New and need advice!

Hi everone. I am a relatively new Eckie owner, we have had Puffin for 9mths and he is about to turn one in Feb.

I really wish I found this site when I first bought Puffin home as I have learnt so much in the last 2 days and there is a lot I would have done differently however all in all Puffin is a joy and usually a very well behaved little man.

The only thing that worries me is his new trick of emptying the entire contents of his feed bowl right after I put it in the cage and he says "thank you" ( he is a very polite little bird!) and he is now doing the same with his seed but I tried giving him weetbix with honey and he loved it!

Puffin loves coming to work with me a few days each week and is an extremely social lad who is talking way more than I thought he would be at this age and despite living in a household of three teens he has not picked up one naughty word!

One thing I would like to know is when he sees us after we come home he crouches down really low and flaps his wings like he is about to take off , I am thinking this is excitement but amnot really sure ? Anyone know?

Im not an expert but he is clearly happy to see you and wants to get you ASAP. Its his way of telling you that he wants to be with you. Be careful when getting him to step up because he may be in the middle of his flapping episode and he falls off your arm or hand and then gets scared of climbing onto you again. If it bugs you that he does that wait for him to stop then give him the attention and get him to step up. He will soon learn that he can be excited but will only get the attention once he has calmed down. As for the messing of seed, there is a thread that was opened recently that focuses on your parrot tipping and messing his food. Check the active topics at the top of the page, it was something on the lines of "wasting food" I think. Its very informative. Good luck and welcome!

Thanks Eclipse. I think the real reason the food bowl throwing worries me is because when he was younger I had taken the bowl out of the compartment to wash and was busy getting his food ready and when I went to take him his breakfast he was trapped in the compartment and had got himself in a right pickle! He jhad managed to turn himself upside down and had his wings caught between several of the bars and was totally stuck! I couldn't get near enough to him as he was biting in fear and aside from unscrewing the compartment from the cage there was nothing I could do. He ended up at the vet still trapped in the compartment and needed to be sedated while they got him out so as a result I get very nervous when he takes the bowl out! Mind you he is a much bigger bird now.

That sounds very traumatising!!! I love the name Puffin - adorable. Good luck with Puffin and Im sure him/her will settle, have you thought of changing the bowl - the change might help you not to be so nervous - just an idea. Your body language is very important and can make Puffin nervous even if there isnt any danger. Hugo got his head stuck through a bar in his new cage which was a tad to wide and I freaked - he then freaked and it ended in tears, luckily he was ok. I tried to shorten the width but he got it right again and this time I actually walked round the corner and peaked - he got himself out ok with no freaking. He's a funny bunny as his cage is never closed, he got bored of that soon because I just used to walk away. Parrots are more like children than we realise.

Welcome to our community. There is a wealth of information. About the food dumping - in the wild parrots must look for their food, work for their food. With our companion birds we put a dish or bowl in front of them and it is not a challange at all. I am sending you a link to read about foraging. Hope it helps.

Parrot Enrichment

I have a few of mine that are able to get the food bowl out of the ring and toss it. I went and got the quick-lock bowls and put in their cages and I don't have that problem anymore. They still throw some food out, but not the bowl.

SB - excellent link about forgaing, gonna go out and get some goodies together to make some fun toys for Hugo. I'm sure it will perk him up and exercise him more as he gets tired easily. He's doing so well today, was talking a bit this afternoon. Such a clever boy. What ideas from the link did you use? What ideas do you have? Please please share!!!

Thanks SB Wow that link is amazing! I have spent a fortune on foraging toys and Puffin has shown no interest at all yet these are all very basic but common sense ideas!

I love the shredded paper idea as Puffin loves paper and I can see him loving that idea and will use it on the days he he home alone and in his cage. I have three cats and as much as I love them I don't trust them yet to leave him home alone with them out of the cage. I will also use the other ideas for when I take him to work. He loves going to our office where he can be out of the cage all day but the problem is when off his play centre he makes a beeline for me which can be difficult when I am on the phone to a client and have puffin climbing up the phone cord!

Puffin is so happy to see you, that's he's way of showing you his love, I reckon.
We must be extremely careful, as to what goes into a cage.
If you are placing chains, make sure the claws will not get stuck into the chains.
If placing rings in the cage, make sure the bird is able to go through with enough space to turn etc.

Take care

Spiritbird said:

Welcome to our community. There is a wealth of information. About the food dumping - in the wild parrots must look for their food, work for their food. With our companion birds we put a dish or bowl in front of them and it is not a challange at all. I am sending you a link to read about foraging. Hope it helps.

Parrot Enrichment

Click to expand...

Thanks for the great link SB so much great info.

What would we do with you :63:
Enjoy your day

He's doing so well today, was talking a bit this afternoon.
Such a clever boy.

Sounds like his is improving daily, so so happy

Of course he is a clever boy, just look at his mommy

Later
Lovies :63:

Unbleached coffee filters are good to wrap up treats and the parrots tear into them with glee!! I have found out that the foraging toys your purchase are not as fun for the bird as the ones you can make. Wish we could all get together and have a toy making party.