Rene's Update *sorry it's long*

[JJsHoney]

I am having some issues with Rene so I thought that I would give a quick update and post some questions too..

Rene is fitting in well I moved him out of my "bird room" to my living room so that he could be around everyone in the house more often. Hoping that his aggression with James would start to subside, but I'm afraid it isn't so, James is put off by it so things are at a stop with them I also still can't even think about getting him to step-up from anywhere on or in his cage except for the wooden perch in the middle of his cage, when I try to ask he immediatly lowers his whole body so there is no access to his body that I wouldn't have to pass the beak first . He also has completely stopped eating fruits and veggies, when he first came home he would eat them but now when I walk to his cage with his bowl of them he backs away and will shake his head as if saying "no". I am feeding him exactly what he was getting in his other home so no diet change to speak of. He is very chatty, but he speaks more inside his cage then out, he whistles for me and says "c'mere" where ever I leave the room so I answer him and tell him I will be back in a minute and he usually stops calling. Another wierd thing he is terrified of my coffee cup, he freaks whenever I am sitting on the computer (which his cage is right next to) but only for me, I have a set of all the SAME mugs everyone else is allowed to drink a cup of coffee but me?!?! Also I am able to pet him on his head only when he is in the cage and only 1 finger fits so I can't really give him a good petting

Just a few questions for everyone

1. His poop changes color daily, from his normal greenish to a rusty brown color, but there is no diet change from day to day should I be concerned?

2. How can I get him to start eating fruits and veggies again?

3. The other day he was shredding his boing inside his cage and a few pieces of string were under his tongue going across, I was horrified!! I am not allowed to touch him so my question is how would I go about getting something from his beak like that? Just take the bites or is there a way to handle him to get at it?

4. Like I mentioned I cant get him to step up all the time, especially when he is on the top of his cage, the other day it was time for work and I needed to put him away so I could leave (no one else was home) and he refused as usual so I had to spook him to get him to fly to the ground so I could pick him up and place him inside, I KNOW that is not the good way to do it, and I really don't like having to do it that way so any ideas? Thanks in advance.... Bonnie

Oh I was hoping to post pictures but my camera refuses to upload and Rene refuses to stop hating it

[JungleDreamz]

Hello First I am sorry, But I dont know how old your bird is, But when they are young and even sometimes when they are older, they like Warm foods, My Grey is about 14 months and still likes warm food, Just like her formula was warm, So maybe if you tried warming the veggies he might be more interested. I also have a Cockatiel and lovebird that wont touch veggies, So I put them in a birdie bread recipe and they tear it up! lol So maybe you could try that too. As far fruit goes, I like to make homemade oatmeal and chop up fresh strawberries, Blueberries, ect, and mix it in with the oatmeal...this is also a hit in my house

 

And with the poo, Are his pellets colored? Because this can change thier poo colors. I dont know what he is eating, But anything that has color to it will chage the color of thier poo. If not, I dont know maybe someone else could chime in on this one

 

And lets see, The string in his beak, Most likely he would get it out on his own, I think they put food and stuff under thier tounge a lot, and then eat it or get it out eventually. I use to think Calypso was eating paper, Till I saw her strategically place it under her tounge and then moments later get it back out play with it a little more than drop it. But in any moment you think is dangerous I would probably towl them, Is he use to the towl? IF not maybe you should get him use to it by playing games of peek a boo with him and a towl, so he isnt afraid of it. Just put it around him so he cant bite, and then you could deal with whatever was needed, like if you did have to get something out of his mouth, Or trim his nails, or wings or whatever.

 

Getting him to step up, LOL I know this posture your talking about, The putting his head down so you cant get your finger under thier belly, lol, My Quaker Parrot does this, The little stinker....But I think you could train him to step up on a dowl rod. And if he tries to bite it, Oh well, Its not your finger...haha, And then you can get it under thier belly over thier feet and just keep repeating "step up" And use positive reinforcement, If he does it praise him, or give him his favorite treat, like a peanut, or almond, or whatever he really likes. Then he will know what "step up" means, and hopefully eventually step up on your finger.

