Ziggy Update

[danmcq]

Looking forward to that video. You are just starting to really get top know her and vice-versa.

[Samy]

So we were talking with some friends and there was a Hahn Macaw needing a home. I was leery to say the least as everything with Zig is still not only so new but so harsh right now. I have to say meeting Koko was a pleasant surprise he is a doll. Very social and vocal for that matter, my son and daughters played with him for hours when we got home. Zig is not quite as fond she has been staring him down especially when my husband holds him, which of course gives me a little bit of pleasure considering everything. I commented to my friend tonight I so need to build an ark and lock myself in my own cage somewhere in it. Of course if I really wanted to be ambitious I would have them build an ark and build a dingy so I can trail behind them without actually being in all the havoc. Wish me luck I am off to go play with my circus.

[Barbara2]

I have a Hahn's. They are neat little birds. Mine loves, loves, loves to cuddle! They are not real loud but can make their presence known. Mine talks but not as much or as clear as my little African Senegal. Both birds are somewhat "trained" to stay quiet until they hear someone up and moving around. The Senegal is 19 and the Hahn's is 17.

[ranaz]

Pictures please... This is getting very exciting. You have such a big heart Samy. Perhaps Ziggy being a little jealous will make her behave better to win ur attention. Maybe she will catch some good behavior from the new comer. Can't wait for pix

[Morana]

Well, as you may already read somewhere, Ziggy came first to the house so it would be good if you would treat her as such-she should first get food in the morning, first one to get treets, first to get cuddled with you/your hubby,... IMO it is very important, at this point, to make her feel welcome the same way as you do with the other bird, no matter that she is not that cuddly, or friendly for that matter. Don't show you prefere one over the other. It is, and for a while, it will be a hard period for her. She is still feeling up the "terrain!", learning, and most important, she needs your trust and you need hers.

Tnx for the updates so far, keep them coming;-)

[Samy]

So Ziggy in not so jealous (personally I think more relived) that the rest of the house is handling Koko and petting Koko and playing with Koko, as long as it's not HER Daddy being the one to do it. I find it quite ironic that Koko has picked up on this and my Hubby got quite the nip for trying to pet Koko. I got a little smug and asked him how it felt, in which of course in good spirit my hubby says "guess I deserved that" and went to take Zig to play on the computer which she promptly bit him for playing with the other bird. I couldn't help laughing at that point. How many chances honestly am I going to see him get bit compared to me and last night I got a twofer.

This morning I started my normal routine. Said good morning to everyone and made breakfast for all the animals. I have to warn any other holstic tree hugger out there feeding the ark stinks in the morning they will run you over. I am relieved to find out that I do not have to blend into mush all the fruits and veggies for Koko he eats everything no problem. Still blending for Zig so Koko gets an energy shake in the morning with the leftovers from Ziggy's too. Koko does NOT like oatmeal though so of course I have gone from making one thing for the cats, two things for the dogs (both have different dietary needs due to age and allergies), each kid always wants something different, and now two separate but somewhat the same thing for the birds. I have decided I am no longer going to be a party coordinator owning my own business I need to be a short order cook to cover for all the meals everyday. I start the breakfast at 6am and am not done until around 8am cleaning up the mess.

I have heard that if you put a tub,bowl,or bucket of water into a cage that the birds will play in it essentially bathing themselves. Koko does this quite happily and very loudly along with messily. I decided to try it with Ziggy to see if she likes it. I know some people love taking their birds in the shower with them but with Kids and all the animals from the moment I get up to the moment I lay my head (and even then) I do not have a single moment to myself (I have to share the bed with the hubby he gets disgruntled otherwise). My shower-time is the only spare moment I get where I am alone and that is just for me and call me selfish but I am reluctant to share it even with the birds. I make sure there is only an inch or so of water just enough to splash and make a mess but not enough to hurt themselves in it.

 

Ranaz- I may have a big heart but I swear the bigger my heart gets the smaller my brain functions. I must be certifiable by now or just plain crazy.

