Artoo Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Varo is finally home today! I named him/her after one of my favorite artists, Remedios Varo. Varo's four months old. I've attached a couple of pictures. Let me just say that I am in love with this bird! I already told me boyfriend that Varo was going to be a very spoiled parrot, haha! A warning in advance: this post is kind of long. Sorry. Anyway, when I got home with Varo, I opened the carrier door and let him come out on his own. He climbed to the top and just hung out up there, flapping and stretching his wings. I was trying to have him step up onto my hand, but he wasn't having it. He did put one foot on my hand, but that was the closest he got. I know that I should just let him move at his own pace, so I set some water and food on the carrier (he ate and drank just a little), turned my back for one minute and boom! He was airborne. Varo does not have his wings clipped (I requested the breeder not to). Anyway, he flew to my kitchen and sort of landed/crashed on the floor. I didn't rush to him (I read somewhere that this could be a mistake because the baby could associate you with a traumatic experience), but he collected himself and waddled toward me. He still wouldn't do step up. I even held a peanut in my hand to try and "bribe" him, but he just took it in his beak and dropped it. Then he took off again. This time, he landed on top of the air conditioner unit (which is up be the ceiling). I had to bring a stool to stand on and get him down. I got one of his feet on my hand and sort of just gently took the other one, climbed down as carefully as I could, and slowly walked around my place, showing him the different rooms and talking to him in a soothing voice. I showed him his cage and let him climb in there. I shut the cage door so he could use the bars on the door to climb. He was kind of clumsy in his cage (I know that that's normal) and I realized, after watching him move around in there, that I definitely have to make some adjustments to the placement of perches and toys. I warmed up some broccoli and carrots for him and put them in his cage. He was kind of interested in the carrot, but soon ignored it. I know it's kind of normal for grey babies not to really eat that much right after they enter a new home because of stress/nerves/excitement. He climbed around his cage a little bit more, then I noticed he was closing his eyes and making that grinding noise with his beak. I put the cover on his cage and we went to bed. Very eventful for a first night, both for Varo and I. Sorry to give you such a detailed play-by-play, but I wanted to paint an accurate picture for you so you might be able to give me some advice. The Step-Up: Is it normal for birds to be stubborn at first with step-up's? Have any of you had a lot of problems with it, particularly with babies? Should I consider getting his wings clipped? I don't want to traumatize my baby. I'm really torn on this one because I know that having full wings will help him land more safely if he falls, but I'm also afraid he'll hurt himself in my place (I don't have any ceiling fans or anything, I'm just afraid he'll hit a wall very hard). Food: What if he's not really eating for the next few days? Is there anything I can give him that is more palatable than his regular food? I bought some carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, and plain oatmeal. Anything you advise that I can whip up? Also, I'm worried that I may have gotten him the wrong type of food. I got him this Kaytee Supreme parrot food with pellets, peanuts, corn, and sunflower seeds in it. I know that I shouldn't be too generous with the sunflower seeds because of the fat content, but it seems like the seeds make up a good portion of this food. Is there a different mix I should be buying? Thank you so much in advance for any advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thebirdistheword Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Varo is wonderful congrats! I am new to this as well so you will get great advice from other with much more experience. So happy for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara2 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I can only address the step-up. I found that once I got Egan to put one foot on my hand, if I slightly raised my hand up he would put the other foot up there too. He doesn't like to step up if he is inside his cage. I have to allow him to come out on his own first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Life is Greyt Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Congrats on bringing Varo home!! With "step up," if the breeder didn't really work with him you'll just have to be really vigilant about teaching the command. I try to give Chickie a choice most of the time, "want to step up?" or "want to come out?" but if there's some kind of emergent reason that I need her to step up I just say "step up" and she does. Clipping is a personal preference and it really depends on what works best for you and your baby. Chickie is trimmed, but she can still fly. The difference is that she can't fly from room to room or to the top of the cabinets. She can, however, fly across the room and fly and land safely. My breeder slowly trimmed her back and we stopped once her flight was inhibited just enough to have more control over where she goes. When she's older, and we have our relationship established, I would like to let her be fully flighted, but we'll see. As far as food, I would suggest switching to a completely pelleted diet, like Roudybush or Harrisons, and then supplement with all the yummy things you listed. He may just need time to settle in to his new home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 Yeah Varo is