Mabel and Jeff - Progress

[Khizz]

Yeah I definitely feel like Jeff in particular has gotten over his fear of me and has started to get really nosey! The only time he touched my hand before was a brief moment before he realised "oops, what's that weird thing?!" before flying off. This time he really thought about it and was very deliberate!

It was particularly funny having both of them do it at the same time though

 

[Tara81]

To avoid toweling in the future, You can maybe have an extra perch handy for teaching them to step on the perch. Coax them with millet to step on the perch to eat then hop off when they are ready while in the cage. Then the perch will be less scary and they may step on the perch while out of the cage as they always like to be a tad higher , and it will be easy by moving the perch directly in front of them, a little above them so they can step up. Then you can bring them back to the cage on the perch with no stress.

I taught my budgies this.

 

[Khizz]

@Tara81 thanks for the advice! I have tried it out of the cage, but Mabel just hisses and lunges at it. I tried using a perch they already used in their cage, but that didn't work either. My problem is when I approach them directly with any foreign object (new toy etc.) they freak out. Even if its from their cage. Maybe if I slowly bring it closer and stop when they get uncomfortable and just repeat that, rather than getting them on the stick for now?

 

[aashna]

Oh??? Speak of the devil!

View attachment 312979

Tiels are indeed very pretty. Jeff reminds me of my first normal grey cockatiel whom we lost unfortunately. Lot of beautiful memories with him though.

 

[Khizz]

I've not had a lot to report recently. They are going through their first "big molt" with me so they are rather tired and grumpy, especially as they lost quite a few flights somehow. I'm waiting on a cage top play area which is taking its time to arrive.

However, a small health development is that they have come to LOVE the chop I give them for breakfast since the addition of quinoa to the mix. The problem is that now my husband complains that I make a load of effort on the birds' breakfast and never make him anything

Mabel also gladly accepts small millet berries from my fingers through the bars, and likes to slyly nibble my fingers with her break and pretend she was just going for millet! I haven't had much chance to try this outside the cage so far.

 

[Khizz]

I have a small but happy update. Today both birds properly and confidently stepped halfway onto my finger! Mabel has touched my finger once before and Jeff did it really briefly, but neither of them dared to stay too long, and did not put their full weight on. Usually they touch it, notice what they are doing and scoot off.

But today I put a piece of millet just between my thumb and they both came (kind of one after another) and stepped halfway onto my finger to eat some millet! It was so cute!

 

[Zara]

Brilliant progress!

You will get there in the end

 

[Khizz]

Brilliant progress!

You will get there in the end

In the past few weeks I have felt a bit of a change in them both, Jeff in particular. He spends more time on the front perch watching me, almost as if he wants to come and investigate!

Mabel is actually the copy cat. If Jeff does something, she wants to do it too!

 

[Khizz]

This is where he sits. He'll sit on this perch while I am in the corner reading or napping and intently watch me. I think it's a mix of curiosity and enjoying the feel of the sun on his feathers.

It's always rather funny to look up from what I'm doing and realise I have an audience

 

[Ripshod]

It's great you're beginning to get more contact with them. It does kinda change the relationship - for the better

 

[Khizz]

Thought I'd come back to this thread, even though I don't have a lot to update with!

They recently went through their "big molt" which meant they weren't really interested in appeasing the weird human who feeds them, or exploring too much. On the positive side bickering is at an all time low! Mabel is too fond of nibbling at Jeff's toes, which he doesn't like, but he just shuffles away instead of beaking at her.

However, molting is coming to an end and they seem more active. Today Mabel did what I call "zoomies" where she climbs to the top of the cage and does laps around the room (followed by excited shrieking ) She is a very apt flier, she used to hit windows or end up somewhere she didn't intend to go, but now she knows the layout she is like a pro!

Jeff meanwhile takes any opportunity when I'm around to sit and watch me. He also seems to play more? He likes nibbling at an unravelled rattan ball I tied around a perch.

Just to finish off this long update, here's a cute pic I got of them both.

 

[Fuzzy]

What a wonderful update.... how they have come on!!! Love how Jeff watches you! And how great Mabel is at flying now! Good to hear there is less bickering too.

 

[Ripshod]

Aaaaaw, you changed your profile pic @Khizz

 

[Khizz]

Aaaaaw, you changed your profile pic @Khizz

Yeah I had a big new profile makeover when we changed to the new forum

I also made a new phone wallpaper which my husband incessantly mocks me for:

 

[Zara]

The wallpaper!!! That´s so funny adorable and cute!

 

[Khizz]

The wallpaper!!! That´s so funny adorable and cute!

It's another Canva creation! I was going to make a thread offering to make some for people as it's super easy, but I don't know whether I would have much time for it. If you have a vector image of your birds it's not too complex.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

It’s always nice to hear how they are doing. I still love your updates and photos of Mabel and Jeff, so keep them coming!

 

[JoJo&Loki]

Great update and yep... pics of those 2 cuties are always a bonus

And I love the wallpaper- it’s cute and hysterical at the same time. PERFECT!!

 

[Khizz]

Ok this isn't a bird update but a husband update (I'm a newlyishwed so I'm allowed to be soppy I reckon )

But today I unexpectedly had to work an extra shift. I had already written out the chop recipe and expected him to just feed them and maybe sit with them for a bit and poke his head in every now and then.

I get to the end of my shift and he tells me "I've been sat in the birds' room gaming with Jeff". Turns out he figured if he was going to sit and game he may as well let the birds out and have their fun. He was excited to tell me that they came out and chilled on the door perch even when he was around. Not so long ago he always made them really nervous. So cute!

 

[Khizz]

Hmmm things husband needs to learn:

1. Instead of giving them an entire bag of chop (aka 3 days' worth), why not try feeding them a normal amount? Say, a tablespoon?

2. If you leave millet on top of the cage, they WILL just climb the bars and eat it through the bars. "Hmmm weird how one half of this millet spray seems to have disappeared"