Robbennett
New member
Hi. Iβm new to this forum and have a couple of questions. Meet Richard(I tell people she is sexually confused because she isnβt a male). Richard is about 12 years old. I have had her 10 years. Her original owner passed away. I figure she picked up actions from him. Because she coughs and yells HELP!! Since then the only words I have been able to teach her are Pretty Bird, Bird, Hello, What? Huh? and my name Rob. I have tried and tried to teach her other words like βtreatβ βGood Morningβ & β Good Nightβ. She is attached to me in the house. She loves music and tries to sing along. When people come home she screeches and the dogs bark cause she is happy people are home.
When I first got her within a couple of months I could hold her leave her out and play with her. She would lower her head to scratch her head and I would do the same and she would scratch my head in return. All of a sudden that stopped. I donβt know why, she wonβt even come out of her cage anymore. She sits on one perch in one location near the bars so she can be close as possible to be involved with everybody. She sits in that spot and poops a pile that builds up. She only moves from that spot if she is hungry and then right back up to her spot. She is treat driven and freaks out for them. But sometimes you give her a treat and she rips it out of your hand and spits it out angrily. Really rude. Sometimes she will jerk it out of your hand but still eat it. For the most part she takes it nice. If I reach my hand in the cage she will try to bite me. I donβt show her fear so she canβt take over. I put my hand against the cage frequently to show her I mean no harm to her. It stresses her out so much trying to get her out of the cage to get her beak and nails trimmed. Iβm afraid she is going to have a stroke. No matter how easy or nice I try to work with her to get her out she always ends up in the back corner of her gage with her feet up. I got her the stone perch to try to help her work her beak and nails down but it isnβt doing anything. I try so many things with her. I even go to the extent of lowering myself lower then her when Iβm talking to her. She is very interactive and loves interaction, as long as you donβt reach in her cage?
What else can I do so I can get her out again and hold her, play with her, and most importantly keep her nails and beak trimmed?
Rob