Neko the new guy

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Donovan
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Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Instead of spamming the forum with new threads every time I have a new observation or question I figured I would just chronicle everything here in the story section.


So I got a lutino. At 14 weeks old he is still very much a baby. He is still trying to figure out how to hold stuff with his foot and makes lots of baby sounds.
He is absolutely -not- afraid of me. In fact he seems to have instantly adopted me as momma bird and at time seems desperate for me to have him step up.

When I fed him the first time he ate so much that I had to take his food away and he is willing to eat -anything-. So I plan to take this opportunity to indoctrinate him into loving only the highest quality foods.
I made him a little salad of romaine, cauliflower, bell pepper, radishes, green beans, carrot, and apple. He ate every bite.

Still though, he seems to be fixated on food. Is this a nervous response to his new environment or natural for his age?

I actually had him out of his cage while having his supper. After 5-10 minutes my other bird decided to go check things out. Neko was obviously uneasy about the other bird flying over but he just kept on eating. Mr Bell leaned in cautiously and neko snapped at him as if to say "hey, back off". A few minutes later mr bell is stealing the food right out of nekos mouth and just trying to touch him in general. So now poor little neko is getting mad and slinging food out of the bowl so I put neko back in his cage with his food.

Now, this brings two questions to mind.
1) is this normal bird interaction?
2) could this be setting the stage for neko to end up hating mr bell in the future?
It never occurred to me that being able to interact with my new bird would come for free and that he might have to learn how to accept another bird. He was so well socialized by for people that I wonder if he didn't learn to trust other birds.

I need to make sure that nekos interactions are positive and be careful to make sure he doesnt associate mr bell as being a thorn in his side, all the while doing the same for mr bell.
When neko is in his cage mr bell will go sit next to him sometimes. Neko appears a little nervous when this happens but is willing to touch beaks through the bars. This might be a better way to do things..

Oh and on a side note, mr bell has been a little irritable since I brought neko home. I want to give neko certain kinds of attention at his impressionable age but don't want mr bell feeling left out, so that part is a bit of a juggling act.
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Today it occurs to me that foraging will be the law of the land for Neko. He doesn't seem interested in toys very much but he is showing a desire to forage. So I can take his fixation for food and make him work for it. So given that I will do some foraging research.
Mr Bell has never cared much for foraging. He'll do it a little but gives up pretty early. He'd rather take something apart or tear something up.
MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Congratulations Papa Bird! I think allowing them to choose their level of closeness is best. Just what my gut says.
-MissK
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

In addition to my IRN I also have a sun conure. I should add that they came from the same breeder and were only a couple days apart. They were the last of each clutch that were for sale - she kept a couple - so these two were put together. I was warned it likely would not last. It has been 4 years and they can still be put in the same cage - often choose to go in the same. They do not cuddle a lot but they are often near one another. There is some mutual grooming. The conure occasionally begs for food and sometimes the IRN attempts to feed her. I am sure Skye would attempt mating but the sun conure is not 'that' interested. The tease. :lol:

If one bird is eating something it is not unusual for the other to try and steal it - even from the others beak - but it has not led to any fighting. The same occasionally happens over toys. I have noticed that this year my IRN has become much more confident - he seems less dependent on the conure - maybe tired of being rejected? - and wants more of my attention. This translates to not automatically accepting the outside position on my shoulder. So far there has just been jostling and some squawking but I will definitely start to keep a closer eye on things as the dynamics are changing.

If you search google, you should be able to find articles on the pros and cons of being a multiple bird household as well as allowing their interaction. I think a lot is going to depend on the birds as well as you. It is my understanding that there is NO hierarchy with parrots. That each struggle over food or position is individual and that the same bird does not always win. When I feed the birds outside of their cages, if I am not hovering near-by, I just put out two stations about 4 feet apart. That way one bird can't eat at one and guard the other.
Mary
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

okay so I get home from work.. neko's bowl of food is completely empty (gave him a vegetable mix this morning).. there isn't much to be found in the bottom of the cage so i'm guessing he ate everything.. which is fine.... I have fed him again and he's tearing into it.. I gave him the same vegetable mix and he didn't act like he wanted that so i gave him some seed/cereal mix and that's going over pretty well...

he was bobbing his head a lot... ya know like those birds with psychological problems do in crappy pet shops?... his behavior seems strange to me, but again I will chalk it up to him being a baby.

