JLcribber
@cockatoojohn
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The Honeymoon / Break-in Period
Adopting and Living with Previously Owned Parrots: Part Two
I agree that during that time, new rules and behaviors are much more easily implemented so it’s important to ‘start out’ the same way you would like things to be in the future. Things like sleep cages providing 10 – 12 hours of quiet dark sleep, interactive and alone times, should be implemented from the beginning. Do not spend more time with your bird now than you will be able to provide in the future. They will expect it.Quote from Article: Adopting an older Bird.
When a parrot changes environment, often it also changes some behaviors. Its established behavior patterns of the past were centered around the bird's territory. When a parrot changes homes, then, there is a window in time during which it is settling in, before it has established its new territory. During that time, everything is neutral territory. That window is open for around 10-14 days. During that time, new rules and behaviors are much more easily implemented. After that magic two weeks, the parrot has reestablished old patterns in its new home.
People call me all the time about this wonderful bird they found on consignment. They brought it home from the shop and the bird was fabulous….for a couple of weeks. Then the parrot started biting/screaming/what ever. They thought the bird had changed and didn't understand why. I would explain that in reality, the bird had changed back.
Oddly enough, many sources of information about parrots tell a new owner to leave the bird alone in the cage for the first couple of weeks, to let the animal "settle in." In my opinion, this is exactly what the new owner DOES NOT want to do. After all, the bird doesn't have its own agenda established, yet. Once that agenda is established, it won't be impossible to change him -- it is rarely impossible to change a parrot's behavior -- but it will be more difficult.
- Liz Wilson
Adopting and Living with Previously Owned Parrots: Part Two
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