Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

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Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Hi there,
New to IRN-hood and very grateful for all the info in this forum! Stella joined our family two weeks ago now as our first IRN, having "graduated" from our dear cockatiel Flynn who left us about half a year ago now.
She was definitely not an impulse buy, we had been talking about our next bird, but that she was the one was due to her sitting in a small cage without toys in a pet shop, looking miserable. I'm a bit of a softie, so instead of getting a completely tame and happy bird baby we got Stella, who needs some work. She is not afraid, but nippy, understandably so as the pet shop told us she came to them clipped from a breeder, but after a couple of weeks they saw one of her wings bleeding. They have a vet on site, and she was tended to, needing x-rays and all sorts of things surely highly unpleasant for a little bird!
As a result she doesn't like hands much, but my thinking is that I only need to be patient and calm and it will pass...? She already eats out of our hands (she eats a lot!! :-), and I've started clicker training to further establish trust. She is such a sweetie, and very clever, she already has the dogs trained to come sit by her cage, she throws her pellets at them, she's entertained and they get a treat, a win-win!

I've made her a play stand using clean gum tree branches, and she comes out and has a play daily, and I try to do the "touch" a stick, click and treat at least three four times a day, hoping she will step on my hand to touch soon, and then I plan to start walking her a bit further from her cage every day. Any other suggestions to make our journey easier and / or better for her would be greatly appreciated of course! She is about 5 months old, am trying to attach a photo, let's see how it goes! (Edit: Nah, can't do it, do I remember something about not being able to for the first 10 posts or something?)

Thanks again for all the info on here, my husband has already started calling me the crazy bird lady as I spend so much time reading everything! :D
SunniDai
Posts: 222
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2013 4:49 pm
Location: Washington state, USA

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by SunniDai »

Welcome to the forum, Teabag. Sounds like you are headed in the right direction with Stella.
I completely understand about being a softy for the not-so-happy ones. Three of ours are rescues, so they all came with their own set of "issues". Happily, they have all accepted US into THEIR flock. Still not able to pick them up without a stick, but I think that's okay.
Then there is Miss Sunni Dai. Hmm. Diva. Enough said :)
And you can never read too much. Again, welcome :)
~Dana

Image
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Thank you for the kind words Dana. It's morning here in Melbourne, Stella is busy playing with her "foot ball" and making very cute noises. She terrified me yesterday as she fell off her play stand onto our tiled floor, but apart from looking a bit embarrassed she seemed fine, and hopped straight onto the stick I offered her to get her back up. Lesson learned - young birds are not as agile and coordinated as adults, and gum branches are slippery! I'll have to make little cuts in them or something to make them safe!

:-) Hege
MissK
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Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by MissK »

Just use a file or sandpaper. Some people wrap slippery surfaces, but it seems a lot of work to me, and then it gets dirty..........
-MissK
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Thanks missK,
My Saturday chores have had to wait, as I've been busy firstly finding some sand paper in the very messy garage, then sanding down the branches! :D She's out on the newly sanded stand now, I place it so she can walk onto it from inside the cage, and she has found a bell on the end of a rope that apparently is intriguing! I've put a big fluffy towel on the floor underneath just in case....
I'm so happy I can have her out of the cage even if she's not stepping on to hands yet (she might, but I want to trust her a bit more on the biting front first I guess....), to give her some freedom, surely that'll help her confidence and trust in us as well? And for her to see the cage as a home, not a nasty jail?

Anyways, two weeks in I'm not impatient, I'll get some more of those rope perches so I can create "paths" for her from the cage to the kitchen table next, and then just sit and wait for her to test it out, then she can wander around the table and explore...? She is sooo cute, and so active, about a 1000 times more so than our old cockatiel was, granted he was an old man, but even so!

:-) Hege
SkyeBerry
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2014 2:14 am
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by SkyeBerry »

Welcome! It sounds like Stella is one lucky girl! If you have not previously done so make sure you read up on all the household hazards a bird can get into, chew, hide behind/under, or smell etc.

You are very correct about young birds being clumsy. You do need to be careful that she does not fall onto her breastbone. Young birds and those that are clipped - especially if they did not get a chance to learn how to flap and fly first - are likely to land hard and on the breast. If the fall is severe enough this bone and/or a leg, and pelvis could fracture.

Don't be surprised if Stella flies and lands on an arm, shoulder, or onto your head before she actually steps onto your hand. Mine did!

