Neurotic Senegal behaviour in newly re-homed bird - help

[seagoatdeb]

Putting the bird eye level in that tiny cage will be a challenge, and you would need to put the highest perch higher than the tallest person in the house. Its so good that you have been covering her cage and have her in a corner, so there are two walls that she doesnt have to watch at all times. Rescue birds are a challenge but what you have going for you is that the bird is still tame and loves humans. It is nice that she bonded to you, so fast and that she wants to be out and get pet and ride on shoulders. That is a real good sign that it wont take a long time for the bird to become less neurotic and scared. But it will still take time. If she has been neglected by a sick ownner, stuck in a too small cage, and then been living terrified in the bonded conure home, It will take some time for her to learn to play again, but she does have your love and petting and feeding her good food and that is a lot for a bird that was neglected. She is lucky to have you.

[Wolf]

I have been considering the cage issue and what I have come up with after reading posts on several forums regarding moving a bird to a larger cage as well as comparing them to my own experiences is that moving the bird to a larger cage is rarely a problem. The actual problems come with furnishing the cage for the bird. To start with the bird needs a food and water dish and at least two perches, one being as high as the bird can comfortably perch on for sleeping and for security and at least one to make eating and drinking easier for the bird and then a couple of toys, preferably ones that come from its previous cage that you can place in as close of a position in the new cage as they were in the older cage. From this point you add furnishings at the birds comfort rate adding one new thing and allowing the bird to get comfortable with it before adding the next item.
I also find it helpful to place the new cage next to the old one and open both of them and let the bird move itself to the new cage itself if possible.

[kmc]

She has improved somewhat, at least she has good days now along with the bad ones. I usually get 10 minutes every morning where she gives me a big mating dance with regurgitation and then wants a few pets on her head before she starts the dancing. On her bad days she dances for most of the day and on her good days it's more like 70 percent of the day, she is also getting easier to distract on her good days. Good days right now are half and half with the bad ones and I think that is a very big improvement from when I first brought her home. She is also trying a lot more fresh foods.

Thank you for the info about the cage, Wolf. I really hate the cage she is in now and it breaks my heart every time I have to put her in it... It's about the same size as the travel cages I own, which is way too small for such an intelligent and special creature to live in, even if it is only for sleeping. I think I will start introducing her to the 18x18x30 cage that I have on hand on her next good day. Once she is comfortable in that cage then I will buy her a new, bigger one. I am really hesitant to get a bigger cage right away because I am afraid it will scare her which is why I am trying to do it in steps, but perhaps I am being overly cautious, it's so hard to know. As you may have guessed, I wasn't planning on getting another bird but I fell completely in love with Bella and couldn't not take her after I saw and heard about her living conditions... Hence, why I am not as prepared as I should have been. My husband has now cut me off at the 3 birds, lol.

You guys have all been so wonderful and helpful, thank you so much. I was really having a tough time trying to find any info on what she was doing and of course that made me second guess myself... These birds really are like having children. My daughter calls them her sister and brothers, lol.