Baby Alexandrine

[_Jules_]

Hi all,
I've hand raised a couple of Alex's and one is at fledging/ weaning stage. He has all of a sudden got really active/ loves flying and is really loud! I am trying to find some good information about the developmental stages in parrots (these birds in particular) but all the info I come across skips over the behaviour at fledging/ juvenile stage to explaining about sexual maturity. I'd like to know what kind of behaviour is specific to this age my bird is at and what I can expect will change as he grows. He's beginning to be lots of fun, but he is not interested in taking treats from me yet as he is too busy, so I am thinking any training needs to wait until he is interested in taking rewards from me. Any advice about this stage of alex's or personal experience stories would be greatly appreciated as I am pretty new to parrots.
Thanks!
(I'm also guessing the sex.. )

 

[_Jules_]

Oh, and I am wondering if it's better for me to find a new home for my baby as I am the "Mum" (one has a future home already) and I'm concerned about him 'rejecting' me as he grows and seeks his independence...

 

[Dinosrawr]

I'm no breeding expert, but I don't truly understand why you believe the bird would reject you. The reason a young bird would leave the nest and "reject" its mother is simply because they have innate instincts to avoid breeding behaviour with next of kin in the wild. Once a parent has taught the appropriate survival instincts and the young are self-sufficient, the parents reject their young - if anything - to avoid investing excessive resources or to invest resources into new potential young.

In my opinion, what you are most at risk of is having a bird who believes you embody what a mate should be. This results in extreme sexual frustration when the bird reaches breeding age, and it can cause psychological problems such as plucking, self mutilation, or could result in aggressive behaviors towards others who approach you or when you approach others.

At a juvenile stage you can expect a bird that is trying to learn how to survive and thrive in its current environment. It will be more aware of its surroundings, and as a result will likely have the desire to investigate and determine what "normal" is. This is why exposure to new things, new people, and desirable behaviour is important to encourage at a young age. If a young bird has learned that a quiet, single-person household is "normal" for the first years of its life, then they may be distressed if that environment changes suddenly.

I don't have an Alexandrine, but I do have an Indian Ringneck. They both tend to love destroying wooden objects (they have huge honkers for a reason ). I also think ringneck species thrive best in busy, stimulating environments and do well in larger numbers. If you were to look at a wild ringneck, they tend to congregate into large flocks for feeding time (generally for safety), and only tend to focus on single partners during breeding times but are not well known for monogamous behaviours. Instead they're considered promiscuous breeders and will readily breed with a more desirable mate when possible. They seem to love being in a flock - whether that be people, birds, or stuffed animals - and readily vocalize how they feel. I also think ringnecks are more prone to neurotic behaviours such as pacing, screaming, or phobic reactions.

But, long story short, juvenile birds have lots of energy and a desire to explore. Allowing them to fledge is important and can help with building confidence, so it's good yours is taking full advantage. He may not be willing to take treats from you because he has yet to make a strong association with your hands being a positive experience. I was able to train my ringneck at the age of 3.5 months, and he learned 5 tricks within two weeks. But each bird goes at their own pace, and if yours isn't interested then no worries! I'm sure some of our more experienced breeders on the forum will come with some great advice. I just thought I'd share what I know until then.

 

[_Jules_]

Hi Dinosrawr, thanks for your reply. Yes it's exactly the thing you explained about leaving the nest which is why I am questioning keeping a bird I've hand reared myself. I've also heard read this on breeders websites. I'm no bird expert at all so I just want to know if my concerns are unfounded
We have new problems now. The older one just hates going back into his cage. It's leaving me feeling reluctant to get him out as it's a struggle getting him back inside. Actually- I might go post this problem in behavioural and see if I can get some tips

 

[Salvador]

hi Jules,

I want to share my experience with you, i got my baby at around 3 months of age and it started to wean/fledge right after few days but was still mainly on formula diet.

the things you will notice will be... it will be tooo moody to take formula and tooo picky in eating any solid foods... your bird wil not eat any solid food (fruits/veggie) if they are served cold.. you have to warm them a bit to the same temperature it takes the formula...

as it starts to eat solid food it will cut down on formula.. but will have the urges.. at times it will just scream alot and bog its head for food... and it will only shut up one it gets the formula... its a veryy frustrating time for the owner as you do not know what it would eat and what it would not and why it is crying ....

it will also loose weight to be light enough to fly... you have to be very careful as all their flights end up with a crash... so be careful... i trimmed the wings of my bird so it doesnt reach to very high altitude.. it helped me ... later it lost more weight and until now he is full flighted bird even with trimmed wings... mine will have a better control over flying once it moults and get the cliped wings back... mine is around 1 year now

dont worry i dont think your bird will reject you... but its the right time you socialize it.. else it might become a one person bird and it will make it very difficult for you to leave your bird alone at all.. mine is socialized with everyone at home and even with strangers but still more attached to me... i was out of country for 20 days and it made the life of my family miserable as it was missing me alot.. (you are their family)

one thing is that as they grow up they go through a stage called Bluffing.. they would bluff to bite you... and many times they do bite you.. sometimes you get bloody bites... but the phase passes... i got my share of bites.. but now it never bites... even if she has to she would bite with the force that only warns and not hurt...

and regarding the gender.. well its tricky thing... mine is 1 year old and i believe its a female... from the size and shape of body and head... and lately it started to make female mating pose... which i am confused its too early to do.. but still may be it is a she

you can teach your bird once its on solid food and independent to play.. but right now your should get used to wear harness/flight suites if you plan to use, and make it lie on its back in your hand or surface... as these are two things that gets really difficult to teach sometimes once the bird grows older...

once your bird starts to fly properly.. atleast straight flights.. teach it to fly to you and back to the perch... this will come real handy in future... and also the bird is able to show its affection to you when they fly to you by will and sit on/with you... mine does it all the time

its a longgg posst.. but i hope it helps.