Hello everyone!

[19jeffro83]

Hi all, Just a brief introduction of myself. My girlfriend and I (gnarly) have just recently rescued a Senegal parrot (for more info look at her intro). And I know I'll have a boat load of questions myself because I already have so many. So I took it upon my self to become a member as well. We both have a great deal of understanding on keeping exotic animals and we were more than happy to add to the zoo we've started in our home. Before the parrot we have been keeping reef tanks, dart frogs and a few geckos + a dog who refer to as butthead. Well now we have found ourselves with our lovely little parrot we now call Gilligan. He's a great little bird who seems to be pretty social and we have already fell in love with him. I know that the Senegal parrot is usually a "one person bird" but we are trying our bests to make him more communal and to have a great rellsionship with us both. He's with out a doubt takin a stronger like to my woman which I can't blame him for since she's so sweet and quite the lovely girl.
Some of my questions will involve target training and how to keep him from biting as I have a toed son and a young niece and nephew who will most likely be as interested and as much in love with him as we are.
As me and Gilligan stand now is that he does show much fear at all toward me. As he lets me pet him and will come up to me when I'm trying to hand feed or just say hi to him. He likes to mimic me all the time and also responds to my start on target training. I'd love to hear from all those in this community o. Their personal experience with this type of parrot. Has anyone kept them in a relaxed family setting? Is the fact that he's loves my girlfriend better than me from the start going to leave me as competition from the start? What can we do to avoid this type of situation? Is there any hope? I've done a ton of reading in the past week and hope we can. Oth enjoy our bird equally.
Thanks to all ahead of time. All responses are appreciated.
Jeff

 

[MrsWharfrat]

Welcome, glad you joined us as well

We have found, (at least for us) telling our feathered babies quite firmly NO. And this works for the biting and for other things that we dont want them to make a habit out of.

As to your feathered friend taking more to your Lady then to you right now, there is no guarantee that it will stay this way. All birds go through a maturing state and at this time and after there is no telling who they will take to more.

Some people say that certain birds (For example a GW Macaw) are a one person bird. In our family that is not the case. Our GW's have a wonderful relationship with both my husband and myself. But, my YNA's do tend to favor me more then my husband. Our Hahn's Macaw seems to be a little fickle, favoring one more then the other then changing it up months later... you just never know

Keep us posted, and attach pictures as often as you can

 

[19jeffro83]

Thanks for the response ( ;. One thing I'm finding difficult with him is having him step up to me. I'm pretty sure we have the target stick thing down pat but he's still hesitant with me to step up unless my lady is passing him off to me or the rare occasion he finds his way to the ground. In both cases he's happy to step up to me. While on my finger there is no aggression and he seems quite comfortable. My problem is that even with the target stick and a treat in hand he sometime backs away from me while perched or on his cage.
What can I do to change this? Is it a matter of time and more trust earned by him? Should I ask my G/F to maybe shy away a little untill he starts to understand our relationship more?
Also I'd love to post some pics up. What's the easiest way to do this from an iPhone with the photo bucket app?
Thanks again, Jeff

 

[antoinette]

Welcome to the forum
Post some pic's we love sharing
Enjoy the forum

 

[wenz2712]

Welcome to the forum

 

[WharfRat]

My oldest son recently moved back to the area & is here quite often. The Hahn's seems to remember him very well, but he has had little or no interaction with the rest of the birds other than when a couple of them first arrived here. (1 GW & 1 Zon)The Zons are VERY afraid of him for some reason, even when they're in their cage they go nuts if he approaches them, 1 GW (Miri) is not near as sociable as the other so I've been having him work with Rea as much as possible offering her treats. He has been able to hold her a few times now and I'm sure it will get better with prolonged exposure, once he wins Rea over I'm sure Miri will follow. As far as the Zons go, I don't know, just earlier I had them loose in the office with me & he walked in & they went absolutely nuts & I had him leave ASAP. Only time will tell how well they may or may not come around. I've seen both Zons fly to our 10 yr. old at various times so I'm sure it's due to exposure to them. Patience is all I can say.

 

[19jeffro83]

Thank you for the welcomes everyone. Wharfrat I'm glad to hear that you flock is coming around to your son. I hope all works in all favor for you guys.

 

[19jeffro83]

Oh and I'd still like to know how to post pics w photo bucket if anyone knows ( :

 

[WharfRat]

Well, if it's anything like "TinyPic", just copy the photo link for "forums" for the pic you want & paste it in the message box. (which is how I post all my pics)

 

[19jeffro83]

Thanks you I'll give it a shot rite now.

