In need of parrot respite!!

[Pigletguinea]

First off, I have to say that I wouldn't give up Oskie for the world now that he's part of our family

Does anyone else find it hard to get some rest since they got their feathered friend(s)? After a busy day, I'll try and sit down with a cup of coffee, only to be met by a screaming, clawing ball of feathers who wants my coffee/food. If I try and take a nap, and all I get is Oskie screaming because he can't see me; if he can see me, then I'm not giving him enough attention and he screams anyway.

Today, I thought I'd put him on his perch (he has an Avi One perch on wheels) in the bedroom while I lay down. I close my eyes for 5 minutes, and wake up to Oskie on my chest trying to shove a slice of apple in my mouth!!

I love him to bits, but is it strange that the idea of having children is seeming less appealing the longer he lives with us?

 

[GaryBV]

HAHAHAHAHAAAAA - you had me rolling here - parrots are SO like kids. I don't have the same problem as you have as I have smaller species and 2 of each so they have each other. But I do feel for you lol. (no, really I do ) If you have a cage for him I'd put him in there and dim the lights and cover his cage for the duration of your nap - we all need a break some time.

 

[strudel]

wake up to Oskie on my chest trying to shove a slice of apple in my mouth!!

I'm a bit ashamed to say that I found your plight hilarious.... Maybe he thought you were in a diabetic coma and needed some sugar.

Do they leave you alone more if they have a "friend"? Or do you just get 2 birds "Carmen Miranda-ing" you while you sleep?

 

[Betrisher]

ROTFL! Yep. Alexandrines. What can I say?

Mine are exactly the same. Although, I do have the pair and they can occupy each other to a degree. One time, I took them in my bedroom when I had a nap (was so very tired) and when I woke up, they were exactly where I'd left them (one on my elbow and one on my knee) and still fast asleep. That was one time.

There's no possibility of doing what other parronts do and having the birds out on their playgym while you do stuff around the house. Oh no. You have to be there, having full-on quality time with them the whole time. And, as you say, pour a cuppa, pick up an apple, reach for a bit of toast - in an instant, you'll have a green hat which quickly descends onto your arm and steals whatever it is you have and gobbles it up.

Here's what I do each day with my pair.

I let them into the house (we have a tunnel connecting their large outdoor cage with the kitchen) and allow them to fly and fly and fly for about half an hour. During that time, kitchen things can happen, so I'll do the washing up etc. From time to time, one or both birds will come to help me and to taste the suds. I try to stop them, but they seem to think it's funny or something. ?

If they feel dirty, we'll have a shower. This consists of them perching on my hand while I wet them thoroughly to the skin with a squishy bottle. If only they would hop into the sink or even perch on the tap. But no, they utterly must sidle up my arm and onto my head so that I always seem to wind up showering my own self as much as I'm showering the Beaks. Some days they don't want a shower and they indicate this by nipping me when I pick up the squishy bottle. While I'm showering one bird, the other will be busily pulling my hair out of its plait and redoing it for me in a creative, nest-like 'do'.

After the shower, we blow dry. The Beaks perch on the shower curtain rail and I point the drier at them while they turn themselves into pretzels. They really, really love the blow drier and fight each other for the prime spot in front of it.

Next, we do Work. That is, trick training. I'll spend about half an hour to an hour playing with the birds and teaching them their tricks. They're pretty good at fetching things, putting things 'in the bin' and flying to me when I call (so long as there's a treat in my hand - otherwise, I'm chopped liver). After that, they have free time for an hour or so while I do the sweeping and picking up that's necessary after all the mess they've made from flinging sunflower husks, bits of paper from their rummage basket and whichever pieces of paper, wood and plastic they've stolen from off of my house. Free time often consists of a nap: they'll perch on top of the TV (which is on top of our fridge), preen themselves nicely and then nod off while I do the boring stuff.

Finally, after cuddles and kisses, I'll put a couple of shelled peanuts in the tunnel and post first Barney and then Madge back into their outside cage. Once they've realised the hatch door is shut, they complain a bit but not for long. They'll eat a bit and then play until dinner time at around 5pm.

