Timbersmom Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Well, I finally received my bird scale and got it assembled. I turned it on and Timber stepped on my arm. So far, so good. Took him over to the scale and he won't step on the perch. Argh! I had no luck with the kitchen scale because he wouldn't get on it and I thought having a perch would make all the difference. Wrong again. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfgeist Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 I used to weigh Jasper every morning without a problem but I got away from it. Recently when I tried he was freaked out by it. I would suggest letting him see it, having it near his cage or something to get used to it and use a special treat to coax him to step up on it. If he's on your arm lower your arm behind the perch and use something he really likes in front to see if he'll step up onto the perch to get it. Jasper loves pinenuts and has been bending over backwards to get them. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 I'll give that a try thanks! Timber isn't to motivated by food, but it is worth a shot. One of the reasons I got the scale is because the vet told me he was a little underweight. Now I know why, he just isn't that interested in food. Wish I could say the same! Funny how they are willing to do something like Jasper did weighing daily then refuse to have any of it. The scale is sitting in full view on a cabinet close to him, so that may help too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 I've got an old food scale that seems to work ok. But what if you put a dab of peanut butter on your scale's perch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 I'll try that one next, thanks! I had a couple of pine nuts in my hand to give that a try a few minutes ago. He wouldn't step up, but went back in the cage! He hasn't done that in a long time. I think he has my number and sometimes it seems he can read my mind! Little rascal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 On another note, I also received my avian light today. The base doesn't screw into the pole so that will have to go back or they will have to replace a part. I swear, kids are easier! :0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 My gram scale came with a perch but I don't use it, I never had any problem getting Josey to stand on it but probably the best advice is to leave it where your bird can see it so he can get used to it and an offer of a favored treat might do the trick also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 Thanks for the treat idea! I finally thought to use cheese, which is the one thing he will do about anything for, and got him on the scale's perch. He only weighed 271 grams, but the vet said he was a small bird. I'm going to try to weigh him once a week just to monitor, but I'm thinking he really is just "small." He has a big heart though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezron Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Cheese works for Brutus too. He is used to the scale though, and most of the time will step right on. Getting him to stay still is another matter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sassy Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 I use a food scale and put one of Neytiri's empty bowls on it and zero it out. She happily steps up on her bowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Timber is about 5 and has very set ideas about what is "step up worthy." If it doesn't look like a perch, he isn't going! Now that he steps up easily, I'm working on trying to get him to step down. He'd rather just stay on my arm until we get back to his cage. We are getting there though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 such good suggestions marco has the perch .... she doesnt mind getting on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarasota Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Sondheim is a little Congo, between 390-420 grams (depending on poops). But he's just fine, healthwise. Just petite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Gilbert is 320 grams and our vet says he is on the small side, but not that he needs to gain any weight. He just mentioned that he is small. At the vet they did the funniest thing to weigh both our parrots. They had different sized clear plastic bowls with holes poked in the lids. They did the tare weight on the bowl, then set Gilbert in the wide top bowl and rested the lid. It happened so quick he didn't have a chance to protest. He was so cute peeking out of that clear plastic wondering how we got out there. LOL. Great job on going round and round with Timber until you find just the right treat to get cooperation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 7, 2012 Author Share Posted September 7, 2012 That's a neat trick with the bowls! The vet said on our initial visit (the day after I got Timber) that he was a little underweight, which has always worried me. Unfortunately, she didn't weigh him. He was so wild at that point that they had to restrain him with a towel to do anything, so maybe it wasn't possible. So, I don't have a baseline. Her comment was based on the fact that his breastbone (wrong word I know) was too prominent. And she did say that he was a small bird even for a TAG. Now, his "breastbone" isn't as obvious so I know he's picked up some weight. I really wish I had a baseline so I would know how much he has gained. He is a very picky eater, and though it shames me to say this his primary diet is nutriberries and avicakes. I tried many brands of pellets, and he just doesn't eat them. Fresh food (the kind that is good for him) is a no go unless I feed them with a spoon. He doesn't seem to like anything hard (except nuts and some seeds) which I suspect is why he won't eat pellets. I've tried soaking them, but he doesn't want them that way either. I don't have a problem with him being "small" but I do want to make sure he is a good weight for his size! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 How about making your own nutriberries and avicakes? I bet you could stick some green things in there. Jake is also a picky eater but he wants his seeds and pellets. He is a stinker when it comes to anything else. He won't eat it if its to hard, soft, sticky, sweet, sour, wet, cold or hot. He won't touch fruit (fresh or dried), bread, nuts or most vegies. Right now he is chowing down on a piece of baked sweet potato. They are made by Simply Nourish and were in the dog treats section of Pet Smart. They are plain baked sweet potato chips with no seasoning or preservatives. I'm sure they are no where near as healthy as steamed sweet potato but of course it falls into the wet category so he won't touch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 7, 2012 Author Share Posted September 7, 2012 I steam sweet potatoes for him and offer them every day. He will eat a bit if I hold it on a spoon. I put raw carrots, raw broccoli in his bowl, and alternate with lightly steamed carrot and broccoli. Those are the veggies he will eat (if I hold it for him). He eats the Higgins Mondo Brazil (sp) from a spoon (a little bit). I've tried bean mixes, chop etc. with no luck. I give him a piece of corn on the cob when I can get it. He will eat it the first day then doesn't want it the next day (or two or three). I give him a quarter slice of toast with peanut butter most mornings, and he eats maybe 20% of that before it hits the bottom of the cage. He doesn't like fruit (except for a bite of banana or apple once in awhile) which I supposed is just as well since too much isn't good for him. I give him homemade birdie bread every day, which has all kinds of good stuff in it. I have to hand feed that to him too to get him to eat it.He doesn't eat seed very well, unless it is stuck to a nutriberry! Pickier than my kids! All suggestions are appreciated though. All I can say is he is one spoiled bird... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 Mine came with a perch, and my birds are very good about it if I continue to talk with them while they are on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 7, 2012 Author Share Posted September 7, 2012 Once Timber gets on the scale perch he is fine. Getting him there is where the cheese came in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Well Timber's first chicken wing was a success! I gave him the wing with the meat mostly stripped off. It obviously wasn't his first rodeo. He was gnawing on the end and I started putting things away and doing other stuff in the kitchen. About five minutes later I heard it hit the cage bottom. I thought "Oh well, he's not going to eat the marrow." I went over to retrieve it and throw it away and found two bones, stripped clean, totally empty and looking polished. He was looking pleased with himself and life in general. Now my question is, how often should I give him a wing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Isnt it just amazing giving them a wing like that?!? Marco's had 1 just 1 since being home and I was blown away by the damage she happily did to that bone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 I gave him another last night. I think he smelled it because he was hopping around and looking excited before he actually saw it. He even looked different... feathers slicked down, neck fully extended, pupils dilated. He made an eee, eee, sound I hadn't heard before when I gave it to him. Definitely excited! How often should he have one is my question? I bought a bag of frozen wings so I could boil one for him as often as he should have on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeriG Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 I haven't tried giving Virgil a chicken wing yet, but I am also curious on how often they can have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 nothing is cute'er then when they get all excited cuz they know what you are giving them!! marco gets that way for a cracker :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Yes, it is! Timber shows excitement when cheese is involved too. Birdie crack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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