New here..I rescued an Alexandrine... Meet Crazy Stan Lee

[Niteldy]

Stan Lee is 5 years old and physically healthy according to the Vet , but could use a highly skilled Psychiatrist according to him and everyone!! LOL, I got this poor boy 4 months ago- he was pretty bald .. He had been abused physically and had eaten only human foods .. his favorite being potato chips and French Frys ! I have spent the last 4 months giving him seed, fresh veggies, fruits, and pellets. I have spent a fortune trying to get this guy to eat! He goes absolutely crazy when he hears someone opening a bag of chips.One day while I ate, he decided to eat from my plate and had some fruit and grabbed some noodles! Well, he loves noodles. so, I have to put some in his chop to get him to eat However he refuses chop and won't eat any lettuce type varieties at all! SO, chop is wasted I am going Nutz! Can anyone tell me what to do? His beautiful feathers started coming in nicely and BOOM last night he started plucking again! UGH!!!!!!!!!!
He screams when he wants something and it's so loud, I have to attend to it! UGH!!! Can someone help me???? The Vet said he has been traumatized and may never get his feathers- I hope and pray Hes wrong. He acts like he doesn't know how to be a bird! He doesn't bath or play or chew on toys or flap his wings or anything like a normal bird- He would rather hide his head in my sweater and lay on my chest! anyone know what's going on with him???

 

[Deleted member 42416]

Congrats on your baby and much admiration for taking on a rescue! He is still adjusting and he will learn to be a birby, he still needs reassurance and time. So, these guys have the intelligence AND emotional spectrum of a 3 to 5 year old human! He is just soaking up the love!

Feather destructive behavior is common in many captive parrots, especially if they were hand-fed then neglected. The behavior often “pauses” when they change environments and resumes once they become comfortable again. Usually after a few months…that appears to be the case here.

There is a ton of info on the forum regarding feather destructive behavior. In addition to dietary and environmental enrichment, medication may be needed to stop the endorphin and dopamine reward that comes along with plucking pain. Our rescue cockatoo, Rico, has responded so well to medication and he is now fully feathered. I would seek an avian vet specifically versed in the work and protocols by Dr. Jeffery Jenkins. (He is still in practice in San Diego…you could just call his office).

Your little guy is absolutely adorable! Best wishes to you both!

 

[wrench13]

Hi and welcome. Actually you are in a good place, as Stan Lee is still into being with people. Often IRNs, when deprived of 1 on 1 contact with people , often revert to an almost wild state.

But, and this is true of so many parrots, their rate of acceptance to change is GLACIAL when compared to our quick monkey brains. Be prepared for many set backs and keep in mind the end goal, a well adjusted, healthy parrot. As far as chop, don;t give up, even tho it may seem a waste of time, produce and $$. Vary how you present the veggies - finely chopped, bigger chunks, whole veggies ( like hot peppers, the hottest!).
If he likes pasta, choose the single ingredient type and no salt added. Playing with toys is something that is learned, not instinctive, so you need to show him how much fun they are, literally. PLay with them, making sounds of fun and excitement, in front of Stan Lee. You gotta show him!

 

[Niteldy]

Congrats on your baby and much admiration for taking on a rescue! He is still adjusting and he will learn to be a birby, he still needs reassurance and time. So, these guys have the intelligence AND emotional spectrum of a 3 to 5 year old human! He is just soaking up the love!

Feather destructive behavior is common in many captive parrots, especially if they were hand-fed then neglected. The behavior often “pauses” when they change environments and resumes once they become comfortable again. Usually after a few months…that appears to be the case here.

There is a ton of info on the forum regarding feather destructive behavior. In addition to dietary and environmental enrichment, medication may be needed to stop the endorphin and dopamine reward that comes along with plucking pain. Our rescue cockatoo, Rico, has responded so well to medication and he is now fully feathered. I would seek an avian vet specifically versed in the work and protocols by Dr. Jeffery Jenkins. (He is still in practice in San Diego…you could just call his office).

Your little guy is absolutely adorable! Best wishes to you both!

Thank you so much- I have an Avian Vet but not many specialist in my area - Dont know if I said but I live in the area of Provo in Utah .

