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Julie White
Flier
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 422
Location: Staines, England |
| Helping Goffey Settle In |
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My Ex Partner recently died and I've adopted his Goffins Cockatoo, I collected him today, he had to be left in my Ex Partners house with people coming in and feeding him for just over a week until we could get a car big enough to fit his cage in.
At the moment he's just been sitting on his perch and looking around him with his big dark eyes and wondering what happened in his world. I thought that I would leave him in his cage tonight and in the morning perhaps start to introduce him gently to his routine. He hasn't had a shower for some time and I think that should be a priority as his feathers are looking a bit dirty, so will start that first thing, then I will feed him and give him some fuss time when he's dried off a little.
I'm trying to start as I mean to go on as he can be a screamer and I think the answer is not to let him become bored, also if he starts to scream I plan to quietly walk out of the room and shut the door and reward him when he is quiet. I have a lot of non toxic wood from a bush I cut down in the garden which I'm going to bake in the oven and disinfect so that he will have plenty so shred and I thought perhaps I could try clicker training when he's settled in a bit.
Does anyone have any idea whether an 18 year old Goffins will respond to clicker training?
If anyone has any ideas how I can help him further please could they let me know. Goffey knows me very well and I'm able to handle him easily, he isn't wingclipped and he can be mischevious at times athough I don't think he's terribly spiteful, I do know he likes to wind people up if he can.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. |
Friday July 11, 2008 11:56 pm |
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Sky Captain
Fledgeling
Joined: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 222
Location: Woodstock, GA |
Patience.
Remember he's lost his best friend.
Lots of patience.
He's not an office ornament but an intelligent companion.
He's just become an adopted child. An orphan.
And now he has to learn to trust you. |
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Tuesday August 5, 2008 11:54 pm |
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Julie White
Flier
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 422
Location: Staines, England |
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Thanks Sky Captain, Goffey is settling in quite well, he was very used to me as I was a frequent visitor and used to handle and fuss him a lot when he lived with Mark. I think he's getting over his loss a little as he is showing signs of wanting to be a little naughty again. Goffey isn't spiteful and he does respond to a firm tone of voice, I like his playfulness and at the moment he isn't screaming very much. When he does start I just quietly leave the room and close the door, when he quietens down again I go back and talk to him and give him a treat. We're both grieving for Mark and it helps me to have the birds and my dog to focus on. I also have a Sennie caled Tim and a Hahns called Mischief, my family is completed by a 13 year old Belgian Shepherd called Aimee. Aimee is very used to the birds and takes no notice of them whatever which means that as long as I'm with her at all times the birds can come out when she's in the room as she takes no notice of them at all.
Thanks again for your reply |
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Wednesday August 6, 2008 9:28 pm |
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Sky Captain
Fledgeling
Joined: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 222
Location: Woodstock, GA |
Oh reward him when he's good with a treat like an almond.
He'll eventually want some cuddle time also.
My Coco bird(A Goffins) is 22.
Her buddy Goffins, Iris, is 31.
Tikki is 28.
So be prepared to have him a long time.
I've had Coco 14 years and Iris 13.
When we got Iris you couldn't touch her.
Now you can't keep her off of you. |
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Wednesday August 6, 2008 10:26 pm |
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homebird
Flier
Joined: 09 Apr 2006
Posts: 502
Location: Toronto, Canada |
I think any animal or bird can still learn. You too have tons to learn about him.
I hope it all goes well. Have you tried taking him out? Can he wear a harness? -or is he clipped?
I recently heard from someone who got an older Amazon the same way. She is having a blast. The bird too. In his case, life was pretty quiet & uninteresting for a long time. Now he's in the center of everything. He was getting too much stimulation so it was suggested he have some quiet times & some barriers around the cage [chewable mat on cage wall beside perch] so he can find privacy.
I hope you are successful with the screaming. I agree that stimulation & exercise will help a lot. Also stimulation come from socialization and new adventures. Right now he's probably thinking - this is already a lot of new stuff!
