My Future Jardines Parrot Advice

[Cawkatoo]

Hello everyone, I'm new here so still getting used to the categories and I hope this advice seeking thread is posted in the right place . Anyways, this September I will be purchasing a Jardines parrot and am wondering a few things. If you could kindly take the time to answer my questions, I would highly appreciate it.

Firstly, I have read many things on wing clipping and not. I have decided that since I have double layered doors (a solid one inside followed by a glass one), it won't be able to escape outside. Due to this, I will likely be keeping my parrot flighted. My question about this is, although later this can be fixed by recall training, when I get him (from a breeder, so quite young), how should I take him out of his cage early on without him being uncatchable in the house?

Secondly, I was wondering if a 32 x 24 x 35 cage is big enough. He will be spending around 10 hours a day in it while I am at school (minor right now, don't worry about the whole college thing, I will probably live at home during college still) and while I finish up any work and stuff I have, then he will be with me.

Lastly, I couldn't really find too much info on Jardines parrots around here or anywhere really, seems they aren't too popular. I know their personality, size, diet and the essentials like that, but if you guys have a Jardines or a meyers (seems they are quite closely related in personality), please tell me!

Thanks in advance to any answers I may receive

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome to the forum! I don't have jardines experience but I'm sure others will answer soon.

 

[Nikomania]

I have a Jardine's and I absolutely LOVE HER! She's engaging, cuddly, and pure joy! Every night she cuddles on my chest underneath my hand, and she won't budge until I move my hand away from her. She's a Velcro bird, that's for sure!

My Jardine's is flighted as are all of my fids. Never had a problem with any of my birds flying away from me. I have a 2 layer safety rule in place at our home. First, of course, is that all doors and windows are closed before they're let out of their cage. I don't trust screens as a bird could theoretically knock one out of place if they should happen to fly into it. Second. I have a curtain hung which I pull across the doorway leading into their flight room. That way if anyone in my house accidentally forgets to close a door behind them, my birds are still secured by the pulled drape.

Teak is the second Jardine's that I've owned. My first one suddenly became ill and died at the tender age of 5.5 months. I believe he could have had some sort of birth defect affecting his airway, as the necropsy could only come up with excessive mucous in his airway. Jardine's are very susceptible to aspirgillosis infections.

Bogart, my first Jardine's, was a bit nippy, whereas Teak has never even nipped me once.

As for cage size, the bigger, the better. Mine is housed in a 30x30x40 cage. Once you begin hanging toys inside their cage, it quickly takes up precious space.

 

[Cawkatoo]

Hey Niko! Thanks for the advice, greatly appreciated! Funny that the maximum space I have is a 32x32 square space in my house, and I could not find a cage that was more than 24 inches wide if the length was 32 inches. May I ask, if you still know, where you got your cage from? The brand and model or a link would be great, as I am all for giving him/her extra space!

 

[Nikomania]

Here you go: Petco Designer Mink Brown Standing Parrot Cage - Parrot Play Top Bird Cage from petco.com
We have 5 of these cages.

 

[SueA555]

I have had my Jardine's since he was a baby. He is 17 now. Our relationship has been a developing process, and keeps getting better. He was always clipped, but I let his wings grow in about a year ago. He only flies to follow me around.

He can be very stubborn. I have learned what triggers bites, and don't do those things anymore. If he doesn't want to step up or come out, I leave him alone until he does.

Good luck! They are wonderful companions.

 

[Cawkatoo]

I have had my Jardine's since he was a baby. He is 17 now. Our relationship has been a developing process, and keeps getting better. He was always clipped, but I let his wings grow in about a year ago. He only flies to follow me around.

He can be very stubborn. I have learned what triggers bites, and don't do those things anymore. If he doesn't want to step up or come out, I leave him alone until he does.

Good luck! They are wonderful companions.

Hello! Thanks, sounds like you two are pals

Also, since it seems to be more of an individual bird thing, what triggers do YOU often see for bites?