 

[ShellyL]

Stan Lee is 5 years old and physically healthy according to the Vet , but could use a highly skilled Psychiatrist according to him and everyone!! LOL, I got this poor boy 4 months ago- he was pretty bald .. He had been abused physically and had eaten only human foods .. his favorite being potato chips and French Frys ! I have spent the last 4 months giving him seed, fresh veggies, fruits, and pellets. I have spent a fortune trying to get this guy to eat! He goes absolutely crazy when he hears someone opening a bag of chips.One day while I ate, he decided to eat from my plate and had some fruit and grabbed some noodles! Well, he loves noodles. so, I have to put some in his chop to get him to eat However he refuses chop and won't eat any lettuce type varieties at all! SO, chop is wasted I am going Nutz! Can anyone tell me what to do? His beautiful feathers started coming in nicely and BOOM last night he started plucking again! UGH!!!!!!!!!!
He screams when he wants something and it's so loud, I have to attend to it! UGH!!! Can someone help me???? The Vet said he has been traumatized and may never get his feathers- I hope and pray Hes wrong. He acts like he doesn't know how to be a bird! He doesn't bath or play or chew on toys or flap his wings or anything like a normal bird- He would rather hide his head in my sweater and lay on my chest! anyone know what's going on with him???

View attachment 34031

Awww. I am currently fostering an Alexandrine. I am hopeful that he will stop plucking. Sadly he has no tail feathers. He has a great disposition and loves to explore everything!

 

[HeatherG]

What beautiful birds they are!
Diet: iceberg lettuce isn’t nutritious. Go for romaine or red lettucr or other greens like kale or chard or spices like mustard, basil. Frozen veggies with no or little salt, like broccoli, carrots, peppers, etc. are great. Any vegetable or fruit that’s in season, going light in high carb ones like corn and peas. Try different sizes of chop. Eat some in front of Stanley and dont share right away. Try dried fruits and veggies, too, if he likes chips, or if you eat healthy food yourself, give him some before it’s buttered or salted.
bird kebabs are another way to present fresh food.
Years ago, I adopted a blind bird who had been terribly physically abused. He had few feathers besides on his head. He was chewing holes in himself so I put s collar on him to keep him safe. Also he was covered in nicotine and tar from his bad home which was part of why he was plucking his feathers.

the first night this bird was with me, I bathed him in the sink with baby shampoo, rinsing him very well and toweling him dry. I thought he would hate me. No! He wailed and cried when I put him back In his carrier for the night. I think he thought he was never going to come out again.
Since Stanley likes to be held or cuddled under your sweater, let him do that while he needs to! He needs to feel safe and like he has a flock and home before he can do anything else. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs put a home and safety before anything else. Otherwise, intelligent social animals can’t calm down and do the other things they need to get better: eating good food, sleeping, bathing, interacting with others snd v learning to be friendly.
I have had many rescued birds and was in foster care a while when I was s kid. Safety is so important. Yes, Stanley needs to eat better foods than fried potatoes! But he also needs to feel safe enough that he can sleep and relax and settle in, too.
thank you for taking in this handsome bird! I think alexandrines are gorgeous! Alas, I don’t have a place for a big loud bird in my apartment. I hope he does very well with you. P.s. I worked for more than a year to get my adopted Quaker to eat pellets and it finally worked after about four brands. Probably because the other bird ran out of his pellets and has to share Quaker’s pellets. That convinced him. Keep trying and enjoy the cuddles.

 

[Emeral]

Stan Lee is 5 years old and physically healthy according to the Vet , but could use a highly skilled Psychiatrist according to him and everyone!! LOL, I got this poor boy 4 months ago- he was pretty bald .. He had been abused physically and had eaten only human foods .. his favorite being potato chips and French Frys ! I have spent the last 4 months giving him seed, fresh veggies, fruits, and pellets. I have spent a fortune trying to get this guy to eat! He goes absolutely crazy when he hears someone opening a bag of chips.One day while I ate, he decided to eat from my plate and had some fruit and grabbed some noodles! Well, he loves noodles. so, I have to put some in his chop to get him to eat However he refuses chop and won't eat any lettuce type varieties at all! SO, chop is wasted I am going Nutz! Can anyone tell me what to do? His beautiful feathers started coming in nicely and BOOM last night he started plucking again! UGH!!!!!!!!!!
He screams when he wants something and it's so loud, I have to attend to it! UGH!!! Can someone help me???? The Vet said he has been traumatized and may never get his feathers- I hope and pray Hes wrong. He acts like he doesn't know how to be a bird! He doesn't bath or play or chew on toys or flap his wings or anything like a normal bird- He would rather hide his head in my sweater and lay on my chest! anyone know what's going on with him???

