Parrot Speak

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AJPeter
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

"Eat your cuttle fish bone! Don't you dare ! Ouch! Once was forgiveable but twice? Actually she bit me three times the second time drawing blood, it is a battle of wills in our house she sits on my shoulder and chews my jumper one word from me. "No!" And she does what she wants but l am discovering that play is building a better bond between us becasue later today she ate her cuttle fish bone well just a little, l also discovered that she does not like the tea towel or any cloth near her, she may have had an unhappy experience with one, but my shirt she has bitten all the top buttons off and chewed the collar and weed on it so l put it inside the cat litter box and when l took it out she showed some interest in the box but has not gone in yet. She will do anything for a polo mint but not to go in the box after one. I did discover she looked happier with a cloth thrown over the box.
I have a rash on my hands and she respects that l do not want her to stand on the back of my hands so she sits on my jumper to play with my fingers. I can put my hand around her and almost lift her up. It would be good to turn her over and also grab a foot so l can file her claws, all this will come. After all l have only had her three months. And if l had used the reward training method l would have an automaton by now.
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InTheAir
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by InTheAir »

You know what's really weird about that positive reward crude? We used it on our bird and now he lifts his feet and lets us check his toe nails when he doesn't even want a treat.
My new bird must be totally damaged because she has gone from being very scared of people to jumping on us when she wants to.
Maybe I should have clipped their wings to avoid this display of servitude....
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by MissK »

InTheAir, I feel your pain. I was just thinking it might have been a mistake all those years ago to have rewarded my dogs for getting in bed with me. Now that it's cold, the three of us are obliged to snuggle happily under the covers every night!
-MissK
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Microsoft have done the dirty on my and changed my email address it is now elefantis@hotmail.co.uk I seem to remember a list of email addresses but cannot seem to find them now. I hope notifications will go to my new address.
However just to say that Billie has stared at a sugar free polo mint l lodged on the cat box for a week but today while my back was turned she craftily lifted the polo mint and at it. This is a big step forward the next mint will be on a piece of string tied to the cat box so she will have to eat it next to the box. Not that she eats them but l licks them! It takes about 40 minutes before she grows tired of it and drops it.
Today has been a good day, no biting, no screaming.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Some days are diamonds others pure hell. :mrgreen: Billie would not leave my buttons alone nor would she stop chewing my jumper so I put her back in the cage and she sulked, at least l could play play the organ and finish one song with out have to scold her. l let her out later and she continued to sulk. But she joined me in a fresh orange segment and she really appreciated my leaving some peel on the segment so she can hold that without getting her feet all sticky. Then we had a doze.
She woke my by flying to the back of my chair and pulling my hair. and she allowed me to inspect her feet without any rewards, her nails are very sharp and cut into my flesh on the back of my hands but she knows l do not like her prancing around on my hands so she stands on my cuff.
Instead of a foot toy which she has gone off l gave her some millet spray but after picking it over she dropped it, later we had dinner together she loves her cooked food bowl but insists on begging for scraps off my plate l use a table spoon and and she sups to her hearts content.
Everything was too early and l accidentally shut her in at 6 pm and then relented and let her out but at 7 l started to close the top of her cage down she just looked resigned to going to bed ad at 7.15 pm she called to be covered up and the door was open. :D
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Pigeons do it, Swans do it, Billie and her mirror image do it, Billing and cooing. I once lived in Victorian terraced house on the top floor and my bedroom was in the attic and out side sat a big cock pigeon just out of the reach of a broom stick and every night he would bring home a new hen and promise her marriage if she would and he did it all night he was a bit old and huffed and puffed the worst this was when he got to the end of each stint and let out a big yell. I complained to the housing office who said to me "You are only jealous!"
Billie lowers her head well below the cage she is standing on and then raises her head slowly and until the is on tiptoe and then back to low, sometime she wants a neck scratch but l tell her not in front of the mirror.
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Skyes_crew
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by Skyes_crew »

Peter...I too own a chainsaw. To keep him from destroying my favorite shirts I made a bead and block necklace to wear. He gets his chewing, and I don't have to hunt down buttons and thread :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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Re: Parrot Speak

