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Argo vs. My laptop

Momof3litt

Sprinting down the street
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And my laptop is losing!

I am still working 100% from home and will be for the foreseeable future. I generally use my laptop and work in different parts of the house. I try to keep the birds out all day, but it's getting really really difficult.

Argo has recently discovered that he can remove the keys from my laptop and he has become a birdie OBSESSED. This is my laptop right now:

20220517_153805.jpg

He has removed/broken 4+ keys. He can do it in a split second. He is not allowed on the laptop, but if I let him out while I am working, it's the only place he wants to be. I do set up foraging stations outside of his cage, but they dont occupy him for long. He ends up being put "in his room" much more often than I'd like, which means he has more pent-up energy which is not being burned off, which makes him bitey/unpleasant, which gets him locked up, etc.

The laptop destruction is just so self-reinforcing, I don't know how to intervene in an effective way.

I've been through 3 human toddlers who wanted to be with/on me at every moment, but never one who was so hell-bent on destruction!

Help?!?!?!!!!
 

fashionfobie

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I found using a more heavy duty keyboard helps. My little Pi has done similar things to my laptop.

Pi probably had a similar key removal ability to Argo. The razor gaming keyboard hasn't yielded a key yet, and had it for a few years. It is roughly Pi proof, especially when compared to my laptop... Which is missing several keys lol! After you have an external keyboard you can just cover the keys on your laptop/block them.
 

Feathery

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Is it possible to strip an old keyboard of its internal parts and cord and give it to the birds to play with? Or would that sort of encourage behavior you're looking to stop?
 

fashionfobie

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Is it possible to strip an old keyboard of its internal parts and cord and give it to the birds to play with? Or would that sort of encourage behavior you're looking to stop?
In my opinion it is better to remove it or make it unfun. Otherwise it could get out of hand.

I am personally a big supporter of natural toys. Chewing bark up or ripping leaves has more benefits to a parrots health than plastic toys. :)
 

Tiel Feathers

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My birds like to do this, but I got them to stop after repeatedly removing them from the laptop. I also got them to stay off the floor this way, but it does take a while.
 

Wardy

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My birds like to do this, but I got them to stop after repeatedly removing them from the laptop. I also got them to stay off the floor this way, but it does take a while.
Good to know it works with the floor this is a battle im having, thanks.
 

Sparkles99

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There are plasticky covers for keyboards. See if there's one for your laptop. It'd likely make this less fun & allow the behaviour to die out.
 
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