Monaco monologues.

[Monaco]

I'm still so out of sync with everything. That schedule change was going to kill me or make me homicidal, so I'm shifting back to the original plan. I probably could have done it, but I've been obsessed with not cutting into her day with my sleep, so I wasn't getting more than 3-4 at any one time. Besides, she will do almost anything to keep me from falling asleep, even the very rare rendition of twinkle twinkle little star - but mostly very loud microwave beeps every time I start to drift off.

Here are a few things I can remember:

Cinnamon is acceptable and every once in a while a dreaded vegetable is disguised by its loveliness.
Most bites and attempts are a big bluff (but the memory of the hard one makes it difficult to not jerk away.)
Grudges don't last very long, but grumpiness can last nearly a whole day.
I mostly have no idea what makes her grumpy, so it's entirely likely grumpiness is a grudge I don't know about.
She's better at manipulation than I am.
She may be smarter than me.
Since I'm considering it, she probably is.
Too much fat or protein makes her miserable.
She will use hunger strikes to get fat or protein. See above re smart and manipulation.
Anything remotely resembling crinkle paper, worms or is snake like EXCEPT FOR SPAGHETTI will be grabbed and flung as far as possible, long grudges ensue, lots of growling, hackles, lunging and beak banging will go on for well over an hour. Fingers occasionally fall in this category, and I am genuinely afraid for their well-being.
Timeouts (very short) and anything distracting (read: worse/louder/startling/whatever than what's going on to begin with) are very effective tools to stop the growl/lunge/bite situation. Bonus, they don't appear to trigger grudges, but they're very time sensitive, and can be tricky to get right.
Screeching is definitely related to jealousy and frustration. Usually vocal contact is enough to stop it. One of the easier issues so far if you can perform the desired task at the desired speed. A couple of exceptions: if directed at attention given to Mr Theo (my aged sheltie) I don't move a muscle in her direction until she stops, but I comfort him or take him outside or whatever he needs to not be terrified. If she's already out with access to anything she could want, a swift timeout in her cage stops it right away.

I'm sure there's more. I wish the food was moving a little faster, and the bowl situation is only slightly better.

She's so sweet when she wants something! She's very sweet at night, and I still have a before bed routine with her that melts me down to mush. She says good morning lately. I'm more smitten every day.

 

[Shezbug]

I'm still so out of sync with everything. That schedule change was going to kill me or make me homicidal, so I'm shifting back to the original plan. I probably could have done it, but I've been obsessed with not cutting into her day with my sleep, so I wasn't getting more than 3-4 at any one time. Besides, she will do almost anything to keep me from falling asleep, even the very rare rendition of twinkle twinkle little star - but mostly very loud microwave beeps every time I start to drift off.

Here are a few things I can remember:

Cinnamon is acceptable and every once in a while a dreaded vegetable is disguised by its loveliness.
Most bites and attempts are a big bluff (but the memory of the hard one makes it difficult to not jerk away.)
Grudges don't last very long, but grumpiness can last nearly a whole day.
I mostly have no idea what makes her grumpy, so it's entirely likely grumpiness is a grudge I don't know about.
She's better at manipulation than I am.
She may be smarter than me.
Since I'm considering it, she probably is.
Too much fat or protein makes her miserable.
She will use hunger strikes to get fat or protein. See above re smart and manipulation.
Anything remotely resembling crinkle paper, worms or is snake like EXCEPT FOR SPAGHETTI will be grabbed and flung as far as possible, long grudges ensue, lots of growling, hackles, lunging and beak banging will go on for well over an hour. Fingers occasionally fall in this category, and I am genuinely afraid for their well-being.
Timeouts (very short) and anything distracting (read: worse/louder/startling/whatever than what's going on to begin with) are very effective tools to stop the growl/lunge/bite situation. Bonus, they don't appear to trigger grudges, but they're very time sensitive, and can be tricky to get right.
Screeching is definitely related to jealousy and frustration. Usually vocal contact is enough to stop it. One of the easier issues so far if you can perform the desired task at the desired speed. A couple of exceptions: if directed at attention given to Mr Theo (my aged sheltie) I don't move a muscle in her direction until she stops, but I comfort him or take him outside or whatever he needs to not be terrified. If she's already out with access to anything she could want, a swift timeout in her cage stops it right away.

I'm sure there's more. I wish the food was moving a little faster, and the bowl situation is only slightly better.

She's so sweet when she wants something! She's very sweet at night, and I still have a before bed routine with her that melts me down to mush. She says good morning lately. I'm more smitten every day.

Have not even got half way through this and I am non stop giggling I love how you describe things lol.

 

[Monaco]

Have not even got half way through this and I am non stop giggling I love how you describe things lol.