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What a good idea Melisa, l am going to do the weekly shop tomorrow l will look for some ornament that might work, l have some old clothes l change into so Bilie can chew on those but there is a difference from chewing and wanton destruction.
I did a dummy run this morning to the vets best time by bus is 50 minutes and that includes a ten minute walk, but the return journey took 65 minutes when l got back home Billie did her usual welcome home display and l thought l would have a display of my own waving my arms and shouting, with a few stamping feet, Billie was so shocked she was struck dumb.
Interesting in an English court of law you have to enter your plea, Guilty or Not guilty but if you pretend to be dumb and do not make a plea and the trial cannot continue with out one so a jury have to decide whether you are struck dumb by malice and then you are sent to prison for the contempt, stuck dumb by and act of God then a plea is entered on your behalf, or the jury might find you are not fit to plea in which case the Judge commits you to a lunatic assylum.
By the way Melisa because l did not sign in within the 270 days allowed by Micorsoft they closed my account elefantis@msn.com and cancelled all my emails, but they did allow me to keep the handle and now like a pheonix l have risen from the Ashes and am elefantis@hotmail.co.uk please could you let Claire or Mods know that l am not getting notifications of replies to my posts
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Skyes_crew
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by Skyes_crew »

Peter...in reading over some of your comments, I see I have missed the part about your fingers. What Billie is doing is mating behavior. Please don't encourage it. What she's doing is trying to regurgitate for you. Her biting is called defensive biting. She's basically frustrated that she wants to mate with you and can't. It's breeding season again, and as such some things are off limits with our feathered friends. No petting below the neck, no underwing scratches, and if she try's to mate with or regurgitate to your hand, you must put her on her cage and walk away. I know you've been around pet shop birds before, but it is different when it's your bird with you 24/7 and all she has to model her behavior for is you. I want to see you succeed with Billie. And you have made great progress. But alexandrines...which is what you have...require a firm hand. Not an abusive one, but firm enough that you won't let Billie walk all over you. Rewarding good behavior can come in a multitude of ways. You're not training her to be a circus monkey...you're learning to live in harmony while you are many species apart from one another. Alexandrines are very food driven. Just by feeding her her daily meals, you are in a way training her. You look for her favorites, and you comply by offering them. Now she has trained you :D it's a mutual relationship effort. As humans, when we are rewarded for good behavior, or a job well done, it makes us feel important. Like we've accomplished something. Billie wants to feel the same. She doesn't have a flock or a mate. So it is your job to make her feel worthy of her position in your home. She wants to do good for you. By rewarding that, you make her feel fulfilled. You give her something to focus on other than being a caged bird in a human world. You don't have to train her to do backflips on her perch, but even birds need a good behavior reward system. Think of her like a forever toddler in kindergarten. Constantly learning and achieving new things with the help of a little positive reinforcement :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Who's a pretty boy then? I went to a charity shop and bought 3 wooden necklaces and to the supermarket for three more, very camp. One of the necklaces from the charity shop lasted 5 minutes, so l tried one of supermarket ones. Billie was flumoxed she could not bite the shiny balls and so l could play the organ in peace, and she did not attack my shirt either but gave up on the shiny ball and came down my arm and wanted to stand on the keys which sounded a she moved l had visions of teaching how to play a Tocato, but the twinkling lights were too much of a distraction so she kept going for them in end l picked her up with both hands fingers above and below her neck and she was very good just nestled into my hands she did not bite, so l gave her a lot of praise.
Part of my shopping foray was to get some money back on the dog bowl l had picked up two and only wanted one, l did some other shopping and bought a wooden dangle thing and hung it up in the corner of Billie's cage she was quite interested as l fiddled trying to get it up but after she has ignorred it. I aslo bought a new perch. And some egg biscuits. I closed the top down at about 6 and then she came out on top l thought she wanted it open again l got down on eye level to remonstrate with her and she ran acresso the top of the cage and bit me. Well tried to l could feel gnashing of her beak as l pulled back. I let out a big wail and you could almost see her looking at me as if l were an idiot.
However l shut her door at 7 pm but it was nearly 8 pm before she called to covered up l think she was watching TV but she must have slept all morning and was not feeling tired.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Hi Melisa sorry l have just seen your post about fingers, in the pet shop we never got close to the pets because it was too heart breaking when some one bought them, but l did get close to Charlie the Macaw, however l agree with you over Billie's behaviour l do not want her to regurgitate into my hand or become frustrated. Mother had budgies that used to regurgitate onto the mirrow of themselves do you think Billie will try and do the same with her mirror image?
How best can l deal with Billie's frustration would a plastic doll of a bird help or how about a some cloth she could make a fuss over, allowing her to behave in the way she has will be harder to break but l think you are right in walking away from unwanted behaviour, the best training aid is praise and ecncouraging words.
As a bachelor l can under stand her mood swings, and l will help her to become a spinster, a little old lady with character.
Thank you for reading my posts and coming to our rescue.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Good news Melisa,
Today Billie has made no attempt to play or bite or lick my fingers l have limited her to a smaller number of head rubs and all above the neck and this leads me to the conclusion that tickling under her wing and rubbing her tummy all l thought to get to know her better was a come on signal for her. No we have a good result.
I found putting on a necklace to be one of the most fiddly things l have ever done and then when the clasp was done up l could not undo it. I explained the situation to Billie who did her best to set me free "Ouch that is my neck you are biting" and l am pleased to say she freed me from the collar.
The necklces were too small around my neck so l have hung them up in her cage instant success, There are so many things hanging in her cage that when she goes in she disappears. Slight fib.
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Skyes_crew
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by Skyes_crew »

