Make new bird's transition as easy as possible.

[Riehs mom]

Hi I am finally getting my dreambird after 15 years of wanting one. A Goffin Cockatoo. He lives 7 hours away so we will be meeting halfway. The owner has been looking for the right home for almost two months and I am still in shock that she chose me. I fell in love with cockatood when I was 14 and my step mom got an umbrella named Magnum. Hes amazing. I knew I wanted to get a cockatoo some day but a smaller one. We decided a few months ago we were ready for another bird (we have a 5 year old green cheek who is very independent and happiest if he is able to do his own thing, playing on the cage, exploring the house etc. We had a parakeet for 10 years but lost him a couple years ago.) I searched all over for a goffin but only found babies and one adult who hates all women. We almost gave up, and almost put a deposit for a quaker but the night before I just couldnt sleep I knew it just wasnt right. I felt rushed by the owner, it was unsexed (I dont like to worry about egg binding/eggs in general) and while I'd been told by multiple cockatoo and quaker owners that they have similar traits, I don't truely want similiar I want the real deal . But I knew even if we got a quaker I would still want a cockatoo and that's not fair. 2 days later, I got told to contact a woman who'ld been looking for someone for a while to take her male goffin and was very particle since he's had 3 homes already including hers and hes just turned 7. She has the goffin and a U2 who is extremely territorial over her and has decided he hates the Goffin. So she can't give the him the attention he needs. She had 40 comments of people asking for him I am still in shock she chose me. He won't be passed around anymore, he will have his forever home, but the changes will be hard on him and I want to be able to minimize the stress.
She isn't including a cage, but is including a few favorite toys. So not only is he getting a new home, a new cage, and I have to change his name since it's the same as my 11 year old dog, Bubba. I'm thinking Baby, or Bubbles since they sound similar (any other ideas I'd love to hear. I'll be referring to him as Bubbles for the rest of the post.) I want to make this change as easy as possible. She said he isn't a bad plucker but did pluck for a month+/- when she first got him. He seems incredible she said his worst habit is yelling when he's bored or wants attention but that he has gotten much better since she got him and is out of the cage at least some each day. Of course there are a few more quirks but nothing horrible. Our conure comes out of his cage at 9-1030 am and goes to bed between 10-10:30, and that will be Bubbles schedule also. I'm going to use a small dog carrier to pick him up. We will stop and meet him and as long as he likes us we will head home. I am trying to think of an easy way he can access water in the cage. He likes men and women. He is afraid of towels and pot holders, he doesnt bite but runs away fast when he sees them. And since I cant run on my best days he is certainly faster than me. He has never tried to escape his cage, which is a nice surprise.
I want to get him used to towles but dont know the best way. I also would love to know the best ways to bond with him. I want him with me all day but I know I must earn his trust. She said he learns tricks quickly he plays dead dances on command, and talks. He doesnt love being put to bed but if I turn the lights off in his area and say night night he goes in on his own. Any ideas of bonding, and making the car ride and transition easier please let me know. And this is not a rash choice I am someone who has to have a plan (when you trip and fracture your ankle one random day and get an incurable disease that makes you either have a limp or wheelchair bound depending on the day weather and life, you try to make sure you're prepared or better overly prepared for the rest of life.) We have our own home, wood and tile, I can't work and can't even drive at times, so I'm home all day 98% of the time. I want a velcro bird, dont mind about the noise and have the time and patience to work on any bad habits. I have been around an umbrella half of my life and known what to expect. Of course im the excited nervous since this will be my bird not my moms. I have wanted this for so long. I think I've read everything online and at the local library about goffins but any websites I'd love.

Oh on quarantine, I dont have a part of my house that has a different air supply, I have 3 bedrooms. One is a guest room and next to it is the bird room where rieh sleeps and during the day rieh is in the living room with us. The house is open concept the living room is part of the dining room and the kitchen has a big window cut out so I'm not sure what to do. Any ideas?

Thanks so much guys. I've been part of this site for a long time and knew yall could help me, support me and be excited with me.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Congratulations on getting your new bird, and I hope everything goes well!

 

[BirdManDan]

If at all possible close the vent in the guest room and tape cardboard over it after closing it. Then put a fan in that room preferably with an air filter during the quarantine period and keeping that room's door closed.

