galah with lots of issues please help!!

[ceejay]

hello i really need some help here i have been on 2 other parrot fourms and i just cant get the answers i need for specific problems im having. i have a galah aka red breasted cockatoo he (sheldon) is aprox 16 weeks old i have had him for about a month now here is the problems. the biggest issue i have is that he will step up on my hand but will not remain there. as soon as he steps up he automatically goes back to his training perch. i have tried everything that has been suggested to me. i am using a clicker with him btw. it was suggested that i hold off on the click a bit longer as well as hold off on the treat a bit longer this does not work with him. he either goes up my arm and flys off (wings clipped) or right back to his perch. it was also suggested i use a toy or something else to make him want to stay this does not work either as for some reason he has no intrest in toys period i have bought him the best things i could find yet nothing work he will not play with any toys what so ever. i am unsure if he was hand reared as i found out later through some digging that the man i got him from had lied to me about alot of things with sheldon including his age which i will find out how old he is aprox this week with a vet trip. i am sure he is a male. i was told sheldon was tame and friendly not the case here at all. i would say he is semi tame and semi friendly (maybe) he does not want me to touch him in any way he is always trying to move as far away from me as possible. the only place he will take treats from me is on his training stand. it is also the only place he will step up (when he wants to) he has settled down a bit since i have had him (not biting anymore) he seems to feel more at ease with his surroundings. as its just me and my husband we have no children and we have 1 outside dog (jack russell) 13 years old no other pets. all of his interaction is soley me as my husband works 6 days a week i do not work im a stay at home wife so im here with sheldon all the time. so the remaining on my hand and the fact that the only place he will step up or take treats is on the training stand is my main problem. i have (i thought) just about converted him to pellets totally as the man i bought sheldon from only gave him sunflower seeds which i know is bad. i offer him all sorts of fruit and veggies he will not what so ever touch a thing no matter how hard ive tried. i have tried mixing a bit of seed (no sunflower seeds) as i omitted theese from his normal diet and i use them as a treat. so for the last 2 days he just would not eat but a tiny bit of pellets no fruit no veg. i have tried everything i know of. nothing works here either so i gave him parrot seed today again (no sunflower seeds) i picked them out because i was worried he wasent eating like he should and wow he went crazy ate it all! so can anyone please advise on theese two issues 1. how can i get him to remain on my hand and 2. how can i get him to eat fruit and veggies and get him to just pellets no seed? i really need help as everything that was suggested on other forums i tried and nothing works. thankyou ceejay

 

[melinda]

Only having him a month isn't enough time for him to have a great bond with you. He needs a little more time to feel like he can trust you. Steping on then off is a great start. One of my foster birds peach front conure done the same thing. He had not been touched or out of his cage in over 6 years when i got him. It took 4 months before he would step up and stay on my hand.

Everytime i would go by his cage (i placed his in between the living room and kicten) I would ask him to step up and offer a sunflower seed. He would jump up at the step up even if i didn't have a treat. When i had 10 mins to spend with him i pulled a chair up and set down with 10 seeds to use as a treat. I would ask for him to step up, treat. If i showed him i had more he would be more interested in staying with me. At first i waited about 10 seconds then give him another then started waiting longer and longer. Before you know it it will be a min then treat another min then treat and so on.

Don't try to take him away from his cage yet. just stay calm and very happy any time you work with him. During this time you both will be learning to trust each other and making a great bond.

You have found your training treat already so if he wants seeds he has to work for it. The change over to pellets and fresh food will a little harder. I always put the pellets in the cage for breakfast and leave them until late afternoon. After a hour after you offer pellets put another bowl of fresh food in the cage. Make sure you let him see you enjoying the same fresh food you offered. try to hand feed him in the cage. If you don't have a scale to weigh him now is time to buy one. That way you can keep a eye on him to make sure he doesn't lose to much.

If he still has not eat anything by late afternoon offer the seeds on the scale. That way you are training him to step up on the scale too. Some birds love food warm and as young as he is he might take to the fresh food cooked. Just make sure it isn't hot enough to give him crop burn. If he wants seeds he has to work for them and you will be surprised by how many you will use during training so he will not be going hungry all day. Just keep trying different ways to offer the food. Sometimes chopping up fresh food and mixing in a teaspoon of seed and mixing well so they have to dig is enough to get them to eat healthy.