Lol Peter...it would be much easier to make your own necklace. Cut off the ends of the other necklaces and harvest the beads. Then take extra long shoe laces and restring the beads onto a necklace that is long enough that when tied off can slip over your head. In between the beads, tie pieces of leather. Bore a hole through the middle of a corn cob and dry it out in the oven. Then string that on the necklace. Variety is the spice of life :D

He is a pic of my boy. In the foreground is his bead necklace he had when he was a baby. He has since destroyed it lol.

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Re: Parrot Speak

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Nice photo Melisa, l have one of Billie holding a bead bracelet and l like your idea of stringing the beads together at the moment l tie them onto her cage. There is one necklace l bought that has a tie fastener, and so far Billie has not broken the sliver beads, l would like to send you the photo but when Microsoft went down it took my email program and l no longer have your email address could you send it again please, to elefantis@hotmail.co.uk and l will send you a copy in the hope you can add it to the others.
The good news about the cat litter box is Billie will climb the door but she has not gone in yet, but it is progress tonight she had the devil uo her tail she would not go in although she allowed me to close the top down with out any fuss. But when she just sat on her door l tried turning off the lights but she was watching TV she likes the wildlife programs especially elefants. I tried ignorring her but when she went down for a top up l thought it would not be a good idea to close her door then so it was 8 pm before she finally l gave up and went in. We all get a lie in tomorrow!
Today has been another day without her wanting to play the fingers game, in time she might forget all about that incident.

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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

i have really good news about Billie, today she walked into the cat litter box with out any prompting and found a treasure trove of baubels she was so exicted she picked one up saw another and could not make up her mind which one she wanted to play with, she kept standing on tip toe and looking out of the slits in the box, she went in again later. :D MissK and Melisa will be pleased with that news, I shall leave the cat box on the table so Billie has ample opportunituy to go back.
She has up to now made a fuss over my closing the lace curtains so I left one open but today she flew to my head which was unusual and flew into the window l suppose she thought it was open, she fell down between the window and the organ but did not seem to have hurt herself l picked her up in my hands, now l shall keep those curtains closed whether she likes it or not.
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Re: Parrot Speak

