Promiscuous Senegal

[GreenWing]

Yes, until bedtime, when I throw away or store the remainder of the fresh foods. The bowl of pellets is always in her cage...

[Michael]

The bowl of pellets is always in her cage...

Well there ya go

[GreenWing]

Okie dokie. Very helpful info! Should I take her bowl out at night? Or at other times, too?

[Michael]

The bowl should not be in the cage at all except for 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. The amount in the bowl should not be excessive (and may need to be moderated). Feed low calorie vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc) entirely in lieu of pellets every few meals. If the bird is really hormonal, can do one meal of pellets and one meal of vegetables per day. If the bird isn't hormonal, can do the vegetable meal every two days. This way the bird actually eats its vegetables, eats its pellets, and maintains a more healthy weight. The byproduct of this is that the bird is also hungry for training right before meal times. But even if you don't care about training this is necessary. If this doesn't help within 30-60 days, get back to me and I'll tell you how to weight manage.

Check out how Kili & Truman lick their bowls clean during one of two daily meals. And yet they still manage to be overweight unless I strictly regulate those portion sizes. Oh, and also in case you weren't already aware, the bird MUST get 12 hours uninterrupted sleep at night. No excuses. Keep the amount consistent. Get a timer if you need to. My way is to put lamps on timers by the birds so lights come on and go out the same time each day. Changes in day cycle are a hormonal trigger. In Senegals specifically, water can be as well.

Continue monitoring weight. As long as it stays below 110 and above 100, you have absolutely nothing to worry or think about.

How old is the bird?

[GreenWing]

Aaaahhhh... comprehension dawns on me. Thank you, thank you.

I want to train Tiki more. I'm working on her vocals, as she is pretty vocal and I'm encouraging to talk more, but I want to target train her more and plan to do so. Too bad you don't live in Portland, your personal training would be welcomed...

Tiki will be one year old a month from now.

[Michael]

Ok, at that age I would not advocate substantial weight management as the bird is still somewhat developing. You're right on the boundary of where weight management becomes acceptable and even necessary. Terrible twos are still to come but with a good offensive strategy right now (food management, flight, socialization, etc), I think you can manage through it pretty well. I think the people that can't take it and get rid of their birds at that age are the ones that did NOTHING during the easy baby stage they took for granted. Then it's almost too much to undo and overcome during the terrible twos.

I'd definitely suggest going to twice daily feedings. Definitely advocate 1 out of 2 or 1 out of 4 (ex every evening meal or every other evening meal) to be all vegetables to adjust for the higher calorie intakes on pellets. Definitely watch the daylight cycle and ensure it is uniform. Watch out for water (kitchen, bathroom, etc).

If you need more personal coaching, I have been starting to do one on one coaching/consultation sessions with owners over video skype. So contact me if you'd like me to work with you one on one and custom tailor an approach for you to try.

[GreenWing]

Ok, at that age I would not advocate substantial weight management as the bird is still somewhat developing. You're right on the boundary of where weight management becomes acceptable and even necessary. Terrible twos are still to come but with a good offensive strategy right now (food management, flight, socialization, etc), I think you can manage through it pretty well. I think the people that can't take it and get rid of their birds at that age are the ones that did NOTHING during the easy baby stage they took for granted. Then it's almost too much to undo and overcome during the terrible twos.

I'd definitely suggest going to twice daily feedings. Definitely advocate 1 out of 2 or 1 out of 4 (ex every evening meal or every other evening meal) to be all vegetables to adjust for the higher calorie intakes on pellets. Definitely watch the daylight cycle and ensure it is uniform. Watch out for water (kitchen, bathroom, etc).

If you need more personal coaching, I have been starting to do one on one coaching/consultation sessions with owners over video skype. So contact me if you'd like me to work with you one on one and custom tailor an approach for you to try.

Very, very helpful information. Thank you, thank you. I don't have children of my own and Tiki is my child by all means. While I will never, ever re-home her, for her own benefit and health I want to do this right. We have socialized her and she is friendly with family members, have had no problems. And as you know, we're flighting her. The only potential issue with Tiki IS her hormonal behaviors... that I cuddle, kiss her and I really need to watch myself from doing the wrong thing that could encourage her hormones. She's been a little bit nippy lately, too... I wonder if it's related to her hormones as well.

I have quick questions though: Do you recommend not feeding at her cage? Can she receive small snacks other than meals? And what do you mean about watching for water? I shower and bathe with Tiki all the time...

I will work on getting Tiki on a schedule, too. I feed her the good stuff, it just needs to be uniform, as you say.

I'm interested in the Skype... I've never done it before. I'll PM you soon. Hey, you can always come visit Portland! Hah! Thanks again, Michael your help is really appreciated.

[Michael]

No snacks! Never. This kind of thing spoils the bird and makes the whole system not work. Never ever give food for no reason. The bird actually eats so little in the first place that every morsel counts. A single grape is like one quarter of the bird's entire daily intake or half of an entire meal. When you give some food for no reason, that kills your opportunities of giving food FOR a reason (reinforcement). Since there is already soooo much BAD stuff parrots do, we gotta make sure to always be encouraging them to be doing the good stuff. Two feedings a day is completely fine. Birds have a crop, they store food in there for later.

As for water, those showers may (not definitely but may) be a hormonal trigger. Senegal Parrots mate in (if I remember correctly, or vice verse) in the rainy season. So an onset of water tends to trigger their reproductive hormones (as might daylight duration changes). I know for a fact that other people's Senegals will suddenly become very vicious near a kitchen faucet or source of water like that. So I really suggest watching the water situation.

[GreenWing]

No snacks! Never. This kind of thing spoils the bird and makes the whole system not work. Never ever give food for no reason. The bird actually eats so little in the first place that every morsel counts. A single grape is like one quarter of the bird's entire daily intake or half of an entire meal. When you give some food for no reason, that kills your opportunities of giving food FOR a reason (reinforcement). Since there is already soooo much BAD stuff parrots do, we gotta make sure to always be encouraging them to be doing the good stuff. Two feedings a day is completely fine. Birds have a crop, they store food in there for later.

As for water, those showers may (not definitely but may) be a hormonal trigger. Senegal Parrots mate in (if I remember correctly, or vice verse) in the rainy season. So an onset of water tends to trigger their reproductive hormones (as might daylight duration changes). I know for a fact that other people's Senegals will suddenly become very vicious near a kitchen faucet or source of water like that. So I really suggest watching the water situation.

Thank you so much for all of this info, Michael. Honestly, I never knew. It's really hard to not spoil your beloved parrot, but I want what's best for her. I started making the necessary changes today and a schedule has been started.

I will watch the water situation. It never occurred to me that water could trigger her hormones.

I'm also going to get roudybush. Your method works for Kili and Truman and I'm taking cues from your example! Last question for a while: What is the ideal amount of roudybush to feed a 109 gram, young female sennie?

[Michael]

Water triggers hormones because Senegals mate in the wet season and that's because rain means fertile land means food for feeding chicks. The habitat they naturally live in isn't desert but fairly dry. Water is a big deal to them. I don't see hormonal activity triggered by water with mine but Ginger and Mona who own many Senegal Parrots have told me that this is the case with theirs.

As for diet specifics, it's really not possible to give a number without some one on one discussion about setting up proper food management. All I can say though is that mine is much better behaved when I manage her weight. When I let her weight run wild, she is "sweeter" for sure but that's only to me and under the right conditions. On the flipside she is a lot meaner to others and to me when anything is intrusive. I definitely feel it is better and safer to stay away from that.