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Re: First timer

Postby Pajarita » Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:19 am

Yes, indeed! Liz's little flock is a perfect example of happy, healthy birdies that have the best of both worlds, meaning they have their own little flock and a human to love.

I suggest you adopt one first, allow a couple of months for the bird to get used to you and another couple of months to start bonding with you and then adopt another adult of the opposite gender and, during quarantine -when you would have to keep them separate- start bonding with it so, by the time they are together -there is a bit of process here as itś not just a matter of sticking the second bird in the first one's cage- they both know you separately.

GCCs for all their cuteness and small size are actually not good first birds because they are VERY needy and people are usually unable or unwilling to have a bird on them all the time.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: First timer

Postby IAmEagerToLearn » Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:44 am

How long would the quarantine period be? And would I need to have two separate cages for the pair? Should I adopt them in a pair or one by one? What are some things I should start doing when bonding with the parrot?
Irrelevant question, but what do you do with your parrots on holiday events or birthdays? I'm just curious.
Also I hope to form a good bond with my parrot no matter which parrot I get.
IAmEagerToLearn
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 24
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Flight: No

Re: First timer

Postby Pajarita » Wed Dec 26, 2018 11:25 am

The length of the quarantine period depends on several things BUT for a newbie, I would recommend 6 weeks UNLESS you get a pair that is already bonded - and yes, you do need two cages at the beginning if you get them separately. Once the quarantine is over and they bond with each other (super easy with cockatiels because they all like all other tiels), you should put them together in a large flight cage so, if you are going to get them separately, what I would do is get a nice, large flight cage for the first one and an used, smaller cage for the second one -which I would keep because you always need a second, smaller cage in case one of them gets sick or you need to take one to the vet.

The first thing you need to do to establish a good, long lasting bond with a parrot is to leave it alone for the first few days. Clean the cage, put fresh food and water in it and without looking straight at it (staring is something that only predators do), spend as much time in the same room with them, talking, singing, whistling. But one of the most important things you can do to reassure the bird (or birds) is to establish a daily routine that never changes because this does not only make them trust you, it also eases the stress of captivity in general and of going to a new home in particular. There are other steps that will follow but we can cover those later.

As to what I do with my birds during holidays or vacations... well, it's VERY rare that I change their routine so even during the holidays, their schedule is pretty much the same it is every single day of their lives. My family is used to my being a maniac when it comes to my animals and they have adjusted. For example, we celebrate Christmas Eve instead of Christmas day and our traditional way of doing this is to have a large family dinner late at night (starting at 10 pm), to toast and wish everybody Merry Christmas right at 12 midnight and then open the presents BUT, because I am restricted by my animals schedule, we have changed it to an early dinner so we start after 3 pm so I can give the birds their dinner before I leave and come back around 8 pm so I can feed my cats and dogs almost at the same time they eat it every night (usually at 7 pm). As to vacations, l hardly ever go on vacations and, when I do, my husband stays behind to care for them so although I am not here, their days are still the same as if I was (my husband and I have not had a vacation together in like 15 years because of the birds). Caring the right way for parrots is VERY hard because they cannot adjust to a human normal lifestyle so it falls to us to make the sacrifices...
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: First timer

Postby IAmEagerToLearn » Mon Jan 21, 2019 9:41 am

What type of schedule should I make? Should I look on other sites to know what to do step by step when I first get a bird? Is there anything else I should keep in mind to ensure a good relationship with them? What else would I need to know about getting a bird besides that?
Is it ok for me to feel nervous about getting a bird? (I mean I don't want to mess up and I want to make sure I'm doing this right). I would need to learn the basics and then go one from there? Is there another website you would recommend me looking at?
And would it be better for me to get a young pair?
I know that there isn't such thing as a perfect owner but I at least want to be a good one, is there even more information you can give me? To be honest, I'm pretty afraid to mess up and not accomplish a bond with a bird, I want to do thus right so I'll need all the information I can get. Would you recommend getting a book about this too?
I had this friend that had two parakeets and she just let them sit in the cage, she had toys, she cleaned the cage regularly, and she gave them food regularly but she didn't take them out, sometimes she talked to them but mostly let them be. She sorta regetted getting them because she didn't have a good bond with them aand she thinks she is a terrible owner.
Was she doing the wrong thing? (I don't want to do what she did I really want to get this right)
IAmEagerToLearn
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 24
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Flight: No

Re: First timer

Postby Pajarita » Mon Jan 21, 2019 12:13 pm

Ok, let's see...
The schedule for birds is ALWAYS a solar one because they are photoperiodic, a long word that means that their bodies know when is time for what from the type and length of light they are exposed to (you can research avian photoperiodism, avian endocrine system and avian reproductive system). This means that they cannot be exposed to artificial light before or during dawn in the morning, or after the sun is halfway down to the horizon in the evening (this allows their bodies to follow the seasons so they would not be in breeding season all year round, year after year).

Then you have the routine you set up for daily interaction which accomodates your own activity schedule and that is up to you BUT the best time for you to interact with them is after breakfast and before the noon rest because that's when wild birds do most of their interaction, bathing, etc.

There is only one thing that you need to keep in mind for achieving a good relatioship with a bird and that is never to have any expectations. I know that this, as simple as it sounds, it's actually the hardest thing because we all tend to have a number of things we expect from a pet but, with parrots, nothing is ever a sure thing so the less you expect, the better you and the birds will be.

