* Pet Bird Chat * NEW

[emjayy]

Does anyone who owns parakeets have advice on getting them to eat anything besides seeds? I have two budgies that are less than a year old and they are terrified of any food that isn't seeds. One of them, Jev, is afraid of strawberries and grapes in particular, he has an absolute fit if I get near him with a grape. I've tried strawberries, dried cherries, apple pieces, an apple slice stuck in the cage bars, whole grapes, peeled grapes, halved grapes, dried cranberries, and banana slices. If I put anything foreign in a seed cup they will avoid eating just to avoid the fruit so repeatedly putting it in with their seeds will not work for me

Try the seed sticks with fruit embedded in them! If that doesn't work make it their only option for a day? Take away their seed and water for a couple of hours then they may try drink the fruit juice or eat the fruit. It sounds harsh but it could work. Or try introducing strange food that isn't fruit and veg, I give my cockatiel egg and unsalted popcorn because they're the only thing she will eat other than seed. But she's ten, young budgies once they realise there's more than just seed would be more inclined to try new things

Anyone know how to deal with an aggressive kakariki? He's handreared and very friendly outside his cage but he attacks anything that goes near or on his cage. He's super territorial. It means I have to have two large cages in my bedroom as well as my rats and it's just too much. I want to sell him if he can't share with my cockatiel but I'm so worried he won't get the attention he needs as a social handreared bird. And that a buyer wouldn't be understanding of his territorialness...

[cat;;]

Does anyone who owns parakeets have advice on getting them to eat anything besides seeds? I have two budgies that are less than a year old and they are terrified of any food that isn't seeds. One of them, Jev, is afraid of strawberries and grapes in particular, he has an absolute fit if I get near him with a grape. I've tried strawberries, dried cherries, apple pieces, an apple slice stuck in the cage bars, whole grapes, peeled grapes, halved grapes, dried cranberries, and banana slices. If I put anything foreign in a seed cup they will avoid eating just to avoid the fruit so repeatedly putting it in with their seeds will not work for me

Try the seed sticks with fruit embedded in them! If that doesn't work make it their only option for a day? Take away their seed and water for a couple of hours then they may try drink the fruit juice or eat the fruit. It sounds harsh but it could work. Or try introducing strange food that isn't fruit and veg, I give my cockatiel egg and unsalted popcorn because they're the only thing she will eat other than seed. But she's ten, young budgies once they realise there's more than just seed would be more inclined to try new things

Anyone know how to deal with an aggressive kakariki? He's handreared and very friendly outside his cage but he attacks anything that goes near or on his cage. He's super territorial. It means I have to have two large cages in my bedroom as well as my rats and it's just too much. I want to sell him if he can't share with my cockatiel but I'm so worried he won't get the attention he needs as a social handreared bird. And that a buyer wouldn't be understanding of his territorialness...

I wouldn't necessarily suggest not offering food to them.. because if they don't see the fruit and veggies as food in the first place, starving them into it isn't going to make them realize it. I had to get creative with Nash and his veggies, so I made foraging toys, covered them in millet, put them on rods, stuck them inside of paper and toilet paper rolls, put a new bowl in there with them, tried it cooked and uncooked.. Just see what works best for you. The morning is the best time to offer new food to a bird because they've just woken up and they're hungry! I would also suggest looking into switching your birds to a pellet dietfor the majority of they're food source, and offering seeds and sprouts as a foraging treat!

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I am not familiar with Kakariki's, but it sounds like he is just being a hormonal, territorial butthead! Since you mentioned he is only 1 year old, he is very very young, and this is about the time they go into puberty with most birds. A good thing you can do to avoid being bit is to ask him to step up on a stick, instead of your hand, or to try and make his cage less of 'his' territory. Make it a fun wonderland filled with toys and food and amazement... so he wants to be there! Offer treats whenever he's in there, make sure it's large and enriching for him.
The only thing you can do about puberty in birds is just to wait it out. My lovebird has been going through puberty for several months now and he's just now starting to get a bit better. Give it time and be patient with the baby (:

I have a Sun Conure not a lovebird

I don't know where I got that from, I'm so sorry! I totally thought I read "lovebird" somewhere in there.... Goodness me.