Plastic chain is also good and the different feel from rope will be good exercise.

Do you know of Barbara Heidenrich? She has two sites - http://www.goodbirdinc.com/ and http://www.barbarasffat.com/
Wonderful resource!
Mary
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Thanks for info and links, much appreciated!
Stella now happily steps onto one of those plastic perches with a "tray" around it that I hold underneath, they're ok aren't they? (As she does bite fingers if she can get to them, demonstrated when she stepped up just now, I told her she was a good girl and gave her a sunflower seed from a tiny bowl, she spotted the tip of my finger and bit that instead.... Luckily the seed won her attention and she let go....)
On flying..... I don't know if the breeder clipped her before she could fly, and even to my untrained eye it looks like a really bad clip on one of her wings, it's just a "stump" left, if that makes sense? The other one has a couple of the long feathers left...... But she holds on to a perch and "pretend flies" in her cage once in a while, and seems to really enjoy it, hopefully a good sign? I'll have no problem with her flying around when she is able to, hopefully I'll have her somewhat trained by then so I'll still have a semblance of control .. (do I hear laughing...? :D ) When will she have her first moult, I assume her flight feathers will grow back then?

:-) Hege
InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by InTheAir »

Welcome and congrats on your new friend. It's so refreshing to hear about the way you are going about things with your new bird! Letting the bird set the pace of your relationship with her is such an effective approach! When she feels confident she will accept your hands.
Sorry to hear about the clip. There is a process called imping, where donor feathers are grafted on to the clipped shafts by an avian vet, which you may be interested in looking into. If you ever want donor feathers I can post some from qld.

Regards,
Claire
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Thank you, and yes, she is definitively getting bolder! I put a branch from her play stand to the kitchen table now when I open her doors, and she happily wanders on it to come visit on the table (where I have another little play station she can hang out on). This morning she crawled on to the table and over to me typing on my iPad, and was very curious about the screen, I got a great photo of it which I'll post when I can - after a few more posts I think?
I kept my hands where she could see them but very still, and thankfully she didn't see the need to "eat" them, so as you say Claire, when she feels confident I won't grab and hurt her she should not feel the need to bite.....
As the poor baby has gone through the vet having to fix her wing already I think it is better to leave her wing as is for now, I'll continue to work with her so I hopefully get to a point when a trip to the vet isn't too traumatising for her, we have a way to go yet!
MissK, she now has some bright yellow (to match her...) plastic chain, which was such a hit!
I'm starting work after two weeks off on Monday, so fretting a bit, but my husband works from home a bit so he will entertain her, and I'll make her the mother of all forage balls with veggies and fruit etc before I leave in the morning, and let her out as soon as I'm back, she'll hopefully get the routine of that after a while...? Anyway, will stop ranting now, again, thanks for the support from this forum, it's a fantastic source of both information, support and fun!

Hege :-)
SkyeBerry
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2014 2:14 am
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by SkyeBerry »

We are all glad to read about your adventures. No need to apologize for going on. Many of us ...Hmmm... perhaps even me...get a little wordy at times. Some of us even have our own threads so we can blog on a day to day basis. Feel free to create your own or just use this thread.
Mary
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

He he, I'll keep ranting then... :D Wednesday eve here now, and my third day back at work being away from 8 - 5-ish 4 days a week. Today Stella has had both the husband and the dogs for company though, so she has had a good day by the sounds of it. I've just had her out, doing the now usual routine of setting the "play station" up on the kitchen table, then getting her to step up onto a stick and moving her to it. She had fun there for a while, but then, while I had my back turned replacing some toys in her cage she must have decided to try to fly back (to the cage), and flapped herself down to the floor. I calmly asked her to step up onto a perch and she did, not too faced, but then decided to fly again and flapped without much luck in the flying department at all, I did the same thing again and put her in the cage this time.
She was happy enough, but I'm a bit worried, I really thought she would understand she couldn't fly so was happy to put her on the play gym on the table, but I guess it's too close to the cage (about 1 mtr), would it help if I set it up further away maybe? Any advice appreciated, she seems to be moulting a bit now, so would her flight feathers grow back now (she's about 6 months), or do we have to be patient to the first "real" moult?