------------

Alright.. a few hours later and the evening has been interesting. Neko has gotten skilled at making Mr Bell leave him alone.

Mr Bell decided to eat a collard green stalk .. because he stole it from Neko (he didn't want his own, he wanted neko's)

I let Neko stuff himself silly and he quit the head bobbing.. man he's a little piglet. Afterward I let him perch on my thumb and he seemed to enjoy my other fingers being laid over his back.. so I talked to him for a while and he cooed .. then went to his roosting spot in his cage and is now fading out.

Mr Bell is still having some attitude, but as soon as I put Neko away Mr Bell was ready to play ball on the desk.. so I guess he's not all that beat up about having a new bird around.
MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Hey, check me on this, but I would think if the baby wants to eat his vegetables you should give him all he wants, right? He isn't going to get obese on collard stalks, that's for sure. And he's growing, right? Human kids eat a crap ton of food at certain stages. Right? I'm so not into babies, and I don't know what I'm talking about, but this is how it would seem to me.
-MissK
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Checked his keel this morning ad per skyberry's suggestion. I'm not sure hoe it should feel. I can feel it. It doesnt show but I can feel it. I'm gonna take him to my local vet in a couple days and weigh him. He was 105g when I got him. By now he should be a tad more so we'll see.
Its not an avian vet but I just need him to be weighed so it should be fine. Can't afford a full blown avian checkup just yet. I'm sure he's fine and i'm just over analyzing.

Oh and missk I am leaning toward agreeing with you about just letting him eat as much as he wants. Last night he was a lot more choosey about what he ate and didnt finish everything. So again, i'm probably looking too much into nothing
MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

To weigh him at home you can get a kitchen scale that weighs in grams. Buy or make a perch that will fit on the scale. Place the perch on the scale and then turn the scale on, so it reports zero weight with the perch on it, Just add bird and read the weight.

If you need to make a little perch, take two little bits or blocks of wood and drill a hole through them Fit a dowel between them and you have a mini perch for the scale.
-MissK
AJPeter
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

Do you cage them when you got to work of let them fly in the aviary?
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Neko was clipped when I got him so he probably won't get much aviary time this year. I asked them not to clip him but it was their policy so whatever.

Mr Bell is a bit stubborn about getting into the carry-cage right now. I'll probably make him start sleeping in it so I can take him outside in the mornings. But for now the morning is a bit too chilly compared to the inside of the house.
AJPeter
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

What we might think of as chilly they would think it was freezing, please take care when moving them from one temperature zone to another to aclimatise them slowly, best to let stay in their cages if there is a big temp drop.
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

Any dampness in the air always makes it colder as well. I was talking to someone who moved here from Norway. Her father raises lots of grass parakeets. She said they lose more birds in the rain versus the snow.
Mary
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Poor little Neko.. they clipped his wings. I asked them not to but they claimed it was their standard policy. (he'll never be clipped again)
He was on top of his cage just now.. holding on to a ladder and flapping like crazy.. exercising I suppose... Once he was finished he decided to check to see if he could fly yet and took off... straight down and hit the skirt/seed catcher thing.

I hate seeing them unable to fly.. but trying so hard. I remember once Mr Bell was doing something.. and whatever he was messing with fell over and he tried to fly but couldn't.

Both Neko and Mr. Bell were clipped heavily... not even a partial clipping that at least lets them get a little air to slow down the fall or help them determine where they crash. No.. both were clipped so they flew like bricks. Mr. Bell's days of falling straight to the floor are long over but poor Neko has at least 6 months of busting his **** to look forward to.. I hope it doesn't take that long but that's how long it took Mr. Bell.

I remember the first time Mr. Bell flew. He went about 6 feet and landed where he wanted. So from there I worked with him by standing in a hallway and having him fly down it. He was on a one way ticket to the floor at the end of the hallway but it was an easy landing so no big deal. After only a day or two of that he figured out he could actually fly so he starting going up instead of just down. And he's been wide open ever since.

I wish I knew then what I know now. Mr Bell is a difficult bird in some ways. Neko will benefit from my current experience and knowledge that I have gained in the last two years since I got mr bell.
InTheAir
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by InTheAir »

Awww he sounds so sweet!
It seems to be fairly common for young birds to revert to begging behaviour when they move into a new house. Some people give them a little formula or mashed up food as a comfort feeding.
Of all the parrot stuff I've read, restricting food for young birds has never been a recommended course of action. Food restriction at sensitive times can be detrimental. I'd seek further advice on that from a professional if you feel you need to limit his food.
I haven't read much on the subject of internal parasites in parrots, our vet did administer a precautionary dewormer. I know other animals will show increased appetite and poor weight gain if they have them, so that might be worth looking into.

