Love new baby but baby doesnt love me :(
Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 6:21 am
Hey Ya'll!
I am new to the board and new to birdies. After a tremendous amount of research, I decided on a IRN. I am thinking of the name India, what do ya'll think? Of Course you can't tell for sure if it is a boy or girl at 8 weeks but it is believed to be a girl. The breeder I got her from said she was so sweet and tame already. All I had to do was hold her alot and feed her 20 cc's a day of baby food and she would love me forever. HA! Loves to bite me she must have meant! I am thinking this may be my fault. All of her bad behavior I put on myself although I have only had her 4 days. I have white tip nails and use to get really upset because she lunched when I went for her. Then it hit me DUH! my nails are the exact color of her syringe. Smart of me huh hehe. This new bird stuff is as hard as being a new Mommie... actually, my real babies required less hands on attention . Plus, they didn't bite me as hard hehe.
Ok, I tend to be vermose so I will get to it. I want so badly for my bird to be happy and love me half as much as I love her. I am so scared of doing something that will negatively effect our hopefully upcoming bond. I don't feel in my heart that little India was handled as the breeder said. I also realize now that 8 weeks is too early to go to a new home?
Another concern... Ms. Kitty. Ms. Kitty don't want to eat her (or maybe she does so I take extreme caution) but is in AHHH over her. Is it Ok to let Ms. Kitty watch the bird from the floor? India doesn't seem to mind. However, if the kitty puts her feet on the cage India poos alot. It is then I remove the kitty because the pooing seems like a sign of fright to me.
Something else that really gets to me, the breeder will never return my calls... not a good sign. Let me share what this new Mommie is doing and ya'll PLEASE tell me NO NO or good girl. I can take it. Anything to make India happy and feel loved and safe. Other words, please tell me what I am doing right and what I am doing wrong.
This is what I am doing:
To remove her from cage, as not to loose a finger, I ask her to 'step up' on a perch I am holding. When I bring her out of the cage I still have her on the perch but talk to her real soft and close to me. I tell her what a pretty bird she is and make a big fuss over her 'stepping up' at such an early age. Can you believe she learned this in three tries? Is it helping me or hendering me to remove her this way? She sure seems to enjoy that alot better and it is less tramatic for both she and I than when I reach in for her. Is this method of removal Ok for now?
To feed her, I remove her from the cage an hour before eating time. I let her have full run of the room I'm in. She usually chooses to hop on top of her cage though but rarely wants to actually go in it on her own, although she has. Once I get her out for awhile, I begin feeding her. I let her feed where she wants to. I don't hold her while feeding her or she is too busy trying to eat me. She can easily draw blood even at this young stage. I let her perch where she chooses and then I begin her feeding. After she eats (big eater which I am greatful for) I let her spend another hour with me. This hour is more hands on. I take her to the couch or the bed and talk to her from afar and hope she comes closer. She does but if I try to pet her she bows down and opens that beak as if to say "I dare you lady". I know I'm not suppose to pull back but no matter how hard I try not to, I always natually do. She is a hen with an attitude. She is the boss and I must stop this NOW. (I was abused as a child which may account for this or I am scared of a little birdie *sigh*.
She makes little noise but when she does I praise her by looking over at her and talking as if she was a real baby. I say stuff like 'What you doin' pretty bird. You want Mommie to talk to you huh? Then I whistle a little and talk alot as she watches me and turns her head as if she is actually listening to me. Guys, I am so in love with her. She rarely squacks and if she does I pretend not to hear her until she turns her voice to a soft chirp. She LOVES to hear her name. I say it with hi and low sounds like this... INdiA.
I have a husband and 4 children that promised to help me. I don't have to tell you that isn't happening. Noone helps me other than walking by the cage and telling her how pretty she is. She seems to know it is a compliment because she always makes her feathers stand a little puffier. Is that possible? Can she be THAT smart?
I will end this post now, however, this is just scimming the surface of all the help I need to make India happy and sweet cuz hunny she is alot of things but sweet ain't one of um.
