HELP: Lost my mom gained her bird

[Facex2]

SO I lost my mother and 22 months ago I lost my dad now I have their parrot Jackie. I know close to nothing about this bird other than he has had a big loss in his life just like me. I assume he is happy if he is talkin eatin drinking and poopin.. I need help what books to read? I can not handle him (without blood) I would love to take him out but I do not want to go to the ER to get fingers put back on.. What is the best web sights that will give me info on the proper care of this bird. I need HELP

 

[triordan]

Parrots for Dummies was what i read, it has a lot of good information in it, also feel free to ask questions here, there are a lot of people willing to help and give suggestions. What kind of parrot do you have? How old is it? Were you parents able to handle him? Like you said, you have both been through a lot, it will take time and patience, good luck!

 

[Pheonix Rising]

Hi and welcome
sorry for your loss but I assure you in time you'll get to learn that you have gained so much by having Jackie in your life

You say your dad passed away 22 months ago have you had him since then ?
What is his diet at present ?
What is your life style / how much time do you have to spend with the bird / other members in household who are untreated in caring for him etc ?
What toys / enrichments does he have in his cage or get every now and again ?

The above book is an awesome start on general parrot care
Any other questions please feel free to ask here as there are sooo many helpful people here with tons of knowledge

Good luck and nice to meet you

 

[wildheart]

I am really sorry about your recent loss. I am sure you must be missing your mother dearly.

Welcome to the forum. There are a lot of members here that can answer and help you out. What type of parrot is he, can you upload a photo?

 

[Von1983]

Much sympathy for your loss

There are so many people who can help on the forum so please, ask away and tell us everything there is to know about your inherited fid (Feathered kid!) ^.^

 

[HRH Di]

I'm so sorry for your loss. That's a lot to deal with in such a short time. And you're right, Jackie's dealing with it as well.

To repeat the advice above: Parrots for Dummies is a great reference and you can often find used copies at used bookstores. And we're always here to help.

 

[Facex2]

Jackie is a Amazon (I think) My mother could handle him but no one else I lost mom 22 months ago my dad took care of him but not as good as my mom, dad could never handle him. He has a big cage with many pearch's and toys I am thinking not to change a thing until he gets comfy at my house the last few weeks after my dad passed Jackie was left in his cage with not much food and water the cage was covered all the time and the heat was cold. I just got him on Nov. 24th as soon as I got him at my house he startes singing and makin a ton of noise. We give him a ton ot attention and we talk to him all day he seems happy but how do you tell?? I want to try and handle him what is the best waty to start?

 

[HRH Di]

It sounds like you're starting off well. The best way to bond with him is to get him used to your presence. Just be near him while he's in his cage. Talk to him, sing to him, etc. Basic interaction like that helps more than you know.

Personally, I would suggest that you wait for a bit before you try to handle him. If he has a history of biting, don't rush things....I'm sure you want to keep all of your fingers. Food is a tremendous tool to start the bonding process. Start off just giving him little bits of his favorite treats. If you don't know what his favorite is, you'll have to just experiment. My birds love walnuts, pepitas, cheese, apples, grapes and cream of wheat.

The biggest thing to remember is that this is going to take time. Parrots have been compared to human toddlers when it comes to intelligence. So just imagine what a 3 year old would be thinking in his place.

If he's active and eating well, he's probably okay. If he seems depressed to you - very sedentary, not paying attention to what's going on around him and escpecially plucking out his feathers to the point of creating bald spots, then you need to get help.

You should probably get him checked out by an avian vet. Not all vets know what to do with parrots, so be sure that you go to one who does.

Good luck. With patience you'll be fine.

 

[Cowtown]

Sorry for you losses.. As you stated you and Jackie are lost right now... your worlds have changed.

How old is Jackie?
You should also take him to a vet to get him checked out.
I would not try to handle Jackie just yet. it has only been 2 days. I would just feed him/her a good diet, fresh water and get some treats for him.
Do you know if his wings are clipped or can he fly?
If he is clipped then I would sit next to the cage with the door open and talk to him. Show him a treat (you might have to put it in a bowl just outside the cage on a small table). This might take several days or weeks before he is comfortable around you.
Also how many humans and other animals are in you household. This will make a difference as what he has been use to.
The key factor is just be patience with Jackie. Parrots are like everyone else they morn and suffer also.

Like everyone else said surf the net and get the book Parrots for Dummies.

Good Luck and keep us informed.
What part of the country are you in?

