Question on trying to "Get together"

[Ronda477]

Ok thanks to Dan I have a question lol. SweetHeart as most of you know has had a very rough flight to get to us. That was back in Oct. If she flies off of her cage which happens normally twice a day, I actually think she does it to exercise her wings, but she will let any of us pick her up to bring her back to her cage/play stand. If I'm the one to get her she wants on my shoulder so I go ahead and make her happy and haven't had any problems, but she doesn't want to stay too long lol. It is more than she used to let me do. I can walk in the kitchen and talk to her and show her around the house a bit and than she is ready to go back to her stand. So if that makes her happy I am happy with the little bit of time she has given. If I tell her night night she will step up with no problem to go in her cage at night. If I just go over to her and want her to step up as long as I seem to say it she normally will, but there are times when she will growl away at me. When she does this I will make her step up cause normally I need her to go back in her cage if we are leaving or something. If I really don't need her for anything there has been a time or two I will just leave her, cause I don't want to force her. I only force her when I have to and I mean business. She flies off her cage when being talked to and we have our hands behind our back not pushing ourselves on her but I have the kids go up and talk, she normally won't fly with them but she does with my husband. Found out she doesn't like ball caps lol. So he will talk to her without one on and you can tell when she's getting ready to fly so he will back off and let her be, but wants her to know he means no harm. So basically the only time I get to spend with her is when she flies off her cage and I go to put her back. She lets me carry her for a minute or two lol. She has loved hearing me talk lately. I can tell she's interested cause she tilts her head and sometimes will make noises now to get me talking to her. So for the book I just wrote, can anyone give me some pointers on maybe getting a little closer to her, or do you think she is just a nobodies bird? She seems to favor me a bit, but than again she won't hang out with me. So I am just giving her time. If she was meant to hang with me she will eventually I guess, but for now she stays on her cage/play top next to my chair where I sit all the time and we talk. And I don't work any more, so that is helping with her. I quit cause of a bunch of crap that people think they can get away with lol. But soo not for this forum lol. But I think too that the extra time I get to be here with her will help in the long run, maybe that's why she finally starting with the noises and more mumbling on words! Let me know what ya'll think! Glad to be back by the way!

[danmcq]

Ronda477 wrote:

Ok thanks to Dan I have a question lol. And I don't work any more, so that is helping with her. I quit cause of a bunch of crap that people think they can get away with lol.

 

Hi Ronda - Glad I could help you come up with more questions than answers. :-)

 

That will teach that work place a thing or two. ;-)

 

Now, to be serious. The extra time you are spending with Sweetheart will help tremendously. You have indicated it already i.

 

The actions you are taking with her and getting rid of the Ball-Caps ;-) and allowing her to have some freedom choice wise all sounds great.

 

It still sounds like time and patience along with the efforts you are putting forth will pay off.

 

It's also great to hear she is becoming more vocal and paying attention to what is being said around her.

 

Looking forward to hearing updates more often, now that you don't have anything else to do ;-)

[chapala]

Have you tried hand-feeding her favorite (healthy) treats? Bribery often works wonders in getting a parrot to think you really are a pretty nice person! Whataever she really likes, whether it's sunflower seeds, almonds, pieces of fruit, remove these items from her food bowl, and stand or sit near her, talking to her, asking if she'd like some. Hand feed her one seed, one small piece of fruit, one little piece of cut-up walnut or almond, etc., at a time. You want to extend the hand-feeding time without getting her diet out of whack. You can offer a little bit several times a day, and I think she will look forward to your visits!

Reta

[judygram]

Thats a very good idea, Reta, and bribery does work.B)

[Ronda477]

Wish it did guys! But SweetHeart won't take anything food wise from my hands! She loves her keys lol but she won't take food! I have tried about every food they have here healthy 99% of it and tried to give to her. There are only soo many things they offer here in WV lol. We live in a very very small city so there aren't a whole lot of unusual fruits and stuff available just your basics apples and oranges and broccoli and cauliflower lol. But I still try to give her stuff, just hasn't worked yet! And not to mention the fact that I don't think she even eats it, she mainly throws it and tears it up lol.:unsure:<br><br>Post edited by: Ronda477, at: 2008/01/08 12:52

[chapala]

Most parrots like almonds or walnuts - if you can cut one nut into a few pieces, try walking by her cage and telling her "almond" or whatever and dropping it in her bowl. There has to something she really likes, and the trick is to find it, and no longer feed it in the regular diet, only from you. At first (even for a few weeks) you may have to put in her food bowl, but step by step you can advance to her taking it out of your hand, if she really likes it. Needs to be done every day for her to learn to look forward to it from you.

Reta

[Ronda477]

Tried that too Reta! lol trust me I think I have been trying absolutely everything! I think just patience is the key for her cause I have tried about everything I have read on here and trust me I have read tons! She loves peanuts, but actually she only loves to take the peanut out and that is it lol. Once in awhile she will eat it. But I have bought everything around here trust me to try to give to her. Besides the harmful things of course. I thank you for all the support though! And of course all the thoughts, but she is going to be a hard case to crack lol.