smile_n_cuddle (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
smile_n_cuddle) wrote2007-06-30 01:27 pm
smile_n_cuddle) wrote2007-06-30 01:27 pm
Li'l update...
J likes the new cockatoo, but wanted to rename him Tristan. So Tristan it is!
Took Tristan and Athie to the vet yesterday. Athie got a DNA gender test, so we'll know for sure her sex in a few days! LOL--when the vet toweled Ath, she said, "NO!" Then she clucked and grumbled... When she got home she destroyed my keyboard, and generally hates me at the moment.
Tristan seems to be settling in decently. I'm confused about his behavior--whether it's nervous zooming for his old pen/mirror friend, or whether he's just exploratory. Not a cuddler, that one, he just hops off of me and zooms all around everywhere. At the vet's, he was all over the lobby. Nobody else was in it, so he just wandered here and there, looking at everything, hopping and skipping to the next spot.
The vet said he's a very laid-back and healthy cockatoo. Surprising, given his pet store background, but she said he doesn't seem phobic or neurotic at all, calm as anything while she toweled him. She did a yeast culture, etc., everything is healthy. I had him tested for Psitticosis (or wahtever it's called) just in case. The test results will be in next week, but she thought he was very healthy in general, so that's good. He doesn't ever shake anymore... I'm so glad about that. J said, "Of course he's happy! He's in heaven now! No more stupid customers or loud dogs!"
The thing I'm confused about is that he zooms around everywhere, hopping and skipping, but seems really nervous and frantic while doing it, as though he's looking for something--his safe spot or whatever. Also, beak-clapping is supposed to be a sign of contentment, but it seems to me he does it when most nervous: when people would chase him around his pen, when they'd stop he'd clap his beak. Or if someone managed to get him out, if they stepped away from his pen (where he desperately wanted to go) he'd clap his beak. At the vet's office, after his exam, he hopped off of his basket and ambled around the room while Ath was being checked. After making a big circle he went into the corner near me, paced, and clapped his beak until I picked him up. Last night, after he'd been out with J and I for a while, I put him in his cage b/c he was nervous... A few hours later I offered my hand. He usually doesn't want to come, but occasionally he'll go over to his green perch and then step up. He jumped to the corner farthest from me and clapped his beak--and definitely didn't want to come out. I don't understand how this could be "content" behavior. The vet and several others said beak clapping occurs when they are happy, excited, or having fun... I just don't see him really enjoying himself the times he's beak clapping...
Anyway, I'm allowing him to adjust to us at his own pace. I offer for him to come out with J and I every few hours. Usually he doesn't want to--and that's fine. I'm not going to chase him, he's safe in this cage.
Also, he's a very quiet cockatoo. Hardly makes a peep--altogether, he probably makes 5-6 sounds each day. Mostly they are dog-squeak-toy noises (from being in the puppy aisle for three years, I'm sure). He occasionally makes a goffin-garble noise, very quietly, and sometimes he'll cry a little. He won't eat or drink in front of me, but he loves loves LOVES veggies and corn--I see the corn all over everything :) I've sprouted some of his seed mix to help him transition to pellets.
Soph--ooh are sunflower seeds ever evil!! Twice in the past week she's gotten a couple (J spoils Ath, despite my warnings!). Inevitably, the next day she overpreens her legs and is hyper/nippy. Yesterday she pulled one out of her leg and it bled. I've started misting her everytime I notice her preening. A wet parrot doesn't preen her feathers... Happily all of her back feathers have grown, and none of them are scabbed anymore! I wonder whether Trist will settle down more once I've got him converted to pellets... poor baby! LOL--Soph is positively shrimpish in size when compared to him though! I'm trying to make her eat more now!
Lastly, I made Soph and Ath a new playstand where Soph's cage used to be. Since it's now in the bathroom for Trist, I got the cat stand, that had been used as, well, nothing, it was just holding junk in the hallway. I tied all their baskets to it securely, and put in tons of toys and treats. They love it! (Yes, I listened to property cds while doing this! Yay water rights!)
We've checked it for safe-ness. All the baskets are tied very securely, and the stand is attached firmly to the playstand. There's no metal whatsoever--everything tied with cable ties (plastic) or rope... And since the cats never used it, no cat stuff. The girls seem to like it, but if you can see or think of a safety concern, do let me know. One always has to be careful about this home-made stuff!
Took Tristan and Athie to the vet yesterday. Athie got a DNA gender test, so we'll know for sure her sex in a few days! LOL--when the vet toweled Ath, she said, "NO!" Then she clucked and grumbled... When she got home she destroyed my keyboard, and generally hates me at the moment.
Tristan seems to be settling in decently. I'm confused about his behavior--whether it's nervous zooming for his old pen/mirror friend, or whether he's just exploratory. Not a cuddler, that one, he just hops off of me and zooms all around everywhere. At the vet's, he was all over the lobby. Nobody else was in it, so he just wandered here and there, looking at everything, hopping and skipping to the next spot.
