Flboy
Well-known member
- Dec 28, 2014
- 12,599
- 4,105
- Parrots
- JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
So really awesome! I am happy for you both!
Welcome home Phoebe (Orbit)
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- #22
Squeekmouse
Well-known member
Oh my gosh, Orbit is adorable!! I'm so happy he found you and let you know that he belongs with you. 
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Thank you Squeekmouse !
He ended up being a gift from my brother!@ i had borrowed the money from him. When I was so happy, he said he wanted it be gift for all the missed Christmas presents in the past, and maybe some in the future.
He ended up being a gift from my brother!@ i had borrowed the money from him. When I was so happy, he said he wanted it be gift for all the missed Christmas presents in the past, and maybe some in the future.
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This deserved an update, then I'll try snd hold back
I swapped his cage and rearranging everything to make it easier to work with him, due to cage aggressive and fear of hands.
In this new set up, I put a perch on the door, so when it swings open he is out of the cage.
I was working in the cage, with door open, and him on the new perch eating millit there.
He walked over and leaned into my chest!!!! So i gave him million kisses, no hands, and bragged on him! He got so happy making baby bird sounds snuggled and quaked. Awwwww. Then for the rest of the time I was working on the set up , he would come over every few minutes for kisses and snuggle . Of course i tried to bring my hand up...and he pushed it away, but didn't bite me!!!
I swapped his cage and rearranging everything to make it easier to work with him, due to cage aggressive and fear of hands.
In this new set up, I put a perch on the door, so when it swings open he is out of the cage.
I was working in the cage, with door open, and him on the new perch eating millit there.
He walked over and leaned into my chest!!!! So i gave him million kisses, no hands, and bragged on him! He got so happy making baby bird sounds snuggled and quaked. Awwwww. Then for the rest of the time I was working on the set up , he would come over every few minutes for kisses and snuggle . Of course i tried to bring my hand up...and he pushed it away, but didn't bite me!!!
mica21493
Active member
- Dec 12, 2019
- 138
- 47
- Parrots
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Bebee - Blue and Gold Macaw,
Little Bird - Goffins Cockatoo,
Mica and Daffy, greatly missed
So happy for you both!!
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- #28
Day 5
Orbit just said his name!!! He has said his name 4 times now!!!@@
I thought it was a fun name to say, I guess he agrees!
( he screams a lot, and makes my other birds scream, so that's not as fun)
Orbit just said his name!!! He has said his name 4 times now!!!@@
I thought it was a fun name to say, I guess he agrees!
( he screams a lot, and makes my other birds scream, so that's not as fun)
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- #31
Its not all good, lol
O tried to give kisses today and got bit on the face, hard enough to bleed and leave a scratch....but that's ok
I think I was trying to bring my hand up, and he or she has a huge fear of hands....thats going to take time
The screaming........ugh....thats going to take some effort,
But he was screaming every time I we t to the pet store...and that's kinda why I took him, I was worried that screaming would end in him being passed from home to home.
When he / she can be part of the flock, im hope that helps
O tried to give kisses today and got bit on the face, hard enough to bleed and leave a scratch....but that's ok
I think I was trying to bring my hand up, and he or she has a huge fear of hands....thats going to take time
The screaming........ugh....thats going to take some effort,
But he was screaming every time I we t to the pet store...and that's kinda why I took him, I was worried that screaming would end in him being passed from home to home.
When he / she can be part of the flock, im hope that helps
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- #32
I'm certainly getting to experience the frustration, many of our members with hand shy new fids face.
It is slow going, with steps forward then steps back.
Target training is going pretty good. I dont know if I used a clicker if it would go better or not ( but I stinking hate clickers) I say good, when he touches the chop stick then give treat. He will target the length of the cage and from top to bottom of the cage. He has learned to only beak touch it not bite it. But he will only do 2 ir 3 times st a session, then gets bored....
I was getting sad that i can't touch him or kiss him since yesterday bite to the face ... then a moment ago I walked up to say hi and he ran over and gave me a kiss! I bragged and asked fir a second kiss, he gave kiss and rubbed his cheek on my cheek ... then I tried to raise my hand up while he stood near, not to try and touch, he ran away screaming..
I laughed ( inside only not out loud) but it still breaks my little heart to see this fear
He always looks to see if my hands are down at my sides before coming over. Except for target training, which he takes treat nice from hand.
His tail feathers are very narrow. I believe this is due to nutritional stress when he was growing his feathers as a baby. He is smallish but with big feet. Babies always look like they have big feet, so I compared to my adult quakers. He does have big feet, bigger than both my other quakers, even tho Orbut is still bsby size. It will be interesting to see his adult size, if he wasn't nutritional stunted. The article i discusses in m6 ornithology thread, said baby's need 1.5 times the amount of food when they start to grow in their feathers , and again right before weaning.
The screaming is driving me nuts and I'm used to loud quakers..
Some of is is reactivate to all the new things he sees outside, butterflies are scary! But most is reinforced boredom screaming from the pet store. Edit: possible hormonal component as well..
