Interacting with Skype?

[MissBMonkey]

I have a sweet little Green Cheek. She's completely bonded to me, and I must admit, I spoil her rotten.

I went away on an 8 day vacation a few months ago, and had a sitter look after her. She was so depressed that I was gone; it took a lot of coaxing from the sitter to get her to eat. I think part of it is that Ducky and I eat dinner together at night (well, she eats her veggie mix in her cage with the door open, and I eat at the table beside her).

My next trip is coming up at end of June, but for only 4 days. I have been trying to introduce her to Skype. I thought it might be a nice way to keep our routine - if I "eat" with her at dinner time. So for the past few days I have called her from work. But she won't even look at me. She's confused and she bangs her beak against the bars of her cage (like she does when she hears me come home after work). She hears my voice, but won't look at the computer screen and won't interact with me.

Does anyone else use Skype to talk to their feather kids while they are away? Did it take some time before they get used to it? Any ideas on what to do?

 

[DannyA93]

She doesn't understand to concept. My sunny used to lick the screen when I would skype him and when he realized I wasn't actually there he would run off/:

 

[Sterling1113]

Unfortunately technology is a tricky thing, limited almost exclusively to human interaction(with the exception of sound.)
Animals(and humans) have to be 'taught' to see images that appear on a pixelated screen. That's the reason many babies don't "watch" TV, they don't know how.
Not only that but birds see things differently than people. If you looked at a picture through a humans eye, than a birds eye, you'd have a hard time understanding how the bird lives like that!

Some animals(dogs, some birds) have reacted to seeing their human on screen, but it's hard to pinpoint *how* to condition them to recognize.

On the bright side, maybe listening to you will be enough to help her eat? Just chit chat with her during dinner time?

(I'm no expert on this stuff. I just spend allot of time reading various subjects, and this was one of them a long time ago hehe.)

 

[yorkshiregal]

My husband went to visit with the baby GCC yesterday at the pet store (that we pick up today yay) I was at home not feeling well so my husband Skyped me on his phone. It was pretty hilarious, baby bird actually interacted with me, kind of bobbing up and down and walking backwards!!! not sure if it was me, the phone or my voice??? I Skype with my dogs and they go crazy so who knows?

 

[Sterling1113]

My husband went to visit with the baby GCC yesterday at the pet store (that we pick up today yay) I was at home not feeling well so my husband Skyped me on his phone. It was pretty hilarious, baby bird actually interacted with me, kind of bobbing up and down and walking backwards!!! not sure if it was me, the phone or my voice??? I Skype with my dogs and they go crazy so who knows?

My fids to that to cellphones, monitors, mirrors..
I think it's mostly things that they can find their reflection in. plus, the combination of your voice was probably pretty exciting too!
"Ohh! What's this cool box thing?? It has lots of colors!! What's that?? It sounds like a human!! So cool!!"

 

[Taw5106]

I haven't skyped but I play youtube videos of birds and Buddy watches. When he's on my shoulder while I'm working he's staring at my monitor watching the pointer and windows open, close, move around. And yes he is watching it, lol. I think they can see it but like others have said, your baby hasn't connected with seeing you on the screen. Keep trying though.

 

[MissBMonkey]

Thank you! I will keep trying. I've been trying with Skype, but sometimes the picture is good and sometimes it's terribly grainy and just hangs. I hate looking at it so I'm sure she must! I will try and find a good Skype alternative since I believe it's skype and not my internet / iphone connection.

Any thoughts on good interactive bird toys? Ducky doesn't really play with toys, even though I've trained her to; she'll only interact with a toy if she sees me playing with it. The only toy she seems to enjoy is the paper reel, but even then it's just for a few seconds here and there. But I would like her to be entertained while I am away.

I've thought about a mirror, but I'm a bit wary of mirrors....for obvious reasons

I just ordered her one of those little push button phone things that make noise, through amazon, and a foraging wheel; we'll see how that goes. All she really wants to do is cuddle and nothing else! Lol

 

[lquan]

I had to travel oversea often for work. Like most animals, parrots, don't see moving images on a digital screen like primates. My Lily could never recognize me on Skype. However, she recognizes my voice through the speakers and searches around the computer for me. I tried to put a clear still image a of a full size hawk on my large LCD TV in the livingroom and showed it to Lily, it didn't scare a her a bit. But if a mere sight of a hawk appear outside my windows, she would scream and fly frantically to her safe spot, which is on top of the kitchen cabinets.