Look what I Brought Home

[Skyes_crew]

I went to My monthly Parrot Club meeting today and there was a couple looking to re home their bird. I talked to them for about two hours and fell in love with him. So I'd like to introduce everyone to my new fid Mack. He is a 14 year old Male Umbrella Cockatoo. He is super friendly and cuddly. He even likes most of my kids. He's still a bit jumpy around the little one. He was owned by an avian vet so I couldn't get a healthier bird I look forward to many years to come with him.

[InTheAir]

Beautiful bird.

If you keep collecting birds at this rate your going to need a gigantic house!

[Skyes_crew]

I pretty much am done until I buy a bird farm lol.

[MissK]

Bird Junkie. That's what I said before the second Budgie.............

But I *NEEDED* the second Budgie! Riff Raff had to have a friend!



-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

Hi...My name is Melissa....and I'm a bird junkie

Seriously though, just to fit Mack's monster of a cage I had to do massive reorganization. Right now there is NO room for any more birds. That's what hubby said. But I still think there's room if I just wiggle two cages a bit closer and don't worry about opening the closet in that room

My 20 min coffee "me time" in the morning is probably about to go bye bye as well as any other breaks I normally have during the day. Which means ill probably only be on here at night from now on cockatoos are like adopting another baby when I'm holding him on my arm and going to put him up, as soon as he sees his cage he throws his body forward and lays his head on my chest and starts snuggling to distract me from putting him away. It's really pathetic lol.

[MissK]

Consider taking the closet door off the hinges.

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

Hmmmm...now you give me something to think about. I was also offered a bare eyed cockatoo from the same vet lol

[MissK]

No. You need the closet to store your bird stuff, NOT your birds..........

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

Oh yeah...I knew that

[jmlw7]

Mack is gorgeous. how is he adjusting to the rest of your flock?

[Skyes_crew]

I think right now he eyes them as a snack lol. He's super jealous. I didn't have to really quarantine him since he was owned by an avian vet who was even more OCD than I am. But he's on a 7 day cage restriction just to learn the Lay of the land. Today he gets introduced to mister vacuum but he's doing good. The first morning he serenaded us for 30 minutes and my kids all ran out the house. If it wasn't a habit I didn't want to keep, I would have given him a treat I have his two play-stands on order and about 20 books and DVD's lol. It's a learning process for sure.

[MissK]

Mmmmmm, bird books!

My birds have no trouble with the vacuum, but don't bring out the broom.

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

I'm happy to report he had no issue with the vacuum either

[Skyes_crew]

Hubby playing with Mack...He's such a ham

[InTheAir]

Wow, are you sure it's not a cat cunningly disguised as a bird? It seems to be acting a bit like a cat...

What a beautiful bird btw. I'm sure you'll have great times with him.

[Skyes_crew]

As soon as you start to scratch him he turns to mush lol. He also tries to stick his head down my shirt and he'll let us cradle him like a baby. Maybe he is a cat. Hmmmmm

Thank you...I think he's pretty cute myself

[MissK]

I like those big, round neck feathers in particular. It looks like Mack didn't really have any trouble jumping into his new family headfirst? Looks like he really likes his new people.

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

[jmlw7]

As soon as you start to scratch him he turns to mush lol. He also tries to stick his head down my shirt and he'll let us cradle him like a baby. Maybe he is a cat. Hmmmmm

Thank you...I think he's pretty cute myself

This was adorable to read.

[BrendaDup]

He is just BEAUTIFUL , I almost got one before I got Willow , but I really did a lot of reading and decided as much as I wanted one I decided on a smaller bird , the one I was going to get only liked the woman who owned her and I have an 11 year old and 2 boxers so maybe if the right one comes around I will reconsider . but you sure did get a beauty and I am sure he is lucky to have you .

[Skyes_crew]

Thank you Brenda they are a lot of work...kind of like a needy toddler. But it's so worth it to be cuddled by such a soft affectionate creature. The second hand, or third or fourth hand cockatoos tend to come with some bad habits like screaming. But they are manageable. So please don't let that deter you. And i suggest a male if you can. The females tend to be grouchier lol. They are super smart, learn really quick, are eager to please. But they can also be thick skulled, temperamental, loud, and obsessive compulsive. Im sure you know all this already to me its worth it all, the Good and the bad, to give such a fabulous bird a new lease on life. I've been slacking on posting new pics of him. So here you go

[BrendaDup]

You are so lucky .. he is just beautiful . Thanks for sharing your pictures . I would like to get a male IRN one day . but I have a 5 year old boxer who is afraid of everything. thunder, fire works , Willows screaming, and the biggest one she has sever separation anxiety ,I adopted her from a rescue , in 2011 and her behaviors are getting worse so bringing another bird in to the house would not be a good idea. oh well, enjoy your wonderful guy

[MissK]

Is it the bird or the dog who has anxiety? If bird, might not another bird provide her a constant companion? Maybe let her have a visit from another bird, see how she likes it? Rocky was an only bird for years before I got him, and he loves it when another bird visits.

