# Jenday Conure joining the family temporarily



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

My 'tiel is a very tame and spoiled 9 month old male (Buddy) that has never interacted with other birds. He's interacted with other animals like our puppy and is fine with her. He lives on my shoulder and goes everywhere with us. He is extremely possessive of his parents (us), his playgym, cage etc... and is only caged when we aren't home or can't supervise for whatever reason.

Now... My friend has a gorgeous Jenday Conure (Lucky) that is a chatty dancy little ball of energy but he's a bad mean bird lol. He is absolutely desperate for help and intervention (and he can't afford a professional trainer). My friend knows and has seen how I am with Buddy and has given him to me as a last resort to see if I can tame it enough so it's not as aggressive and will at least sit on his shoulder. He is a little too hopeful but I'm going to give it a go caz he's so desperate... Lucky's used to being outside his cage in his own room, going in and out of his cage and flying whenever he pleases but won't let anyone near him... Extremely territorial. We need bird Cesar Milano! Lol. 

I'm aware I will have my hands full! Lol. 

These are my 2 thoughts so far:

1) Clip it's wings
2) Quarantine in separate room for 30 days

I've been doing research for the last couple of days so I am aware of the housing needs for Lucky (they will be in separate cages) and I've told my friend to make sure he has all the accessories (toys, cuttle bone, playgym etc) so they are both treated fairy and Lucky has everything he needs to be a happy, healthy bird. However I still have not found much information regarding Cockatiels and Jenday Conures together...

Any tips on where I go from there to avoid disturbing to my 'tiel as much as possible? How long should I wait (once Lucky has been quarantined) to introduce them? Are Conures known for being aggressive towards other birds, 'tiels in particular? How would I stop Buddy from picking up on Lucky's bad screaming habbits etc?

Any tips would be appreciated. Will be welcoming this pretty little fellow into our home tomorrow evening.

Thanks!


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

I would definitely give them separate out of cage time until you're positive he isn't mean anymore. Work with him while he's quarantined and see if you can mellow him somehow.

I'd be careful to clip his wings before you know exactly what his problem is. If he dive bombs on you from across the room to attack you sure, go ahead and clip! But if he's just generally a skittish bird that bites out of fear I'd leave him as he is just so you don't make the problem even worse.

Long nights, good nutrition, good cage and toys and brewer's yeast sprinkled on food work wonders on good temperament. 

But yeah, I would be extremely reluctant to give them out of cage time together until you know for sure none of them will attack each other, your tiel will lose big time, and even if I was sure they'd be fine, I still probably wouldn't, he was there first and needs your protection. It doesn't matter if conures are generally aggressive to other birds or not, you can't play russian roulette with him and regret it afterwards.

For the screaming thing, I don't know. All I hope is that you can work with him and reduce the screaming.. one thing that strikes me is when you mention he's used to being in his own room, just how used is this bird to being around people? Is your friend leaving him alone all day and then basically trying to handle a wild bird?

Best of luck!


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Thanks Tequilagirl for all the advice regarding socialization between the two. Would you recommend their cages be next to each other once Lucky has been quarantined?

Lucky has his own room where my friend hangs out with him when he gets home from work which is when he tries to handle him but fails due to his aggression. He probably made the mistake of giving him too much freedom from the start and Lucky has no concept of boundaries or respect. As far as I am aware he has no set bed time as he goes in and out of his cage whenever he pleases. He doesn't go in other other sections of their house.

The reason I wanted his wings clipped is because that is how I succeeded in making my 'tiel dependent on me so I figured it would be easier to handle if he can't fly around. Another big reason for clipping is because we have a puppy that gets along great with our 'tiel but she does get a little excited when he flies (which isn't much, his wings are clipped just enough so he can still glide down easily).

I think the key with Lucky will be to get him on a schedule, make sure he is on the correct diet then go from there. I know for a fact, we can't get anything else right without those basics. I don't think these changes will be in vain when he gets returned to his dad because he is definitely keen on sticking to whatever I teach and in force... He will also be visiting often to follow along with the progress.


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Does Lucky bite?

One of my tiels is a foster I took to help a friend with the same problem, but instead of aggressive he was extremely skittish. I've been working with him for 4 months and he's just started perching on a dowel perch and I'm hoping within the next month he'll accept hands. We're making slow but steady progress.