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I thought l had made a break through in communication this morning Billie sat on the edge of her cage and when l offered my arm to step up she looked at me as if her next move was going to be a lunge, so l took one pace backwards beckoned with my hand and tapped my arm, she lifted a foot and I moved forward and she stepped up. I thought sign language could be the answer , but no it is not.
Although Billie has not played the fingers game she still is being a nuisance now she rocks back and forth with her rump on my arm she waves her tail from side to side so l guess this is the matting game under a new label. As soon as l spotted it l put her backon her cage.
She has a very annoying habit off flying to me as leave a room and today she came out onto the kitchen to help me get dinner but something starteld her and she took off and tried to land on the cooker hood so l thought it was too dangerous to have her in the kitchen with hot things all around so l took her back into the lounge. I say "Stay" but one word from me and she does what she wants.
I was sitting down toeat and she sits on her door overlooking my shoulder and this morning at breakfast she watched every spoonful of porridge that I put in my mouth. I felt very guilty but kept telling her you cannot have any. We did share an orange, but at dinner time l had to feed her with bits from the shepherds pie on a spoon she was hanging on the door breathing down my neck, she really wanted the corn and peas and when l offered some pie crust she stepped onto my shoulder and l thought this is a take over but l put her back on her door and fed her what she wanted.
Another annoying habit is that she flies to my shoulder and immediately starts to nibble my collar, but when l play the organ l have a necklace with shindy balls which bites but gives up and attacks my collar. When can l buy a metal collar?
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Billie has been off foot toys for some days now but l made her a new one with some millrt spray and cuttle fish bone, wrapped it up and sealed it with sellotape. Billie was intriguued she squeezed it all over her beak and then started to break it open she ate most of the millet spray and some of the cuttle fish bone so l might try that again.
I try and spot her mating ritual but today she was prodding my ear with her beak and wagging her tail so l tried to distract her and then l put her back on the cage, do other owners of hens have this problems of mating? And how do you deal with it?
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Today has been awful. I had a bit of a job getting up this morning the bed was warm and the bedroom cold but finally l made it cleaned Billie's cage and put all fresh fruit and seed water too and sat down to play my organ. Billie came and landed on my hand and her feet were ice cold and this is despite the temp being 75 l put my other hand down to warm her feet by gentle rubbing and she bit my hand.
So l put her into her cage while l played the organ, this was good because l wanted to set up some registrations for Christmas songs and could that now without being distracted by Billie chewing my jumper to shreds or her killing a few baubels. She was getting impatient so l stopped playing and got breakfast organised, porridge for me and orange for Billie, but she dropped and l picked it up and gave it back to her and she lunged for my hand, "Naughty!"
She looked down in the dumps so l bent forward to give her a kiss and she bit my lip, l was angry and locked her back in the cage and l went out and made my bed and got things in the kitchen together but she had not said a word even when l got back. All evening she sulked but about 8 pm she squeaked meaning she was ready to be covered up, and after that l heard these strange noises from under the blanket like paper being ripped up, l think she is making a nest but l won't know until tomorrow.
So l need some woolly bed socks and a metal helmet
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Noise
Billie is really scared with police and amublance sirens and she get upset when the telphone rings but gets really scared when she is covered for the night and hears sirens or telephone, she aslo reacts to those noises on the television.
Do other birds suffer in th esame way and what is the best way of dealing with it?
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Rocky has come on well MissK, and l am glad to say since l put a perch in lower down just above the grate Billie spends a lot more time at the bottom of the cage especially when l cover her up. I have taken out the grate now to give more room for her tail feathers. I put an empty dried milk container (washed) on its side with some tissue inside and newspaper to cover it and Billie ignored it all day but as soon a l covered her and it was dark inside her cage l could hear her banging around with the container, last night l heard her ripping up paper and this morning l discovered she had ripped up the paper covering the bottom of her cage , mostly she never goes down there. So MissK it thanks to your report on Rocky that has helped Billie!
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Re: Parrot Speak

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Is it not nice to find that they do something you have been hoping for? Billie's paper lining the bottom of the cage was all wet either she has been skiinny dipping at dawn or all this scrabling around in the bottom of the cage caused her swimming pool to slop, l do not know but after cleaning her cage l vacucmed the floor and then gave her a good misting. But as l replaced the furniture she skiiny dipped in the swimming pool and got really wet.
In order to play my organ with out constant interuptions l lock her in for two hours, she knows this is coming and plays hard to catch, l tried to prise her in but to no avail, so l shut the top down and allowed her to fly to me as l sat down at the organ then l put my hand up so she could climb on it and took her to the cage door and put her in.
With all this ripping up of paper is she making a nest? Should l provide her with twigs so she can buiid a nest. In the pet shop l neary bought an edible nest and eggs, but did not because l do not want her laying eggs/ is that possible?
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InTheAir
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by InTheAir »

AjPeters: you need to do some research on parrots and hormonal behaviour. I have seen your off topic posts on other threads and have decided to share some links on this thread as there is some etiquette on forums that say you should not take up someone else's threads with completely off topic posts.