Hege
InTheAir
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by InTheAir »

I'm sorry to tell you the first moult at around 6 months is only a partial moult which doesn't include flights. Flights are replaced on the first full moult, I think it happens between 12-15 months old (mine were both around 12 months old).
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Thank you Inthe Air, I (we...) just have to be patient then! Dread to think what a full moult will look like if this is a partial btw, there are cute little yellow and white fluffy feathers everywhere! Oh well....

On another note, I've ordered a smaller cage for her today, to act as a sleep cage if / when needed, and also as a travel cage, we go camping a bit so I'm hoping Stella will enjoy that too! We have a caravan, so she will still be able to stretch and play outside the cage daily, and we will of course get her used to the whole car rides and moving the cage stuff first, any hints or tips appreciated?
Today has been a lovely warm day, so we moved Stella's cage outside while we were gardening, she seemed to really like the new sights and sounds, and she also put one foot on my -covered by my long sleeved shirt - hand today, so slow but steady progress, woohoo!

Hege
InTheAir
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Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by InTheAir »

http://youtu.be/QQ2MpmxUgSA
I think this video pretty much sums it up. Once Sapphire was comfortable in her travel cage she didn't seem at all fussed if that travel cage was in the car. She does try to chew seat belts if she can get to them though the bars. We always put a heap of foraging toys in travel cages to keep the monsters busy.
:D

yep, the fluffs are overwhelming! They get everywhere too and hide from the vacuum cleaner. I found one inside my pillowcase the other day and the birds finished moulting months ago....
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Great video, and good advice in it. Stella stepped onto my hand today! Granted it was covered by a long sleeved shirt, but even so! Very excited!! I even walked her around a little bit, stepped her down to the play stand again, and did the same thing again a couple of times. Did I say I was excited...?

Hege :D :D
InTheAir
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by InTheAir »

That is fantastic! Awesome work! Keep it up!
Honestly, don't worry about posting absolutely any amount of raving about how brilliant Stella is, we all love it. :)
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

He he and thank you! We've just had another good "session", wandered around the living room, her sitting quite content bur curious on my arm! She looks like she is planning where and what to destroy when she finally can fly! Here she is with her favourite toy, the iPad..... if I can post photos now that is, here we go....

Hege
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SkyeBerry
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Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by SkyeBerry »

Awe...such a cute picture! and fantastic that she is on the shirt covered arm. I have had to work a lot with my IRN. He just recently started walking onto my bare hand without 'beaking' - or should I say ripping at my flesh to make sure the 'branch' was strong enough not to break when he stepped onto it. After that, it took just a couple days to get him to walk onto a couple fingers - the beak marks have almost healed ...sigh...the good news is he appears to be done with the beaking. Even managed to get him to stretch all the way down - ie) hang upside down to get a treat. He has always been very cautious more than freaked out by everything. I thought these steps would help with his trust in me but also improve his confidence with each new 'obstacle' surmounted. :D So as you see, even an 'old timer' of four years understands why you are so proud and happy by something so 'simple.'

Because your bird is jumping/flying off the playgym just make sure to keep an extra close eye on him. re:doors - it is not just being careful not to open them and have an escape - you also need to be careful closing them - ie) bathroom/bedroom doors - birds have unfortunately been caught between the door and frame - they will also get into laundry baskets and have been washed and/or dried - sat on under/behind cushions - and many have been stepped on - Sorry if you know all this already but some of these things are not covered as much as some other house hazards.

re: car rides - remember to belt in or secure the cage - if you stop suddenly, take a sharp corner, God forbid, get in an accident you don't won't the cage to go flying - also keep the cage away from vehicle floor - minute amounts of engine gases start to accumulate there even in cars without holes in the floor boards - also vehicle air fresheners including the ones you put into the air vents can be toxic to birds. And be careful that objects in the cage can't swing and hit the bird or fly about.
Mary
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Thank you Mary,
All sound advice. She seems to want to wander around on the floor, cute, but see your point, can be dangerous losing track of her!
At the moment she is wandering around on the table, I'm just home from work and am letting her have some time to explore before we go for an "wander" around the living room. She is curious but very alert and hesitant when I introduce her to new spots, but a little better each day I think. She is also moulting like crazy, so paired with her being about 6 months old I think that's the reason for her "moodiness", hormones and such? She took a bite out of my husbands finger yesterday, he's not impressed, but handled it well (apart from now wanting a sweet little cockatiel, I can have the "monster"... so Stella may get a friend at some point! ;-).

