New (re-homed) Meyers, saying hello & requesting encouragement

[osnyder]

Hello parrot forum people!
I have just taken a 5 year old Meyers Parrot home. I am very, very excited. He seems perfectly charming and quirky, and is at work adjusting to his surroundings.

I think I could use some encouragement and knowing advice speaking to the amount of work and time it takes to bond with an adult bird. He is open to the concept of being relaxed with me, but is very moody. Yesterday morning he was willing to sit on my shoulder but today he seems to hate my guts unless I'm offering an almond. And even then, just now he took my offering and angrily threw it on the cage floor.

So... tell me there's hope. His environment is very different here than it was where he was living. More people, fewer birds, different vibe... he was offered for adoption for reasons of 'irreconcilable differences,' namely jealousy and not getting about attention because of the aggression that resulted.

thanks so much--
O.S.

 

[merlinsmom13]

Hello & welcome. I dont have experience w/meyers but time & patience works wonders. Work w/him in small increments of time & try to end on a positive note. Make it fun & let him go @ his pace. He's probably angry to be taken from his home. Good luck.

 

[andrea.faerie]

I just took in a 5 year old Blue head pionus and having the same problem actually. She looooves when we give her food and is ok with us on her terms. We've started reading our assignments out loud and doing our homework in the bedroom, about 2-3 feet from her cage. We have a 5 month old black cap conure that is in the same room, but separate cage, they verbalize (seemingly) friendlily but I'm not going to put them together for some time. Bleu (the pionus) was in a nearly silent home and rarely played with since the owner's daughter moved out so it's quite sad... but we're giving her plenty of space, patience, and TLC. I think it'll be the same with your new birdie! Just make sure to take baby steps and always reward the bird for good behavior

 

[Shade]

Patience is key.
Out of all of my guys, 4 were rehomes - one was about to turn 3, one was already 12-13 years old, one was a year and a half (but had a less than steady home during that first year) and one was 5.

With all of them, I found that building a relationship of trust took some time - it was easier with some than others, but it definitively took a few months. Taking small steps and making sure both the bird and you are ready to move forward at the same time is also important. It can be a very rewarding experience to get to a point where everyone is comfortable with everyone else, but it does take work.

 

[osnyder]

I find it helpful to hear from more experienced owners that this is a time-consuming process.

The update is that he appears to be most wary of me out of the household members, which is interesting in that I give him the most attention. But his history indicates a preference for males, and last night he literally climbed onto my husbands hand, up his arm, and stayed on his shoulders until I made him "step up" onto a perch and put him back in his cage. This was the first time he'd had any physical contact with him, and for the man who generally wants nothing to do with the birds. I was both touched at the affection he seemed to show my husband and, frankly, quite jealous.

But, I will persist!
cheers.

 

[Karigan]

My sennie took about 3 weeks to become comfortable with us, though she seemed fairly well socialized before we got her.

 

[TeakwoodBirdHouse]

It is always a slow process. You have to go at their pace. Treats, soft speaking, lots of attention, etc. all work wonders. Hang around the cage, tlk, or read aloud, the words don't matter. Your attention, mannerisms, and voice is what he'll focus on. Remember to not give the impression of staring, (predators do that). If you wear glasses, that often looks like wide staring eyes to birds, so, blink often, until he gets used to seeing you. Sounds ridiculous, but it's true. Just go slow, and you'll see improvement in no time.

 

[YNAMomma]

Hello, and welcome to the board. I don't know enough about meyers to offer to much advice but i know bonding is a game of patience and understanding. I just took in 2 amazons myself a week and a half ago and this new environment is of differences from where they were and its taking them time to get used to it. They were untamed when i got them and they have already come along to taking food from hand and letting you pet them gently. Its just takes time, but don't be put off because once the effect of your patience starts to shine through it will be worth every loud crabby second you spent with him. =) Parrots are better then any TV show ever made when is it comes to entertainment. Have fun and again welcome to parrot forums. =)

 

[coral1]

i have a 5 year old Blue headed pionus named marty got him almost a year ago parrots also have bad days dont let it discourage you! you have days when you want people to leave you alone to, so does your bird let him come to you on his own terms hes going through a lot its very stressful to have your life changed around so much! think about how you would feel if you were the bird i know its weird but try it! just give it time and he'll adjust dont get discouraged

 

[coral1]

also my bird prefers males still does but now prefers me over everyone if you keep trying but let him come to you chances are he'll learn to love you and marty took to my boyfriend way more quickly then he did with me but now hes my little baby bird so dont stop trying it just takes time!

 

[mtdoramike]

First off, tell us about the back ground of your new bird, like where did he come from what type of up bringing did he have, has he been well taken care of, mistreated? Was he supposed to be hand tame?

When I first got my Senegal, (quite similar to your species of bird), she was 11 months old, supposedly hand tame. But when the owner brought her to my home and took her out of the cage, she tried to bite the owner. So my point is, eventhough they tout a bird as being hand fed or hand tame, you need to take it as the bird will require lots of time and interaction from you in order to form a lasting bond.

It will happen, it might take weeks or months. But it will happen. You just have to move slowly, sit by his cage, read, talk and sing to him. Don't worry, I can't carry a tune even if I tote it in a 5 gallon bucket, so either the bird warms up to me or I keep singin. Believe me, the bird comes around sooner than later if nothing else but to shut me up hahahahaha.