I'm mentioning him because he knew no boundaries either. He HATED his cage with a passion and roamed free in the living room, going to roost on a door frame every day by himself at 17.00 sharp and sleeping there. Whenever he was in the cage he charged the door until he was let out, and never once went inside willingly. We had to start by getting him a different, bigger cage.

I feel, as he was so scared for such a long time, if I had clipped his wings and taken away his chance to run away from his perceived dangers it would have messed him up psychologically a lot more than he already was. What I'm trying to say is that of course, you're the one that's going to work with the bird so it's up to you to choose the method you think will work best, but that your perceived aggression could well be him just not being used to being around humans and then reacting to being chased around for interaction.

By no means I'm trying to say your friend is neglecting him, but I feel he just didn't try enough. The bird could be happy as anything having his own room to roam, but I can just imagine your friend (if he's anything like mine) going in the room after work, trying to interact for a few minutes, failing and then going away to make dinner and chill in a different room.

Definitely put him in the cage and let him out at certain times only, he needs a routine and he also needs to see you giving him a lot of treats all the time.

I'd put them where they can see each other but can't get to each other, and I would watch like a hawk when the tiel is out of the cage so he doesn't land on the conure's cage and lose a foot.

And the last thing, I can't tell you enough how much the brewer's yeast on his food has helped me. It is like magic.

All the best, and I hope I'm not pissing you off with my walls of text


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Don't worry, by no means are you pissing me off.. all any any input is greatly appreciated. Your point on brewer's yeast is duely noted and will be used 

I've only met Lucky twice in the past, it was very brief and he was not keen on interaction. To be honest with you, I don't know myself how hard he has tried but I do know he's had a cockatiel and another bird in the past but they weren't as tame as mine. He said he's been acting up a lot recently, biting and has even drawn blood. However I am not surprised it hasn't been easy to tame him considering Lucky was rescue found by my friend one day when it was raining a lot, Lucky was exhausted and found outside his front door. God only knows what this bird went through before being found....

I don't want Lucky roaming completely free and flying around whenever he wants (even during out cage time) because Buddy doesn't even do that. I would be fine with him walking on the floor when we supervise him on to just be on his playgym. Buddy likes being outdoors so we take him outside on a daily basis to get fresh air and just leave him perched on a little try (see my profile pic) while we sit there. I was hoping we could do this with Lucky eventually as well but that would require his wings being clipped as we don't want to risk anything happening to him despite our fence being quite high.

Also, I have a very large exercise wheel (originally for rodents) that Buddy LOVES (and Lucky would most likely fit into comfortably as well), a long with lots of ladders around his playgym connecting to various furniture and a fake tree inside the house. Eventually when we have more control over Lucky, would it be a bad idea to allow Lucky on to Buddy's "toys"? He is already possessive of them and has his daily beak banging ("mine! mine! mine!) sessions but maybe he can learn to share?


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Hmm, you're risking a lot by having your bird outside without a harness regardless of the height of your fence.. There's a sticky somewhere full of horror stories.

I also think there's another post describing a peaceful conure picking a cockatiel up and throwing him across the room. The risk for the tiel to get injured or killed is just too big to make it worth it. It only takes one time! Having said that if they are separated out of the cage I can't see the harm in using each other's toys.

My birds have benefitted enormously from being able to fly around. They are encouraged to do so by dropping treats all over the house and recall training (with Tequila, because Nelson couldn't give a toss whether I call him or not lol), they do benefit from the exercise and after a good session they will settle down and not make a peep for the rest of the evening. If they like that wheel that's great, but if Lucky doesn't he's going to need other means to exercise.

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=13369
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=27104


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

I guess them "sharing" toys at the same time won't be an option.... My number 1 priority bringing Lucky into our home is Buddy's safety and well-being.

I have read quite a few of those horror stories but the reason we decided to go ahead and do it anyway is as follows... We tried for months to get him to wear a flight suit or harness and he turns into evil Buddy. Feisty little mean thing (like when we touch his millet lol). He then stays sulky for about 2 days. We did this repetitively at least once a week for many months but still to no avail. We might as well not take him anywhere if he's not going to enjoy it. Of course there have been circumstances like when we took him to the beach that there were no if or buts about the harness. We are extremely careful when we have Buddy out in the patio eg. as soon as it gets even remotely breezy we put him back in the house. Honestly, he is the happiest when he is outdoors (he sings more outdoors than indoors too). Whenever he is ready to go inside or come back on to my shoulders he will call for me and doesn't fly or glide outside (I sit about 3 feet away from where he's perched on the tree, close enough that he could fly to me but doesn't). We also used to have cats that came into our patio before we used to bring him outside and since I installed a bunch of ultrasonic sensors (that cats hate) around the area, we haven't seen one since. I thought I heard a hawk once, and even though he was sitting on my shoulder in a covered area, we came back inside straight away. We don't leave him outside at any point when we can't have our eyes on him (eg if I come inside the house to get a drink, he comes inside with me while I do that). But like right now, he has 4 flight feathers that have grown out enough for him to have plenty of flight and I won't have time to get them clipped until tomorrow, he hasn't been outdoors.