Bummer about his little wings! It'll be great when you've got 2 birds zooming around and landing on you at random.
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

I only slowed down his eating for the first 24 hours because I wasn't sure what was going on.

In any case he is eating a normal amount now .. which is to say he picks at it and then manages to save some for later.

He got his first shower today.. He went nuts for that.. he enjoyed a bottle sprayer and the shower.

Oh, and I sneezed this morning before I uncovered him.. and he went "Reeehh" from behind the cover. I thought that was funny.
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

You sound completely smitten with Neko. Aren't you glad you did not let his colour get in the way of chosing him?
Mary
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

yellow wasn't my first choice but i wouldn't hold it against him. I'll be working with him to make sure he stays tame and learns fun little tricks.. he seems to enjoy physical contact like being petted so i'm going to make sure I do it every day so that he'll end up being a much better bird to handle (when need be) than mr bell is.

mr bell has grown uninterested in playing games lately.. except for peekaboo which is when he gets up on a tall lamp and hangs upside down around the rim when i stand where he can't see me...
but as far as playing fetch and other little games he seems to have lost interest.. like the high value treats aren't impressive enough to motivate him anymore... I think I can fix that with millet though
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

I recently read an article that stated that even when birds enjoy being handled when they are young it is not unusual that they enjoy it less as they get older. I believe it said many would still tolerate it and of course it depends on the individual bird.

Mr Bell may be feeling a little out of sorts for a while. I think some fresh millet from you and some one on one time would be greatly appreciated.
Mary
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

I am certainly not neglecting mr bell because of having a new bird.. so he is basically getting the same amount of one on one time he always has.. which is a few brief moments throughout the day and then about 10 minutes worth later in the evening.

anyway, so both birds are in the aviary today... Neko has to stay in the travel cage because he can't fly yet, but he's getting a little fresh air and he got about 30 minutes of sunlight until the sun moved over the shade tree. Gonna clean their cages real good while they're outside and do some other housework

I managed to get mr bell out there with him by getting him to sleep in the travel cage last night. He didn't appreciate it.
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

When Billie was younger she enjoyed a lot of cuddling and neck scratching but now she is not keen on it the one thing she really enjoys is "Kiss Kiss" and she gets a kiss on top of her beak, never sure whether l will keep my nose intact but seems to enjoy it, holding her head up for the kiss. We often rub noses together.
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

mr bell likes rubbing noses also...

I have seen lots of videos of people touching and petting their IRNs.. so i know it's possible.

I am going to attempt to offer treats before and after each touching.. even though right now he doesn't require it... i want to implant the idea that touching is good... i just want to rub his face and head and be able to pick him up without him panicking like mr bell does
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

Donovan - I wasn't implying you were ignoring Mr. Bell, just saying he might not be too thrilled about having another bird around. I am sure he will adjust.

I am sure you could get both birds comfortable or at least accepting of touch. I just recently started working with Skye - who is now four - and I can touch his beak with my fingers now. Before I could not. He has been pushing his beak against my lips and rubbing my cheek for quite some time. I ask "can I touch your beak?" I also now ask "can I touch your toes?" I am hoping that his familiarity with " can I touch...?" and knowing nothing is done to hurt him and then he gets a treat will make it easier for him to accept more and more touching. I would like to be able to examine him, including wings, and also trimming his toes. Barbara Heidenreich has a free video you can watch showing her training a bird to allow toe trimming. It should be on youtube. There is nothing special about her technique and you likley would come up with the same concept.
Mary
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

hhmm.. so Neko was just making a big fuss.. getting excited while playing with his toys and I think he actually started displaying to one of them.. is that possible at his age of only 3 months??
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

A lot of young animal 'play' is the beginning of practice for adult life in the real world. Chasing a ball is hunting instinct for example. Play 'fighting' develops skill for both defense and aggression - challenging pack leaders and a kill for food as wll as co-ordination and strength. I do not see why this would not apply to parrots. I would not think this was true 'hormonal' behaviour,' but I have limited baby experience.
Mary
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

So I will be focusing now on somehow getting neko to like mr bell. Gonna try treats for any time I see him behaving nicely.

