Hi there,
I am getting my first bird this week. Daisy is just under a year old and is not doing well in her current situation, which has been described as noisy and chaotic (several other birds, kids, dogs, etc.). She has started fighting with her sister/cagemate (it is a large cage). The owner thinks she will thrive in a peaceful, quiet, lower-energy home with a person of her own to really pay attention to her needs (I can provide that). She is described as a bit shy, and maybe a little depressed.
I am providing a quiet room with plenty of natural light where I work most of the day, a large cage, plenty of toys, foraging opportunities, great diet with fresh veggies, natural perches, misting/baths, etc. I know clicker training and will try to play games with her. But I will not push her boundaries. I am patient, sensitive, calm, have good energy, and read cues well. I have successfully drawn other species out of their shells (horses, hamsters, rabbits, dogs, cats, chickens), so I think I will do OK with her. She just needs time and understanding, I hope. I plan to basically just let her be for a while, with me around as much as possible, and to reward her tiniest efforts to be curious about me. She can have hours of out-of-cage time when she is ready for it.
My concern is that she has stopped preening herself and is missing a few tail feathers. She is NOT plucking, and is otherwise very healthy (vet check). I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Photo is from current owner. I will not provide a mirror.
(Her current owner is being open and honest with me, wants a great home for Daisy, and is doing her best to make sure we have success, which is great. She is basically giving me the bird and her supplies and will mentor me going forward.)
Thank you!
I am getting my first bird this week. Daisy is just under a year old and is not doing well in her current situation, which has been described as noisy and chaotic (several other birds, kids, dogs, etc.). She has started fighting with her sister/cagemate (it is a large cage). The owner thinks she will thrive in a peaceful, quiet, lower-energy home with a person of her own to really pay attention to her needs (I can provide that). She is described as a bit shy, and maybe a little depressed.
I am providing a quiet room with plenty of natural light where I work most of the day, a large cage, plenty of toys, foraging opportunities, great diet with fresh veggies, natural perches, misting/baths, etc. I know clicker training and will try to play games with her. But I will not push her boundaries. I am patient, sensitive, calm, have good energy, and read cues well. I have successfully drawn other species out of their shells (horses, hamsters, rabbits, dogs, cats, chickens), so I think I will do OK with her. She just needs time and understanding, I hope. I plan to basically just let her be for a while, with me around as much as possible, and to reward her tiniest efforts to be curious about me. She can have hours of out-of-cage time when she is ready for it.
My concern is that she has stopped preening herself and is missing a few tail feathers. She is NOT plucking, and is otherwise very healthy (vet check). I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Photo is from current owner. I will not provide a mirror.
(Her current owner is being open and honest with me, wants a great home for Daisy, and is doing her best to make sure we have success, which is great. She is basically giving me the bird and her supplies and will mentor me going forward.)
Thank you!
