New Amazon Adopted today

[Skybird]

Hi, my name is Jody and today my husband and I adopted a 15 yr old Blue Front. The lady that had him was more interested in her 4 Cockatoos and she said up front that she didn't have time for him. She had him for about 13 yrs when she inherited him and a cockatoo. She wanted a loving home for him and so we were wanting to add to our bird family, we have a 10 yr. old AG.
Reggie, the amazon, was in a room with these other birds, they were not covered up at night, just the door was shut and blinds were pulled. First we need to know how to go about getting him used to a cover as he will be in our family room eventually with Skylar the AG. Tonight I tried to cover him partially and he would not stand for it. She told me that she didn't handle him much and not to trust him. I know with patience and time we can hopefully overcome this situation. He is eating good tonight and has even taken a goldfish cracker from me twice. She also said he doesn't like toys that he is a pretty boring bird and not her cup of tea. He will have toys....I am sure and positive that he will like them. Another thing we noticed when he was preening himself he will flip his head in a circular motion, but only when he is preening....is this a normal thing?? I will try and post a picture of him. He is a very lovely guy and we just want to do things right for him. Also she was feeding Roudy Bush Maintenance food in small pellets...shouldn't this be at least medium pellets for his size. Any info or help would be very much appreciated.
thanks,
Jody

 

[thekarens]

Is there a reason he has to be covered? My birds are in the living room and I don't cover any of them.

PS congrats on your new buddy and welcome!

 

[Skybird]

This is Reggie that we adopted today.

 

[Skybird]

Well, guess there is no reason to be covered, with my AG she is covered at bedtime and if we don't she gets upset. I guess we don't have to cover him, just thought they needed rest so many hours. Thanks for your reply and thanks for the welcome

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Hi there and Welcome!

I also have a Blue Front,her name is Amy. When I got Amy,she was just a baby at 16 weeks old,she is now 26 y.o.

I had Amy in a smaller sized cage,and also had a TAG. I covered both of them at night time. Smokey, my Grey,just loved to shred her covers,pulling them down thru the bars and munching until nothing was left just holes!

Amy didn't. In time I bought Amy a new cage..huge..so I didn't cover it,just really couldn't do it. She doesn't seem to mind :54:So with my experience, I don't believe your birdie will mind. And Amy,and my new-to-me goffin's are in the living room.

Jim

 

[Allee]

Congratulations Jody! Reggie is a very handsome addition to your family.

 

[Skybird]

Jim thanks so much for your reply. Guess if he doesn't mind, we won't mind either. Skylar the grey.....if we don't cover her when she says it's time for bed.....she gets so upset and will yell "it's time for bed". Love the personalities.
We just want things to work for Reggie
Jody

 

[Skybird]

Allee, thanks we think so too

 

[Kiwibird]

Welcome and congrats on Reggie! He has a very lonely look on his face, but I bet he will BLOSSOM in a loving home where he gets the attention he deserves Our BFA Kiwi came home as a very lonely, sad, confused and angry bird. He had never really received any love at all. It took some time to win over his trust, but he is a wonderful bird and he learned to play, learned to eat healthy food, learned to trust humans It just takes work and patience and the ability to (no matter how hard it may be) always work on the birds schedule. Reggie will probably be 'surly' his first few weeks, and then he'll start coming out of his shell.

On the topic of covers, since our bird is in the living room (and NO option to put him elsewhere in a 1 bedroom apartment), he is covered every night by 9p.m. Took a few weeks to get him used to it, but he did. Parrots are like small children, they may protest something, but if you know it is best for them, sometimes you just have to let them throw a fit a couple times until they learn to accept it. Covers are necessary for those who are unable to provide a dedicated bird room and would like to be able to use their living room after dark.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Jim thanks so much for your reply. Guess if he doesn't mind, we won't mind either. Skylar the grey.....if we don't cover her when she says it's time for bed.....she gets so upset and will yell "it's time for bed". Love the personalities.
We just want things to work for Reggie
Jody

Jody, I understand about Skylar lol..Just after I stopped covering Smokey, She would "quietly" say Good Night Good Night. After six or seven times of her protesting she was literly SCREAMING....GOOD NIGHT!!GOOD NIGHT!!!
She got over it,thank GOD!


