Post by missa227 on Nov 16, 2016 20:26:48 GMT -7
The same childhood neighbor who got me interested in birds in the first place has passed away, leaving two Greys in need of homes. Although I haven't been back to my old neighborhood in a while, I'm the only one who has raised birds and was willing to take them on. I have two cockatiels at home. One is 16, the other 17. I have had cockatiels since I was 8, and can't imagine my life without a bird.
However, I have never had larger parrots. Only one of the two birds has ever seen me prior to me adopting them, and that was several years ago. One is a Congo (I just met him) and the other is a Timneh, hatched in 2004, the same year I moved. She had a hatch certificate and folder with details about the Timneh, but I was told that the Congo was a rescue.
I've had them both for two days now. They have chattered and chirped, and one has said some of his favorite phrases, but mostly they're just quiet. I try to reinforce it when they start to open up by showing an excitable reaction. This has worked so far, because they watch me and keep doing it me and more. The Timneh (Cocoa) has even turned flips in his cage.
They already will take a peanut from my hand
However, I visited them at their home after their owner passed, and I saw how they interacted in their familiar setting, and still it is very different from how they've interacted here. They were far more active there. I know this will take time and work, but my question is how long should I wait before I start trying to let them out of their cages? About how much time does it take, on average, to a bird to adjust to a new owner, and how can I tell if they've bonded with me? I should note that their original owner used to have a bunch of people over all the time, and they are used to meeting strangers. I don't know if their interaction with me is really a bond, or just a show for a stranger's attention.
One concern I have is knowing I have a full-time job that takes me away through the day, leaving them alone until evening. My husband is a contractor who is only home on the weekends. They haven't even met him yet. Their original owner was retired and stayed at home a lot, so they're used to someone always being around. How will this affect their bonding to me?
Thanks for letting me share and for reading all the way through.
However, I have never had larger parrots. Only one of the two birds has ever seen me prior to me adopting them, and that was several years ago. One is a Congo (I just met him) and the other is a Timneh, hatched in 2004, the same year I moved. She had a hatch certificate and folder with details about the Timneh, but I was told that the Congo was a rescue.
I've had them both for two days now. They have chattered and chirped, and one has said some of his favorite phrases, but mostly they're just quiet. I try to reinforce it when they start to open up by showing an excitable reaction. This has worked so far, because they watch me and keep doing it me and more. The Timneh (Cocoa) has even turned flips in his cage.
They already will take a peanut from my hand
However, I visited them at their home after their owner passed, and I saw how they interacted in their familiar setting, and still it is very different from how they've interacted here. They were far more active there. I know this will take time and work, but my question is how long should I wait before I start trying to let them out of their cages? About how much time does it take, on average, to a bird to adjust to a new owner, and how can I tell if they've bonded with me? I should note that their original owner used to have a bunch of people over all the time, and they are used to meeting strangers. I don't know if their interaction with me is really a bond, or just a show for a stranger's attention.
One concern I have is knowing I have a full-time job that takes me away through the day, leaving them alone until evening. My husband is a contractor who is only home on the weekends. They haven't even met him yet. Their original owner was retired and stayed at home a lot, so they're used to someone always being around. How will this affect their bonding to me?
Thanks for letting me share and for reading all the way through.
