galah with lots of issues please help!!

[melinda]

I live in Grainger county about 45 mins from Dollywood. I am sure you do miss your family and the hills of east TN.

I could not guess his age because like i said i have only seen a hand full of those birds. I am sure you vet will be able to tell you more.

I know you feel like he is starving at the end of the day. But think of this. In the wild birds are not fed meals they have to hunt all day. During a drought food is very hard to find. They will start eating thing they wouldn't normaly eat. It might be because it doesn't have much nutr. value but because they are hungry they try new things. Your bird eats say half of what you offer him today. Tomorrow his body is going to tell him to try different things to get full.

I just took in a love bird that has only eat sun flower seeds for the past three years. Today she isn't to happy. This morning i gave her what my birds eat pellets a grape carrots some apple broccoli green beans and peppers. She has climbed to her food bowl looked in and went back to the perch over a 100 times today. Here it is 3:28 pm and she is digging into the pellets for the past five mins. I have offered her seeds but she has to eat them from my hand. So altogether she has had maybe 25 to 30 seeds today. No not much but i know she isn't going to starve herself either.

Ok she is finished and a count shows she just eat 28 pellets. Yea i counted her pellets out this morning. Her crop is bulging that tells me she is full and will be just fine tonight. I already threw away the fresh food but she never touched them. Here in another two hours she will get more offered to her. If she tries them or not that is fine. In her own time she will want different things that are offered to her. Hang on she is now back to eatting more pellets now.

Recount to come later. Tough love is the best way to go at this point and time. But if you want to give him a small snack before bed that is fine. Just don't give more than a tablespoon. That way he does wake up in the morning ready to try what you fix for him.

Sheldons display could be him fussing at his self or could be his way of asking for help. That would be something i have to see to be sure. I will be waiting to hear what the vet says.

 

[Pedro]

hey pedro here is a pic of sheldon now this was when i first got him and it will be 1 month this sunday since hes been with me when i bought him the man said he was 13 weeks old as i found out through research that this wasent the case i seen pics of 13 week old galahs and sheldon looks nothing like that he has just a ever so faint tiny grey in his chest but not like the babies i seen on the net. its my fault but i took the man at his word but i love sheldon to pieces. i really do want to know his aprox age. so have a look and let me know what you think. i was told its hard to tell the exact age but even the vet can only give an aprox age. thanks ceejay

Well from what i do know about Galah's, and it depends where you sourced Sheldon from, they usually breed in the north between June & November & in the south between August & January so if your breeder is telling the truth about your birds age it's possibily correct although i am more inclined to think he is probably last seasons chick especially if you are from the southern states. So that would make him almost 12 months old. I did notice his left wing is dropped a bit has he had an injury to his wing. Could be just the way he is sitting though.

That said i don't think he is a matured bird. So his reluctence to eat is because he doesn't identify the foods you give him as good food to eat. You have to slowly teach him & trust me some Galah can be very stubbon to change. You just have to be consistant with what your offering. Try hanging a piece of celery from the cage also a 1/4 of a corn cob.

To encourage a stubbon bird i offer about a tablespoon of small parrot seed with som pellets sprinkled on top, a bowl of sprouts, chopped mixed fruit & vegies in a bowl, Just small serves until he starts to enjoy what you give him. Galahs are more into the vegetables than fruit but will eat some.

 

[ceejay]

hey melinda wow you are really close to where my parents live lol. sheldon ate probably 10 to 15 pellets this morning i do the same thing because i want to make sure of how much hes eating. the rest he slung on the floor looking for seed amoung the pellets im sure lol. also he was doing well with training now he is kind of like no go away dont bother me so i have given him his space he has a short perch that sits on the coffee table and a large one that taller and sits on the floor the only place i can interact with him is the big one now he just refuses to get on it (the big one) and when he does (occasionally) he flys off when i come up to him to do some training. is he just in a mood? or is he elating that he only gets sunflower seeds on this stand and hes not hungery enough ? because any other place be it the short stand the floor ect there is no touching him he runs away i know im asking alot but im new to all this i have had birds but not like this one lol im just trying to understand why he would go from training 2 times a day for about 30 min to not cooroperating what so ever? just wondering if its something im doing wrong.

 

[ceejay]

hey pedro im not sure where you are from lol but i live in new south wales australia if that helps for when galahs would be breeding here. close to sydney that might help a bit more . no as far as i know he has never had an injury i see what your talking about it may just have been that picture because looking at him up close and personal his wings are even. i guess i will find out for sure tomarrow when i take him for his first vet check ill let you know when i find out what the vet says cheers ceejay

 

[melinda]

Birds are a lot like us when things don't go our way we get upset and sulk. He might just need a couple of "off" days to see that just because he is up set you will not give in to him. You can offer the seeds as a traing treat but even if he wants them but in a "bad" mood he may refuse them. Trust me if he is hungry he will eat.

