Hello Everyone~

[CoCo1]

Hi everyone, my name is Coli, I have an african grey (20 yrs) and a molluccan cockatoo (12 years). Both were previously owned -although they each have very different stories the end result tends to be the same. Which is why I am reaching out looking for help. I have about 18 years bird experience- both small and large although I do prefer larger birds....and while my family jokes I am the bird-phanage for all outcasted birdies I do seem to be drawn to the hardluck cases. In the past I took in birds that needed rehabilitation for one reason or another...but I decided with JJ and Lola I do not want these two to go anywhere. I intend on keeping these two forever~

 

[wenz2712]

Hello Coli and welcome to the forum

Do you have any pics to share with us?

 

[Shade]

Hi and welcome!

 

[antoinette]

Welcome Coli, JJ and Lola
You sure have had many years of birdie enjoyment
Enjoy the forum

 

[CoCo1]

I do have pictures and I would love to post them...I can do it tonight from home. I do have an issue though with JJ (CAG) if anyone has any thoughts. JJ is 20 years old, had one female owner her whole life. The owner was an elderly woman with some medical and mental issues. I learned that JJ had never been covered at night (personal preference I get it)...but at least the last 5 years were spent under florescent lighting 24/7. JJ was on a canary seed diet and peanuts her whole life, and in a cage that I would consider too small for her. Now since bringing JJ into my home I have her on a scheduled bedtime and I do cover her. I have changed her diet to 80% fresh food and sprouts and 20% organic pellets...which she will only eat in a birdie bisquit. To my knowledge she only had interactions with the female prev owner...no males...but in my home she seems to only want to be interacted with by my fiance...but even that is extremely limited. Taking her out for simple activities proves to be difficult if not impossible. She has developed a clucking when she is scared...and if I or my fiance approach her in a manner that she feels we will take her from the cage she begins to flap wildly and cluck like a chicken. I dont want to force anything with JJ, but I cannot get her motivated by food or touching or toys. Any thoughts on a new starting point with her?

 

[SandyBee]

How long have you had her now?
Maybe just leave her cage door open so she knows that she can come out or stay (her choice) for a while. Keep trying different foods till you find something she is willing to work for a bit.

When we brought our amazon home from the rescue we gave him a bunch of treats that we knew were not the best but we wanted him to understand that we offered warmth, comfort love and a home. We don't give him those treats anymore or rarely (most were ok in moderation) We let him come out when he was ready.

 

[Lindylou277]

Hello and welcome,
I have inherited a B&G 9y/o. She has the opposite problem and I'm doing what SandyBee suggested. Coqui was in a nice large cage for 8 years alone with only occasional visitors. Now I let her out and cannot get her back in the cage. So I have left the door open so she comes and goes on her schedule (one week now). I plan to put her onto a schedule when she knows that the cage door will be open again tomorrow morning and she will not be trapped in there. I'm looking at her right now and she is in her cage whistling and mumbling as is her mid afternoon ritual. outside of the open cage door is a play stand so she can come and go onto the play stand or on top of cage. she has calmed down significantly in just 7 - 10 days. Good Luck.

 

[CoCo1]

Thank you Sandy, I do keep her apartment door open, she has only come out once but I do continue in the hopes she will learn. I have an abused M2 that gets her "lovin time" everynight and JJ watches very intently like she really wants to be a part of it. On the few occassions my fiance has been able to get her out of her cage- we put her on a stand in the living room so she really feels like part of the action...but after 3 minutes or so she makes a bee line for her apartment and is very snippy for the rest of the day.

 

[SandyBee]

I keep my amazons stand right by his cage door so that he can go on it by himself.
I started by putting treats on it to entice him, he now loves his perch.
It seems like she doesn't want to be handled at all yet so this may be a work around for now.

There's plenty of time to work on diet a few special treats to help with bonding won't hurt her. My guy went absolutely nuts for chicken, potato chips, tortilla chips and scalloped potatoes LOL The only nut he likes is cashews. He also really digs popcorn.

Once I figured out what he liked, I start providing treats only at certain times for certain behaviours. He readily goes in his cage at night when I put his cashew in. He actually has learned to start begging for it if he wants to go to bed LOL

 

[CoCo1]

Thank you SandyBee...sometimes the simplest things escape us...so I am glad I found this group! I will try that tonight! and let you know how it goes!

Thank you
C~

 

[EclectusRoratus]

Hello!!! Welcome. People here are awesome, nice and give great advice!!

 

[lene1949]

How long have you had these birds... ??? You come across as if you've had them for 18 years, which is not the case????

 

[CoCo1]

No I have not...I wish, then I know they would have had good lives. But Lola I have had for 6 months and JJ 3 months. Lola (M2) came from a home that just thought it was "cool" to have a Mollucan...they had no idea the work or time commitment to a cockatoo. But I was able to track down a few of her previous owners...I stopped at 6 owners...it was pretty heartbreaking. She has a splayed leg, at some point had a broken keel and broken wing. She was totally ruined with towel training and was a horrible biter when I got her. She bit me so bad a few times I should have had stitches. But I know it was fear based...and the poor thing she had been through so many bad homes that I am sure she figured I was just another one. With her previous owners (used loosely) they kept her in a dark room 24/7 with no real interaction until the end...when someone would come and look at buying her. I have managed to bring her pretty far from that dark place. Every Birdie Dr visit my vet is amazed at how far she is coming. Lola is known as "Lola the loverbird", because she is such a sweetheart considering all that she has been through. Both of my birds have completely opposite backgrounds but the end result is the same they don't/didnt trust have had bad love/no love and need a lot of work.