Good morning everyone!
I am glad to have found this forum and love reading about everyone's adventures with their fids. Currently I have Team Tiel, which include Mango and Kiwi, and Ginger and Fred who are old breeders from a rescue. Recently, I have added Stewie, a 4 1/2 year old Senegal into the mix. Her previous owner got her believing her to be a male, but actually believes she is a female. I am trying to make the settling in process as painless as possible. Stewie was owned by one previous owner. Stewie started plucking behaviors when around other larger parrots. So Stewie came to me. I am trying to set boundaries and make sure his settling in goes as smoothly as possible. Currently, Team Tiel is allowed out of their cage for 2 hours of free fly time around my office in my morning when I first start work. Stewie stays covered during this time so does not see the Tiels climbing all over me, playing, etc. My hubby comes in at 7 am and brings the birds their morning food. The Tiels go back into their cage which is quite large (7 ft wide x 4 foot high, x 30 inches deep). Stewie is uncovered, fed, and the cage door it left open. Pretty much Stewie is free to climb/fly around the office for the rest of the day. There are various play stations set up around the office that he is enjoying. There is a little shelf that I put on his door when it is open and often sits there and watches me work. He does like to be on my shoulder, but as soon as he starts biting at my headset, I tell him "no bite" in a stern voice and return him to his shelf. No bird is allowed to use my head as a perch. I made "bird bibs" from old sheets that I slip over my head and it covers my clothes, so if the birds poop, it is not a big deal. At the end of the day, throw it in the wash and get put on a clean one in the morning. I only wear old clothes in my office and yes Stewie already has removed several buttons and put holes in some. My husband does come in throughout the day to talk to the birds. We have figured out that Stewie will fly away from him if I am in the room, even if I am the one to hand him over. If I leave the office, Stewie is fine for doing step-ups on my husband, sitting on his shoulder, etc. Stewie is trying to intimidate the Tiels by flying over to the cage and hanging on the outside. I remove him and put him back on his playgym on the top of his cage. I know the settling in process still has a way to go, but would appreciate any feedback on things I should be looking for to nip the bud as quitting is not an option and this is a life-long home for my little flock. Thanks!
I am glad to have found this forum and love reading about everyone's adventures with their fids. Currently I have Team Tiel, which include Mango and Kiwi, and Ginger and Fred who are old breeders from a rescue. Recently, I have added Stewie, a 4 1/2 year old Senegal into the mix. Her previous owner got her believing her to be a male, but actually believes she is a female. I am trying to make the settling in process as painless as possible. Stewie was owned by one previous owner. Stewie started plucking behaviors when around other larger parrots. So Stewie came to me. I am trying to set boundaries and make sure his settling in goes as smoothly as possible. Currently, Team Tiel is allowed out of their cage for 2 hours of free fly time around my office in my morning when I first start work. Stewie stays covered during this time so does not see the Tiels climbing all over me, playing, etc. My hubby comes in at 7 am and brings the birds their morning food. The Tiels go back into their cage which is quite large (7 ft wide x 4 foot high, x 30 inches deep). Stewie is uncovered, fed, and the cage door it left open. Pretty much Stewie is free to climb/fly around the office for the rest of the day. There are various play stations set up around the office that he is enjoying. There is a little shelf that I put on his door when it is open and often sits there and watches me work. He does like to be on my shoulder, but as soon as he starts biting at my headset, I tell him "no bite" in a stern voice and return him to his shelf. No bird is allowed to use my head as a perch. I made "bird bibs" from old sheets that I slip over my head and it covers my clothes, so if the birds poop, it is not a big deal. At the end of the day, throw it in the wash and get put on a clean one in the morning. I only wear old clothes in my office and yes Stewie already has removed several buttons and put holes in some. My husband does come in throughout the day to talk to the birds. We have figured out that Stewie will fly away from him if I am in the room, even if I am the one to hand him over. If I leave the office, Stewie is fine for doing step-ups on my husband, sitting on his shoulder, etc. Stewie is trying to intimidate the Tiels by flying over to the cage and hanging on the outside. I remove him and put him back on his playgym on the top of his cage. I know the settling in process still has a way to go, but would appreciate any feedback on things I should be looking for to nip the bud as quitting is not an option and this is a life-long home for my little flock. Thanks!