Long winded i know and am sorry If you have tried this let me know and i can tell you my plan #2 when this doesn"t work for a foster bird at my house.

 

[Remy]

It sounds like you're off to a good start. It can take some parrots a while to get used to a new home. Meanwhile, he needs a lot of time in the same room with you (and your partner, when he's home). If you can, take his playstand with you when you go into other rooms. When Puck was still getting used to me, he'd get anxious when I'd leave the room, even if he didn't want me to touch him at that moment.

He might not touch the fruits and veggies because he may not realize that they are food to be eaten. Try eating some in front of him, especially once he's warmed up to you more. Sometimes Puck, who eats almost everything, won't touch something new until he sees me eat it.

 

[ceejay]

hi remy yes i stay down stairs all day as i keep the stairs blocked off because he wanted to keep going up there so just the living room and kitchen is downstairs and thats where we stay together during the day. the stand i train him on is quite large and heavy so i cant really move it around my husband is a builder of many things and he hand made it for me using all the good things and safe things for parrots. sheldon is much better thanwhen i first got him but i know it takes a while for birds to adjust and bond i will always go at his pace not mine lol.and yes i have eatin theese foods in front of him and he does watch me but he still dosent want them but that may take a while im not sure. thank you for the suggestions i appreciate all the advice i can get cheers ceejay

 

[ceejay]

hi melinda yes i have tried to cook his veggies and mix in a bit of seed he still has no intrest in it at all. all the things you mentioned i have tried as well as try and pop a sunflower seed in the fruit or veg just enough for him to see the end of it so he gets a bit of the fruit or veg that didnt work for me either .usually in the morning i do the same as you i put in his pellets he will go down and eat a few then he starts biting at the cage because he wants out . now he wont step up on my hand from the cage (yet) im working on that the only place i can have any interaction with him is on his training stand. he will take sunflower seeds from my hand inside the cage aswell. i have his cage in the same area as you as i have a 2 story house and i have to block off the stairs to keep him from going up there until hes a bit more trained i keep him downstairs which is where i am all day just the kitchen and living room are downstairs. he is much more relaxed when its just him and i in the house as my husband works 6 days a week so hes more active when its just me here but when my husbands home he pretty much sticks to his cage or his training perch. hes such a great bird and i want to work hard to earn his trust(at his pace) i want him to be healthy and happy and i will do all i can to make him feel happy to be here with us. so whats plan B ?

 

[Lacey]

Looks like you have gotten some wonderful advice and so did I lol! Best of luck! Hopefully the suggestions you have gotten are things you haven't tried yet and will help you out ! Please keep us updated!

 

[melinda]

Does he show any interest in tearing paper up yet? Have you ever tried to take him to the table to eat with you? Last Q lol have you offered him your food from a spoon? And did he take it. Crazy i know but there is a method to my maddness lol. It will be later tonight before i can get back with you but i will be back with you. And if he has eat any kind of food other then pellets can you let me know what it is. Thanks

 

[Pedro]

.:Support Resources:.

I suggest you contact Jim McKendry at the above link. He is a Companion Parrot Behavior Consultant here in Australia.

Sheldon isn't going to feel comfortable until you build trust with him. I feel that all these well meaning people & their advice isn't going to work if you don't get the grasp of how it works. You have to understand your birds body language to be able to train him. At this point in time he is still very much a baby & i feel he has Transition Stress, he is still insecure & anxious in his new environment. IMO the reason he flys back to his perch is because he feels safe there. He doesn't really trust you. That's the first place i would work with & i think is the most important. Build a trust account.

I don't think Sheldon has any issues at all he is still very young & unsure, with so much advice being thrown at you, i would say poor Sheldon is receiving to many mixed messages. Go slow & work at one thing at a time & the trust is where i would start.

As far as seeds goes. Why not make up a dry food dish with all sorts of dry stuff in it including a tablespoon of small parrot seed. Try a sprouting seed mix where you soak the seeds & sprout them, you couls add a variety of fruit & veggies chopped up to this.

