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I'm so happy I bought a bird for my bird!

NorthernGannet

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Ok yes there I said it, and it absolutely was the correct thing to do in this particular case. They were instant friends. Sprite has gone from a ho-hum, clutzy oaf with little interest in anything to an amazing young man. He's now super agile, a really good flier and lander (mostly), climbs everywhere, plays with toys (he hadn't touched one toy in the months since I"d gotten him), and looks awesome now that he has a friend to preen his pin feathers (I'm not allowed to touch them!). He is much happier!

And his new friend is doing really well also. Although he'll always be smaller than Sprite, he's steadily gained weight and is learning the ropes well. Right off the bat he loved toys and showed Sprite once they were together, and Sprite is teaching him flying skills. He's still learning to trust me (he watches all of Sprite's interactions with me, too!), but it's coming along and today was the first day he took a tiny hemp seed out of my finger tips rather than running away first. We had the larger millet down ok, but the tiny seeds were their own stepping stone.

The only "problem" is that since everyone is flighted, neither of them see the need to stay on my hand to get anywhere, they just fly off right away. Getting them back into their cage takes multiple tries, but oh well, right? Food doesn't keep them on me, neither does using my free hand as a blocker.

It's a happy household!!

-NG
 

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Dartman

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Well if they're food motivated try putting a high value treat in their dish and see if they'll go in after it. Once they get more comfortable with the situation and you they may go in on their own or be easier to catch and put away. You might also want to try turning out the lights and see if they roost down then you can get them.
 

Lady Jane

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I am so happy you now have a cage mate for your bird. I kept a boing rope perch handing on the outside of the cage just by the door which proved to be valuable in that the birds used this boing as a landing place for taking off and landing.
 

Dona

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I kept a boing rope perch handing on the outside of the cage just by the door which proved to be valuable in that the birds used this boing as a landing place for taking off and landing.
Yes, I agree! I have several rope perches and boings on the outside of my cage. It's so much easier to land on than a wood perch. Definitely not as much accuracy needed for your little one.

And I've said before that Gigi goes back into her cage in the late afternoon when I put a Nutriberry in her dish. That's her fave food I guess. She doesn't act tricked, just like it's time to return and that's her schedule.
 

Leih

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Aww they're so cute together! Does the new boy have a name yet?

When my lovebird Aoife became flighted I went through similar problems. Although, with her being a single lovebird she likes to come hang out with me, but getting her back in her cage when she's not ready.... Whew. I started not giving her treats or anything to eat while out but I leave her cage door open so she can go in whenever she wants, and I'll have a water dish out for her. What has become our routine is I'll get a millet berry and stand by her cage and ask her to land /step up, and then I put her in. She won't do it without payment though, haha sometimes she'll trick me and take off at the last second! I've learned though that they seem to enjoy our frustration, so I always try to act like no big deal.

It's so great they're getting along so well! That's always the goal and then when it happens, it's a great feeling!
 

NorthernGannet

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Thanks everyone! It is actually less stressful for me having added a third bird (almost has a name), since now Sprite is happy. I didn't realize how concerned I"d become trying to be "interesting enough" for him, knowing I wasn't filling that void :) So this is just much much better for the both of us. And he completely leaves the crabby p'let alone now, which before was a losing battle no matter what. He wanted a friend that badly.

Haha and yes, not only do they alopreen, they alo-hump! No kidding, I should name them Thumper and Humper. Sprite thumps his leg over the new guy's back. Since the new guy can't reciprocate as well, he simply jumps completely onto Sprite's back like he's on a horse and goes at it that way. I Just shake my head and tell them to stop. Lol. Gone from one randy boy to two. Gigi look out during that virtual playdate!

So far both birds prefer to land on the side of the cage rather than anywhere else. They actually avoid landing on any perches on the outside or on the door. Then they'll climb to the top and go from there. That is fine with me. I'm sure the flying off of me after 5 seconds will get better the more we work on stuff. Sprite was never like that before, so I'm sure we can get it back. I plan on attempting to teach a verbal command for going back in, we'll see how that goes. I do have an extra boing, maybe I'll hang it by the door and see if it helps. Thanks for the suggestion. They love the one in their play area. Although they like the orbiter above their cage, they don't land on it too often for whatever reason. They do climb up/down from it from the cage top, it's hung very close.

The biggest problem is that now I want an entire flock of Linnies, one of every color! Lol.

-NG
 

Just-passn-thru

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I plan on attempting to teach a verbal command for going back in, we'll see how that goes.
My birds have learned verbal requests from me. They know when i say "lets go get in" they go inside their cages. Even my Grass Parakeets have learned to go back inside their cage. It takes repeated attempts and lots of praises. When they have eventually connected my request to going inside, i make a big deal out of them getting it right.
 

zoo mom

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Glad they are getting along.
 

Dona

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Gone from one randy boy to two. Gigi look out during that virtual playdate!
The biggest problem is that now I want an entire flock of Linnies, one of every color! Lol.-NG
LOL! 2 boys might be enough for my silly Gigi.

Can you imagine having a huge aviary of different colors Linnies. Eek.

I am so happy it's going well. Your Sprite has come alive! Waiting for the name. :)
 

Leih

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Hahaha! My boys preen each other and regurgitate for each other, buy if one lifts a leg a squabble ensues! Maybe they're past the honeymoon hahahaha, they've been together since they hatched.
 

NorthernGannet

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And no, I didn't just throw them together right away :) I don't have a way right now to do a true quarantine, but I did the best I could for a couple weeks. Then Sprite had visitation rights, starting with brief amounts of time but it was clear "brief" didn't need to last long and quickly graduated to the entire evenings when I was home (the contact calls increased daily, it was so loud I almost didn't wait to put them together! LOL). Then I put them together in Sprite's cage a little over a week ago. Now they're only noisy when flying around, which is totally acceptable of course. They do take laps around the room, always at the same time, but not always in the same direction, and have only collided once :)
 

Dona

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I have a visual of the collision. :)

I've never had little birds that flew around my house until Gigi. I just had big birds that flew heavy bodied like crows. Not sure now to word it, but it was as if I could see every flap of the wings. Now watching Gigi and comparing her to outside birds is just so cute. The way she flits around just melts me. It's like a blur of wings from here to there.

I am so happy that your boys are getting along!
 

Dartman

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We rescued a baby female house finch from a crow on our roof and she ended up healing and growing up with us. Her name was Beeper and when she got released for the day in my room she would do 3 or 4 hot laps around my room. She'd go as fast as she could with such joy. She would also try to hover like a humming bird and could just about pull it off too. :rofl:
Nerd bird, my Maxi Pionus didn't fly well anyways but he flew like a DC 3 by comparison and was very put out by the little feathered flea that could do laps around him. :eek: We learned to keep those two away from each other.
 

NorthernGannet

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We rescued a baby female house finch from a crow on our roof and she ended up healing and growing up with us. Her name was Beeper and when she got released for the day in my room she would do 3 or 4 hot laps around my room. She'd go as fast as she could with such joy. She would also try to hover like a humming bird and could just about pull it off too. :rofl:
Nerd bird, my Maxi Pionus didn't fly well anyways but he flew like a DC 3 by comparison and was very put out by the little feathered flea that could do laps around him. :eek: We learned to keep those two away from each other.
Beeper is the best name!!
 

Dartman

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She was a awesome bird too, left a big hole in our hearts when she left us but poor Nerd was a much happier fellow.
 
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