His hunger might not be strong enough to keep him on the stand. That is a good sign for a seed junkie. Our pet birds are fed a diet high in fat. They have a layer of fat on them that will keep him going just fine for a couple of days during the change over. Easiest way to check is by feeling the keel bone. If it isn't well covered on both sides with muscle and fat it will have a "sharp" feeling. It looks from your pic that he is in good weight. He will be just fine to eat less a few days to get him thinking about other foods to try.

Update on the lovebird she endded up eatting another 15 pellets and some birdy bread today. For a first day on a change over i am very happy. I was thinking about giving her a half a teaspoon of seed but am glad i waited a little longer. Tomorrow will start a new day and she might not do as good. But i know she will not starve herself. She may not eat as much as i want but i know that what she is taking in is 100% better than just seed.

Just as Pedro said your bird is very stubbon. He will test you to see if you are set in your mind that this is what is best for him. Our birds don't understand our need to make sure they eat healthy. They are like most children if you put a plate of cookies down and a plate of salad just about every child will grab the cookies. Seed is like cookies to birds. It is up to us to make sure they have a healthy balance including seed.

If your training gets side tracked a couple of days don't take it personaly he just has other things on his mind right now. Once he starts to give in and eat better he will be willing to start enjoying training again. It is just a few small steps a day.

 

[ceejay]

thanks melinda yes he can be very stubborn lol its like having a kid for sure! i guess he thinks hmmm lets see if i can make her fel sorry enough for me she will give me that seed again i think birds are very smart in this aspect. i guess i ust am womdering why is it the only time (when hes in the mood) lol is the only place i can interact with him is on just that paticular stand he will not allow me too interact with him on the floor the short table stand the coffe table nowhere now he will walk up to me and around me just fine but if i try and touch him he runs away.wow great that your love bird is doing well glad to hear that so are you keeping him/her? or are you just like a rescue home? im glad she is doing better. you seem like a very genuine bird lover and a very nice person. i am thankful for all the help its almost 4pm here now so this time tomarrow i will know what the situation is on his age cant wait to let everyone know see you then ceejay and sheldon

 

[ceejay]

ok hi melinda and pedro well sheldon was vet checked and im a bit sad because i thought i had a baby sheldon but it turns out i have an adult year old sheldon. he is healthy and worm free so i was happy about that. vet gave me some good advice on feeding and getting him to eat veg and fruit and also about the size of his perches. so now i know he is a year old and healthy no worms here is my next question to both of you. being that he is the age he is an a adult will he ever bond with me? and will he be able to learn to talk? or is it too late for that? i am a little disapointed i guess because i was lied to by the seller. its not sheldons fault. so what are my options with him at this age and is it possible for him to be able to do the things i asked or will he just always be like he is because hes older and an adult and set in his ways? let me know what you think cheers ceejay

 

[Pedro]

Hi ceejay, I thought that Sheldon was older than what you were told. To be honest all you really need is time, He is by no means an adult yet, Sheldon is very much a baby still, he has a few years to mature yet. An adult is 3years old. I love teaching parrots at his age the are usually so keen to learn. So just take it slow. I doubt he is set in his ways either just need to build that old trust account & i am sure you can do it.

 

[ceejay]

thankyou pedro i was hopeing it wasent too late so do you think he still has the ability to bond with me? and do you think he will learn to talk at all? i do have to say you were right on the money with his age. i appreciate all your help let me know what you think about his ablity to learn to talk at the age he is. cheers ceejay

 

[Pedro]

Ceejay all parrots have the potential to speak. Most of the Galahs i have had anything to do with have talked but there is also that possibility they won't. You have come a long way with Sheldon already, just keep going the way you are. All you really have to do is take each day at a time. Also when your doing any training only short sessions their attention span isn't that long.

Sometimes it will take me a year to get a parrot to where it is really comfortable. Like my SC Too, i am so glad i gave him a home. One of the really shy eclectus chicks was a bit of a challenge but 12 months down the track & letting him move at his own pace has been worth while.

I really don't know what more i can tell you except enjoy every little milestone along the way.

