Doesn't play with toys, companion needed?

[SpotsandSally]

So our little boy Kiwi doesn't :
Like us very much
Like to play with toys
Like to talk
Like to cuddle (clothing, humans, other animals)
Talk/interact with the pigeons (they mostly grunt since the pigeons are new to each other, perhaps when they're breeding & cooing he'll be more interested)
Like to do... Anything, really.

he just seems so pitiful. He sits on the curtains all day, will come down to eat my food (or her food if he is hungry) but otherwise just sits there wallowing on the curtains, doing nothing!
So I have 2 ideas :
Make an AWESOME tree stand using our local paper birch (was inspired by someone who did the same for they're macaws... I'm making macaw size, too, to make sure he's fully entertained)
Or look into getting another bird.
Now I'm going to try the first option first, since we're very strapped with money and if I get another bird ill have to sell my pigeons, but if we do it'd be a budgie, most likely. Hopefully a male, since then maybe it'll be a chatterbox and open up Kiwi's world

Now, kiwis not plucking and we're working on getting some awesome, new veggies into his diet (are boiled carrots ok? I think he'd like boiled carrots a lot), but nonetheless, his life seems very boring and I feel bad for him so any ideas?

 

[ShellyBorg]

Start clicker training him for his fav treats. The more you work with these birds the better pets they make. Ringnecks do not do well if they do not have daily handling.

 

[SpotsandSally]

I have been handling him daily, simply there are times when I'm doing things like homework, and he'll do nothing but go up on the curtains and sit there for hours /:
Working on clicker training right now actually, lol. Finding a good treat has been a pain. He likes millet, but won't eat it off the sticks of millet, (well he does, but not if im offering it to him) doesn't bother with sunflower seeds ('too much work to eat it out of the shell'). So far he's tried apples/grapes, but refuses to take them unless he's in a good mood, which lasts from like 4 hours, then he gets all grouchy. Might have to move his cage so at night he gets a better rest. Perhaps that's the problem? Due to school schedule the house is 'up' at 8, but then not 'up' again until 3. And he gows to bed at 10. might have to get more strict bedtimes. Hmp. Bratty bird, lol.

Also, when building the little birdy paradise, it'll be way to big to 'bake' in the stove, so should I soak it in vinegar, steam clean...?

I'm going to start foraging him as well once I get his birdy paradise up


Thanks :3 maybe ill just to need not feed him during the night and keep him hungry in the morning. 'Tis the weekend ^^

 

[mangokeaton]

I was in a similiar position just days ago and decided to get my Green Cheek another Green cheek as a buddy. They get along quite well, but will still get into arguments here and there. But... so far it has made my first Green cheek play so much more with his toys. I think he's doing it to try and get the new one to join in. Either way, I can already tell getting him a friend was a good decision

 

[Mitchan]

So I was also in a kind of similar position (without knowing it) once, but not really this "intense". Alaska, too, preferred to sit on the curtains and do nothing all day, but she seemed to in some way enjoy my company, did accept cuddles once in a while, and did chew on some wooden toys...
When I got Miley, the change was amazing, she became way more active and happy and motivated - she even managed to re-teach herself how to fly properly (something I had been concerned about earlier) after a fer months of watching Miley have fun in the air.
They're the best of friends now and used to even share a cage (not that often anymore since Miley likes Alaska a little too much and will attack anyone who approaches the cage when both of them are in there )


I say go ahead with making that tree stand, and motivating him with really good treats (both training with you, and hiding stuff all over the place for him to find or chew out of things or climb/fly to things to reach. Maybe spread some food on a table or something like that, along with woodchips or shredded paper so that he'll have to dig around to get to the good stuff, which is great because they're partly ground foragers in the wild)

If you haven't already, try providing lots of different textures etc when it comes to toys. One of my IRNs have a huge thing for chewing leather and picking the leaves off branches, while the other one would be happy just chewing soft wood all day.

I do think every bird deserves a bird friend (if possible! It's not always that easy) and I think he would totally benefit from one, not only the company but also that another bird could teach and motivate him to become more active etc.
BUT, I definitely DON'T think you should get a budgie, because I personally think that would not lead to anything more than TWO lonely birds instead of one.
If you want him to even be ABLE to on some level higher than "talking through the cages from different sides of the room", interact with the maybe possible new bird, then I honestly think you should go for another IRN.
They're way more likely to get along, AND they "speak the same language", if they want to accept eachother, they'll be able to understand eachother and interact on a level no other bird, animal, or human could provide.
Even if they'd end up hating eachother (and believe me, that could definitely happen), they would most likely benefit from the distant company of eachother way more than a budgie and an IRN would. ^_^

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[SpotsandSally]

So I was also in a kind of similar position (without knowing it) once, but not really this "intense". Alaska, too, preferred to sit on the curtains and do nothing all day, but she seemed to in some way enjoy my company, did accept cuddles once in a while, and did chew on some wooden toys...
When I got Miley, the change was amazing, she became way more active and happy and motivated - she even managed to re-teach herself how to fly properly (something I had been concerned about earlier) after a fer months of watching Miley have fun in the air.
They're the best of friends now and used to even share a cage (not that often anymore since Miley likes Alaska a little too much and will attack anyone who approaches the cage when both of them are in there )


I say go ahead with making that tree stand, and motivating him with really good treats (both training with you, and hiding stuff all over the place for him to find or chew out of things or climb/fly to things to reach. Maybe spread some food on a table or something like that, along with woodchips or shredded paper so that he'll have to dig around to get to the good stuff, which is great because they're partly ground foragers in the wild)

If you haven't already, try providing lots of different textures etc when it comes to toys. One of my IRNs have a huge thing for chewing leather and picking the leaves off branches, while the other one would be happy just chewing soft wood all day.

I do think every bird deserves a bird friend (if possible! It's not always that easy) and I think he would totally benefit from one, not only the company but also that another bird could teach and motivate him to become more active etc.
BUT, I definitely DON'T think you should get a budgie, because I personally think that would not lead to anything more than TWO lonely birds instead of one.
If you want him to even be ABLE to on some level higher than "talking through the cages from different sides of the room", interact with the maybe possible new bird, then I honestly think you should go for another IRN.
They're way more likely to get along, AND they "speak the same language", if they want to accept eachother, they'll be able to understand eachother and interact on a level no other bird, animal, or human could provide.
Even if they'd end up hating eachother (and believe me, that could definitely happen), they would most likely benefit from the distant company of eachother way more than a budgie and an IRN would. ^_^

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Aww, Alaska's such a cute name ^^ glad to know it worked out for you guys.

It'd probably have to be a cockatiel or a bird in need of a new home - the IRNs from the breeder cost $500 for a green one. And the only one he has left is a $600 blue one I'd love to get the blue one but money says no. The cockatiels are relatively cheap, only $100. I just thought of budgie since I know they talk a lot and my IRN likes to 'talk' to bird videos. But a same-sized bird would be better, and a IRN best.
I really do want all of my birds to have a pal if possible (which is why I find my un-paired pigeons heartbreaking), so kiwi will most certainly be getting one at some point, just when is unknown, and sooner if he doesn't lighten up.

Gonna head to my neighbors and see if I can bribe him with a goose to cut down a few trees and screw them together. Just a question, though - I won't be able to 'bake' this, so should I steam it for a bit, vinegar clean, or? I don't want some hidden bugs to attack my baby xD



Edit:
He has soft wood, colored wood, natural wood, shaped wood, hard wood, bells. He has a variation, lol.