[Dappled Sapphire]

Neeko said a new word today "step up"
When I went to get him out this afternoon he said "Pretty bird step up" then made a big kiss sound haha

He learnt to to kiss, copy my whistle and say "pretty boy" all in the same week I got him, so I have been waiting for him to pick something else up
I have been trying to get him to wolf whistle but he hasn't quite caught on yet

[~Totally Insane~]

Oh good, I thought I just had a special bird. Also, he's just turned two years and is still bluffing. Is this normal? He's never drawn blood but it damn well hurts. He seems to have some anger issues.

Lovebirds tend to think they are the 'top dog' and have the attitude and personality of a macaw. They are, in my opinion, the most territorial and aggressive of the smaller bird species. They will bite hard and draw blood if not trained and socialized properly, and sometimes will do it for fun it seems. They think they are bigger than they are, and will show it in body language and bites! It's very normal for a lovebird to bite while he is still young, and 2 years is VERY young still. It could be another few years before he 'grows out of it'. There are lots of training exercises you can do with him as well! Punishing your bird in any way is never going to help. Putting them in their cage when they bite will not help.. You want their cage to be a safe haven, they want to LOVE being in there. It should be filled with fun and toys and should symbolize a happy place. A good alternative for when he bites you is to set him down wherever you are, not forcefully of course, and direct your attention to anything but him and talk to it. Maybe it's an inanimate object, but this will usually get a good message across. He will feel left out, and since you are his flock, he will hate that!

( This may not always work but after doing it several times over a few weeks or days it should show some results, nothing major though considering he IS a lovebird and that just happens to be their temperament )

I have a Sun Conure not a lovebird

[Lizbutt]

Oh good, I thought I just had a special bird. Also, he's just turned two years and is still bluffing. Is this normal? He's never drawn blood but it damn well hurts. He seems to have some anger issues.

I have a Sun Conure.

A bird is a bird is a bird in some cases as this. Because he is two yrs old, he has hit sexual maturity and that alone is enough to be a far reasoning for a behavior change. Sun's can be sweet heart, but they can be real spitfires if they want too. Your little burd is testing his boundaries for sure, and it seems he is being territorial. This is just something you'll have to work through and hope the two of you come out bounding. I'd give the "setting them on the floor" idea a try, since putting them back in the cage is what they want you to do. I would do that for my GCC when ever she nipped me, we worked things out between us.

Now to get her to stop trying to bite my friends. xD
It's a little cute, but she gets her territorial fluff on whenever they come over, it took her 5yrs to accept my boyfriend. And that was me forcing them to like one another.

[emjayy]

I am not familiar with Kakariki's, but it sounds like he is just being a hormonal, territorial butthead! Since you mentioned he is only 1 year old, he is very very young, and this is about the time they go into puberty with most birds. A good thing you can do to avoid being bit is to ask him to step up on a stick, instead of your hand, or to try and make his cage less of 'his' territory. Make it a fun wonderland filled with toys and food and amazement... so he wants to be there! Offer treats whenever he's in there, make sure it's large and enriching for him.
The only thing you can do about puberty in birds is just to wait it out. My lovebird has been going through puberty for several months now and he's just now starting to get a bit better. Give it time and be patient with the baby (:

I would have never thought puberty would have such an effect xD
He has a huge cage, big enough for an amazon/african grey. He has it to himself because of his craziness and unwillingness to share. He doesn't bite at all when he's out or when I take him out. It's only really when you go near his cage or pop a finger through the bars. The cage is full of toys, he's never bored. Honestly I don't think there are any kaks that have what he has. Huge cage, loads of chews, loads of toys, areas to hide, fresh food, fruit/veg daily.. I guess I'll just have to wait out puberty Otherwise he has to go because I don't want two large bird cages in my bedroom as well as a rat cage

[Dappled Sapphire]

