Cecil stuff

[parrotntn]

I'm a new frustrated parrot owner, Mark. Here is a post I accidentally posted in the wrong area: http://birdboard.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33687

I moved Cecil to another room and he's doing ok. I'm taking my time. It's indeed a learning experience. I'm learning about him and I'm sure he's learning about us. My feeling is that he maybe more content in his own room on his cage than he was in our living room. Funny that I've always heard that it's good to keep birds/animals in your social area. I had no idea that he wouldn't want to be in the middle of everything with 2 kids.
He is in eye-shot of everything now. He is in my exercise room, and he was watching closely as I was doing Tai Chi this am. LOL
For the new guy on the block it's hard to know WHAT to acclimate him to and what NOT to go about regular business.
Trust is the thing is now. AFter him attacking my wife's chin, she stays away and that's ok. He get's defensive of the tiel, Dood, if he's near him. He is used to staying around tiels in the summer so it was natural,I guess, for him to be defensive of the smaller bird. He doesn't like to be bothered while eating.
I am going slow now. I really want this experiment to work. I love the big birds. This is a challenge to learn his nature and him mine. I love the talking part and the bigger animal. He's very natural and that's intriguing to me.
I feel like he'll be ok. If and it's probably so, the owner takes him back in the spring, I'll be lonesome I'm sure.
Oh well, if it's meant to be, it'll be. I just want this new big bird experience to go well without anyone getting hurt. My wife is ok and very forgiving. Now the kid are very skiddish around him. Even me! If I hadn't saw him WANT to be on her shoulder, then be content and cute, then without abrupt actions or anything, just reach around her face and make her chin bleed . He just don't like her.
I know there are no right/wrongs sometimes. I had just hoped this would have went without any bloodshed. But then again, he hasn't been actually "handled" that much. So, it's very new for him as well. But, for everyone's sake we have to avoid situations that stimulate him.
As I said, he seems to be a little happier in a separate room and certainly where I can turn lites out/cage cover at 7:00 for 12 hours.
Thanks for the help/insight on this board. I'm trying.
Mark
*birdsitting the 20year old ynape for 3 months when the owners return from FLA. He's their token bird, not much touch time, but lots of talk time.

[Machelle]

Mark, I'm so sorry you are frusterated. I completely understand though. Caesar, my mealy amazon, was my first large bird and I received him exactly one year ago today. My largest bird at the time was my senegal, Gryff so I was intimidated by Ceasar when I got him and I did everything wrong with him. The thing about Amazons, especially males, is that they can be moody. Very very moody. However, if you learn their body language, you can sometimes avoid being bit. Keep in mind, with any bird, you will get bit. Its gonna happen. Birds do it to test you. Its sometimes a control thing. If they bite you and it scares you, they can now just threaten to bite you and run you off. Ceasar plays a game with the girls. He will pretend to go and bite them, they will pull their hands away and he will laugh his feather butt off. The trick is to not let him know you are afraid. When I got Raeka, my green wing, when I was visiting her, she would test me. Nip me to see if she could scare me away. Not very hard, didn't even leave a mark. But I didn't let her scare me away. You can respect them and know your boundaries, your real ones, and not put up with their nonsense at the same time. You have to learn his body language. That is extremely important. I got Caesar from a very wonderful owner who had him out all of the time. They loved him dearly, they just couldn't handle his screaming any more. Since Cecil is alot older and hasn't been let out and hasn't been worked with much, its a different story. Whats really funny is that Caesar's old owner said he didn't like alot of attention i.e. petting. Well, I"m here to tell you that is SO not true. LOL! Caesar will sit on my shoulder, and I will start to scratch him, he will close his eyes and lean his head on my head. Its the cutest thing ever. Dont get me wrong, Caesar is an amazon and he totally has his moments but I dont let him scare me. I have learned to tell when he means business and when he's testing me. The only way to do that is interaction. Definately do not let him on shoulders until you have shown him that you are in charge. Some people dont allow their birds on their shoulders ever. I do but that is my choice. I take the chance of being bitten, and I have been. Not as bad as your wife though. But again, I only did so when I knew the bird very well and he'she knew me. It takes time. Since you have Cecil until the spring, you have so much time to work with him. By then you will all know each other very very well. Think of it this way....kids test you. They test you to see what they can and can't get away with. Birds do the same thing. Just pay close attention, be very respectful of him, but dont let him know you are scared. It takes time to get to know him and since he hasn't had much attention, it might take a little longer. You will get there though. Just dont give up. Watch him when he plays with his toys. See how aggresive he can be with them. Watch his body language when he playfully attacks a toy. Sometimes just pretend that you are in the jungle and you are doing a documentary on amazons. You will be very surprised how much you can learn just by watching him. Just remember they are moody, they do test you, but you can avoid alot by knowing their body language and you will figure it out. Believe me, I thought I'd never be comfy around Caesar but here it is a year later and Caesar and I are best buds. Geez....I'm rambling. I'm sorry. I hope I made sense. Anyway, you'll do great!

