Neko the new guy

We love to hear daily stories, ringneck antics, and more ringneck antics!

Moderator: Mods

AJPeter
Posts: 2534
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:17 pm
Location: Birmingham England
Contact:

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

Actually l am half left.
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Mr Bell has been living in Neko's cage for about two weeks. He has always given me a hard time about being put away at night (sometimes he cooperates and sometimes he doesn't)

Recently he went into Neko's cage around bedtime and found a perch and tried to play invisible. So I went along with it and shut the cage, covered it up and turned out lights. The next morning they didn't seem to appreciate being so close to each other but the cage is big enough that they managed to maintain their own personal bubbles.

Feeding is tricky.. Nekos main perch puts him over one of the potential food dish locations .. so of course that dish is never in there. The cage has 3 food areas. So.. in the evenings when it's supper time I put that one dish back and fill them both up .. the third is for water of course. Then I have to take the dish out.. and before i go to bed I fill it up with seed or pellets, or I might just drop some peppers down into it for them to eat in the morning.

Anyway... I like the prospect of moving them in together because I could eventually take Mr. Bell's cage down and reclaim a little real estate. But I'm waiting to see if Mr. Bell decides to change up his routine.. in any case, since he's been going to Neko's cage at night he no longer gives me a hard time about being put away.

The biggest issue i'm really having with this is that if I know that I'd like them to spend the day outside I always like to put Mr Bell to bed in the small cage so i can carry it out in the morning. Now if he realizes i'm trying to put him in that cage he just flies away and slips into Neko's cage and perches and gives me this "you can't see me" look.

Neko isn't as impressed with it all as Mr. Bell is but he's getting used to it. The worst part is that sometimes Neko is a bully and if Mr. Bell is doing something he doesn't want him to do then he'll go out of his way to work his way to the other side of the cage to be a jerk to Mr. Bell.
---------------

Moving on....

Neko is starting to chatter a lot. He has his normal sort of clucking sounds but then he starts whistling and it's very very quiet.. it's kinda neat but i'm starting to recognize some of the whistling as noises that Mr. Bell makes, or at least it's very similar, so that tells me he's starting to mimic. I've been saying some things to him pretty frequently.. hoping he might talk eventually but I have a feeling he's just going to make bird noises ...
Mr. Bell spoke a few times but then decided he didn't like doing it so i haven't heard anything out of him in months.
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Birds went outside today for the first time in probably a month. (this is mostly due to Mr. Bell's reluctance to enter the carry cage)

I took Neko out there on my finger instead of in a cage since he can't fly away yet. He was so excited to be going outside he went nuts. As soon as i went outside he started squawking and flapping and zeroing in on the cage, then he tried to fly to it which all he can do is fall haha. So I scooped him up and he's still going at it, and then jumped again.

I'm glad he likes going out because Mr. Bell acts like it's a punishment.
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

You know those Halls cough drops?..

Well I just found one on the floor. Mr. Bell being the obvious culprit.

the great part was that the wrapper was slightly shredded and only a small bit of the cough drop itself was exposed. This tells me that he had fun tearing open the wrapper until he got a taste of the cough drop, then decided to ditch it haha..
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Well neko got his butt kicked by mr bell last night.

I think mr bell is being hormonal right now while the season is changing.

I gave him my old keyboard last night and he was having fun finally being allowed to destroy it. He got possessive to the point of aggression over it. Well neko decided to check out the keyboard and mr bell came flying from across the room, landed on neko's back one foot on the back of his head and started biting at him. I was right there so i put a stop to it right away.

They've been living in the same cage for a month or two now but today i figured it best to separate them so i didn't come home to a dead bird.
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Wow, that's fairly exciting!

Do you think Bell's got "Special Feelings" for that keyboard?
-MissK
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Not the keyboard, no, his shadow and reflection, yes haha.

I've decided not to interact with him much for now.