He also doesn't give 2 tosses about coming when he is called but he has enough flight that if we are close by he will fly to us when he feels like it (indoors). We reinforce that behavior with treats but he doesn't do it on command. He gets lots of exercise from climbing on the trees (both indoor and outdoor), ladders, playgym, wheel, he does the wing flap often to exercise his wings and walks around freely (but supervised) when the dog is behind her gate in the kitchen. Like I said before though, my biggest concern with Buddy being full-flighted is our puppy getting excited, of course along with the risk of him injuring himself on a window etc. 

He is usually asleep within 10 mins of being "tucked in". We cover the cage with his blanket- tuck him in (except for the front), let him eat some pellets if he's still hungry and within 30mins max cover the front of the cage too, usually as soon as we see him on his sleeping perch. The vet says he is in very good health and is getting enough exercise....


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

I understand and you really don't have to explain yourself to me! I think sometimes people feel offended by my posts and I apologise because English isn't my first language and I think I come accross a bit harsh.

You're an adult and you assess your risks and make your decisions, and that's fine. I would however ask you to reconsider doing that with someone else's bird if you have the chance to do it with him, or at least discuss the risks with the owner.

I think I have said everything I could lol, now it's time for the people who actually know what they're talking about to take over 

Hope Lucky responds well to you and makes speedy progress, and Buddy enjoys having a new feathered companion. Best of luck to you!


----------



## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Those pictures are too cute!!


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

@Tequilagirl

I am not offended in the least about your posts and I understand and appreciate your concerns for Buddy's safety. It is however something we thought about a lot and very carefully before doing and weighed out the pros, cons, risks etc.

You are completely right though about reconsidering doing that with someone else's bird. I know the owner won't mind if I felt comfortable with doing it (he is astonished how well behaved Buddy is outside and would ideally like his bird to be that tame) but I am certainly not risking it until there has been significant enough progress in his behavior for me to feel comfortable and with his owner present. However, I don't know if that day will ever come for Lucky. He is too wild still for me to be able to tell and he is also his own little person and not everything that works for one bird will work for another.

Thanks for the advice and kind words. All the best to you too


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

CharVicki said:


> Those pictures are too cute!!


Thanks Charvicki. Yours are adorable too


----------



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Okay, just my thoughts -- you can take them or leave them.

First, I would not clip the conure's wings unless he has SERIOUS aggression issues, and is flying at you to attack. It is very likely to hinder trust building, as well as his confidence. You might want to give this a read. Just try to put yourself in the bird's "shoes" if you will, and imagine what you must look like to him. He is scared, and you look like a predator. Trust needs to be earned, not forced.

Also, _no really_ -- taking a bird outside without a harness (clipped or not) is VERY dangerous. What would happen if something spooked him, and he fluttered away only to be carried off by a gust of wind? It has happened countless times. And then, a clipped bird has ZERO defense against predators and other dangers if it escapes. Why not harness train Buddy instead?  You can also buy a portable outdoor cage that he can hang out in, which many people do for their birds.


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

echolalia said:


> Okay, just my thoughts -- you can take them or leave them.
> 
> First, I would not clip the conure's wings unless he has SERIOUS aggression issues, and is flying at you to attack. It is very likely to hinder trust building, as well as his confidence. You might want to give this a read. Just try to put yourself in the bird's "shoes" if you will, and imagine what you must look like to him. He is scared, and you look like a predator. Trust needs to be earned, not forced.
> 
> Also, _no really_ -- taking a bird outside without a harness (clipped or not) is VERY dangerous. What would happen if something spooked him, and he fluttered away only to be carried off by a gust of wind? It has happened countless times. And then, a clipped bird has ZERO defense against predators and other dangers if it escapes. Why not harness train Buddy instead?  You can also buy a portable outdoor cage that he can hang out in, which many people do for their birds.


