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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
| Many newbe questions on rosellas |
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Greetings!
I brought a red rosella home three days ago. They told me he's four months old at the pet shop but I don't really trust pet shops. He was sitting next to a female, with seed for food only. Since I've never had a pet before (except a canary when I was very small and turtles :p) I have a great deal questions.
Hermes is still very edgy of course and very afraid of me.
1. Can rosellas learn to talk at all?
2. Should he be climbing around the cage? Because when he tries, he falls. Is it because he's still very young or maybe because his wings are clipped?
3. Can a rosella be taught to sit on your hand or do tricks?
4. I've read about that bond created between a parrot and the one who cares about it. Can't a bird love more than one person?
5. How long does it take for a bird to trust you? I've got the cage opposite my desk so we're in the same room most of the day. Last night I sat next to him and read him a chapter from my book for one hour (I've got my final exams at the uni so I try to combine care and study :p ) but then I tried to cover the cage and let him sleep and he croaked at me and fluttered about panicky, so I fear that all the progress I've made when reading had no result. I'll try it again tonight.
6. Hermes seems to ignore the food that is placed below the lowest one third of the height of the cage. I suspect he is afraid of that plastic bag thing that I've put to prevent food from spreading on the floor or maybe he dislikes it being around him. How can I be sure?
7. Do I have to let him out of the cage? For how long?
8. Would he get bored of his toys? Should I buy a few and rotate them like others do?
9. Could he miss the female he was with in the cage?
Sorry for plaguing you with questions…
I'll try to upload a few photos later on. |
Saturday September 3, 2005 2:18 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7952
Location: Australia |
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Hi Vis,
I'm no expert at the rosellas, but some of your question relates to other parrots as well, so I'll attempt to answer those for you. 
Rosellas do like to climb all over the places, may be because he is young, but keep an eye on him. He should be able to stabilised himself on the side of the cage once he has gotten used to it.
Wing clipping will not affect how he uses his feet to clim around the cage.
I am pretty sure that Rosellas can be taught to perch on your fingers. Not sure about the trick part though.
All birds can bond to more than one person with the exception of some which actually prefers one person such as the African Grey. Basically the birds needs to be socialised with many people coming in contact with it... and also if you live with other people, have them play with it, feed it, and spend time with it. that way, it won't just attach itself to one person because that person is doing all the stuff for him!!
It all depends on how long the bird will take to trust a person. It depends on how much time a person spend with it. It also depends on the bird's personality as well and how open or fearful it is towards new things. But yes the more time you spend with it, and love it without pushing the bird too much, it'll come to trust you more quickly.
I'm not sure what you mean by the plastic thing, but I do know that a lot of bird will not eat food that has been placed near the bottom of the cage. I think it's an inbred thing in them. they just associate that with danger. The higher the food is, the safer it is for the to eat without the fear of predator. I could be wrong as well in this regard. He could be scared of that seed catcher thing you mentioned. May be try taking it away for a while and see if he goes to his food or not. Or otherwise try to move his food container up on the cage. Just a couple of suggestions.
It is advisable that the bird are let out to play for a bit and stretch it's wing out of the cage. Unless the bird is in a huge huge aviary where it can fly around, then yeah. Beside that's one way you can bond with it anyway, to bring it out and play with it away from it's cage. For how long it's up to you. I would try not to have a schedule or anything. Like a set time that you bring it out because it'll learn that that is 'out time' and it'll want out even when you can't like when you're really busy and stuff.
Yes please get more toys and rotate those ones around as all birds gets tired of the same toys day in day out.
Cheers
I hope I've helpedyou a little. Someone might have other ideas.
Take CAre
Bih |
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Sunday September 4, 2005 5:04 pm |
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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
That's a photo of the cage - and the plastic thing around it.
(if you cannot see it, click "properties" on the link, copy the adress and paste it on a new IE window)
Something I forgot:
do you use a sprinkler to shower your bird?
I've heard some people do, should I too ? |
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Sunday September 4, 2005 10:27 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6671
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Hey, it sounds like you're doing really good! And it sounds like you truly do want the best for your new baby, & that's the best beginning! I think it's wonderful that you spend so much time near him, talking & reading to him, I'm sure he appreciates & enjoys that 
I agree with everything Bih says above!
I spray mine with a spray bottle of plain warm water to shower them. But there are many ways to do the shower/bath thing.
You keep keeping up the great work! |
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Monday September 5, 2005 12:55 am |
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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
Thanks Cathy
and also thanks Bih for the lengthy reply. |
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Monday September 5, 2005 8:58 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7952
Location: Australia |
No prob Vis, I just hope that I've helped you a little with your new bird.
Is your bird eating yet? Or is it refusing to eat still from that bowl?
What's your bird's name again? sorry I don't remember reading it, and if I did, sorry I forgot.  |
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Tuesday September 6, 2005 4:59 pm |
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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
His name is Hermes.
He does eat, only that he climbs at the side of the cage, bends low and picks a seed, then climbs back up on his perch.
I bought a couple of toys today, hang one in the cage and he seems to be afraid of it! He avoids it completely and even prefers to have his back turned to it! |
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Tuesday September 6, 2005 9:01 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6671
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Maybe you could get him a perch that runs one length of his cage to the other & place it just above, or at the same level as the top oh his food bowl, or one near the food bowl anyway.
Some birds do take awhile to get used to new things inside their cage. I have a real hard time with my 'tiel & anything new! There are lots of things you could try. Try playing with the toy yourself for awhile, have lots of fun with it. Then try placing it within his sight, but not too near him, for awhile so he gets used to it being there & knows it's not going to hurt him. Then move it gradually closer.
Also a lot of times they want something they can't get real easily, so try putting it say on top of his cage so he can touch it with his beak but has to work at it to get it through the bars.