Foraging is very helpful at this point...
But teaching my other birds to scream back is not...
I knew what I was getting, now I get to try out all those helpful articles lol
Edit: based on just observed self pleasure....im pretty convinced Orbit is a boy ...next month will have both Orbit and Pikachu DNA tested , Penny and Tadah are confirmed girls.....
It is slow going, with steps forward then steps back.
Target training is going pretty good. I dont know if I used a clicker if it would go better or not ( but I stinking hate clickers) I say good, when he touches the chop stick then give treat. He will target the length of the cage and from top to bottom of the cage. He has learned to only beak touch it not bite it. But he will only do 2 ir 3 times st a session, then gets bored....
I was getting sad that i can't touch him or kiss him since yesterday bite to the face ... then a moment ago I walked up to say hi and he ran over and gave me a kiss! I bragged and asked fir a second kiss, he gave kiss and rubbed his cheek on my cheek ... then I tried to raise my hand up while he stood near, not to try and touch, he ran away screaming..
I laughed ( inside only not out loud) but it still breaks my little heart to see this fear
He always looks to see if my hands are down at my sides before coming over. Except for target training, which he takes treat nice from hand.
His tail feathers are very narrow. I believe this is due to nutritional stress when he was growing his feathers as a baby. He is smallish but with big feet. Babies always look like they have big feet, so I compared to my adult quakers. He does have big feet, bigger than both my other quakers, even tho Orbut is still bsby size. It will be interesting to see his adult size, if he wasn't nutritional stunted. The article i discusses in m6 ornithology thread, said baby's need 1.5 times the amount of food when they start to grow in their feathers , and again right before weaning.
The screaming is driving me nuts and I'm used to loud quakers..
Some of is is reactivate to all the new things he sees outside, butterflies are scary! But most is reinforced boredom screaming from the pet store. Edit: possible hormonal component as well..
Foraging is very helpful at this point...
But teaching my other birds to scream back is not...
I knew what I was getting, now I get to try out all those helpful articles lol
Edit: based on just observed self pleasure....im pretty convinced Orbit is a boy ...next month will have both Orbit and Pikachu DNA tested , Penny and Tadah are confirmed girls.....
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- #33
Ok , bring on all the advice on screaming you have!!!!!
Orbit has discovered screaming into his bowl makes him louder......( sort of funny, but not hours at a time.. )
I will be spending the day reading and strategies
Recognizing the signs of hormonal behavior:
"Excessive Screaming (Screamy) -Vocalizations are normal for a parrot and they certainly can be LOUD at times. What we might think is obnoxious is completely natural and instinctual to our birds. Prolonged and intensified screaming can be the result of hormonal influence and can sometimes push even the most patient of bird owners towards the edge. For more info on how to cope with screaming, refer to our article Why Does My Bird Scream?"
When not screaming lots of self pleasure rubbing.......zero focus on training, ( attention span of a goldfish) and i am feeling frayed...and trying to prevent 3 other parrots from joining in.....my GCC Tadah has e en started screaming a first in her life of 6 years!!!
Orbit has discovered screaming into his bowl makes him louder......( sort of funny, but not hours at a time.. )
I will be spending the day reading and strategies
Recognizing the signs of hormonal behavior:
"Excessive Screaming (Screamy) -Vocalizations are normal for a parrot and they certainly can be LOUD at times. What we might think is obnoxious is completely natural and instinctual to our birds. Prolonged and intensified screaming can be the result of hormonal influence and can sometimes push even the most patient of bird owners towards the edge. For more info on how to cope with screaming, refer to our article Why Does My Bird Scream?"
When not screaming lots of self pleasure rubbing.......zero focus on training, ( attention span of a goldfish) and i am feeling frayed...and trying to prevent 3 other parrots from joining in.....my GCC Tadah has e en started screaming a first in her life of 6 years!!!
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When we first brought Nimbus home he screamed a fair bit. Not a big shock that really. I made what I have since dubbed the tanty tub to help with keeping him amused. I zip tied a clean plastic tub to the side of the cage and filled it with a bunch of different mouth and foot toys. Small sticks, pieces of bamboo, craft sticks, wooden coffee stirrers, dried corn husk, thin disks of wood etc. Small things that can be chewed to bits with different textures or things that can be flung about like bottle caps. Now whenever he has a tantrum he flings his toys to the bottom of the cage rather than screams so much. Not sure if it will be any use but it seems to help Nimbus.
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Great ideas. He does have a " toy box" ( a spare food dish) filled with stuff and foot toys and like Nimbus he enjoys it. Maybe time to up size it
With foraging, eating veggies, toys, chew stuff, breif training, ive knocked down a lot if screaming....
But he likes to do a lot if screeching, like he is self soothing before his naps. Like an hour straight twice a day... I'm having trouble breaking that habit....and it still riles up my other parrots.
I tried to rush things by picking him up and remove him from the cage to try show him its ok. A stupid mistake that set back all the trust i had earned. So we will go the slow and steady way. But he is willing to step up to my hand when he flys and lands on the floor. Thsts big for him when he would ball up his feet before so as not to touch my hands.
