Question About Behavior

[PoeticJustice]

Hello! I'm new around these parts. I always grew up with African grays, macaws, and cockatiels. My husband and I are in the process of buying a caique who we've named Echo. (Echo should be home by the weekend) Anyway, the store workers encourage to visit your bird before you take them home. (We've been up there everyday so far.) My husband went to see Echo yesterday around noon and things went great. I went later that evening (because of work) but the entire time he just wanted to run back toward the perch where the other caiques are in display. (Which he didn't do the day before or earlier that day with my husband.) I'm not sure if this was because he misses his friends (the store has an open display room and domes get out over the perches at night) or because he's not used to being in a cage or if it was just getting too late and he just wanted sleep. I guess my question is us this behavior that you think he'll keep or is this something he's doing because everything is changing and he needs to get used to it. I'm sorry if these questions seem silly. I've never personally bought a bird from a store. (They were either given to me or my dad did everything when I was younger. ) anyway thank you for your time!

I've attached a picture of Echo eating pumpkin.

 

[Dinosrawr]

Is this the only time it has happened? If so, I'm not sure it's something to worry about. It's natural for a caique, which is an extremely silly but social bird, to want to hang out with other caiques. And it's important to learn that your bird isn't always going to want to hang out, and that's okay. They need their own time too. Because they're in the pet store, you can never be 100% sure in what's happened to them that day while you were away, and those unknowns can affect their behaviour towards you.

But I would take this current experience very light hearted. If he was screaming and trying to bite it would be different, but to me it just seems like general, "no, I don't want to cuddle, I want to play!" behaviour [emoji4].

 

[Birdman666]

It's probably because they have their own little routine going, and this is flock time.

Set a new routine for him when he comes in, and they adjust fairly readily.

Caiques are very smart, and very active.

 

[PoeticJustice]

You're probity right birdman. It was pretty close to bed time. Normally he'd be in a perch with the other caiques but since we're in the process of buying he's sleeping in a cage away from every one which has never happened before.

Yeah. That was the only time really. There wasn't any screaming at all and no biting. I mean there was chewing on my hands but no real biting. Like I said my experience with caiques extends to us going to this pet store abs playing with them. I've read up a lot on them and we played with a lot of birds and decided the caique was right for us. I'm glad you're taking me to be light hearted. I was just scared that we would get him home and he wouldn't want to play with us was all. I'm very excited to bring Echo home. I just want stats best for the bird you know?

 

[PoeticJustice]

UPDATE:

Dinosrawr, you were definitely right. I was able to play with him for a long while last night. It turns out he likes tug o war with this little toy he has. He wanted me to chase him in the counter at the store. (He'd hop away and when I'd hop after him with my hand he would hop back to me.) He perched on my hand, puffed up, and allowed head scritches.

We also found that he does not like dried cranberries. XD all is well. Thank you both for your input.

 

[Birdman666]

I've never owned one, but I've played with a bunch. All the caiques I've ever played with loved to roll over on their backs and beak wrestle. They were all very active. They are one of the best trick birds out there, if not the best...

Super active, super interactive playahaulic birds.

 

[BHandWB]

We have a BH caique that is really jittery/nervous and we have had her for 6 months. She just turned a year old. Any techniques to help calm down a very jittery nervous caique? We have a WB that we bought at the same time and he is totally opposite. They are housed in separate cages. She will step up, step down, but that's about it.

 

[Irishj9]

Other users have made good points. I will add that you cannot choose your caique. he must choose YOU, or you are making work for yourself.

Dont purchase until you are sure that he has chosen you. And after purchase, get used to the idea that the world belongs to him. Everything he sees, everything he touches.

 

[Anansi]

We have a BH caique that is really jittery/nervous and we have had her for 6 months. She just turned a year old. Any techniques to help calm down a very jittery nervous caique? We have a WB that we bought at the same time and he is totally opposite. They are housed in separate cages. She will step up, step down, but that's about it.

If her jittery/nervous behavior is due to trust issues, it may simply be a matter of earning her trust... which may take time. Bribing her with her favorite treats and spending time just talking or reading to her without pressuring her to do anything outside of her comfort level will help with time.

If, however, this is just a case of her being jittery from having too much energy, it might be necessary to burn off a lot of that excess energy. If she's flighted, have her do a bunch of targeted flight drills before attempting to spend any type of cuddle time with her. If she's not flighted, you can try targeting her all around her play stand, or getting her to flap her wings as much as possible. Once the extra energy has been siphoned off, she'd come across a lot less jittery.