I have advised you to read articles on parrots before and I am going to say it again.
Start by reading these. If you dislike reading, you can buy some dvds on parrot behaviour and learn from them.

http://m.avianweb.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2 ... width=1280

http://pamelaclarkonline.com/uploads/Ho ... havior.pdf

If you need advice start a new topic on it.
ellieelectrons
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by ellieelectrons »

Hi AJPeters

I've had discussions about females and nesting with my avian vet and Pamela Clark at a workshop. They both recommend to not let your bird nest. I recommend you read the links that Claire posted. In her session on female nesting behaviour, Pamela Clark indicated that the triggers for nesting are:
- having a perceived mate (it can be a human)
- too much cuddling or time on the shoulder
- access to small, dark "nesty" places
- diet relatively high in carbs and fats
- increased/decreased day length
- a degree of sameness to the environment.

Therefore, if you want to try to alter this behaviour you can approach it using any or all of the above options. The other thing I'll say to you is it is worth trying to figure it out early as it can get worse as she gets older (see http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... =2&t=14905)

Ellie.
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Re: Parrot Speak

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Thank you Ellie and Claire l have read the Avian web article several times and printed it out for future reference, do you think an apology is called for to the members for posting new topics on their threads? I won't do that again IndianRingNeck.com is vtoo aluable to lose by any more stupid behaviour on my part..

However l have started a new regime today by not allowing Billie to fly to my shoulder, she has been learning two new words "NO!" and "STAY!" I hold my hand up like a traffic cop. But twice she got through my defences and l had to use a stick to make her step up and off my shoulder, usually she just steps off. I made her stay in her cage while l played the organ and also when l ate my meals ate and also l have not given her wet food such as steamed vegeatbles. I have placed a load of sticks in the lower part of her cage these l found out side.
Last night when l covered her up she scratched around the bottom of the cage for about an hour but tonight l put the grid in. I also took her swimnming pool out at lunch time the water was too cold to bathe in and l am a little worried that since l doctored her water bottle with liquid calcium she might try and drink her bath water!
She has had a couple neck strokes as a reward during the day, but nothing lower. So far there is no sign of feather plucking between the legs but l did notice her vent was a bit dirty. about 11 am she was preening and she cleaned it up.
I did make the mistake of giving her some cooked chicken, she had her own bowl in the cage. I gave her a rather crispy chip through the bars. It was a race to see who would finish first and it turned out to be a tie, Billie claimed it was a cravat.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Ellie do l have eggs to worry about if Billie starts nesting? You went through a lot with Janey last year, l do not allow Billie such freedom to fly around my flat she is virtually limited to one room, but during the summer l had the doors open a lot and she flew into the kitchen gave me a nasty scare becasue the window was open.
Do they get broody like chickens? How long did you let Janey keep her eggs? Did they hatch? Now you are an expeert with a seaon behind you would you still give Janey a nesting box?
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ellieelectrons
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by ellieelectrons »

Hi AJPeter
AJPeter wrote:Ellie do l have eggs to worry about if Billie starts nesting? You went through a lot with Janey last year, l do not allow Billie such freedom to fly around my flat she is virtually limited to one room, but during the summer l had the doors open a lot and she flew into the kitchen gave me a nasty scare becasue the window was open.
Do they get broody like chickens? How long did you let Janey keep her eggs? Did they hatch? Now you are an expeert with a seaon behind you would you still give Janey a nesting box?
I've now been through two pretty full on nesting seasons. This year there were no eggs. The previous year there were five that didn't hatch. This year I didn't give a nestbox. The year before I did. This year I did give her an open nest once her behaviour got unbearable and it did seem to take the edge off her nesting behaviour. She was less aggressive when she came out of the cage after she'd spent time playing in the open nest. The open nest was a *huge* stainless steel water dish that I mounted to the cage. I put pine shavings in it. I don't know if this is a recommended strategy but I was pleased how it worked this year. I'm going to discuss this with my avian vet at their yearly checkup.

They do get broody in that they will go into the nest box and will come out rarely. She doesn't make the clucking sounds like a chicken does when she gets broody.

I wanted to let Janey keep her eggs until she lost interest in them. She kept them long after we knew they wouldn't hatch hoping she would lose interest. I ended up taking them away from her because we were about to go on holidays and I needed to board them and I wanted to give her some time at home before without the eggs before we went away.

