Happy Freddy!

[Nancy B]

I didn't even think about that since there wasn't any contact.

So it was probably good at that point Joe walked away to watch tv and left me with Freddy. He was probably 10 ft away, but he was removed from Freddy's interactions. When I saw Freddy wasn't going to follow Joe, I redirected his attention by talking to him, and handed him a toy, told him I loved him, etc. He seemed to soften then.

 

[Nancy B]

@JLcribber this is not something I would have thought about, thank you!!

 

[JLcribber]

@JLcribber this is not something I would have thought about, thank you!!

This is how your scenario is most likely to play out. Whenever Joe is in the room your value is going to go way down. You will need to keep that third eye in the back of your head open and always be guarded. DO NOT touch/flirt with Joe in front of Freddy. Them's fightin' words in bird world. When Joe is not around, your value will go back up.

Your best shot at making friends and developing a different kind of relationship with Freddy will be outside of Joe's presence. Work on Freddy when Joe is not around. Watch your back when he is.

 

[Nancy B]

This is how your scenario is most likely to play out. Whenever Joe is in the room your value is going to go way down. You will need to keep that third eye in the back of your head open and always be guarded. DO NOT touch/flirt with Joe in front of Freddy. Them's fightin' words in bird world. When Joe is not around, your value will go back up.

Your best shot at making friends and developing a different kind of relationship with Freddy will be outside of Joe's presence. Work on Freddy when Joe is not around. Watch your back when he is.

Ok, I get it. Is there a way to change that now or is Joe just always going to be the favored person? Joe's personality is different than mine. I am more serious, loving and down to business. Joe is more of a goof ball, funny and higher energy. He's really funny with Freddy. I guess it makes sense, then, since I am the mom who cleans, feeds and lovey dovey. Freddy is different around me when Joe's not here. I feel I am more like "mom", Joe is more like "friend/playmate". Freddy's picking up on our personalities!! Wow!

 

[Nancy B]

Another thing that's interesting. Freddy will not allow Joe to do much with his food dishes or inside the cage. That seems to be my domain. I can clean anything, touch anything or move anything. No one else is tolerated for that. So I do see myself as more of a mom role with Freddy. But when I do anything I constantly watch Freddy's body language. I stop and talk to him if he seems annoyed. He's easy to read that way.

 

[JLcribber]

Is there a way to change that now or is Joe just always going to be the favored person?

Joe is it. Sorry.

Whenever you need to do something you know Freddy is not going to like, Joe does it because Joe won't lose much if any value. You do all things good to keep increasing your value. Joe does all the bad. Over time the scorecard will even up. 2 years is a reasonable timeframe for achieving that harmonious flock where everybody knows their place/role.

Another concern for me at this time is that Freddy is adjusting very well and very quickly. New blood (Joe). New environment. New/better diet. All these thing contribute to Freddy becoming pretty hormonal fairly quickly and that they will be a little more intense than usual the first few seasons. Things that may have been dormant in the last home because of circumstances. Just be aware.

 

[Nancy B]

Joe is it. Sorry.

Lol ok I can accept that
I will read up on hormonal changes and what to look for. We all love Freddy and trying so hard to make him feel welcome. He bobs his head at me after I give him food or a favorite toy. He loves paper towel rolls cut into rings. I fill his basket with those and new wood blocks and he bobs and chirps. He's a doll! He seems to appreciate things.

 

[sunnysmom]

My fiancé is Elvis's favorite. But I have my own relationship with Elvis. And actually in a way, I have it better because Elvis is much more calm with me whereas he can get pretty demanding and loud when he wants the fiancé's attention and isn't getting it. LOL.

 

[Nancy B]

My fiancé is Elvis's favorite. But I have my own relationship with Elvis. And actually in a way, I have it better because Elvis is much more calm with me whereas he can get pretty demanding and loud when he wants the fiancé's attention and isn't getting it. LOL.

Yes! That's how Freddy is with Joe! Freddy definitely sees Joe as "one of the guys". Me he's more calm! That would drive me nuts all the time! Lol from that perspective it's good!

 

[JLcribber]

Lol ok I can accept that
I will read up on hormonal changes and what to look for. We all love Freddy and trying so hard to make him feel welcome. He bobs his head at me after I give him food or a favorite toy. He loves paper towel rolls cut into rings. I fill his basket with those and new wood blocks and he bobs and chirps. He's a doll! He seems to appreciate things.

Here's the birds and the bees. Parrot style.

Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine

My fiancé is Elvis's favorite. But I have my own relationship with Elvis. And actually in a way, I have it better because Elvis is much more calm with me whereas he can get pretty demanding and loud when he wants the fiancé's attention and isn't getting it. LOL.

Yes you do have it better. Mine and Nancy's situation is the same. Tika loves my wife and is not the same bird when she is around. We limit her exposure to about 30 minutes a day, at the end of the day or he becomes unmanageable. She can not "pet" him or cuddle him at all or it sets him off. My relationship with him (as yours) is completely platonic with no sexual overtones whatsoever. We are truly "buddies".

