Elwood Update: 1 Month and Counting

[FirstPenguin]

Admittedly I've fallen off the radar. Between work and Elwood (5 month old CAG) I've had little time for forums. On top of that my laptops wifi screwed up so my lounging and browsing has been limited. I thought I would start a new post to share the adventures of Elwood since then. All his labwork came back with flying colors.

 

 

 

Overall things have been good. Great even. Elwood is everything I had hoped for. Which is a relief since I got him from out of state, with out an in person visit. The breeder had 3 available and told me the differences between them in personality. The reason I went with that is because I wanted a breeder who was pro-flight and wouldn't clip. Elwood is a surprisingly good flyer. We don't have a ton of space and he navigates it really well considering his age and size. He seems less barrel chested as other greys. His climbing has also become quite good. He navigates vertically within his cage quite well.

 

I've been reading and listening to lectures. A few things I've decided; there is no fighting it, I like having a shoulder bird and he likes being one. literally the second we got him home he flew out of his carrier and landed on my shoulder. However, I've decided he doesn't get head scratches or food/treats while up there. those only happen below my neck on my hand, knee, or a perch.

 

He loves climing on nets, except he loves being on our Senegals net. We got him one but he still lands on hers So we're going to reconfigure the net we got him more like hers to hopefully be a better choice. However, he has finally figured out which play gym he's suppose to be on. He still lands on hers occasionally but we take him off right away. I've also implemented the policy that if he follows me into the kitchen (flies and lands on my shoulder) I walk right out and put him on his playgym. I was able to cook for a decent stretch this weekend and he stayed on his play gym just out of site.

 

Other than the vet he's taken 2 trips to my parents place outside the city. The first trip he was nervous on the train and car and moved around a lot. but by the second round trip he was super chill about traveling and relaxed shortly after arriving at my parents place.

 

 

 

On the talking front he is a chatter box. Only 2-3 words are remotely recognizable, everything else sounds like scooby doo talking. Our biggest problem is really our Senegal. We try going to different rooms each with a bird since they can't be out together, but the Senegal hates it. She'll be good in her cage for a while with him out but we're not sure how to deal with her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Timbersmom]

What a handsome guy Elwood is! Love the pics Sounds like you are both doing well. No advice about the Senegal situation since I'm not yet a victim of MBS but I'm sure someone will come along with some ideas for you

[Ray P]

Sounds like you and Elwood are doing great.

OH, All my birds are shoulder birds and I would not have it any other way.

[judygram]

Elwood is a great looking grey and you will come up with what works best for out of cage time for both birds. I have all 3 of mine out together but they stay away from each other, one doesn't seek another out so there is space between them so I have no problems, bet you will get yours sorted out real soon.

[aerial.2000]

I have no advise really either about more then 1 bird tho I really would like to have just 1 more (how many times have ya'll said that ... I'll stop with just 1 more) I dont do it because I dont know if I really can ...

 

love the pics! glad to hear ya'll are adjusting so well together!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Why can't Elwood be out with your Senegal? Elwood with one parent, Senegal with another in room together. Hangout together. Don't focus on introductions. You guys doing your usual thing. My sunconure, Amazon and Grey love each other. Dogs also get along. It doesn't always work, but if you walk into a situation thinking it won't work, it won't! Nancy

[FirstPenguin]

Why can't Elwood be out with your Senegal? Elwood with one parent, Senegal with another in room together. Hangout together. Don't focus on introductions. You guys doing your usual thing. My sunconure, Amazon and Grey love each other. Dogs also get along. It doesn't always work, but if you walk into a situation thinking it won't work, it won't! Nancy

 

You have to remember that both birds are fully flighted and know it, the Senegal is a bit on the defensive since we got the CAG. The Senegal also is an ace in the air and the grey, while slower, is no joke for his age. Point being, we can't move fast enough if one of them lands next to the other, if one wanted to do some damage who knows if we'd get to them in time to break it up. It's not worth the risk. It's only been a month and when I stand outside the Senegals cage with Elwood, Evie (Sennie) will lunge towards Elwood if he get's to close. I'm not saying it won't, but there are enough horror stories out there I don't want to be telling another one.

[danmcq]

Nice update and photos. Thanks for sharing these.

[birdhouse]

* Few birds will not automatically defend their territory, particularly their roost, particularly from strangers.

 

* If a member of the flock telegraphs danger, the whole flock will go on alert. This means they become defensive & often default to aggressive reactions that they wouldn't normally adopt when they feel safe.

 

These are the two main triggers.

 

Just from your post, it appears that you've defaulted to the position that both of these birds are (not could potentially be) a danger to each other. So both birds are now in defensive mode because they've been told they should be.

 

They need to be in neutral territory, away from any known attachments like roosts, food & toys. But they do need to have little bits of interaction to create their own relationship w/each other. If they happen to create an opportunity for themselves, so much the better. They have to learn to get used to each other. Then they have to learn to trust each other. Maybe they'll learn to like each other. It's a process.

 

When the fids aren't perched on a parront, one should always be watching but not hoovering so they don't telegraph emotion. Also, as we all know, parronts are a possession.

 

Not saying this isn't kind of tricky for many parronts & it can be scary at first. Especially between two such different sized birds. But it's very easy for us to create the rifts & problems because it's very difficult to know when to trust the fids to work it out when we can't understand what's going on.

 

Parrot socialization is every bit as complex as human's. But it's important to remember that fids speak the same (body) language & understand the moment much better than we do. That's why a parront's usually best remaining neutral unless there's an obvious reason to fear actual harm at any specific moment.

 

Maybe the hardest things for us to understand is that very often, they're not doing anything more than posturing & testing each other. Even when they bicker (& they will), they make a lot of empty threats. Finding the line between causing more problems & keeping peace & well being can be hard. But it certainly will teach you tons about body language!

 

They may well decide to just ignore each other if no one else makes them pay attention. My guys don't socialize w/each other for the most part. Once in a while they spend time in the same space. But that's about it. And btw, the littlest fid is usually the biggest instigator if there's a problem. I think they know they're going to get protected (my bad). Bonus points if they get the other fid in trouble for something they started. They remind me of my little brothers when they were being brats.

 

But just like kids, fids might just eventually work it out & become BFFs too. (thanks to CLB for the absolutely awesome pic!)

 

 

 

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?196641-Sweet-Sweet-Sleep

Edited October 12, 2012 by birdhouse

[katana600]

Slow and steady repetition has been winning our little red bellied parrot (sassy cousin of a senegal) over to be able to be out at the same time as our rehomed older Timneh. It has taken months of many attempts and finally she has stopped trying to drive out this intruder as she also did to our kids coming home from college. It took consistent vigilance to keep her from dive bombing and chasing Gilbert and there was at least one near miss where he could have hurt her badly. Now she doesn't give him a second look and they are out at the same time but they are not friends and I would not leave them alone in the room together any more than I would leave the birds out with our two small dogs without supervision. They seem to peacefully coexist all the time but I would rather be too careful than live with regret. It is all coming together in good time.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Everyone with GREAT advice!

birdhouse.... had to laugh! Sunny my sunconure is also our little instigator! They use to sleep on Sunny's rope, with Sunny in the middle. He has complained forever. The girls sink his rope. He has started to sleep on top of his cage in the corner. Now Sophie and Kiki alternate turns sleeping with him. One morning I will find Sophie snuggling him, Kiki sleeping in other cage, another morning I will find Kiki sleeping with him, Sophie on the other cage.They work it out. Nancy

[Wisp]

You can put a harness on them both to try taking them out together, this way you have control on how close they can get and if one decides to lunge you can quickly pull them away.