Ducati update!!

[Ducatimom]

An update on Ducati:
Things are going great. I couldn't have been more blessed to have this little bird. He's always finding ways to crack us up. He likes to sit on top of his cage like in the first two pictures and play with his tongue. If he's not doing that, he's hanging upside down on his door trying his hardest to get whatever I'm eating or drinking, or on top of my head grooming me. He doesn't want to be anywhere else on me, shoulder will not do. He has to be on top of my head.

He's started eating his chop I made him without me having to entice him with some of his seeds. I love his happy little noises he makes when he's eating it.

We're getting further in our training as well. He's letting me scratch his beak a little bit at a time (a little longer each time). Pretty soon we'll be learning all kinds of tricks.

 

[PetoftheDay]

Aww, sounds good! Glad things are going so well!

 

[Dinosrawr]

That's great! I love happy bird eating sounds. Avery just purrs and chirps away, it's the sweetest thing. Glad that you're making such great progress

 

[BoomBoom]

Glad to hear things are going well with you and your sun conure! Aren't chop mixes amazing!?

 

[Ducatimom]

Thanks everyone! He's such a smart little bird. Sometimes I think a little too smart. I was holding some seeds in one hand while I scratched his beak with the other. He figured out right away where the treats were and went straight for it. Had to stop doing that lol.

Chop mixes are so much fun to make. I love the freedom you have with making it and those little chirps and hiccup noises his makes when he's eating it. Cracks me up when he finally brings his head and has couscous covered all over his beak. I'll try and get a picture of it next time

 

[JellyBean]

Well done!!! I have so much trouble getting JellyBean to eat veggies... and when I try to include his favourites like grapes and raspberries mixed in with the veg... he manages to just eat those from the chop!!! Bold bird!!

 

[witchbaby]

He's a cute little thing. I'm glad to hear things are going well.

 

[Terry57]

Ducati is just beautiful! I so love his name as well
So glad to hear that things are going so well!

 

[Ducatimom]

Thanks! His name came with him. With my husband being a huge car person, (we also watch F1) we just didn't have the heart to change it. It fits him SO well. We've started calling him Duci (Pronounced Ducky) for a nickname.

@JellyBean: I put some of his seeds in his chop mix to get him interested in it. I want to say two days later I decided to take the seed out all together and he still goes after it like crazy.

 

[JellyBean]

Will try the seed trick! I am at the moment trying to convert him to pellets! so battling food issues on all fronts...

 

[Ducatimom]

Ah! We haven't tried just pellets yet. I get the Bountiful Harvest Blend from MSBS that has some pellets in it. I didn't have to even entice him to try that one. He dove right in. Seems to like the pellets in it though. He tends to leave the big pieces alone like the pecans.

 

[kimn818]

He is absolutely gorgeous!!

 

[Ducatimom]

Thank you! So is Loco!

 

[Frumpydumple]

He looks pretty funny with his beak like that.

I'm always surprised when I see pictures of Sun Conures because I can't take pictures of Erik. He attacks cameras and stuff at every chance he gets.

Do the happy noises sound like quiet squeaky kind of noises? Erik does that often when he is eating. I think it's a Sun Conure thing.

 

[FluffyYellowBird]

He is gorgeous

 

[FluffyYellowBird]

Erik loves dried fruit and fresh fruit, but it's an ongoing battle to get him to eat vegetables. I am still trying to get him to eat pellets.

 

[Ducatimom]

He looks pretty funny with his beak like that.

I'm always surprised when I see pictures of Sun Conures because I can't take pictures of Erik. He attacks cameras and stuff at every chance he gets.

Do the happy noises sound like quiet squeaky kind of noises? Erik does that often when he is eating. I think it's a Sun Conure thing.

He does that with his beak all the time lol. He'll prop it open with the tip and move his tongue up and down. Kind of looks like he's trying yodel.

Ducati loves pictures. I think his vanity has a little something to do with that. "Oh you want to take my picture because I'm a pretty bird? Here let me pose for you."

That is kind of what it sounds like when he's eating. Little squeaky sometimes hiccup sounding noises. He does every now and then when he's not eating, but ALWAYS when he's eating lol!

 

[Ducatimom]

FluffyYellowBird: Thank you! I fell in love with their colors and when I went to meet him I knew he was the one. I knew he would be a little bit of a challenge having only really learned step up and kisses, but it would be worth it and I've loved every minute of it!

Ducati was a really picky eater when we got him, to the point he wouldn't even touch his chop. Somebody on here (I can't remember who now) suggested putting a little of the seed he was used to eating in his chop mix. Worked like a charm! After a little while he wasn't digging for his seed too much and just eating what he got. He still wouldn't touch it the next day if it didn't have seeds in it, but the day after that he went after it like it was going out of style.

We haven't really tried pellets yet. He has some mixed in his dried fruits mix and he doesn't seem to mind those. I think it's kind of funny the pellets are shaped like little dog bones lol.

 

[ShaunaR]

Oh what a pretty boy he is! It sounds like you are getting there with training too. I agree about feeling blessed. We are all lucky to have these little creatures in our life!

 

[Ducatimom]

Thank you! I actually just talked to his previous owner yesterday and she's so ecstatic that we've been able to provide and care for him better than she could. It just thrills me every time he flies to find me. Helps assure me I'm at least not messing things up too bad lol.