greeneggs
New member
- Jul 21, 2011
- 10
- 0
- Parrots
- "Pickles" (15 year old Yellow Crowned Amazon)
"Pretty Boy" aka "Prid" (15+ year old Cockatiel)
Hi! I posted a comment in the newbie thread when I first got pickles (YCA), but then my computer died, so I didn't have a way to comment. I can view the site, but can't comment from my work computer, so I have still been reading this site for the past 7 weeks, just couldn't reply to anything.
Pickles is such fun! When I got him, his previous owner said that occasionally she would spray him with a spray bottle. I always take my cockatiel into the shower with me and he loves it, so I wanted to be able to do the same with Pickles. The first time I tried it, he was terrified and was desperately trying to get away. So I used the spray bottle method for the first week or two. But when I took a shower, I would let him watch me by putting him up on the shower curtain rod. Next I built a stand out of pvc pipe and put that in the shower and let him stand on that and got him closer and closer to the water. It took some diligence, but now he just stands on my wrist and gets right into the water. He will completely spread out his wings and seems to love it!
I have found that in the shower is when he is the most loving also. He will let me scratch his head and really seems to love the water!
He makes me laugh almost every day with his antics and funny things he will say. The other day he was down on the floor and he walked right up to Waffles the cat and put his nose right up against the cats nose. The cat ran away and got underneath a chair. Pickles marched right over to him again and this time when Waffles ran away, Pickles started laughing really loud. It was hilarious!
I am a bit concerned about toys though. I have all sorts of toys for him but he just doesn't seem interested (both homemade and purchased toys). My cockatiel loves his toys and enjoys shredding the homemade toys I give him. I find it curious that Pickles has little interest in them. I have tried playing with the toys in front of him. I have tried chewing on the wooden toys in front of him. Nothing. He is completely disinterested. I have always thought that parrots were happy destroying or playing with toys, so I am stumped as to why he does not.
I also bought him a large play gym with lots of ladders to climb and I have climbing ropes for him also. He will gladly go to the play gym, but he just gets to the highest perch and then sits there. He won't climb the ladders, or play.
I guess if this is normal, I shouldn't be concerned, but for some reason I am. I realize that 7 weeks is not that much time for him to adjust, but just wanted to pick your brains for any ideas you may have?
Thanks!
Pickles is such fun! When I got him, his previous owner said that occasionally she would spray him with a spray bottle. I always take my cockatiel into the shower with me and he loves it, so I wanted to be able to do the same with Pickles. The first time I tried it, he was terrified and was desperately trying to get away. So I used the spray bottle method for the first week or two. But when I took a shower, I would let him watch me by putting him up on the shower curtain rod. Next I built a stand out of pvc pipe and put that in the shower and let him stand on that and got him closer and closer to the water. It took some diligence, but now he just stands on my wrist and gets right into the water. He will completely spread out his wings and seems to love it!
I have found that in the shower is when he is the most loving also. He will let me scratch his head and really seems to love the water!
He makes me laugh almost every day with his antics and funny things he will say. The other day he was down on the floor and he walked right up to Waffles the cat and put his nose right up against the cats nose. The cat ran away and got underneath a chair. Pickles marched right over to him again and this time when Waffles ran away, Pickles started laughing really loud. It was hilarious!
I am a bit concerned about toys though. I have all sorts of toys for him but he just doesn't seem interested (both homemade and purchased toys). My cockatiel loves his toys and enjoys shredding the homemade toys I give him. I find it curious that Pickles has little interest in them. I have tried playing with the toys in front of him. I have tried chewing on the wooden toys in front of him. Nothing. He is completely disinterested. I have always thought that parrots were happy destroying or playing with toys, so I am stumped as to why he does not.
I also bought him a large play gym with lots of ladders to climb and I have climbing ropes for him also. He will gladly go to the play gym, but he just gets to the highest perch and then sits there. He won't climb the ladders, or play.
I guess if this is normal, I shouldn't be concerned, but for some reason I am. I realize that 7 weeks is not that much time for him to adjust, but just wanted to pick your brains for any ideas you may have?
Thanks!