And on a side note neko's flight feathers are coming in nicely (and suddenly).
I've been encouraging him to flap more to work his muscles and help increase lung capacity
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Why not interact with Mr. Bell? Are you mad at him? Don't be. He's just a little birdie and he has to do what his birdiness tells him to do. You should behave, whatever the reason, normally to him.
-MissK
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Oh I am which is pretty simple... I don't play with him as much as I used to anyway so if i don't talk to him a bunch it shouldn't be a big deal to him...

while he's being hormonal i don't want to be too friendly. birds get the wrong ideas sometimes lol
AJPeter
Posts: 2534
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:17 pm
Location: Birmingham England
Contact:

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

Forth coming announcement Donovan and Mr Bell in Nuptial bed, it is not only birds that get the wrong end of the stick.
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

thanks AJ
:P
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Well Neko just took his first flight in 8 months or so.

He flew half way across the yard to the walk-in cage outside.

So, that's the last time he gets to go outside without being in a cage. He wasn't flying very well, but he definitely got enough wind to fly about 20-30 feet before landing on the ground.
After that he kept trying to fly but couldn't get enough air. I had him step up on my finger and he took off again, toward the cage and landed on it this time... he loves that cage and gets so desperate to go to it. I suppose that's a good thing.

In all honesty this is probably a great time to teach him to fly outside but i'm not.. instead i'm imposing a no-outside-without-cage rule.
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

Congratulations that he's flying, but bigger congrats that he's flying HOME. That's fantastic.
-MissK
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Neko is starting to talk which is neat..

i've been saying "Hello, I'm Neko!" to him for a while... so he's trying the "I'm Neko" part ... but he's struggling with it... just now he went "M'Neko-oh-ooh-Aaah-SQUAWK"
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Neko has just discovered the joy of sticking his head down into his food bowl and making noise for the acoustics.
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by MissK »

What a silly! My little Linnie (Wally) is learning to say "How are you", and HE'S NOT LEARNING IT FROM ME!! :lol:
-MissK
SkyeBerry
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2014 2:14 am
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

Hi Donavon - just re-read the entire thread. Sounds like you are having lots of fun. FYI - I read that birds often say 'Hi' before "Hello." It is an easier word for them. There are books, and sites I am sure, that tell you how to teach them to talk but I have not accessed them. I just come across the odd fact when researching other things. It is my understanding that if you just sit and talk to them, or have them listen to a tape etc, they will learn to mimic the phrase but have no context. If you want them to understand what the word means then you need to use it appropriately. The same as you would a human child. I go back and forth as to how much Skye truly understands but it is definitely increasing. Lately, I have noticed that if I do something to annoy him, he flies away, comes back, looks at me and says " Say sorry." LOL What gets me is I have never said "Say sorry." I have said "I am sorry." So now when Skye does act inappropriately, I tell him "Say sorry." He has not said sorry back. Usually if he has been naughty but then wants attention, he says "Kisses?"

re: bluffing phase - some animal behaviourists do not believe there is such a phase. Maybe because there will be many 'bluffing phases' as you and the bird go through various life changes together??? I am not sure. What I did was to follow Barbara Heidenreich advise. Hmmm...oops...cannot remember enough of it to advise you. But it worked with Skye. In general, she recommends lots of patience and kindness and never to push a bird past its comfort zone. Thus, it becomes your job to learn the different subtle and not so subtle signs and what they mean. She has a good video on how she worked with her own bird when it started not wanting to go into its cage. I am going to "save draft" and have a quick look for you.

'phew' - had some trouble getting the draft back - but so far - some info you might find interesting re: biting
http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.ca/2012/12/ ... -bite.html

did not find her comment re:bluffing

but found:

http://goodbirdinc.blogspot.ca/2009/08/ ... ck-in.html

I am surprised Mr. Bell does not want to go outside when Neko is out there, especially since he worked so hard at spending the night in Neko's cage.

I am so glad you decided to put the birds in separate cages after their spat. This is one area (of many) where I agree with MissK - no need to rush. The three of you have a long life together ahead of you.
Mary
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Mr. Bell has recently become very cooperative about going into the transport (to outside) cage.