Even though your girl doesn't have a mate like my Janey does, she may lay infertile eggs. If it gets to that stage it's best to let her sit on them rather than take them away as if you take them away she'll may keep laying more and more and more to replace the ones that have been taken away.

This year the breeding season went for a solid 3 months. After the 3 months were up she returned to being my normal girl again - I was really surprised, I'd forgotten how sweet she could be after her reign of terror! lol

I would consider the open nest again if my avian vet doesn't give me some good reasons not to do it... but I would only do it once I feel I can't put up with her behaviour any more. When you can't get her out from under the brand new couch and when you try she runs at you along the floor and then flies into your face to bite you... that's when I start to consider the open nest.
AJPeter wrote:an apology is called for to the members for posting new topics on their threads? I won't do that again IndianRingNeck.com is vtoo aluable to lose by any more stupid behaviour on my part..
I think what you wrote there suffices as an apology. :)

It is nice to have you as part of our community AJ. Wishing you and Billie all the best.

Ellie.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Thanks Ellie for the nice words. Our local pet shop (Can't keep away from them) sell some sort bird food moulded into the shape of a nest with moulded eggs l saw it last week but paid no heed, l shall look a bit closer this week, funny that when Bilie got past my waving hands and landed on my shoulder l was able to put my hand around her and lift one of her feet with out being bitten.
Did Janey's behaviour get worse year by year, say three or four years ago, l am just wondering how long it will be before Billie ends up in the linen basket. Since l have no idea how old she is l do nor know how much grace l have before Billie gets like Janey. 3months! And does Janey moult as well, another three months?
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by ellieelectrons »

I think you just need to take it day by day. Janey is now five and the last two years weren't great as far as breeding behaviour goes. However, this year was better than last year. We were going pretty well until it got to the point that I introduced the open nest. All you can do is control what you can control and do your best. Not all female birds will be so aggressive during nesting season. The first year it happened, I was so shocked because I didn't understand that it was nesting behaviour... so it is good to be aware of what can happen. I've been on this forum for several years now and I've only seen one other person report nesting behaviour that's worse than Janeys.... so hopefully Billie won't be too bad... Also, Billie is an Alexandrine? I work with some Alexandrines and during the breeding season their owner puts them back to cheap budgie seed and closes his block out curtains to try to trick them into thinking it's not breeding season. They didn't lay any eggs this year either.

Janey is moulting now, I suspect she'll finish early in the new year. They moult after breeding season is over. Breeding season hormone production is also related to the weather. In the wild the birds would want to know that if they bring another beak into the world, there will be sufficient food to feed it.

How old is Billie again? If she's young, she's probably just playing around with nesting and mating behaviours and you shouldn't have too many problems for another year or so yet. Hopefully she won't be so bad. :)

Ellie.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Yes Billie is an Alex but I do not know how old Billie is she was a found bird, but the man who had her before me said he had her 2 years and got her from a friend. I think she not younger than 3 years and and not older than 7 years, her beak is in good condition, there are some photos Melisa posted for me in Parrot Speak and Billie looks quite young in one and quite old in another.
Today in the pet shop l bought a small wicker basket that will do for a nest, l also bought some wood chips and straw actually it is camomile grass and some nesting hair. Sunday/monday nights after l covered Billie up she was down on the bottom of her cage ripping up paper, but last night and tonight l put the grid back in, not sure this is wise but since l have limited her daylight stopped her trying to mate with me by changing the scene also not allowing her to fly to my shoulder (yesterday) but did allow her to sit one my shoulder as l cleaned her cage but that was cut short by her "Nuzzling " my ear. She only had half a doz neck strokes. Today she has been less amorous but more defensive.
The big thing to remember she has no book or forum to talk to, all this stuff is new to her.
That article Claire recomends l read is most helpful "Hormonal Behaviour is Companion Parrots is most helpful
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by ellieelectrons »

Here's something for you to aspire to AJ.
http://love.theanimalrescuesite.com/son ... m=20131206

Ellie.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Thank you Elliie that was lovely, the bird look quite old and l will be ever so pleased if Billie could sing to my playing. Today she was on top of her cage staring at me, l had said "No!" and "STAY!" And she seemed to have got the message because she did not fly down once.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

WARNING!

