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New Member Who Needs Help

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New Member Who Needs Help

Postby bklyngrrl1369 » Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:33 pm

Hi everyone my name is Doreen and I just joined this site I will tell you a little about my birds and why I'm in need of help. I have 2 birds one is a cockatiel that was given to me by a friend she was found outside in the cold starving. He asked if I would be interested in taking her and I was (I had a cockatiel in the past and loved the breed) she's a pleasure never bit very friendly only issue with her is she is a very picky eater. She won't eat any fresh foods and when I try with special seed mixes she only eats the very tiny seeds always. The cockatoo is another story I'm sorry it's a little long but I feel necessary to fill in on her background so I can get the proper help. She was given to us by the same friend from the cockatiel, she originally belonged to this man who raised her from a baby and had her for 21 years, however his girlfriend didn't like her so when she would scream or talk or whistle the girlfriend would spray her with water from a squirt bottle or hit her cage with a cane. This man died about 10 months ago and his son didn't want the bird so his girlfriend (my friends sister) took her home to get her a good home. They had her in their home for about 10 months since her owners death. My friend recommended me and my husband because he knows we're animal lovers and would be willing to work with her so we agreed to take her. Here's the problem she HATES females (ME) but loves my husband so that is a good thing he loves her and takes care or her with me. We have had her for about a week now I am always talking softly to her make no sudden movements and I feed her treats which she accepts, on occasion she will even let me rub her head and back which I feel is great progress for such a short time. But my biggest problem is the sneak attacks. She will wait till I'm busy doing something and hot paying her any mind and she'll sneak over and bite me hard then take off. Or she'll be on the table and start going to each corner knocking her Beak on the corners and dragging it around the rest of the table and if I go near the table or try to touch it she will get very violent and start screaming and come at me for a serious full on attack. Is there a chance we can work though this and she will one day trust me or am I just going to have to live with her hating me forever ? Sorry this was sooo long but thanking you in Advance for any assistance you can offer me. Wishing everyone will have a wonderful day
bklyngrrl1369
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 4
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: 1 cockatiel
1 cockatoo
Flight: Yes

Re: New Member Who Needs Help

Postby Bird woman » Mon Feb 13, 2017 6:50 pm

CALM DOWN THIS IS PRETTY NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR A TOO. there are so many things your going to need to learn and I hope your willing as I would hate to see this poor bird passed around . First of all slow down , you just got her and it has taken me sometimes 8 months to get one of my rescues to trust me, some more depending what they have been through. Cockatoos are very emotional needy birds and will usually bond to one person. But you can be excepted as a flock mate and become the MERRY maid and the provider , thus receiving attention from your TOO when there bonded human isn't around. Try not to let yourself get into a situation to get bit as we don't want the bird to make this a habit. Make sure the bird is getting its nutritional needs met as well as sleeping schedule. These birds take along time to settle in , just talk softly , keep things calm and when she tries to bite you move away and don't give any treats or attention for a short time then try again. She will learn that biting doesn't get her anywhere. At least that's the idea. Honestly I have used many techniques I've read about and there's nothing like time ,love and building trust and giving your bird structure as they are like a child that will respond to routine. Cockatoos require a lot of time and aren't the kind of bird to sit and look pretty in a cage. They want attention , unlimited things to chew , videos toys and anything you have there busy birds. When they are denied these things as well as proper food and sleeping time they will start picking and scream and bite. BUTTTT IF YOU ARE PATIENT AND LOVING you will have a companion devoted to you and your family for life. There is absolutely nothing that compares to the the love of a cockatoo. :cockatoo: As to your teil try eating food with the birds like family dinner they always want what you have. I have a few birds that I have to sneek there veggies in other foods that I cook for them cause if it's green they ain't eatin it. Whole grain pasta with a pure veggie purée sauce is a good one I've never seen one that didn't like pasta. I have several cockatoos so any help I can give I will. What species is yours ? That makes a difference to. BW ,OH AND WELCOME , SORRY GOT ALITTLE AHEAD OF MYSELF
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Bird woman
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 869
Location: Southern , Oregon
Number of Birds Owned: 10
Types of Birds Owned: 2 mollucans, 2 LSC'S, 2 macaws, 1 bare-eye, 1 grey, 1 goffin and max the quaker
Flight: Yes

Re: New Member Who Needs Help

Postby liz » Tue Feb 14, 2017 8:42 am

I don't have Cockatoos. Just Amazons and Cockatiels.
Rainbow came to me hating men. Some man in his past hurt him or scared him. You don't know what the Too has been through or seen. Even in a good home a visitor can cause trama.

