Too big?

[Julsiebean]

^Did you even read what I posted? Her cage is open roughly 12 hours a day. I never asked about needing a bigger cage, she is in a giant flight cage. I asked it it was possible it was TOO big, she doesn't seem to like it. She has a sleep tent and a hut. But thanks anyways.

[pchela]

I read your first post down to Patdbunnys post and responded to that. I did not suggest you get a bigger cage, I suggested you not get a smaller one, which is what you asked about in your first post. I also offered some suggestions for your problem with her NOT wanting to come out of her cage and getting pissy. What part of that warranted a rude response?

[Julsiebean]

I wasn't being rude, or pissy. Your post didn't come across as what you stated above, but thanks for the clarification. I am thankful for the feedback.

[pchela]

Sorry - wasn't accusing you of being pissy. I was saying that you said your bird was pissy and didn't want to come out of the cage. That's what the training would be for.

I reread my post and I can see where you might have taken the first part as directed at you. It wasn't. I was just agreeing with what Patdbunny said there about bigger cages etc, and not trying to say anything about your cage set up. Anyway, I apologize if it seemed that way. Since we got off on the wrong foot, maybe we can start over? I'm always happy to share and exchange knowledge with people so that our birds can be happier and healthier.

[Julsiebean]

^Thank you, I apologize also. Thank you for your advice, so far I know she likes pumpkin seeds, so I will do that when she comes out on her own. She wasn't like this when she first came home, so it is all unsettling to me. When I do get her out and about with me she is very happy, so it isn't like she hates me/hands/fingers. She just seems to have become CRAZY about her cage! How long do spring hormones last? (Just spring?)

[kaylayuh]

[quote="Julsiebean]How long do spring hormones last? (Just spring?)[/quote]

I find hormones to be a twice a year thing. Some birds may be different than others, but I'd bet on twice a year.

[pchela]

Yeah, twice a year sounds right. My older male is really hormonal right now as well. If she is good when he is out with you and hand tame then you mainly just want to try and avoid cage aggression. The treats might help with that. Hmmm... you know, I did suggest the happy hut earlier but I've also heard that if it is perceived as a nest site then that can make hormones worse. Does she use it? Also, when birds have plenty of food they go into reproduction mode but I can not bring myself to deprive them of food. Others suggested making sure they sleep and it's dark for at least 12 hours and that should help. Patdbunny is a breeder so she might have more knowledge. Oh! And make sure to never touch her anywhere but her head. Give her head scratches but don't stroke back, tail or wings. Those are supposed to be hot spots for birds.

[kaylayuh]

I did suggest the happy hut earlier but I've also heard that if it is perceived as a nest site then that can make hormones worse. Does she use it?

I had that problem with my budgies. I made them a hammock that they got really agressive about. When I cleaned the cages, took it out to wash, or tried to remove them from it, they went nuts. They would make this awful growling chirping kind of sound and try to bite my hands.

If you are using the happy hut with the bird and she seems super territorial about the cage and the hut, I'd get rid of it for a while and see if that helps. It may be that she's trying to protect her nest and she's viewing you as a threat, especially if she's hormonal.

[Julsiebean]

She does not use her hut, she doesn't play with any of her toys.

Yikes, I love on her all over, better quit that fast!!! I leave Pro-vida blend food in her cage all day, per the advice of the lady at the store.

She doesn't get 12 hours of dark, better fix that too.


Thanks guys!!!!

[jayebird]

I definitely wouldn't ever suggest a smaller cage to anyone - but it's a good question to ask.

It sounds like a mixture of hormones, personality, and really still being new to the environment and adjusting.

Hormones, you know about from all these other posts.

Personality - some birds like toys, and some don't. Some like very particular kinds of toys. Some don't like toys as babies and grow into them, some the opposite, and some go through phases during the year. My Mango, he started out not really know how to use toys and believe it or not we had to kind of teach him how to play with some of them. Now he goes through phases where he's enamored with some toys for a while, and then doesn't care. He's just not a chewer, so chewy toys don't work for him. He just doesn't seem to be interested in playing too much. But we fixed the probem of potential boredom with foraging toys - and he gets about 50% of his diet through foraging toys and methods. So, for the bird that doesn't find just the joy of chewing to be pleasure enough in and of itself and motivating to work on a toy.........I always, always, always suggest foraging. There's tons of toys for that and little tricks and things you can make or do yourself. That will definitely help to get rid of any excess energy that may be coming out as aggression, too.

Lastly, still adjusting. I would give it a full year before you can start to predict her behaviors and before she's settled in. More than just a couple of months. Between now and then she'll go through lots of phases and adaptations and seasons. My vet has counseled this to me. So I wouldn't worry too much about specific behavior patterns yet until you've seen things play out over 12 months and all of the seasons, etc - and then you'll both know each other well enough to identify specific personality traits, preferences, schedules, and make decisions accordingly.




P.S. - we don't cover the cage at night, but we do have a full-spectrum bird light set on a timer. He sleeps absolutely fine, and since we have a studio apartment he's around us, and our noise and schedules, all of the time. Some birds need covering, some like it, some don't like it, some are indifferent. We tried it with him. He's indifferent. We did, however, just lengthen the time that his bird light is on to replicate the longer days of spring/summer (for whatever that information is worth )