I am new to the board and new to birdies. After a tremendous amount of research, I decided on a IRN. I am thinking of the name India, what do ya'll think? Of Course you can't tell for sure if it is a boy or girl at 8 weeks but it is believed to be a girl. The breeder I got her from said she was so sweet and tame already. All I had to do was hold her alot and feed her 20 cc's a day of baby food and she would love me forever. HA! Loves to bite me she must have meant! I am thinking this may be my fault. All of her bad behavior I put on myself although I have only had her 4 days. I have white tip nails and use to get really upset because she lunched when I went for her. Then it hit me DUH! my nails are the exact color of her syringe. Smart of me huh hehe. This new bird stuff is as hard as being a new Mommie... actually, my real babies required less hands on attention . Plus, they didn't bite me as hard hehe.
Ok, I tend to be vermose so I will get to it. I want so badly for my bird to be happy and love me half as much as I love her. I am so scared of doing something that will negatively effect our hopefully upcoming bond. I don't feel in my heart that little India was handled as the breeder said. I also realize now that 8 weeks is too early to go to a new home?
Another concern... Ms. Kitty. Ms. Kitty don't want to eat her (or maybe she does so I take extreme caution) but is in AHHH over her. Is it Ok to let Ms. Kitty watch the bird from the floor? India doesn't seem to mind. However, if the kitty puts her feet on the cage India poos alot. It is then I remove the kitty because the pooing seems like a sign of fright to me.
Something else that really gets to me, the breeder will never return my calls... not a good sign. Let me share what this new Mommie is doing and ya'll PLEASE tell me NO NO or good girl. I can take it. Anything to make India happy and feel loved and safe. Other words, please tell me what I am doing right and what I am doing wrong.
This is what I am doing:
To remove her from cage, as not to loose a finger, I ask her to 'step up' on a perch I am holding. When I bring her out of the cage I still have her on the perch but talk to her real soft and close to me. I tell her what a pretty bird she is and make a big fuss over her 'stepping up' at such an early age. Can you believe she learned this in three tries? Is it helping me or hendering me to remove her this way? She sure seems to enjoy that alot better and it is less tramatic for both she and I than when I reach in for her. Is this method of removal Ok for now?
To feed her, I remove her from the cage an hour before eating time. I let her have full run of the room I'm in. She usually chooses to hop on top of her cage though but rarely wants to actually go in it on her own, although she has. Once I get her out for awhile, I begin feeding her. I let her feed where she wants to. I don't hold her while feeding her or she is too busy trying to eat me. She can easily draw blood even at this young stage. I let her perch where she chooses and then I begin her feeding. After she eats (big eater which I am greatful for) I let her spend another hour with me. This hour is more hands on. I take her to the couch or the bed and talk to her from afar and hope she comes closer. She does but if I try to pet her she bows down and opens that beak as if to say "I dare you lady". I know I'm not suppose to pull back but no matter how hard I try not to, I always natually do. She is a hen with an attitude. She is the boss and I must stop this NOW. (I was abused as a child which may account for this or I am scared of a little birdie *sigh*.
She makes little noise but when she does I praise her by looking over at her and talking as if she was a real baby. I say stuff like 'What you doin' pretty bird. You want Mommie to talk to you huh? Then I whistle a little and talk alot as she watches me and turns her head as if she is actually listening to me. Guys, I am so in love with her. She rarely squacks and if she does I pretend not to hear her until she turns her voice to a soft chirp. She LOVES to hear her name. I say it with hi and low sounds like this... INdiA.
I have a husband and 4 children that promised to help me. I don't have to tell you that isn't happening. Noone helps me other than walking by the cage and telling her how pretty she is. She seems to know it is a compliment because she always makes her feathers stand a little puffier. Is that possible? Can she be THAT smart?
I will end this post now, however, this is just scimming the surface of all the help I need to make India happy and sweet cuz hunny she is alot of things but sweet ain't one of um.
they keep one eye open to "keep an eye on things"
oh well not going there.. but here is my first post on the boards.. chuckle.
shhh no one laugh!