 

[WharfRat]

there ya go, easy ain't it!!

 

[19jeffro83]

Not too bad ( :

 

[19jeffro83]

Wharfrat is there anything you could suggest as far as getting my little guy to start stepping up to me when I request?

 

[antoinette]

Oh and I'd still like to know how to post pics w photo bucket if anyone knows ( :

It's actually quite simple
Register with photobucket
Click on the green block which says Upload
It will then load another page showing a big green block showing
Select Photo's or Videos click in the box
You will then select what ever pic or video you want to upload (I suggest copy and paste the pic you want to upload on your desktop) so much easier.
Then select pic and Right click on pic then to wards the bottom of your screen where it ways OPEN click into that
It will the begin to upload pic
Once it has uploaded it, it will say VIEW ALBUM
Click in to view album and your pic will appear
Click on the pic, on the right hand side of your screen in a block, LINKS
it will offer you options
Where is says DIRECT LINK click in the block next to it
Then on your posting in the forum click into the 5th button (from the right hand side) INSERT IMAGE
Once you have clicked into the INSERT IMAGE button, where is shows
http:// remove the http:// and paste your DIRECT LINK
You pic should appear on the forum posting page immediately

Good luck
Any problems, just give a shout out okay

 

[WharfRat]

All ours are handraised, 4 of them by us, I've never had issues with stepping up really, and I have NO experience with that breed at all. All I've ever dealt with are Macaws & Amazons. I'm sure someone else will chime in very soon with some good advice.

I just looked & you might want to look in the "Training" forum for some possible suggestions.

 

[19jeffro83]

Thanks anyway I appreciate the help and quick responses. What I've been reading is that these guys can be a little bipolar at times. Probably a different attitude than your flock.

 

[ConureCrazy]

One thing I'm finding difficult with him is having him step up to me. I'm pretty sure we have the target stick thing down pat but he's still hesitant with me to step up unless my lady is passing him off to me or the rare occasion he finds his way to the ground. In both cases he's happy to step up to me. While on my finger there is no aggression and he seems quite comfortable. My problem is that even with the target stick and a treat in hand he sometime backs away from me while perched or on his cage.
Thanks again, Jeff

Oh my gosh! He sound exactly like my little Bella! Unless she somehow got spooked and flew (more like fell) to the ground, the poor girl would just about break her neck trying to get away from me. Clicker training she learned very well, but it was me she was afraid of. It's now been 1 1/2 months and she's the sweetest girl ever. I learned that talking very calm like and slowly-like talking to a sleeping baby-actually helps a lot more than you think. Just stay for about 2-5 minutes saying "Hi boy, whats the matter? How are you?" really quiet. It shows that you are calm and then they calm down as well. Also, I think you should allow them to leave the cage on their own rather than stick your hand in there. (I'm not sure if you are already know this.)A good step-up training area would be on the top of the cage or or any other plain surface. Just calm them for around five minutes and then try step-up. If he gets skittish, lower your hand and keep talking. After say, 20-35 minutes, leave them alone. At the beginning of these 'training sessions' Bella wouldn't even come near me. Say, maybe about the 15 or 16th session she stepped up very hesitantly. I know I sound like a broken record, but they need to know you're not a threat, and this takes patience. It may take longer than 15 time, it may take 30, or 50. But eventually he wil realize you are nice, calm, and love him. And on a completely unrelated note, I love his name!

 

[19jeffro83]

Thanks cc I do love this bird already. He'a so funny and interesting to hang out with. I'm just so confused as to why he so acceptant to my lady and not to me. We've even been trying to just let me feed and give treats to him. He's getting seed for the breakfast and dinner for an hour and the rest of the day he gets pellet diet which he doesn't really like yet. But I try to treat him just as you recommend like a baby and talk soft and let him know I'm by him before reaching out for him. I also never try to get him to step up inside the cage. I wait for him to come out to me before even trying to touch him. He does get the occasional treat in his cage but I feel this should be ho's safe zone if he wants a retreat. He really does come to me for affection and I just wish he trusted me more to let me carry and hold him like he does my girlfriend.
Thanks for the reply and info, Jeff

 

[ConureCrazy]

I'm happy to help! My senegal Oliver prefers my dad over me, but is nicer when he isn't around.

 

[19jeffro83]

Yay! My training and patience have paid off well. Gilligan is now not biting at all and stepping up like a champ to both my lady and I. We are both so happy about this and love him more and more everyday. He does still favor my girl but I'll take his friendship gladly. He's a sweet little guy and hope to further our relationship everyday that will come.