You have not had him long enough to figure him out or he you. He needs to see you as you go when you are not caring for him. You are a stranger and may even look like someone from his past. It could take weeks, months or years to win his trust.

I had a disabled veteran visiting me every day for coffee. The man had no feeling in his legs. He wore jeans and walked with a cane. Rainbow flogged him for a long while before she decided the man just was not going to react. He not only gave up but accepted him as a friend and learned his name. When Rainbow heard his truck and even before the dogs did she would yell "Harold is here" and looked forward to his company.
User avatar
liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7234
Location: Hernando FL
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: DYH Amazon Rambo
BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: New Member Who Needs Help

Postby Pajarita » Tue Feb 14, 2017 12:24 pm

Hi, Brooklyn and friends! Welcome to the forum and thank you so much for taking in two birds that needed a home!

Tiels are not big on eating fruit but they do eat veggies and love their greens. I suggest you take away the seeds in the evening and, in the am, about one hour after sunrise, give her gloop (check the diet section for recipes from easy to complicated) and a leafy green. At the beginning, you will have to make a simple one with only whole grains and mix a bit of seed into it to tempt her into trying it - but, as she starts eating the grains, you can start adding veggies (start with corn, they all love it!).

The too is going to take time... Like BW said, it does take them months and months to get used to a new home, especially when they have been not treated right and passed from one hand to another. These are birds that bond very deeply with humans and suffer more than other species when they are not treated right... They are also hormonal bird that are often kept at a human schedule and fed too much protein which makes things VERY difficult to everybody involved (mostly the poor birds themselves). Establish and religiously stick to a daily schedule and routine (it goes a long way to help them feel more at home), feed her a fresh food diet (they are EXCELLENT eaters!), give her a nice bath two or three times a week (it distracts them and they love bathing so it's still one more positive thing that you are giving her), give her A LOT of wood and hard cardboard to chew (most of them love having a box large enough so they can get inside and chew it). And, most importantly, learn to read her body language. The good thing about toos is that they are easy to read once you get used to them. I also use the calm, soft voice but only when they are overly excited (they scream and display almost non-stop) but, if they are being 'normal', I actually use what I call a 'high energy' voice and manners (I praise them profusely in a high-pitched, loud and happy voice and I dance with them (they like to bop up and down either with their heads or their entire bodies, they whip their head around hard and fast, etc. This is always done with them perching in front of me (not ON me) and with their bodies at my head level (because we are 'flock' and 'equals', you see?).
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18697
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: New Member Who Needs Help

Postby bklyngrrl1369 » Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:51 pm

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to help me out and offer some advice as most can tell this is my first too. She adores my husband thankfully. I hope everyone will be patient with me as I will probably have many more questions. Thanks again for welcoming me into your group. I would love to send a photo of my too ( kid someone could tell me how to do so) so I can find out exactly what breed she is. She had a large white crest and some yellow feathers under her tail.
bklyngrrl1369
Parakeet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 4
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: 1 cockatiel
1 cockatoo
Flight: Yes

Re: New Member Who Needs Help

Postby Bird woman » Wed Feb 15, 2017 8:40 am

Probably an umbrella , look on where my flock pictures are posted see if she looks like any of them. Look up umbrellacockatoo and see if it is a match. BW
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Bird woman
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 869
Location: Southern , Oregon
Number of Birds Owned: 10
Types of Birds Owned: 2 mollucans, 2 LSC'S, 2 macaws, 1 bare-eye, 1 grey, 1 goffin and max the quaker
Flight: Yes

Re: New Member Who Needs Help

Postby Pajarita » Wed Feb 15, 2017 1:15 pm

Put your pictures in a sharing site (I use photobucket) and once you are ready to post them here, open up a thread or a reply on an existing thread and click on the third 'address' line on the right of the picture (the one for images). Once you click there, the address will disappear and a "COPIED" will show. Then you go back to the thread/reply in the forum and paste the address there (the picture will show once you 'submit'). But, yes, sounds like an umbrella (U2).
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18697
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


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