Morana- We are trying very hard to keep the same things going and not change her routine or her attention too much. It will be hard to keep it even with the kids they love giving attention and of course for the younger ones they will give the attention to the one that won't bite and attack them. We still only allow Zig at the dinner table I do have my limits and can't have every animal along with my kids at the table.

 

Will fill in more later and get pictures soon of the new addition

Edited July 25, 2011 by Samy

[MarcusCAG]

Wow! So much has been going on for you!

 

About Ziggy and the profanity: For a while, a couple months after we adopted Marcus, the neighbors who lived next door were out almost every night. They would drink and have the radio on and be loud, and their language wasn't always very nice. I'm afraid Marcus picked up a couple things from them, or their vocab reminded him of things he maybe learned in a former home. I wouldn't acknowledge him if he said something nasty, and for the most part the words died away once those neighbors all moved away and he didn't hear them anymore. Phew! Every once in a while, though, he'll mutter something quick and fast under his breath and I think it's a swear word, and it makes me wonder, What is it that got you angry? It's generally a response to one of the 'Greenies' (Beaker or Tybalt) and it's not even that often, thankfully, maybe once every few months. But again, we don't acknowledge it so Marcus doesn't get anything out of saying those words, so they generally fade away not to be heard again for quite some time.

 

Regarding Koko: A Hahn's macaw now, did you say? Isn't that one of the mini-macaws, maybe conure sized? I believe we saw one of them in a pet store not too long ago, barely more than a baby, just too adorable! He didn't even look to be "Beaker-sized"! Koko most definitely has added another dimension to your life with Ziggy, I'm sure. It sounds like you really have your hands full now!

Edited July 28, 2011 by MarcusCAG

[Samy]

We refuse to acknowledge the language issue and Koko now finds it to his amusement and laughs at her when we don't talk back which I don't think is endearing him to her very much. They both are now in on the morning routine and keep the chatter at deafening levels first thing in the morning. They go back and forth constantly and both are picking up on each others different words so it is defiantly interesting to watch them go at it across the room from each other. Ziggy still will not let anyone near her we are getting into a routine where she is pretty much left alone unless she is being given a treat and talked to but will only talk back to my husband and only when it's just the two of them in the room. Koko on the other hand will talk to anyone who will listen and speak to him. He blows kisses and sits with people I guess I am his "chosen" human as when he gets cranky of being held and passed around he comes to me and hides in my hair and nips all who try to move him. He has the cutest reaction to being told no he makes a small hissing sound and then repeats "no" like a kids having a temper fit. We have a bigger living room space for Ziggy and she uses this more now then the computer room one as I think she has issues with being alone. She makes a pathetic whine/sigh every time we put her in the big one now, she would rather be in the big cage in the living room with Koko at night. She doesn't even like him but she doesn't want to not see him it's pretty crazy. My husband of course over indulges her and lets her stay in the living room cage and now I wonder why I even got the huge cage in the first place. I have a new recipe it isn't much but both birds will eat it. I made some if the spinach, tomato, and regular pasta spirals about a quarter cup cooked it up mixed it with a quarter cup of steamed mixed stew veggies added a quarter of a diced fine chicken breast and just a small handful of grated cheese. They both love it served to them at dinner time. Mornings are still chopped veggies and fresh fruit for Koko and baby spooned puree and oatmeal for Ziggy. Not much else to report.

 

Marcus- Hands were already full to begin with, but the ark would not be complete without 2 of everything.LOL

[Malikah]

I'm glad you found Koko so you get to be "chosen" also.

[JeffNOK]

I love reading all this. The human dynamics with multiple birds and all the individual personalities makes for a great "novella".

