Lewie.

[Nuttyone]

Im gonna keep a Lewie thread if thats ok. Little fella is getting a lot braver. Hes now happy to climb up me as i read to him.
I tried to scritch him but hes not quite ready for that. However he is more than happy to follow the stick around every time.
Hes such a cute little man. Oh and the raspberry bloodbath - yup it happens
Needless to say I fall in love more and more each day.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Lewis is very cute. It's great that things are progressing with him.

 

[zoo mom]

What a cutie. Glad he is getting more outgoing.

 

[Nuttyone]

Oh dear. Today Lewie really doesnt want to play. Infact as I am writing this he is completely ignoring me. His cage is open and he can come and go as he pleases, however, he came out perched on the bed, seemed to give me a proper scolding then went back to his cage.
Hopefully he will come play in an hr or so.
Is this normal to just be so blatantly ignored now and again?

 

[Mizzely]

Yep! sometimes they just have better things to do! Natural and healthy. Do you spend every free moment with your friends?

 

[Nuttyone]

Phew thank you. I wasnt sure if i had upset him. Its still early days for us only being together a month and we are still getting to know each others quirks. He is however telling me all about his day in his sweet chipping.

 

[Mizzely]

I have a quaker that will be 7 in about a week that I've had since he was 3 months old; there are days where he wants to be on me for hours at a time, and other days where he won't give me the time of day

 

[Nuttyone]

Lol i am getting the idea that we totally are their slaves. I am up at 6am to make sure his breakfast is ready for him before i go to work at 8. I come home and head straight for him so he knows i am home, replenish his water and add a few seeds to his pellets. Thats all before i even have a coffee. I think kids and men are easier to look after

 

[Mizzely]

Agreed lol. When I first get up (luckily I run my bird toy shop from my home so I can get up a little later!) I clean litter boxes, feed cats, parrots, and rats before I even get my coffee started

 

[Bumfuzzle2811]

Love reading everybody’s experience with a parrotlet... still getting to know this group until I am ready to own one.. reading real life experiences is different than reading information in the internet

 

[BirdManDan]

He is a sweet little bird. Keep up your training.

 

[Nuttyone]

Today Lewie wanted to play. we target sticked, and even managed step up a few times. Will keep at it, and understand that some days he just wants a pj day
However i did have a scary moment when i saw his beak and thought oh no what has he done...then remembered that he had strawberries for breakfast. Messy little man...

 

[BirdManDan]

Is he clicker trained? Also when you're working with him try to do your training first thing in the morning before his breakfast so he'll be a little on the hungry side and more motivated to train for treats. Also remove his food after his evening feeding when h goes to roost for the evening.

 

[Nuttyone]

Yes to the clicker, when he hears the click hes cocking his head waiting for his millet. Its so sweet. I am working through the steps in the forum and going and am really going slow time with him. Kiss the stick and step up are the only ones I will work on until hes totally doing it every time. Im in this for the long game so I also understand that i cant expect him to be perfect every time yet.
I will find it difficult to train him in mornings through the week as i have work. I work with him as soon as i get home and before i give him his afternoon meal. He does have pellets to nibble on in the day however he is a veg and seed monster and love loves loves millet so he doesnt get that in the cage at all. He will fly across the room to get millet hence i use it as a training tool.

 

[finchly]

Sounds like you are doing great! My little guy ‘cussed me out’ birdie style, then I filled his dish and he hung upside down to it yelling Skitttttlllllllles!

 

[Nuttyone]

Well Lewie has now moved to the main room downstairs. He has settled in his new space fine, sat next to me on the sofa
Hes been out and had a little explore (thanks to target training) and is happy to be on the perch out of his cage. I plan on getting him a gym to go on top of his cage so he has an "outdoor" play area too.
He also has a new toy...a boing...oml does he love it. So all in all, time, tlc and a whole lot of paitience makes for happy fid and parront.

 

[Nuttyone]

Oh dear. I seem to have taken a step back with moving Lewie. He just doesn't want to step up or target at mo. I think moving him has upset his routine. Also family moving around has got him a little bit shy. Will slowly keep persisting, target in cage etc. Guess he needs to settle into his space properly and get a lay of the land so to speak.

 

[Nuttyone]

Well parrotlets are bloody finicky. I love my little man so much but gees they are so unpredictable. After a few days of ignoring me... again...Lewie has decided that hes my friend again and has been targeting all over his cage. Hes been out on his out of cage perch a few times too.
For everyone looking to have a bird....it may seem like one step forward 10 back, but when they make that one step its huge and your heart melts a little more...parrotlets may be small but they take a HUGE chunk of your heart. Just give them time and patience x

 

[Nuttyone]

Ok after Lewie decided he loved his boiing more than treats i have rejigged his toys and perches, taking the boiing out of the cage.
I used it around his "i cannot go anywhere near that scary" playgym. And now he loves his playgym
Now all i have to do is get him back in the bloody cage.....oh well Im not doing anything for a few hours may as well let him play.
Seriously its like taking a toddler to a park and trying to get them home ...

 

[BirdManDan]

Perpetual toddlers they are!!!!