 

[ceejay]

thanks pedro i am going to do the very best i can for sheldon. even though it hurts me that i was lied to it dosent change how i feel about sheldon. i will keep doing what i am doing and make sheldons life the happiest in the world. thanks for all the advice ill keep you posted on his progress cheers ceejay

 

[Pedro]

Ceejay, get the right information with regards to behavior training, if you can identify an undesirable behavior you can stop it & reinforce a more favourable one. Its not that hard to build up that trust with a bird. It may take you a year to get things the way you want them but you have approx 70 years to do it. LOL.

Good luck & yes am looking forward to more stories about yours & Sheldons progress. It sure will help others in your position.

 

[ceejay]

thanks pedro the vet gave me a card for this woman named Barbara Heidenreich he said she is excellent in training parrots she has lots of videos and stuff she is really good in behavior training ill take a look at that. shes from the united states and was here in australia doing a seminar i hate i missed it but she has lots of good stuff on her site. in the meantime the vet told me that i can give sheldon natural things in his cage and gave me a list of things like as if he was in the wild things he can have from outside he also said i need to adjust his perches he has a ruff patch on one of his feet he said its because the perches are too big and he is putting all his weight in the wrong part of his foot so i have to adjust that. he said all in all he is a healthy bird and converting him to eat fruit and veg will take some time but eventually he will get the message lol he also told me that training him will be small steps but every snall step is a positive one. so i will continue on with that buit any advice you think of that may help please let me know much thanks ceejay

 

[Pedro]

Ceejay i did post a link with Barbara's goodbirdinc included with all the info at the beginning of this thread. But one of the replys, someone said that the professionals didn't know everything about parrot behavior. I beg to differ as i have got a hell of a lot of my knowledge from talking to these people. To get any benefit from these people & your parrot you must get to really know your bird first, understanding him is the first step to a great relationship.

Have a look at goodbirdinc you might also like to join her mailing list. I have & i also contribute to wingnuts mag as well.

 

[melinda]

Glad to hear the vet visit went well! You still have a bay in my eyes as they are adults at 3 to 5 years old. All birds can bond at any age all it takes is time. If you keep up the work you are doing he will have a strong bond with you and be a very healthy parrot. I hope you will keep us updated on your small steps!

 

[ceejay]

hey melinda glad to hear from you yes i was upset because i was lied to but as i said to pedro it dosent change my feelings for sheldon its not his fault. i still need any advice you can throw my way. i was worried because he is an adult that it was too late for bonding or anything else but im glad to hear its not too late. the vet said he could tell sheldon had already had his first molt and he knew right off by looking at him that he was an adult bird but at least hes no like 10 15 years old he is still young just not as young as i was told but thats ok i am going to shut this guy down i dont want him selling birds and not caring about them all he cares about is the money. so im working on that part by reporting him to several people here in australia. i will most definatly keep you posted on all progress hows yours doing btw getting better i hope? well let me know anything you think might be helpful cheers ceejay

 

[melinda]

I know it just isn't fair when we are lied to. My U2 was sold to me as a year old but suprise she is between 5 and 8 years old. At first i was so mad but i realized i was ment for this bald white screaming chicken. The first year i had her i thought about just moving out and letting her have the house as i could not stand one more scream.
After reading a book again for the fourth time i saw i was causeing all the problems. Instead of making what i wanted clear and what i didn.t want even clearer i was giving her mixed signs. I thought up a plan and put it to use within one week i had 30 mins of screaming gone. Week two a hour. We are now very happy to have a screaming fit to welcome the morning for 10 mins and again before dark that everyone in the house does. For 20 mins we scream and make the oddest noises we can. Why did this work? I gave her times that it is ok to be a bird. The rest of the day she is rewarded over and over for being quiet. A good scritch on the head is just as good as any treat in her eyes.

I know sometimes it feels like you just can't make it another day tring to work with a bird. Some times all it takes is finding a very quiet place to set and make a plan. You make your time in the day work around your training. In the morning get up maybe a extra 30 mins so you can eat breakfast with your bird. Encourage a good scream.

During the day everyone in the house rewards him for being quiet. If it is just a fast hello pretty baby. Are you a good boy? Yes you are. Offer healthy treats as rewards If he don't eat them thats fine he will get the ideal one day that they are good to eat..

The hardest part is not giving into him. He needs you to stay strong. I am sure you have those times you just want to throw your hands up. Walk away for how ever long it takes you to relax again. It will not change over night but you will see a difference in him soon.