 

[Facex2]

I am in Michigan. Should I give him peanuts I was told not to give him peanuts but he loves them. Parrot food or people food? So far he loves carrots,corn,pecans but the parrot food I got he will not eat it at all... Water he will put his entire head in his water bowl and covers the walls and half of my house with water but I don't mind so I offer him a small bowl of water but he wants no part of that I was just thinking if he wants a bath let him have one. Do they need their claws clipped they seem long he has a blue perch they say it will sand them down but his claws seen long.. I am gonna look for a vet I hate to put anymore trama in his life but I will not have a pet that is not taken care of... How do I keep my cat away from the bird or do I just wait for her to get bit to learn her lesson Jackir almost got her tail today....

 

[Pheonix Rising]

Birds and cats are always a struggle to start with but it can be worked out thru patience and perseverance

Cats saliva is toxic to birds ( as is dogs and even our own ) but a bite from the cat could kill him if it goes unnoticed
also the dirt that's under their nails from a scratch is very dangerous to birds

always supervising the cat around the bird they will eventually leave each other alone or come to mutral agreement ( this helps when the bird gets hold of thr cats tail or whiskers lol ). My poor cat learnt the hard way that some birds bite back but now her and pheonix have many a conversation between the bars each day
my cat even eats the left over pellets that have dropped outside the cage

So it can work it just needs time and supervision

As for the rest it sounds like your doing a great job
it may take a little while to find exactly what brand of food he likes just keep at it
he's only new to your home so it may just be with all the adjustments
ask your vets for some samples to try
pellets are best for birds but if he has been on seeds then a slow conversion is possible and we can advise on that if required

I would suggest in about 2 weeks or when you take him to the vet to change his cage around a little rearrange toys and perchs etc this will cause him to become a little unsettled but if he has come to trust you somewhat before you do this it can be a great help in getting the bird out of the cage and to socialize with you
socialization is best done ( when out of the cage) in a small quiet room free of distractions but where the cage can not be seen eg bathroom

Good luck , god bless and I appologise for the essay

 

[Facex2]

What dose it mean when he sits on his perach and purrs almost like a cat??? Is it a good sighn if he lets me scratch his neck even if its through the cage??? Peanuts or no?? He is at least 20 can he learn new words??? Do the recordings you buy and play over and over work?

 

[Cowtown]

NO PEANUTS they are not good for birds...

Purring is a sound of contentment... he is happy and feels secure..

If you can give him scratch his head through the cage then that do show he trust you.

I would not waist my money on the over the counter CDs... just make one of your voice of the words/phrases you want him to learn and use it.

 

[Facex2]

He lets me scratch his neck but I have to be very careful he will turn his head very fast and try to bite me why??? I also think he has a bad toe it looks croocked and he can not bend it in I am lookin for a bird vet and in a farm town they look at you and laugh at you if you can't milk it or kill it and eat it they don't want to deal with it damm its not like I can't pay for it

 

[etse20]

claws and wings will need clipping and maintenance. A lot easier to get it done at the vet. peanuts is not good, try almond. As everyone has already mentioned, it'll take time for the pets (and humans) to get used to each other. Good luck.

 

[JawzX]

if he is an Amazon (have you confirmed this through research, or can you post a picture?) amazons can be very moody and will often display just the behavior you mention, letting you scratch, and then tuning the head quickly to try to bite. This is "normal" and you shouldn't be woried about it, but there are things you an do to reduce the behavior...

try not to pull your hand away quickly if he does that, he'll start to think it's a game of sorts and do it more. If you don't eact strongly he'll get bored with it and probably educe the behavior. It may mean that you get bit a few times, but the best response is to react slowly and calmly, leave him alone for a while after he tries to bite, and he'l eventuall learn that biting means he doesn't get scratched any more. Most Amazons love getting scratched and that's a good motivator.

 

[Facex2]

OUTCH he bit me man I am bleedin good... I just pulled my hand away and in a very calm voice said naughty bird 2 times then went to the bathroom to clean out my wound and Jackie is in the other room rasing hell cause I am gone

 

[SharonC]

Yes, that sounds like an Amazon. Fred bit hard when I first got him last June, but he's mellowed quite a bit. Don't take it personally...and try to have patience. Work with him every day, if he's open to that, and with time, it WILL get better. He's had a lot of adjusting to do. Good luck with Jackie!

BTW, it's great that you walked away and he wants you to come back. He'll connect the fact that a bite will remove you from him. They're very smart birds!!!

 

[Facex2]

Its so nice when I come home from work I give him all my attention for about 2 hours straight he is happy to see me

 

[Starbuck]

Birdtricks.com is the method that I learned to train myself to be a good bird parent. It is an affordable program that does work. It just takes consistency and devoting enough time to your bird. That done, you can have a wonderful relationship with Jackie.