The only thing Neko says in proper context is peekaboo, and so does mr bell. They'll get on the bill of my hat.. lean down, look at me upside down and go ... peekaboo haha..

but no, i haven't really taught words in context... although mr bell once landed on me randomly and said thank you... i assumed he wanted a treat since i had been trying to teach him to say thank you when he got a treat... instead he used it to get a treat... .... close enough

Neko has become a full blown flyer now and has become the nuisance i was hoping he would become. he gets into things he shouldn't... lands on my head when i don't want him to... poops on my shoulder (arg).. Mr. Bell doesn't poop on me.. he's actually potty trained to a couple of spots.
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

and nekos vocabulary is increasing daily... so he's not as good at learning puzzles or tricks as mr bell is, but he learns words.. so both birds are fun in different ways
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

So,
New cage location apparently means new routine on putting the birds away.. i have to learn the new deal now
Trinnity
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2013 3:42 pm

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Trinnity »

Donovan wrote:and nekos vocabulary is increasing daily... so he's not as good at learning puzzles or tricks as mr bell is, but he learns words.. so both birds are fun in different ways
That's a cool name: "Neko". Very nice.
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

thanks.. oddly enough I learned later on that Neko may be the japanese word for "cat" haha

of my two birds... one is dog-like... and neko is more cat-like in his mannerisms and personality
AJPeter
Posts: 2534
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:17 pm
Location: Birmingham England
Contact:

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

Hi
I am trying to teach Billie to say "Naughty!" I heard a macaw say it and he draggged the word out it was hilarious!
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

maybe make it a "you're so naaaaughty"
AJPeter
Posts: 2534
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:17 pm
Location: Birmingham England
Contact:

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

Good idea on this theme of talking in the morning Billie seems reluctant to poop so l make farting noises with my lips to get her gastric juices working and this does the trick! Maybe she will make farting noises?
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

i don't think they're speaking ability is good enough to mimic that but keep trying it might work haha
SkyeBerry
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2014 2:14 am
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by SkyeBerry »

Skye learned to bark because of the neighbours dog. The sound is muffled by the time it gets into the house but Skye definitely barks - it is a soft 'woof woof.' If it was more 'barky' I might not be so pleased.

I taught Skye to say 'weee' after learning another bird says it when he swings. Skye doesn't play, but he quickly learned that touching a target stick gets him food - it was then easy to teach him to circle - interestingly he can bend easily in one direction and not nearly as well as the other. I am currently trying to teach him to put a coin in a 'bank.'

I recently learned Caleb is the Jewish word for 'dog' - not sure if I should mention it to my neighbours - their son who is named Caleb.

Peter - keep in mind you never know what may become Billie's favorite word -and he may use it a lot! ie) farting noises
- BTW - Skye is no trained monkey - he has no problem letting me know he will say words when he wants - if I ask him to say a word, he sometimes says most of his vocabulary except that word
Mary
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

Neko apparently recently discovered his reflection. He's always ignored it in the past but the last couple of days he's been pretty impressed with himself.

Anyway this morning he kept collecting toys and flying back to the mirror with them. I don't know what he was thinking but it did it 3 or 4 times. I don't know if he was using the scientific method to determine that what he was seeing was in fact his reflection.... if he was just being silly... or if he was making an offering to the other bird which irns don't really do :P
AJPeter
Posts: 2534
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:17 pm
Location: Birmingham England
Contact:

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

Hallo Donovan the escaped bird was Ash who took in another bird, as you know l have a large 2' x 3' mirror on the wall behind Billie's cage, the only time she sings and talks is to her reflection but she has never carried anything up to show her relfection.

Does Neko have a large mirror?
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by Donovan »

yeah i leave a large mirror in the floor.. propped against the wall and the birds can go down and check themselves out from time to time.
AJPeter
Posts: 2534
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:17 pm
Location: Birmingham England
Contact:

Re: Neko the new guy

Post by AJPeter »

I feel sorry for birds that only have a budgie size mirror, Billiie talks to her reflection in the mirrow on the wall, some time she scolds it. Yesterday l moved the cage so l could vacumn the floor and she could see herself in a different mirror, she was very intrigued.
Post Reply