Hi echolalia. I took a quick skim through that article (will read it more thoroughly later), and it precisely made one of the points I had in mind regarding clipping "Clipping wings will make a parrot easier to handle. This reason has some truth to it. If a bird was not raised properly when young, and becomes an unruly adult, rendering him flightless will limit his 'retreat and approach' options. This eliminates the ability to get away and can result in dependency on the owner." 

However also explained why this could also be bad as you were explaining "Flightless parrots are constantly exposed to situations where they feel afraid and out of control. With no control over their life parrots often develop paranoid schizophrenic behaviours. These individuals lack the ability to trust others. This syndrome is a significant factor in the development of the 'one person bird'."

It makes sense and after thinking about it further and I think I may not get them clipped after all.

Regarding Buddy being outdoors.. He gets extremely frustrated with the leash from the harness getting in the way of his play and turns into his non-friendly side. I also have a portable cage for him but he can't stand it. He enjoys being outside because he gets to climb freely on a natural tree/ bush (which isn't high). I was also very much against the idea of him being outdoors without a flight suit/ harness initially but after seeing a friend that had done that with hers for years, and considering the difficulty we've had getting him enjoy "freedom" with a harness, I started doing it when I felt confident enough in his behavior. We are always extremely careful, in fact I check the weather forecast for wind and at any sign of a breeze I bring him inside. Our outdoor area has been secured with covers etc, so there is limited places he could randomly fly off to if he got startled. I wish I could get him to wear the harness happily but despite months of attempts we are yet to succeed. We haven't given up though and do put the harness on him when we take him out in public, I just can't stand seeing him in a soppy mood... I am confident that we supervise him and have secured our patio enough to avoid any misfortunes. 

Regardless, I do appreciate your views on everything. Thank you


----------



## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Hmm, I can see the dilemma regarding Buddy. I don't know what your space or financial limitations are, but if possible, could you build him an outdoor aviary/large flight, with a tree inside? That might seem ridiculous, but then he'd have the best of both worlds. I have six tiels, and a few were clipped when I got them. I have watched them grow their feathers back, one by one, and discover the joys of flight. It's exhilarating to watch them enjoying themselves so, and getting exercise in the process. There is nothing better for their mental and physical health, IMO, and it's such a great feeling having them fly to me and land to me purely because they choose to. Sure, they are more independent, and I have to "negotiate" a little more to get them in the cage when they're being stubborn, but I think it's really healthy for them to have free will and, well -- be _birds_.

If you do a clip on the jenday, please please don't take all his flights. It can be dangerous and frustrating for him to drop to the floor like a rock when he's used to his wings working properly. A light clip (2-4 primary flights on each side) should suffice to slow him down a bit while still allowing him to glide safely to the ground.


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

@ echolalia:

The outdoor aviary with a tree is definitely a great idea. I have thought about it myself but it does come down to our financial situation not allowing for that at the moment. It is definitely in our plans though. And actually, I forgot to mention this. It's not that Buddy "hates" his cage. He enjoys it as well and has fun inside it, but only when he is indoors and doesn't have the choice to come out. Right now he has 4 flight wings that have grown out and are giving him a flight license so of course we don't let him outdoors unharnessed, therefore there is common sense behind how we chose to handle him. Although even now when he can fly much more than usual, he doesn't do it often. 

"A light clip (2-4 primary flights on each side) should suffice to slow him down a bit while still allowing him to glide safely to the ground. " = Another great idea. I guess that would slow him down and make him a little easier to handle without taking away all his confidence.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

*@Tequilagirl*

Check out the wheel I was referring to  http://talkcockatiels.com/photoplog/index.php?n=2785



Tequilagirl said:


> Hmm, you're risking a lot by having your bird outside without a harness regardless of the height of your fence.. There's a sticky somewhere full of horror stories.
> 
> I also think there's another post describing a peaceful conure picking a cockatiel up and throwing him across the room. The risk for the tiel to get injured or killed is just too big to make it worth it. It only takes one time! Having said that if they are separated out of the cage I can't see the harm in using each other's toys.
> 
> ...


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

pinkspikez said:


> Check out the wheel I was referring to  http://talkcockatiels.com/photoplog/index.php?n=2785


Rofl that's awesome 

He's a cutie!


