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I have been here a little while but...

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I have been here a little while but...

Postby Sarahk » Wed Jun 28, 2017 8:12 pm

..I haven't said hello yet. So hi!

I have been lurking, taking in the vast amount of knowledge on the forum- feeling a little overwhelmed.

I have one cockatiel, Alfie. He is about six years old, we have had him since he was a baby. He is flighted, but only flys when he is spooked. His cage is open for most of the day, while I am home, but he rarely comes out by himself. He doesn't like to be touched, so I am currently working on a system of branches that would make it easier for him to climb out so he can do his own thing.

Recently, on the advice of so many internet articles and books, have switched him to pellets - thought I was doing something good, but when I started reading this site, I discovered it's maybe not so good, so I went and bought a bag of organic mixed grains to try and improve that situation.

He hates veggies, won't go near them, with the exception of sugar snap peas, celery, chopped really small and sprouted seed.

I have also been learning (from here) about solar schedules, which is something I hadn't heard of before. I am working on something for that, because Alfie's cage is in out living room it is a bit tricky, but my plan is to get some black out curtains for around his corner, blocking him from the lights and he is already next to a window so he will be able to see the skies darken and lighten. Does this sound like it might work?
I am also working toward getting an aviary so that he can get some real sunshine when it is warm out.

I am also thinking of getting another bird. I would like one that is more interested in me - though I know this comes down to individual personalities as well, but I think Alfie would like the company. I have space for another cage, I have a spare room i can use if it turns out they truely hate each other and I have time to dedicate, I am home for most of the day.

I have been researching I I think something like a moustache parrakeet would suit me - I like the larger birds, particularly Eclectus but I am not experienced enough to have one of those. Anyway, this was long, sorry.
Thank you all for such an amazing forum!!
Sarahk
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 10
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Types of Birds Owned: Cockatiel
Flight: Yes

Re: I have been here a little while but...

Postby Pajarita » Thu Jun 29, 2017 9:35 am

Welcome, Sarah and Alfie, to the forum and THANK YOU SO MUCH for not only taking the time to read us but also making the effort to improve his life! You seem to have all the right ideas! :thumbsup: Yes, the black out curtains will work! I use blinds in my windows but, in the winter, I also cover their cages as well as having a black-out curtain in the door opening to my kitchen because it gets dark so very early and I don't like them to be exposed to any light at all so as to keep their endocrine system in good working order.

As to another bird, yes, again, on that! But, personally, I would find him a female tiel. If you want a moustached or any other bird for yourself, you can still get it (although, if what you want is a truly interactive bird and have the time for it, I would go with a companion and not an aviary species) but, for Alfie, the best thing would be a female tiel and, in truth, having a mate-bonded pair of tiels is even easier than having a single one.
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: I have been here a little while but...

Postby Sarahk » Thu Jun 29, 2017 5:32 pm

Thanks for the welcome!

I will look in to getting Alfie a girlfriend. I assume it would be best to find one around the same age?

With regard to a companion for myself, what would you recommend?
Sarahk
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 10
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Types of Birds Owned: Cockatiel
Flight: Yes

Re: I have been here a little while but...

Postby mmeager » Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:46 am

Welcome to this wonderful forum! As you have already discovered, the wealth of information and support here is overwhelming! And all praises to you for making the effort to gain knowledge about your beautiful bird, and the very different! But amazing journey you will have together with your bird.
As for a companion bird for yourself, cockatiels can be perfect! They are truly a beautiful natured little bird, and very sweet! They can be the perfect companion for you, Alfie might just need a lot of time, dedication, and especially patience on your behalf to bond.
However if you really want another companion for yourself personally, take a good look at the Alexandrine, they are a medium sized bird, absolutely stunning! Make great companions, are probably on the intermediate side of bird care, so not overwhelmingly difficult, but challenging enough, (as any bird is actually!!) But well worth taking a good look at. Other members here will be able to give you a lot more information on what may be suitable for you. Just remember that if you want a companion for Alfie, and you also want a companion for you, don't overwhelm yourself. One bird can be extremely overwhelming all on its own!!!
We have an IRN, they are actually classified as being a more suitable aviary bird. However the interaction and dynamics of our household have proven very differently! He is so closely a part of our family and lives, in fact I wonder if he rules our lives or if we do!!! I could rave on here!
But as far as solar schedule is concerned, yes I believe it is essential. Zoltin (our IRN) is also in the lounge room with us, which can make things a little difficult. We do have big windows that allow light in, and we have found that not long after the sun goes down, Zoltin actually tells us that its time for him to get back in his cage and go to bed, he lets us know he is ready, and we always expect it at that time, due to solar schedule, not our time, and he works like clockwork! And that stands for all the seasons. So all lights in the lounge room goes off, and after goodnights his cage is covered with a sheet, the tv stays on for us, but his cage is dark. In the mornings we get up at around 4AM for work, its still dark then, so just before we leave for work we lift the sheet from his cage, so he gets the morning sunrise. You may not be in the same situation as us, but this is how we work things. I hope that anything I have said may help even a little.
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mmeager
Cockatiel
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 63
Location: Melbourne Australia
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Indian Ring Neck
Flight: Yes

Re: I have been here a little while but...

