I didn't know about Ripley, but what a heartbreaking video.I have been out of town for a couple of days and came home to find out that Ripley is no longer with us. Did anyone else follow Ripley? Heartbreaking.
Yes, I did try that. Normally, around 8:00 or so, she flies down to her cage and goes to bed. But last night she was like a bird possessed. She just kept flying around and yelling very loudly until well after midnight. I have no idea why. If she wanted to fly around, fine. But making all of that noise so late at night is a big problem. In a panic, I tried everything I could think of to calm her down. Nothing worked.
I wonder if they can even hear her through the walls. Maybe not. I probably wouldn't invite any problems by mentioning it to your neighbors and wait and see if they say anything. I had an untame male green cheek that was so observant about the doors of his cage. He would test the door to see if it was latched in the evening and if I slipped up and didn't completely close the latch he'd be out in less than a minute. I do cleaning in the evening so the paper is fresh for the next day so it is usually dark outside and no light filters through the windows. I would wait for him to settle in one spot ( usually on top of another cage) and I would turn the lights out, walk over to where he was quickly and pick him up with my hand and return him quickly to his cage. The switch the lights back on for him to settle. It was the least stressful way to capture him without chasing him around the room. Never a problem from this method. When you let her out take her food out of the cage, only give her treats for your training and when you are ready for her to go back into the cage put her food back. She should willingly go back on her own.
Thank you for the input! Usually, when I know that I am going to be in for the evening with no place to go, I open the cage so that she can come out on her own and hang with me. When she does, she usually spends some time up on her wall, and some time down on the top of her cage. When it gets dark, she always goes back into her cage to eat and sleep. For some reason, last night, instead of getting tired and going to sleep, she became increasingly more wound up and just started flying a lot, making a lot of noise, and even dive-bombing me a few times. She was making some very interesting chirps that almost sounded like encoded messages - very rhythmic with different pitches (nothing she has ever done before). She sounded like she was summoning the mother ship to come and destroy her captor and rescue her and take her back to her home planet. Seriously, it almost felt like she was taunting me at times. Sometimes I get this weird sense that this little creature is much, much smarter than I realize. It was just a very strange episode (yea, I am overdramatizing, but it was late and I was so tired and that is how it felt)
She could have been noisier than usual because you had been gone a couple of days. Next time delay letting her out of her cage for an hour or two after you get home ( when you've been gone on a trip) and put a small cup in her cage with tiny ( tiny) apple bits to make amends for your absence. Sort of like a gift you know she loves and giving her time to settle to you being there. A couple of people here with Macaws will hang curled ribbon from areas they don't want their macaws to go to or bother. ( they fear those ribbons... who knew?!) You could try the same thing where she likes to sit on the wall. Just be prepared for a lot of vocalization from her. The beauty now is you know your neighbor can't hear squat!!! I know she won't like it, and will fear it but she won't go there anymore. She needs a stand of some sort to spend time on. Birds love to be as high up as they can. This is what she loves about the wall. You could hang a long perch from the ceiling and put it about your head level and see if she'll take to that. Simple to put a paper down on the floor to catch any poo. Or even an inexpensive clothes rack from Walmart, easy to assemble and light weight. You can vet wrap the top bar so it's easier for her to perch on. At least with this you can place it where ever you like and if you chose this I would place it near the wall at first and if you didn't want it there I would gradually move it from this area to where you would like it to stay. Slow transition.
Kobe will be 12 at the end of May this year. It has been a difficult 11+ years! It was because of Kobe I had to learn fast about Applied Behaviour Analysis with regard to parrots in particular (or force free animal training). I think a lot of male Pi can be difficult. But, I think, at long last, I am getting somewhere with him. We had such a brilliant time tonight - teasing and cuddling. He's got my laugh down to a tee.
That is so good!! You are a great translator.Wow, can you elaborate on this a little bit? Or, is there a thread somewhere describing what you went through?
I am starting to think that you are right. I have been working at home today and she has been out of her cage sitting on her wall. She has come down to beg for seeds a few times. She is still REALLY afraid of hands. She will come over very cautiously and take seeds from the palm of my hand. She tiptoes over very slowly, reaches as far as her neck will allow while her body is primed to run, grabs the seed, and then flees to a safe distance to enjoy her reward with the pitter patter of tiny parrot feet on granite.
