My Red Belly, Duncan

[thekarens]

I started stick training with Duncan, he steps right up on the stick so I think he was already stick trained which leads me to believe that's how his previous owners got him out of the cage! Before I had the stick I tried to get him to step up on my bare hand and boy did he get me good! This time he drew blood.

So I have him step up on the stick now and give him an almond, his nut of choice.

I would much rather be bit by my mac than my sennies. In the last week I've been nailed twice by Sammie and once by Sydney. Hurts like heck.

 

[JamesC]

I've been nailed a few times by my Sidney. Couple of them where whoppers where I was bleeding from both sides of the finger. They may be as cute as can be but a poi can really get you good.

Fortunately for me, Sidney seems to be calming a little and is less inclined to bite. Instead, he smacks me as hard as he can with the tip on his beak. That can hurt in its own way but at least I'm not popping him back in his cage and going straight to the medicine cabinet.

 

[MyFlock]

They have beaks like razor blades! I was surprised how quickly he broke skin!

 

[MyFlock]

Duncan has his first vet visit coming up, I wonder how he will do? He doesn't like rushed movements and freaks out easily so I'm a bit worried. Also, His pak-o-bird arrived, I ordered a small but I think I could have ordered a size up.

We are doing well with the stick and almond treat. He really doesn't like to spend much time at all outside of his cage though I take him out twice a day. After he's sat on my shoulder for a bit and had his almond he' already wants to go back inside.

On another note: I found out that he was previously owned by an elderly woman who moved out of state. She had two red bellies, the other one is still at the pet shop waiting for a home.

 

[JamesC]

I find that the vets that I have visited are very good about taking a bird's traits into account. I have to caution them about Tootsie's issues and they have all been very responsive to it.

I wonder if Duncan had bonded with the other bird and they are now missing each other. Could be a reason that he is so skittish.

 

[MyFlock]

Hmm I'm not sure if they bonded or not. They didn't have them together but that doesn't mean anything. They were side by side in separate cages but to me they didn't seem too interested in each other. Duncan was the more tame one out of the two of them.

 

[Grraarrgghh]

I'm sure with time he'll enjoy being out more often. I have the opposite problem, in that even though he generally spends 60% of his day in his cage (because I work) during the week, Albert much prefers to be out on his playgym or futzing about on my shoulder as much as possible. He's partially flighted as a well, so I'm guessing he likes being able to fly/glide around a bit too.

 

[Newbsi]

He looks so small. I thought he was a baby. (Im new, you have to forgive me). Very nice profile picture of him though. Perfect to paint! I may use it!

 

[MyFlock]

I'm sure with time he'll enjoy being out more often. I have the opposite problem, in that even though he generally spends 60% of his day in his cage (because I work) during the week, Albert much prefers to be out on his playgym or futzing about on my shoulder as much as possible. He's partially flighted as a well, so I'm guessing he likes being able to fly/glide around a bit too.

It might be just how Duncan was raised. I don't know his past history or if he is even two, he might be older. He might have never been out of his cage very much before which is why he feels so comfortable inside it.

Duncan woke up on the wrong side of his cage today lol refused his nut and wanted to go back inside asap! Well, that's fine me with since I wanted a more independent bird anyway especially when I have the two needy conures.

 

[MyFlock]

He looks so small. I thought he was a baby. (Im new, you have to forgive me). Very nice profile picture of him though. Perfect to paint! I may use it!

No, he's your typical adult sized red bellied parrot. Here's another photo.

 

[MyFlock]

Duncan admiring himself in the mirror, just look at those crazy orange eyes! Lol

This morning- when I uncovered him he says to me: Good Morning Doob and then Morning Doobie! Doobie was his former name but I didn't find out until after I had had him awhile so now I'm calling him Duncan Doobie as his name. My other red belly won't tell me what his former name was lol...

 

[MyFlock]

Ok, so Duncan is no longer Duncan but I'm calling him by his former name only which is ' Doobie' he seems to prefer it and it makes him happy

 

[RavensGryf]

How cute, he seems to have a distinct preference for his former name lol. Then so be it! Doobie it is .

 

[MyFlock]

The lady who dropped them off at the shop never told the workers they're names. They figured out it was Doobie because he kept saying it. When I purchased them they never told me their names so I named him Duncan but now he keeps saying Doobie so yep now Doobie it is!

Griffin doesn't seem to have a preference and hasn't told me his old name, he seems to like his new name Griffin lol maybe he needed a new identity haha

 

[RavensGryf]

That would be interesting to know your Griffin's old name too. Maybe he did need a new identity LOL!

I got Robin when he was only 3 months old, and from my understanding, a family with kids had bought him right before I did (they returned him a week later lol). It was meant to be, as he has been my little soulmate for 21 years now. The store did tell me what they 'briefly' named him, but it was something so stupid that I didn't care to remember it. Some name little kids picked out lol.

 

[MyFlock]

Maybe she named them after the Doobie brothers and Griffins old name is one of the band members? Lol. Who knows!

 

[MyFlock]

Well Doobie has suddenly become afraid? Of my husband and I know he hasn't done anything to make him afraid of him. When he comes in the room when Doobie is out, Doobies eyes bug out and he goes straight up on my shoulder. I wonder if it's because he doesn't see him much since he works nights and sleeps during the day?

At the same time he is becoming increasingly affectionate with me. I seem to have won his trust completely now, before when he go on my shoulder he'd sit for about 5 mins or so and want to go back in his cage and now I can't get him off! He sits contentedly grinding his beak and drowsing off on one foot.

Do you think he is suddenly afraid or just becoming a one person bird?

 

[Taw5106]

I'd say a one person bird. Venus has become my one person bird and she sticks to me if I let her. I call her Velcro Venus. This morning I shared watermelon with her in my chair, I wore watermelon and she thinks my drink is her's too. Anything I touch she has to touch. Buddy got watermelon too but in his cage, I only bring my fids out one at a time.

As for Husband, they run from him but they only see him about 2-4 hours a day and he doesn't interact with them much. Plus his voice is loud, I tease him about that. He can't seem to speak softly so they jump.

 

[Mariar]

You wanna know a stupid name..or silly kid name sissy came with?..cockadoodle...took us a while to rename her. And because she was and still is scared of the weirdest things...my bf renamed her sissy..not my favorite but it suits her personality. We never renamed doolie..he seemed to like his name.

 

[MyFlock]

Update: so Doobie is in love with my hand lately and gently caresses my hand. He's obviously hormonal!

On another note, this bird comes up with the crazy things! The other day after I let him out of his cage when he was sitting beside me he suddenly says; Be Good Doob!....lol and I swear sometimes he responds to me in a conversational manner though I don't know if this is even possible. For instance, when I announce I'm going to clean his cage I could swear hat I heard him say " I know that" another time bringing him in for the night from outside I asked him how he was and he replied " fine" I thought no way! I must be hearing things so I asked him again and he said "fine" omg is this even possible? Amazing if so!