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Post by boobaby on Dec 8, 2013 2:45:49 GMT
Hello, my name is Allyson and this is my first post on the forum. I will be up front and say that I truly have no idea what I am doing when it comes to birds, but I do want to do what is best for my parakeet.
I own one parakeet named Boo. I have no information on who her breeder is, how old she is, where she came from, or what her past life was like, because I found her in my tree a six years ago. She had no tags and no one responded to my flyers for a lost parakeet, so I decided to keep her. She has a 3 x 3' cage and lives by herself. I did try to find her a buddy once, but she attacked the other bird relentlessly even after being in a cage next to him for a week and we ended up having to give him back to his original owner. I let her listen to music all day from 7 am until 8 pm which she seems to enjoy (she is very opinionated about what she listen to- only country music for her or she'll scream your head off!!!) and she gets to sit outside under supervision on days that are between 60 and 85 degrees, but other than that she really just sits there. I have attempted to handle her hundreds of times, but she is utterly terrified of me. I feel bad, but I don't know how to earn her trust.
I have tried 'plans' that have been suggested to me of taking it a tiny step at a time, and got as far as teaching her to step up onto my finger without biting me, but I can not touch her or handle her in any way without her nipping my fingers. She does not have clipped wings. When I clean her cage daily and refill her feeder and water, she attacks me relentlessly and gets very upset, even though I've been doing it the same way (as uninvasive as possible) for 6 years. She doesn't trust me obviously, and every time that I have to restrain her to clip her toenails she backtracks. I feel terrible, but I don't know what else to do. She doesn't like to come out of her cage (I offer quite often and just leave her cage roof off if she wants to come out) and the most she'll ever do is perch on the top of the cage. She hates water. She hates new food and won't try anything besides her commercial feed. She won't drink water with vitamins in it. She honestly seems to be afraid of the unknown, and I can relate...but she has no life! I'm sure she is getting old (I don't know parakeet life span) and I want her to have a happy life. She does not have one now.
I've tried giving her treats like apples, pieces of cracker, millet, cuttlebones, parakeet treat-balls, but she is afraid of them and won't even get near her food dish until I take it out. The only thing I can get her to try is grated carrots which she enjoys. She hates toys in her cage. I tried putting a new perch in her cage and she sat on the floor of the cage with her head down (she NEVER does this) until I took it out. I tried putting colorful rings with a bell in there and she pushed herself against the corner and wouldn't move. I did get her to accept a little mirror with some sliding beads on it that she likes to sit at all day and preen, and she plays with the beads when she is excited about dinner or the music, but I don't know what the difference is! The toys are all from the same maker, same color, same plastic...what is the difference?
I guess I just want to know if there is anything I can do to make my grumpy old bird's life better. I'd love to let her sit on my shoulder and socialize, or groom herself on a perch wherever I am, but she just hates everyone and everything. Advice? Or is she always going to be like this?
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Post by Pammy on Dec 8, 2013 4:28:10 GMT
I honestly don't think you are doing anything wrong, and that you in fact have done everything you possibly can to encourage a happier life for your little Boo. Given her age, and how long you have had her, and how hard you have tried to give her toys and treats and out-of-cage time, I'm thinking she's just the way she is. I wouldn't anticipate a whole lot of change at this point. Who knows what horrors befell her before you found her in your tree. Some humans just have a sullen nature. Maybe that's just how Boo wants to be. She likes the mirror because she thinks it's another bird, a friend. That's what makes it different from other toys. Most of us generally discourage use of mirrors in bird cages, because birds can develop an unhealthy attachment to an imaginary friend, and become antagonistic with anyone (bird or human) who attempts to approach that friend (the mirror). But in your Boo's case, I'm wondering if I would go against what I normally suggest, and just leave the mirror, since it's the only thing that gives her pleasure. Hang in there! I applaud you for giving this little one such a good quality home for so many years, without gaining any friendship from her in return. You are doing a good thing.  |
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Post by Bluebirds on Dec 8, 2013 5:27:06 GMT
Yes Indeed! Your Boo must be a tough cookie to crack, Try feeding her Mango and maybe lettuce. Talk to her every day she may respond or freak but try that while cleaning the cage talk to her in a high pitched voice, it may distract her.
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Post by Sarah on Dec 8, 2013 6:05:21 GMT
I agree. Boo obviously had a rather tough life before coming to you, and I think you are doing quite well.
If carrot is the only veggie she will eat, I suggest that you give it to her every day. Although her nutrient levels will be a bit unbalanced in comparison to a bird with a wider base of foods, at least it will be better than a pure seed diet and it will aid in her digestive process as she ages.