Also I know theyre willing to touch beaks through the bars but even this is starting to look bad.

What about putting their cages together and have a toy or piece of food running through the bars of each cage. Would this help them bond if they're both chewing up the same thing together? Would it frustrate them, or would it just reinforce the idea that they're separate? On the bright side they are having their supper out of cages and in near proximity. Maybe I should try using a larger bowl so they can share something more important
sanjays mummi
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by sanjays mummi »

In theory this sounds ok, but it begs the question what if Mr Bell takes the lions share, would Neko get enough to eat?.
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

sanjays mummi wrote:In theory this sounds ok, but it begs the question what if Mr Bell takes the lions share, would Neko get enough to eat?.

It's more likely that Neko will drive Mr.Bell away. There will be more than enough for both of them so no one's going hungry. I wonder if it might be better to bring neko to the bowl while mr bell is already eating. That way he doesnt feel like mr bell is coming after him. I might try it that way. Let neko watch for about 30 seconds.
MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

So, I had this idea to put a perch through both cages so the birds in different cages could sit on the same perch and feel each other's vibrations. I tried it, but the perch I used was too thick and got wedged so it didn't move. You inspire me to try again.
-MissK
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

Because you have years and years to look forward with these birds, I would be hesitant to push them together so much to make friends. I often has the reverse effect with kids and cat/dogs etc. With smaller birds, like lovebirds, that often do share cages, it is suggested that the two cages are put near each other but not close enough that the birds can reach through the bars and grab the others toes/beak. Place the food and water dishes so that the birds will be looking into the others cage when they are eating/drinking. When they start to eat and drink at the same time - mirror each others behaviour - you know they are beginning to accept each other as part of their flock.

I do not think I would put a toy in between the two cages. I would be concerned that they each claim 'ownership' and it becomes something to fight over.

I would provide the large feeding station outside the cages as you are already doing. I would set up a large foraging or play station if you have the room. When they are out together and interacting nicely I would offer the treats as well.
Mary
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

MissK you only have a single Ringneck yes?
But then you have the budgies... who are you trying to get to be friends??...
That's an interesting idea bout the mutual perch.. I will certainly look into that..

Skyeberry - When I have placed the two bird cages near each other while i'm at work they were still a couple inches apart from each other.. I like your point about the toy.. so I may just try a piece of food.. something long and narrow that can fit through bars of both cages.. so they can share it... plus it will possibly go along with MissK's idea of feeling vibrations.

They've been eating together. (about 18" apart) on top of the playstand of Neko's cage. Tonight I'm going to make a single bowl of food but large enough for both of them and try feeding them together... see how that goes...
I don't want to try to 'force' them to be friends.. i want to manipulate them into thinking it was their idea to be friends.
MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

That's right - one Ringneck, five Budgies :oops:, a Canary, and a Guest Canary. I actually wanted them to share a perch because they are not allowed to share a cage. Rocky is in love with one of the Budgies, but I am so mean and overprotective, I won't let them touch. :cry: I thought sharing a perch would allow them to feel closer to each other. Ironically, since my Albino Budgie has grown up and proved to be a male, Rocky's girlfriend is feeling a little bit fickle. But again :!: I am so mean, I even split up the male from female Budgies, since I don't want baby Budgies. So, again, I think they would like to share a perch and feel closer than they are allowed to get. I did see Rocky glueing his beak to the wall by the boy Budgie cage, so it is very possible he will select a new friend. :lol:
-MissK
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Okay... we have progress...

i made a big salad (usually I eat whatever i don't put into their bowls)... anyway I gave them the whole thing in a large bowl tonight.. (i even put a little hot sauce on it.. that sounds awful but for a bird it might be awesome)

Anyway.. they fought at first.. then neither of them wanted to eat... so i took out one of the regular feeding bowls and put it next to the big bowl. Neko went for the small bowl.

Anyway I was watching and as he would pull pieces out he was actually handing (beaking) them to mr bell. A few days back when i first introduced them mr bell was stealing the food right from nekos mouth.. since then neko hasn't allowed that.. but tonight he wasn't only allowing mr bell to steal his food but he was stretching his neck out towards him and just giving him the bite of food....

