Advice for my Meyers

[Ceri]

Hello to all my new favorite people! So I wanted to get some advice from you all.

Recently, I adopted 2 rescue Meyers from a parrot rescue/sanctuary. I was told they are Male and Female and bonded. I've been watching their interactions and I have yet to notice regurgitation between the 2. I have noticed they tend to pick on each other and a rare occasion of preening, once. I'm in love with these birds, they are the most quiet birds, yet can absolutely squawk and screech very loudly. (Mostly at sunset, and they siren call for 15 seconds) This is my most favorite time of the day because Jasper includes a chicken wing dance and a "hair toss" or 3. HAHA!

They are definitely hand shy.

Jasper, the "male", is not aggressive in any way, he is always side eyeing me when I talk or walk by. I feel like he's so interested in everything I do. He seems younger than Jade.

Jade, the "female" is the one with the guts. She has not tried to bite but does leave her mouth hanging open when my husband is near. She did the same to me the first 4 days but now, she just looks at me with her mouth closed. I'm taking this as a good sign. She seems like the protector/leader of the two.

I have taught them to "Lazy" target. I say that because sometimes they lean to the target to touch, then give up instead of walking over. BUT I did get both to walk to the target yesterday twice, I am again taking this as a good sign.

I use "touch" as the target word. and I follow up with "treat" to place it in their food bowl. Jade is really catching on. She's always the first to get to the bowl when I go sit down 6 feet away.

I did open their door this weekend. Jasper jumped right down and hung out near the door, poking his head out and chirping. So I think he will be the first to eventually venture out.

I see they both don't like fingers, so I closed my hand into a fist and moved it down the target stick and I was able to have them target with my hand 4 inches from them. They were nervous, but when they noticed my hand was not moving, they touched.

I talk to them, they chirp back. They follow me with their eyes, they call me when I go upstairs. I mean everything that's going on I see as good things and there is such potential to tame. I am working slowly and I only ask for a couple, sometimes 3 if they're really into it, to touch. Then I go on with my business.

Does anyone see anything else I should be doing/not doing? Am I moving too fast? They aren't telling me I am, they seem SO curious about having my attention on them when it is.

Thank you all in advance

 

[Laurasea]

Hi
There are always many ways to accomplish the same goal. It’s great to get lots of input and adapt that to your style and your parrots personality.

For me, no magic takes place in the cage. It’s their territory, and it limits options( my option). So with new ones, I let them settle enough that they know the cage is their safe spot. Fir me this is a day or a few days . I set up the cage to have a perch outside near the door, and the top of the cage set up with perches and a treat dish. Then I set up within two feet of the cage ( because st first they are nervous to be to far away from the cage) a training / play area. Maybe it’s just a small table I move over with a perch Stand , or s thick stable branch, just something they can perch on. My goal is to let them come out of the cage calmly on their own, then move one to my little trying station. I make sure house is safe, windows have blinds or curtains, all other rooms doors shut, ect. Then I sit next to them talk and wait till they are calm. ( I also have a hand held perch ready if needed to retrieve them. ) then I open the door sit back in my chair and talk and read my book or what nit. If they are calm they will usually come out and climb to the top of the cage. I wait till they have explored a couple of min. Then I say good bird and put a seed treat in their dish and sit back down. When they go over and take the treat in their mouth I say good bird. Then I wait see if still calm, show them a new seed say good bird and go and out in the fish again when they have it in their mouth again I say good bird. Depends on how the burd is doing at this point. If nervous, I just let them hang out . I have a little cup of seeds ready. And I just sit and read and talk to them but I dint focus on them . I’m sitting about a foot from the cage. If they show any interest in me or try and come near me I say good bird show them the seed and out in their treat fish or hand to them if they take. I also have some favorites snack treats , like apple or fresh corn in the cob to put in the cage when I’m I am ready to lure them back inside. After about 20 minutes I see if the will come to me and step up and I put them at the training bststion and start tell them how good they are while feeding lots of treats by hand. Have them follow to one dude of the stand to the other fir treats. After just a couple of minutes I tell them how good they are have them step up and put them back in the cage with the yummy treats.

