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Spunky or aloof

metalstitcher

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Do you find your older bird more spunky or more aloof about wanting to play as they get older? Do they have a different preference in toys and treats?
 

Ankou

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I'd say Peanut, nearly 16, has stayed about the same in terms of play. Pretty much the same amount and in the same ways as she did when younger, perhaps with more naps? But I remember her always being a bird that would rest. Play hard then nap; repeat. She definitely hasn't lost her love of destroying stuff and manically chasing balls around.

Her interactions with me I would also say are nearly the same. She's about as aloof as she always was, some days she is more into doing her own thing, other days she will pester me continuously until she's decided she's absorbed enough cuddles (which is either never or bedtime, whichever comes first.) She's less spunky certainly, I used to get bitten every couple months now we're down to around once a year (nips don't count.) I attribute that largely though to me changing how I respected her, me avoiding making her feel like she needed to bite by changing how I did things. If I were going to ignore her instincts and desires I could get bitten every day.

For toys, the only difference I could notice is when she was very young (less than 3 years old) she would actually destroy pine and other sorta hard woods. I still remember when she hit sexual maturity and destroyed an 8ish inch pine ladder while I was in school, I got home and there were just two steel hooks handing from the perch where the ladder was, a couple dropped dowels, and sawdust!
Even as a middle-aged birdie she had already lost any interest into putting that much effort into shredding wood. It's been pretty much the same preference for the last decade: balsa, yucca, and anything else soft enough to really sink her beak into. Also anything paper, her desire to build nests has never waned.

Treat preference has stayed the same as well. She still worships at the altar of her lord, The Almighty Millet, daily. New foods and treats have come and gone but her old favorites are all still favorites. Peanut has always been a bit odd as a lovebird who prefers fruit and I've always wondered if that would change in time, but nope.

I would wonder about other senior birds too though! Peanut is getting fairly old but it isn't out of the realm of possibility she could live another 5-10ish years. Or at least I hope and pray she could have that many more years in her.
 

metalstitcher

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Lol yeah I get the millet worship in spades in my home. Both of them treat it like an addiction problem. Gracie has bitten me more in the last three months then the last 15 years. It's weird I'm just chalking it up to her being cranking. She's been a lot more vocal as of late and seems a lot more chipper and happy. My husband and I think it could be the new cage and toys and all the treats. She doesn't do well with new things very well. It took her six months to use a new perch.

Bobo is a bit of an odd one. He just kinda does his own thing and still sings a gets mad when Gracie comes to visit. He really doesn't like her lol. She looks at me like why doesn't he want to be friends. He's always been very skittish so we give him his space and treats.
 

Ankou

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She's less spunky certainly, I used to get bitten every couple months now we're down to around once a year (nips don't count.) I attribute that largely though to me changing how I respected her, me avoiding making her feel like she needed to bite by changing how I did things. If I were going to ignore her instincts and desires I could get bitten every day.
Actually if I could rephrase that after more thinking I'd probably say she's basically as spunky as she always was when not in nesty grump doom hen mode, just I've wised up quite a bit.
:lol:

It does take longer for her to decide to bite me when I mess up and break her rules but I think that's more out of increased respect and the fact biting isn't reinforced anymore than a decrease of spunkyness. She still struts around like she knows she boss and totally expects to be taken seriously. The difference now is I do treat her like I take her seriously most of the time and respect her rules, even if I'm laughing at how silly she is.

One major difference though, she doesn't get nearly as grumpy or short tempered when in breeding mode. When she was 1-6ish years old, twice a year while 'hormonal' she wouldn't even willingly come out of her cage for a week or so because she was so defensive of her nest. From 6ish-10 years she was still noticeably grumpier but wanted to come out and be with me, and had stopped laying eggs around 6 years old at the latest (maybe due to age, maybe due to changes I made to her sleep cycle. Dunno.)

10 years old was when I really dedicated myself to avoiding making her feel like she needed to bite me, and these days she doesn't even really seem that much grumpier when in breeding mode. Just more randy than usual, getting over-excited more easily until I distract her or leave and give her some time to cool down.
 
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Cynthia & Percy

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Percy 28 stopped flying he now has a third of the lung compaside of a younger bird i miss the flying after 14 years i know most of his triggers
 

metalstitcher

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Are both your birds still talking up a storm or more quiet? Gracie has gone the opisite. She was usually pretty quiet but now like said in the other post she is a chatter box. She just talks my ear off. She gets even more animated when I tell her to tell me all about it. She can't fly as long distance as she use to she gets winded pretty quicknow and takes breaks. She does act like the queen of the castle.
 