Thanks! I find keeping humor, especially about the stuff that bothers you most, keeps the murdery feelings and crying to a minimum.

(I'm here all week.)

 

[Monaco]

I think we've got some hormonal behaviors this last 10 days or so. She's been pulling her sheet into the cage at night, and then digging in it and taking foot toys over to it. I have tried to get it over the seed guard so she can't reach it, but she's outsmarted me each try. She's got several behaviors I don't have time to list at the moment.

@EkkieLu , any ideas I should try?

 

[EkkieLu]

I think we've got some hormonal behaviors this last 10 days or so. She's been pulling her sheet into the cage at night, and then digging in it and taking foot toys over to it. I have tried to get it over the seed guard so she can't reach it, but she's outsmarted me each try. She's got several behaviors I don't have time to list at the moment.

@EkkieLu , any ideas I should try?

Lucy pulled her cover into her cage and tried to ball it up in a nest type arrangement. That's when I turned my first room into an aviary so covers we're no longer needed. Can you set up a room where you can shut out the lights at night and close the door?

 

[Monaco]

I have an open floor plan, and no doors... I wonder if a curtain like those old tubs had would keep it far enough from the bars... I will have to make something.

Did it help Lucy's hormones and itch to nest?

 

[EkkieLu]

I have an open floor plan, and no doors... I wonder if a curtain like those old tubs had would keep it far enough from the bars... I will have to make something.

Did it help Lucy's hormones and itch to nest?

she's happier without being covered that's for sure. But she lays eggs every 3 months. She's sitting on 2 she laid yesterday. If I take them or put in game eggs she plucks her feathers. So I now let her sit on them until she gives up on her own. I tried getting shots at the vet to stop egg laying but she still laid them!

 

[Monaco]

she's happier without being covered that's for sure. But she lays eggs every 3 months. She's sitting on 2 she laid yesterday. If I take them or put in game eggs she plucks her feathers. So I now let her sit on them until she gives up on her own. I tried getting shots at the vet to stop egg laying but she still laid them!

That must make life difficult for both of you. I'm going to be making some lighting changes. I will let you know if it helps here. All I know is that it got worse when I started using her old cage as a sleep cage. I think she can reach the sheet easier. Maybe some of it is habit... I don't understand my own hormones with close monitoring, so I don't expect to understand hers. I really think that I've done something to trigger it. I will have to look through the posts, but she suddenly stopped wanting any cuddle time a couple weeks ago. I know she laid a couple of eggs the week before I brout her home. Gawd I hope she's not going to lay more in a few weeks! This week she's been pretty delightful... Declared that she is a good girl all evening! We'll see about that!

I wonder if they'll make those pellets for animals soon.

 

[Monaco]

A little update is in order. It took a few tries to get her sheet situated so she can't get it into her cage, and I take anything that she digs on/in/at, but after I've distracted her with something, so it "disappears" as far as she's concerned. It's really helping. I can't really recall the last time she got really mad at me. No more long grudge/grumpy days since I posted last. We have developed a couple of games that are really fun! She's got a few new primaries, and seems like she's itchy to figure out flying! I'm ecstatic about it! Foraging isn't going well, but I have a new secret weapon from @Love My Zons secret Santa gifts to put into her foraging balls.... I screwed up video of it today, and it didn't last long! I don't want to give her much, so it may take a few days to get the video or pictures to post here.

A new attempt at a phrase has had me confused for days, but I think I figured it out tonight while I was talking to her from the shower. I nearly teared up, and I feel so honored to be a friend to such an intelligent, gorgeous creature!

 

[Love My Zons]

And that secret weapon is a thing I want to see!

 

[Monaco]

Okay, @Love My Zons , I did get video today, but it's 11 minutes and won't load to ig. Wah wah... Here are a couple of pictures in the meantime.

Cookie in red ball.... She's known for several minutes now.




Cheating and taking the chunk that fell into the water.


Super pleased with herself and her messy beak!

 

[Monaco]

Ha! Okay, YouTube didn't mind the 11 minutes, but charged me 30 minutes to upload it. I haven't ever done this before, so I hope the link will work. Also please forgive the gross boing, it's covered in grape skins and worse.

@Love My Zons

Also, I sound 12, and it's worse when I "baby talk" which is really hard to stop... I do try!

 

[JornsBergenson]

Also, I sound 12, and it's worse when I "baby talk" which is really hard to stop... I do try!

Well, most of us tend to baby talk to our birds.
When our ekkie imitates a male, he sounds like Jaba the Hut, so I talk like a little girl to him all the time. Maybe its more like Elmo. My wife and kids get a kick out of it.

Thanks for this thread. It's great to read about your journey with your beautiful friend.

