Harvey the Hahn's is a velcro bird already!

[JerseyWendy]

WOW!!!! Absolutely AMAZING progress in a super short amount of time.

Best of all: You sound BLISSFULLY happy and enchanted with your new BFF! Love it!!!

Please, don't forget the pictures???? Pretty pretty please????

 

[ChocoboFun]

I will have to get a video of him flying. And maybe snap off a few more pictures. For now, I'll put this one up.

 

[Doublete]

Sounds like you both are head over heels

 

[Birdman666]

He's a cute little bugger... and if he's already flying to you on command, he's a smart little bugger too! Bet this one would like trick training, and educational toys! Sounds like a natural...

 

[ChocoboFun]

I'll have to look into trick training. Good idea!

Right now, we have a few basic things to work on. One is staying in place when we tell him to stay, like on his new playstand. Since he insists on being with us at all times, this one might be a little difficult.
We are also trying to train him to just not bite certain things like earlobes, and to be gentle with other things. I just tell him no and move him away from whatever he is chewing on, but if there are better ways, please do tell. I'm also using the trick I saw previously mentioned that involved finger and thumb on opposite sides of the beak to turn it away gently (seems to be working when he grabs a finger or that sensitive spot between thumbe and forefinger, but he needs more work).
Our vet also asked us to train him to be held in a towel to make certain things easier, like nail trimming.

He picks up on things we do pretty easily. He now knows that 'good boy' is followed by a kissy noise, and makes a close approximation of the sound. He will also do it right when he snuggles against our neck.

 

[ChocoboFun]

Short update time.

Still working on biting. He gets over-excited about various things and will get a good nip. Only drawn blood once on my finger.

He gets cranky in various ways when we keep him up past nine.
If he wants to fight it and stay up to play, it is very hard to get him back into his cage and he will constantly climb back up our arms. Eventually have to grab him and make him step up onto his boing.
If he is cuddled against one of our necks, he is sleeping or trying to fall asleep, and gets crouchy if either of us try to move him, but especially the one whom he is not perched on. Makes a funny sounding little squawk and tries to bite.

He is really good at flying to us from wherever in the house he pleases. Corners and doors which he can't see around are no obstacle, since he can navigate those rather well. He will fly to his play stand when he is hungry or thirsty, then fly back to us. He flies to us on command most of the time, and the few times he won't it is usually because he has becomes engrossed in something, like chewing on my wife's hairclaw.

He has already learned how to disassemble his toys, and I now keep his bit block toy out of his cage, so that he doesn't drop it on himself when he undoes the clamp. He looks so proud of himself after he does it and pulls a block free, to present to one of us.
And also eats any veggies we put in front of him, though the fruits are hit-or-miss.

He LOVES his cuddles, and lets us scritch his head all the time, especially when he is on his shower perch. That is really the only time he gets loud too. His face gets all red and he starts squawking incredibly loud for a few minutes until he gets settled in and playing.
He also greets us as soon as we walk in the door and gets upset if we don't come over and take him out. He is good if we give him as little as 5 minutes.

Edit:
Oh, and he plays and says (sort-of) "peek-a-boo".

 

[GreatBlue320]

Sounds like Harvey is settling in well! Love the updates - keep them coming. And, new photos, too! (please)

 

[ChocoboFun]

Harvey playing!

[ame="https://youtu.be/2_j41EPvEuA"]Harv - YouTube[/ame]

Edit: Finally got it. Way less complicated on this forum than I'm used to, which actually made it much harder for me.

 

[JerseyWendy]

What a super special treat!!! LOOVED the video!! I'm so glad you got it to work.

Harvey sure is having a blast, isn't he?

Thanks so much for sharing!!! AWESOME!!!

 

[Anansi]

Just now seeing this thread! I love it! Harvey seems like he's settling in rather well! And that video was a joy to watch. Thank you for sharing!

 

[GreatBlue320]

He's SO CUTE!

 

[ChocoboFun]

Yep, that is actually the one he learned to take apart. Which is why the blocks were off in the first place.

 

[ChocoboFun]

Harvey is as adorable ever! He is progressing nicely with the things we have been working on like flying to us on command (the added whistle gets it every time).

He gets upset if we take too long to come out in the mornings, so it is much harder to cuddle in bed together. He thinks he has to be right htere with us, and so he will call for us. Same when we first walk in the door from work. His calls always come in sets of 2, which is kind of funny. Walk in the door and hear "Rah rah! ... RAH RAH!!"