By the way you don't have to rename the bird with a similar sounding name. They can learn a new name and will recognize it as theirs after some time.

 

[faislaq]

Congratulations! We adopted Luv Bug, a 6 month old goffins this past October. She came from a home where she was very loved, but they were away from home for weeks at a time and wanted to find a family that could spend more time with her.

We were surprised how quickly the owners decided we were the right family. The wife told us that we were the only people they'd talked (and they'd been looking for months also) that didn't lead with "how much", "does she talk" or "is her cage included." She was relieved that we were asking about her likes and dislikes, whether she likes men (she was to be hubby's bird), and asked if we could meet her to see how she and hubby got along. So while you might be shocked his owner chose you, you were probably the only one who stood out. Look at what you already know about him! How many others talked to his owner long enough to learn about pot holders?

I am excited to hear more about Bubbles & can't wait til he comes home. You've already put so much thought into his transition I'm sure it will go well. We were surprised how smoothly Buggy transitioned to our home. I think the fact that we were able to give her a lot of attention helped. Since Bubbles' owner isn't able to spend much time with him because of her other bird, that may be an advantage for you. And we were fortunate that she came with both of her cages as we later found out she was wary when we switched her day and sleep cages (better fit for us) but she got used to the change in 1-2 days, so faster than you'd think even though it doesn't seem that way at first. It probably helped that we took pics of her cages at her old home & set things up as closely as possible to make it feel more like home. You could ask her owner to send you a couple pictures, ask which items she will be sending with him, and try to buy the rest as closely as possible to what he's used to.

Bug used to be phobic of new things, but we use her curious & greedy nature to get her used to things -we play with them & don't share them until she's beside herself and buts in and plays with them herself. It's worked for toys and perches.

 

[Icey]

Congratulations on getting your soon to be "dream bird"
For your drive home, you can get a water bottle, like you use for a gerbil or hamster, and attach it to the cage with plastic tie straps.
Since it's going to be a few hours, this is the perfect time to start bonding with Bubbles. Start talking softly and if he reacts positively, have a conversation with him.
A soothing voice is good for a bird that is going to be scared and nervous already. You can also put some soft music on, for the long trip.
Take some fresh fruit that Bubbles can get, and make sure there is a soft blanket in case Bubbles falls. You didn't say if you were going to put a perch in the carrier or not, but it might be a good idea so Bubbles doesn't slide around. He may just cling to the door if he's really scared.

Hoping all goes well with your meeting, and Bubbles can get settled into his new forever home soon

 

[expressmailtome]

Congratulations, and best of luck!

 

[sunnysmom]

Congratulations! I adopted my goffin almost a year ago. You are in for a wild ride. Goffins are super smart birds and very mechanical. Something to keep in mind when getting a cage. My too can unlock the top of his cage from the inside and push it open to get out. No idea how he does it. It's now zip tied shut. My too also recently chewed his way out of his carrier because he decided he didn't want to be in it anymore. LOL. Something else to also keep in mind. They are certainly fun little birds but definitely keep you on your toes.

As for quarantine, it's also a good idea to make sure you wash your hands and even change your clothes before interacting with the other bird.

 

[Riehs mom]

I forget that so many people only care if the parrot can speak, after having a parrot for any length of time you learn their language even if it's still parrot lol. Bubbles does talk some and what he says is :/ "I am Bubba" it doesnt sound totally like that because it's more ImBubba all fast and smooshed together. I LOVE the idea of making the cage look like his current one! I should have thought of that!
Is quarantine still needed with the vet check and all? The room is just used for sleeping and had be so far away? If so is it a full 30 days still? I obviously want to do what's best but do wish I could skip it and have him be with me instantly lol. (No I wont do that.) We have planned to have rieh and him separated so they can just hear each other a while and not be more stressed by seeing each other. We are meeting on the 1st. it seems so far away! But were out of town this weekend and it's the first day she and my hub have off.