Too bad they're not really hungry.. I think they filled up on millet earlier when I got home since i'm also trying to train them for different things.. (bell to accept the travel cage.. neko to keep him tame)

so... progress?
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Gosh that sounds cute. I dream of a day when Rocky gets to feed another Ringneck, not the bars in his cage. :cry:
-MissK
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Well for working on different things with both birds is going to be easy. Neko is an early bird and mr bell is a night owl.

Mr bell seems to want to be left alone until around 9pm. He's always gotten a second wind around that time. He's also not a morning person. In the morning when I uncover him he always just sits there for like a half hour without really moving, like he's just not ready to get up yet.

Neko on the other hand is ready to pass out by 8:30 or 9. And I can hear him playing with toys before I even uncover him. So for now he and mr bell are on different schedules. Which is great but I think neko will adapt to my schedule over time like mr bell did.
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

[quote="MissK"]So, I had this idea to put a perch through both cages so the birds in different cages could sit on the same perch and feel each other's vibrations.

I think MissK is friends with Mick Jagger.

Do lions share?

I think Mr Bell will dominate Neko simply becasue he has been there the longest, but you are doing the right things Don
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

Donovan - you wrote 'Too bad they are not really hungry?" - it is too bad that they did not eat more after your work or perhaps more will be thrown away but its FANTASTIC how they interacted! Maybe not being so hungry is the key - if they are 'too' hungry (I know you aren't starving them), they may still feel a bit of a need to fight to ensure they are going to get their share and be well fed. If they are not so hungry, they can 'afford' to share as they know there is lots to eat - ie) the large salad.

MissK - I was a little lost regarding 'sharing of the perch' and 'vibrations' but I get it now. :lol: My male and female zebras and lovebirds get to be caged together. As long as I don't feed a lot of high fat seeds, egg food, and supply nesting material there are few eggs. Admittedly, the lovebirds are a little trickier but some of these females will lay eggs even if there is no male or nesting material. Poor budgies. :(
Mary
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Bird Food

Image
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

SkyeBerry, That is a -wonderful- point, thanks :)
Last edited by Donovan on Tue May 06, 2014 8:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Mary- I understand. I have some wacky ideas sometimes. :lol: I do feel sorry for the birds all not getting to mingle as I know they want to do. I *did* go out and get a second female Budgie, though, just so little Riff would not have to be housed all alone. I hope they don't make eggs.
-MissK
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

MissK - it took me three years before I felt guilty enough to put the male and female zebras together. With lovebirds, you can't tell the sex unless you: have their DNA tested; they have a sex linked mutation (& I don't know them); a female lays an egg; or you only have two lovies and suddenly there are 6. For about eight years I was lucky - no eggs. Now I have one chronic egg layer that by rights should be having nutritional problems but is not - so I respect the food manufacturer. I also have two females that lay two clutches a year - which I can live with. None of the eggs are fertilized (at east that is what I tell myself) so I don't feel bad when I eventually throw them away. For the lovies, I let the females keep the eggs so they stop after 5-6 otherwise they will keep going. I toss the eggs when the female gives up on them or when they start feeling like they are deteriorating. I then cross my fingers they do not start over again.

Donovan - Sorry, for hi-jacking your thread, but I don't think this is going to go much further.
Mary
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Skyeberry, feel free to chit chat. It's a good place for it. In the meantime i'll just keep posting neko stuff...
Speaking of which I hardly gave him any attention tonight other than that bowl of food and a brief couple of moments of exaggerated tones.
MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Donovan~ I have my fork and I will travel. That bird food looks delicious!

Mary~ Maybe you should invest in some fake eggs..... I *do* feel like a big jerk, not letting the sexes mingle, but I don't want my little girls to be slaves to their biology. :o
-MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

Wow fancy mating Zebra's and Lovebirds no wonder Dodo's died out, That photo Donovan looks like my dinner or the dog's is this what Mr Bell and Zeko get to eat, don't let Billie see or she will want a willow plate as well.
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Yes AJ .. that is what they've had for the last several nights.. they're starting to lose interest.. so i might change up the ratio a bit and see if that will help their appetite

it's romaine lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, a touch of rice and chicken, bell peppers, apple, squash, and alfalfa sprouts. It's actually pretty good with some salad dressing. I put a little italian dressing on it for the birds... my portion got a bit more because you couldn't really taste it in theirs. So I added a little hot sauce to theirs
______________________