[Samy]

So I guess thinking Ziggy wasn't so effected was an understatement on my part. She has now decided even if I have food she wants NOTHING to do with me. She puffs out and attacks the bars anytime I am near. Not sure if it is a direct result of Koko liking me or if she has just decided no one but Daddy is good enough for her. She is defiantly more tolerant of everyone in the house which is a plus she can now come out with my husband and move about the house and doesn't bother anyone unless they bother her. Both birds are defiantly more vocal then before talking up a storm to each other and Koko to us and Zig to my husband in the computer room. She is pretty funny hearing her from the other room and my husband was talking to Koko last night he pooped on him and it made my husband laugh when I commented that they have clearly made their "chosen" people clear as Koko will not do that to me he actually makes a specific noise I take him back to his cage and he does his business in the cage and gets back on my shoulder. Anyways my husband laughed at the joke and Koko laughed and mumbled "that's funny" which made us laugh even harder of course making Koko laugh again too.

We made the attempt last night to see if Zig would come to me if my husband put her on me and she went batty and attacked the you know what out of my arm, hand, and shoulder probably would have gone for my face if my husband had not grabbed her at that point. She has picked up Koko's vocabulary though she now says "come here" and "Koko" along with "pretty bird" and "what" since those are the ones Koko uses most. They both also say hello especially when the phone rings and because of the squawking and the kids and their objection to leaving him out Koko is now at the table with us for dinner and they both are getting better about eating different foods. I was able to print a list of all the known foods that are ok for them from an avian vet's website and if we have something for dinner they can't have I whip something up they can so they are still included. Koko is defiantly not as picky about the food he eats but they both have their quirks at the dinner table.

I don't know if anyone else has this problem but I can't get them to stop bathing in the water dishes, even with supplying them both with their own "tubs" with water to play and bath in they still won't go near them and insist on using their water dishes. My husband baths both birds twice a week we have a mist function to our shower and he sets it up and takes them in on alternating days so that Zig gets a shower every Monday and Friday and Koko gets one every Wednesday and Sunday. Any other day they have a fresh "tub" every morning put in and I take it out in the afternoon and they still insist on using their water bowls. I tried putting ice cubes in their water bowls and they just think they are toys.

Zig decided yesterday she was going for a ride she climbed from the chair in the computer room onto our older husky's back. Poor Dallas had this look of why is this little creature on my back and my husband rushing to get her off of him and telling her no she can not climb on the dog. Was serious until she started laughing at him for telling her no I couldn't help it I left the room and laughed at him. He is going to have his work cut out for him with her she likes sitting in his lap and attacking buttons if he has them on his shirt or the belt buckle on his pants she was doing that the other night and bit him in the "bulge" of his pants. I laughed so hard there were tears in my eyes for hours. He did not find the same amusement as I did as the reaction Ziggy got has now turned it into a game for her and she continues to try again and again. I warned him he can't react from everything I was told and read the more reaction they get the more they do it but he can't seem to help himself and she now wants to play whenever they sit on the recliner.

I have noticed Koko won't play with any of the toys we put in his cage. When we got him I was warned he had not had many toys and showed no interest in anything they had tried to give him so they just left his cage empty. I am just leaving the toys in his cage maybe watching Zig will make him want to play with them if not then they are there if he changes his mind.

Well that's about all for today We are going to be lazy as tomorrow is the start of a busy week and we have company coming next week so this house will be crazier then normal. Hoping it won't throw the birds off too much.

[MarcusCAG]

Koko sounds like a little spitfire and Ziggy's match, for sure! I'm glad to hear your doggie responded so well to being "ridden", that can be a big question mark of a situation sometimes, but it sounds like Dallas was a real sweetheart about it all... Please keep the updates coming, I enjoy reading about your menagerie and how they're growing with your family.

[Samy]

Spitfire is a word I would use. Not much to report today, they spent their "out of cage times" seperated since I was doing dishes with Koko on my shoulder "talking" me through the whole thing, cleaning up here and there around the house, and Zig has been "helping" the hubby with his homework. Now they are both chilling in their cages relaxing with nuts in their one claw snacking away they spent most of the day out occasionally having to have a "time out" for being over stimulated or just down right cranky. For the most part they were fine until my Hubby decided to have the brain child of trying to kiss me which resulted in me getting a nip from Zig and Koko sqwaking her out. Pretty boring I know but I will take boring compared to a "normal" day in this house.

