Honeymoon's over...

[Chris&Akilah]

Well, our "honeymoon period" is over, that's for sure. As I was warned, Akilah has become a bit of a pain practically overnight. I need some help! Here's what is really bugging me;

-she is extremely clingy. She always want to be on me, and once she is there it is non-stop nibbling, chewing my shirt, and the occasional chomp on a finger. I set up a play table for her, with a large java tree and toys of all kinds. But she won't stay there. She attempts to fly to me whenever I am in sight which usually ends with her on the floor, or failing that, will SCREECH loudly. What can I do to encourage her to be more independant??? How can I stop her from coming to me when I do not want her to?

- whenever I am using the computer, she insists on coming to chew on it, bite the wires and mouse. The only way I can stop her once she gets started is to put her back in the cage

- finally, the SCREECHING/SCREAMING whenever I am out sight or if I am trying to get her to stay on her play stand

Please help me with these issues. To be frank, I can't take the excessive clingy-ness and screeching for the next 30 years. "Velcro" pets drive me insane, I used to have a cat that was so obsessively affectionate that I couldn't stand it, and had to rehome it. I read Senegals were fairly independent and not very noisy, this was why I chose the species. Is this just a phase? She is four months old. Thanks!

[entrancedbymyGCC]

What do you do when she screeches? I think the only ways you can stop her from coming to when she wants to are to put her in her cage (or another room with a door that closes) or trim her wings. The latter WILL make it more likely she'll stay where she's put, but it won't stop her from calling to you when she wants attention, so it could make the noise factor greater.

Is the "screaming" contact-calling, normal morning/night vocalization or something she is doing to get attention? With our birds, I try to answer contact calls when I'm elsewhere in the house, but I don't let it turn into a continuous back and forth. It's normal for them to want to know if you are still around and OK. However, on occasions Scooter will really kick up a racket when he's in his cage and I'm on the computer and he wants my attention. In those cases I am very careful to avoid reacting in any way, and they are rare occurrences. I think it is important to try to understand different calls your bird has... I can hear the difference now between "I really want attention" and "I'm scared! I'm hungry! Something is wrong!". I try to never, ever, react to "I want attention" but occasionally I do check on the birds if I hear what I think is an alarm call.

Birds do make noise... but IMO screaming for attention only become persistent if it results in obtaining attention. In addition to attempting not to react at all to screaming for attention, I try to encourage more pleasant sounds as a solicitation for affection, like ringing a bell or saying "Hey Birdie!", the latter of which has become a real favorite around here.

[Chris&Akilah]

Her wings are clipped, when I say fly, I mean flutter a few feet, hit the floor and waddle towards me, even from the top of her cage. Not safe!!

The screech is definitely an attention-getter, I try to ignore it but eventually I have to take her out, otherwise she won't get a chance that day. Fortunately it doesn't start until after I wake up and she first see's me in the morning. I take her out for a bit, feed, water and change paper, put her back then go do my morning routine, then come back and hang out with her. The screeching happens when I have to leave the room to go make food, do house work, or whatever. I do close the door and leave the tv on, and she has a window view. It's more annoying to others in the house than myself. Even with the door closed and tv, it's rather piercing.

I think she may be "too" bonded to me...she has regurgitated once for me and sometimes does a funny little dance..head swaying, wings slightly open. The problem is I honestly have nobody else in my life who is interested in interacting with the bird, so it's just me and her. It's going to be tough to socialize her, especially with a long cold winter ahead. I may have sounded a little irritated in the first post, but I do love the little bugger, but it'd be nice if she was more interested in all the stuff I bought than my shoulder

[entrancedbymyGCC]

What toys have you tried? What are her favorites? Have you set up some foraging opportunities to keep her busy? These things do seem to help, as do getting them out regularly. Ours come in and out of the cages frequently when we are home.

Do try not to accidentally reward the screeching. It should eventually go away if it isn't accomplishing something....

[Michael]

Well, our "honeymoon period" But she won't stay there. She attempts to fly to me whenever I am in sight which usually ends with her on the floor, or failing that, will SCREECH loudly. What can I do to encourage her to be more independant??? How can I stop her from coming to me when I do not want her to?

Why do you pick her up? You're training her to come to you for attention. Just leave her there when she flies down to the floor. Much easier to do with a clipped rather than flighted bird.

For a flighted bird, I would do more of what was previously suggested such as toys, going back to cage, or training.

Give me an exact break down of the time spent in cage, sleeping in cage, out of cage, and out of cage getting attention.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Why do you pick her up? You're training her to come to you for attention. Just leave her there when she flies down to the floor. Much easier to do with a clipped rather than flighted bird.

Michael has a good point here, but in my house picking the birds up fairly promptly when they get onto the floor is a safety imperative. Even without household cats, it would be so easy for someone to get stepped on, or rolled over by a rolling chair...

