"Official" Opie and Oggie Thread

[SumitaSinh]

OPIE ATE A TREAT FROM ME

Sorry that was exciting. Until now everything I have tried to hand him he has immediately dropped on the floor, and I wasn't entirely sure if he was really "taking" it or maybe actually trying to bite me and getting the treat instead.
But he just took a sliver of (unshelled, unsalted) peanut from my fingers and ate it in front of me
I may have to start playing hard to get though, because he wouldn't do it again LOL.
Also discovered that he loves his purple pellets best.. refreshed the bowl and he ran up and ate all the purples. Between that and the blueberries, I guess I know his favorite shade.

And I touched Oggie's head.. not sure I can say he let me give him scritches, or if he just didn't notice I was doing it, but that's something.
I am struggling not to spoil him since he will eat almost anything I give him. That little "mmm" when he sees a new treat is SO cute.
I'm also struggling not to be afraid of him though when he reaches out fast for a treat I want to flinch. That boy packs a punch.
I tried to introduce him to a dowel rod for moving him around, but of course that is the first thing he has actually been afraid of and won't go near.

That sound Opie makes.. I guess it *must* just be his general hyped up sound. He made it when we got him out of the car and got home the first day. He kind of makes it sometimes when I am talking to him. He makes it more when my boyfriend is talking. But he also made it a lot when he saw the dog walk by through the baby gate, and I'm guess that was probably more fear, unless he used to live with a dog.

Is it something like 'grrrrkk'? My OWA makes this sound on same reasons... It increases in volume and intensity when he's scared or unhappy, becomes like a soft purr when he's content.

 

[Pat H]

I don't have a bigger one for Opie yet, sadly. Getting more space for Oggie was more urgent and I ended up only being able to find that used one. I'd rather not buy another used one in the long run (unless I can find one that is really well taken care of).
Opie's is bigger than the "minimums" suggested by the rescue for a bird of his size - but of course I expected him to be out of the cage more than he has been I'm trying to re-think the room with more play opportunities for a no-touch bird.

Opie's cage looks GREAT to me!

 

[Pat H]

Opie and Oggie were both pacing a bit so.. both cages are open. Towel nearby just in case.
And Oggie's bigger cage ready for either of them to explore.

Oggie hasn't come out yet but Opie is a bit frustrated to find the food dish only works one way.

View attachment 385224 View attachment 385225 View attachment 385226

I bet if you'd remove the majority of the toys from Oggie's new cage he'd consider it! All the shapes and colors to me look very frightening!
I see where he's sitting in his current travel cage-- can't tell if he's separating himself from his current two toys hanging in it... or if he's trying to stay as far as possible from the new/ 'full of terrible shapes' cage...
I introduce new toys from the outside-- hang them within his view, tho not too close to be imposing or considered a danger... Then after a time, remove him from the cage, place the toy, and show it to him from outside his cage... Still, it will take him awhile to accept it.

 

[Pat H]

Senegals are very much a 'fight or flight' bird-- you do need to be aware when [not if-- I am hopeful] you take him for a walk... [of course, I am of the mindset that I've always kept his wings clipped-- no offense to others with a different set of rules]... the Senegals will SEE SOMETHING before you do... and will fly to get out of danger.

PERCHES-- my Ricky also seems to be afraid of any elongated object presented before him [and I raised him from the egg]... but he will accept stepping onto one presented to him WHEN he's on my hand and going ONTO the perch... I might have to wiggle my hand he's sitting on to encourage him to move onto it, and if he seems uncomfortable w/ it after he's on it, then I praise him and allow him back onto my hand.

But I would definately try removing some [I think I mean-- the majority] of the toys from the new cage until he's used to it. With all the toys I've presented to Ricky, what does he play with??? A chain.
And food-- GREAT motivator! Like the old [showing my age] cereal advertisement for Life cereal-- "Mickey will eat it" ... Nothing wrong w/ giving treats as a reward-- just try to give SMALL pieces! That way you can give more times! Ricky LOVES banana!

 

[Elysian]

Senegals are very much a 'fight or flight' bird-- you do need to be aware when [not if-- I am hopeful] you take him for a walk... [of course, I am of the mindset that I've always kept his wings clipped-- no offense to others with a different set of rules]... the Senegals will SEE SOMETHING before you do... and will fly to get out of danger.

PERCHES-- my Ricky also seems to be afraid of any elongated object presented before him [and I raised him from the egg]... but he will accept stepping onto one presented to him WHEN he's on my hand and going ONTO the perch... I might have to wiggle my hand he's sitting on to encourage him to move onto it, and if he seems uncomfortable w/ it after he's on it, then I praise him and allow him back onto my hand.

But I would definately try removing some [I think I mean-- the majority] of the toys from the new cage until he's used to it. With all the toys I've presented to Ricky, what does he play with??? A chain.
And food-- GREAT motivator! Like the old [showing my age] cereal advertisement for Life cereal-- "Mickey will eat it" ... Nothing wrong w/ giving treats as a reward-- just try to give SMALL pieces! That way you can give more times! Ricky LOVES banana!

