Ice Update

[nims]

Hi All,

 

So Ice came home to us on Saturday and I think he has settled in well.

 

He has started to talk on Saturday evening and ate well too. I have now noticed that he is really fussy with his food. He is on a parrot mix diet (which is mainly seeds!) He loves it! He likes chips, crisps and Cheese! All of which is bad for his diet.

 

How can I get him to eat more fruit and veg?

 

He is also very nippy and will bite (with no warning!) at any opportunity possible. Will he stop as he learns to trust me. Has anyone else experienced this and how do I discourage such behaviour?

 

I think thats all for now. Any help and advice is appreciated as always!

 

Thanks

 

Nims

 

PS. He loves having a bath! :laugh:

[Carolyn]

I am so glad that Ice seems to be settling in well. Why dont you try to cut up what ever veg or fruit you have into small pieces and share them with him. If he sees you eating and enjoying them he is very likely to try them himself, make a big fuss over how goooood this is and while you are eating them start offering him one piece, just keep doing this I find these birds are very interested in things other people have, or are doing especially if they think they cant have it. Try to cut down on the junk food only because of the salt intake and fat, dont cut it right out now just try to cut back a bit for now.

Ice has not been with you long, just give him a little more time to settle in and learn to trust he has only been with you a couple of days so far.

 

Carolyn & Mika

[BaxtersMom]

I'm glad he is settling in well. His diets sounds so much like Baxters. Baxter was on a seed diet too, (previous owner told me all he needed to eat was parrot seed mix that you pick up at Walmart or grocery store:ohmy: ) and he said he would give him chips every now and then for a snack (another :ohmy: )

 

I will admit I am still struggling with this:( and its been about 4 months now. Baxter didn't want any food good for him at first and would toss it out of his cup. Luckily he took to pellets right away though so I am glad about that. But with the fruit and veggies I tried to feed him with me and let him know how good the apples or whatever I wanted him to try was and he showed no interest what so ever:angry: Oh he is a stubborn one. I tried putting them in his food bowl all the time in the mornings and he left them or threw them out.

 

 

I've asked around in the beginning and everyone tells me to keep offering this to him and I did and he finally got to where he would eat brocolli, cauliflower and carrots. But only some days, not all days but he does seem to like the carrots still, so there was some progress.

 

He would eat french fries right from the start (more junk food) so I gave him part of my baked potato and he really enjoyed that. It did have a little bit of butter on it too (my bad) but he ate it. Another day I gave him part of a hard boiled egg and he loved it the first time he had it but the next week wouldn't touch it. :pinch: I tried scrambled eggs to and it's the same way, one time he will like it and the next time he wont.

 

I am still trying to offer him everything I can think of to see what works and although we are making progress he fights me on still.

 

There is a post with recipes now in the bird room now and I have cooked a few things for him and he is actually eating it. He had oatmeal with red pepper and raisens this morning:) . (he wouldn't eat a red pepper or raisen any other time or way) I have also been putting things in the scrambled eggs when I give them to him. So now I am thinking he likes warm foods maybe. Of course he wants me to cook for him but this way he is allowing the me to sneak the good foods into his food and actually eating some of them;)

 

My only advice is keep trying different things over and over and over. It may take a long time like it is for me but Atleast now I can get him to eat a few things but it has been an ongoing battle between us. Try everything you can, raw veggies, cooked veggies, some foods off your plate, etc and see if he shows any interest in any of it.

 

One other thing I noticed was I have a portable perch with food cups and when he is on that he likes to eat so I put healthy stuff in the cups and on several occassions he would eat brocolli there.

 

The quickest things Baxter took to was boiled egg noodles, eggs (at first) and baked potatoes/french fries and sweet potatoes.

 

Good luck, let me know what works for you because I need help with it too.

[she]

Ice is probabley a bit nippy because everything is new.Just ignore it and dont pull away. His diet will have to change over time.You can not do it all at once. First cut out the junk food. Then introduce healthy food. Try offering veg in different ways, some like it raw some cooked,some warm some cold.Let him see you eating it and make out its yummy.As Carolyn stated, greys usually insist on having what they cant have.

[nims]

Thanks for the advice.

 

The funny thing is that he did eat the veggies on the first night and now he just seems to through food out of the bowl!

 

He has also been to the vet and everything is OK. When I tried to get him out of his travel cage he held on for dear life. I then go him and wrapped him in a towel. He was pretty happy being wrapped up and I could stroke his head. He was also very well behaved at the vets!

 

Once I un-wrapped him and put on the table he flew onto my shoulder!!!

 

I think we are making progress I just have to keep at it (even if it means being bitten ) Should I handle him as much as I can on his terms?

 

Nims<br><br>Post edited by: nims, at: 2008/11/04 12:55

[she]

I am glad Ice has a clean bill of health. You are spot on by sugesting handling him as much as possible but on his terms.Will he take treats from your hand, thats always a winner.

[BaxtersMom]

That's great he got a clean bill of health from the vet:)

 

I would handle his him as much as he will allow at his pace of course. At first I got bit so many times with Baxter and he drew blood. It was very painful and my hands looked a mess and I really did get discouraged and laid off and sulked about it:unsure: . Then when I got my bearings again:P I would try and make a game of it. My game was to touch him as much as I possibly could and not get bit. For example when I would pet him I would just touch him on his head or neck, as far as he would let me and when I seen the neck stretch or he turned real fast, I would just stop right there and try and go a little further the next time. I would also do this when I had him out on my hand and was able to pet him a little further and a little further each day. We both seemed to like it better when there was no biting involved.Even Baxter. I don't think he wanted to bite but didn't know what else to do to make me stop once he was out of his comfort zone.