If things don’t go that lovely and smooth.... if they freak out and fly around. I stand still and wait till they land. When they land I tell them good bird, then I slowly walk over and offer my hand and take them back to he tip of the cage tell them how good they are let them step off and give treat, then sit and read and hang out. If need I use the hand held perch to rescue sbd restun them. If when yiu first went to retrieve them they started flying around again, I wait again till they land, sweet talk them tell them they are good ( after landing, I say nothing and don’t move while they are freaking out). When they land I say good bird, and walk over to retrieve them. A bird that has been caged for awhile will nit have much stamina fir freak out flights and will usually be exhausted by two feel out flights, but I will repeat until they either return to the cage on their own or let me calmly collect them. Do not chase, stand still and think calm, until they land. And truly be calm, it’s ok, they are ok, yiu will be able to not rush, and return them. Even bird who don’t know step up, who are fearful or agrees, usually want to be saved in this situation, and will step up to be calmly walked back to the cage. Don’t rush over when they land, calmly talk to to them once landed and walk over. Do nit talk to them during the freak out, wait till they land.

If you have someplace high and they are able to land high, that sucks, and yiu are going to have to wait it out, and sit back by the cage. Give them at least an hour to see if they will fly back to the cage or a place you can retrieve. If it doesn’t look like they are moving, then you will have to use a mop or broom, hold it next to you, so yiu can walk and place yourself behind them so the cage is generally in front of them, stand back a few feet and raise the broom, they should freak and fly towards the cages, or an easier spot to retrieve them. Drop your broom wait till they land say good bird . Usually things aren’t that stressful, but fir the first few times working out of the cage, make sure yiu have time to deal with this and nit rush or freak out.

Shaping behavior and postive reinforcement, postive word association works, and breaking things down to lotto steps. I don’t care for clickers or targeting, I like my good bird ( to be the click) I like my finger or tapping with my finger to be the target. Everybody has different ideas, and likes. I just want (me ) to be the the association and not the tools.,
Ok darn gotta go

 

[Laurasea]

Also most bird don’t like doing things over and over. Like step up, the first time I usually move my hand smooth and quickish towards were their legs meet their body in a continuous motion like I’m going through the legs, most will pop up onto your hand I say good bird and let them right back down or let them jump right back off. Then I repeat once if they are cool with it sbd move my hand up a little and tell them how great they are and plop them back down. Most of my early step ups I just move them around to different oerches. And then to training area that’s very close to their cage st first.

I’ve helped it pet stores with burds I’ve never met like this. But I’m sure having bird experience, calm confidence , picturing the success, makes the difference. And always there are parrot exception. I find it difficult to teach explain that sometimes, especially as written words and not in person ...

 

[Ceri]

This was so helpful! Thank you Laura!! Excellent ideas for me to try!

They have been relatively calm. I am just worried about them feeling like I am rushing them but both are so different than the other. Jade is the singing observer and Jasper is the little curious dancing one. I firmly believe he will be coming out the door first and Jade will be the first to step up.

Yesterday afternoon I set up a perch on the door of the cage, that allows them to perch just beyond it, as well as inside. I also set up a T stand (w/ a little ladder on it) and I placed treats, in the treat bowl, just outside of the door. I also put some on the perch beyond the door and in front of the little ladder going up to the tstand. Then I went to mind my own business at the kitchen table while reading an ebook. This is when Jasper came down and poked his head out a few of times, then just sat inside the door. Curious boy.

Jade will not go be curious about why the door is open, she absolutely knows it's open and she sees those treats are just right there, she stares at them. But she didn't come down, she just scooted over to the side of the perch closest to the door. So, I dropped a almond shaving in their dish inside the cage but she wouldn't even climb down to get that one till later. (Probably 20 minutes or so)

I think I'm going to set all the perches back up tonight, open the door, go to the living room instead and see if one comes out to investigate. I use the clicker and also say good bird at the same time. Maybe I'll give the clicker a break this week and see if only the vocal encouragement helps better.

I would absolutely love to video chat with you so you can see what's happening for all your awesome advice. If you would be interested, please let me know. I need all the help I can get to ensure I am doing this to the best of my ability.

 

[Laurasea]

Try and find a bigger value treat to start with, later yiu can switch if you want.

Safflower seeds seem to have high value to many parrots.

When yiu have success with one, that will model the behavior to the other.

