I need help with Alice's little bad habits!

[Bettymonroe]

ok so the switching from formula is not going well...She dont seem to like the pellets or maybe its the bowl there in.

Also. I get home at around 11:30pm from work. i walk the dog an such then spend about an hour or so with alice. She seems to "conure scream" lots more at night. And she has been bad about when its time for bed she just screams and screams. im sure the lady next door LOVES me (im in a apt.):54:

Last but not least is how do i teach her to stay on top of her cage or on a perch in the house. cause as of right now she wants to ride on mommy and only on mommy. if im not near the cage she TRYS to fly to find me.i want to get her one of them perches that goes in the shower but im afraid she wont stay on it. I just want to start good habits before they become bad...

It was kinda cute she flew to the table with the bowl of formula and syringe. she put her head in the bowl and picked up the syringe.... she know where the food is...lol

 

[Beilana]

I wish I could help you more but I'm experiencing similar problems with my GCC Hiroshi. He wants to be on me 24/7 and right now thats fine but soon it won't be and he's going to be confused.

What I'm going to do, and you could try to is figuring out what he REALLY loves and having it ONLY in certain places and not with me. That way its more encouragement to stay on the cage, perch etc.

Not sure if it will work but its worth a shot!

 

[Spiritbird]

About the shower perch. It took me about 2 weeks of pre conditioning to get Rosie to use one. First I took her in the bathroom with me taking a shower and put the perch on the mirror so she could sit there for a while and she did. I did this for several days then graduated to the shower curtain rod. Let her watch you and be very animated in the shower, you are teaching her water is fun. Then try the perch in the shower and see if she has an interest. As far as getting her to enjoy other perches it will be a slow, gradual training process. Treats come when she is on a different perch. Important to make it fun for her.

 

[greycloud]

How old is your bird? I would try mixing some apple juice with pellets and offer to her.
11:30 pm is very late to be getting your bird out to interact with. They need 12 hours of sleep, especially a baby.
Try covering the cage with a blanket when you get home. Playtime can be before you go to work.

 

[Birdamor]

My conures love to bathe and they do it on their own every single day right after breakfast so I don't think you will need the shower perch.

As to the weaning, it takes a long time, it needs to be done very gradually and you need to offer at least three different kinds of soft, wet food for them to choose from (if you want to use pellets, you will have to wet them and mash them). And, even when they are eating on their own all the time, they should still get a little bit twice a day or so for another two or three months.

She is screaming at night because she can't go back to sleep immediately after you turn off the light, she needs the sunset to start producing melatonin so she can get sleepy and, as you are doing this in the middle of the night, I am afraid you have a problem in your hands. You can help by reducing the light gradually (like with a dimmer), turning it down a little bit at a time and waiting 15 minutes between each 'turn'. It's not the same thing as sunset because the spectrum is still the same and only the intensity changes but it's the best you can do under the circumstances and it does help.

She also wants company. Baby parrots 'know' they are never meant to be by themselves, they have siblings and the parents with them 24/7 and when they are alone, they call for help. It's very scary for a little bird to be all alone. Try making a 'brother' for her. Get a fuzzy sock or make a tube out of a fuzzy kind of material, put a cheap watch (make sure it ticks) in the middle and stuff it all around the watch with something soft (you can just make a knot at the end or sew it shut but don't use any pins or staples or anything that might hurt her). Tie or saw the brother to a side wall and place a small heating pad right on the other side (make sure she cannot get to the heating pad). The feeling of a warm, fuzzy body with a 'heartbeat' next to her will comfort her when you are not there.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Great ideas there from Birdamor.

Only thought I have to add is to suggest (if you haven't done it yet) mixing the weaning formula with the pellets - or vice versa. Since she knows where the formula bowl is - and what it's for - this would be a good place to start. Throw a few pellets in the bowl with the formula and try to offer them to her (perhaps on a spoon).