Hege
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Hi again all,
Quick question.... I've got Stella a little ball with holes, and a bell inside, one of those cat toys? She loves it, carries it around, head butts it and talks to it, but she also walks around it, with wings wide, and her head low and "bobbing", what is she doing? She is only about 6 months so she doesn't think it's an egg does she?

Hege :)
MissK
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Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by MissK »

Oooh, she looooooves it! :lol:

I gave such a ball to my Rocky as soon as I got him home from his prior life. He loved it instantly. I call it (or whatever reincarnation of it he currently has) his "Girlfriend"!! My Rocky, definitely male, does the wide wings, the waving it around, the dancing around it, the bending down and bird-talking to it, and he may be a touch possessive about it. Comes to get it, just like a treat. Carries it off to a high perch, drops it, and goes all the way down to retrieve it and carry it back up again. Loves it.

Mind there is some concern about the bell inside. If Stella eats it, could be bad, either from a poison or a physical hazard standpoint. Rocky got the first one out and split it open. It contained little metal BB's. Since then I just pry it out before I give him a fresh ball.

NOW, it has been reported by trusted others that young IRNs may express the hormonal stances of both sexes, regardless of their true sex. As well I have read that among same sex pairs, one bird (unspecified species) may display the hormonal stance of the opposite sex. That said, how would you feel if little Stella turned out to be a stellar BOY?
-MissK
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

He he, stellar Steven it is in that case! I guess time will tell, and in the meantime it is she, having fun with the ball....
I'll keep a close eye on the bell inside, so far (third day) it seems safe in there. She got a whole stash of new toys today, I'm preparing for having to be away from Friday to Sunday (I will have people she know come visit!), but the iPad still wins if I'm at the table "surfing", it's very funny as well as a bit annoying, as I've spent hours building her elaborate play stands...! :lol: Here she is inspecting my previous post to this forum, I think she approved?

Hege :-)
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Teabag
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Ooh, and I weighed her today, 137 grams, healthy weight for a 6 month old.....? Or a bit chubby...?
InTheAir
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by InTheAir »

She's so cute on that ipad!
137g is on the heavy side for an irn, but it is really impossible to judge an individuals body mass from a weight really.. . Sapphire weighs about that range and is physically quite a bit larger in height (and beak) than the other ringnecks she has had play dates with... i do suspect she is carrying more weight than she maybe should but I can still feel her keelbone so I'll let it go for now... Nila spent everyone's vet budget (and savings) last year so she hasn't had her yearly check up :shock:
Sapphire flies around more than Nila and our regular av thinks Nila could be leaner... just for comparison Nila weighs 97g. He is quite little.
Teabag
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Aha, thank you for the info... and hope Nila is ok?.. So, at 6 months she is "fully grown" weight wise? And ... She is active, but as she can't fly yet the exercise is limited, hopefully baby fat will turn into muscle when she gets her wings back.... In the mean time, she tried to fly from the table again today, landed on the floor, getting better at gliding I think! I decided she could find her own way up to the cage as I had stuff hanging down from it, and she did!, after having a good old time wandering around on the rug on the floor underneath the dining table, she wasn't scared, just exploring, very entertaining to watch, especially with the dog going absolutely mental outside as he watched her! (She does not care, just looks at him as if to say - look at me, I'm in here and you're out there...!)

Yours featherly,
Hege
SkyeBerry
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Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by SkyeBerry »

re: cat ball toy with bell - all my birds love these as well - one other caution other than the bell however - the plastic or acrylic whichever the ball is made of may be ingested by a bird that breaks open the ball - the plastic may stay in the crop or it could pass further into the digestive track - I am not sure what the ramifications of a crop full of plastic is - but I do know it is found on x-ray - if the plastic/acrylic has a sharp edge or point, I am assuming it could damage the Gi tract and lead to bleeding, infection etc - I have stopped giving the cat size toy and am in the process of trying to find something more durable - Skye used to play with them but know he just wants to get the bell out - when the bell is out, he is done, but I decided the time he spends with the toy (minutes) is too short for the risk involved -
Mary
Teabag
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Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

The bell and Stella are still best friends, she doesn't chew it a lot, just head butts it and then runs after it, very entertaining! But will definitely keep a very close eye on it.
Apart from that all well with the girl, she is growing up, I just noticed today that she has become quite regal looking compared to the rather scruffy bird she was when she arrived! She also seems to seek out company when she's out, instead of wanting to climb around on her play stand, so that's surely good? It results in her flapping to the ground to come to me sometimes, but she has me trained well, so mostly I see her, run towards her and she comes onto my arm and then down on the table. Because the iPad is so much more fun than all the toys I've put together for her.....

