Help me help this baby

[sunnysmom]

It makes me feel much better hearing all of yours do that shooting things across the room too. LOL She shoots newspaper off her wings until the room looks like a spitball fight took place. She's only been here since the weekend, and hadn't been chewing on much wood, but I left for awhile this morning and came back from the store, to see she is working steady on the wood perch in her cage. Looks like I'm going to have to get more perches. I have untreated Pecan trees, so I'm going to cut her some natural branches. She doesn't seem to like any larger size branches but I'm going to put in a couple for exercising her feet. Sunny'smom, does your Elvis bite when you try to push him to step up? She will and it is quick and lethal when she feels pushed at all, so I've just backed off for now until she has time to settle in more. The only problem is getting her back in her cage, but he nightly tsp of seeds for her night night treat, does the job.

I'm fortunate that Elvis has never really bitten but he'll definitely "beak" me if I try to get him to step up on my hand. He's rehomed too. Elvis has been through a lot of homes. I'm not sure why because he's sweet. But apparently, he wouldn't step up at all- not even the shoulder thing- and the woman who had him before me taught him to do that. I tried to get him to step up on a perch but it terrified him. Which made me concerned about what may have happened in the past to scare him so. He's also very fearful of towels which makes me think he was grabbed and toweled a lot.

The one thing about goffins is they seem to be super smart and settle into routines really well. Like within a week, Elvis was putting himself back in his cage when he knew it was time for me to leave for work. Bedtime is a bit more of a challenge because he wants to sleep on you, not in his cage. LOL. But he's really not too bad about going in.

 

[cathybill7]

Like Elvis she is totally scared of perches, and towels. She is also afraid of mister bottles. I'm just going to love her through it.

 

[JLcribber]

Thanks for saving her. That alone is going to be a huge difference. Onward and upward.

It could be 3 weeks or 3 months but things will change once she starts feeling at home. I hope it changes for the good.

 

[greys4u]

 

[cathybill7]

I so appreciate everyone's support. I must say I was a little scared after I got her home and realized this tiny little fuzzy chicken was depending on me who had no knowledge of dealing with the type of issues she has. I noticed tonight she seemed a little more stressed and was starting to pick at her down, like it is starting to sink in with her that all she's known is gone. I am trying the organic chamomile tea hoping it will help give her a good nights sleep. It is the only thing I have at this moment to calm her. She seemed to love it. I was having a glass of wine earlier before my dinner, and she zoned in on it. I put her some tea in her dish, and she immediately started drinking it. I think she just wants whatever you have. LOL

 

[JLcribber]

I think she just wants whatever you have. LOL

Yea she's a junk food addict. It's going to be tough to wean her off that too. You may have to seriously stop "eating" in front her. Out of sight. out of mind. If you don't she may starve herself a bit if you don't give in and she still sees you doing it. (It's vital that she eats healthy going forward)

We never eat in front of the TOOz. I'd never get to eat.

 

[Lady Jane]

Have you tried playing relaxing music? If you go to you tube and search for relaxing music for birds you will find some. My budgies really love it when I put my kindle on top of cage while the music is playing from the kindle. Of course there is something between the beaks and kindle.

 

[cathybill7]

She does like music Lady Jane. I've been doing that because it worked so well with my Macaw Zeus. You are right JLcribber she is a junk food junkie and a seed junkie. She really watches when you have food or drink and will start heading toward you quite fast. She knows she gets her little bit of seed at night night time, and so tonight she went in early and waited. LOL I actually put some pellets in that and she is eating those. She is getting more pellet than seed.

 

[JLcribber]

Tika was addicted to black coffee (amongst other things). If you entered the room with a mug in your hand you were either giving him some "immediately" or you were going to endure the wrath of a big male cockatoo. Band aids are usually required.

 

[Princessbella]

Another thank you for helping this poor birdie. I look forward to hearing about what progress she has made.

 

[finchly]

So glad you are helping this birdie! I plan to follow your progress.

 

[Lady Jane]

John what are those "other things?"

 

[JLcribber]

John what are those "other things?"

Pizza, cheese, garlic toast, cookies, potato chips, bacon, cherry nibs, butter, steak. Those are the things we know of. Basically he did not eat "any" bird food. Anything green (except for a grape) is still given the stink eye and immediately rejected with a swift no with the head. Poison. 10 years. How he doesn't have health problems is beyond me. I'm waiting for it.

He now eats (12 years) my "parrot butter" on whole grain bread, pellets, some seed. He gets one cherry nib in the morning when I leave and one cherry nib at bedtime. He will do anything for a cherry nib.

 

[ode.to.parrots]

Thank you so much for helping this sweet bird! It sounds like you have already made a good deal of progress together.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Thank you for rescuing her. Don't be concerned if she is afraid of new toys. My Goffin's, who I have had for 28 years, is the same way. It might take days, weeks or many, many months for her to approach new things. Be patient with stepping up and take it at her pace. Don't force that. When she gets more comfortable get her some puzzle type toys where she has to figure out how to turn or open things in order to get a treat.
Keno likes to throw things out of her cage and open quick links and drop toys to the bottom of the cage. She had padlocks on all three doors of her previous cage. Make sure her cage is escape proof, if anything is truly escape proof when it comes to a Goffin's.

 

[cathybill7]

So far, no escapes, but she will march herself over to me when she sees a coffee mug. I am going to start making her chamomile tea so maybe she will think she's getting something good. LOL

 

[sunnysmom]

I wonder if you tried putting some chopped up vegetables in a mug if she would try them that way? My goffin won't go near his food dish if I put unfamiliar food in it. So far the only vegetable I've had success with is corn on the cob. Not the best, but it's a start- I hope.

 

[cathybill7]

She has started eating her chop, and she is even eating some pellets if I soak them a little. Our biggest problem right now is bathing. She is terrified of mister, and bowl, does anyone have any bathing ideas. She won't get on my shoulder unless food is present and will start nipping if you get her too far from her cage, so shower is out. Any thoughts on this would be helpful. Also, she is going to need a bigger cage than what I have, I had to make due with what I had on short notice. What is the best style. Tall, bigger side to side, play top, or dome top?

 

[iamwhoiam]

My Goffin's has a dometop Mediana. I would have liked to get something bigger for her but I don't have the space and this cage has worked out. I would recommend placing the new cage where she can see it before you move her into it. Also let her explore it on her own before permanently switching the cages.
As for bathing, I do mist Keno but she is not afraid of the sprayer. She generally takes baths on her own in her water dish. You could possibly fill a bowl with water and sort of play with it and see if she will come over and check it out and then maybe just sprinkle a little bit of water on her. Verbally praise her and reward her for approaching the bowl. Let her know it's nothing to fear.

 

[cassiesdad]

You could possibly fill a bowl with water and sort of play with it and see if she will come over and check it out and then maybe just sprinkle a little bit of water on her. Verbally praise her and reward her for approaching the bowl. Let her know it's nothing to fear.

Good idea. I know Pebbles is afraid of misters, but you can also use the "playing" routine with the mister. Spritz it once into the air and let her see you "play" in and around the mist...don't forget to tell her how much fun you're having.
This will take time, but we know 'toos are naturally inquisitive about what their "flock" is doing...