I've had people tell me that if you wrap a toy in newspaper, if the bird is a shredder, he'll go for the newspaper & will "discover" the toy inside it!
Some ideas anyway! Good luck! |
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Tuesday September 6, 2005 9:47 pm |
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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
Joy! He has started eating from the lowest feeders!
He still refuses to touch his toys though. I suppose he will.
He's also quite clumsy when climbing.
I'm still trying to make him eat from my hand and I've had no luck so far.
I decided to take it even easier so I moved the cage right next to my desk, hoping that he will get used to me being very close all the time.
I've also recorded his singing and when I replay it he gets very agitated. I don't know if it makes him happy listening to a familiar sound but sometimes I take pity on him. He looks so anxious to meet others of his kind... |
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Thursday September 8, 2005 9:58 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6671
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Oh, you should see how my Manu reacts when I play back videos I've made of him & I on the TV!! It's so funny! He just gets very quiet & stares at the TV, then looks at me & says "HELLO!" I guess you have to be there, but it's SO funny 
I'm very glad to hear that he's eating well now. What does he eat?
Sounds like you're doing great with him, don't give up on the hand feeding, I'm sure he'll be eating out of your hand before you know it |
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Friday September 9, 2005 1:04 am |
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ksue
Flier
Joined: 05 May 2005
Posts: 484
Location: Melbourne Australia |
he will take a while to settle in.....Rosellas can be a bit jumpy but once they get used to you they are very friendly....do you know what his fav food is yet......our rosellas used to like corn the best and apple..........you could try hanging his toys on the outside for a few days untill he gets a bit more used to them....if hes in a small cage and they move when he hits them with his tail and stuff they will scare him...... I would not be to worried about the climbing My cockatiel was the same (i put a post on here in the cockatiel section) but he has grown out of it now and climbs very well...hope it all keeps going well keep us posted#####kellie |
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Friday September 9, 2005 3:22 am |
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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
I give him one fruit every day (these days fig, apricot, peach - he adores figs), seed mix (are those tiny round orange seeds what is called "pellet"?), a vitamin mix, the dish of the day which is taken out of our own food (rice, potato, beans…) and a how-do-you-call that rod like thing which you hang from the cage.
I think that most of all he likes my father's home made bread.
I let him out of the cage for two hours today. He hid under the table all the time. Finally I decided to put him back in. I had to chase and catch him and he croaked and bit me.
I'm afraid that he will hate me if I keep on catching him and putting him in.
What should I do?? |
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Friday September 9, 2005 5:29 pm |
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Tabu
Just hatched
Joined: 05 Aug 2005
Posts: 32
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I own an Eastern Rosella, that I adopted after taking care of him when he bit off his feathers. His former owner kept him in a cage with only 3 perches, a bowl of seed and a bowl of water. This type of birds is really energetic, and, at least mine, does need to have other birds in view, or enough entertainment. My vet describes them as extremely difficult. But... mine arrived here without tail or wings, and I started to train him...
http://www.geocities.com/ninah.....amping.jpg
At this moment he steps up with everybody, this afternoon I went for a walk with my sister, her kids and our dogs. Asterix was sitting on a perch or on the arm of one of my nieces, totally at ease. The pic above was taken on a camping weekend. Asterix loves to go with me on my bike, or delivering mail in the villige. He also loves to go in the playground with or without children, and go down from the slide... When he's really happy he loves to sing his little song, or produce some sort of giggling sound. No, I won't have him or any of my parrots doing tricks. I don't like that. I keep my birds for them to feel happy, not for myself to have some exclusive artist at home. Their joy is my pleasure. If I want to see tricks, I go and do some clicker-training with my dog. If I want to cuddle, I take my rabbit. But I love to hear and see my birds interact with each other... |
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Sunday September 18, 2005 9:43 pm |
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Vis_Vitalis
Flutterer
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 164
Location: Greece |
I don't expect my rosella to do tricks (I don't know how to train him to sit on my finger, let alone do tricks!) but I do want to know what is within their abilities and what is not. |
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Sunday September 18, 2005 11:09 pm |
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icy29
Egg
Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Posts: 20
Location: Australia, NSW |
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This is how my friend taught her parrot to perch on her finger i know its a lot but its helpful.
Gently push on the bird's breast right above his legs with your finger or dowel. Either one needs to be placed ABOVE whatever the bird is currently perching on. You want the bird to literally step up.
When the bird starts to step onto your finger, say "Step up" or "up." Either command is fine, but choose only one and say it each time the bird steps up. Consistency is the key - all family members, and you, need to do it the same way every time.
When the bird steps up, praise him and give him a very small treat - something he really likes, but only gets when he obeys a command.
Larger birds may use their beaks to help them step up. Do not pull away if the bird uses his beak on your finger or appears he will bite. This is true for smaller birds as well. He may soon learn you are afraid of that, and then he has you right where he wants you. Do not let the bird think you are afraid of him. Also, he will not want to obey a command to "step up" if he thinks the finger or dowel may be pulled out from underneath him.
As the bird becomes comfortable, take him out of the cage and continue the training in other quiet environments. When away from his cage or territory, he may feel more vulnerable, and pay more attention to you.
"Step down"
When you wish to have the bird step off of your finger or dowel, place whatever you want him to step onto, e.g.; a perch in the bird's cage against his breast above his legs. You will need to use the same technique you use for a "step up"; gently push the bird's breast against the object you want him to step onto. Have the bird face you and step onto the object while you give the command "step down" or "down." Again, either command is fine, just be consistent. When moving from your finger to the object, the bird may actually have to step upwards, but the command should still be "step down," which really means, "move from my finger to what I am showing you."
Hope it helps and another thing research on www.google.com |
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Monday December 12, 2005 7:23 am |
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