I see there are a great many knowledgeable people here on TPF, so I am hoping to get some good advice/insight into what I have gotten myself into, LOL!I have recently adopted an 8-year-old male black-headed caique I have named Galileo. He came from an exotic bird sanctuary. The owners of the sanctuary said he had been cage-bound by his previous owner and had begun to pluck his tail feathers, and had little to no interaction with people before they received him. I adopted him because yes, I felt horrible for him for being stuck in a cage all day every day, and also I wanted a companion bird who liked to hang out with me since I am alone a lot. I was on the verge of adopting a goffin, but as soon as I saw this grumpy, sad-looking BHC I couldn't leave him there, and I was up for the challange of winning his affection.
Let me start by saying that I know it is going to take time to get him to be sociable and he is definitely psychologically damaged from his previous neglect. Galileo is surprisingly easy to handle for his beginnings (he was at the santuary for only 1 or 2 months before I adopted him), but seems to have the "grumpy" personality of those few rare BHCs. He will tolerate me holding him, and has started to listen to the step-up comand, but I get the evil-eye and a nip if he doesn't want to leave his current perch for my hand. I am hoping he just needs to come out of his shell. One good thing- he has gone from biting me hard enough to make me bleed to letting me ruffle his feathers a little, although he still nips at me if he gets that look in his eye. The people at the sanctuary said he was like that the whole time they'd had him, too, so it isn't like he dislikes me (I hope).
He also isn't playful at all, and hasn't played once since I brought him home and didn't play at the sanctuary either. He doesn't even play in his cage, he just sits there and mopes. I am assuming he was a hand-raised bird who was just neglected for so long that it made him resent people because I think his sweet side will be showing itself sometime very soon, because today he let me scratch his head for the first time. I hold him and generally interact with him for probably 3 hours a day if not more. I don't let him perch on my shoulder- both times I have tried he has bitten the heck out of my hand when I try to get him down. I know beaking is normal, but he bites to make me bleed when he gets in his moods, and I know he is trying to be dominant but when he bites, I just push my hand/finger/whatever he is biting slightly into the bite, tell him "No biting, buddy" and he lets go and calms down.
Sorry for the ranting... My question is: has anyone else had a "grumpy" BHC that became more affectionate? I really want him to be a companion bird, as I know the BHC as a species are affectionate and playful. What do you think? Was he just neglected to the point where playing just wasn't worthwhile anymore? And how would I get him to play? I have a ton of toys for him, and change them out in his cage even though he doesn't play with them anyway, and try to get him to look at/play with objects when I have him out of his cage but he just doesn't seem interested, he just sits there and watches me, or decides he has had enough of me and wanders off. He doesn't hop, either, he walks like he owns the place.
I really would like any suggestions about how to get him to play, it's just so sad that he just sits there all the time like he is still stuck in his cage.
Thoughts anyone?
And thank you.
Galileo is a cranky little fella still, but I would be cranky too if I'd been in a cage for eight years of my life I think.
I will definitely keep everyone posted.