Her claws seem very long, I'm hesitant to take her to the vet until I get her a little tamer, used to a travel cage etc, and things take time..... She doesn't seem fussed at all, views?

:-). Hege
SkyeBerry
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Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by SkyeBerry »

It sounds like everything is going well! Although she has trained you well - you rescuing her from the floor - unless there is a danger the walk is good exercise for her especially if she is not flying a lot. Have you tried to play fetch with her and her ball? You can try verbal praise and/or treats when she runs after it, picks it up, and returns with it. You may or may not need to break it down into smaller pieces. I had a small conure that picked up the idea of fetch immediately and then turned it into a bit of a basket ball game as well. It really doesn't matter how you play as long as they are moving.

Regarding long toenails - what type of perches are you using? Natural perches are supposed to wear the nails down. There are also sand perches. I do NOT mean sand paper perches. Sand paper is too coarse and can actually cut the feet and lead to infections. Some vets do not like the cement perches either. Here is a link to some different types:

http://www.perchfactory.com/bird_cage_p ... erches.htm


When buying a perch keep in mind that it will need to be cleaned - ie) you may want to avoid the cactus type. I don't think one was pictured on that link but there is a sand perch that has a top surface without sand. Therefore, the foot is even less likely to develop a problem. Also do not place this perch at the highest point in the cage. or use it to replace your bird's favourite perch. You want the bird to use it several times a day but not all day.

If you have a good avian vet you don't need to worry about having her tamer. If the toes/nails start getting caught in things, they need to get trimmed.

That is wonderful if she seeks you out for company - she likes you! - but make sure she also learns that sometimes you are busy and she will need to keep herself amused or you really will end up with a spoiled bird who may start to scream for you instead of playing with a toy. Over and over I have read to ensure you praise your bird for doing the things you want, and that includes playing on there own with a toy or on a playstand.

Love the up states!
Mary
MissK
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by MissK »

I agree. In a perfect world the bird will be comfy with everything in life, but the bird's well-being trumps momentary happiness/comfort. To the vet.
-MissK
Teabag
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Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Yes, get your point and you're quite right missK, better with an annoyed but healthy bird at the vet than having to go anyway for something that could have been avoided.
Mary, she has lots of different perches, thick and thin, wood, a couple of those "pedi perches" and some rope ones, so hopefully after a trim she will be ok, I suspect her time in a small cage in a pet shop didn't help.
So.... I got her a small cage yesterday, a quite nice one that opens on top with a perch there, I put it next to her big one, and she has been going between them exploring all day, so no problems at all, don't know what I was worried about! I'll start walking her around a bit for a couple of days, then into the car, then a short drive etc, so in a weeks time we will make it to the vet, will keep you posted with "results"!

Hege
MissK
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by MissK »

Hey, don't underestimate Stella. She may be perfectly fine with her trip to the vet. Be sure to have a cage cover in case of upsetting things.
-MissK
SkyeBerry
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Location: Vancouver, BC Canada

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by SkyeBerry »

You might want to quickly scan Donovan's thread - first time going to the avian vet

http://www.indianringneck.com/forum/vie ... et#p124628
Mary
Teabag
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Hello all, it's been a while so felt the need to share a Stella-update! All is going well, she has discovered the joy of bathing, which is very entertaining to watch, and she still loves her little ball with the bell, but doesn't seem to break it, just head butting it around a lot!
I take her out every day, she climbs everywhere now, and loves exploring in shelves and the like if I hang ropes and stuff from her play stands so she can climb around.
I try to carry her around a bit on the perch I have (she still bites, it honestly doesn't seem like she's afraid or angry, she just seems to want to take a bite of my fingers / hand...) to get her used to different places, but she gets very wary if I walk too far away from her comfort zone around where she can see her cage, do I just continue, I don't want her to be afraid of new places?
Attaching a photo, she is growing up, quite regal looking now I think (apart from if she tries to fly, the poor thing still can't even glide.....)

Hege
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AJPeter
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by AJPeter »

Stella is a lovely looking bird, l think they like the taste of human blood
InTheAir
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Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by InTheAir »

Thanks for the update, it's nice to hear she's doing well.