As for her toys, I think you need to employ a wee bit of tough love here. As a general rule of thumb, you need to assume that a bird will take one month before becoming adjusted to a change in their environment. If she is pouting over a perch or a toy for a few hours or a few days, persevere. For a cage bound bird, particularly one who is getting older, the best thing you can do for them is prevent them from becoming under stimulated. Every three months or so you should be moving everything in the cage, removing some things and adding some things. Most of us 'rotate' toys, taking them away for a while and adding them back, so things don't become stale. You should give it longer and give her a real chance to embrace the change, even though she may hate it at first.
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Post by boobaby on Dec 8, 2013 20:48:47 GMT
Thanks for the quick replies everyone!
I'm glad that I'm not a bird abuser...haha. Like I said, before having Boo I'd never even given thought to getting a bird, so I've learned on the go with her. I've learned a lot about their molting process, feather health, and vocals while owning her. I do wish that she would enjoy herself in my presence so that she could have a bit more variation to her life, but I can't say I dislike her for being mean. She is my faithful alarm clock and wakes me up every morning with her cackling and chirping and I'll miss her when she dies. How long do birds usually live? My guess is that Boo has to be at least 7 years old because her irises were light grey and she had no head barring when I found her- which are signs of adulthood if I'm not mistaken. I actually didn't even know if she was a male or female for a while, until I found an article that said the space above their beak (sorry, I don't know what that is called!) is typically blue on males and brown/grey/greenish on girls. Boo's is grey so I guessed she was female...and actually about a year and a half ago she laid four eggs within a few months of each other so I guess I was right! LOL. I was actually worried about her laying eggs so often since it seemed to take a lot out of her and she had no mate, but I read that if you give them a nesting box and material, then let them sit full term on the egg until they realize it won't hatch, they'll stop. So I did that, and started trying to give her the cuttlebone for added calcium. She only took it if I crushed it myself and put it in her dish with carrots, but when I put the nesting material in her cage she stopped laying...and hasn't laid since. Strange bird!
That's so interesting about the mirrors...I never thought about an unhealthy attachment to their reflection, but it makes a lot of sense! She very much likes her reflection and like I said, she sits on her perch and talks to herself nearly all day until it gets dark and she puts herself to bed on her swinging perch. (interesting how she does this- she never sits up there except for when its time to sleep!) Sounds like I accidently made her an addict without even knowing...whoopsies. o.o
I'll try the mango! I'll also increase the amount of carrots she is getting I normally give it twice a week, and offer something new with it. She always picks out the carrots (and her face turns orange...haha) though. Never eats the new things. I'll also start adding in a new toy or two (maybe a wooden ladder?) and just tell her to get over it when she starts grumping about it xD I do talk to her when I clean her cage, but she always ducks her body and gives me this terrible look so I don't think it soothes her! haha. I've found that she reacts very strongly/vocally to me using a gruff, gravelly sound (I discovered this when I yelled at my dog for taking too close of a look at her. LOL) and she starts jumping around her cage trying to get closer to me, and chirping loudly. Is that a good or bad thing? She also occasionally answers me if I click at her.
I'm also considering getting her a better cage soon, maybe a little bigger. I know 3 x 3 is bigger than some bird cages, but she really doesn't move around much. I have her mirror perch, sleeping perch, and food/water separate so she has to move some, but she has practically no muscle since she doesn't fly. I actually wonder if she was clipped at one point though, because on the few occasions that I've made to come out of her cage so it could be thoroughly hosed down, she flew very awkwardly. I suppose that could just be from lack of exercise though.
Oh, also- I have one more question. Boo's beak is normally rather dull and doesn't hurt at all when I clean her cage and she pecks at me- but the day after I trim her nails it always seems like her beak is needle sharp and it HURTS. Do they sharpen their beaks when they feel threatened or something?
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Post by Sarah on Dec 8, 2013 22:30:48 GMT
No, parrots do not sharpen their beaks. If you think about it, parrots have to use their beaks as their main way to interact with the world - because they don't have any hands. They have amazing control, almost as much as a human does over the strength of their hands. A budgie can be gentle enough to clean your eyelash without so much as a pinch, or strong enough to split your skin open. If you think that is amazing, think about the greater parrots. A macaw can be delicate and gentle enough to clean around a fingernail without so much as a pinch, but possesses the strength to remove a human finger with one hard crunch. In short, when Boo wants to give you a warning that she doesn't like something, she does - and when she wants to prove a point, she does  It wouldn't matter if her feathers were clipped in the past: her replacement feathers would be perfect. She flies awkwardly because she is out of shape and does not use the muscles in her wings or her lung capacity as she should. If you want her to live a good long life, you should push her to exercise some more- it is never to late to correct physical fitness in an animal like this. Budgies have an estimated lifespan around fifteen, a record age of thirty, and an unfortunately average age of five. If you keep Boo in better physical condition and keep feeding her fresh food as often as possible, she may have many years left to her. It all comes down to the quality of life and care. |
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Post by boobaby on Dec 8, 2013 23:10:31 GMT
Ah ok! I guess the nail-clipping just makes her especially irritated with me. LOL. I typically have to bare-hand her when I'm clipping because I don't feel like I have good enough control of the clippers with gloves on, and I'm telling you she can really hurt sometimes! At other times though, she's rather half hearted about the bites. I'm definitely not interested in a bigger bird at ALL any more though- with my luck I'd get a parrot-sized Boo and I'd really be in trouble! How should I encourage her to exercise? Obviously leaving her door or the roof open isn't enough. Is it mean of me to make her come out of the cage? How do I get her to fly or walk around a bit? Any time she does fly, its usually a hectic spin or two around the room before she lands back on her cage or somewhere up really high where I have trouble reaching her when its time to go back up...especially since she is not clipped and not quite friendly! Mean as she is, I really do care for her. She's a cutie and I love to hear her sing. I'd love for her to live many more years. I found a few pictures of her, but they're rather old  They were on one of her 'nice' days, and she was permitting me to hold her...barely! haha. Pardon her nails, apparently this was before she had a trim...  puffed up just in case I try anything...poor gal.   |
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Post by dianapalmer on Dec 9, 2013 2:00:59 GMT
Oh, she's really cute!
