short time to decide about a 'yellow crowned umbrella '

[melissasparrots]

I read in The Parrot Problem Solver that sometimes a parrot will telegraph an intention to bite by looking at the spot it is thinking of biting & by a partially open mouth & sort of exploring its mouth with its tongue, like it is preparing for the bite.

This bird does that a lot, but I'm not sure it isn't just habit. If I am making her uncomfortable enough that she's thinking about biting, I clearly want to stop what I'm doing. But if it is habit, I'll probably never get close enough to touch her if I back off when I see "the mouth thing."

Anyone else have a bird that does that?

My sulfer crest does a lot of tongue movements that are normal for her. Generally if she's feeling sneeky and thinks she might try grabbing a finger, her eyes get squinty and she might either look me directly in the eye or briefely at the body part she wants to bite. Usually her feathers are somewhat slicked back and her body language is facing me and kind of squared up. However, don't be afraid of the quinty eyed look because a slightly different version means she is relaxed and content while I'm petting her or maybe wants a scratch. Usually she has her feathers loose and body language really relaxed. Ariel also clicks her tongue and that is usually an invitation for petting. She also will sometimes lean in close to my face and make a hissing sound will opening and closing her beak slightly and moving her tongue back and forth. I think with her its a bonding thing and if I make the sound back to her it seems to mean we are both on the same page and in sync with each other. My goffin's on the other hand, does none of the tongue thing and if she clicks, it means she might not be fully in control of herself.

A lot of what your asking comes with experience with the bird. Ariel is generally safe to handle even when riled up and displaying, although usually I play it safe and don't hold her then. Usually if they are running or flying around in a screaming and crest up frenzie, then I don't touch. If they are just bopping around a little bit and calm down if I stop to talk to them, then I don't worry too much about it. My goffin's is much more prone to biting when over excited than my sulfer.

 

[KBEquine]

A very beated thanks for the information.

Just touching base, again. Cookie has been here almost 3 weeks. I've been bloodied once. [Apparently, the answer to the question whether that mouthing is habit or threat is . . . threat. Definitely threat. Even so, Cookie has bitten less hard than I expected, has learned to go into the cage upon request. But continues to express fear at our approach (gets past it sometimes, but the fear is there & I don't want to add baggage).

The screaming is almost non-existent, except dawn, dusk & when one of Cookie's humans leaves the line-of-sight. "I love you" (which is said in a slightly demonic voice) and "Hi Cookie" are still part of the vocabulary, along with "Hey, baby!" and "Hey, Bill!" and "Pet the birdie?" (which was me, asking permission). And the Grey has picked up "I love you."

No big progress on stepping up to a stick or to a hand. Baby steps, just baby steps.

And I am still playing phone-tag with the vet. With a huge family event next weekend & a business trip the week after, if I don't get that appointment soon, I will get one a couple hours away with a different vet & go from there.

Anyhow, just updating Cookie's life. Cookie loves safflower seeds & the training treat will probably be either safflower (that I can't easily remove from the rest of her diet) or black oil sunflower seeds (that I CAN remove from the rest of her diet). She has very gently expressed complete hatred of hand-held perches, but I can pet her (pinfeathered) crest a little bit.

Baby steps . . .

 

[Pookamama]

Glad to hear things are progressing. She/he is just gorgeous!

 

[luvmytooo]

Good to hear from you . Sounds like things are moving in the right direction
Baby steps are good ! I can just hear " I love you" being said in a demonic voice , lolol.
I guess one bite isn't that bad considering you were working basically blind , not knowing much about her or her backround. Sorry you got bit though

Baby steps

 

[KBEquine]

Good to hear from you . Sounds like things are moving in the right direction
Baby steps are good ! I can just hear " I love you" being said in a demonic voice , lolol.

Picture the old movie with the demon-doll Chuckie. The voice alone is creepy. But I expect some day to hear it whispered in my ear because Cookie snuck off her cage & crept up the back of my chair, carrying that axe known as a 'Too's beak.

Gilbert The Greyt has picked up Cookie's, "I love you" in a voice only slightly less demonic . . . and he DOES sit behind my chair. I think they're in cahoots.

Fortunately, Cookie is trying out other, less creepy words & inflections. She now says "Hello!" (using the same inflection as the macaw) and "Pet the birdie?" in a whispery parody of my voice.

I guess one bite isn't that bad considering you were working basically blind , not knowing much about her or her backround.

It could have been so much worse. She strikes like a snake, but has only actually bitten each of us in one of the several strikes, not drawing blood at all on my husband as they discussed whether she needed to go back in her cage & not drawing as much as she could have from me, when I tested whether that mouthing was interest or "I'm going to bite!".

So she is polite enough to warn (most of the time). And she figured out how to go back in her cage without trauma - she stands on the "upper porch" and allows us to close the door while she clings to the inside. Our hands are definitely within range, if she wanted to punish us (or play the 'make the human a squeak toy' game).

The only faux pas was when I flipped the porch-door up & caught her toe . . . and even then, she didn't seem to hold it against me or the process.

To be honest, she is here because it was better than where she came from, which was just okay, but going to get worse.

My sense is she would be even happier with a human who could focus more on her, less on such a relatively large flock. Not that she minds the other birds - I think in general she likes them. But if 'the perfect 'Too home' with fewer birds would appear on our doorstep BEFORE she totally bonds with us and us with her, I'd still place her, if I thought it was a place she'd be happier.

I don't say that lightly - the others are all "lifers" here, with plans for them to go to my children/grandchildren when my husband & I can no longer care for them. And frankly, when that time comes, I've got a son-in-law in mind for Cookie, should he & she both agree to it.