 

You said he is biting with no warning. Is he in his cage when he does this? If he is I think he is just protecting his space. Baxter did this to me, too.

 

Just wondering, does he know the step up command? Baxter didn't and once he learned that there really was no turning back for us after that. I think I taught him that the end of the first week or beginning of second. He picked it up in a day or two at the most. He learned it fast and then our real progress began. I could get him on my hand and away from the cage and pet him. It was better for me to mess with him away from his cage.

 

I've had Baxter about 4 months now and I can touch him all over, spread his wings and touch under them if I have to. When we started I could only touch the top of his head and every great now and then he'd put his head down for a scratch. He is even taking showers now:)

 

I was also wondering how he bit you. Is it when you are petting him or just near him. Does he lunge at you or just bite to make you leave him alone?

 

He's still getting used to everything too. I don't think Baxter really felt settled in untill about a month.

[nims]

Hi Erika,

 

He will bite when I am trying to touch him (in and out of his cage!) He does step on to my arm but doesnt know the step-up command yet.

 

He has flown onto my shoulder twice now but I must admit I dont know how to get him off my shoulder once he is on it :blink:

 

He seems to love bathing so thats not really a problem.

 

I will keep working on him

 

Nims

[Tycos_mom]

by the sounds of things Ice just needs to settle in If he already steps up and like to fly to your shoulder I would say he just not ready for anything else just yet. Let him be for a while he will let you know when he;s ready for more. Ice sound like a sweetheart and I don't think you will have to much trouble with him just give him a couple weeks to adjust to his new surrondings

[nims]

He is lovely and has got a great little personality! I think he needs time to adjust to his new surroundings but I dont want him to feel cage-bound with little contact from me.

[BaxtersMom]

It sounds like everything is going really good for you. Especially if he is flying to you. Atleast you know he wants to be near you. I don't think there is anything else you can do except keep doing what you are doing. I think the biting will probably stop with just a little more time. I think you are doing a great job and making more progress than you realize Karma coming your way:) :silly: :side: :lol:

 

Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2008/11/04 19:52<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2008/11/05 04:41

[nims]

Hi,

 

So I am now posting daily updates!!

 

So yesterday I attempted to touch his beak in he bit me (ouch :ohmy: ) I didnt react but he seems so think its fun. I now have to work on discouraging this behaviour.

 

I have also noticed that he is scared of my husband (men in general) so I think someone was nasty to him. He has had two previous owners and I think it was his first owner who I think didnt care for him well. He is really mellow and will just sit there yapping away. His current behaviour leads me to believed that he wasnt handled much and had little contact with people.

 

Hands are in a state at the mo! But Im persistant and wont give on the little guy!

 

Nims

[judygram]

I agree with the others, Ice just needs more time to settle in and feel comfortable and do interact with him as much as he will allow. The main thing is it takes time and much patience when working with greys and you are making progress, a little at a time is great.

 

Yes you might have to take a few bites to gain his trust but he needs to know you are not afraid of him and he will soon get the message that biting does not make you go away.

 

Keep up the updates as we all enjoy them, you are doing a wonderful job with Ice.

[nims]

Hi All,

 

So its been a week and a half since we have had ice and what a sweetie he is!!

 

He now bows his head to me and allows me to give him head scratches everyday!!

 

He still hates my husband but adores me!! He sits on the sofa whilst I watch TV and wants to be near me all the time.

 

Earlier this week he decided to jump in his water bowl and thrash around in!! He likes to bath once a week! Diet is still bad though even though we offer him fruit and veg everyday.

 

Other than that he is settling in just fine. Im so glad we chose Ice and im even happier that he chose me! :lol:

[she]

Thanks for the update. Ice sounds as if he has landed right on his feet. You must be so thrilled at this progress

[BaxtersMom]

That is really good news. Ice must be settling in nicely. From biting last week to head scratches this week. That is great progress.

[nims]

yes im absolutley thrilled with his progress so far. He has started to swear an Im not sure if it was a film that we were watching :blink:

 

Other thank that he is an absolute joy to have around.

 

Im in love:kiss:

 

Thanks

 

Nims

[casper]

It sounds as though Ice is settling in really well with you. You have acheived a lot in the short amount of time Ice has been home.

 

Its worse than having children dont you think when you have to be careful what you watch on the TV. I wont dare ask what word he has learnt!

 

Keep the updates coming!

 

Caroline.

[sandra902]

oh my goodness, nims, i am so proud of you! your mr ice has come much farther in such a short time than my merlin has in a year. they certainly are little individuals that is for sure.

 

you are doing a great job with him, keep up the good work!

[nims]

Hi Sandra902,

 

Yes he has made great progress with. He still doesnt like my husband though

 

Me and Ice have really bonded and I can now touch him everywhere (with his permission mind you!).

 

He tried to fly to me today for the first time i was upstairs overlooking the lounge but he couldnt get enough height. After all its the thought that counts!!

 

He also likes to come over to the couch and sit with me.

 

I think he is starting to molt:( i have noticed a few feathers at the bottom of the cage and some fall away when he is getting head scratches.