I'm finding the super-huge cage is absolutely great! The Beaks can actually fly in it and it's loaded up with toys and chewy things for them to play with. Not only that, but they have the lovebirds for company and will soon have Dominic as well when the weather picks up a bit (been cold and wet for the last month or so). The Beaks still bellow for me and it's very obvious they've imprinted on me in some very basic way. But this system is working for us just now. Having them out of doors has made things far less stressful than when they were smack in the middle of the kitchen and wanting attention from everyone all the time.

I should add that ours is a bird-friendly household. There are purpose-built perches everywhere, a suspended playgym over the kitchen doorway and another over the front door. While the house is very, very small by most standards, there are rooms where the birds are not allowed and they're pretty good at observing that. I just keep the off-limits rooms darkened and so the Beaks never go there.

 

[MomtoPercy]

LOL! Sorry but all of the "laments" posted, are hysterical! These are the best kind of "problems" to have in life.

 

[strudel]

the other will be busily pulling my hair out of its plait and redoing it for me in a creative, nest-like 'do'.

Isn't that just like Disney's Snow White?

 

[Betrisher]

LOL! But I come out looking more like the Wicked Stepmother!

 

[strudel]

I'll always think of you as Snow, dancing and singing with birds tying your apron and doing your hair.

 

[Diesel_Hyland]

Ha ha I had to laugh also...We actually pass Diesel around all of our family quite a bit when we get home and take him out in the garden, keep him with us when making tea, playing cards etc. We're always chatting away to each other and him. By 8pm he's usually tuckered out and happily climbs onto his favourite perch in his cage and tucks himself up for the night.

If he starts squawking we just pop him back on his perch and ignore him. He hates that, stops squawking and starts talking to us in hi little garbled sentences, desperate to get 'back to the cool kids in the flock'

But you're right about Alexs' being like kids...Diesel has just learnt the whining "Maaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmm????" it's in EXACTLY the same tone as my daughter. She thinks he's hilarious. Give me strength!!!

 

[MikeyTN]

You had me laughing on feeding you apple!!!! LoL....At least Oskie isn't trying to regurgitate into your mouth while your sleeping....now that would of been...

 

[Nathan1]

ROTFL! Yep. Alexandrines. What can I say?

Mine are exactly the same. Although, I do have the pair and they can occupy each other to a degree. One time, I took them in my bedroom when I had a nap (was so very tired) and when I woke up, they were exactly where I'd left them (one on my elbow and one on my knee) and still fast asleep. That was one time.

There's no possibility of doing what other parronts do and having the birds out on their playgym while you do stuff around the house. Oh no. You have to be there, having full-on quality time with them the whole time. And, as you say, pour a cuppa, pick up an apple, reach for a bit of toast - in an instant, you'll have a green hat which quickly descends onto your arm and steals whatever it is you have and gobbles it up.

Here's what I do each day with my pair.

I let them into the house (we have a tunnel connecting their large outdoor cage with the kitchen) and allow them to fly and fly and fly for about half an hour. During that time, kitchen things can happen, so I'll do the washing up etc. From time to time, one or both birds will come to help me and to taste the suds. I try to stop them, but they seem to think it's funny or something. ?

If they feel dirty, we'll have a shower. This consists of them perching on my hand while I wet them thoroughly to the skin with a squishy bottle. If only they would hop into the sink or even perch on the tap. But no, they utterly must sidle up my arm and onto my head so that I always seem to wind up showering my own self as much as I'm showering the Beaks. Some days they don't want a shower and they indicate this by nipping me when I pick up the squishy bottle. While I'm showering one bird, the other will be busily pulling my hair out of its plait and redoing it for me in a creative, nest-like 'do'.

After the shower, we blow dry. The Beaks perch on the shower curtain rail and I point the drier at them while they turn themselves into pretzels. They really, really love the blow drier and fight each other for the prime spot in front of it.

Next, we do Work. That is, trick training. I'll spend about half an hour to an hour playing with the birds and teaching them their tricks. They're pretty good at fetching things, putting things 'in the bin' and flying to me when I call (so long as there's a treat in my hand - otherwise, I'm chopped liver). After that, they have free time for an hour or so while I do the sweeping and picking up that's necessary after all the mess they've made from flinging sunflower husks, bits of paper from their rummage basket and whichever pieces of paper, wood and plastic they've stolen from off of my house. Free time often consists of a nap: they'll perch on top of the TV (which is on top of our fridge), preen themselves nicely and then nod off while I do the boring stuff.