I wasn't going to put a perch in the cage but was going to put a towel in it to remove the slipping issue. I thought smaller would be best for a car ride but am I wrong? I can go bigger (I have large dog crates, will be borrowing my moms cat cage, she has big fat cats or I can use her other cage it's for like a 40lb dog. I'll just have to make sure the squares are small enough on the crate door.) I was worried that if I put a perch in he might feel crowded I did think of doing shredding paper and a toy. I thought water bottles had to be learned almost? Am I just totally wrong? We will def be talking to him on the way home, I'd love to hold him (which I do know is a horrible idea, along with getting in my car and accidentally ending up in hardy arkansas, but a girl can dream) I def want him potty trained before he goes in new car. When we do get home how fast do we go? Do I let him chose to come to us by leaving him on his cage with him free to be out or not or should I lock him up and give him quiet time to relax and adjust?

She said he has never attempted escape so I feel good about that. I already bought a cage it's got a great play top and 3 food doors, I hope it works but if not my husband is a hvac/ maintenance man and is good at fixing everything. He and his work friends are awesome and have built multiple things for our dogs welded a big giant toy together so if anyone can make a cage escape proof and find out how(and if) he escapes it will be my husband. Did not think about him chewing through the crate... now I'm slightly concerned.. bringing two plastic crates wont help bc if he figures out he can chew through one he will certainly be able to chew through the second. I guess I just watch and keep him supplied with apples and grapes (and attempt giving broccoli as a treat) and bring a few chewable toys not just shreddable toys.

Hes 7 and knows what his name is, I cant really alter it much can I? I'll be this big evil person who took him away and didnt even bother learning his name. He will instantly hate me forever and think I am exceptionally rude. (I swear I havent over thought this.) Thanks everyone. Oh here is the adorable Mr Bubble

 

[Riehs mom]

 

[faislaq]

You can be with him during the quarantine, you just have to clean up asap (change clothes & wash hands) so you don't bring anything he might have into the rest of the house to your other bird. I've seen folks on here skip it or shorten it after a vet visit, but some illnesses take a bit to show up. That's why a minimum of 30 days is recommended. Beats double the vet bills. Some people do 60 just to be safe.

I bet they'll get a kick out of hearing each other! Rieh'll like the novelty of hearing another avian voice & even though he's a gcc and not a U2, hearing Rieh's voice may make Bubble feel more at home.

If you're worried about him chewing through a carrier, you could use a small, wire dog crate. And we use a rope perch for Luv Bug; it's grippier than smooth perches or you could vet wrap a hard perch, but I think that might feel more secure for a bird than no perch at all. You could still put down the towel down so he has options, but you might want to bring a spare; our guys poop a lot on trips for some reason. Nerves maybe? And if you add any toys, make sure they can't roll or swing and hit him. I love the water bottle idea, but he may not know what it's for unless he's used one, so I'd bring a dish too so you can give him some water that way when y'all stop for potty breaks. (Also a good excuse to stop and play with him if he's up for it. That way you get the best of both worlds; you can play with him and he's still safe in his crate while y'all're driving.)

I like Bubble for him; it suits his precious fluffy cheeks! Plus it reminds me of the old kids' bath soap and it already sounds like he's says "I'm Bubble."

But if you still don't care for it and desperately want to change it, I think @Tyrion was able to transition her G2 from Harley to Ghost by starting our hyphenating his name until he got used to the new name. Hopefully she can tell you how well that worked and whether Harley already knew his old name or you might be able to find her thread.

 

[Tyrion]

Hey ...yes I was able to use the new name after I started with Harley-Ghost allot ..now I just call him Ghost ...but he still says Harley and hasn't said Ghost yet so....not to sure what that means but he does turn to me when I say Ghost so he does respond to the new name

 

[Riehs mom]

 

[Riehs mom]

Thanks so much! I dont want to change his name at all but I cant have two Bubbas. I think we're going to go with bubbles, unless his personality doesnt work with it. But either way it will be a name that sounds similar to Bubba.


Thanks I didn't think about taking two towels and I will try and borrow my moms all wire crate. I will find out if he has ever used s water bottle but I think taking a water bowl is the safest choice. I love the excuse to stop and play with him, but I'm not sure how much interaction is good right off the bat. Some articles say to have him in the cage and only sit near him and read. Other say have the cage open and only touch him if he comes to me. My mom said she instantly interacted with her umbrella, she would ask him step up and as long as he didnt act afraid, nervous or like he didnt want to she had him with her all the time. I even think she held him a good part of the drive home.