I look forward to news. |
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Sunday August 10, 2008 6:18 pm |
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Julie White
Flier
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 422
Location: Staines, England |
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Hi Homebird, Goffey likes cuddles, he isn't clipped and I think Mark tried him with a harness but found it difficult to train him to wear it. I used to live with Mark and I know Goffey well which is why I couldn't see him go to a parrot rescue. We got a fright one day when someone left a kitchen door open and Goffey flew outside but he was so humanised that he flew straight back in again. Mark and I got him as a rescue when he was already 10 years old and his ex owners said he was a screamer and they thought he was spiteful. He was definately a screamer but I didn't think he was spiteful. He did try to bully my Hahns Macaw Mischief when I first tried them out of the cage together (I had a towel ready to throw over him if necessary), Mischief just went straight in and nipped his feet a couple of times and the bullying problem was solved, he avoided her like the plague after that. I thought Goffey was playful rather than spiteful, he would try and land on someones head and as he is rather clumsy end up sliding down and trying to grip on somewhere so he would scratch or try to hold onto something with his beak. His body language would give away when he was feeling mischievious, a tilt of his head or the way he looks at you etc. Mark used to let Goffey ride around on his shoulder a lot but I find that it's better if I don't do that and keep him on my arm or sit him on my lap. A stern tone of voice also has an effect when he gets a naughty look in his eye, also time out in the cage. Although Goffey loved Mark I think in some ways he responded to me better and Mark and I used to joke that Goffey liked a strong woman.
It was such a shock when Mark died so suddenly, we had lived together for 18 years and been separated for 10 years, we were still very close and neither of us bothered to find anyone else. We used to go on holiday together still and there was a lot of love between us. We have a 21 year old daughter Chloe together and I have two other children, Lorna and Matthew who loved their Stepfather a great deal. Mark used to come and eat at my place a couple of times a week and if either of us needed something we would be there for each other.
I think that Goffey was definately grieving when he came here, he must have wondered what had happened to his best pal, it's a shame that he can't understand what happened. I will try clicker training with him when I feel that I can give it my best shot, at the moment I'm all over the place emotionally and forget what I'm doing from one moment to the next, so I give him lots of cuddles and talk to him a lot, also Mischief my Hahns and Tim my Sennie. |
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Sunday August 10, 2008 8:47 pm |
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homebird
Flier
Joined: 09 Apr 2006
Posts: 502
Location: Toronto, Canada |
From your story you sound very well adjusted - if you don't mind me saying. YOur relationship with Goffey has been a good one. I really am sorry about Mark [he must have been an exceptional guy] - at least he had all you guys to take care of things - he must be at peace.
How's the screaming going?  - any improvement?
I love Goffins - the head cocked is so sweet.  I laughed when your Mischief taught him a lesson but didn't go too far. 
I hope all goes well in the future & I will look for your postings. Keep us posted. |
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Monday August 11, 2008 2:25 pm |
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Julie White
Flier
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 422
Location: Staines, England |
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Hi Homebird thanks for the support, Mark really loved Goffey and let him do anything he wanted, where he lived there is half a kitchen door because Mark let Goffey chew most of one panel of the door. I'm afraid here Goffey has to learn a few rules although I have baked him some branches off the Forsythia bush that I dug up from my garden so the birds have a good supply of wood to chew. The screaming hasn't been much of a problem, I just quietly walk away when he starts. In a way he's like a baby having a temper tantrum, screaming then listening for a second then screaming again. Coming here has meant that we made a fresh start and I think that half the battle is that he hasn't gotten away with old behaviours here so that when he started screaming it was easy to nip it in the bud.
