Boba updates

[Monica]

Sorry to hear Boba isn't feeling well, or hasn't been. Good news though!!! Parrots can't get a cold! Or anything like a human cold! Bad news... they can still get sick.


Definitely keep up with the training! The mornings, as you've found out, are a great time to train! Maybe see if Boba would be more interested in taking millet or sunflower seeds from you (even if through the cage bars) first thing in the morning before he's had a chance to eat?


If you are indeed a first time bird keeper, I'd say you are doing extremely well with him! You are much more patient and understanding than *most* other first timers. I know how badly it sucks, but you are doing great!



If you need any more ideas or feel like reading more, here's a lot of great resources!

Free Training Resources | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Gddmsam]

Thanks for the info and support.
I spent a long time doing research and meeting many birds before deciding to bring Boba home, but he is indeed my first fid.
He has a lower respiratory infection as far as the vet could tell and we have 8 treatments left to go including today. I've been able to get him to eat treats from my hand in the cage in the past, but not for the last few days. He won't take treats through the bars anymore either. I'm going to keep up with the training routine and hope for the best. On the upside he is quite the talker for a lovebird, and he seems to enjoy learning new words.

Thanks again,
Sam and Boba

 

[Monica]

If need be, you can stop training while giving Boba his meds, then start up again after he's off his meds and has had a few days of rest. Sometimes, it helps to take a step back and wait.

 

[Gddmsam]

He let me give him a scritch, but still won't leave the cage or take treats from me. I think I'll take that advice and wait a while.

 

[Gddmsam]

Just a quick update. He took his meds easily today. He is singing and talking up a storm right now. Here's a new clip.

 

[Gddmsam]

Boba got some special treats for finishing his medicine regiment. He is doing very well and has been spending a lot more time on his perch out of his cage. He steps up and targets much better outside of the cage so he has been hanging out on my shoulder the last couple of days. His favorite spot is in my hood, or tunneling under it from one side to the other. Hopefully I will be able to get a video of him hanging out with me soon. Until then, here's a picture of him checking out the new treat.

Thanks for reading and as always we hope you and yours are happy and healthy.
Sam and Boba

 

[Aubrey]

Sounds like things are really going well for you two

 

[nu2birds]

I've really been enjoying your updates.......it's kind of like a daily blog. I hope you keep all your entries because some day you might want to write a book about Boba and maybe in Diary form. Anyway your daily journals have made me rethink my wanting two lovebirds. I don't think I want to take the the chance of them not getting along and then having to get a second cage and all of that. You are developing such a wonderful relationship with Boba that I think I might just enjoy having the one bird! It's given me pause to think at any rate. I think the Fischer's are my favorite......but also would be happy with a black masked. I think it's sweet that you read out loud top Boba, I think that is a nice way way to facilitate bonding. A soothing voice is comforting and encourages trust. And I like the way you don't push Boba instead being patient and allowing Boba to explore and do things in his own time. Great job!

 

[Gddmsam]

Thank you for the kind words, @Aubrey and @nu2birds. I'm glad to hear that my posts are helpful to others. I did a lot of thorough research before I got Boba, which I think helped me to understand how important patients is when bonding and living with birds. One thing to consider when getting just one lovebird: They are very social and a single lovebird will need 2-3 times as much attention as a pair of lovebirds. (That's my opinion, but I think the last six weeks have imparted on my view some credence.) I spend at least 4 hours a day interacting with and talking to him. That doesn't include training and mantainance time, which is about an hour a day additionally.

One other thing I have discovered is that asking your bird is always better than telling them to do something. Even when I open his door, or replace food, water or toys, I ask him if I can. If he seems comfortable with it he will let me know, if not, he will say "no" or act scared, hiding in a corner. It took some time to understand his signals. Boba has only ever bit me once, on day 2. He never even tried to bite when I had to towel him for his medicine. I think asking him makes him feel like he is valued and respected in the house hold, which in turn has made him far more open to bonding and taming. I hope I can continue to help folks with my little blog.
Thanks for stopping by! As always, here's hoping you and yours are happy and healthy.
Sam and Boba.

 

[Gddmsam]

Boba overshot his perch today while getting a treat and ended up on the floor. He has been out a few times before, but he was scared this time, I assume it's because he didn't intend on coming down to floor level. He stepped up and let me give him some stitches and love before I put him back in his cage. He seemed relieved to be home. I think he needs a bigger table. He is doing fine and is talking up a storm.