I am not familiar with Kakariki's, but it sounds like he is just being a hormonal, territorial butthead! Since you mentioned he is only 1 year old, he is very very young, and this is about the time they go into puberty with most birds. A good thing you can do to avoid being bit is to ask him to step up on a stick, instead of your hand, or to try and make his cage less of 'his' territory. Make it a fun wonderland filled with toys and food and amazement... so he wants to be there! Offer treats whenever he's in there, make sure it's large and enriching for him.
The only thing you can do about puberty in birds is just to wait it out. My lovebird has been going through puberty for several months now and he's just now starting to get a bit better. Give it time and be patient with the baby (:

I would have never thought puberty would have such an effect xD
He has a huge cage, big enough for an amazon/african grey. He has it to himself because of his craziness and unwillingness to share. He doesn't bite at all when he's out or when I take him out. It's only really when you go near his cage or pop a finger through the bars. The cage is full of toys, he's never bored. Honestly I don't think there are any kaks that have what he has. Huge cage, loads of chews, loads of toys, areas to hide, fresh food, fruit/veg daily.. I guess I'll just have to wait out puberty Otherwise he has to go because I don't want two large bird cages in my bedroom as well as a rat cage

Have you tried touch training with him?
That may help with the biting in the cage if your redirecting him
He's just being cage aggressive

Check out BirdTricks on YouTube
They have parrot training 101 videos and the basic one talks about touch/ clicker training, I really think the touch training would be helpful in your case especially when you are dealing with him in his cage

[emjayy]

I've never even heard of touch training? I'll look them up, thank you

[cat;;]

I am not familiar with Kakariki's, but it sounds like he is just being a hormonal, territorial butthead! Since you mentioned he is only 1 year old, he is very very young, and this is about the time they go into puberty with most birds. A good thing you can do to avoid being bit is to ask him to step up on a stick, instead of your hand, or to try and make his cage less of 'his' territory. Make it a fun wonderland filled with toys and food and amazement... so he wants to be there! Offer treats whenever he's in there, make sure it's large and enriching for him.
The only thing you can do about puberty in birds is just to wait it out. My lovebird has been going through puberty for several months now and he's just now starting to get a bit better. Give it time and be patient with the baby (:

I would have never thought puberty would have such an effect xD
He has a huge cage, big enough for an amazon/african grey. He has it to himself because of his craziness and unwillingness to share. He doesn't bite at all when he's out or when I take him out. It's only really when you go near his cage or pop a finger through the bars. The cage is full of toys, he's never bored. Honestly I don't think there are any kaks that have what he has. Huge cage, loads of chews, loads of toys, areas to hide, fresh food, fruit/veg daily.. I guess I'll just have to wait out puberty Otherwise he has to go because I don't want two large bird cages in my bedroom as well as a rat cage

Have you tried touch training with him?
That may help with the biting in the cage if your redirecting him
He's just being cage aggressive

Check out BirdTricks on YouTube
They have parrot training 101 videos and the basic one talks about touch/ clicker training, I really think the touch training would be helpful in your case especially when you are dealing with him in his cage

I'm not familiar with the term "touch training" but I do know what Target training is and I assume it's the same thing if not very close. This is the very basics of training with birds and it goes a LONGGG way! I suggest every owner of a tame parrot ( or an owner who wishes to tame their parrot ) target train their bird. This is the act of getting a target stick ( sizes vary depending on the bird ) and directing them to the tip of this stick... Whenever they touch it with their beak you will say the "good" command ( or use a clicker ) and immediately reward them with a treat, a pet, a kiss.. whatever suits you.
Target training starts of simple but is the basis for recall training, and basic commands like spin, roll over, etc. I suggest looking up "flock-talk" on tumblr if you have one of those, or even on youtube because she is very knowledgeable and has a lot of great videos around target training her parrotlets. Also "parrot wizard" on youtube does this ( or did this.. I can't remember ) with his senegal and other birds, and shows some great videos on that aspect.

[Dappled Sapphire]

Yes that's correct

@blackiie
Once you have him conditioned to touch the stick on command you can then use that to bring him in and out of his cage without him seeing you as invading his territory


If you move everything in his cage around (even repositioning his cage in the room of you can) is he still aggressive?