I'm trying something today. I determined a mutual high value treat for them.. millet.
To preven Neko from chasing Mr. Bell away I was keeping him busy with millet.. with mr bell about 8 inches away from him.
I gauged how quickly they eat the food and gave them pieces the right size to both be finished at the same time. Then I held my hand open between them with all the pieces of millet in my palm. This kinda forced them to be much closer to each other.
My thinking is that it will implant the idea that good things happen when they're close together. Then maybe Neko will stop acting so offended by sharing a proximity with Mr. Bell and see his being around as a positive experience.
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

10 Minutes Later

While I was typing the last post, I saw a neat thing.
I had given Mr Bell some kind of nut out of a treat bag. I didn't hand it to him I just tossed it over for him. Well he didn't care. He just looked at it. He was too busy watching Neko rummage around with various items on the desk. Neko found the nut I tossed down for Mr Bell and picked it up. So now Mr. Bell wants nothing more than that nut and he starts chasing Neko around the Desk to get it.
Being young, awkward, and flightless Neko couldn't hang. He dropped the little prize and Mr. Bell got it and flew up to the next level with it.

He ate it on for a minute, then he flew down next to Neko, dropped it off half eaten, and then flew off across the room. I'm not sure if it was his intention to actually give the nut to Neko or if he just dropped it by accident, or if he was trying to throw it off the edge of the desk. Either way, Neko would take something like that as another positive experience. So.. good....
SkyeBerry
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

Donovan - well that is twice Mr. Bell seems to have given food to Neko. It will be interesting to see if the behaviour continues. I know of other birds that have 'adopted' a new bird as a baby even when the new bird was fully grown.

MissK - from about 25 zebras I get 2-3 eggs per year. Without a nest, mine will not continue to lay. re: the fake eggs - some birds seem to figure them out - wrong weight or texture I am not sure. A friend had no success with the fake eggs so she tried boiling and marking the eggs as they were laid. Her hen would always push the marked eggs out of the nest and replace them with new ones. So no dodo there! Maybe there is a scent??? hmm..but then how do other hens deposit their eggs and get another species to raise them?? Maybe it depends on the species? Society finches seem willing to raise just about anything.

my lovebirds: male and female pair - rehomed to me close to a year ago. They had a history of two clutches (5-6 eggs/clutch) a year. With changing up their environment etc they laid 4 eggs in the fall and no eggs this spring.

The above lovebirds came with one of their babies. Also was laying two clutches a year - no mate. She laid a clutch of 5 if the fall and currently has a clutch of two. I am hoping there will not be any more clutches at this point.

The lovebird I do worry about has had just about everything tried with her. Currently, using Harrison's Red Palm oil with raspberry leaves. Something in the leaves is supposed to safely interfere with egg production. My vet has suggested I remove her from the bird room and cage her. I would then move the cage around the house every few hours. I have been reluctant to take her away from her 'mate' however. I struggle with quality of life issues and mimicking as normal a life as possible. I do realize what my occur. My biggest concern is if she will produce a soft egg - that will be difficult to push out - prior to producing thin shelled eggs. It is an ongoing discussion with the vet but any suggestions are greatly welcome.
Mary
MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Mary~ you have my sympathies there! I am getting ready to bring home a female bird on purpose - I don't know, I must have lost my mind. That will make three in my house. I may need to start drinking to cope with the stress. :lol: She's a little Lineolated Parakeet, and you know me - that opens the door to a second female Lineolated Parakeet down the road. She has been housed with Budgies in her previous home, so I will see how my bunch feels about her and vice versa. I think I'm gonna call her... brace yourself.... Lynnie!

Donovan~ I am kinda jealous about your second Ringneck. :D
-MissK
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

And l thought Zebra's had four legs.

MissK you could try Rose water for your stress, let me know if it does you any good.
ranechild
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by ranechild »

MissK, Fats says "drink, drink, DRINK!!!"

I liked a bird breeders page on Facebook and now everyday i see pictures of baby IRNs. OMG, this morning picture of what must be 8 week old Albino and Blue IRN--- I wanted to scoop them up and listen to their little baby meows. awwwwwwwwwww. Good thing they are more than a hundred miles away from me.

there's also an extremely sute moustache parakeet on that page---must resist the urge!

its good your two seem to be interacting better than my IRN and quaker do :)
Donovan
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Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

This is an amazing picture.
I'm gonna repost it in the photo section of the forum


Image
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