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

And that's his playgym: http://talkcockatiels.com/photoplog/index.php?n=2777

Although he will be upgraded to this one very soon: http://www.kingscages.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=K299

I think you got it bad when you only want things for your pets as your own birthday presents lol.



Tequilagirl said:


> Rofl that's awesome
> 
> He's a cutie!


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Lol I hate pasted animals on pet products, they look so fake!

I like your current one better, least it's not made of plastic! And tell me about it! Birthday in 2 days and I just spent a fortune on a new cage and carrier, so I'm staying in lol


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Are plastic acrylic play gyms not recommended? I know natural wood is always best but is there any advisory against the other?


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

Na it's not a whole lot worse than a dowel playgym, it'll prob be more slippery so he'll have to work harder to grip but it's not toxic or anything. It does look pretty though!

This is what mine have at the moment http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/birds/toys/wood_bird_toys/47235

Bit small but when they are done chewing it up I'll get a bigger one


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

You play gym is cute. Do they both fit on there? 

If he has to work harder to grip, that might not be a bad thing as it would strengthen his legs and feet right?


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

They do, just! lol

And it's not necessarily a good thing, they can get calluses and nasties from gripping on an even, hard surface. If you see on youtube all the videos of people making perches out of pvc, you see they always cover them up in vetwrap to give grip and a bit of cushion.

I keep pis*ing on your bonfire lol, I'm so sorry. Of course none of this applies if you've ordered it already and are waiting for it to come in the post


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

You do keep raining on my fire! lol j/k I just told my sister I wanted a larger playgym with hanging places and I guess that's what she found in the budget.

"cover them up in vetwrap to give grip and a bit of cushion.", Do you think this something that could be done on this playgym? It comes in parts that connect together so maybe on certain sections?


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

I personally would do the 2 horizontal ladders. But honestly don't mind me too much, I'm super focused on prevention because I don't want to wind with huge vet bills that I can't afford lol, not that it has to happen but still. Kings Cages is a good brand and they must have thought about this sort of thing.

This is what worries me when it comes to unsuitable perches http://www.birdvet.com.au/exotics care/birdcare/bumblefoot.htm 

I stick to natural and rope perches whenever possible for their happiness and my peace of mind, as I would hate to find problem that can be expensive to fix, that I could have prevented in the first place.


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

That certainly doesn't sound nice. Anyway, I have just purchased some pretty vet tape 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290943327893


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

That is pretty!


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

i'm so envious of you getting a conure! make sure to post LOTS of photos  

there's an interesting sticky on training agressive or difficult birds - i would highly recommend reading it, since it does touch on wing clipping or not.
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=33824
my personal opinion with all birds - agressive or no - is that wing clipping during training forces them to spend time with you. and that's the whole aim i guess. but it's not necessarily the best, since you want to build trust and a relationship with the bird. you want it to want to be with you vs. in the cage. you don't want to have a "i guess i'll sit on your shoulder cause there's no other option!!" sort of thing. just something to think about!

ok, i know it's been mentioned and you've been extremely graceful and courteous and lovely with your responses!  but you are so brave to let your tiel out without a harness. the only reason i bring it up is because recently several members have lost their birds - and other people i know (who's birds were clipped!) and it's just heartbreaking. it must be sad for Buddy to love outdoors and not be able to go outside, but i would strongly recommend waiting till he wears a harness. better a few months delayed, and all happy, then now, and he's gone. of course, it is up to each owner to make their personal decision though 

i wouldn't do it with the conure though. in my area at least, conures are very costly and the thought of just letting it outside briefly whilst clipped is kind of bad! if a bird never goes outside in the first place, it won't develop a taste for something it can't have. 

hope i haven't offended you. i just don't want to see your beautiful babies flying away, like so many others


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

edit: so sorry!! i just re-read one of your previous posts that said you might not clip the wings. whoops missed that :blush: sorry!!


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Hi ollieandme  Your 'tiels are gorgeous by the way.

Thanks for your thoughts. Regarding the conure, his Dad didn't up turning him over to me yesterday, it's not going to happen next week. Reason being, I came to the conclusion he was not providing everything the bird needs in order to be happy and healthy in my opinion (tiny little domed cage suitable for a canary -although it only every sleeps in the cage because it's always open and he has been able to roam freely in it's room-, playgym, variety of perches, toys etc). I was not going to take on this challenge without knowing that I am providing it with everything it needs. Plus, I think it would look rather cruel to the conure that my 'tiel has a larger cage than it does, especially now that it will be caged part of the time and it's not used to it. Plus, I have a feeling that putting Lucky on a schedule like Buddy's, the same environment and ensuring he is on a healthy diet will work wonders to help out with his behavioral issues.

