worried about Kiwi

[IRNKiwi]

We bought our IRN Kiwi nearly a year ago(this was shocking to me when i looked as i hadnt realised we had had her for so long)
when we bought her she was (we were told) about 5 months old and not AT ALL tame. we proceeded to buy her the biggest flashiest cage with all the toys a parakeet could desire, and we feed her on a parakeet seed mix (she likes the sunflower seeds in particular)

we have the cage in the living room which i would consider a mix of quiet during the day and slightly less quiet during the evening when the kids are in there watching tv/playing.

the reason im worried is because lately Kiwi has been pulling out her feathers she pulled her tail feathers out a few months ago so we moved here thinking she was stressed and they grew back but as soon as they grew back she pulled them out again. She has now started actually pulling feathers out of her wings and tummy she is starting to look really mangy and sick. she has no tail and in some places her little soft white/yellow-y feathers are exposed. her green feathers are not smooth and shiney as i have seen in other bird pictures. they are just dull and rough.

I dont know a single thing about IRN i simply change her food and water when it needs doing and thats as far as my knowledge goes on any type of bird. My partner actually bought her because he has always wanted one, but his knowledge on the subject is equally shocking. (shortly after buying her he got a job working nights so he is only actually here to sleep during the day and then he is off again in the evening)

We have no idea how to tame her she has never been handled by us (wilfully) we have let her out of the cage a few times and we have had to grab her and put her back in which results in biting and screaming (and thats just the OH)

when we first got her we tried to hard to learn how to tame her (reading up on the internet etc) but none seemed solid and not alot of information on how to positively tame them, tbh. (we even went to see a man who claimed to know alot about birds and everything he told us to do was apparently VERY WRONG) we tried offering treats but we thought we were actually doing worse by scaring her so we gave up on that and she has just become like an ornament really.

i feel so bad i want to find out and do everything i can in my power to make her happy and even in the future tame her and get her used to being out and about on the sofa with us etc.

i knwo we need help and none of us really know alot about these birds but this is why i need help!!! what do i do??? are there any online courses i can do or any sort of bird trainers i can hire? i will literally pay someone to come and make her happy because if this carries on we will have to rehome her as she clearly isnt happy here.

 

[Terry57]

Hello and welcome.
First of all, she is not getting what she needs in her diet. Sunflowers seeds are not a good thing to be what sounds like her main food. She should have some pellets as well as seed, and not so much sunflower seed. She also needs fresh fruit and veggies every day that are given to her in a separate dish and then removed after a couple of hours.

She also needs more toys, I am sure. If she still has the same ones that you got her originally, she is probably quite bored with them, especially since she is getting no out of cage time. She desperately needs to come out of her cage each day. If you don't think you can handle her yourselves, she may well be better off in a new home, since the humans in a birds life need training as much as the bird sometimes.

I can tell you really want to do the right thing for her, so I would suggest that you read everything you can about her and her needs, as well as training. We have some great info here on the forum under the food and diet section, as well as training and about IRNs specifically.

She is plucking because she is very unhappy. I hope you can turn it around for her, or let her go to someone who can.

 

[IRNKiwi]

Thank you so much for your reply. i will have a look around for some advice in other sections of the site as you suggested.
i hadnt thought about her being bored of her toys so ill maybe get her some new ones. i have no problems letting her out of the cage but are there any tips to get her back in without stressing her out.

i really feel so guilty i just feel awful about if i was her and how bored i would be but being too scared to let anyone get you out of the cage and play with you.

how about if i just open the door and let her come out or try and get her to sit on top of her cage for a while would this help a little with her boredom?
even if she doesn't like being touched yet i just want her to be happy at least.

i wont give up on her yet i will make her a happy bird again!

thank you again for your suggestions Terry57

 

[IRNKiwi]

PS, the mix we buy has all sorts in it like small seeds, monkey nuts etc maybe i came across like i only give her sunflower seeds but no, it is a very good mix of nuts seeds dried fruit. i did try and give her some carrot but she didnt eat it. maybe ill try some broccoli or maybe apple?

 

[Terry57]

I am so happy you found our forum, and thrilled that you are here because of your love for your bird What is her name?
When you let her out, you may be able to lure her back in with something she really loves - a special treat If you remove the sunflower seeds form her seed mix, you could use those as an enticement to get her back in her cage. That could be a very effective training tool for you

Some of my birds love a frozen veggie mix that I thaw under warm water (it has carrots, green beans, peas and corn). Others really love their fresh stuff the most. I feed a mixture to them. I use different things, but all are on this list:

http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-food-recipes-diet/24213-bird-safe-fresh-foods-toxic-food-lists-sprouts.html

Some of my guys who were not used to eating fresh things started out by eating a leaf of kale I put into their cage, wedged between the bars. Sometimes you have to try different cuts as well, since some birds like diced things and other like larger chunks.

She is still quite young, and with a little work I know you can get her trained and eating well, and happy again

 

[Taw5106]

I am teaching mine to eat fruit and veg. He likes red delicious apple, pear, edamame, papaya (dried), carrot, snow pea, and yellow bell pepper. He goes nuts for popcorn, so that's his super treat and he is very willing to do just about anything for it. I give him two items a day, one I know he likes and something new. Don't let her eat the seeds from fruit and veg till you get more knowledge about what they can have. Good Luck!