Another game??

[Minzer84]

So tonight and last night, when I was putting Iggy to bed, he did a rather strange thing. Normally, I put him on his lower perch, give him a sunflower seed, tell him to climb up and he comes to his higher bed time perch and I give him his second sunflower seed (I call them his "goodnight seeds"). However, he has started to climb DOWN to the bottom of his cage where the grating is, and just sit there and look at me and make noises, rather than up to his bed time perch where the seed would be. I just put his seed in his food bowl and cover him anyway...Any ideas what in the world he is doing??

 

[indigo]

I have no idea what to tell you Minzer84, but I am sure someone will have advise. Say, is there anything else different? Might he be sick or something? Did something scare him or something while on the top perch? Poops normal? Has anything changed in his world / cage? Just my brain firing off ideas.

 

[Minzer84]

Nothing that I know of has happened, and at some point he must get over it because he's on his perch in the morning when we wake him up...I'm wondering if it's an attention getting tactic, but that doesn't make sense to me.

 

[indigo]

hmm ... well, I'd keep an eye on him then. Just to be safe yanno?

 

[pheobus]

Well after he gets the first sunflower seed when you put him in, he could be showing you is disagreement about going to bed, is he staying nearby the door?try opening the door at that time without telling him to come out and you will see if that is what he had in mind.
The fact that in the morning he is sitting normally on his night perch means that he wants something at that time (go sit on the grating)or asks for something.
Well that's what I could think about right now, lets listen to what the others have to say as well!If I come up with something later I'll tell ya!

 

[indigo]

I was just thinking ... could he maybe need more to eat than 2 seeds before bed? He might just be hungry and by not going up to his perch kindda waiting out for more food. But I am just thinking out loud (does this count as "out loud" btw?).

 

[Peta]

How has the screaming/biting been on the days when he goes to the bottom of the cage?

If he has been good, maybe spend a few minutes with him playing scritching etc?????

Kito will get on the bottom of the cage for some extra playtime before going to bed, like a child he's trying to put bed time off for a little while longer.

Maybe worth a try if Iggy's been good?????

 

[Minzer84]

Yea, he was fine yesterday, only screamed while I was in the shower like always...let me pat his head a couple times, ate his dinner BEAUTIFULLY (which is unusual when both Chase and I are home, usually he gets distracted by us talking). I don't think he could be hungry because he always has pellets in his cage, which he has always eaten (and like I said he picked his dinner bowl clean). Tonight if he's not playing psycho maybe I'll try letting him walk around on the couch where I am and play a round or two of Peek-a-boo with him...I'll let you know how that goes! In the meantime, any more ideas are welcome! Thanks

 

[Minzer84]

So tonight Iggy went to bed rather late (bad mommy, went out to see Transformers at the movies...), but I played with him before bed, and tickled him and did peek a boo, and we talked for a little, then I brought him to his cage, gave him the first seed, and to the bottom of the cage he went. He's such a weirdo. As far as I can tell this behavior isn't hurting anything but it's just so strange, there must be a reason for it. I'll try playing again tomorrow night ::sigh::

 

[indigo]

Iggy may just want more mommy time. (suggests)

 

[TexDot33]

This is interesting, for once I am at a loss here ... let me think about this one and I will come up with something (even if it isn't right)

 

[Peta]

This is interesting, for once I am at a loss here ... let me think about this one and I will come up with something (even if it isn't right)

I think a lot of times with our fids, whats right for one bird may not be right for another, a lot of time its trial and error.

Now I love these books that are out there, but I may try some of the suggestions in them, some work some don't, for our fids, the ones that don't work aren't right. (for me and my fids)

Also Minzer I should have said that sometimes when Kito is down the bottom wanting his quiet playtime, he won't stop unless I do, so don't feel bad about stopping. Once Kito realises that there's not gonna be anymore playtime he will go to his night time perch.............. eventually, and after trying to make me feel really bad for abandoning him.

 

[Peta]

I just had to post this and wondered what you thought. Look at the section marked, okay just copy pasted .

Social Behaviors:
Generally Amazon parrots are reasonably calm and peaceful, getting vocal only in the early morning and in the evening as it starts getting dark. They are very social birds and a single parrot will make a wonderful pet if it gets plenty of attention. This is until about the age or 4 or 5 when they reach sexual maturity. At this time, if the parrot is left alone a lot it may become restless, may start feather plucking and in general show signs of psychological distress. A female may even start laying infertile eggs. In their natural environment, this is the time when they would begin to find a mate and pair up. Living with a mate is part of the social pattern of the Amazon parrot. The key here is the amount of attention you pet needs. This may be the time to consider getting a mate for your parrot if it seems to be distressed and you cannot spend more time with it. Sometimesis pairing the only satisfactory solution even if you do spend more time with it and it still remains distressed. This will depend a lot on you and your bird.
Amazons and children can mix very successfully if the parrot gets used to the child, and the child learns how to interact with the parrot. However, sometimes a parrot can get very jealous of small children and so you should be on your guard. Amazons and other pets can also get used to each other and learn to accept each other. Again, however, be very careful to monitor all groupings of animals. An Amazon can be very dangerous to small pets such as hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, and even small birds. Close friendships are just as possible as deadly enemy behaviors. You won't know until the relationship unfolds over time

Found here:
Social Behaviors:

So there you go, off you go, get Iggy a mate, then you can have two screamers/biters

 

[karen]

Oh Jings.. So I have a wee few years b4 I need to build a "love shack"

 

[Minzer84]

Oh Peta, you're just SO helpful sometimes... I'll make sure to send you the both of them when I have stumps for hands.

 

[Peta]

Oh Peta, you're just SO helpful sometimes... I'll make sure to send you the both of them when I have stumps for hands.

You know what they say, "Anything is worth a try" :18: :18: :52:

 

[Minzer84]

Tonight so far he only screamed while I was getting his dinner ready, now he's sitting on his dinner stand picking at it...hopefully bedtime will be quiet and uneventful and he'll cooperate...He seems to cooperate for Chase at bedtime, so maybe he's just trying to sucker me in...

 

[Peta]

He seems to cooperate for Chase at bedtime, so maybe he's just trying to sucker me in...

Find out exactly what Chase is doing, then you do exactly the same, It seems as tho' Iggys worked out that he can maybe get his way when you are putting him to bed?

 

[Minzer84]

Wooo! Last night he didn't even wait for his seed on the lower perch, he just ran up to the top perch! Not sure if this was him forgetting to be a brat or if he wanted to just get higher than me to try to eat me, but as long as we're back to normal for the moment I'm happy....

 

[Peta]

Ahhhhhh way to go Iggy. You keep it up. That is great news. Lets hope he's getting back to his old self again now.