 

[Pedro]

I thought this link may help with Sheldon's food requirements.

The Australian Galah - Article 008

 

[ceejay]

thanks pedro i have that entire articial printed i have went over that list and tried every thing on it he hasent liked any of it as of yet, as far as talking to a parrot spe******t i have alot of books dvds ect from the "experts" nothing i have tried has worked as of yet i think he has made some progress since i have brought him home way better than what he was and i know trust takes alot of time i will give him as much time as he needs at his pace. i guess i feel kinda responsible for believeing what the man who told me about sheldons tameness and friendliness i trusted him took him at his word but in alot of ways im glad i did what i did because hes away from that awful man and in a loving forever home. thankyou for the feedback much appreciated cheers ceejay

 

[ceejay]

hey melinda well 1 time when i was sitting in the livingroom eating my lunch he hopped up on the coffee table and was watching me i did offer him some of my lettuce (organic of course as im a health nut lol and yes he did try to take it off the fork but judt left it there on the coffee table he didnt eat eat i usually do not eat dinner persay i eat in the early afternoon i know it sounds silly but its just how i do things for myself. but if it ment helping sheldon id do anything (compromise) lol as far as his diet when i got him the man said his diet only consisted of 1 thing the dreaded sunflower seeds thats an awful diet for him he has never had a fruit or veggie offered to him until he came here. i took the sunflower seeds out of his diet as i think i told you and started the transition to pellets did just as i was told to first mixed pellets with water to mash them mixed in seed (without sunflower seeds) and did that for a week then i went to half and half dry seeds and pellet mix then when i went to total pellets it was like beep beep he put the brakes on well he will eat a little of them but not much. i am taking him for a vet check thursday to see how old he may be as far as i know i was told he was 13 weeks but i had a few people who are galah breeders look at him they say noway he was 13 weeks and explained why so i may have an adult galah here i wont know until the vet takes a look at him. ill be waiting to hear from you cheers ceejay

 

[ceejay]

thanks lacey i will try anything once i want to do whatever i can to ensure his happiness will keep you posted cheers ceejay

 

[Lacey]

Sometimes even the experts don't have all the answers either as not ever bird goes by the book. The hands on experience is where I feel I always learn the most and I am glad you are willing to continue your search for the answers! Sheldon is very lucky that you have found him, and with time he will surely understand how wonderful you are and how much you love him! You seem to be very patient and compassionate and I have no doubt Sheldon will be your cuddle bug soon! Melinda has given some wonderful advice that worked for me when my U2 was doing similar things. Please keep us posted!!

 

[suebee]

good luck at the vets keep us up dated

ps if you offered me lettuce i would leave it on table too!!!!

but we always have our main meals as a family including the nut, as i generally cook with her in mind, so she can have abit of ours, she even eats her pellets in the dish as well (she is in her sleep cage by this time, or she'll not eat her pellets)

 

[Pedro]

thanks pedro i have that entire articial printed i have went over that list and tried every thing on it he hasent liked any of it as of yet, as far as talking to a parrot spe******t i have alot of books dvds ect from the "experts" nothing i have tried has worked as of yet i think he has made some progress since i have brought him home way better than what he was and i know trust takes alot of time i will give him as much time as he needs at his pace. i guess i feel kinda responsible for believeing what the man who told me about sheldons tameness and friendliness i trusted him took him at his word but in alot of ways im glad i did what i did because hes away from that awful man and in a loving forever home. thankyou for the feedback much appreciated cheers ceejay

Ceejay, I am so sorry nothing is working. You seem to have an answer for everything. I wish you luck with Sheldon & i really hope you find that magic wand that will turn him into the perfect companion parrot.

Cheers.

 

[melinda]

If he is 13 weeks old he may not be ready to be weaned. Force weaning creates more problems than it is ever worth. Your bird may need to be hand fed until he feels safe. When you go to your vet have him/her show you how to hand feed. You don't have to use baby formula you can crush pellets and mix them with fresh veggys or use baby food. That way he gets the hand feeding he feels he needs and healthy food.