 

[mtdoramike]

Oh and by the way, pictures always helps.;

 

[osnyder]

thanks everyone, so appreciated. here are a couple photos-- taken with the phone so not the best but you get the idea. The cage will be replaced asap, I believe it's too small.

He was well cared for. He was purchased from a store in Manhattan apparently around 5 years ago called Bird Camp; he had been returned by a couple who felt he was aggressive toward one member of a couple, the female. My contact bought him at that point. He lived with two men, one of whom was there on weekends only due to working long distance, so he spent much more time with one member of the household, and became aggressive toward him and moody with his primary person. Their feeling is that he's been neglected relative to the other bird members of their household, who are all less moody and not aggressive. They wanted him to have a home with more individual attention and more interaction.

And that's where we are! I feel better simply with the kind encouragement and assurance that eventually things will get less touch-and-go. But overall I'm thrilled to have him here

 

[Shade]

thanks everyone, so appreciated. here are a couple photos-- taken with the phone so not the best but you get the idea. The cage will be replaced asap, I believe it's too small.

He was well cared for. He was purchased from a store in Manhattan apparently around 5 years ago called Bird Camp; he had been returned by a couple who felt he was aggressive toward one member of a couple, the female. My contact bought him at that point. He lived with two men, one of whom was there on weekends only due to working long distance, so he spent much more time with one member of the household, and became aggressive toward him and moody with his primary person. Their feeling is that he's been neglected relative to the other bird members of their household, who are all less moody and not aggressive. They wanted him to have a home with more individual attention and more interaction.

And that's where we are! I feel better simply with the kind encouragement and assurance that eventually things will get less touch-and-go. But overall I'm thrilled to have him here

It sounds like his story shares some similarities with my eldest Meyer's, Petey.

He's has a few homes in his past and the furthest I know about, he was brought in a pet store by one of the former owners for a nail/wing trim. As the store clerk was doing this, he left, telling the clerk to keep Petey as he was too agressive and then walked out. The clerk, a man, kept Petey for a while since Petey was good with him but a few years down, gave him up to a rescue saying it just wasn't working between between and his partner. After a little work and the knowledge that Petey does NOT like women, he was rehomed into a house where the primary care giver was a women and she wanted to give him a chance. A few weeks later it just didn't work out and he ended up back at the rescue and I got him. I knew he hated women, but figured he needed some stability. For two months things were ok between us than, the "honeymoon" period ended - he got comfortable and unleashed the real Petey...
We need to work on his trust towards women. I have to say, in the three years I have had him, he's made some progress but we still have some work to do. He's totally my Significant Other's bird - he LOVES him.

while I move him around on a perch (a pretty nasty bite has pushed me to handle him that way), I can still scratch his head if he's in the right mood. And when my Significant Other isn't around (away for work purpose for a few weeks at a time), he's totally ok with me - no real sign of aggression. And truth be told...he always listens to me when I ask him to step up and be moved, he doesn't always do so with my SO....

 

[Bright Star]

Geordi is beautiful! Being only 3 weeks into my own Poi relationship, I may not be as experienced as others, but I have seen how a tame bird can seem less tame in a new environment. Finn is an awesome little boy but after getting bitten - through my own ignorance when I forced him to step up - I found him extra nippy when I tried to handle him again. That was as much my fault as anyone's too. I was nervous and wishy-washy in asking him to step up for several days. I pulled away if he reached with his beak first. As a result, there were about 2 days when I couldn't handle him at all.

Well, yesterday I decided I'd be strong and ask him to step up firmly but gently, regardless of the beak. I got nipped 3 times, but after he was out of his high-rise, luxury condo for a while and it was time to go back in, he stepped up like the champion stepper-upper he is. Today when I asked him to step up, we were both more confident and it showed in the step-up. No nips, no hesitation from either of us, no fear.

My point in all this is, make sure you're giving him his space but being a strong support as well. I've learned first-hand how my emotions can color my interactions with Finn. I'm sure I have much more to learn and will have other hiccups as we get to know each other, but I've also learned where I've made mistakes and how to begin to make things better. As a longtime bird owner and trainer told me recently, behaviors are not static and are always changing, presenting new opportunities and new challenges throughout the life of the parrot/parront bond. It's a challenge, but one that keeps us on our toes and always learning, I think

I wish you and Geordi all the best!

 

[carbn8]

I My wife and I have just taken in a young senegal parrot as well as a 3 year old green cheek ,both came from the same home it was not a bad situation thankfully, and it seems to be going well. Timmy the green cheek is well setteled and attached to my wife. Doja the senegal likes to grace me with her presence when she wants a scratch. I do have some questions about senegal behavior. Doja really prefers her cage top, or being scratched in her cage. Also She does this thing that seems like being a " baby." she will drop semi open her wings and start bobbing and chatting. It is really cute, and she is really reseptive and tries to mimic constantly while she is doing it. While her and I are playing the " baby" game this evening she decided she wanted to bite me. It was not a play bite, it broke the skin but not enough to draw blood. She continued to try to bite me on the walk to her cage. Anybody have and insight please share. All in all we couldnt be happier.

 

[gypsyqueen135]

I have a rescue she is the swetest thing but I sing to her as much as I can I think it makes them mellow.