[parrotntn]

The Cecil thing is going better. It's understood now that he detests my wife and tolerates the kids. So, knowing that, we can move forward.
It really has been awesome birdsitting. I'd recommend that to anyone THINKING of getting a bird, especially a big bird.
It gives a good perspective if you want to devote the time/money/emotion to a bird before you get one.
I've learned that if I'm going to work much with him, I wear a long sleeve thick shirt/sweatshirt in case he get's nippy. I get down at his level and look him straight in the eyes. I don't say NO NO anymore, didn'twork anyway.
My prybar with him is peanut butter. If he's acting stubborn, I'll mention pnut butter and his eyes get big and he cooperates a lil more, steps up and we get a smidge of pnut butter. I don't stop until I get a successful stepup or down.
I've learned he does better to keep his cage covered from 8:30 until 7:00. he's happier.
I've learned that he loves the Lilo and Stitch DVD to be played. He just laughs and laughs and laughs and tries to talk but starts laughing. It's really funny to hear all of that..it's like someone locked up and completely crazy. But he appears to be having a good time, laughing and talking.
I've learned that he like to have the cushions propped on the couch to make a lil hideaway, but quickly becomes aggressive over his new hideaway. It becomes "his". And that's ok until it's time to go up.
I've learned he likes music...
I've learned that parrots just sometimes have bad days, like us, and it's our responsibility to read them and back away if he has something on his mind.
I've learned that I don't want to get a parrot that it's in his personality to be a one person bird, like Cecil yellownape. He can't help it, but I like Cecil.
At this point, I fear that Cecil will miss me ( I know I'll miss him) when he's gone back to his owners in March.
I've learned that I do love parrots and I can hardly wait until July to get my Zephyr.
Just an update.....

[Cindy215]

A very nice thoughtful update. Cecil is very lucky to have found you for this time. I hope you can continue to visit him AND get his people to view him as the sweet individual he is and give him more enrichment. He will miss you so don't forget to send his favorite video with him! That's a hoot.

After all, these birds are just looking for a happy life just like everyone on the planet. In an unnatural condition that's alot more difficult for them than us.

OK, about the little hideaway. It's a big deal for him. Small/enclosed hiding spaces stimulate breeding behaviors psychologically. It's not recommended. You'll want to redirect his activities to more open playful things not enclosed "dark" or private spots. If he had a mate he'd be trying to get her into that nestbox whether she wanted to go or not.

It seems you're that mate for now and your wife is his competition. Although they can do that all alone without even making you the object of their affection. They even try to nest in wierd spots like the toeplate under kitchen cabinets or in drawers. So it'd be good to stop that.

Yes more sleep is good, especially if it's dark and not disturbing with human sounds and lights. Right now in the Northern Hemisphere we're on approx 10 hour days. I'm like a broken record always saying I follow a natural daylight schedule including dawn and dusk. (you can do that with a dimmer from Home Depot that you screw in the light bulb socket and decreasing the light over 15-30 minutes with the lamp on the floor simulating the angle of the sun).

I don't know about his diet but lowering the protein and vitamin e will help him with his issues. That would be animal products and seed. Up the dark leafy greens, veggies, grains, fruits. And they help with enrichment, (along with routine), giving him something interesting and time consuming to do during the day. Prime times are first thing in the morning 30 minutes after waking, and his main mealtime from 2 - 4. They're the biological times all birds eat the most. (remove after two hours because of bacteria)

Try ace bandages on the arms (he may not like them either or ignore them you never know).

Thanks for being such a caring person and thank your wife for not taking it personally. It's not personal it's just a bird thing.

[parrotntn]

Excellent advice. Thank you! As for green veggie, I'm finding it hard to find one that he likes.
I am reading a book, Guide to a well-behaved parrot by Mattie Sue Athan. It's very inspirational and good read. It's giving me insight into what I'm enjoying dealing with.
"Cecil, lay down and tell me your problems."
As for stepping up, he's pretty good if he wants to be. It's getting him to do it ALL of the time, and I'm slowly but consistently working on that. He's getting better though.
Yes, true to his breed it appears he only is happy with one person and that's me for right now.
That's good advice bout the dark places. Small enclosed hiding spaces can do that to us guys.
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm having fun learning about and interacting with parrots.
Mark

[Tullysmom]

My gosh Mark. What an awesome babysitter you are!! Please tell me that you live in Washington State or even Oregon, so I know who to leave my babies with when we go on vacation! Are you sure that these people that you're babysitting for won't just let Cecil stay with you? I have a feeling that you both are going to have broken hearts come March. You are doing such a great job with him though! ~Vicki

[parrotntn]

Thanks Vickie. They did make it very clear on their leaving that they wanted him back.
And, I want what's best for him. Although I believe he's happy with me, I am not there physically with them. I know they let him stay in the trees outside in the summer at the river. That petrifies me, but apparantly, they feel safe with that. Here in Tennessee, a hawk can quickly get something. I know he's green and all, but he does sing LOUDY..Mary had a little lamb. Cute too. So, I fear his antics might unknowingly draw attention to him.
But...we'll have to see about when they return. I want what's best for Cecil. He sure likes sitting on my shoulder, eating, having head scratched, stepping up, watching the computer and Lilo Stitch. I don't "think" he gets that with them, but hey, he's their's ulitimatly.
Cecil has opened new doors to loving parrots for me. Best part is that my wife supports it completely as long as he don't get close enough to bite her again. She likes the information/feedback we have gotten on eclectus.
So...we'll see!
Thanks for the compliments and send a bird my way. I'll be glad to sit him here in Tennessee!! He'll be a VOLUNTEER bird..
Mark