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Thanks so much guys! I really appreciate your help freedomoflight...er supercaique! Zeek is a male wbc. He was shipped from a breeder in TX. He was raised with an unrelated female caique, who I am guessing he was close to. The first thing he learned to do was crawl up the stairs to a full length mirror to be near his reflection. I have been through residency working long hours since I got him, while the little Py., Rocky, I got when I took some time off school (he spent lots of time with me and travelled quite a bit, I think this is why he is so personable). Zeek on the other hand has always been scared of anyone but me. He "cries" when I leave for work, he screams constantly if I am upstairs trying to nap. He learned early that when he "cries" I will snuggle him. He loves to curl up on my hand under my chin, with his beak tucked in my shirt and his little left foot curled around my finger.
His cage is a large avian adventures cage, located in front of a wall of windows that looks into the courtyard and the backyard. Rocky's cage is right next to his. As my friend says, their cages are "castles" ... full of toys. I feed the wild birds in the backyard so that they have something to watch.
He has bad sleeping habits. He sleeps in a covered night cage in the bedroom. I leave it unlatched so he can get out in case something should happen to me one night. He goes to bed when I go to bed...around 1130 and up at 730. He never wants to go to sleep, and we have a cuddling session before he goes to bed, where he will snuggle and cry mournfully. I kiss him and snuggle him. Sometimes he dozes on his back in my hand, but when I try to put him in the night cage he squeals and thrashes about. Just like a little kid not wanting to go to bed. he knows how to get out, and will sometimes get out and play with the latch and fight it, while I read or work.
I was clipping his wings, but stopped as he doesnt fly well at all. He can flutter to the ground but cant get any air.
He first bit about 1.5 yrs. ago. I think I was on the phone. He bit a couple more times soon after with lots of blood, including one time on the lip so bad that I went to the ER. The bites are BAD. I usually yell in pain and try to get him off me. Then I use a towel to pick him up - or sometimes he attacks the towel- and I get him in the cage. If it happens upstairs, like it did yesterday in the bathroom, I fling him to the ground..say or usually yell no..turn off the light and close the door. Yesterday, I took away the mirror on the bathroom counter that he has been entranced with. He is not interested in the big mirror, only a little mirror. I was afraid that he was becoming territorial over the mirror. After that, he did seem to calm down and was a little angel all night. Sometimes I spoil him and hand feed him corn while he sits on my shoulder. Am I smothering him too much?
He hates all boyfriends and will act like a 2 yr. old. I cannot have him out with them around. He will bite me or bite them.
The littlest thing that irritates him, throws him into a rage. One thing I noticed is that Rocky used to be the alpha bird, and Zeek accepted it. Now Zeek is the alpha bird, I think. Rocky no longer nips him to put him in his place, but runs away. Rocky used to hate Zeek, but now will lightly preen him.
This is his routine: Up in the AM playing while I get ready for work, in the cage from 830 to 6-7 PM (rarely later). Out when I get home for maybe 2 hours with Rocky, usually on my shoulder while I do stuff in the house. In the cage while I work out. Out of the cage with me and playing on the counters, shower while I shower, make dinner, etc. He does like his routine.
Am I smothering him too much? Is there anyway to stop the screaming when I am out of sight? I love him SO MUCH, but dont know what to do anymore. I cant get a female as the noise will be too much, and I cant have another bird that bites.
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