View attachment 34031

Deep respect for your heroic rescue. The recovery process is going to be long but it can be fun. We are so glad you let us take this journey together with you and Stan Lee.

For the time being, he is still figuring out how the new world with you works. The new world that you have waiting for him have lots of love, toys, bath, out of cage time, seeds fruits and veggies. He haven't got a clue, so far he only understood the first thing on the list. And that is love. His current response is normal given his past upnormal circumstances. (Existing in a cage, without toy, without bath, stealing food from human plate and plucking)

From your story above, this is my translation of his bird's mind........

1) "Thank you for having me, I will show you my appreciation by cuddle up with you. I was hand fed and hence I like to stay close to you. I learned to do this when I was very young."

2) "Sounds of opened bag is my food stimuli, it means food or starvation to me. When will I get that chips from the bag again? What do I have to do?"

"I wish to eat what you eat. Can I eat with you? You are so cool. I would love to join your flock. Birds In the same flock instinctively eat together."

3) "You have been putting things called seed, fresh veggies, fruits, and pellets near me. I don't know what it is for. I have never seen it before in my life. I am not familiar with the color or the smell. Is it poisonous? I haven't seen you eat it. Nor have I seen any bird eat it. No I have not. So I don't know if it is edible."

4) "What is taking a bath? I have never been given a chance! I am not sure why I would want to do it, are you certain it is safe?"

5) "What is that new thing called toy? Is it a furniture? I don't know what to do with it. If I chew on this furniture, will you be angry?"

6) "I must figure out how to feel alive.
How to get things my way.
A Ha! I got it.
If I pluck, I get attention.
If I scream, I win."

This is a translation of bird's mind based on bird's behavioral development under unusual circumstances. Additionally, the topics that a bird's psychiatrist might suggest are as follows.....

1) Introduction of new food. As you would in a small child. (Slowly from puree to small pieces to big bites)

For example, start from eating apple sauce in front of him. Tell him it is delicious. Then feed apple sauce to his beak. After the taste and smell is liked, then in the next few days, eat chopped apple with him. Then perhaps, next week, you can eat a slice of apple in front of him.....and let him take a bite and so on with other fresh fruits and veggies.

Post in thread 'How to get my cockatiel to eat fruit' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/how-to-get-my-cockatiel-to-eat-fruit.91574/post-946126

2) Teaching simple commands for basic communications. For instance, I say yummy as I eat. So my Emerald knows this means food. Anytime, I say Yummy to her, she immediately know that this new item is edible.

Short, repeated words again and again always works well. Saying Good boy, praise him when he eat new food. Use praise as a stimuli. Give headscratch after training sessions.

Thread 'Tips for Bonding and Building Trust' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/tips-for-bonding-and-building-trust.49144/

3) as for teaching bathing in shallow dish, I suggest you get him familiarize with a hair blower noise first. Try blowing your hair from a few meters away. Move closer everyday until next to him.

I would let him take it at his own pace.

On a sunny morning.....
Let him watch you put 1cm deep water in a shallow dish. Put your hand palm down on the dish. Talk to him, tell him it is nice and warm. Let him observe that the water is shallow. Let him see that your hand is in the water and it is safe.

Wait for him to feel safe enough to jump on your hand in the dish. If he bend down to drink from the water, he feel safe. Let him jump on the water on his own. If he does, you might need to blow him dry on a cold day.

4) As for screaming for attention, we have many useful threads. This is a short one for screams as contact call and its remedy. If your screamer doesn't stop, explain the situation in more details. So that our experienced members can better assist you

Post in thread 'GCC wont stop screaming to get my attention no matter what I do.' https://www.parrotforums.com/thread...tention-no-matter-what-i-do.91083/post-936739

5) introducing new toys, let him see you touching it with your hands as a toy advertisement. He needs to know that it is safe, it's not going to bite.

6) for plucking ....this thread has useful detailed information......

Thread 'Plucking: A Search For Answers' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/plucking-a-search-for-answers.52217/

Hope this helps

 

[HeatherG]

Deep respect for your heroic rescue. The recovery process is going to be long but it can be fun. We are so glad you let us take this journey together with you and Stan Lee.