The vet said he's a very laid-back and healthy cockatoo. Surprising, given his pet store background, but she said he doesn't seem phobic or neurotic at all, calm as anything while she toweled him. She did a yeast culture, etc., everything is healthy. I had him tested for Psitticosis (or wahtever it's called) just in case. The test results will be in next week, but she thought he was very healthy in general, so that's good. He doesn't ever shake anymore... I'm so glad about that. J said, "Of course he's happy! He's in heaven now! No more stupid customers or loud dogs!"
The thing I'm confused about is that he zooms around everywhere, hopping and skipping, but seems really nervous and frantic while doing it, as though he's looking for something--his safe spot or whatever. Also, beak-clapping is supposed to be a sign of contentment, but it seems to me he does it when most nervous: when people would chase him around his pen, when they'd stop he'd clap his beak. Or if someone managed to get him out, if they stepped away from his pen (where he desperately wanted to go) he'd clap his beak. At the vet's office, after his exam, he hopped off of his basket and ambled around the room while Ath was being checked. After making a big circle he went into the corner near me, paced, and clapped his beak until I picked him up. Last night, after he'd been out with J and I for a while, I put him in his cage b/c he was nervous... A few hours later I offered my hand. He usually doesn't want to come, but occasionally he'll go over to his green perch and then step up. He jumped to the corner farthest from me and clapped his beak--and definitely didn't want to come out. I don't understand how this could be "content" behavior. The vet and several others said beak clapping occurs when they are happy, excited, or having fun... I just don't see him really enjoying himself the times he's beak clapping...
Anyway, I'm allowing him to adjust to us at his own pace. I offer for him to come out with J and I every few hours. Usually he doesn't want to--and that's fine. I'm not going to chase him, he's safe in this cage.
Also, he's a very quiet cockatoo. Hardly makes a peep--altogether, he probably makes 5-6 sounds each day. Mostly they are dog-squeak-toy noises (from being in the puppy aisle for three years, I'm sure). He occasionally makes a goffin-garble noise, very quietly, and sometimes he'll cry a little. He won't eat or drink in front of me, but he loves loves LOVES veggies and corn--I see the corn all over everything :) I've sprouted some of his seed mix to help him transition to pellets.
Soph--ooh are sunflower seeds ever evil!! Twice in the past week she's gotten a couple (J spoils Ath, despite my warnings!). Inevitably, the next day she overpreens her legs and is hyper/nippy. Yesterday she pulled one out of her leg and it bled. I've started misting her everytime I notice her preening. A wet parrot doesn't preen her feathers... Happily all of her back feathers have grown, and none of them are scabbed anymore! I wonder whether Trist will settle down more once I've got him converted to pellets... poor baby! LOL--Soph is positively shrimpish in size when compared to him though! I'm trying to make her eat more now!
Lastly, I made Soph and Ath a new playstand where Soph's cage used to be. Since it's now in the bathroom for Trist, I got the cat stand, that had been used as, well, nothing, it was just holding junk in the hallway. I tied all their baskets to it securely, and put in tons of toys and treats. They love it! (Yes, I listened to property cds while doing this! Yay water rights!)
We've checked it for safe-ness. All the baskets are tied very securely, and the stand is attached firmly to the playstand. There's no metal whatsoever--everything tied with cable ties (plastic) or rope... And since the cats never used it, no cat stuff. The girls seem to like it, but if you can see or think of a safety concern, do let me know. One always has to be careful about this home-made stuff!
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Sooky (other than his whining) was very quiet noise-wise for a few months. Tristan ( I love this name, one of my favourite people is named this) will come out of his shell in time..and you have done such a good thing giving him a great home. Your husband is amazing too how he is so good with them all.
I LOVE THAT STAND! That is ingenius.
And good for you for noticing that sunflower seeds are what causes Sophie to have these episodes, that is some good detective work. Perhaps I should start from stratch seeing if Makira my Ekkie has something like that by removing things from her diet. She just eats so many different things the idea is daunting.
I am so happy for you :)
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Re: diet, oh yeah... I got her to a baseline per the vet's recommendation (nothing but pellets, 12 hours of sleep, daily showers, lots of toys) and have been slowly introducing new things. Sunflower seeds are teh_evilz. Maybe last night's oatmeal with a little sugar was evil too. We'll see tomorrow about the unseasoned couscous and unseasoned fish. If she's still picking at her feathers tomorrow we're going back to pure pellets and maybe some hand-feeding formula to fatten her up. Then I'll try some other variations again.
She's definitely not being endearing today, little devil.
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Oh oh oh I want a cockatoo.
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She's been overpreening her legs all day, too, so I keep misting them. I can't figure out what it was--maybe the oatmeal with a little sugar? Everytime I mist her she screams bloody murder. LOL.
Now she's trying to eat my keyboard. Again. I think she knows she has no cage so there's no *real* punishing...
Anyway, free cockatoo, to a good home. ;)
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Oh, and you may be right on the beak-clapping thing. Good thought! ... Soph just took off my 3 key and dropped it behind the desk. We may have roast cockatoo tomorrow night!