These are great ideas! I wish I had thought of the cup of apples back when I had Cosmo. She used to get very angry when I would bring her home after boarding. That might have made a nice peace offering.
Years of practice!
Kobe used to bite from a young age. Yes, it was my fault for not reading him properly (I was new to larger parrots). But it got me researching about behaviour and taking courses. Still I was having a hard time with Kobe. His hormones lasted many months of the year. I am human and I used to get upset, even angry at times at the attacks.... which most probably reinforced more undesired behaviour. But I also saw that many (not all) other people had the same sort of trouble with their male Pionus. Indeed right from the beginning I was advised by an experienced parrot/Pionus owner to get a female.
Yep, wall art, depending on what it is, can be boring.
Have you tried giving Mango any Pomegranate seeds? Mine like them. Keep trying other things, sooner or later she'll be stimulated to try them. The wall may be boring for you but she likes it up there. Still, I would provide a different area for her that has more movable space and items that she can interact with. Birds get bored too! I do have a big flock! It takes quite a bit of time to clean cages every day and provide fresh foods for each one daily.. Nothing new going on with them. Henry did have a blocked nostril last week that had me a bit concerned. Nobody including me would like to deal with a nose hole on this big guy. He's a very good eater with his cooked food and he's had food stuck in his nare before so I mildly assumed this was the case. I sprayed him down on his head, he didn't mind the direct spray on his face. I had hoped he would sneeze in front of me to see if the water dislodged the blocked nare. It looked a tiny bit less blocked later in the day so the following day I did the same. Both nares are clear today and I'll keep a watchful eye to see if it gets blocked again. If it did I would think something else is going on. It's always good to be observant about everything with your birds. Lucky for me for the past year he's wanting me to scratch his head every day so I get a really good look at everything on him. You can see in this photo how easy it is for him to pack a little grub in his nostril... he really gets into his food!
Sounds like you have been through quite a bit with Kobe. I REALLY admire that you hung in there with him and did not give up. That kind of biting is very serious. Have you heard anything about whether or not that is common in blue-headed males more so than the other Pionus species? I have heard that male white-caps can be the same way.Years of practice!
Kobe used to bite from a young age. Yes, it was my fault for not reading him properly (I was new to larger parrots). But it got me researching about behaviour and taking courses. Still I was having a hard time with Kobe. His hormones lasted many months of the year. I am human and I used to get upset, even angry at times at the attacks.... which most probably reinforced more undesired behaviour. But I also saw that many (not all) other people had the same sort of trouble with their male Pionus. Indeed right from the beginning I was advised by an experienced parrot/Pionus owner to get a female.
When we moved house/country 3.5 years ago, the attacks started again. Armed with much more in depth knowledge of ABA I began working with him properly.... noticing exactly what sets him off and avoiding the situation if I can (bit harder in a smaller house when I have to walk towards him at times). At the same time reinforcing any other behaviour. It is much more complicated than that, but from having to carry him on a hand held perch, progressed to a sleeved arm to a bare arm. This year I feel we are making huge progress.
Likewise Kobe used to attack Ollie and Bobbie (Amazons). Bobbie stood her ground - she had to because she couldn't fly. Ollie learned by watching Bobbie and began to stand his ground too. Now the Amazons take no truck from Kobe. But unfortunately Bobbie, now that she has found her wings, will fly to attack Kobe. So I have to be careful with these two out together and try to reinforce their relaxed body language when in the vicinity of each other. Ollie still adores Kobe (Kobe was the only other bird in the household when he arrived scared and untame) and tries to sit near him if he can. I think Kobe is realising Ollie can protect him against Bobbie.
I wouldn't change Kobe for the world though. I love his fiesty character which is also very loving (he tends to follow me everywhere). He is such fun... into everything. Does everything he can to get my attention. The Amazons are so much easier than Kobe.
Oh yes, I keep trying the pomegranate seeds, but she refuses to touch them. Very frustrating!!
Hmmmm....this got me thinking. If Mango gets bored up on her wall, she will probably start chewing the wood. That would be very bad.
Thanks.