Thank you again for the tips!!
You're right - I probably have way too much stuff in there for him. I will amend that today.
When I set it up I was thinking it would be a really long time before I could get in there safely and add new perches/toys, and I was worried about his feet because he mostly hangs out on that dowel or on the cage grate. But none of that matters if he won't go in it!

Although - I just noticed in that picture he looks like he is leaning away. He's actually "dancing" back and forth from foot to foot looking out the window.
I've been trying to look up what that dancing means (happy, bored, stressed?) but he doesn't actually seem unhappy when he does it.
I offered him a spray bath and he danced like that in the "rain" when he easily could have moved away.
The two toys in his little cage came with him, but I've never seen him play with them. If I'm not actively talking to him he loves to just gaze out the window and watch the "neighborhood" (no people back there) like a real grandpa.

It's interesting that your Senegal is afraid of perches too. Opie is *starting* to get used to the chopstick I want to use for target training (so far I'm just holding it when I offer treats, for de-sensitizing) but Oggie is like nope nope nope.

 

[MommyBird]

My OWA is just terrified of unattached wooden sticks so she will not step up on a perch for transport.
What does work is either a grate I took out of a small cage or the shelf I grabbed out of my kitchen refrig's freezer before getting it hauled away.
It is like the cage, so already familiar.
They actually fit thru her cage door if she's giving me trouble about going in.
The thing I had to learn is to anchor or be ready when she steps off so it doesn't spring up from her considerable weight being gone and hit her in the butt, may not be a problem with little Oggie.

 

[Elysian]

We have progress! Oggie went into his cage!

So first, a run down of what I've been letting them have - I'm trying to pull back on the sugar items but Opie appears to be an addict. Is this too many unhealthy things?

• They constantly have pellets - Oggie gets his fruit flavor mixed with natural, and has been eating both (except the red ones). Opie just gets the fruit ones for now because he still mostly eats purple. I don't want to water down the ratio of purple and have him not eat anything.
• They each also get a daily dish of either fresh fruit, or mixed veggies. The mixed veggies seem to be more of a hit than the fresh fruit (except blueberries in Opie's case).
• Opie also has a ring of dried fruit that he nibbles throughout the day, since I still just want to make sure he eats.
• Every other day I've been offering them a little nut and seed mix that includes sunflower seeds.
• Treats: They get a very small (just big enough for them to grasp without biting my fingers) piece of oatmeal cracker with almond butter in the morning (part of my breakfast). They get a couple very small crumbles of fig newton once a day (the rest of the cookie becomes my snack). They get around 2-3 peanut halves (dry roasted, unsalted, unshelled) a day. And they get 1 (rarely 2) pieces of lafeber parrot popcorn (why does that stuff smell so delicious??). Then if I have something else healthy I can share (like shredded chicken or scrambled egg) they get a small piece of that.
  • I use these sparingly so I can give them something every time I come in the room. I'm trying to find healthier options but this is all they get excited about so far.

I took a video of the two sounds Oggie makes that concern me - but after watching the video myself, I think his "hiss" MIGHT be mimicking me sniffling? I have allergies (not birds, just general allergies) and never remember to take any medicine. Didn't realize I was doing it so much.
You can hear a soft "hiss noise" happen 2-3 times in this video before he does it. The moment he does it is when his beak opens (right at like 12 seconds.
Then at the end is a new noise he started in the past couple of days, that sounds like a wet cough/sneeze. But I don't see any other signs of breathing issues.

http://imgur.com/FkPkSii

Second ponderance on Oggie's health - is his tail all chewed looking because he is old, or does this look like he actually chewed his tail feathers off? He has been like this since day one. Maybe they will grow back in.


Anyway - he was sitting on his perch outside his cage, I gave in and gave him some head scritches until he started getting too demanding, and then I tried to leave the room. He got upset and started yelling for me. I pulled up the phone to record him yelling at me and this happened. I hadn't even taken anything out yet.

http://imgur.com/zfudIMw

He climbed up on a perch and took a treat from me and seems cool now?

I didn't take any pictures of Opie just now, but I realized I haven't been exposing him to my hands unless I'm giving him a treat or trying to see if he wants touches. So I'm starting a regimen of just sitting there with my hand on the cage. He started to rush over and then realized I had no treat and pulled back, but was cocking his head at me curiously.
Baby steps.