 

[Monaco]

Well, most of us tend to baby talk to our birds.
When our ekkie imitates a male, he sounds like Jaba the Hut, so I talk like a little girl to him all the time. Maybe its more like Elmo. My wife and kids get a kick out of it.

Thanks for this thread. It's great to read about your journey with your beautiful friend.

Jaba the hut!
I'm so glad to meet another ekkie owner!

My pleasure! As fun as it's been, I have used it for reference a lot to recall dates and see if I can trace patterns. I'm using an app called dailio now too for a little more accuracy.

 

[Love My Zons]

Okay, @Love My Zons , I did get video today, but it's 11 minutes and won't load to ig. Wah wah... Here are a couple of pictures in the meantime.

Cookie in red ball.... She's known for several minutes now.
View attachment 324365

View attachment 324366

Cheating and taking the chunk that fell into the water.
View attachment 324367

Super pleased with herself and her messy beak!
View attachment 324368

Those cookies are an excellent foraging treat. They are loved here by all.

I sometimes moisten them for Sophie so she won't dunk them lol

 

[Monaco]

Those cookies are an excellent foraging treat. They are loved here by all.

I sometimes moisten them for Sophie so she won't dunk them lol

Does it work? I think Monaco would dunk anyway, proving that I haven't done it right!

 

[Dorcas George]

She is SO gorgeous!

 

[Love My Zons]

Does it work? I think Monaco would dunk anyway, proving that I haven't done it right!

She still dunks all her Harrison's pellets lol. I pre-moisten these, she likes it like that.

 

[Monaco]

She is SO gorgeous!

Yes. I get so distracted looking at her sometimes, and she gets nervous and I realize I'm scaring her and have to stop!

 

[Monaco]

I'm so jealous. You're really lucky to get an older bird that was raised in a loving home. Most rescue eckies come in terrible feather condition because of their specific diet. If you need some pellets because she's being stubborn, tops are alfalfa based and not fortified so not likely to cause problems. I use them in addition to freeze dried fruit and veggie mixes for Milo because he's stubborn and struggles to keep his weight up as is.

How are you going with her? I have been dealing with the fires here and haven't been on much. Is she eating her fruit and veg? How is her mood?

Well, we have tried lots of new things lately. I got some samples of nutriberries and tops pellets, sprouted many sprouts, and sliced, diced, and mashed lots of new fruits and vegetables.

She's also been a lot more active, general activity and our games are burning some calories and building muscles, so she's lost about 20 grams. I'm not worried about it yet, because it is pretty stable now at 420-425g. As I keep replacing high calorie things with more fruits and vegetables I weigh her more often. I also finally tried some birdie bread that I feel good about, and I posted pictures and ingredients (forgot about some herbs) in the feathered food court. She is choosing it over the pellets and the seeds, so I'm very happy about it. It's hard to get the bake right with so much moisture from the veggies, but I will keep tweaking it and changing the flours around until I get a good bake and a good nutrient and calorie balance. I'm lucky my mother is a chef, and can help me with the food chemistry.

It can become that. Just be sensible. Ekkie ladies can become very demanding of nom noms. Your relationship is still new so I know where you are coming from. Any bonding is progress Do you best to have diverse interactions with her. Games, training, adventuring, hanging out without direct interaction for example she is on the play stand foraging and you are reading in her sights. You are part of her everyday flock!

We are making some major improvements with our interaction and her interaction with her environment. I think we have a long way to go, but we seem to be on the right road. She's getting some confidence and a little independence, and it's exciting to see her world opening and expanding as she discovers more and makes decisions for herself. An added bonus is the last two weeks of practicing new words and phrases, and I can't wait to see what she decides to say next!

We made it through the nesting craze. I made a big teepee and she was really excited about going in and out, and it turned into a fun game of peekaboo. I took it down after a day and a half, but ever since she's been using "c'mon" in new context, and engaging me more verbally. She also stopped nesting after it came down... I don't know why, but it was interesting. She's also putting herself to bed lately.

A major step was actually a hop-flap from the couch to her perch last week. It was terrifying at first, because I could see her trying to gage it and then suddenly she was happily on her stand by the fish. It's the first time I've seen her attempt something like that. She is also not crashing to the floor when she decides to jump off of her cage. She did this again last week while I was in the bathtub. She had put herself to bed, and I left her cage open because the cat was out, and it wasn't time for her cover yet. I waited a few breaths and when I turned to get out, there she was! She walked to the bathroom to find me! I was happy to know that she wanted to find me, but even more proud of her to move around on her own. She's also "asking" to be on multiple different perch locations, and I am so happy that she is getting so comfortable with the whole house instead of just a couple of places.

I'm sure there's more...