I read throught that thread you included on your post and it was very helpful. Thank you.

My friend told me he definitely wants Lucky to get clipped so I am going to talk to him about the light clip option (2-4 primary flights on each side) that another user suggested on this post.

Buddy's issue with a harness is not that he won't wear it. I can put it on him without much struggle anymore but he just gets miserable. We have tried for a long time (and kept trying) to get him used to his harness however he just hates how the leash gets in the way of his climbing and walking around. After reviewing so many opinions regarding having unclipped birds I have decided to let Buddy's flight feathers grow out this winter and do a little experiment. If he is fully flighted and outdoors with a harness, who knows, he might enjoy outdoors even better than before if he can fly around. 

You have not offended me in the least. I do appreciate every comment and opinion from 'tiel owners. We all have the prerogative to do as we see fit with our birds but other people's experiences are also great knowledge to have and share.

I very much regret not having visited Victoria when I lived in Brisbane and Perth... 
Have a good night there in Australia


----------



## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

I know you have the best intentions and you want to help your friend, but I really wouldn't do this. It's like asking for trouble. Your tiel will not be happy, that is my feeling. He seems very bonded to you and if he is allowed to roam around your house all day, how are you going to manage to train the conure and give it some one to one time?


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Hi eduardo/ Dee. 

You are right about all of that. But I'm also not the only person in the household my 'tiel is bonded with. He is also bonded to my partner (just a tiny bit more to me). He is only allowed to roam the house when we are there and my partner is on leave from work for the next few months and is able to spend plenty of one-on-one time with Buddy during the day when I am at work. My weekends are pretty much empty other than a few errands here and there so that is when I will be the busiest with these children. I am not planning on giving the conure one-on-one time in front of Buddy anyway (we have a spare room in our home where I will be doing most of the interaction with Lucky to avoid Buddy feeling left out or envious), at least in the beginning and then we can go from there. Like I said in my previous post "...I have a feeling that putting Lucky on a schedule like Buddy's, the same environment and ensuring he is on a healthy diet will work wonders to help out with his behavioral issues." I am not going to try and handle him for the first couple of weeks. Just be in his presence, talk to him etc so he can get comfortable with me so we can built trust slowly. 

I also have a lot of experience with animals in general (BSc in Conservation & Wildlife Biology) and my first wildlife project ever was with birds with a focus on rehabilitation, so I have studied them in depth. Of course every bird species and every individual is different however I trust that my experience with animal behavior would be beneficial. That is another reason I want to under take this challenge. Lucky's behavior problems are due to something missing in his life and with so much anger this bird cannot be a happy one. I can't just sit by and not help. Considering the information I have provided you with, would you still be significantly against bringing Lucky into my home? 

Thanks


----------



## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

I really admire your devotion. I do. And obviously your qualifications, no doubt.
I just don't know about jendays... they have this rep to be really loud, and I just worry that Lucky might be driving you all nuts if he is not in the same room. Conures are so different than tiels though. 
I don't know... I guess go with your heart and best intentions, which you have. I do wish for success with Lucky though. He deserves a good home.
I just know that if I got a conure, my brats would claw my eyes out for giving the other one attention, LOL (but that may be just me and my two:blush:


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

@eduardo/ Dee

My greatest concern regarding Lucky's noise will be Buddy picking up on it and imitating lol. Within a few weeks of getting a puppy (fyi, they don't have any unsupervised out time together even though they get along), he was already imitating her crying and whining lol. Our pets are all very laid back though so hopefully those positive vibes from our home will rub off on Lucky. Anyway, we will see how things go and once Lucky has been quarantined, depending on his progress, we will determine whether to put their cages near each other or not. Who knows, by some miracle Buddy and Lucky might enjoy each other's company (from their cages)... Maybe even learn a thing or two from each other (Buddy could learn to dance and talk human, Lucky could learn to behave lol).