Any suggestions on play stands or similar products would be great. Anything to get him out more would really help. I have next week off so I'm planning on doing a little shopping for him. I'm also hoping that I can get him out long enough to put the top half of his cage on this coming week.
Thanks a lot everyone!
Sam and Boba

 

[Tyrion]

Glad to hear things are progressing so well for the two of you

 

[Tiel Feathers]

You can get a simple playset for a tabletop, which is nice because once your bird is comfortable on it, you can move it easily from room to room and they will still feel safe on it. You can search Dr. Fosters, Amazon, etc. for some different styles.

They also sell more elaborate ones like this:
Playstands for Pet Birds: Prevue Pet Products Black Cockatiel Playstand at Drs. Foster and Smith
It has wheels, which is nice. I have this one and my cockatiels really like it. I decked it out with a boing, all kinds of toys, and ladders.

I also have a Wingdow, which my birdies love. It's nice having little areas around the house that your bird can go to and feel comfortable with. Oh, and you can also make your own!

 

[JaclynBin]

If you're looking for a cheap way to do things - you could just make your own. I've made my tree stand out of a poplar branch, an IKEA table and some rope to stabilize the tree to the wall. Maybe something you could make for Boba, though I'd make a temporary smaller version until he grows his flights in (though Panda seems to be able to climb around on it just fine). If you use your own branches, make sure it's from a bird-safe, pesticide-free tree and that you thoroughly wash it, rinse it and leave it in the sun to kill bugs, bacteria and mould.

 

[Gddmsam]

This is what I've come up with for the time being. Hopefully he will spend more time outside of his cage.

 

[Gddmsam]

Time for a full update.
Boba has been off his meds for almost a full week now. (I almost forgot last saturday.) He is happy and comfy with his new cage set up now. He still doesn't come out much, but he does grind his beak and click a lot. He spends about twenty minutes a day out side of the cage on average, although I keep his cage open 4-6 hours a day. Some days he spends an hour and a half on my shoulder or in my hood, others he doesn't come out at all. Unfortunately he has been doing the second more lately. I have added more perches outside and also tie teats to them.
He still rarely steps up in his cage, but out of it he is a total lovebird, pun intended, and loves scritches. His toys have started taking a beating, which makes me happy.
We talk a lot, and he has taken to saying only a few phrases now out of the many he has attempted to learn. He can clearly say "pew-pew" "daddy" "boba" and "good boy." He still tries to say new and old words. He surprises me everyday with new behavior or attempts at saying words. I am truly lucky to have such a smart, loving bird in my life.

 

[Gddmsam]

Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since I did an update, the demands on my time have been increasing lately.

Boba is doing very well and seems to be much more comfortable with me and other people. He almost came out of his cage with a few friends of mine in the room, but decided against it. He talks to most people now and gets very excited when I tell him people are coming to visit. He asks me "Watcha doin?" If I tell him "daddy has to go for a bit." If I answer work he says "no" and gives me the cutest look to try to keep me here. If I say going to play he says "good boy" and begs for a treat before I go.
As far as training goes, we started back at the basics about a week ago, but it's slow going. He has been coming out less lately, but is much more comfortable with my hands than he has been in the past. He wags his tail and clicks his beak a lot when we talk and hang out. In the rare occasion that he does decide to come out he usually spends the time playing with his dice on the floor, until he wants to hang out on my shoulder. Usually after about five minutes on my shoulder he crawls into my hood and takes a nap. He talks in his sleep so I walk around the house with little "pew-pew" and "boba" squeaks eminating from the back of my neck. When it's time to go home he lets me know by climbing out of my hood and giving kisses until I ask him to step up. Then I set him on his comfy perch and he preens then eats or plays with his toys.

Thanks for reading!
Sam and Boba

 

[nu2birds]

So glad Boba is doing so well. So great you allow him to be himself and come out and go back to his cage as he pleases. I'm not sure why he prefers being inside his cage so much, but he certainly seems well adjusted and content by his body language and his cute mutterings. He is comfortable enough with sleeping in your hoody. They are just like people.........everyone is different.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

He sounds so adorable! I love how he will sleep in your hoodie and how he doesn't want you to go to work.

 

[Gddmsam]

He's a happy boy for sure. He likes his toys a lot, so I've taken parts of each and made a hybrid that I hang on the outside of his cage above his outside perch, but he ignores it mostly. He has this habit of biting his toe nails, or picking at his beak with them. It doesn't seem to be a problem, but he does it a lot. It seems to be almost an impulse at this point.

 

[Aubrey]

He's seems like a sweetheart