[Barbara2]

Not boring at all. I look forward to these updates. There are a lot more that read and enjoy than actually reply. It's great to share the experiences of living with a parrot, both good and not so good. Thanks for keeping it going!

[Samy]

I try pretty hard to keep it going and get the day by day stuff out there. Good, bad, indifferent, or just plain nothing it's still something. I figure everyday I write is another day that no one in this mad house has managed to drive someone other then me crazy. Plus it's a pretty decent place to vent and laugh at all my craziness cause if I can't laugh at this life what will I ever do.

[Samy]

So not sure if it is just getting into the swing of things or that the whole house is crazy right now. We have been moving and cleaning this and that opening up the guest bedroom and airing it out for the company and just everything is bouncing here and there. Zig has taken to nipping my husband every time someone is in the room person or animal. It is humorous but also kind of disturbing. I don't know if this is her "true" personality or just being pissy because of all the changes. I noticed in another post that people think the birds may respond differently to someone on medication. I started a neuro medication treatment 4 weeks ago mybe Zig is not liking the smell. Koko has been a complete trip he doesn't want to stay away from me for more then a few minutes. He will scream mama if I am away from him too long. I open his cage and let him play on his playtop while I am working right next to him and he won't play he hops down the side and climbs on my shoulder and talks his little heart out. He also likes watching videos of other Hahn's as I put it up and he talks back to them and gets this head bobbing thing going on I call it his head banging dance. He blows kisses and says good morning now when I wake up. He is too cute. I did manage to give Zig a quick scratch last night I gave her an almond and while her mouth was full scratched the top of her head and was rewarded with a look that said " just you wait till my mouth isn't full with something I want, you are SOOOO getting bit" She heard my daughters goofing off in their bedroom and one is a screamer so now Zig screams like a little girl when she wants our attention. We are trying to ignore it so she doesn't continue the bad behaviors. We would like to see her talk to us when she wants attention not scream. We have found she does NOT like towels. We had to towel her to try and get her ready for her nail trim next week and she went nuts on us. Biting and screaming and flying all over the place whenever she saw the towel. She does have some more funny moments like deciding she is now a bat, she will hang upside down from the top of her cage and drop down onto her perch from there. Also she has been swinging from some of her toys built for swinging on but I have to laugh as she does most of it with her belly to the ceiling. They both have gotten better about eating and I have been trying some of the recipes and some are good others not so much. Well onwards and upwards and all that fun stuff wish me luck as too many people will be here starting Sat and I am expecting havoc in the ARK.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Samy

[Malikah]

It sounds like Ziggy is probably getting a bit overstimulated by all the commotion and that's probably why she is nipping. Maybe a combination of fear/over-excitement. And I'm sorry, but I must give you a slap on the wrist for the sneak attack scratch on the head. That's not the way to build trust with a bird. Don't think she's going to forget that anytime soon. LOL! Be sensitive to how stressed the birds are while all the extra people are around. I wouldn't want anyone to get a serious bite when it could be avoided.

[Samy]

The "sneak attack" came after a month of feeding her and being allowed to sometimes pet her beak, also trying to get her used to me as more then just a chew toy as I have been bitten quite a few times by her and most times when I haven't even been around her or trying to instigate a petting or anything. Usually just cleaning out her cage or being in the same room when she is out. It would not have been the first time she dropped her food to bite me she has done it quite often before. It says a lot she would have rather held the almond then bite me as it is usually the other way around. Koko will be allowed out and about with serious supervision and usually only on my shoulder while people are in the community rooms but Zig will have to wait until first thing in the morning and later in the afternoons as there will be an infant here and we don't want to risk the bite nor stress her out. My husband plans to take her back to the big cage in the computer room and make it off limits to the visitors so she doesn't get too stressed with so many new people here.