He was very quiet when he came here and I took advantage of that by talking to him lots when he was quiet and immediately walking away when he started making a noise. I have always been able to handle Goffey well. Goffey doesn't like my son Matt, I think it's because Matt is big (6'5")and loud and when he lived with Mark, Goffey would fly at Matt and try to land on his head, Matt didn't like to be in the room when Goffey was loose, when I handle Goffey he's much better behaved and doesn't try that at all. I think also Goffey liked it when it would wind Matt up and made him yell, he likes drama. There was a time when Goffey tried to land on the side of my glasses when I was wearing them and I instinctively put my arm up and hit him, I didn't mean to do it it was just a split second reaction, luckily Goffey came to no harm and I think it may have taught him a lesson, I would never hit a bird deliberately, also I don't let him on my shoulder. For me he's very cuddly and silly, he loves his feathers preened and today he actually enjoyed his shower for the first time. I used to nag Mark because instead of being a white bird Goffey was a kind of grey colour because he didn't get enough baths, he now looks more like he should. |
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Monday August 11, 2008 9:16 pm |
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homebird
Flier
Joined: 09 Apr 2006
Posts: 502
Location: Toronto, Canada |
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The grey look - I've heard that can happen to Toos. Because they seem to enjoy & actively pursue cuddling they get dirt & oils from our hands onto their feathers. When I look at our drinking glasses sometimes I think "Does no one around here wash their hands!" - but it only takes a few cookies or pieces of chips to make those fingers oily or crumbly.
It will be interesting to see if next year this time he is a better adjusted bird.
We only have small birds. My son was 15 when we got the 1st one & because we were cat people before - he found it hard to adjust to the flying by his head as he walked & he didn't like the nipping or hesitation to do step-up. When we were training Laker to come to us I asked my son to help a bit & at bed-time. For all that he didn't feel comfortable, he really enjoyed the successes. His attitude changed a bit & he was very supportive of the birds who in turn seek him out & call to him. Now he will visit them because he says they cheer him up. He still doesn't want to share his room & will shut them out - they can fly there easily.
The woman with the Amazon was so excited when she gave him some wood to chew & instead of hiding away he sat there & chewed. Seems he wasn't allowed out of his cage before due to his owner being ill & didn't have stuff to chew. Having a new owner must be the most amazing journey for them. My Little Budgie Laker really is a sweet fellow & I think because I am his 3 or 4th home - he knows how much this new life means to him & he is a pleasure to have.
I know what you mean about the accidental hitting - I have done that a few times. But no hard feelings. I think they see they miscalculated - especially if you aren't angry. It is good that they learn some respect. My young Budgie Rio will hang from my bangs if I let him - it isn't much fun for me & I am stopping him.
Are you going to set up some diary pages? - I'd like to see some more photos of Mischief & I forget your Sennie's name.....& Goffey.  |
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Monday August 11, 2008 11:48 pm |
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Julie White
Flier
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 422
Location: Staines, England |
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Hi Homebird, we used to have budgies when I was a child and they were real characters. My son doesn't really like Goffey, I don't think he will change his mind but it isn't a problem as he has a family and three children of his own. The thing is Matt has really short hair and when Goffey tries to land on him he just slides and tries to grab hold of whatever he can on the way down. My sennies name is Tim and he had quite a story as he was wild caught and rescued. It took a very long time to tame him. I put quite a few posts about him on the poicephalus section in the past. The thing is he doesn't like my son either, I just think that Matt is big and loud and they don't like that. The thing is Matt is really good natured and kind and he's really frightened of the birds (although at 6'5" and with the build to match his height he won't admit it ) I think Goffey is just clumsy, he loves to be cuddled and when being stroked on my lap he tends to get really carried away and almost falls over which of course is my fault for making him lose his dignity. It's really funny when he sticks his head down between his legs and balances like a tripod when being stroked. Mischief isn't afraid of anything but she will only let me handle her. I think she was aviary bred and raised and I took pity on her at the place I buy the parrot food about 8/9 years ago. For me she's silly tame and will roll over in my hand and do kisses. She will sit on other peoples knees but won't let them stroke her. Apparently she'd had rickets before I got her. I think she was under a year old when I got her as she didn't have many blue feathers above her nostrils and now the blue goes quite a way over head. I think I would describe her as fiesty. |
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Tuesday August 12, 2008 2:40 am |
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