For the time being, he is still figuring out how the new world with you works. The new world that you have waiting for him have lots of love, toys, bath, out of cage time, seeds fruits and veggies. He haven't got a clue, so far he only understood the first thing on the list. And that is love. His current response is normal given his past upnormal circumstances. (Existing in a cage, without toy, without bath, stealing food from human plate and plucking)

From your story above, this is my translation of his bird's mind........

1) "Thank you for having me, I will show you my appreciation by cuddle up with you. I was hand fed and hence I like to stay close to you. I learned to do this when I was very young."

2) "Sounds of opened bag is my food stimuli, it means food or starvation to me. When will I get that chips from the bag again? What do I have to do?"

"I wish to eat what you eat. Can I eat with you? You are so cool. I would love to join your flock. Birds In the same flock instinctively eat together."

3) "You have been putting things called seed, fresh veggies, fruits, and pellets near me. I don't know what it is for. I have never seen it before in my life. I am not familiar with the color or the smell. Is it poisonous? I haven't seen you eat it. Nor have I seen any bird eat it. No I have not. So I don't know if it is edible."

4) "What is taking a bath? I have never been given a chance! I am not sure why I would want to do it, are you certain it is safe?"

5) "What is that new thing called toy? Is it a furniture? I don't know what to do with it. If I chew on this furniture, will you be angry?"

6) "I must figure out how to feel alive.
How to get things my way.
A Ha! I got it.
If I pluck, I get attention.
If I scream, I win."

This is a translation of bird's mind based on bird's behavioral development under unusual circumstances. Additionally, the topics that a bird's psychiatrist might suggest are as follows.....

1) Introduction of new food. As you would in a small child. (Slowly from puree to small pieces to big bites)

For example, start from eating apple sauce in front of him. Tell him it is delicious. Then feed apple sauce to his beak. After the taste and smell is liked, then in the next few days, eat chopped apple with him. Then perhaps, next week, you can eat a slice of apple in front of him.....and let him take a bite and so on with other fresh fruits and veggies.

Post in thread 'How to get my cockatiel to eat fruit' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/how-to-get-my-cockatiel-to-eat-fruit.91574/post-946126

2) Teaching simple commands for basic communications. For instance, I say yummy as I eat. So my Emerald knows this means food. Anytime, I say Yummy to her, she immediately know that this new item is edible.

Short, repeated words again and again always works well. Saying Good boy, praise him when he eat new food. Use praise as a stimuli. Give headscratch after training sessions.

Thread 'Tips for Bonding and Building Trust' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/tips-for-bonding-and-building-trust.49144/

3) as for teaching bathing in shallow dish, I suggest you get him familiarize with a hair blower noise first. Try blowing your hair from a few meters away. Move closer everyday until next to him.

I would let him take it at his own pace.

On a sunny morning.....
Let him watch you put 1cm deep water in a shallow dish. Put your hand palm down on the dish. Talk to him, tell him it is nice and warm. Let him observe that the water is shallow. Let him see that your hand is in the water and it is safe.

Wait for him to feel safe enough to jump on your hand in the dish. If he bend down to drink from the water, he feel safe. Let him jump on the water on his own. If he does, you might need to blow him dry on a cold day.

4) As for screaming for attention, we have many useful threads. This is a short one for screams as contact call and its remedy. If your screamer doesn't stop, explain the situation in more details. So that our experienced members can better assist you

Post in thread 'GCC wont stop screaming to get my attention no matter what I do.' https://www.parrotforums.com/thread...tention-no-matter-what-i-do.91083/post-936739

5) introducing new toys, let him see you touching it with your hands as a toy advertisement. He needs to know that it is safe, it's not going to bite.

6) for plucking ....this thread has useful detailed information......

Thread 'Plucking: A Search For Answers' https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/plucking-a-search-for-answers.52217/

Hope this helps

This is a wonderful comprehensive post.
i would add, since Stanley likes to cuddle, maybe he will like you to feed him tidbits of healthy food by hand? Or you can make a warm mush of healthy food and feed him the mush with a spoon like a baby.
also, some of my birds like to bathe in cold water. My Lucy needed some convincing to get in the sink or dish, so my hand would go in the dish and take a fun bath, making enticing splashy drippy noises with the water.
mostly Stan lee needs to know that you love him and he is safe. Kids who are scared and hurt hang back and want to be cuddled and reassured just like Stan lee Is doing with you. Enjoy the cuddles from your big beaked baby. (I am thinking of my Magoo and missing him now.).