Since Rieh (my conure) is really independent and is happy just being out of his cage, I dont know if I should have Rieh in the bird room with the vent shut and air purifier and Bubbles in the living area with us during the quarantine. Bubbles is very affectionate and wants to be with someone all the time. Would that work? Rieh also is kinda used to being in the bird room during the day when I have a migraine (he sleeps in there of course.) That way he doesnt have to deal with the living room being completely dark.


So apparently he doesnt eat pellets. He eats something called Tropic Carnival. She tried converting him but couldn't. I have no knowledge of this brand, if it's healthy and if not what is a good alternative. Has anyone had success with transfering one food for pellets, if so please tell me what you did. And I'd love any suggestions on brands of food that are quality or any knowledge about this brand. Thanks so much.

 

[faislaq]

I think the amount of interaction depends on the individual bird. I think Bubbles will let you know how much of what he's ready for. Our guys have all been interested in seeing around during car rides. Even though their cages sit below the window, they still see a lot at an upward angle. I wonder if it reminds them of flying? I don't know if anyone knows of birds who prefer to be fully covered during car rides? I know not looking out the window makes me car sick; like my body doesn't know why it's moving unless my eyes have some input.

And I'm sooo curious about the Tropic Carnival food like that. I've been eyeballing their Big Bites for Large Hookbills, but it's pricey. I figure it's okay as a small part of their food. There are lots of pellet conversion tips & threads on here when you're ready to get Bubbles onto pellets, but I'd start with what he's used to. I'd also be curious which pellets she tried if she remembers.

 

[Begone]

Since Rieh (my conure) is really independent and is happy just being out of his cage, I dont know if I should have Rieh in the bird room with the vent shut and air purifier and Bubbles in the living area with us during the quarantine.

That is what I had done since a Too is more needing and demanding.

When I travel long distance with birds I always give them slices of apples. None of my birds has ever drunk water when it's in a carrier.

Other say have the cage open and only touch him if he comes to me.

That is my advice and also what I do. (I never demand them to step up, IMO that isn't a good start.)
If they can chose where they wants to be it can never be/go wrong.
Some birds needs time to settle in and needs privacy, and some just wants to find a new person to bond with and to be close directly from the start.

 

[faislaq]

When is Bubbles coming home again @Riehs mom?

 

[Riehs mom]

We are meeting 1/2 way on Sunday. We're each driving 3 ish hours. Any tips on making the meeting go good? I know he will be stressed from a car ride. We are driving in saturday, getting a hotel and meeting at 9 am at the hotel. I figured bring bubbles in the hotel room and let him come out on his own, make sur he seems okay with us (how will I know if he is okay with us, and likes us?) My mom and dad said they held magnum their U2, part of the drive home bc he was more comfortable out of the cage. I'M SO NERVOUS! please tell me what signs to look for that Bubbles will like us??? Getting nervous...


Cage is ready, pvc play gym is built. Shower perch is being constructed, (how to get him use to the shower.) Oh and I was told his fav food is strawberries.... I thought those were a no no because of the little seeds. And she also said he likes tomatoes I KNOW those are a NO NO food.

 

[faislaq]

He'd be safer in a cage in case of an accident (airbags, tossed around, objects flung through the car) & if he sees something that spooks him, he can't fly around and cause an accident. But I agree, it's very tempting to have them out. And hopefully he's not too stressed from the ride; fingers crossed that he's a good traveler!

I think strawberries are okay, they eat seeds anyway? And I think it's the acidity of the tomatoes that's supposed to be great for them, but small amounts are fine, just no leaves or stems -those are toxic.

I love how excited you are to bring him home.

 

[Greencheek Lee]

Congratulations! I only have gcc's so I'm not sure if it applies, but when we go to the vet I replaced the dowel perch for a rope perch - had to make holes in the carrier but it is much easier for them to hold onto. I have it spiraling so they can be higher or lower or just on the floor of it. Also bring a towel so if the sun is coming in the window I can make sure there is shade. Good luck, can't wait for the updates

 

[greys4u]

Why don't you sit in the back with him on the way home, I think he would appreciate that and may not be as nervous