Solo-bird questions

[NWQuakers]

I posted this in the Quaker forum last night, but maybe other folks will have some ideas:

Mark has only been gone since yesterday morning, but Lucky seems to know this time is different from going to the vet. We think Lucky is female based on what 'didn't' happen between Mark (a DNA tested female) and her, but we could be wrong.

Lucky flew into a friends backyard 8 years ago, unknown age but with a good vocabulary. We took her in 3 years ago, and she got along with Mark but they were never really bonded. I can tell Lucky misses the routine and the birdy company though.

Also, Lucky has always been nervous and twitchy and does some plucking. She's not very tame and we never forced her to let us handle her much. But now I've been able to talk her into coming to the cage door (she's very cage aggressive and defends her happy hut like crazy) and step up without biting and ask for a scratch. Then she tried to fluff up and gack for me. She did it each time I handled her, but I put her back before things got as far as the heehee dance.

We're ok with finding her a Quaker pal, preferably a middle aged male one, but not immediately. How should I deal with helping her get over Mark being gone without being sucked into being her 'mate'?

 

[cnyguy]

You might begin by reminding Lucky how much she is loved and how important she is to you. That kind of reassurance really does help parrots in this kind of situation. Spend a little extra time sitting near Lucky's cage and talk with her. Lucky needs to grieve just as you do, and she too will miss her companion, so it won't be an easy time for her. Some extra attention and maybe a special treat now and then may help a bit.

 

[NWQuakers]

We've been doing that, and she appreciates it, but she also seems to expect me to jump in the cage and set up housekeeping with her

Now that she knows she has our full attention, she's making bank. Begging for extra treats, throwing tantrums....it's hard not to give in out of sympathy, but I want to set some good parameters if she's going to be an only bird.

I've got her starting the habit of going to the doorway of her cage and holding up a foot to step up. She says step up & want scratch, so I pick her up and scratch her head until she starts to gack, then I put her back pretty quickly. I'm hoping she can learn to enjoy being handled without thinking it's a date night

I don't really know what kind of relationship she had with Mark. I saw a little gakking, and a couple of times it looked like they were pondering the heehee dance, but they never really acted like a 'pair'.

This should be interesting.

 

[NWQuakers]

So Lucky has started feeding a mirror toy she has in her cage. It's been there for years, but now since Mark is gone, I've noticed a few pellets placed on a little ledge beneath the mirror, and a few gacks of smoothie on the mirror itself.

I did some rearranging this morning, moved Mark's perches around and switched some toys. I also moved the mirror near a new perch.

One problem is that my partner is working graveyard shift this quarter, so not only is the household disrupted because Mark is gone, Lucky is alone during the day, but knows someone is home, and so gets loud.

We're hoping to find another quaker her age that needs a home, but that may take some time.

 

[MonicaMc]

I don't even recommend giving birds mirrors, as they can get an unhealthy addiction to them and in some cases may even lead to aggression. It's also a bad way for birds to learn how to interact with other birds, because most birds don't realize that their mirror buddy is just a reflection of themselves.


It sounds like Lucky, now lacking companionship, is looking for it the only way she knows how. She's not used to being alone, so it may also be frightening to her. Are there any way you could encourage her to forage? Or perhaps play some quaker videos for her?

 

[NWQuakers]

Yeah, I don't usually make mirrors a big part of my birds environment, but Mark never really had any problems with them. She just talked to it once in a while, nothing unhealthy. She seemed to recognize herself in mirrors pretty well, And was more about people. Lucky never really showed issues either, until now. Guess ill filter out any toys with mirrors for now.

I'm working on habitat enrichment ASAP, plus trying a radio during the day. W don't have tv, which would be helpful. In my old house, my bird room had its own tv, plus was across the street from a busy school. Lots to look at.

Mark was such a perch potato I got used to his low key style of playing. Lucky is going to be a bit more challenging to keep busy. A good way for me to cope with losing Mark though....

 

[goalerjones]

When I am sick, or sleeping later than usual I put Hahnzels cage in the bedroom with me. He has always been a single bird but likes to be in the same room with me. He mocks my snoring and keeps busy with toys while I sleep. Perhaps you could do the same with your roomie and Lucky?