Postby Pajarita » Fri Jun 30, 2017 9:58 am

Sarahk wrote:Thanks for the welcome!

I will look in to getting Alfie a girlfriend. I assume it would be best to find one around the same age?

With regard to a companion for myself, what would you recommend?


The female tiel doesn't have to be the same age as long as she is an adult so any female over two years of age will work out. Birds don't care about age difference or looks, bless their loving hearts! I have an amazon male in his very prime (I don't know his exact age because he has no legband and the previous owner did not know but he seems to be in his early to mid-teens) and his wife is 36, at least (cougar! :lol: ).

As to the other bird... well, it depends on your lifestyle, household, how much time you have for the bird and how much of it you want to put into one-on-one for the long term. Meager mentioned psittaculas (IRN, ARN, Alexandrine, etc) and these are good birds to have if you don't want a very close relationship (bird on your shoulder ALL THE TIME) but, personally, I think that, after a number of years, these birds miss the companionship of other birds something terrible. So, tell us a bit about yourself and what you would like in a bird and we will try to help you as best we can with a few pointers.
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: I have been here a little while but...

Postby Sarahk » Fri Jun 30, 2017 10:27 pm

Ok, let's see...

I live in my own home, with my husband, two very laid back cats (that stay outside during the day) a Chihuahua X jrt dog, who is less laid back but we'll behaved. No children, no plans for them.

I work from home, so I am out of the house for just a few hours once or twice a week.

When we got Alfie, we were told he was hand raised - he may well have been, but I think he was only tame because his wings were clipped. When they grew out, he became pretty wild and it took a long time to get him to be friendly enough to live with. He will eat from our hand, by he only likes sunflower seeds, he is happy to chat and occasionally hang out on a shoulder, but he doesn't like to be interfered with. I'm pretty sure it's not fear, he just likes to do his own thing. I do feel he would like some birdie company - he doesn't really play, he likes to climb around and talk and he has one bell he likes to wrestle, but I think another bird might encourage him to be more... Bird like?

We used to have a guinea pig and they would chatter back and fourth all day long but the piggie died a few months ago - he was eight years old - and the living room feels a bit lonely with out him.

For myself, I would like the kind of bird that will hang out with me, possibly even to harness train, if he is into it. A talker would be nice, but not that important. I get lonely at home all day alone and Alfie isnt interested in me :roll:

With regards to getting another tiel, I am concerned about the fact that the females can be chronic eggs layers. Would a male be a no no? What about Bourke's parrakeet? I have read that they are gentle and can make good cage mates for a cockatiel. We are in Australia so they are pretty easy to find here.

I have narrowed my list down a little, conures, Indian ring necks, plum headed, derbyan, alexandrine, are all possiblities, I love caiques, but they seem a little full on for me, when they reach maturity. I really like pionus, but they are hard to come by here. A princess parrot might be a good in between for both me and Alfie,, but they seem a little less interactive. I would like a larger (than tiel) sized bird. I would love an Amazon or Hahn's macaw, but there long life span concerns me, I am in my 30s but I have no children or relatives in Australia that could inherit him.

Oh and don't worry, I am not about to run out and get two new birds at the same time... I am just exploring my options...
Sarahk
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 10
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Types of Birds Owned: Cockatiel
Flight: Yes

Re: I have been here a little while but...

Postby liz » Sat Jul 01, 2017 5:19 am

Cockatiels are flockers and do not like to be alone. When they get a friend they become more secure because they think they have back up.
Gender does not seem as important as having a buddy. When I put new one in quarentine the flock will call to it. They will bond like telephone buddys before getting together. Two of the same gender will get along. We just match them up with the opposite sex because they would do it in the wild.

I had two yellow Cockatiel females. One had the deseas that made her feathers fall out. She was far from pretty but had a beautiful personality. I got two males from an over stocked breeder for $10 each. I named them Shadow and Lemone'. Shadow settled in right away with Charlene, the one who looked ugly with only patches of feathers. Lemone' ignored Sweetie but relaxed because he was in a small flock. When Charlene died Shadow took up with Sweetie, not his first choice.

Their personalities change a lot when they have another of their kind. They are more open and loving. Look to shelters and other places that have rehomed or rescued birds. You can also go to your state in www.rescueme.com"
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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: I have been here a little while but...