[Chris&Akilah]

Sorry for taking so long to reply! Havn't been online much lately.

Akilah is doing fine, but still behaving pretty much the same. Though she does seem to be getting slowly bolder and more independent. The attempts to follow me are still the worst problem. She is clipped, but just jumps and flaps as hard as she can and can make it about four feet. A dog and two cats of which she has no fear are the reason I don't want her to get used to being on the floor. I have to scoop her up fast unless they are all out of the room (which they usually are, but still). She cannot take off from the floor, has to jump off something like her gym or my shoulder. I spend a lot of time at my big tv/computer desk, and have her table with the gym on it nearby so I can give her attention while using the computer or tv. I just want her to stay on her gym and not try to fly over herself unless she asks in some way, because she either ends up on the floor or crashes into something. But I don't want to encourage the screeching. Ideally she would verbally ask to be picked up (probably "step up?" will be it), but I think she is too young for that just yet.


I work afternoon shifts, 3pm - 11pm. Get up about 9 usually, Akilah begins making parroty noises about 8ish which is fine, I sleep through it and dream about the jungle (her cage is in my bedroom, which is large). I take her out, we say good morning and I pet her and play with her for about 15 minutes before putting her on the stand while I make her breakfast and clean the cage. This is one of the times when trying to fly onto me can be a problem. I then have to take my anxiously waiting dog for a walk. Akilah screeches loudly when I leave. I am gone for about 30 minutes. Then I do whatever errands I have to do, usually only an hour at most. Back at home and she comes out to play, eat, and just hang out with me until I get ready for work at about 2pm So we get about 3 hours of together time per day. But if I have to leave her sight for any reason, she screeches loudly the entire time. I leave the tv on for her when I'm at work and my mom comes in in the evening to turn it off, close the blinds and talk to her for a bit (not comfortable with touching, let alone taking her out). At night when I get home she wakes up and acknowledges me, remaining silent, and I cover the cage and say goodnight. My mom says she is vocal but not loud and screaming in the evenings, and seems content. Sometimes I hear her awake late at night, grinding her beak or maybe eating...I dont' want to look because she absolutely cannot start screeching at night, and I'm afraid she will if she see's me peeking under the cover. On the weekends and my days off, I get to spend the same time in the morning, and most of the late afternoon/evening with her, and she is at the most 'bratty' in the evenings, which I guess is to be expected...mostly being very persistent about sitting on my shoulder and nipping my ear/neck and refusing to stay on her gym. The cage is a HQ flight cage, 32"L 21"W 35"H with various toys, a large rope perch, and pear tree branches. Gym is about 2' high and sits on a large shelf/table 3' high. phew, there, this felt like a marathon post and that's all I can muster for now!!

[Chris&Akilah]

Well I found a great solution to her lamely attempting to fly from her gym to my desk...a few rope and wood ladder brides. Now she just walks/swings/hops from her cage, to the gym to my desk on her convenient roadway, much better than crashing into my face or into the dustbin . This has also stopped her from screeching while I am working at my desk. The fact she can get back and forth easily seems to satisfy her and she is choosing to spend more time on the gym, which is great.

[Mona]

Is there something you can substitute for her being on you?

My hen Senegal used to really love to chew on elastic. I used to give her underwear and bras and she would sit and chew on that for hours. Senegals are very smart, very focused little critters. If you can find one thing for them to obsess over, they will be pretty happy with that.

Other things Babylon likes are oven mitts. Right now, I have several oven mitts on the kitchen counter and she goes inside and digs in them. They are black and white and I think she likes that dark hole to make her "play nest" in.

Have you tried giving her a towel to chew? Babylon used to have a red towel that was just the right texture and she would chew for hours. If you can't figure out what she likes, maybe see what she is chewing on you...and if it's not something you absolutely treasure....just give it to her. Take the garment off and let her have it. She can chew that and stay off of you.

Right now, it is nut season and if I give one of my birds a nut in the shell, it will keep them pretty occupied for about 15 minutes or so.

The key is to reinforce the bird when it is NOT on you by giving the bird something that she wants....This will take observation on your part but that little obsessive nature can be used to your advantage with some good thought.

Thanks, enjoy your Senegal. Personally, I think the hens are absolutely priceless.

Mona

[Chris&Akilah]

Senegals are very smart, very focused little critters. If you can find one thing for them to obsess over, they will be pretty happy with that.

I did find that 'one thing!' I made her a foraginesg box out of an empty (unscented) tissue box...filled it with crumpled balls of paper, wooden toy parts, foot toys, nuts, seeds and other treats and stuff, Akilah absolutely loves rummaging through it and picking out her favourites. I add something new every day. It's on top her cage, and now, after we've had our "together time", she will take her ladder highway back to the box and keep herself busy for long periods . If I present her with a 'fresh' box I don't hear a peep out of her for hours. I am thrilled to bits, and look forward to coming up with other foraging activities.