Quint's Got an Arm

[litework]

Quint has become quite the messy bird lately. He also doesn’t like it when you clean up after him. Earlier this week, my wife urged me to observe Quint’s unusual behavior. When my wife swept up around Quint’s place, Quint calmly walked over to his food bowl, reached his little hand inside the bowl, and threw handfuls of his food onto the floor that my dear wife had just swept clean. He then looked around for a reaction from us. Every time Chris swept, Quint would throw food onto the exact spot Chris cleaned. He’s got pretty good form and can toss the food a pretty good distance. We were greatly entertained by this, but I quickly started calculating the cost of the food he was so eagerly disposing of and figured that a fireworks display would be cheaper than the show Quint was giving us. Anyone else have a little stinker?

 

[Redballoon]

I am not a bird expert, but it sounds like he is showing off how clever he is. Can you put just enough food in the bottom of the bowl to feed him, so when its gone, he gets hungry? In the longer term that may put him off throwing it away.
Can you turn this behaviour into a trick of some kind? That way you take what essentially bad behaviour (but cute, none the less) into something that will become a party trick that you can praise him for? I would say the more often you encourage him to do this, the more food you will lose. What can you teach him to throw away that's not so expensive.

This is just one smart arse's opinion and I would wait to see what the others say before acting on my advice.

 

[meghanxx4]

you can also put a peice of heavy duty plastic or non toxic plexi glass riht outside his food bowl so he can't throw it out.

 

[Redballoon]

I dunno. Cocky's seem to always find a way to get seed far away from where you leave it. Its like daring them,.... and I don't dare Skippah to do anything, coz he may get the better of me.

 

[Peta]

Quint is giving you what you want, entertainment, I would just ignore it, Bucc is also a food thrower, and can get pretty darn far now.

 

[litework]

Quint’s behavior isn’t a problem at all. I was just sharing. He is definitely showing off, and he doesn’t do it when I sweep, only when Chris sweeps…so I guess I’m going to do the sweeping. I’m pretty sure Plexiglas wouldn’t work for Quint. He’s got pinpoint accuracy, and I couldn’t put plastic around the entire cage. He grabs handfuls of food, locks on target and fires. He can pretty much make it rain (bird feed) in my house if he wants to.

Redballoon, Skippah is one beautiful bird. I’ve admired your photos of the fella.

 

[Redballoon]

Then here is another

I just cant help myself.