fishkeeper101
New member
- Sep 24, 2012
- 3
- 0
Hi there!
Just joined so I could tell ya'll this story and see if I could get some help/advice.
I just moved into a new apartment where I was told the landlord had a bird that needed some behavioral help. I agreed to help (having a little training/bird experience... I have 2 parakeets and have had cockatiels most my life... and some formal training working at a zoo), but by the time I moved in and actually had a chance to meet the bird, the owner was so upset by her behavior that she was going to let her go in the park blocks here in Portland, so I intercepted her and gave her a new home in my apartment with my crazy parakeets and I.
So Far I know that it is a girl, cause she laid eggs in the past, and that she's probably around 3 or 4, and was "hand raised" but I'm going to go with socialized with humans early rather than hand raised.
With the landlord, she hadn't been let out or had her cage cleaned (! I had to wear a mask and still need to soak the cage again!) in over a month because she was getting so aggressive and every time she was in the cage, she bit the landlord (really, really hard. Got a taste of this yesterday and it was worse than a vulture attack... at least vultures don't leave bruises). In reaction, the previous owner would often hit or flick or smack the bird...
So, now she really really hates hands, sticks, and really anything new. She's had a rough go of it. She lost a toe somehow, well the tip at least, but it seems to be healed and fine. I was told she was housed with her parents until mom tried to kill her (I don't know how long ago that was) so I assume it was probably lost then. She also has some plucking issues on the back of her neck and under the wings (I'm assuming it's from her cause her head is fine...).
Behaviorally, she's pretty consistent, which is nice cause I know what to expect... haha. She's a sweetie and loves attention... when you are a foot away. The second you get close, she attacks. Any skin, shoes, clothing near her will get chewed on for a solid minute or two before she lets go and goes after you again. She also will let me hold a millet spray but again if I get too close she's on me. I've tried offering my arm with a jacket on to start working on step up, but she just attacks it/runs away, which is too be expected.
She's in breeding mode, and from what I can read, lovebirds are not very nice when they are trying to make babies, and I think this may have been what triggered her from being super nice to being the handful that she is right now. She's tried nesting all over my living room when she comes out and is VERY VERY territorial of her cage, especially the bottom. The cage required soaking to get the feces off so I have completely re-arranged the cage and have been doing so often to try and reduce aggression.
I've had her for 4 days, and every day I have been letting her out to run around (which gives me a chance to work on the cage), feeding her millet, working with her to try and get her to let me set my hand on her cage without her reacting (going really well! Just certain areas now or when I'm too close to her, but a lot better than before!). My partner and I also sit down and feed her millet every couple hours... I have a lot of time on my hands right now and he's in school, so she's been getting attention all day.
I haven't noticed the plucking getting any worse/found any more feathers, though she does seem to stay off her left foot a bit, or chew on it, which I think is probably just stereotypic behavior (she has a few of these which are receding the more she's let out of the cage). No blood or growths or anything wrong that I can see, but I just need to find a vet out here to take her to to make sure everything is ok. The last house was a smoking house too, so she's probably enjoying the fresh air.
Phew. Sorry that was a lot of backstory. So Here are my questions.
1. What can I do about the fear of hands/sticks? I would love to be able to handle her, but I don't even really know how to introduce these items without scaring the tar outa her (for eventual step up training, which I've done with all my birds).
2. The plucking... what should I be watching for? The skin seems fine where the feathers are missing, so I don't think it's mites or an infection. Is there anything I can do besides providing a lot of toys and change and attention to help curb this?
3. Realistically, will she ever be able to be handled again? I know she was cuddly before... Do you think we will every achieve the "hand-raised" state again?
In advance, thanks so much for reading! I really appreciate any advice ya'll have!
Thanks!
Aaron
Just joined so I could tell ya'll this story and see if I could get some help/advice.
I just moved into a new apartment where I was told the landlord had a bird that needed some behavioral help. I agreed to help (having a little training/bird experience... I have 2 parakeets and have had cockatiels most my life... and some formal training working at a zoo), but by the time I moved in and actually had a chance to meet the bird, the owner was so upset by her behavior that she was going to let her go in the park blocks here in Portland, so I intercepted her and gave her a new home in my apartment with my crazy parakeets and I.
So Far I know that it is a girl, cause she laid eggs in the past, and that she's probably around 3 or 4, and was "hand raised" but I'm going to go with socialized with humans early rather than hand raised.
With the landlord, she hadn't been let out or had her cage cleaned (! I had to wear a mask and still need to soak the cage again!) in over a month because she was getting so aggressive and every time she was in the cage, she bit the landlord (really, really hard. Got a taste of this yesterday and it was worse than a vulture attack... at least vultures don't leave bruises). In reaction, the previous owner would often hit or flick or smack the bird...
So, now she really really hates hands, sticks, and really anything new. She's had a rough go of it. She lost a toe somehow, well the tip at least, but it seems to be healed and fine. I was told she was housed with her parents until mom tried to kill her (I don't know how long ago that was) so I assume it was probably lost then. She also has some plucking issues on the back of her neck and under the wings (I'm assuming it's from her cause her head is fine...). Behaviorally, she's pretty consistent, which is nice cause I know what to expect... haha. She's a sweetie and loves attention... when you are a foot away. The second you get close, she attacks. Any skin, shoes, clothing near her will get chewed on for a solid minute or two before she lets go and goes after you again. She also will let me hold a millet spray but again if I get too close she's on me. I've tried offering my arm with a jacket on to start working on step up, but she just attacks it/runs away, which is too be expected.
She's in breeding mode, and from what I can read, lovebirds are not very nice when they are trying to make babies, and I think this may have been what triggered her from being super nice to being the handful that she is right now. She's tried nesting all over my living room when she comes out and is VERY VERY territorial of her cage, especially the bottom. The cage required soaking to get the feces off so I have completely re-arranged the cage and have been doing so often to try and reduce aggression.
I've had her for 4 days, and every day I have been letting her out to run around (which gives me a chance to work on the cage), feeding her millet, working with her to try and get her to let me set my hand on her cage without her reacting (going really well! Just certain areas now or when I'm too close to her, but a lot better than before!). My partner and I also sit down and feed her millet every couple hours... I have a lot of time on my hands right now and he's in school, so she's been getting attention all day.
I haven't noticed the plucking getting any worse/found any more feathers, though she does seem to stay off her left foot a bit, or chew on it, which I think is probably just stereotypic behavior (she has a few of these which are receding the more she's let out of the cage). No blood or growths or anything wrong that I can see, but I just need to find a vet out here to take her to to make sure everything is ok. The last house was a smoking house too, so she's probably enjoying the fresh air.
Phew. Sorry that was a lot of backstory. So Here are my questions.
1. What can I do about the fear of hands/sticks? I would love to be able to handle her, but I don't even really know how to introduce these items without scaring the tar outa her (for eventual step up training, which I've done with all my birds).
2. The plucking... what should I be watching for? The skin seems fine where the feathers are missing, so I don't think it's mites or an infection. Is there anything I can do besides providing a lot of toys and change and attention to help curb this?
3. Realistically, will she ever be able to be handled again? I know she was cuddly before... Do you think we will every achieve the "hand-raised" state again?
In advance, thanks so much for reading! I really appreciate any advice ya'll have!
Thanks!
Aaron