 

Well I hope I helped! And feel free to ask as many questions as you want, it is what we are all here for!

[Spock]

Morning, as mentioned, what are you feeding him?[poop color], Quote"I try to ask he immediately lowers his whole body so there is no access to his body that I wouldn't have to pass the beak first" This posture could be a invitation to pet him, or a "sucker punch" to bite you,,, Most birds like their beak petted, practice that with 1 finger, then use thumb and 1st finger in a cleaning motion, say, " let me clean your beak" or something similar when he has food on it... Maggie

[JJsHoney]

Thanks, Jungledreamz, Rene is 3 years old and I have had him here almost a month, we are still learning each others temperment

Maggie, Rene gets a mixture of 3 different pellets zupreem fruit blend, Zupreem natural diet, and pretty bird daily select he also get a half a bowl of sun seed vita plus seeds (that lasts him about 2 days) plus plenty of water. The poop color just seems wierd to me, yesterday it was that rusty color, and today it is greeny again and I'm willing to bet tommorow it won't be. And also I tried petting him when he did it and it was just a "sucker punch" the first time but the second it was an invitation for a rub YAY!!!

 

these are the pictures of his foods, this is what he was being fed in his old home and doing fine with it, but I just worry because now he is no longer excepting fruits and veggies, warm or cold I cant figure out any other tricks thanks again Bonnie

Edited May 10, 2010 by JJsHoney

[danmcq]

The others gave good answers.

 

I have a question for you first.

 

How did the previous owners interact with Rene?

Did he show the same cage aggression with them?

Did He have a "Favorite", namely male or female?

 

A 3 year old is a teen with a TUDE. They are masters at the sucker punch and by that old have refined their techniques. My Grey does the same. What throws me off, is every so often he really lets me scratch him, other times the head flips arounds and a good bite follows. But, I keep taking the chance, because the bite is worth taking when there are times he lets me scratch him. He will not do this to my wife... his love muffiin. So thats why I asked which sex his favorite was.

 

The poop will always change color according to what he ate. Blueberries for example will result in a almost black-purple, seeds green, non-colored pellets brown etc.

 

The string he will take care of.

 

You may want to use a perch to have him step-up, rather than scaring him down. Since you have only had him a month, it is very important to build trust as much as you can.

 

Hang in there and just know things will get better over time as he becomes used to the new schedules, people, surroundings and interactions with you.

[JungleDreamz]

Yeah with that food you showed it has some colored pellets in it, which will cause his Poo to change colors, No worries! And yeah Try the dowl rod or "perch" to get him to step up on to save your fingers!

[JJsHoney]

Thank you Dan and JungleDreamz again for great advice, and to answer your questions, He was owned by my cousins family he was given to my cousins wife but they never really hit it off and my cousin (male) was his main care taker. He wasn't fed as much fruits and veggies as I would like but atleast he ate some, and would eat palm oil on his seeds (which he won't touch) atleast 1-2 times a week, as far as aggression, he gave them the typical "teenage attitude" but nothing like with James and I. He wasn't interacted as much as he is here, he was in a multi-bird home and trying to spare time for them all proved to be difficult. Rene gets more aggressive if I leave him in to long so he has been coming out with me and spending basically most of the whole day out, he goes in to eat or take a nap but on his time. And I am trying to build as much trust with him as I can, I used a perch to get him off the top of his cage and that is was spooked him, he was never tought to step on perches just hands. I think I am going to write a quick post on Rene's past my cousin is a breeder of birds and he told me he never had a baby quit like Rene :confused:

[Spock]

Zupreem and Daily Select, are famous for colorful poop displays, you should see the bottom of our 'Tiel room each morning...Maggie

[Guest]

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Edited August 9, 2010 by jacarual

[JungleDreamz]

Im sorry the perch didnt work, All I can think to say is, Just keep trying with it amd maybe it wont spook him anymore.

 

I keep my birds cage open all day as well, All 4 of them, And then love it, So I think its a great idea!