But I don't expect any "perfect 'Too home" to show up on my doorstep - literally or figuratively. I think she'll stay here & adapt to us and us to her.

I have to say - if I want a 'Too in my house, I want THIS 'Too. When I originally asked for advice, it was based on 'Too owners' comments that living with a 'Too is much more difficult than living with other parrots & 'Toos are moody & bite without warning . . .

And I was also told, "Wait until the honeymoon period is over" but it has been almost 3 weeks & she seems a little more at ease, a little more curious & accommodating. [But she still doesn't step to perch or hand.]

 

[luvmytooo]

Oh that Chucky voice , how could I forget , lololol. OMG that is too funny ,lolol.
Your right about the bite , those TOOS can really pack a punch , can't they ?
It's great you have homes lined up for all when needed. I have a will made , and I am able to make changes. Hard call who you leave your birds to. Kids are no problem , it's the birds ,lololol.

There are some birds who would do best in a single bird home. But sometimes you just have to make do. I'm sure she would enjoy more one on one time , but like you said , she is so much better off with you then where she was previously.
I'm sure she will adapt herself to the household fine .
You never know , she may make a really friendly Too someday. Only time will tell

I caught Rosie's toe in the door as well. Not even a pinch because I always close it slowly , but she let me know it was a close call .
In the beginning , when I had first took her on , the only way for me to get her back inward to kind of shoo her towards the door and she would hang on upside down whole I closed the door. Well now , she has accepted us and still likes to ride the door closed , lololol.
In fact ,Yoshi does it from time to time too , lolol. He watched her many times and thought he should give it a try . He is a upside down kinda guy , lol.

 

[Sarahtheumbrella]

Well KBEquine, I think your cockatoo will be fine in your home once it adapts a bit. I think that Cookie is a pretty good bird. As you stated that she did not draw blood in bites, I consider that an "irritation bite". I and my dad get that from Sarah sometimes, it is a way of saying "wow to far", or "just leave me alone", for my U2 atleast.

All cockatoos would be "better" off as a lone bird (the little attention suckers), but cookie seems like she will do just fine in your multi-bird house, as long as she gets her fair share. You seem to be much better than the other owners, so I think you have a beautiful home for Cookie right now.

 

[KBEquine]

Well, it has been a month, so I thought I'd update this thread -

Cookie is still here & settling in. I'd think the honeymoon is probably over . . . although Cookie is remarkably even-tempered & relatively easy to live with (except when he is not).

So far, still just the one bite. Then again, Cookie is not yet stepping up for us, and while I've gone back & forth on what to do, we opted to let Cookie settle in & get comfortable & do everything via baby-steps, including getting him to step up, to go back into a travel cage, etc. I know it isn't ideal, but this was one angry & scared bird on arrival & I think if we move faster, it will take years to get any trust.

Cookie is molting in a big way - I think molting, not plucking, although his one thigh is still a little ratty-looking. There are often feathers (crest, flight & tail in addition to smaller ones) on the floor of the cage, but they don't "look" plucked, i.e., no nips out of the end, the shaft is in good shape, etc. The poor bird has a half dozen pins in just his crest feathers. I'd love to help, but I'm pretty sure my help would not be appreciated just yet . . .

Just as we have 'house rules' around here, Cookie has a few rules of his own which include:

1. When I throw my head up & forward in a dramatic bow, you may pet my crest feathers. And the top of my head. If you pet too much, I'll let you know. You may also touch my tailfeathers [weird] & scratch between my shoulderblades. But only a little at a time. [Actually, I rarely pet much other than a bird's head & neck, but with Cookie, I need to take what is offered.]

2. When you try to handfeed me something I like, I will take it gently from your hand. Surprisingly gently. In fact, I'll run right at you to see what you have. [Which DID look a little like an impending attack, the first few times it happened & before I realized it was enthusiasm.] When you try to handfeed me something I don't recognize, I'll lean away. Take it as a sign to withdraw the offending food before I feel I need to make myself clearer.

3. When I am sleepy or just waking up, I will meow like a cat. [I can't TELL you how many times I looked for a cat before realizing it was the bird.]

4. You no longer need an alarm system. You have me & I'm always on alert. [Everyone with a cockatoo knows what my new alarm system sounds like - I hope if a burgler arrives, it will set off the "Cookie alarm." I know small children playing outside Cookie's window, deer crossing the lawn & the like will definitely set it off. In fact, if Cookie screams during the day, there is always a reason. I don't always appreciate the reason, but at least I know there is one.]

So far, Cookie is a great addition. We still have half-hearted feelers out, in case "the" home were to arrive. But I'm thinking we just need to find a place for the 5th big cage in the bird room because I suspect Cookie is here until he is inherited by a grandkid (who will hopefully be old & settled enough by then to provide Cookie with a for-the-rest-of-his-life home).

Anyhow, that's the update.

 

[KBEquine]

. . . . AND we have step-up to hand (my husband's hand)! What a leap of faith for both bird & husband!

 

[luvmytooo]

Thats great Awesome leap of faith by both parties lololol
So good to hear things are moving in the right direction !
Cookie is definitely making a whole heartedly effort to be part of your family.
But , like you said , its likely a done deal no matter what , lolol.
Another great storybook ending for one very lucky bird

 

[KBEquine]

Well, theoretically per my husband . . . Cookie is still available to "the right" home.

But I suspect "the right home" just became a very small subgroup of anyone who inquires . . .

 

[luvmytooo]

You never know ,but for now , Cookie is home