His voice definitely isn't the 'normal' of what I've seen in videos on youtube etc., as it is a fair bit deeper. Although, sometimes it gets closer to the expected higher pitch when he incorporates the "ohhhh" sound into something, like "Good Boooooooooy!". He is slowly getting better with his words too. Not sure if there is a particular reason, but he prefers 2 syllables. An example of this is when we play peek-a-boo with him. He'll say "ka-boo" or "pee-boo" instead of the whole thing. He also like singing selections of the lion king song with us. It seems to be easier to teach him in the shower, the one place he feels free to be as noisy as he likes.

The only real downsides are the insane amount of time he takes (which will make me feel bad for leaving him when I have to travel), and his penchant for biting things he shouldn't, like bra straps (watch out ladies, they will break) and the parakeet cage.
Edit: Should probably make it more clear that I am worried about how he will handle being away from us during the trips where we can't bring him with us.

Anyone have any suggestions for what I should teach him next?

 

[GreatBlue320]

I can't believe he is talking already - that must be so fun.

I'm sure others with more bird experience than I have will chime in with things to teach Harvey. I've been watching Barbara Heidenreich and Birdtricks videos on youtube to get ideas for the day when I finally decide on which bird to get and actually bring it home (LOL).

Please post photos or videos of Harvey!

 

[ChocoboFun]

Wow! It has been a while since I posted on here! Where to start?

Harvey has learned to say more things, along with some sounds. He managed to learn one word we didn't want him to, but we ignored it (after giving each other 'the eye' o.0 0.o), and it has not been repeated. He is much more clear about what he says now as well.

He still loves being in the shower and learns the best when in there, but now likes to dive headfirst into his water bowl and splash water all over the walls and carpet, then cry for us to come get him and warm him up. It is about the only time I can get him to sit on my shoulder (with extra snuggles against my neck) for more than 5 minutes without entertaining him. Quality time while gaming is always a good thing when he isn't chewing my keyboard.

Speaking of showers, Harvey and Perry both get super excited when I take them into the bathroom while the shower is on, and will flare their wings out and make so much noise. Peep just gets a grouchy look on her face. Until I whistle at her and then she gets excited.

I am sure my neighbors hate my work schedule right now. The birds all get incredibly excited when I get home and make their loudest greeting calls possible. I've been getting in a good bit of time past their bedtimes, and they will wake up when I unlock the door, and get progressively louder as I put things away until I finally come over and spend time with all of them. On normal days when I make it back well before their bedtime, I can hear them calling for me as soon as I turn my car off. I have noticed that the level of excitement and volume is much higher for whoever gets hom last, though. So on days that I beat my wife home, she gets the louder greetings. Her poor eardrums

 

[ChocoboFun]

Oh, and I forgot to mention I got some Roudybush pellets. Harvey loves those more than his zupreme. I can't even keep that stocked in his cage for more than 2 hours, so I've had to ration it so he doesn't hog it all.

Peanut butter is his absolute favorite food ever! I put some on a treat stick core, rolled in the parakeet's pellets, and he spent HOURS working as hard as he could to find the laziest way possible to eat it all. Pretty much the entire day really.

 

[JerseyWendy]

What a wonderful update!!! Sounds like you are thoroughly enjoying your fids! And your wife is, too!!

I won't dare ask what naughty word Harvey picked up...and hasn't repeated since. :54: LOL.

 

[ChocoboFun]

Haha yes, it may have been a bit vulgar.

Last night he decided to try a new game where he bites our fingers until we move a hand around his head (looks almost like we are smacking him around), and he follows the hand with his beak and makes funny noises that sound like a cross between a purr and a laugh.

Another game that we've been playing with him is 'walking' with our fingers and doing the Jaws music until a hand is right next to him and saying 'boop!'. Now he will make the 'boop!' sound for us!

Oh, and he has decided he doesn't want to mimick us. He would rather have us mimicking him.
Who is training who?

 

[EdgesofTwilight]

Glad to hear things are going good with you and Harvey! My Cosmo does the same thing too with the fingers too. Kinda sounds like a dinosaur. Lol He does that double call thing too. They have quite the personality, don't they!? Lol Does Harvey like to jump? Cosmo will jump off his perch onto the cage bars or he'll jump/hop from perch to perch on the playstand.