Taming Houdini

[fluffypoptarts]

I'm committed to giving Houdi the best and happiest life possible.

I am concerned about his lack of interest or knowledge of toys. He spends a lot of time sitting quietly, watching the room around him. He's not lethargic and he doesn't look distressed, just not hoppy and active like other lovebirds. Do they need to be taught what toys are? It is because he's still a juvenile? Or is it because he's still so fearful?

Usually it's when they have never been exposed to toys. Neutrino had no clue what toys were for or even things she could chew. It took her a while to even start attempting to play with anything (I would "show" her by playing with the toy myself and telling her how much fun it was). She's still not big on playing with toys, but she has finally learned the joys of chewing on wood, seagrass, and rope.

Do you leave anything on for Houdi during the day, TV or radio?

Sadly, it seems like being traumatized takes some of the joy and playfulness out of them. It makes them almost somber. Instead of being able to run around and be exuberant, they spend their time watching everything to make sure their world is safe. It took Neutrino some time to be able to actually chirp a lot - she was so quiet when I first brought her home.

 

[Julie O]

I leave the stereo on a high energy music station and his cage gets lots of light during the day. All three birds can see and hear each other from their cages and vocalize to each other all day. In the mornings, they're all quite lively and very cheepy.

 

[Julie O]

Sadly, it seems like being traumatized takes some of the joy and playfulness out of them. It makes them almost somber. Instead of being able to run around and be exuberant, they spend their time watching everything to make sure their world is safe. It took Neutrino some time to be able to actually chirp a lot - she was so quiet when I first brought her home.

Your description of how Neutrino was fits Houdi's attitude exactly! He is mostly quiet and still, except in the mornings. I know it's going to take a long time to get past whatever he experienced before he came home with me. He's safe and loved. He will come around.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

I leave the stereo on a high energy music station and his cage gets lots of light during the day. All three birds can see and hear each other from their cages and vocalize to each other all day. In the mornings, they're all quite lively and very cheepy.

That sounds like a great setup. Something to listen to, someone to chirp at/with, and filtered light to enjoy.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Your description of how Neutrino was fits Houdi's attitude exactly! He is mostly quiet and still, except in the mornings. I know it's going to take a long time to get past whatever he experienced before he came home with me. He's safe and loved. He will come around.

Once he sees you are safe and really believes it, he will definitely start to change. He will pick up on the love. When I croon to Neut, she looks at me differently than she used to. Before it was usually anxious, but now it's often a content, familiar sort of look. She knows I love her, and she knows our routine.

How much he accepts and seeks you out will depend on Houdi's temperament and how well he recovers from his experiences.

 

[Julie O]

So this is new. When I got home from work today, Houdi was ravenously eating and bouncing around the cage. There was evidence that he had all but destroyed his cuttlebone; there were pieces on the floor around the cage and the cuttlebone (or what was left of it) was on the floor of the cage. The little metal holder was still twisted in the bars so I removed it and replaced the cuttlebone in a new holder.

He's still skittish and doesn't like my hand in his cage, but if I just walk by, he no longer freaks out and flutters all over.

Progress.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Did Houdi keep eating when you were there? That's one of the earlier signs of safety. I still remember when I walked into the bedroom and Neut's little head popped up over the edge of the food bowl (she's so tiny that she just sits in there to eat). When she saw it was mama, she went right back to eating (basically disappearing except for the tip of her tail). I was so touched/excited, lol!

 

[Julie O]

Houdi was hopping around when I got home, but later that evening when it was almost time to cover the cage, he was sitting on his favorite perch, all poofy and sleepy, with one leg tucked up and when I walked by and stopped to talk to him, he looked at me and made a little grunting noise but didn't untuck his leg.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

He's definitely getting more comfortable with you! Very good signs. I'm surprised he's come that far already, actually.

 

[Julie O]

His cage is right by the sofa in the living room, so he gets quite a bit of exposure to people and TV noise and conversation. I have high hopes that in a month he'll be begging to come play with me.

 

[Julie O]

Last night I discovered that Houdini has attitude.
When I got home from work, I saw that he apparently ran out of things he liked in his food cup, so he had somehow taken the food cup off of its bracket (see photo) and it was lying at the bottom of the cage on its side. He was wandering around the bottom of the cage, hunting for bits to eat.