 

[Nikomania]

It depends upon the personality of your bird. Honing in on birdie 'language' helps immensely!

 

[SueA555]

If I ask him to do something and he disagrees, if I push him he will nip. It doesn't happen often. He can also be very cuddly.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Here you go: Petco Designer Mink Brown Standing Parrot Cage - Parrot Play Top Bird Cage from petco.com
We have 5 of these cages.

Did you purchase these directly at a PETCO store or did you have them shipped? Would like to try one again but after receiving two of them damaged during shipping I gave up.

Hello everyone, I'm new here so still getting used to the categories and I hope this advice seeking thread is posted in the right place . Anyways, this September I will be purchasing a Jardines parrot and am wondering a few things. If you could kindly take the time to answer my questions, I would highly appreciate it.

Can't give you any advice because I do not and have never had a Jardine's, although I have 10 Pois. Congratulations on your future new Jardine's.

 

[Nikomania]

Only one wasn't shipped. All arrived in good condition.

 

[birdergirl]

Hi, just saw your question. I've got 6-year-old Jardine's hen. Have you had birds before? If not, you could be surprised by how much attitude will fit in such a small animal! Mine went through a very nippy period in the first 2 years. I have her in an HQ Cockatoo cage, and she uses all of it. They are very athletic. Don't overload the cage with too many toys. They need room for gymnastics. Keiki's been a very stubborn girl from day one. You cannot make her do something she doesn't want to do without a fight. Luckily, as she has matured, the "nippiness" has faded. She's really quite sweet now. I won't get into the flighted thing. I've never considered our house to be a safe place for flying, what with ceiling fans, doors, and a bunch of breakables everywhere. One thing, though, is that if you do ever have your Jardine's clipped, be sure they only clip the first few flight feathers. They are heavy for their body size and too severe a clip results in falls to the floor if they lose their footing.

Speaking of footing- they generally have a very soft grip. As a youngster, your bird will probably take a few spills just because it doesn't hold on real tight.

Make sure your Jardine's has plenty of opportunity to work down her beak. Unshelled almonds are great for my parrot, as she really isn't so interested in wood toys. She has had issues with overgrowth of her mandible, and once had to go to the vet to have it shaped. As long as she gets the almonds we seem to be OK for now.

Like many Pois, Keiki is a huge cuddlebug. I spend hours every week giving her head scratches. It wasn't until she got to "puberty" (5-6 years old) that she would have anything to do with my husband, too. Now she'll climb down from me to run over to him. It seems this is pretty common, from what I've read.

I hope this helps a little. Good luck with your new friend. Just be prepared- your hands will be full!

 

[Wildcard]

I have a 12 year old Jardine's hen named Envy. She is an all around great bird - the most social of our flock. I recommend two things- stick training and towel training.

When Envy doesn't want to do something-- mostly she doesn't want to be put back in her cage lol-- she will bite. Hard. They have big beaks. So stick training is important- she will step up onto a hand held perch from inside or outside the cage and I can transport her that way and I avoid bites. She is easy to read-- she doesn't bite right away, just refuses to step down, and if you push it she will bite. So the stick training saves us both from the stress of a bite, and she gets more freedom because I know it's not going to be a hassle putting her to bed.

What I did not do and wish I had is gentle towel training. Envy is phobic when it comes to the towel, which means I need someone's help to trim her nails. Which means a trip to the vet because my husband can't stand to watch her flip out over the towel. Her nails grow very quickly and must be dremeled-- Her rock perches etc don't help much-- which means we are at the vet every 2 mos. Had I taught her not to fear the towel in the beginning I could have hopefully prevented the phobia. It's pretty dramatic and I hate that she is so afraid of it.

Those are her only negatives. She says a few words in the cutest baby robot voice and is a master at imitating sounds. She's cuddly but will also play independently for hours. She loves balsa toys most of all, and adores almonds. She is my only bird that will go to complete strangers and the only one that likes my husband and I equally. She loves to dance to my version of the Adams Family theme song and hits her beak on whatever perch she is on during the finger snaps lol.