Jim

 

[thekarens]

Here's my thought, why cover if you're still going to have the tv or lights on. Those noises/lights are going to be just as disturbing. That's my .02. We go to bed at 9 during the week so they have the silence/quiet. The later nights on the weekends don't seem to bother them. We all sleep in.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Welcome and congrats on Reggie! He has a very lonely look on his face, but I bet he will BLOSSOM in a loving home where he gets the attention he deserves Our BFA Kiwi came home as a very lonely, sad, confused and angry bird. He had never really received any love at all. It took some time to win over his trust, but he is a wonderful bird and he learned to play, learned to eat healthy food, learned to trust humans It just takes work and patience and the ability to (no matter how hard it may be) always work on the birds schedule. Reggie will probably be 'surly' his first few weeks, and then he'll start coming out of his shell.

On the topic of covers, since our bird is in the living room (and NO option to put him elsewhere in a 1 bedroom apartment), he is covered every night by 9p.m. Took a few weeks to get him used to it, but he did. Parrots are like small children, they may protest something, but if you know it is best for them, sometimes you just have to let them throw a fit a couple times until they learn to accept it. Covers are necessary for those who are unable to provide a dedicated bird room and would like to be able to use their living room after dark.

Both Amy and Jonesy are in the living room umcovered,and even at night,if I am watching TV it doesn't bother either of them.
I know they are getting good sleepy time, because both are wide awake and egar for the next day's challenges.

Jim

 

[Kiwibird]

I don't get why so many people are anti-nighttime cage cover??? IMO, it gives the definitive signal to the bird it is time to go to bed. Most nights, Kiwi is ready for bed around his bedtime, but other nights he'd be up until midnight lol. I guess since we regularly have lights/noise past midnight (and my husband often gets off work at 2:30am and/or has to get up for work at 3 or 4 in the morning) allowing Kiwi to just fall asleep on his own and to stay asleep isn't a good idea. I'm sure we can't be the only ones in the position to find a nighttime cover essential to a good nights sleep for our bird?

 

[thekarens]

I don't think there's anything wrong with covering them. I just don't see the advantage if there's still going to be lights and noise I the room. When I put my birds back in their cage at night that's a clear indication that it's bedtime and they settle down.

 

[Dinosrawr]

I think birds just get used to either situation, and if you'd prefer him to be covered eventually he'll grow accustomed to it. My birds won't zonk out if I don't cover them. They'd stay up until 2 AM easy-peasy without even trying to sleep, whereas if I cover them at 9 and even if I'm doing stuff with all the lights on, it's so dark in their cages that they just go to bed.

If he has his own schedule and puts himself to bed, I wouldn't worry about it. But if you notice he's not sleeping enough, then I'd reconsider covering him.

 

[JerseyWendy]

What a handsome fellow your Reggie is!

I'd give him some time to settle in. He may want to really see his new surroundings before you cover him at night.

3 out of 4 get covered at my house. The one furthest from the TV (my B&G) remains uncovered. My GW threw a massive hissy fit the first night he was home, and I attempted to cover his cage. I ended up only partially covering it, so he could still look out and see us.

We didn't cover our 16 year old YN Amazon for many years, but I swear, when any of us had the munchies at night, she'd wake up and begged for food. :54:

 

[akrrm]

He's very handsome. Congrats on your new family member.

 

[Skybird]

Thanks Kiwi, last night was peaceful with Reggie, didn't hear much from him. Today he is actually coming over to me when I set down beside his cage and I talk to him, he will take a gold fish cracker from me. I have tried a piece of fresh veggie, but he wouldn't take and also fruit, but no he wouldn't even touch it in his food dish. He fans out his tale and swirls his head when he comes over to me, so I am not sure what kind of language he is telling me. Patience and lots of love for this bird. He doesn't even know what a toy is.
Skybird....aka Jody

 

[Skybird]

Thanks Akrrm....we think he is very handsome also. Sorry for your loss

 

[Skybird]

Thanks Jersey Wendy on your reply about covering him up. I am going to give it a few weeks for him to get used to us and his new surroundings. He doesn't need anymore stress at this time. He really is a good boy....I sense it.