New owner desperately seeking advice

[MissK]

Classic.

Even I will pick the cherries out of cherry ice cream to eat them first.

You can pull the sunflower seeds out of the daily feed by hand and recycle them as training treats. Next time buy a mix without sunflower seeds.

-MissK

[Doodlebug]

Hey MissK, yes that's what I've been doing

I bit the bullet and filled a bowl with water and went over to him and started splishing him with the water on my fingers, he loved it He sort of looked at me with his little head cocked on the side at first like 'What's this you're doing??' But came closer and closer to get more and climbed on the front bars of the cage and spread his wings so I could get under there too, it cheered me up no end and I like to think it is helping to build a stronger bond. Tomorrow I shall be rushing out to buy bottle, glycerine and rosewater for sure!

[Skyes_crew]

They sure do love their spray baths. Skye and hamlet think they're eagles lol.

Since doodle is doing so good with training, maybe it's a good time now to start reading up on foraging. Ellie has written some great stuff if you search for her threads on foraging. It will improve doodlebugs eating habits and over time help to combat boredom.

[MissK]

OOPS! I double posted, falling victim to erratic computer behaviour. Forgive!


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Pull the sunflower seeds out of the mix and use them only by hand. Next time get a mix without them.

-MissK

[Little Buttercup]

Hey everyone, Lovely thread this, with plenty of useful info!

Missk, your contact call/whistle idea sounds great. I'll try it out.

Kiwi also love to be sprayed and spreads his wings and dances around while i'm misting him. At least I get to be part of his bathing time!

Ash

[Doodlebug]

Hey guys.

I'm feeling frustrated as Doodlebug isn't really going for the stick again this morning. You can see he wants it and goes round and round the cage but can't bring himself to touch the blinkin stick! What do you think is happening here?! We seem to get to a certain point and then come to some sort of block. I don't want to bring the stick closer to him, it defeats the object of trying to train him round the cage. But if I hold it any distance he doesn't want to know! He would rather waste his energy climbing round and round instead. I don't get it!!

Any ideas?

[Doodlebug]

They sure do love their spray baths. Skye and hamlet think they're eagles lol.

Since doodle is doing so good with training, maybe it's a good time now to start reading up on foraging. Ellie has written some great stuff if you search for her threads on foraging. It will improve doodlebugs eating habits and over time help to combat boredom.

Sorry I forgot to add earlier, I have made several foraging things for Dudes, cardboard rolls stuffed with shredded paper and treats, munch balls with things inside, hidden mini treat sticks in paper etc and I've even showed him how to work it out by stuffing these things in front of him but its like if he literally can't see it then he doesn't bother investigating! When I first got him I put newspaper down on the floor of his cage which he used to rip up and chuck everywhere, so I put it under the grill. So I would have thought he'd love the shredded paper!

But will follow your advice and keep looking for new ways, I think it's important they foster a sense of curiosity and also help to stave off the boredom.

[MissK]

Give him time. Is he scared of the stick? You can leave new toys next to or on the bottom of the cage for him to get the chance to become familiar with them. Sometimes Rocky has something in the cage for freaking months before he notices, and then POOF, he kills the thing.

I am envious of those who spray the bird. Rocky thinks spray is Acid Rain.

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

I am envious of those who spray the bird. Rocky thinks spray is Acid Rain.

-MissK

My birds thought their water dish was an apprpropriate place to stand and wash...so I put pie dishes in the bottom of the cages. They didn't touch them. They used it to throw foot toys and food in. So spray bath it is. If you try to mist up and let it lightly fall back over rocky he may get used to it. The first time I sprayed Cyrano, he was standing with both feet in his water dish looking at me like what now. The first spray, he couldn't move fast enough to get away. So I sprayed upward and let it fall back on him a little. Now he loves it.

[MissK]

I have an idea for a drip and catch pan, but really I'm a bit lazy about it. Rocky has his bathtub, and he ues it, so I'm good. Would kinda like to see the fun I know he a*could* have in spray, though........

-MissK