From what you have written it sounds to me that she is confident to explore new places under her own steam. When her wings recover, I bet she will explore further. You could use positive reinforcement to teach her that carrying her further away from her cage results in yummy stuff she likes, just ensure you make very small steps so you build her comfort zone slowly. If you move too fast and she tries to fly off and hits the ground it will probably decrease her trust in you.

I have met a couple ringnecks that appear to enjoy chewing flesh. Sapphire also thought socks were chew toys when she first discovered them (it gave me a hell of a fright, what with the socks being on my feet at the time!). I taught her target across a socked hand without eating it (I just could not handle having my toes munched on), then to target on to the socked area and eat treats while not sock-chewing. Then hanging out on the socks for longer periods without chewing them and chewing toys instead. I think she is over the sock chewing now, but she seldom comes into contact with socks. Now we are coming into winter I'll probably find out whether the training had a long term effect or whether we have to try a refresher course. :lol:

I hope that might be helpful for you.
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Hello there,
It's been a while, so just thought I'd check in to let you know all is well in Stella's world! She still bites, and I AM going to fix that, just need to get through a house move first....but apart from that she seems a very happy bird. She hasn't yet done her big moult that I'm waiting for so she gets her wings, but... She flies! Not very well or coordinated, landing is not her strong point, but boy does she enjoy it, she looks so proud when she manages to land where it seems she had planned to! There will be no stopping her soon! She is also part duck, and jumps into any water she sees, as long as it is luke warm, as the diva she is she doesn't like cold bath water thank you!
Anyway, just thought I'd check with regards to the first major moult, seems to be no sign of it yet, and she is around a year old now, I should be expecting it soon I think?
Thanks in advance for info and any advice as to how to best manage........?

Proud "mum" as I am, here's the diva in action, having a rooftop bath this morning.....
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MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by MissK »

That photo is a *PRIZE*!!!!!
Is she biting hard, or just checking things out?
-MissK
InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by InTheAir »

Great pic! She's like a rubber ducky.

Tell us about this biting.
Teabag
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 8:48 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by Teabag »

Hi again, sorry for delayed response, moving house, internet.... nuff said....!
The biting.... it hurts, enough so I need to pull away instead of waiting to see if she draws blood... But I don't think she is scared or being aggressive, as an example, she can come wandering up to me on the dining table while I'm eating breakfast, if I don't move my hand from the table she will just start "eating" my fingers (after she's done with the piece of fruit or whatever she finds of interest in my breakfast bowl of course, food first!)....? And if I invite her to step up on my covered arm now all she wants to do is chew on whatever jumper I have on?
Apart from the biting she is the funniest and cutest bird, she loves our company, is so curious and playful, can whistle a lot of morse code (husband is a radio amateur...), and also says a very muddled "hello", "hi" and "peekaboo" :-).
Any advice, do I need to steel myself and just let her chew my fingers, until she (hopefully) realises they don't taste nice, or is there any tricks to this?

Hege
InTheAir
Posts: 2040
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:24 pm

Re: Hi all, thank you and introducing Stella!

Post by InTheAir »

Hi,

The act of chewing is rewarding, so don't wait for her to get bored of of munching your hands! Chewing is reinfocing because of the action, not the reaction! Parrots chew toys and bark and handbags and whatever else they find without encouragement, purely because they like chewing stuff. Seriously, my handbag has never raised a fuss or reacted in anyway when Sapph chews it, yet she keeps chewing it :wink:
I think the whole "ignore biting and don't react" is quite silly. You can remove your hands from a parrot without making a fuss. It will be less reinforcing for them than the alternative of waiting for them to give up, whether they are being aggressive or just having a nice chew.

You can hand her substitutes to chew when she is on you. You can reward her for chewing them. You can reward her when she climbs on you - before she chews you - and reward her for climbing straight off. If she walks up to you and starts chewing you, I'd just get myself out of range. If she is on you, distract her and remove her kindly.

I hope she isn't like Sapphire who goes into the "chew-zone" with certain objects! We have a couple bags she will seek out if she knows where they are and chew them so intensely that you can grab and pick her up and she just keeps chewing as if you are not there! Luckily, she will step up from them when you get her attention and she is rewarded lavishly for that. She now responds quite quickly to the step up from chewing now.

Best of luck.
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