Finally, after cuddles and kisses, I'll put a couple of shelled peanuts in the tunnel and post first Barney and then Madge back into their outside cage. Once they've realised the hatch door is shut, they complain a bit but not for long. They'll eat a bit and then play until dinner time at around 5pm.

I'm finding the super-huge cage is absolutely great! The Beaks can actually fly in it and it's loaded up with toys and chewy things for them to play with. Not only that, but they have the lovebirds for company and will soon have Dominic as well when the weather picks up a bit (been cold and wet for the last month or so). The Beaks still bellow for me and it's very obvious they've imprinted on me in some very basic way. But this system is working for us just now. Having them out of doors has made things far less stressful than when they were smack in the middle of the kitchen and wanting attention from everyone all the time.

I should add that ours is a bird-friendly household. There are purpose-built perches everywhere, a suspended playgym over the kitchen doorway and another over the front door. While the house is very, very small by most standards, there are rooms where the birds are not allowed and they're pretty good at observing that. I just keep the off-limits rooms darkened and so the Beaks never go there.

I wish I had all of that stuff, bird things are SOOO expensive, especially the bird itself...All I have is a play top, I'm working on building things with willow branches...Less than 12k/yr, just too poor for all of that stuff O_O

 

[Betrisher]

LOLOLOL! If you only knew! You'd be surprised how little money it takes, so long as you plan carefully and think outside the box.

Most of my birds' toys are home-made from recycled stuff and OpShop finds. I got a basketful of baby playgym toys for free the other day because none of them matched and no one wanted them. They make perfect birdie toys because they ring and clatter and have bright colours and no metal parts. I buy cheap stainless steel and bamboo kitchenware items from China, secondhand wicker baskets and old skipping ropes. I trawl my neighborhood for suitable branches (not hard - there's gum trees all around) and my husband is equally clever at finding good, safe timber offcuts for my Beaks to turn into matchstix.

I did spend megabux on a huge cage, but that came by way of a gift of money from my Mum - otherwise, we'd have built an outdoor aviary from found materials. I'm so glad it didn't come to that! (Thanks, Mum!)

 

[Nathan1]

LOLOLOL! If you only knew! You'd be surprised how little money it takes, so long as you plan carefully and think outside the box.

Most of my birds' toys are home-made from recycled stuff and OpShop finds. I got a basketful of baby playgym toys for free the other day because none of them matched and no one wanted them. They make perfect birdie toys because they ring and clatter and have bright colours and no metal parts. I buy cheap stainless steel and bamboo kitchenware items from China, secondhand wicker baskets and old skipping ropes. I trawl my neighborhood for suitable branches (not hard - there's gum trees all around) and my husband is equally clever at finding good, safe timber offcuts for my Beaks to turn into matchstix.

I did spend megabux on a huge cage, but that came by way of a gift of money from my Mum - otherwise, we'd have built an outdoor aviary from found materials. I'm so glad it didn't come to that! (Thanks, Mum!)

I've been told that willow branches are very good for them to chew on(Do you agree with that?). I prefer the natural stuff anyway.

I'd like to make "jungle gyms" that hang from the ceiling, but I'm not very creative. If you have any interesting designs you can share with me that would be great.

 

[Betrisher]

I don't like to comment on timbers that aren't native Australian since I'm not 100% sure about those. I don't know about willow - but I'm sure someone will chime in soon to let us both know. My house is very small and so our playgym can only hang from the ceiling over our back door. Here's a link to the thread I posted when it was first hung:

http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/35119-our-over-door-playgym.html

It's changed since then. In fact, this very afternoon, we're going to take it down for a thorough clean and a re-jig with a few more toys on it. I have to add a ladder so our disabled Galah, Dominic, can get up to it.

 

[Freespin]

Did you happen to find him on trademe? I'm sure I saw one listed a while ago called oskie (i check bird listings daily hehe). I have to locl my Barry up if I want to eat anything or I get harassed to the maximum! If I won't let him near my plate he sits on my chest and tries to intercept food on it's way to my mouth or try to put his beak in my mouth to steal it!