Little Rosie is very protective over her new toys and i did shed more than 20 drops of blood today. I was just changing water lol. I had to bite my lip to prevent a nasty word and when she released my poor finger i had to do it all over again. The water hit the floor but soaked the food and papers in her cage first. I was very close to catching her to get her out of the way but knew if i did it would set me back even more. As she had been forced out of the cage and hit in her last home for biteing. So with bandaids on 3 fingers i know i have to come up with a better plan for her. But one good note she is eatting pellets like candy and tried three bites of green beans today.

 

[ceejay]

hey melinda yes ive had those kinda days myself sheldon is a handful no doubt and that was something else the vet said to me dont let sheldon run you! that I have to be the flock leader. he has been not wanting to train at all but he did go through an ordeal yesterday and like the vet said too sometimes he just may need a day off and that it was ok. im fortunate he is a quiet bird unless a flock of galahs fly over then its on lol he also said better to take 20 little steps than none at all. as heart broken as i was i realize its not sheldons fault he did nothing wrong. and even though this man got the better of me that sheldon is in a better home than where he was. i know i have a long road ahead of me getting him fully tame and trained but i am willing to put in that time. today i made him some birdie bread he wasent too keen on it but he did try some and laer a coupple bites more so 1 little step he tried something new! im sorry to hear you got a bad bite i know how that feels although sheldon has bitten but nver drawn blood ouch!! thats amazing that you got rosie to stop screaming that way thats pretty cool thinking! sheldon is stubborn in ways too especially with training ugh he wants to fly off all the time even though his wings are trimmed back he still goes when he refuses to train this is somethin i badly need to stop. how im not sure yet. he definatly has a mind of his own. i will keep you posted on his progress im super happy hes healthy and worm free now i just need to earn his trust and make him a happy bird as well as healthy! cheers ceejay

 

[melinda]

Chloe didn't like the ideal of a play stand when i first go it. She would stay on it a min or two and drop like a rock off it. At first i thought it was because she hated it. Then had a ideal that she came off of it because i had not trained her to stay on it.

I picked a day i didn't have to do any thing to start. I started by placing her on the stand. Every time she dropped off i just picked her and put her back on the stand give a few treats and walk away. It was repeated at least 50 times that day. After about the 20th time she started stay on it longer. I went through a lot of treats because the longer she stayed on it, i would walk back by her and offer her more.

After a day of laying down the law she has no problems stay there. When you bring Sheldon to your training stand. You will have to take the time to teach him to stay. Just try to keep him happy with treats. If he flys off just return him to it. The day you do this will not be much of a day to work on anything but teaching him to stay. Say if you work with him for 10 mins normaly then don't ask him for more than 10 mins. If he flies off at 4 mins then just replace him for your 10 mins. He will try you hard just to see if you will continue. It might take a couple of times or if he stays on for 10 mins reward him big. Take him off and try it again later. The ideal is to let him know if he is done training thats fine but he has to wait on you to move.

Every little step you take brings you that much closer to having a happy bird and owner. Glad he tried the birdy bread It is a big hit at my house. Just keep on offering new foods to him. It just takes time for them to understand new food is just as good as seeds.

 

[ceejay]

hey melinda thats a great idea except for one thing with sheldon if he flys off and hes on the floor i cant get near him because he runs like crazy from me. even if i sit on the floor he will approach me but wont let me touch him so if i were to do this id have to chase him and force him to step up thats when i get the big bites. he is fast lol and i was told not to chase him that would make his fear of people including me worse is that true? i did want to tell you this little move he made yesterday i was sitting on the couch and we have a rather large coffee table. he jumped from his cage to the coffee table which is close to his cage i did this purposely to make it easy for him. he strolled over slowly i was texting my husband at the time and kind of had my hands rested on the edge of the coffee table so he walked over and i stayed very still he looked at the cell phone pecked it a bit looking at the screen lol then he gave my thumb a little bite not hard just a tiny bit of pressure and he was looking at me like well did it hurt lol i stayed very relaxed and just talked to him he walked to the end of the table and jumped to the floor lol it was kind of cute i thought now i didnt reward him for this should i have? most of the time he stays on the top of his cage which is ok but id rather him be on the training perch. i wish he wouldnt run from me like he does or that idea would be great because i am a stay at home wife im with him 24/7 i really want to get him out of this habbit of running around on the floor like he does but i think chasing him will make him not trust me any other ideas? he is eating the pellets pretty good now he ate quite a bit yesterday along with a coupple bites of birdie bread and a rake through of the fruit and veggies im not sure but there is something in that birdie bread he likes i think it might be the raisans not sure i put a few things in it. its going to be a hot day today and im going to see twilight tomarrow so im giving him his bath today and his weekly cage scrub down. i hope im not asking to many questions lol cheers ceejay