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Does anybody else have to physically be in the room for bird to start eating?

Kratze

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My Senni wants me standing by while she eats, where she can see me. If I move away, she chirps or screeches until I come back. This happens in the mornings especially, after I've filled her food bowl and sit down to start working, just out of sight of her cage. She'll call until I stand there and eat for a while. If I don't look up from my phone, though, she'll start fussing until I do, then eventually go back to eating. The vet noticed this as well when she was being boarded.
Not sure if this behavior is because she just wants company while eating or if it's because she wants to keep an eye on me because she doesn't trust me. We are still not even close to being bonded and she still mistrusts me a lot, so I have a hard time believing it's because she sees me as a companion.
 

Zara

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Was she a rescue bird? I wonder if there were issues in the past with a prev. owner and food creating insecurity?
 

Mizzely

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Ripley (Jardine's) absolutely eats more when he is in my company. Other wise he doesn't eat a bunch; more nibbles.

My guess would be more about a flock behavior. Being alone makes it hard to eat if you're also trying to look and be sure you aren't becoming lunch yourself!
 

Kratze

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Was she a rescue bird? I wonder if there were issues in the past with a prev. owner and food creating insecurity?
Sort of a rescue bird. I know her fully history and she doesn't appear to have been abused... but her previous owner did neglect her a bit, and sometimes went on short vacations and left her at home by herself with a bunch of food and water for a few days. So it's possible she's paranoid she's being abandoned.
I'd read Sennies aren't huge flock animals though?
 

Clueless

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Secret will eat if we're in the same room eating at the same time.

I figured it's a flock mentality thing, safety with others?
 

Mizzely

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I'd read Sennies aren't huge flock animals though?
They aren't solitary though. They are a prey animal; even if their flock is only a handful of birds, it's still someone watching your back while you eat.
 
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