I have said a water bottle is essential but today l discovered the ball was lodged tight in the tube and Billie would not have been able to drink. Maybe the water had evaporated in the warm room but l was very alarmed, l had just read that Alex do not drink much so that was a relief l freed the ball and will check daily now that she can get a drink.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

The search button is a nifty tool, l have just been reading about pellets/seeds and l do not think l will worry about not giving pellets, l buy a parrot mix and there are pellets there in but Biile wont eat them. A varied diet is what counts. I was quite supprised to read about dandelions. Is it the leaf or the flower, can they be dired? Sometimes l drink dandylion tea is that something l can give Billie? Not made of course.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

I cannot remember where l saw this ad some where in USA l think but they were advertising plastic holders to attach to the front and back of the cage door to collect seeds and poop when birds sit on the cage door. Can anyone help?
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

My ceiling fan is not much kop so not using it while Billie is out will be no hardship l rather like these air multiplyers by Dyson but they are very expensive. I was reading about room temperature and 75 was said to be ideal for parrots. But not ideal for me something about 66 is good, But Billie squeaks when the temp drops to 73 and she goes very quiet at 71 f.
Allof a sudden l have noticed her beak has started to flake at the tip l thought this might be a lack of Vitamine E. She is on a seed based diet and has plenty of fruit and veg.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Not to worry, early photos show, that flaky beak. But how do you tell them that if they chew and break the pegs that hold the blanket in place there will be nothing to hold it in place. This thread was all about understanding what they say but it could not have been clearer tonight, she wanted to be covered at 5.30 l kept telling her it was too early but gave in at 6.30 pm I was watching the TV with the central light on and she was banging around, it sounded like morse code
T-U-R-N- O-F-F -T-H-E -L-I-G-H-T. And after l had there was peace in the valley.
I bought her some egg nog today,she loves it.
AJPeter and Billie wish you a happy Christmas
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Bilie no longer chews my shirt collar or bites my buttons as l have banned her from flying down on me when l play the organ she stands there boring imaginary holes in my back still better than missing buttons and chewed collars l was beginnig to look like a real scruff.

Also there has been a change she was standing waist deep in cold water for ages and enjoyed a cold water shower l think she has started to get itchy. Maybe this is the begining of a moult?

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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4P_NhF ... r_embedded
Did any one see the BBC film about IRN in London?
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

When Microsoft went down in November they cancelled my account and l had to set up new email addresses and activate my IRN account now the fools have reactivated my microsoft and the old email address and the new ones are no longer usuable. I hate Microsoft.
But l think l have altered everything in the control panel and have reactivated muy accounct and so it is go go go.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

http://email.northernparrots.com/_act/l ... jId=144978

Northern Parrots have got some very nice air purifers
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by Little Buttercup »

AJPeter wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4P_NhF ... r_embedded
Did any one see the BBC film about IRN in London?
AJPeter
Lovely Irns flying wild.

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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

I was reading a post from MissK to TJ about peanuts for Merlin and it remnided me of a book l read The Bird Keepers guide to Amazons by Greg Glendall who said birds love to forage and l good idea would be to smear peanut butter into a fir cone.
It tried that with Billie but as soon as she tastesd the peanut butter she shreiked and dropped the fir cone. Billie hates peanuts!

Greg also recomended pouring honey into a fir cone but as soon as Billie discoved Honey is sticky she did not wnat to know.

Are there many birds who hate peanuts?
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by zentoucan »

I find that Delfin and Bluey have a couple taste tests before they decide that this new food tastes good. Delfin tried honey around three times before he like it. Yet Bluey will not eat honey at all but likes passion fruit where Delfin doesn't. Neither birds like strawberries.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Zentoucan told us how Bluey had flown into the kitchen window and broke his neck.

At the church l go to the cartetaker regularly picks up birds with broken necks who have flown into the windows, and three times Billy has flown into windows in my flat twice in the lounge l have tried to show her that the window is solid, but in the LR l have curtains and net inner curtains so these deter her, but in the kitchen l have big windows with no curtains and she flew up into a window and fell down on the draining board next to the sink, she was shaken but unharmed.