For exercise, I have heard it recommended to have the bird on your hand and then lower it. Sometimes this will get them to open their wings. If you are close to and have her facing something she can perch on, she may take a short flight. Then, you could gradually increase the distance, as she gets the hang of it. I would take it slow and easy, so as not to scare her. Let's see what the others say. You could say "Fly, Boo!" each time you do it. Budgies are capable of recognizing words.
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Post by Bluebirds on Dec 9, 2013 9:05:03 GMT
Aww such a cutie, OH! and I love your nail polish
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Post by Sarah on Dec 9, 2013 9:30:02 GMT
Once again, I really have to suggest some tough love. I would try to get her out of her cage for a progressively longer time every day. Eventually she will come out without you having to go through the ordeal of pushing her out. Try not to grab her, just try to shoo her in the right direction. Flying is a joy to birds. At first, you might have to spend half an hour trying to get her out of the cage for only three minutes of exercise before she is wiped, but before you know it, she will be flying headlong out of the cage when you open it Try to do this at roughly the same time each day, so she can put two and two together and arrive at a new routine! |
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Post by Emily on Dec 9, 2013 12:14:03 GMT
She is beautiful! A very large budgie as well!
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Post by boobaby on Dec 9, 2013 18:32:25 GMT
Sounds great! I'd love to get her on some sort of schedule so that she knows what to expect and doesn't become upset, while still making her exercise a little. 'm currently a college student so I may not have her on a perfect schedule, but hopefully I can let her out around 3-4 each day.
Bluebird- thanks! I'm sort of known for my nails...I currently have candy canes painted on them xD Boo used to like picking at the polish, but she's gotten to the point where she wants nothing to do with me now...and since the polish is part of me she'd prefer that I keep my glittery hands to myself! haha.
I definitely don't ever grab her though, unless its trimming day. I can usually get her out by shooing her with a piece of cloth.She hops around every inch of her cage first but eventually jumps out. Getting her to take off and fly is another story though.
I was told that clipping her wings would make her feel more dependent on me and easier to handle, but I'd really rather not take away her flight. I want her to enjoy being a bird and I'm sure flight has to be the best part of being one. Plus if I ever do get her some-what social (wishful thinking) I have a cat and a couple of dogs who pose a threat if she should ever get within their reach. I always shut the door so they can't come in when I'm handling her, but you never know!
She definitely is a big girl, quite a bit bigger than the pet-store budgies! She's also a different shade of blue than I'm used to seeing. My dad suggested that maybe a breeder had let her go since she isn't as 'exotic' looking as some of the brilliant blue, yellow, and green ones- but I'm not sure I believe that. I think she's gorgeous!
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Post by Pammy on Dec 9, 2013 20:05:58 GMT
I think she's gorgeous, too.
Maybe your cats and dogs are why Boo is so afraid. Do they lunge at her cage?
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Post by dianapalmer on Dec 9, 2013 20:12:19 GMT
My birds are not afraid of my cats. However, I am sure they would object if the cats tried to touch them.
One of the reasons I don't clip my birds' wings is that, should I ever slip up (which I never intend to), they would be able to escape.
It is hard when you love both cats and birds!
If anything happened to one of my cats, I would probably not get a very young cat. I would go for middle-aged, where they are not so eager to go hunting. I do love kittens, tho.
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Post by Pammy on Dec 9, 2013 20:36:01 GMT
Diana, although I love adorable baby kittens and puppies, I'm with you. I far prefer a nice, mellow middle-aged animal to a rambunctious youngster. I think the dog pound is the very best place to find a great pet, for so many reasons.
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They were on one of her 'nice' days, and she was permitting me to hold her...barely! haha. Pardon her nails, apparently this was before she had a trim...