 

[Elysian]

Also just FYI I wasn't trying to punish Oggie or anything by leaving the room - it just seems that if I pet his head too much he starts wanting to get closer and closer (trying to jump to my hand/shoulder). I love it but that's when he bites - so I need him to cool down a little

 

[donutweall]

Although I'd love someone more bird experienced than me to chime in about this, I think that "cough" is him imitating a human cough. Birds don't have diaphragms like we do, so their cough action (to clear airways) does not sound like ours. (link with more information)

Also wanted to say that I'm loving reading your adventures with Oggie and Opie

 

[Elysian]

Although I'd love someone more bird experienced than me to chime in about this, I think that "cough" is him imitating a human cough. Birds don't have diaphragms like we do, so their cough action (to clear airways) does not sound like ours. (link with more information)

Also wanted to say that I'm loving reading your adventures with Oggie and Opie

I suspected this. If that's right, and if the "hiss" is a mimic as well rather than a hiss, apparently I am waaay noisier than I thought.

Time to get some claritin

 

[faislaq]

I suspected this. If that's right, and if the "hiss" is a mimic as well rather than a hiss, apparently I am waaay noisier than I thought.

I've mentioned it before that I had no idea that I "oof"ed until Buzzard started doing it when I sat down. It was a little embarrassing. He even "oof"s when I don't, but anytime he perceives it being an effort; bending over to pick something up, stepping over a dog, etc. In a way it's almost worse because I know he's using it right! He only does it when he's on my arm, and balancing him does take a bit more effort, but still!

 

[MR. Mango]

Nice to hear all the progress, is oggie going more and more into his new cage or has he decided that it’s a demon monster?

 

[Elysian]

Nice to hear all the progress, is oggie going more and more into his new cage or has he decided that it’s a demon monster?

He discovered the seed treat stick I hung in there, so he stayed in it and completely shredded that. He is a seed monster.
Since he seemed good with that I eventually closed the door and then gently moved the new cage into his old spot.

He's mostly chilling on that one perch but he apparently isn't too afraid to climb around, because I gave him his little piece of fig newton and he climbed to the other side to dip it in water.

He also let my boyfriend scratch his head through the bars just a minute ago, so he seems to have accepted it?

I'm going to leave him there to sleep tonight but I'm keeping an eye on whether he eats from his food bowl in there.

 

[zoo mom]

Yes they learn to mimic your sounds very quickly. I hear sneezes, burps, coughs, sniffs, oofs. All of which you don't realize how much you do it until they start to mimic it.

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

No actual experience but both those sounds sound human to me. Adorable.

I've mentioned it before that I had no idea that I "oof"ed until Buzzard started doing it when I sat down. It was a little embarrassing. He even "oof"s when I don't, but anytime he perceives it being an effort; bending over to pick something up, stepping over a dog, etc. In a way it's almost worse because I know he's using it right! He only does it when he's on my arm, and balancing him does take a bit more effort, but still!

 

[Pat H]

Our precious Timneh, Freddie, [now in Birdie Heaven]... used to sit on a perch in living room w/ us... One time when we began to get off the couch, he grunted! Like an old folk... We didn't realize we were making that noise!

Biting-- they really respond well to 'crying'-- ie, if he chomps then express verbal discomfort... I fake a cry or whimper and kiss the spot Ricky just bit. He usually bows his head and scratches his neck. He knows he's done wrong!

Tail-- Hopefully be ok once he moults it out. Don't think they usually chew on their tail feathers.

 

[Elysian]

Interesting..if Opie gets a chance to see the dog, he actually climbs down closer (he actually went all the way down to the grate on the bottom but I missed that picture)
Better look? Trying to warn him off?


But he also lashed his beak at me when I was changing his food bowl this morning, I thought we were past that

 

[Elysian]

@Clueless do you have any particular tips for weighing Opie without traumatizing him?

I have a gram scale and t perch stand I use for the budgies.. he could probably fit on it.. but getting him on it, getting close enough to read it..

I'm still worried about whether he eats enough. I'd like to know what he weighs now and if he loses any.

 

[Elysian]

I had to work a bunch today
But this evening I got Oggie to step on a dowel rod, twice!
He was making it clear that he wanted to climb on me again, but that never goes well, so I offered him the dowel. He got on it and tried to shimmy down it to my hand, thankfully its long enough that I could switch which end I was holding. He looked a little offended when my hand moved.

I gave him a treat then put him right back on the cage. He seemed a little frightened climbing off of it and I was afraid he wouldn't do it again, but later when he wanted to "go home" and eat, he leaned over to me instead of climbing back down. I gave him the dowel again, he climbed on, and I lowered him into the cage where he climbed off. He was still a little nervous/unsteady but I said "Oh good job! Good *boy* Oggie!" To which he lifted his wings and said "Good boy!"

I also got Opie to reach out and take a treat from my hand by stretching his head over the same dowel, which is great.

I wish they would play with toys though.. out of cage time isn't any more stimulating than in the cage if they just sit on top and look at me.

 

[Birdie Mama]

juse a thought….

You may have to teach them how to play if they have been a while without doing so… They may not realize it’s ok to play with them as it’s new toys and new home. The same as when we are a guest somewhere, not sure what we can and cannot touch/do.