strange (lack of) behaviour

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jimmyjack
Posts: 198
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:54 am
Location: australia

strange (lack of) behaviour

Post by jimmyjack »

two things ive noticed with my IRN

- he never plays with toys

- he never drinks water


he was a mistreated bird by his past owner, and both of these things were generally absent from his cage (disgusting i know, but yes, he never had toys, and often left without water)

but he never seems to do either. is this strange? anything i can do?
smallworld
Posts: 296
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:30 pm

Re: strange (lack of) behaviour

Post by smallworld »

Its a good thing you found him.

Birds take most of their water from their food (from veggies, fruits and the like). So they tend not to drink that much water. If he is not drinking water at all, not even near the water bowl at least once a day, that is weird. It could be as you yourself noted, that he isnt used to the concept of water.

How is he getting along with you? Better now? If he's taking seeds and all that, you can try what I did. I was drinking a glass of orange juice one day and Echos head seemed to follow my glass no matter where I went. So I drank a sip in front of him and I said mmm yummy! We always say that before we give our birds food. So I put the glass in front of him, tilted so his beak could just reach for the juice. He sipped it after a few minutes of eyeballing it. Ever since then, its been hard to get him not to share a drink. Seriously! Its a problem when he wants to try coffee or ginger beer. Of course I dont give it to him but he doesnt stop calling. I dont normally let him take more than a sip or two of juice, because of the sugar content too.

But I've done the same with water and my wife says he seems to drink alot more when we offer him water from our glass. I take a sip and then I offer him a sip and so on.

About the toys, they take getting used to. Especially for a new bird and even more so when he isnt used to them so relax. :)

jimmyjack
Posts: 198
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:54 am
Location: australia

Re: strange (lack of) behaviour

Post by jimmyjack »

yes hes coming along really well. he stepped up onto my hand yesterday without a food treat, so thats a big improvement. he's eating alot of fruit and veg, i was giving it to him mid-late afternoon until early morning, and seed during the day, but im thinking of swapping the cycle from all the benefits of fresh fruit and veg. i was hoping he was getting a reasonable water content from that, and he doesnt seem unwell.

but that seems a good technique, i'll try that. any new form of game/entertainment for him seems worthy of an attempt :P i think my obsessive behaviour towards him has really made progress alot quicker than otherwise would. thanks
jimmyjack
Posts: 198
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:54 am
Location: australia

Re: strange (lack of) behaviour

Post by jimmyjack »

okay yep so great technique!

have a look at the timing between this and my last post (maybe 2 minutes) i went to try it straight away, took one sip from the glass. he immediately stepped up and at first put his beak in, then continually about half of his head!
needless to say, i needed a new glass of water for myself!
smallworld
Posts: 296
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:30 pm

Re: strange (lack of) behaviour

Post by smallworld »

:D You guys are getting along really well. I'm really happy for you!
bec
Posts: 1401
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:51 pm
Location: boronia

Re: strange (lack of) behaviour

Post by bec »

sounds like your going really well with the water bit
i wouldnt worrie to much about the toys
when i got my first young irn (the first one that was mine not my daughters) general
she was terrified of toys!!!!
it wasnt till she went in with the other irns we had that she saw that toys were supposed to be played with
and i now have one i got from a local parrot rescue that was an avairy bird & doesnt understand the toy factor either
jimmyjack
Posts: 198
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2010 5:54 am
Location: australia

Re: strange (lack of) behaviour

Post by jimmyjack »

well its coming along really well. i was worried for a few weeks but once again we're improving each day. he still wont drink water from his water bowl, but will happily drink from a glass, but most of all enjoys licking it from cracks in my fingers.

i, or rather he, has discovered wooden pegs aswell, which is spose is a start of the "toy" front. He manage to demolish six in a matter of hours. hes also now quite comfortable stepping up on my arm, and just hangin on my should. although interestingly he always jumps off to go to the toilet. i dont know if its a modesty thing or whether its just plain luck, but ive noticed him do it nearly a dozen times. he seems very happy. thanks for your help and suggestions
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