Not an idiot, just had a moment! We all do!
We have all had some sort of close call. It is a reminder to be extra careful, becuase it only takes a second for something bad to happen.Good God I can't believe I was that stupid.
yes! Extremely lucky!Quite the adventure!
You are extremely lucky. Lovebirds can be quite stubborn, lucky he is still a young bird and more likely to as asked
We have all had some sort of close call. It is a reminder to be extra careful, becuase it only takes a second for something bad to happen.
I´m so happy Marino came back! Don´t beat yourself up too bad!
Nutriberries are his staple food! I ended up ordering 2kg of them. He eats them, pushing them about and ripping them apart also entertains him. I supplement that with some Tropican pellets that Zara recommended but not sure how much of them he eats. He puts them in his mouth then flings them. He also has some dried fruit and normal seeds. I'll give him fresh fruit occasionally, but anything green he actively flees from so still need to work on that one.Have you ever tried nutriberries as a new treat? Might work for a little bit at least!
I have found that my boys are much harder to get back in their cages than my girls... but also I found they would go through this sorta stage where they would give me the runaround, as they got older they seemed to stop doing it, but every now and then my Sydney gives me the run around. I have had to learn to be patient with that, and to back off. So I make sure I have the time to have him out, factoring in that he may give me a hard time getting back in his house afterwards. If there is an emergency and I need to go and he is giving me a hard time, I take him to my spare bathroom (it´s only 2mx2m, loo seat down) and then I get a hold of him and walk back and put him in his house. I don´t like doing that but if theres an emergency I will. I have used this when my boyfriend smashed a glass once, also I took Nube in there recently to check out some blood I saw on him but I couldn´t look in my living room because he would just fly away, I also used it to inspect a blackbird fledgling I found after a cat got him.i ask because getting him back in the cage is becoming horrible.
If he´s not eating them, try another food. Not all birds like the same pellets. I have some that won´t touch the tropican, others love it.not sure how much of them he eats
Try veggies. Specifically pumpkin, red/orange peppers, a couple of pieces of corn, carrots, sweet potato (the orange one).I'll give him fresh fruit occasionally, but anything green he actively flees from so still need to work on that one.
I swear my birds know that toobut only when he knows its not to put him in the cage. I have no idea, but he just KNOWS.
Hang around with no shirt on more. This way he won´t associate you being topless with being put back in his cage.He was livid. He now knows that a T-shirt-less me is a "me" trying to cage him.
Hmmm, so it's OK to occasionally hold him to restrict his wings? What about putting a thumb over his feet, is that OK? I've avoided doing both of those things because I don't want him becoming aversive to my hands, but it I did it it would certainly make life easier! Removing food sources is something I should do. However he's usually out for about an hour at a time. I had this idealised vision of me being able to use my computer in the same room as him when hes out the cage... that is just impossible. He'll climb on the computer, try to rip up the keys blah blah blah. I can't use the ipad because if I touch the screen he has to eat my fingers. I can;t even use my phone, he'll fly on it and try to rip the case apart. So I have to dedicate about an hour at a time to him... and only him. I'm hoping he will calm down a bit as he ages because my life would be much easier if i could get something done with him around.I have found that my boys are much harder to get back in their cages than my girls... but also I found they would go through this sorta stage where they would give me the runaround, as they got older they seemed to stop doing it, but every now and then my Sydney gives me the run around. I have had to learn to be patient with that, and to back off. So I make sure I have the time to have him out, factoring in that he may give me a hard time getting back in his house afterwards. If there is an emergency and I need to go and he is giving me a hard time, I take him to my spare bathroom (it´s only 2mx2m, loo seat down) and then I get a hold of him and walk back and put him in his house. I don´t like doing that but if theres an emergency I will. I have used this when my boyfriend smashed a glass once, also I took Nube in there recently to check out some blood I saw on him but I couldn´t look in my living room because he would just fly away, I also used it to inspect a blackbird fledgling I found after a cat got him.
I usually can get all my birds back in their homes by removing food sources a good hour before. They will either go in looking for food or will happily be put in.
He's expressed more interest in them than the other brand I had! I might remove the nutriberries one day and ONLY leave that in the cage and see what he does, or slowly reduce the number of nutriberries and seeds.If he´s not eating them, try another food. Not all birds like the same pellets. I have some that won´t touch the tropican, others love it.