Yes, it's perfectly normal to be nervous! I am nervous myself whenever I get a new bird and I have over 25 years and hands-on experience with A LOT of parrots so don't worry for one single second about this.

I don't know of any website or book that you can use... The truth is that most bird sites are more geared toward what I call 'fluff' than actual scientific knowledge and quite useless when it comes to solving a specific problem because you have all these uninformed people giving you their opinion and it's hard to figure out who is right and who is wrong. And I have never found a single book that is any good in terms of husbandry guidelines... you can get Michael's book on training but I would be very careful about applying his teachings (you need to wait until you bond with them before you start training and I do not and never will recommend training a hungry bird).

And yes, I agree with you, your friend is not a good bird keeper... if she was, she would allow them to come out to fly. It's a bit hard to get the little ones used to going back into their cage on their own but it's a matter of timing it just right (I let my budgies out very early in the am and only for the couple of hours it takes me clean all the cages and put fresh water and food in them but, if I let them out later, it would be VERY hard to get them back in because they only go back in because they are hungry for their breakfast :lol: ).

Look in CL for a pair that needs rehoming, if you are patient and check every day, you should be able to find one or two separate birds of opposite gender that need a good home. And, once you do, come back here and we will guide you step by step.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: First timer

Postby IAmEagerToLearn » Mon Jan 21, 2019 3:44 pm

Oh, phew, I thought I was the only one who was nervous! Oh ok, I at least know what to do by learning from my friend. Apparently she rushed into getting the parakeets, and taking them out of the cage and having sessions was a problem her because she worked so many hours she didn't get to spend time with them. It was just a mess for her, I feel bad for her not waiting.
Ok when it comes to the photoperiodic schedule, are they all the same with every bird or is it different for every individual bird or individual species? And are making schedules hard?
So would how long should I not interact with the bird when it first comes home, and when I do interact what should I do first?
So I should go into having a bird with a clear mind and getting and idea what type if thing(s) the bird(s) like and what personality and favorites. How do you know when you have a bond? I am planning on reading the book of training but I have to have a bond first. How do I know when I have established one with my birds or bird? I looked up what to do on wikiHow, is that valid information? That new people like me can use? (I wonder if there is a school I can go to, to become a experienced bird person. What did you do to become experienced? And can I do the same?) I do wish there was training for this.
IAmEagerToLearn
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 24
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Flight: No

Re: First timer

Postby Pajarita » Tue Jan 22, 2019 10:27 am

My dear, I don't know of a single bird keeper that doesn't worry -at least, all the good ones do and all the time at that! And, again, we ALL wish there were training classes but, in reality, even if there were, you would only get a very basic knowledge because the thing with parrots that is different from other pets we might have is that they are super intelligent and have very long lives so they change as the years go by and you need to adjust to the changes as they come along so what you learn with a bird in the first two years (I firmly believe that a parrot takes about two years to feel really comfortable in its new home) is going to be super useful but not the ONE AND ONLY ULTIMATE guideline. But, having said that, the best way to learn how to interact with a bird is to volunteer at a rescue for 3 or 4 months, at the very least.

All birds (and I do mean ALL OF THEM without exception) are photoperiodic. It's the way nature made them.

And don't worry about not knowing when you have a bond - you will know. I could give you pointers like when you see the bird showing happiness when you walk into the room or eagerly approaching you by moving close to the side of the cage where you are, taking treats from your hand without any hesitation, etc but I promise you, it will be obvious and you WILL know.

As to the actual steps you should follow to establish this bond... well, the exact ones depend on the bird you get because an adult bird that has been well loved and is used to being handled will require a few steps while an adult bird that has not been handled will require others and an adult bird that has been neglected will require still different ones so get yourself a bird and come back and tell us as much as you know of its background, previous diet and schedule and we will take it from there.

Don't worry so much, my dear, parrots are very intelligent and figure out real quick if you have good intentions and they all appreciate a good diet and the right light schedule so, even the abused ones that learned to distrust man eventually learn to trust a good caregiver. Just look at the wonderful stories that John (Navre) posts about birds that come into his rescue after being treated terribly for years and years and how they all turn around and learn to trust and even love people again. Or read Liz's post about her tiels, all of them rescues and all of them with one issue or another and how they all love her now.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: First timer

Postby IAmEagerToLearn » Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:38 pm

Oh ok! Thank you very much. This really has been helpful. I'm excited and nervous to get a bird. I'm glad there are others who can relate to being nervous. But thank you I will definitely come back when I get the bird.
Thanks (again)! :P
IAmEagerToLearn
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 24
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Flight: No

Re: First timer

Postby Pajarita » Fri Jan 25, 2019 10:40 am

You are very welcome! I love birds and helping people understand and care properly for them is the reason why I come here.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: First timer

Postby IAmEagerToLearn » Fri Jan 25, 2019 7:55 pm

One day I would like to do that too. I hope volunteering at a shelter will help me to become a experienced bird owner (or person). What did you do when you were starting out? How did you become an experienced bird owner? Could I get some tips? If you don't mind.
I don't know if I asked this question before but what type of bird do you think I should get?
How do I know if I'm able to get birds like cockatoos?
Would I need a high level of experience for that type of bird?
IAmEagerToLearn
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 24
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Flight: No

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