home and starting to settle into his new home and surroundings, he looks great. I like Barbara's idea of getting him to step up, once he sets the first foot up raise him up slightly so he has to bring the other foot up or lose his balance, say step up and then when he does praise him so he will want to do that when asked. Most greys should be allowed to come out of their cage before asking them to step up for they view their cage as their safety zone and do not like hands intruding but my Josey will step up from inside her cage. Do offer a variety of vegetables, you will find a detailed list in the bird food room, offer them in different ways, cooked, raw, shredded, mashed and whatever way you think of for some like certain ones raw, certain ones cooked and so forth. A good pelleted food should be available at all times and should be a large portion of their diet along with some seeds, nuts, grains, legumes, rices and pastas, a little chicken and egg several times a week and a sliver of cheddar cheese is enjoyed about twice weekly. Just take things nice and slow and let Varo set the pace of getting familiar with his new digs and do consider just allowing him to keep his flight capabilities for he will get better at it the more he practices, remember we as children had to fall a few times before we could walk so give him time to learn to land properly and of course he has to learn the lay of the home but I am betting in a month's time he will be lots more proficient at flying and landing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artoo Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 Thank you everyone. Today has been pretty eventful. Varo flew from the top of his cage and landed on my head. I didn't mind at all, in fact I found it quite endearing and was glad he landed somewhere soft instead of bumping into the wall. I had his cage door open and he flew from his perch right onto my arm! He seems to have found a favorite toy, a blue ball that he likes to play with and toss onto the floor (and then watch me retrieve it). Oh, I was also eating lunch at a table by his cage. I had given him some food (he ate a little bit - not much, though), but I guess he wanted what I was having because he flew and landed practically on my plate. He also landed on the rim of a cup of water, as I was drinking it! Have any of you experienced this? It seems like whatever I'm having to eat, he wants. I was eating some carrot sticks and he flew right onto my arm to get one (which he ate). Also, he LOVES the top of his cage. In fact, I think he likes it even better than the inside of his cage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Life is Greyt Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 My Chickie will ABSOLUTELY fly to us when we are eating something she thinks she might want. I call her a "snack whore"...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artoo Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Haha! That's so funny, Life is Greyt! Yes, it's quite surprising when I'm standing at the kitchen sink, washing off fruits or veggies, and all of a sudden I hear this flutter of wings and feel Varo land on my shoulder or back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 My grey likes to share my food but not hers. If I have something she thinks it belongs to her. If I am doing something she has to be there.. Thats life with a grey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artoo Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 Yes, Ray P. I absolutely love it, too! In the morning, when I'm getting ready in the bathroom and Varo is on top of his cage, he'll start calling out to me like he's saying, "Mom! Where are you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snoepgoed123 Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 my guy won't eat food if I didn't try it before giving it to him. Perfect example is carrots, offered him a baby carrot, and he darts that thing like it's poisoned, but the moment I put a carrot close to my mouth he will snatch that sucker from me. That's actually how I get Archimedes to try new foods, just wave it in-front of my mouth while it's out of his reach, boy he will go from being a 12 inch little monster to a 17 inch little monster if that means he can eat whatever I'm "trying" to eat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Seek out Dave's advise with diet. He will guide you. He has excellent advice. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Regarding Varo's food, what did his breeder feed him/her? You're probably better off sticking with the same food while Varo adjusts to the new home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 My Chickie will ABSOLUTELY fly to us when we are eating something she thinks she might want. I call her a "snack whore"...lol LMAO !!!!!!!!! I totally agree with Doug, what did your breeder ween Varo off on? The petstore has Marco on Zupreem, a nice seed mix w/out sunflower and LOTS of fresh fruit n veges and so that is exactly what I will be doing with her when I get her home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xSarahx Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Me and Archie have a constant morning battle with my coffee,i want it,he wants it , i can have it, he cant! he does this little noise which i know means give it to me now! of course i never let him because of the caffiene anyway one morning i had the cup by the side of me on the floor,Archies flew over to it landed on the rim and sent the cup flying with the bit i always leave at the bottom soaking him,He was not amused but i found it very funny :D still has not taught him though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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