a molt? We are having some weird weather shenanigans right now. She seems pretty happy and I am not too worried about her. Glad you got to enjoy cuddle time! On the other end of the emotional spectrum, I'm really sorry to hear about that Flashman. Don't beat yourself up over it - birds can have some wonky stuff going on that aren't noticable until it's too late. I suspect that since Burt was so young (2 out of how many? I know many birds are just getting to be 'adults' around that age) that something was weird internally, and if that's the case nothing short of turning him into a birdy-cyborg would have saved him. You and your wife gave him a good home and good company, and that's more than what many critters get.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 29, 2015 17:37
|
|
|
GoldStandardConure posted:If you love sassy greys... Oh god, it acts like a toddler and talks like a teenager. I love the video but that would drive me insane.
|
|
#
¿
May 12, 2015 14:26
|
|
|
So I'm a lazy butt who got a fabulous birb plush a few weeks ago but I am so lazy I have taken pictures on my phone and simply haven't uploaded them. UNTIL NOW. DUN DUNDUUUUUN. The first thing I did was have it terrorize my poor roomie.    Super cute! Would recommend as a great bird. Very pretty, will snuggle whenever you want and most importantly doesn't scream and doesn't try to rip my fingers in half. I shall continue to live vicariously through you folks and through Ivan updates at his new home.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 2, 2015 23:14
|
|
|
Battle Pigeon posted:Anyone bored enough to give any opinions on foraging toys? Sure! Ivan had the "treasure chest" foraging toy that took him about a week to crack. He alternated between absolutely hating the drat thing and furiously pacing/shrieking in the cage at it and grabbing delicious nutriberries and peanuts out of it. Once he figured it out he never forgot, so I dubbed it the 'easy' one. He also had a cylindrical, vertical one that had several rotating slots, and I'd put a couple of treats in each one. He'd be able to get from the top one and the bottom two, but any in the middle he'd just try to break in from the side. It was 'good' in the sense that it was puzzling but he ended up just getting really angry at it most of the time and trying (but failing) to crack it open. Maybe your birds are smarter and will do a little better? They really helped, though. In my case it simply bought time for me to try to fix the problem of him being lonely while I was at work, but it turns out that I simply couldn't meet his needs. So in a sense, they were worth every penny for keeping himself from overpreening when I wasn't home.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 21, 2015 15:12
|
|
|
SaNChEzZ posted:https://youtu.be/oqdI4QdAXcs Super cute! Also fortunately that wasn't Ivan at the store! I get updates from his new owner when I ask and he's so goddamn spoiled now it's hard to imagine him anywhere else. Other bird friends? Sure, he's got the company of at least one macaw and a grey that declares "what a BRAT" periodically. That's not including anyone who may be boarded/training currently at the place. Huge house to fly around in? Sure, they seem to get full reign of it. I have no doubt Ivan has claimed the stairs as his own and guards it against whatever toes he feels are offensive that day. Toys? All the toys he could ask for in his own cage and perch that we gave to them. Also apparently he gets to tear up whatever poor flowers they offer him from their garden, which is his favorite thing. Outdoor time? Massive check, he was granted his own loving aviary in the backyard (of which there are four) while he was getting acclimated. He gets daily time in the sun and the shade. Cuddles? Absolutely. In fact pretty much all of the pictures I get of him are of cuddles. AND HERE'S PROOF! Thanks for reminding me to send him some more toys.     I miss him dearly and live vicariously through you folks and your birbs, but it brings me great comfort to know that my hard work and pain paid off when it came to finding him a new home. Chaosfeather fucked around with this message at 17:02 on Aug 23, 2015 |
|
#
¿
Aug 23, 2015 17:00
|
|
|
Pookah posted:Pookie's home again! Dawww, welcome home Pookie! You're so adorable, yet my fingers ache just thinking about trying to give you scritches near that beak. I look forward to hearing about how the curry feast goes!
|
|
#
¿
Aug 25, 2015 15:53
|
|
)
|
Pookah posted:DInner is served, Madam. Shouldn't have looked while I am hungry. Good job Pookie!
|
|
#
¿
Aug 25, 2015 20:39
|
|
|
CROWS EVERYWHERE posted:Everyone convince me not to buy this lovely pale-headed rosella (my favourite wild Australian parrot) until I am feeling more emotionally stable. Think of it like a relationship. You just lost a boy/girlfriend and you're feeling the ache so you are looking for a rebound. Have you ever heard of a rebound relationship that worked out well? Because I haven't. If that doesn't convince you, at least do some research and talk to the owner (without visiting the bird) first. If and only if you feel absolutely ready to handle another critter in your house and you are equipped to satisfy their requirements, then you should proceed to get the bird. I would advise against it at this point. It's not the only rosella in the world.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 27, 2015 16:40
|
|
|
She did, and it needed improvement. She's doing you a favor!
|
|
#
¿
Sep 11, 2015 20:28
|
|
|
LITERALLY A BIRD posted:He seems to be doing better, no visible blood in his stool this morning and he's being (pretty) good about taking his medicine. Thanks for asking! Oh good. We will expect picture proof when he's feeling better!
|
|
#
¿
Sep 23, 2015 17:55
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 3, 2024 19:37 |
|
|
When Ivan was a wee parrot of maybe 2 years we lived with my parents and he managed to get into the bowl of melting garlic butter on the open stovetop. Luckily it was removed from the heat, unlike the nearby artichokes that were boiling (yikes!) Lesson learned, and Ivan smelled of garlic for a week. As far as I know that was probably the best bath in his life. It smelled AND tasted delicious.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 28, 2015 02:14
|
|