Ankou

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Are both your birds still talking up a storm or more quiet? Gracie has gone the opisite. She was usually pretty quiet but now like said in the other post she is a chatter box. She just talks my ear off. She gets even more animated when I tell her to tell me all about it. She can't fly as long distance as she use to she gets winded pretty quicknow and takes breaks. She does act like the queen of the castle.
That's adorable!
I'm sorry to hear about the flying though.

I'd say talking/chatter is about the same for Peanut as it has been for the last 5 years too, she's actually pretty quiet but lots of cute noises and a game where we copy the sounds each other make from the noises Peanut has learned. She screams a lot less than she did when she was young but that was a product of me having been reinforcing it while I lived at home with my parents. Once I moved out and didn't have to constantly run and get her to keep her quiet for my dad and then taught her how to play independently she really quieted down.

I'd actually say she's flying now more than any other point in her life, though that is my fault. She was lightly clipped until the last 4ish years and while she could still fly quite well it was enough work she really didn't want to fly much. Now that she's been fully flighted for a few years and I've been encouraging more she flies all around her small bedroom foraging and destroying any paper I've set out for her (sometimes unintentionally...) She doesn't seem to get winded but it's a small space and most of her flights are short, 3-6 feet.
 

macawpower58

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I'm not sure 16-22 years is 'older', but mine are much more aloof when it comes to hands on play.

They do have their moments when it's fun, but for the most part they'd rather do their own thing.
 

sunnysmom

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Sunny didn't come to live with us until he was 15. So I don't know how much he played with toys before. He only had one toy when he came to us. He goes through spurts where he will play a lot with one toy and then ignore it. And then he won't play with any toys for a while and then will pick one again. He definitely likes softer toys- balsa, cork, paper, etc. And the same goes with food. He really doesn't like anything hard. I bought him some lovely AO kale chips and he won't touch them. If a sunflower seed is too big and the shell hard, he'll ignore it. But rice, pasta, etc. he loves. And of course, millet. Personality-wise, he's still a snuggler, and loves to sit on me and get scritches. I hope that never changes.
 

metalstitcher

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She use to be able to go from the kitchen to the bathroom without a break but now she makes a pit stop on BoBo's cage which ends up with him going on the attack. He hasn't gotten a toe yet thank goodness. She still wants to be in the middle of everything as much as she dislikes my husband if he gets in the fridge and she's out she needs to see what he's doing.

She does have times when I have to chase her around the house though when I need to put her away so I can get ready for work. A few times I was almost late for work chasing her. She does like to go do her own thing so we "bird safed" our house so they won't get hurt when they are out. Then they figured out the walls are made of wood... yeah new challenges there trying to stop them from chewing holes in my home.
 

fluffypoptarts

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Beni is 11 now and though I only saw the last 3+ years (I adopted him), I've seen changes as he aged. He has become more aloof with other people and doesn't want to be bothered with them - in fact, he will now bite them without much notice (most people aren't fast enough to withdraw in the half second of his dark Beni look he gives before biting) if they presume to offer him a finger or try to pet him!

He still wants cuddles with his mama, though - more than he used to, if anything. He's grumpier than he used to be, too, and will sometimes pinch me for putting him away when he never used to do that. He loves to lean back in my hand in the morning and get cheek, tummy, and beak kisses. He makes these cute little gruff noises of happiness as he closes his eyes - "hrff, hrff". :)
 

cassiesdad

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It does take longer for her to decide to bite me when I mess up and break her rules but I think that's more out of increased respect and the fact biting isn't reinforced anymore than a decrease of spunkyness. She still struts around like she knows she boss and totally expects to be taken seriously. The difference now is I do treat her like I take her seriously most of the time and respect her rules, even if I'm laughing at how silly she is.
Sondra, I think Peanut has trained you well! As you obey the rules and realize she IS the Boss, the BBBIIITTTEEESSS aren't needed. Oh yes, there are times I laugh at Milton when he doing something silly, but I go into another room and do it...I don't want to upset "His Highness".

As for the seniors, Sky, the budgie, is just as spunky as the other budgies, but in a more reserved way, befitting an English Budgie.The other two will chew, climb ropes, and ring their bells together, and Sky will watch. He does those things by himself, and in a most refined way...no crazy play for him.

Titan either considers himself a small human, or that we are large birds. He will independently play with bells or do some shredding, but he would definitely wants to spend as much time with us as possible. He was pulled from his parents (they rejected him) and hand-fed, and I believe that is why he is who he is.
 

metalstitcher

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Gracie has been a bit more vocal the past few days but I think that has more to do with the fact dad is home and things are going back to normal for her. She was not happy with all the stress and sadness in the house and it showed. she was a big comfort to me during everything and her and BoBo stayed very quiet for most of the week. I think they knew that me and Grandma were grieving. Now that i have to be back at work though we had to chase her around the house and hubby had to block the door so she couldn't escape from the room. Seems she didn't want to me to go to back to work after having me all to herself for a week and a half.
 
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