I put the cup back in the bracket, but there was very little food left in it. He hopped up onto the perch next to the cup, looked inside, poofed up into a little ball of fluff then looked very pointedly at me and grunted at me! It sounded like a tiny duck quack.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Your regulation - I mean, training - has begun!

 

[Julie O]

Oh - I forgot to post this - the lady whose dog nearly ate him called me yesterday. She got a printout of Houdini's tests in the mail from the vet that checked him out after his ordeal in the German Shepherd's mouth. The vet says he has no diseases or internal injuries, no evidence of broken bones.

He also said that from his X-rays (something about bone density) - he estimates Houdini's age at less than a year old! Houdini is just a baby!

I'm so delighted - that means I will have many years of joy with my little guy!

 

[fluffypoptarts]

That's wonderful to hear! I'm glad Houdi is healthy and that he will get to have a nice life with you.

 

[Julie O]

Taking a long weekend off from work for Labor Day. Today I got to spend a whole day at home with the birds. Houdi is getting more comfortable with me, he spent time sleeping on one foot (beak fully tucked in wing) and he didn't even budge when I walked by, he just opened one eye and squeaked.

He's also getting much more vocal. He and Kiki had a noisy lovebird chatter session across the living room with each other and I was right in the middle, going about my day. They didn't even pay me any notice.

I'm making sure that Edda (my budgie) gets extra love and attention, too, because she is visibly jealous of the new birds in the house.

 

[Aubrey]

Sounds like Houdini is getting more comfy by the day

 

[Happynme]

P

Last night I discovered that Houdini has attitude.
When I got home from work, I saw that he apparently ran out of things he liked in his food cup, so he had somehow taken the food cup off of its bracket (see photo) and it was lying at the bottom of the cage on its side. He was wandering around the bottom of the cage, hunting for bits to eat.

I put the cup back in the bracket, but there was very little food left in it. He hopped up onto the perch next to the cup, looked inside, poofed up into a little ball of fluff then looked very pointedly at me and grunted at me! It sounded like a tiny duck quack.

Please be very careful of this cup! My happy got her toe stuck between the washer part where it connects to.the cage! Thank god we were home and got it out. I have a whole thread on it from many moons ago. Other than that sounds like houdini is getting more comfortable with you already. That is great news#

 

[Julie O]

Thank you for the warning! These cups are temporary because they are really too small. I intend to use them as treat cups or feeders in my "hospital" cage. The free cage I got when I picked Houdi up is far too small for a regular cage, but it will be ok as a med cage if one of the birds should become ill or injured, or good for travel. I have different feeders on order from Dr Foster and Smith.

 

[Happynme]

N

Thank you for the warning! These cups are temporary because they are really too small. I intend to use them as treat cups or feeders in my "hospital" cage. The free cage I got when I picked Houdi up is far too small for a regular cage, but it will be ok as a med cage if one of the birds should become ill or injured, or good for travel. I have different feeders on order from Dr Foster and Smith.

No problem. Just didnt want lil houdi to get a toe stuck. Your taking great care of your fid

 

[Julie O]

Sept 22, 2015
Houdini has begun playing with toys. He especially likes bells and anything he can shred. My bird guy sold me a cage ladder that's safe for chewing and Houdini apparently finds great glee in gnawing off little pieces to fling out of the cage.

Today I sat at his cage with my hand near his perch holding a spring of millet. We have determined that millet is yummy. He eyeballed it and kept sidling closer, opening his beak as if to try a taste, and then he would chicken out at the last second and scoot away. He never got panicked or flew around, but at one point he climbed up one side of the cage, across the back, and then down to the perch where my hand was so he could get a good look from all sides.

Before bed tonight, my budgie (who is molting and cranky) went off on a grumbling, screechy complaining session, and Houdini perked up and so they had a little birdie call and response for about 10 minutes. It was very cute. When they quieted down, Houdini climbed to the highest perch in his cage and went flap-happy and then poofed up and started clicking his beak. Little happy sounds. He no longer panics when I cover his cage.

We're not exactly friends yet, but he knows I'm the food person and he is starting to get interested in me as I walk around the room and talk to him and Edda. He likes to watch Edda when she is playing with me, and I bring her close to his cage often so he can see how we play together.