Postby Pajarita » Sat Jul 01, 2017 9:11 am

Well, you have the ideal lifestyle for keeping a parrot! Now, as to your concerns. Female tiels only become chronic layers when people don't know enough about how their reproduction system and cycles work. I've had over 50 cockatiels, a bit more budgies and a bit less lovebirds over the years, I've also had canaries my entire life and I have never had a chronic layer or an eggbound hen so, obviously, this is a problem that can be prevented. And the way to prevent it is real easy! All you have to do is keep them at a strict solar schedule with full exposure to dawn and dusk - and this is the MOST important part and the one that most people fail at because they don't realize the importance of it! If, you add the change in diet for breeding and resting season (less protein during resting than during breeding), you'll have a hen that will go into breeding condition only when she is supposed to, lay two clutches a year and stop when she is going to go into molt. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! But, if you think you cannot do it, you can get another male which can be Alfie's friend... not the same as having a girlfriend but better than nothing. Cockatiels are very friendly to each other, they enjoy each other's company and, if you introduce them the right way, they can have a bromance :D I've had two males that loved one another and never looked at a female and I've had two cousins that chose to stay together all the time even though one of them got himself a girlfriend, too.

As to the species for the 'other' parrot - well, all the species you mentioned as possibilities are aviary ones and they would all work out as long as you don't expect a deep bond and a real close relationship with them. Personally, I would not consider having a lone individual of an aviary species but that's because, to me, the bird's happiness is more important than what I might or might not get from the relationship and I feel terribly guilty when I know that one of my animals needs something it doesn't have... I inherited a lone male budgie from a very dear friend who died recently and the first thing I did when I got him was start looking for others of the same species so he would not be lonely. I am not only a perfectionist and an animal lover, I also have this 'family size' sense of guilt that has been a problem for me my entire life :lol: Right now, I have a male button quail that needs a mate and even though I've been looking and looking for months and even posted on CL that I am trying to find one, I haven't been able to and I am considering sending my husband to Boston (which is 6 hours away from me) to pick up one because a member on this same forum mentioned that he sees them advertised in the local CL all the time - and these are birds that sell for $10 each so the trip alone would cost three times what the bird does -that should tell you how crazy I am about these things! :lol:

Couldn't you find a GCC where you are? Because they are companion but they are small, beautiful, VERY affectionate, the males are good talkers and working from home gives you a perfect situation for one of them!
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: I have been here a little while but...

Postby Sarahk » Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:22 pm

I'm sure I could find one, I have a very reputable bird shop nearby so I am going to go chat with him tomorrow about what species are available locally.
I have also found a breeder interstate that has good reviews. Her list of parrots is as follows:

Eclectus, Alexandrines, Indian Ringnecks, Lacewings, Moustache, Sun Conures, Janday Conures, Quakers, Lorikeets, Varied Lorikeets, Greencheeks, Cinnamon Greencheeks, Black Capped Conures, Black Capped Lori, Dusky Lori, Chattering Lori, Black Cockatoos, Black Headed Caiques, Amazons, Hahns Macaws and the most beautiful Blue & Gold Macaws...

I have to do some more research into her, because that seems like a lot of birds to be breeding to me, but it is pretty much all the exotic brids that are available here. Autralian species, obviously easier to come by.

I will probably have to wait a while if I go with a breeder, so in the meantime I will look out for a rescue cockatiel. There is a bird rescue near by, but the seem to have only lorikeets (don't thinking could deal with the projectile poop) and cockatoos (which are beautiful, but definately too much for me). I definately see the advantages of an older bird, but I'm not sure it would be an option for me.
Sarahk
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 10
Number of Birds Owned: 0
Types of Birds Owned: Cockatiel
Flight: Yes

Re: I have been here a little while but...

Postby liz » Sun Jul 02, 2017 4:53 am

You can get quail from a farm store. Any store that has baby chicks can order most any bird. They have like a catalog of the birds they can order.

Why would anyone have a quail as a pet. Was it rescued and rehabbed? Is it possible to get three more and raise it for release?

My Dad had a 12 acre farm. It was just a miniature of a real farm and had a large farm neighbor. Both would take in any wildlife that needed a home. They kept food and water out for the animal until it ventured out on it's own.

One night I thought I heard another dog beating the dog bowl around. It was the first opossum that I had ever seen. It looked like a 25 pound mouse. When I told Dad what was on the back porch he told me to leave it alone. He said it had bonded to his Airdale, Lucky. Farmers will take in any wild thing that will not cause a problem with their other animals.

A farmer about 10 miles away had 300 acres and took in the five bunnies that I had bottle fed and raised. He said he had enough room that they would not need to venture any farther.

Ok I wandered away again.
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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

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