Hello dear community, I need help as recently out of the blue I became an adoption owner of a 6yo female - see the pic below. She's been with us for about 2wks now and I love her loads but need advice on quite a few things , will try to be structured.
1. Her story: I turn out to be owner #3 and the previous guy seems nice but never paid any attention to her the bird just sat in the cage all alone whole day. As our gardens are adjacent, since we moved in I started coming to the gate and talking to her, which she apparently loved. Not sure why and how but sadly her wings are clipped so she doesn't fly she also had (still has) a metal sort of chain on one of her legs, I think she used to be carabined to a metal stand/perch. I also found it strange he easily gave her to us when the kids admired her, so she's been with us practically non stop since. About 2wks.
2. With us. First days in our house she just was super stressed never left the perch. I would come near quietly sit on the floor use same words I'd say through the gate. So one day, being super curious, she came down and walked next to me. Now as it stands, I'm her favourite human she allows me lots of things she'd shred my husband and the kids apart for. She specifically hated my 4yo daughter and I guess she's jealous as she behaves as exactly my parents' old small doggie who was super protective over my dad wouldn't let anyone approach. This is when I pray it's not too bad maybe she doesn't fly as she clearly is keen to attack my little one. With the 9yo she developed a sort of connection, let's my daughter pet her and feed her but will snap at her whenever I come close or just on a whim. She won't pay attention to my husband unless left out on the floor that's when she'll go for him, it's actually too cute and funny together with being dangerous for my hubby's toes))
3. Behavioural concerns. So, we're in a new and currently empty house, in a rural Asia where getting a cage is a challenge, but I'm working on it to secure a big one. But until then I have to close her in one of the empty bedrooms on the ground floor whenever I leave the house. I noticed she plucks her feathers out so it gets to ca.5 feathers a week, and I'm super worried, I know alone in an empty room kinda sucks but for her safety I need to do it until the cage comes. Any way I can reduce that stress in her? When I come home she might be angry with me and demonstratively throw around her food as a sort of revenge. She also will lay it all out on me whenever the kids start jumping around giggling - she hates that and will nip whatever she can reach at (usually me) - alone with me she's super quiet and falls asleep often, like now I'm writing this after breakfast she has fallen asleep after having brekkie sort of with me) with other family members always on stress, how do I break that stigma?
4. Food related concerns. It was super weird for me to hear the guy who gave her to us said she needs no water. First time I gave her water poor baby drank like never before. I give her seed mix for big parrots, piece of fruit daily (apple, banana, we have a plenty here but she will turn her nose down for anything else - papaya, orange, grapes, nothing - she probably was never fed it ) filtered water every day, change several times because she's a little pigand I don't like bits in the water. A lot of sunflower seeds but I read it's not a balanced diet for them in the long run, but I guess she gulls them as she's accustomed. Heard from someone they give siberian shungites to their parrots? Someone advised me to save some egg shell after boiling eggs and give a tiny bit crushed with food. I guess they need calcium.
5. How do I spend quality time with her, mental stimulation etc?
Any time she gets floor time we get a destruction in the landlord's chairs (pretty much the only furniture piece we've got on the ground floor I know I'll have to buy him a new set now) and if she wants she's super quick and quiet, even with that blooming leg chain. I want to redirect her at having some quality fun with no damage for no one when she's off the perch or out of cage in the future. Happy to get into some reading or get consultation. I don't want to give her away, she's been betrayed twice and even she is a handful I love her lots.
Thank you so very much for reading till the end of this opus! any comments questions - very grateful.
Attaching the photo of my baby almost asleep near me as I'm writing this.
1. Her story: I turn out to be owner #3 and the previous guy seems nice but never paid any attention to her the bird just sat in the cage all alone whole day. As our gardens are adjacent, since we moved in I started coming to the gate and talking to her, which she apparently loved. Not sure why and how but sadly her wings are clipped so she doesn't fly she also had (still has) a metal sort of chain on one of her legs, I think she used to be carabined to a metal stand/perch. I also found it strange he easily gave her to us when the kids admired her, so she's been with us practically non stop since. About 2wks.
2. With us. First days in our house she just was super stressed never left the perch. I would come near quietly sit on the floor use same words I'd say through the gate. So one day, being super curious, she came down and walked next to me. Now as it stands, I'm her favourite human she allows me lots of things she'd shred my husband and the kids apart for. She specifically hated my 4yo daughter and I guess she's jealous as she behaves as exactly my parents' old small doggie who was super protective over my dad wouldn't let anyone approach. This is when I pray it's not too bad maybe she doesn't fly as she clearly is keen to attack my little one. With the 9yo she developed a sort of connection, let's my daughter pet her and feed her but will snap at her whenever I come close or just on a whim. She won't pay attention to my husband unless left out on the floor that's when she'll go for him, it's actually too cute and funny together with being dangerous for my hubby's toes))
3. Behavioural concerns. So, we're in a new and currently empty house, in a rural Asia where getting a cage is a challenge, but I'm working on it to secure a big one. But until then I have to close her in one of the empty bedrooms on the ground floor whenever I leave the house. I noticed she plucks her feathers out so it gets to ca.5 feathers a week, and I'm super worried, I know alone in an empty room kinda sucks but for her safety I need to do it until the cage comes. Any way I can reduce that stress in her? When I come home she might be angry with me and demonstratively throw around her food as a sort of revenge. She also will lay it all out on me whenever the kids start jumping around giggling - she hates that and will nip whatever she can reach at (usually me) - alone with me she's super quiet and falls asleep often, like now I'm writing this after breakfast she has fallen asleep after having brekkie sort of with me) with other family members always on stress, how do I break that stigma?
4. Food related concerns. It was super weird for me to hear the guy who gave her to us said she needs no water. First time I gave her water poor baby drank like never before. I give her seed mix for big parrots, piece of fruit daily (apple, banana, we have a plenty here but she will turn her nose down for anything else - papaya, orange, grapes, nothing - she probably was never fed it ) filtered water every day, change several times because she's a little pigand I don't like bits in the water. A lot of sunflower seeds but I read it's not a balanced diet for them in the long run, but I guess she gulls them as she's accustomed. Heard from someone they give siberian shungites to their parrots? Someone advised me to save some egg shell after boiling eggs and give a tiny bit crushed with food. I guess they need calcium.
5. How do I spend quality time with her, mental stimulation etc?
Any time she gets floor time we get a destruction in the landlord's chairs (pretty much the only furniture piece we've got on the ground floor I know I'll have to buy him a new set now) and if she wants she's super quick and quiet, even with that blooming leg chain. I want to redirect her at having some quality fun with no damage for no one when she's off the perch or out of cage in the future. Happy to get into some reading or get consultation. I don't want to give her away, she's been betrayed twice and even she is a handful I love her lots.
Thank you so very much for reading till the end of this opus! any comments questions - very grateful.
Attaching the photo of my baby almost asleep near me as I'm writing this.