Edited August 4, 2011 by Samy

[Malikah]

It would not have been the first time she dropped her food to bite me she has done it quite often before. It says a lot she would have rather held the almond then bite me as it is usually the other way around.

 

That's good progress then! I guess we just have different philosophies on trust building. There are some bird trainers who tell you to towel a bird and pet it until it stops trying to bite, and others who won't even let you go into the same room with the bird until it will visibly relax. Those are two extremes, but I don't ever try to pet Kito unless I ask her first. She almost always says no unless it's bedtime. When she asks for a scratch it's like a gift. Have a great weekend and enjoy your company!

[Samy]

I just reread my earlier post if it sounded harsh I appologise I am a little stressed and more then a little tired getting everything ready as everyone will be here tomorrow. I didn't exactly sneak up on her as it would seem I feed her every morning the same way, I open the door, sit next to the open door waiting for her to come to me and feed her breakfast when she is ready. Then I usually talk to her and slowly attempt to pet her beak as it is usually the only spot she lets me pet, if she backs away or drops her food to nip I don't press the issue with her I just feed her and clean up after we are done. I do the same with treats as I am trying in vain to see if she will get used to seeing me enough she won't continually use me as a chew toy whenever I am near. I have been bitten many times for no other reason then I am to close to where she is. My husband is planning an extended trip soon and will be gone for entire weekends 2 or 3 times a month and she can't go with him and I feel terrible that she will have to stay in the cage the entire time he is gone if we have some peaceful way in which to cohabitate with each other I can let her out to stretch while he is gone. I would never towel her just to try and get her used to me the only time a towel is used is after her shower so I can get her from the bathroom to her cage without being seriously injured or for her nail trimming at the vets. I am not trying to rush so much as to have even ground with her so she is not a prisoner during the weekends. I hope all this makes better sense. We had a long day and all the other details for our company have been finished I think so I am totally beat and headed to bed Good-night all.

[Morana]

I just wanted to ask, why nail trimming? Couldn't you get Ziggy a grooming perch instead to avoid toweling and vet visits all together? That is what I did and I must say Zak is eternally grateful for it ;-P He was so much traumatized from toweling while at the vets that he attacked the towel in question for several months afterwards whenever he saw it.. So, I don't think forced toweling can ever be a good thing. I'm trying to reinforce presence of the towel always with something positive. It is much better now but it took time. I guess toweling Zak and he being OK with it will wait even longer, but we'll get there;-)

[Samy]

We have the perches designed for filing the nails for both birds and neither one of them seem to like them they both stay to the natural wood and dowel rod perches in the cages. We thought about taking the wood ones out and only leaving the filing ones but I worry they would irritate their feet with it being the only perches they have. They both only get their nails trimmed when it gets unbearable to have them on us (when every time they are there it draws blood and scratches more then just the little prick marks). I wish I could find another way but everything we have tried so far is a no-go. I did find a birdie beak filing toy that as they chew on it they are naturally filing down their beaks but I haven't found something for their toe nails that they will use consistently. I think it has a lot to do with the fact they had nothing like these in their cages before and they are both older birds.

[Morana]

The nail grooming perches need to be positioned where birds spend most of the time. For example, I have just one safety pumice perch in the cage and it is in front of water and food bowls so Zak must stand on it in order to eat and drink water. So, he is grooming his nails without much thinking about it;-)

[Luvparrots]

Ana Grey uses her cement perch as a sleeping perch. Go figure!!!!!

[Samy]

The "pedi" perches are in front of the food and water Zig is creative she will climb over them by the bars and stand on her dishes to drink or eat. Koko climbs them but hops off into his bowls as well pretty quickly. I am thinking of taking out the other perches and only put them back at night when they are ready for bed. I also created a stair type creation of "pedi" perches for Zig to play on it goes here and there around her whole cage something for her to play on all different lengths, I had hoped she would think it a game and play. I have even set almonds to the end of it to see if I could entice her to climb out but it didn't go so well the little sneak would shake the bars supporting the perch and shake it down lol.