 

[Nancy B]

Here's the birds and the bees. Parrot style.

Site Name - Articles - Behavioral - Sex And The Psittacine


Yes you do have it better. Mine and Nancy's situation is the same. Tika loves my wife and is not the same bird when she is around. We limit her exposure to about 30 minutes a day, at the end of the day or he becomes unmanageable. She can not "pet" him or cuddle him at all or it sets him off. My relationship with him (as yours) is completely platonic with no sexual overtones whatsoever. We are truly "buddies".

I like the idea of buddies much better. I was hoping to be able to cuddle him in time. If he sees me as more of a mom spirit I hope that will happen just a day at a time. Today was cleaning day. He's not crazy about that, but I tell him "housekeeping" as I do it lol. And he watches me, hisses at my gloves lol.

 

[sunnysmom]

I like the idea of buddies much better. I was hoping to be able to cuddle him in time. If he sees me as more of a mom spirit I hope that will happen just a day at a time. Today was cleaning day. He's not crazy about that, but I tell him "housekeeping" as I do it lol. And he watches me, hisses at my gloves lol.

I don't know about other people's goffins but Elvis in general isn't a cuddler, not like other types of cockatoos I've seen (like Milton @cassiesdad ). Elvis loves head scratches though. Usually from my fiancé but if he's not around Elvis figures scratches from me are better than none. But only once in a great while does he actually try to snuggle- with the fiancé, of course, not me. So, you might not be missing out on cuddles anyway. Once Freddy adjusts more I bet he'll love to help you with housekeeping. LOL. Elvis has to participate now in whatever we do -- unless it's running the vacuum. That's a monster that's clearly going to eat him.

 

[Nancy B]

I don't know about other people's goffins but Elvis in general isn't a cuddler, not like other types of cockatoos I've seen (like Milton @cassiesdad ). Elvis loves head scratches though. Usually from my fiancé but if he's not around Elvis figures scratches from me are better than none. But only once in a great while does he actually try to snuggle- with the fiancé, of course, not me. So, you might not be missing out on cuddles anyway. Once Freddy adjusts more I bet he'll love to help you with housekeeping. LOL. Elvis has to participate now in whatever we do -- unless it's running the vacuum. That's a monster that's clearly going to eat him.

Yes I have heard the umbrellas are cuddle monsters lol, but other too species aren't necessarily. I have seen other rose breasted cockatoos show affection like my lovebirds do, letting you give scritches all over and rubbing their face on you. I love that! A lot just depends on his personality too. It's a wait and see for sure.

 

[Nancy B]

I completely move his cage out of the room to vacuum. I don't want to traumatize him lol. Around his cage I use a carpet sweeper. It's easy and quick in between vacuumings.

 

[JLcribber]

I completely move his cage out of the room to vacuum. I don't want to traumatize him lol. Around his cage I use a carpet sweeper. It's easy and quick in between vacuumings.

When you vacuum (even in another room) put out a big bowl of water for him. There is some magical power vacuums have that gives a lot of parrots the urge to bathe.

 

[Nancy B]

vacuuming = urges to bathe....who knew? Birds are so funny!

 

[iamwhoiam]

Sometimes our parrot friends do decide to change who their favorite person is. Joe might be "it" now but maybe in the future that might change. JMHO

I don't know about other people's goffins but Elvis in general isn't a cuddler, not like other types of cockatoos I've seen (like Milton @cassiesdad ). Elvis loves head scratches though. Usually from my fiancé but if he's not around Elvis figures scratches from me are better than none. But only once in a great while does he actually try to snuggle- with the fiancé, of course, not me. So, you might not be missing out on cuddles anyway. Once Freddy adjusts more I bet he'll love to help you with housekeeping. LOL. Elvis has to participate now in whatever we do -- unless it's running the vacuum. That's a monster that's clearly going to eat him.

Keno likes head scratches but is very independent and she never will stay and hang out with me very long. She would rather "bug" (sometimes hurt) the other birds or find something to destroy. If she gets out of my sight I have to go after her and supervise. On the other hand, it's very hard to remove Cody from my hand or arm. She likes to be with me but I can't carry her around a lot because if something upsets her and she gets stressed she might seizure. She LOVES scratches and loves being with me.

 

[Nancy B]

Huh it's funny to figure them out sometimes. Freddy wasn't interested in coming out of his cage today. At least not when he had the opportunity. I cleaned today so he's been more interested in chewing more toys and hanging out, it seems. He got excited and bobbed his head a few times, but not interested in venturing out.

 

[faislaq]

That's okay. They can't be crackatoo's 24/7. Even Luv Bug settles down sometimes.

 

[Nancy B]

Haha Joe said geez he's low key tonight....what did YOU DO? HAHA! I said I cleaned. Joe said well you can't do that again, you threw Freddy all off by cleaning! Hahaha! I quoted Milton and said "yea right "! Hahaha!