Senegal parrot - 1st week home - What should I expect? She's not eating much.

Hi everyone,

I have owned parakeets and cockatiels for many years but I now have a lot more to learn and I hope I can get some helpful suggestions and information. I brought home my first parrot this past Friday (May 20th). She is an 8 month old Senegal parrot. I got her from a bird breeder. She was hand fed. I just wish I found her sooner. I'm hopeing 8 months old is still a good age to get a young parrot. She is very sweet. Before I took her home I spent a few weekends with her to help her get used to seeing me.

I'm guessing being in a home is a huge change for her. I''ve been trying to imagine things from her point of view. When she was with the bird breeders, every weekend they brought their birds to the flea market and then she stayed in the noisy aviery during the week. I'm not sure how much attention she got during the week from the breeders.

Today is her 3rd day being home. She is slowly adjusting but I'm not sure if her behavior is normal. She has a play gym in a nice corner of my work room. I've been letting her there off and on for parts of the day. She also spends time on my shoulder while I work on the computer or do dishes and such. At about 7:30 pm I've been putting her in her sleeping cage in my quiet bedroom. This will be the normal routine for her. I work from home.

So far in all areas of the house she's been nervous and eyeing everything but not all the time. I've been watching her closely and she hasn't been eating much since she's been home. When she's in her sleeping cage or on her play gym she mainly just sits still eyeing everything around her. Every now and then she'll go grab a sunflower seed. I have gotten her to eat a little more by hand feeding her some seeds and some grapes. When she's nervous though, she'll take the seed or other treat and just drop it. It's almost has if she's just being polite in taking the treat.

When she's on my shoulder she's farily happy but likes to chew on my shirt. I'm going to make a bird toy necklace for her to play with in hopes she'll like that instead of my shirt. I can't expect her to do nothing on my shoulder when she's happy. She'll take treats from me there but not all the time yet.

My question is, what should I expect from a new parrot adjusting to a new home? Cassie seems smart and I hope she won't be nervous for a long time. I do hope she'll come out of her shell and be happy and playful like many Senegals I've reading about. After she's settled in and happy I would love to start target training her. Amazingly though, she has learned to step up when asked yestuday. I'm so proud of her already.

Also, when a parrot clicks their beak, do they do that when they are happy/content or nervous? I think she does that when she's happy but still not sure. I do hope I'm doing all the right things for her.

---- Kimberley Smith

To be honest sounds like your doing everything right, giving her time and space, 3 days is not alot, i can take weeks or months for them to settle. she is nibbiling so i wouldnt be to worries, have tried giving her extra treats just for reasurance she is eating, fruit/veg etc etc?
Just keep talking to her when she os on her stand and she will gain your trust eventually, just hold on in there!!
welcome to the world of Senegal, what they lack in size they make up in personality!!!!

Oh also the beak clicking, do you mean as if they are gritting/grating there beak? if so Ellsie does this when she is happy and content, usually in the evening before she sleeps!! x

Thank you!! I have great news to share. At almost noon today she finally decided to chow down while being on her bird gym and is taking more food from me eagerly while sitting on her bird gym. I'm so happy about that. I also put a new toy by her that she seemed somewhat interested in and she started to exploring it. I look forward to seeing what she's really like after she's settled in. I'll share pictures of her soon.

---- Kimberley Smith

lmao enjoy the honeymoon period please don't let me put you off

as ellies says grinding is when they are content or sleepy

but if its specific single clicks/snaps it could be a mimic-ed sound

most important, things you dont want her to chew on, make it clear from the start, by simply takin it off her, a birdy necklace is fab, but she will then insist on chewing all necklaces, nut will chew on all my mans clothes as he let her do it at the start, and will throw a tantrum if he won't let her now, but she is happy to leave mine be, as i made it clear from start i didn't like it, but she will attack all my hair bobbles!

a visit to vets, but keep introducing her to new things in the home while she is young, and people, this way new things and faces will not freak her out when she is older

a good pellet diet with varied fresh veg an fruit (avoid seeds of the fruit, especially apple, pomegranet is ok) NO CHOCOLATE/ADVACADO/ALCOHOL/CAFFINE
lean meat, egg white with shell, cooked chicken bones, mash, noodles, pasta etc are good treats (avoid any high fat/salt/sugar foods)

look forward to seeing pictures, these little birds have a way of being so dam naughty, but is always forgiven as they are so dam charming!