I know I will have my hands full but I am very excited to have the privilege of working with such a beautiful animal 


Thanks for your kind words and best wishes, I wish you all the best with your brats as well ;-)


----------



## eduardo (Jan 27, 2012)

Thank you. You never know, Buddy and Lucky may become one of those odd bonded couples that we sometimes hear about, LOL 
Sending you my best wishes


----------



## Paleghost13 (Sep 14, 2012)

How old is Lucky? It is possible that he is just going through the bratty hormonal teen phase? If his behavior has suddenly worsened for no apparent reason, might be the dreaded hormones. If so, your strategy of longer nights would definitely help, but likely waiting it out and reinforcing what good behavior you see is going to be necessary.

Have you looked into the training tips of Barbara Heidenreich of Good Birds, Inc (http://www.goodbirdinc.com)? She is sort of the Cesar Milan or Jackson Galaxy of the bird world. I listened to her podcasts before adopting my bird. TalkParrots also probably has a lot of experienced people who could help. 

Good Luck!


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Hi Paleghost13.

That is definitely a possibility however we don't know his age because he was a rescue that ended up by my friend's house one day. I had never heard of Barbara H. until now. I will be checking out her tips tonight. I will also look into TalkParrots, I registered with their site yesterday.

Thanks for the suggestions, I will make great use of them


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

i just want to wish you luck and let you know that you are the most gracious ever person! you've been so polite and accomodating, having us inflict our views on you  i hope Buddy enjoys maybe growing his feathers out


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

@ollieandme

Well we all have different views and opinions and we are all entitled to it but if we're not open minded enough to take what we agree with and what we disagree with, with positivity and use suggestions that we feel would be right for us then there would be no point to these forums right? Also, whether or not we agree or not there is never a point in not being polite or accommodating because after all, every single member that takes their time to share their views wouldn't have taken that time if they didn't care. As I see it, I am grateful to anyone willing to take their time to share their knowledge with me


----------



## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

pinkspikez said:


> Also, whether or not we agree or not there is never a point in not being polite or accommodating because after all, every single member that takes their time to share their views wouldn't have taken that time if they didn't care.


so true


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Ok, so late update on Lucky as of a chat face to face with my friend that we had on Friday night.... to eduardo/ Dee in particular...

I took in to serious considerations all the point discussed on this thread regarding both what is best for Buddy and Lucky. I decided to sit down with Lucky's daddy and talk to him. He speaks of Lucky with so much love and knows his personality and traits from observing him so well that I realized none of this made any sense....

- I started off by explaining to him why I though Lucky was having behavior problems and hoe essential environmental conditions are to the well being of a bird. Without enough mental stimulation from toys, playgym etc, they can get extremely bored which would be a significant reason for his behavior. Especially considering his bird is a conure which are known for requiring that mental stimulation. He agreed that Lucky is bored.
- I explained the importance of caged/ cage out time and a routine just like children. 
- I told him that even though I am willing to help him, in Lucky's best interest it would be best for him to do the work himself because Lucky already trusts him more than anyone else whilst I am still merely a stranger that would have to start from step 1, which would take longer to build the trust in order to have positive results. I explained how much help there is online with YouTube videos and forums etc to ask people that have experience with his particular bird species. 
- Pulled up a video on YouTube of some random kid handling his Jenday Conure, and said if this kid can do it then so can he lol.
- I reassured him that I am here to help him and support him but that he needed to take that time if his main concern is building a long lasting mutually loving, affectionate companionship with Lucky, then the best way to guarantee results would be by him doing the work. I have offered to assist him with online shopping (cheaper...) for the things I think Lucky needs and we are going to work on that tonight. 

He understood, agreed and is on the same page as me. I am happy with that outcome because I think that is probably what is best for all parties involved


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Tequilagirl said:


> I personally would do the 2 horizontal ladders.


So here it goes Tequilagirl  ...


----------



## Tequilagirl (Mar 4, 2013)

That's awesome! How does he like it?


----------



## Pinkspikez- Buddy's Mama (Dec 25, 2012)

Tequilagirl said:


> That's awesome! How does he like it?


He's very curious of it that's for sure he went to all the new toys and played with them a little bit. But in all honestly I think he may be a little overwhelmed right now with everything going on in there, 2 swings, 2 rope bunches, 2 bells plus mirror all in one playgym. His old one only had 2 toys... I perched him on the top horizontal ladder where the food holders are at and he ate/ drank from the new containers which usually he is fussy about if he's not familiar the container. Then he started singing his song very happily when he was done with his munching session. He's also still iffy about climbing the vertical ladders but I'm sure he'll get the hang of it in no time. After all I only introduced it to him yesterday (Sunday)... We'll see how if goes


----------

