IndianRingNeck.com

We had a tea party for the birds on the weekend, as a way of exposing Sapphire to more people in a non threatening manner. A few members of our parrot club came. Both the birds were very good (apart from pooing on almost everyone) and we played pass the strawberry-while Sapphire was eating it- around the table. By the time everyone was leaving she was flying down to play on the table between us. I think she secretly liked being the centre of attention, as long as people look and don't touch. She showed off a couple of her tricks, like dropping connect 4 counters into peoples cups of tea and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yclvxXxc-1g to get the cakes.
It might take quite a few more tea parties before she is really comfortable with strangers though! She is really wary of anyone trying to approach her, even Ellie who she has met quite a few times. I'm a bit worried I've missed the critical socialisation period with her and it will be a slow process to get her acclimatised.
Nila tried out everyone's shoulders for size and was really excited to have so many people he could climb on and steal biscuits from. He was socialised a lot during his first few months with us, although he shows a marked preference for us he will step up and do simple tricks for anyone that approaches him slowly enough. If they ignore him completely he will soon fly over and make overtures of friendship (like landing on their shoulders to eat their jewellery or glasses).

I once had a tea party for a currant bush, but it was a different sort of affair....

This was a great idea. It sounds like productive fun.

MissK wrote:I once had a tea party for a currant bush, but it was a different sort of affair....

Do tell more!

Winter was hard on the little bush. Every day I went out and begged it to live. I promised it a tea party if it would live. It lived so we had a nice tea party in its honour. We all trooped out to see and congratulate it and then repaired inside for tea and little sandwiches. Next year it died.

Awww. Poor little currant bush. At least it had a lovely tea party before it passed away.

What's Rocky like with strangers?

Btw I came home with face paint on the other day and Sapphire was so scared of my face. She screeched and flew away when I tried to kiss her. Nila was oblivious to it.

Strangers? He loves new company. In the cage he runs to see them unless they have come in scary. Just today I had a friend over and Rocky loved to come and see him through the bars, face-to-face, until we carried furniture past the cage. Then he flew around the cage*** and didn't want to come again, but with some goodies, he eventually did. Refused to talk for my friend, though. With a different friend he would, fairly reluctantly, allow himself to be transferred to a stranger, but he won't stay.




*** I'm bragging now: Rocky flew around in his cage. The cage is (just barely) big enough for him to actually travel via flight, not just thrash around. He gets to express his nature in this regard. I wish the cage were bigger, but I gotta take this one as a positive.

That's great that he can make a flight in his cage. Nila can fly across the middle of his cage, but there isn't room to turn. Sapphire surprised me today by jumping from the door of Nilas cage to the perch inside without opening her wings! It's longer than her body (not including whole tail).

I realize they are different species, but from watching the Canaries hop perch to perch, I bet Sapphire could do a lot better than that if she had the opportunity and motivation.