 

[Kiwibird]

Perhaps lucky would like a stuffed friend. Like a parrot beanie baby or something similar to her size to sit in the old cage next to her. Kiwi has a "friend" that's a big, realistic looking stuffed B&G macaw. He's only allowed to "play" with it under supervision (don't want him eating fluff or stuffing), but we keep the toy always visible on a shelf right above his cage, and he seems content with that. Otherwise, make sure lucky is getting used to being a single bird in a positive way. While she does need some extra love, she needs extra toys more to encourage independent play and self rewarding behavior. Foraging toys, toys with knots, chewing toys ect... would all be great distractions to keep her from being lonely and keep her busy with appropriate behaviors.

 

[NWQuakers]

Last night I dug through all the bird gear I had put into storage for lack of interest, and made some changes to Lucky's set up. I made a grooming toy out of plastic chain and fabric strips and hung it near her happy hut. She seems to like it, but I'll keep an eye out that she doesn't get into trouble with loose threads or anything.

I also put in one of the wall mounted activity toys that Mark always ignored. It looks like it mimics the motion quakers do when they want to make a nest, moving twigs around, only this is acrylic. And I picked some pine cones off one of our trees to make some kind of toy with this weekend. I don't want to make too many changes at once.

I notice she is sleeping in later today though. Usually she starts asking to get up as soon as I do.... Oh wait, I take that back. I hear sounds of the heehee dance coming from the covered cage....

 

[NWQuakers]

Ok, Lucky is having some issues.

We've changed up her toys some. She has a foraging toy with food treats and some nice grooming bits that she plays with. No mirrors. A shaggy fabric grooming toy. Assorted 'hard' toys. Moved a few perches, etc.

We're also working with spending time off the cage, a few minutes at a time, a few times a day. She's in full view of the living room, and in front of a big window with a view of a busy bird feeder. Our dogs & cats come & go regularly past where the cage is, for more viewing excitement.

But when we hold her for than a few minutes, or do too much head scratching, she immediately starts the mating thing. And she 'gets busy' with her toys during the day.
She also flock/alarm calls most of the day while my partner is trying to sleep. She starts calling too when we're out of sight.

In her previous home there was a U2 living with her that was rehomed when the husband died. The gal kept Lucky for a few more years, and we took her in. I'm not sure on the exact timing though. Maybe Lucky has never been a solo parrot.

We've been emailing a shelter that's about 5 hours away from us, since they are the only place within a day's drive with adult quakers needing homes, but the soonest we can go meet any of them is Feb. 17th. I was hoping that Lucky might settle down in the meantime, esp with some extra waork, but so far not so much.

 

[Remy]

It sounds like she might be in season.

 

[NWQuakers]

I didn't know Quakers had a season. Mark was always pretty laid back. I kind of think she was a bit simple in some ways. Maybe Lucky is more normal then...oh boy.

 

[MonicaMc]

Have you considered trick training Lucky? That might help distract her from her hormonal behaviors.

You can also try changing the hours of light/dark that she gets, change around her diet, her cage, toys, perches, cage location, etc. If she's in a dim area of the house, put her in a bright area with more light. Maybe consider taking her outside in a harness or small cage so she can get some direct sunlight?

 

[NWQuakers]

We're full on with the hormonal stuff now.
We brought home an abandoned quaker that must be the opposite sex of Lucky, and they are doing all kinds of funny displays.

During the time Lucky was solo, we spent some quality time with her and changed up her environment, adding grooming & foraging toys. Her cage is in front of a big window, so lighting is good, and she has pretty regular sleep times (she tells us when it's time for bed and time to gt up).

The new bird seems rather young, and has some biting/dominance issues that we're carefully addressing. Not knowing his history, we just go slow and hope our interactions with Lucky set a good example.

Lucky has finally decided that she likes people-time, and goes to the cage doorway, waggling one foot in the air to be picked up for head scritches. She saves the courting stuff for Aubrey. Hopefully Aubrey will follow her example soon.

 

[MonicaMc]

I'm behind it seems... been busy with life so haven't had as much opportunity to check in here to see how things are going!


Birds aren't dominant creatures, but I know quakers can be pretty protective of their cage! But that can be said for any bird! LOL I hope the new guy/girl settles in well and the two get along fine!


Also great to hear that Lucky has decided to enjoy human interaction!!!

 

[NWQuakers]

They may not be dominant in the way herd or pack animals are, but they do pay attention to their own perception of 'rank'. Aubrey thinks he should be making the rules as to who gets to hang out with who and when, and biting must have helped get his point across in the past.

He learns fast though, and Lucky is helping demonstrate preferred behaviors.