Peas are the spawn of satan to him. He is terrified of them. Very bizarre. I definitely need to try broccoli though.Try veggies. Specifically pumpkin, red/orange peppers, a couple of pieces of corn, carrots, sweet potato (the orange one).
Give peas a go, I know you say about green , but the shape may just get him. Same with broccoli.
I have tried rewarding him, but once he's in the cage he won't take anything. He will fly around frantically and climb the walls. He calms down after a few minutes. He doesn't scream for me (thankfully)... likely because I've never responded to it.Are you giving him a reward?
When you put him back in his house, be sure to offer some sort of incentive. A treat.. a new toy.. a veggie bowl..something that makes him want to go abck in his cage to see what you give him. Switch it up to keep him interested so he cannot decide whether he wants to go back in based on XYZ reward.
Apply this same technique to your millet treat. Don´t just reward millet. Offer a sunflower seed, a small piece of almond, a small piece of dehydrated fruit, a small piece of cereal etc. Mix it up, don´t always give the same treat or he will start to make decisions based on whether he wants a piece of millet or not. Not only will the surprise keep him interested, it will be driven by curiosity, because a lovebird just needs to know everything, they cannot handle the curiosity so he will come, whether he wants the treat or not because he needs to know.
If there is an emergency. Like my examples - 1. there was a smashed glass on the floor 2. there was blood on the bird and I needed to see what was going on 3. there was a bird attacked by a cat and I needed to know if it was injuredso it's OK to occasionally hold him to restrict his wings?
I do not know about this. It is not something I have ever done.What about putting a thumb over his feet, is that OK?
Yea, a hungry bird is way more likely to return to the cage.Removing food sources is something I should do.
Well.. I bought a little play stand (don´t you have the same one? I think I saw you post a picture of it) to try to focus some attention over there. For a long time they weren´t interested, but some seem to enjoy it now. My youngest is just happy shredding my mousemat which is annoying. I have objects placed all over it to try stop him, sometimes I remove it completely. But he loves to run along the keyboard and push himself under my hand while I´m typing, or sleep on the keyboard, or press buttons and delete all the text.I had this idealised vision of me being able to use my computer in the same room as him when hes out the cage... that is just impossible. He'll climb on the computer, try to rip up the keys blah blah blah. I can't use the ipad because if I touch the screen he has to eat my fingers. I can;t even use my phone, he'll fly on it and try to rip the case apart.
Give the play stand a go. Attach toys to it, and put foot trays and treats in the tray. See if it entertains him. Make sure the stand is somewhat close to youbecause my life would be much easier if i could get something done with him around.
If he is scared of peas, the be sure to chop the florettes down so it is not a giant broccoli devilHe is terrified of them. Very bizarre. I definitely need to try broccoli though.
Try setting up a designated treat area. a special bowl that is for his treat. not a bowl for regular foods etc.I have tried rewarding him, but once he's in the cage he won't take anything.
This was my experience with Anakin also. Usually he was very well behaved if I needed him to go in, but if he didn't want to it was basically impossible. If it was night I could turn the lights off and get him that way, but several times I just had to leave him out. In the house I lived in when I got him he was more or less cage free, except at night (my brother was always home so I didn't have to worry too much). He was extremely predictable and well mannered, so I didn't usually have to be concerned about him getting into trouble. Provided he had a sunny place to sit, he would be fine. In our last house he had a favourite windowsill that got a lot of afternoon sun, but it was too high up for anyone to reach. If he was there and didn't want to come down, there was no way you could get him, and he could be there for hours. Luna will sometimes give me the run around if she wants more out time with me. Worst case with her, I get her to step up and distract her by feeding her treats while I move her in. Sometimes I just have to leave the whole stick in there.I have found that my boys are much harder to get back in their cages than my girls
You. could get a camera to watch him remotely. I got one for Luna after Ani passed because I was having a lot of anxiety over leaving her alone, and I've found it to be a great help.The vegetable problem is improving! Cauliflower greens! When more greens come back in season I'll get them!
As for the holiday... sightseeing won't be problem. I can have a structured day as it's just a villa by the sea. I can come and see Marino on a schedule. As I said there is someone available to pop in for 10 mins a day to change food, water and clean the cage. I'm just terrified of something going wrong! (not sure what could but... yeah...). I don't like the idea of leaving him.