Subee is right, make your point from the start even if she is shy, because she will only be learning how to get away with stuff! and again, socalise her as much as you can whilst young, it will save you so much grief in the long run!!

glad to hear she is happily eating and good again avoid those fatty human foods, as like humans they will gain a taste for junk food and refuse the good stuff she should have!!

Thank you so much. Ohhh, that does bing up a good question I have as far as chewing and nibbling things. She does love the birdie necklace I made for her. Today when I had her on my shoulder a little while she has been exploring with her beak and one time she accidently nipped some skin on my neck which surprised me and I jumped and said hhhuuu owww, and that surprised her back. She is very gentle and I hope she stays that way. I don't think she did that on purpose but I want her to know what's not acceptable. When I turn my head to talk to her she likes to nibble my lip. If she does bite down too hard (hasn't yet), how should I react? I would love to teach her that kisses are nice but only when asked. The bird breeder I got her from told me to tell her a firm NO if she does bite down too hard, but I also heard that I shouldn't show any reaction because it might encourage the behavior. What are your thoughts on that? Thank you so much for your replies.

---- Kimberley Smith

Here are new pictures of Cassie. She looks happy on her bird gym. And yep, that's the mess she made this afternoon after she decided to eat. lol.

---- Kimberley Smith

don't let her nibble your face/lips/ears!

i only have experiance with the one nut, an she hates being told NO to the point she will fly onto me to bite me for tellin her no, she knows what it means and every now an again we do say no an she listens, but for the most part, she does things to watch us flap about lol she is flighted and has free range of the house

but i have found the iggy works well! i put out a very rigid, not happy with that body posture, facial expression, turning away from her, birds can pick up our body language, very easily, in turn you should watch hers

reason i say don't let her nibble your face, is when they come into season they can be a handfull, so setting firm no biting face is good, as a nip to the face really hurts! let alone your lip!!
(yours may not be as agressive/unsettled as my nut, as she came to us while in season, now she is out of season, she is the most loving but distructive bird i know, the distructive part is my fault as i really let her get away with murder)

so if yours bite a tad hard, just say oww or no, quietly but firmly an turn away, from her if she continues take her off you for a short time out

distraction is also a good tactic, another toy etc

cos when nut is that way out she will really push lol oh an if they are gettin a tad mad, i find giving nut a bath with the spritzer really calms her down involves me gettin wet too as she insists on being on my shoulder when spritzed lol

aww she is soo cute!! i call that the look of lurve when they tilt there heads just so lol

she looks really good, bright and tidy feathers!

Think you will have to work out how to stop her, Ellsie again is the same as Subee and HATES being told no and goes all tall and skinny and wants to bite me for it.... so all i do if she goes for me is imedietly get her off me and leave her, usual back in her cage and leave her for a bit, as attention is what she craves and slowly she is learning that she must be god to get any!

i wouldnt let her on your face like that either as you just never know, Ellsie often bites me from frustartion, for example she is not happy the dog has come to say hello, and will in turn bite me for being in the way rather than the dog... if that makes sense so if she was startled it could be your face, and no doubt you will get a hard bite at some point, and you wouldnt want it on your face belive me!

Again cant stres how important it is to so******e now as much as possible or she will cling just to you,and in turn may get defensive over you, again as mine have, apparently this canbe a trait of Senegals to be one personed!! dont want to put you off... but its all worth it