He is very cheerful, and loves every new veggies i offer, and leafy greens too. Cranberries were offered today as fresh are finally in the store, he really liked them
He will target train but doesn't even care fir tge treat, just does it for praise .
With foraging, eating veggies, toys, chew stuff, breif training, ive knocked down a lot if screaming....
But he likes to do a lot if screeching, like he is self soothing before his naps. Like an hour straight twice a day... I'm having trouble breaking that habit....and it still riles up my other parrots.
I tried to rush things by picking him up and remove him from the cage to try show him its ok. A stupid mistake that set back all the trust i had earned. So we will go the slow and steady way. But he is willing to step up to my hand when he flys and lands on the floor. Thsts big for him when he would ball up his feet before so as not to touch my hands.
He is very cheerful, and loves every new veggies i offer, and leafy greens too. Cranberries were offered today as fresh are finally in the store, he really liked them
He will target train but doesn't even care fir tge treat, just does it for praise .
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- #36
Such a great article from Pamal Clark
Mentions the problems with pet store birds and early socialization .
https://blogpamelaclarkonline.com/2018/06/19/teaching-a-fearful-parrot-to-step-up/
Mentions the problems with pet store birds and early socialization .
https://blogpamelaclarkonline.com/2018/06/19/teaching-a-fearful-parrot-to-step-up/
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- #37
Today after my set back, I went back to scratch.
I re arranged and fussed with his cage with door open. So I was near him but nit focused in him. When he came near to see what cool stuff I was doing I just sweet talked him . Every now and then I gave a seed treat if he came close.
After 2 hours ( yep that long messing with cage) he started preening my hair, so I really fussed and sweet talked. Then he bowed his head and asked fir head scratches! With my hand!
So the focus fir awhile, will just be build trust and happy memories. No trying to build on success or trying to push things forward.
I also lowered his perches to chest height instead if eye height . A baby bird wouldn't have the highest spot. That seems to have helped to.
I re arranged and fussed with his cage with door open. So I was near him but nit focused in him. When he came near to see what cool stuff I was doing I just sweet talked him . Every now and then I gave a seed treat if he came close.
After 2 hours ( yep that long messing with cage) he started preening my hair, so I really fussed and sweet talked. Then he bowed his head and asked fir head scratches! With my hand!
So the focus fir awhile, will just be build trust and happy memories. No trying to build on success or trying to push things forward.
I also lowered his perches to chest height instead if eye height . A baby bird wouldn't have the highest spot. That seems to have helped to.
Learned screaming from a pet shop really sucks! My last parrot Max, learned some from the shop where I got him. After awhile he stopped doing it, but when we visited the shop months later, he started all over again! Grrr.
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- #39
Amen!!!!!
I spent an hour with the shop manager, coaching her on how to prevent, and how not to reinforce screaming. She was very receptive. Lol well she should be she had 2 months of screaming Orbit! And knew it cost her , in him not selling.
I find the pet store people want to do right. They just have no parrot training or experience. And staff turnover is high as these are young people, most aren't career pet store clerk's. But they do like animals and birds.
I don't have the energy to take on the whole pet store industry . Put i try and help whenever I make a pet store run. And i always try to get the employees to join our forum!! And use it as a resource.
I can't imagine the frustration a first time parrot owner would have with Orbit, or some of the other hand shy ( fearful) parrot babies..
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( since many guests are viewing)
Out of cage time is still important. Even tho I can't hold him or have him step up. His young mind needs stimulation, and time out if tge cage.
So I use this stand, it was around 30 dollars I think, is sold as a bird cage stand or a swing stand. I change it up a lot with different perches, or toys.
I place right next to his cage with his door open. When he climbs on i can slowly move it . Right now I keep it a big hop distance from his cage and he hops back and forth.
Very rarely he gets spooks and flys. I wait till he lands and then i talk to him walk slowly to him. I offer my hand and now he will step up from floor, walk back to his cage. Before when he wouldn't step up, I scooped him up in my hands and took him back.
Oh just added today, and he is already exploring, and chewing up a yucca chip bold fella. My other parrots didn't like this rope ORB, but Orbit loves it . Poor thing has all rge reject toys and loves them all
Out of cage time is still important. Even tho I can't hold him or have him step up. His young mind needs stimulation, and time out if tge cage.
So I use this stand, it was around 30 dollars I think, is sold as a bird cage stand or a swing stand. I change it up a lot with different perches, or toys.
I place right next to his cage with his door open. When he climbs on i can slowly move it . Right now I keep it a big hop distance from his cage and he hops back and forth.
Very rarely he gets spooks and flys. I wait till he lands and then i talk to him walk slowly to him. I offer my hand and now he will step up from floor, walk back to his cage. Before when he wouldn't step up, I scooped him up in my hands and took him back.
Oh just added today, and he is already exploring, and chewing up a yucca chip bold fella. My other parrots didn't like this rope ORB, but Orbit loves it . Poor thing has all rge reject toys and loves them all
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