Cockatoos can take up to a half a year to wean. You will want to start bringing him to the table to eat with you at all meals. You don't have to change when you eat just include him. Birds are flock aniamls. You are his flock. He has to learn that new foods will not harm him. Watching you enjoy meals will have him wanting to try new things with you. Let him eat off a spoon (just make sure you have one for you and one for him). Make him a plate of the same thing you have. It might take time but as a flock leader you have to show him what is good and what isn't.

I feel that your young man was forced weaned and just needs you to finish weaning him. Once he starts to settle down and starts eatting what you offer he will wean his self. I would suggest finish the weaning with the spoon so that he will have a chance to taste the food instead of shooting it straight to the crop.

If you eat healthy you will end up with a bird that loves healthy food as long as you teach him by eatting with him. Make a big deal out of every bite you take when he reaches over to try it let him. If he drops it no big deal just continue eatting and making a big deal out of how good it is.

During this time watch his body he is speaking to you. I am sure you know a lot of his body lang. already but as he gets older you will need to know what he is saying to prevent bites.

If he enjoyed the wet pellets the first week i would try them with fruit juice . My U2 will not eat a dry pellet. she dips them in her water one by one or grabs a beak full and drops them in the water. She then picks them out and eats them. The musher they are the better she likes them.

If he feels more safe in or near his cage wheel it to the table or pull a chair up in front of the door when you eat. Do not push him, he wants to bond with you as much as you want to bond with him. It just takes time. I do feel that once you start weaning him (hand feeding) his trust will grow in leaps and bounds. To him the world has be a mean place that pulled him from his parents to be feed by a human but not long enough. You will have to show him that you will make sure all his needs are met mentaly and physicaly. To him you are his parents, flock, Protection, and teacher.

I know this isn't what you was wanting to hear. But i am sure your vet will be happy to tell you about forced weaning and the problems that it creates. I am asking you to let me know what your vet says at the check up. After that we can go from there. I am more than happy to give you advice and help anyway i can. I know some birds are easier than others and some make you think you are going crazy. Birds never read the books and no two birds are the same. But with time you can work through any problem you face.

 

[lene1949]

You say 'he's semi tame and semi friendly'... I say you have done a marvelous job to get him to step up in such a short period of time...

Have you checked out the cockatoo forum - real cockatoo facts? They're very helpful, and have got lots of experience with all kinds of cockatoos...

I also have a galah... A workmate of mine asked if I would like to take her... They were afraid of her and she would bite... I said, yes, and the next day my workmate brought her to work with her. She had some huge gloves she would use to get the bird out of the cage.. When Echo was out, I reached out for her, and she came straight to me, cuddling into my chest... I never had a problem with that bird... My workmate was flabbergasted (I think you say).. She couldn't believe the bird that her whole family was afraid of, just allowed me to handle her like that...

Give him time... one month in a birds life is nothing, as they live as long as we do.. Maybe you could do some target training with him... In my opinion that the be thing you can ever teach any animal...

Good luck and welcome to the forums.

 

[lene1949]

Melinda... I also feel this bird needs some more hand feeding...

Ceejay... Please google 'abundance weaning'.. You basically keep offering hand feeding, until they don't want it anymore... Once or twice a day will be enough....

 

[ceejay]

thankyou lacey i want him to be a happy bird and a companion for life.i will do what ever it takes to make sure he feels safe lol funny thing today i was standing in the living room and he was walking around on the floor and he walked right up to me and i said what you doing baby boy he looked up at me then looked at my feet and gave my toe a litlle nibble was cute as to me he was saying i know im frustrating but gimme time and i will love you was a sweet moment for me.

 

[ceejay]

thanks lene thats amazing about echo i hope one day sheldon will be that way with me he is a wonderful birds despite the things him and i need to work on but i have lots of time and im in no rush i dont want to push him too soon i let him roam the house and he seems to be a cheerful little guy always chirpping and when he hears the galahs fly over well then he really gets going lol all in all i wouldnt trade him for anything in the world i just know with time and patience we will be best friends for life ill keep you posted and ill try that site aswell thankyou for the support cheers ceejay