Yiu are starting with cage bound parrots..... that’s sad and a little trickier..
yiu May have to start with just leaning out the door, and shape from there...
or try to make a creative tempting something just inches outside the cage.
I’d google cafe bound burds and see if they have ideas .

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/cageboundbirds.html

I would zip tie the bottom grate and all doors and wheel them outside into shade and sit right with them daily as weather allows. There is so much therapy in being outside fir birds..... they haven’t had fresh air , the sbukty to see far, and colors sbd everything..... when I took my very abused Quaker outside and we sat quietly, after a little while she gave this huge sigh, and her shoulders unclenched. It marked a huge turn around in her behavior,

 

[Laurasea]

Millet spray is very desirable . Yiu might put a sprig st the open door, nest to a perch, so they can reach from the door but most would be reached by climbing out ;$

 

[Ceri]

i just ordered some from Petsmart. Millet always worked for my other birds, figured they could try millet and actually be rewarded from my hand, instead of having to go to their bowl.

I'll bring them outside today, it's our last day of good weather for a week before it starts raining/snowing.

 

[Laurasea]

They are lucky to have you.
I think outside time is such good therapy.
More so for cage bound parrots who are limited in stimulation inside the cage walls darn it...

T
Mine love to take baths after coming back in.

My vet/ behaviorist said 20 min a day is great, I usually do a couple hours a week,
Right now sjeeters and heat index of 107-117 I’m nit able
Don’t leave em alone fir a minute, I went inside to plug in my phone one time, and a huge stray cat that I had never seen was butt wiggle about to leap on cages!!!!

 

[Ceri]

Jaspers out!! He's so happy and dancing on top of the cage now!! Singing away! I knew he'd be the first to come out all by himself!!!

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[Ceri]

Jade joined the party! Both came out by themselves!!! I'm so happy!

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[Laurasea]

Yippie !!!!
Happy dance!!!!
Aren’t they the smart brave beauties!!!

 

[saxguy64]

YAY!!! That's awesome! I freely admit I know absolutely nothing about Meyers, except this- boy, are they cute! So happy they've started coming out in their own

 

[Ceri]

So I have some updates on these two. The bigger one is definitely the Male. He mounted the other on Saturday. I reached out to the rescue and talked with them, they informed me that has never happened before. Yikes. This makes me nervous!

So, Jade is now Jasper and vice versa. LOL.

I am able to give them both treats through the bars now.

They have been a lot more chatty with me and in general.

Both seem to be so curious about my Australian Shepherd. When my Aussie walks by they jump down and start chirping at her. If shes laying on the ground within their sight, they move to be closer to her while chatting to her. When my Aussie barks, Both birds start singing. So strange LOL.

Target training is going okay. Jade is lazy to target but Jasper on the other hand, has significantly benefited from this training. He has gone from a bite to the chop stick to a light lick, beak still open. He understands "Touch" very well.

Saturday was the first time I have seen Jasper forage and tear up the kabobs..! I was so excited to see that. Jade has always had zero problem with shredding things but Jasper was more of the observer and it bothered me. I wanted him to play - so I bought all kinds of different toys, I made some foraging toys myself and took apart the kabobs to incorporate into my own toy and it worked! I was so happy to be able to witness him play.

No words have been spoken but they both whistle talk. (i.e. cat calls, etc.) I spend at least 1 hour a day sitting next to them while scrolling IG or Tik Tok (watching bird videos, of course)- I noticed they both watch the videos with me. They even talk to the birds in the videos. It is so funny. I found some meyers parrots to follow on both platforms and as soon as they hear the whistling or chirping - both are squawking back HAHA!

The integration from Zupreem fruit blend and pellets to exclusively fresh chop in AM and pellets in the evening is going slow as well but at least they're eating what I put in the bowl. Not all of it but pretty close! They have never had fresh veggies before which shocks me. I have slowly reduced the Zupreem, we're almost there!!

I am making progress. Slowly but surely! Jade & Jasper have really started to trust me. Jade allows my presence within 10 or so inches without flying across the room now. MAJOR benefit. Jasper has damage to his flight feathers, on his right wing, so he can't fly but seems to really like climbing around the cage and doesn't open his beak at me anymore when I am near.

I also discovered that when I sing -- they both stop and stare at me, do the flirty, blinky eyes and fluff up.