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

I think she meant the dog has anxiety. My mom adopted a lab mix from a rescue and she's the same way. My mom has her on a low dose of Thorazine to keep her calm. Have you talked to your vet about anti anti anxiety medications for your poor puppy?

[BrendaDup]

Hi , I'm sorry I didn't explain better, my boxer and adult 5 year old has sever separation anxiety, I have tried medications, kennels leaving her loose in my sons room , since we lost our other older Boxer to cancer she has just gotten worse , so I got a 5 month old male boxer as a companion she loves him but I still can't ,leave my home with out her peeing all over my house. Willow only screams a little thank goodness . sorry to have posted this on a bird sight but I just wanted to explain better. Brenda

[Skyes_crew]

Oh you're fine Brenda I'm so sorry to hear you're going through all of that. How does he react when he hears willow? I used to laugh at the concept, but have you tried one of those thunder shirts for the noise anxiety? My mom claims they do work. I have no first hand experience with them though.

[BrendaDup]

Her reaction to willow is the least of her issues , she doesn't seem to mind it as much lately ,because willow has gotten so much better about it. the worst is me leaving her . I have been asking around about the thunder shirt and might finally give it a try . I have tried everything else I can think of . now I have a peeing 5 month old and a dog I cant leave . Willow and my time with her in my room is almost therapy for me , I just roll her into my bedroom and she plays on my bed and is getting braver everyday. I put a mirror in front of her and she did not like the bird looking back , I clean her cage every Sunday and rearrange her perches and toys well I placed a perch at such a level I found her looking at herself in her food bowls.. she was all puffed up so I had to move it . Thanks so much for responding . Brenda

[MissK]

Oh, I get it now.

It's not great. Sorry you have all that going on!! I guess if Willow is so teed off at her own reflection, she won't want a friend. I'm glad you have her, so you can have some therapy!

I don't have any dog calming secrets for you, wish I did! I hope in time the two dogs will bond enough to satisfy the anxious one! One of mine gets uncomfortable when I leave the house at an abnormal time, especially if I'm in a hurry (read late to dentist, etc). If I don't prepare her well enough she will poop on the floor in the time it takes me to go to the car and come back for my wallet.

The best chance I have, besides ensuring she has pooped already, is to observe all the standard leaving procedures 30-45 minutes in advance of leaving, including loading the car with anything I have to take with me. For me, that means putting on shoes, carrying keys, taking them out back to pee, putting them in the bedroom with the baby gate. I have read that it may help to make standard leaving procedures (such as walking around with your purse or keys, or in my case, wearing shoes) a bigger part of your non-leaving lifestyle, so the dog can not take all these things as cues to get worked up.

It might be worth a try, as well as practicing leaving for increasingly greater durations, starting with just going out, closing the door and coming back. If you want me to check my dog books for where I found instructions for that, let me know.

-MissK

[Skyes_crew]

I used a similar concept to train my dogs that I use with my birds. To keep my birds from getting separation anxiety screaming I would treat them when leaving the room. They would essentially look forward to me leaving. So with my dogs, I picked a treat I knew they loved (oinkies) and when I leave the house I give them the treat. Maybe you could try something like that

BTW...I love that pic of willow. I love how strong the females look when they're asserting themselves

[BrendaDup]

Hi, and I sure will give that a try . Willow can give some looks. I almost can read her thoughts..lol Thanks again

[Little Buttercup]

That pic of Willow is absolutely lovely! Looking just like my Buttercup did, brings back memories.

My cocokatiel Coco does have separation anxiety, if I just turn my back he start screaming and threatens to fly around and crash, which he does if I just carry on and leave the room. He and Kiwi gets along well but yet he does'nt want me to leave him.

Ash

[sanjays mummi]

What a gorgeous bird!, you are very very fortunate

[Skyes_crew]

Thank you Sanjay.