It just shows us that we have to be so careful with them, if it is not a closed window then it is an open one, it is devastating for Zentoucan, and too late to be wise after the even but it is a lesson all us and we should take note.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Recently Maryna reported that a Coco who was given to her by a breeder and was put down by the vet as Coco had a form of rickets and l just wanted to say how do Pet Shops and Breeders get rid of pets that don't sell? When l worked in a pet shop we often had rabbits that got too old to be sold. Sometimes people would give us unwanted pets and we would do our best to find homes for them even "Giving them away"

Once we were given 25 white mice and l put them into an empty fish tank but ther number were increasing so l sexed them all and put the females into one empty fish tank and the males into another emtpy fish tank. The trouble was that in the male tank everybody was having sex with every body and the females in their tank were getting pregnant. It was a nightmare.

No l did NOT flush down the loo, but it was the punk era and every fully fledged punk wanted as rat on their shoulders and the younger kids wanted a white mouse in their pocket, we sold all the mice for 25p each l think the final count was 129. Never again!

We never had birds that we could not sell, but African greys were very slow sellers possible because they were £300 each. I would point out that budgies are often born deformed because there are too many people breeding them.
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

You may have to run the guauntlet of bites Sanjays mummi to get Sanjay to step up on your hand, try and lure him with a treat you hold in one hand and your other hand in front so he has to step on you hand to get to the treat. Gradually trust will build so that with me an Billie l can call her from house improvemtnts in a wooden box and step up onto my hand have a neck scracch and a cuddle without a single bite/
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

I moved Billie's cage today and she was very upset, kept calling me and then looking at the place where her cage was, there is no difficulty in understanding what she says to me but l cannot get her to understand what l am saying to her!
Anybody got any ideas?
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Re: He's biting?

Post by mattcoffs »

Skyes_crew wrote:I have been quietly watching how this conversation has progressed. A huge accomplishment for me. But AJPeter intrigues me. I will make my observation short and sweet. I think we can learn a lot from AJ's interactions with Billie. We all become so focused on the proper ways to train...the proper trainers to follow...the best articles to read. I think we've lost the ability to actually truly interact on a baser level with our companions.
There is something in this for sure!

I think a lot of people get wrapped up in what they should and shouldn't do, what is proper and in-proper - and unintentionally lose sight of what is actually happening in front of them! I use both positive and negative techniques in training my bird, and i consider her a pretty good example of a female ringneck. We have our ups and downs, but all in all she has been really good the last year or so. Even during moulting at the moment she has been very good considering!

For example, when she does something desirable i will reward her, wither with a food reward or my attention. When she does something undesirable (that i haven't directly caused - i'll explain in a sec) i will walk away from her and avoid eye contact with her for 10 minutes or so. This doesn't hurt the bird so perhaps "negative reenforcement" isn't really the best word for it? To me i feel it's more setting boundaries. And we both do it....

For example, if i'm giving her scratches and she has had enough, she will sort of look at me and move a bit. If i don't get the message, she'll look at me angrily and open her beak slightly. If i still don't get the message i get bitten. There's my boundary.
Alternatively, if she is sitting on my hand and for no reason at all reaches down and bites me - she gets calmly placed in her cage and i won't make eye contact. She does not like this, and whistles and croons for my attention - but never screams, as i truly believe she knows she did wrong. After a while of doing this, she will even give me the look and body language straight after a bite that simply says "i'm sorry!"

And before somebody says it, i've read a lot of comments from female ringneck owners that say their bird sometimes bites unprovoked and for no reason, especially in the mornings. I know enough to know when i've deserved a bite or not, and usually what caused it.

I do believe that people take the books way too literally. I mean, i've read heaps of them and you must read them if you are new to parrots definitely. There is vital information in them - but at the end of the day you will figure out what works the best for you and your bird with time and patience. And the solution may not be exactly how it said in the books :D
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by zentoucan »

well said Mattcoffs
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Re: Parrot Speak

Post by AJPeter »

Yes thank you Mattcoffs, first l have an Alexandrine parrot and l am told they are very different to IRN, and when l rescued Bille named after Billie Holiday the jazz singer, l did not want to train her in the recoognized way l did not want a Pavlov!
So l made a lot of mistakes, lost my temper and got bitten, but using some of the techniques of negative reinforcement and my own ideas Billie and l slowly got our act together. Becuase l was looking for answers l gate crashed other people;s threads untill Intheair gave me my own thread and that is how Parrot speak was born.
But thank you for reading it.

Zentoucan how are you coping without Bluey?
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