Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 3:22 am Post subject: Help with Kakariki eating EVERYTHING
Hi there,
I've had my kakariki for 8 months now and his personality is really starting to come out. He's getting more confident and is running about the living room floor when he's out and about. We do have a small box we 'hide' food in for him but he is constantly combing the carpet for tidbits.
He seems to chew on EVERYTHING: shoe laces, the rubber stops on the bottom of the clothes drier, paper, (the living room also doubles as my study area), my pants on the drier (which the boyfriend finds hilarious). He also seems very fond of finding metal bulldog clips or chewing on my key chains.
My question is: how far do we let him explore before we step in as parents? He has learnt if I say "No!" that's not allowed (like chewing power cables or the indoor plants). Also we're considering uping his portions so he's not as hungry during playtime and to avoid him possibly eating something that's not good for him
As I type he is currently wrestling with a bulldog clip that fell off my desk.
hi there and
In all fairness they are extremely inquisitive by nature and no amount of training will stop their enthusiasm to find new things of interest.. However be mindful of any household dangers ie toxic plants and chipped paint..
they are also not destructive either but if he is indeed a SHE then that could explain the intense nibbling..for nesting material..
so if ur is definately a HE then maybe you could make a few points of interest like toys..untreated leather with pine wooden shapes tied ,maybe hide a few seeds inside to wrestle with..
above all have fun..as he is!
best wishes ,
Looby
You can spray him wet with water if he dowing something wrong.
And play with him . Some kaka's love the special the color red or give him a little bit appel or orange with your hand.
WARNING : WATCH OUT FOR DANGERS IN HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!! Even doors or windows, hot pans, buckets and your own feet, plants etc, etc.
They are like little children when they are tame.
P.s. do not give more food, they only eating than what they like sunflowers.
They going to be fat
in my case... I don't keep them as pets, but whenever I go into the aviary I have a flock of kakariki biting my shoes, trousers, etc...
I usually bring along with me a notebook and a pen, to take notes about the birds, etc... as well as a video camera. I have to keep everything out of their reach, because in 0.5 seconds a few kakariki are already using it as a toy.
Many times I try to scare them off so they stop destroying my shoes, but in 0.5 seconds they return to keep on playing.
In fact I think they find it even funnier, like a "can't catch me" game.
Quote:
Also we're considering uping his portions so he's not as hungry during playtime and to avoid him possibly eating something that's not good for him Sad
In fact, if possible reduce the portions, and do as Peter suggests, use food treats as a positive reinforcement (you can also consider clicker training).
My kakariki have full tummies when they come attack me, they do it for fun, not to eat. In fact more often than not, they ignore millet spray and they go straight to play with my shoes.
Read this...
how not to tame your kakariki
bit tounge in cheek, but u will get the idea
http://www.kakariki.net/ftopict-209.html _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
when I saw that pic for the first time 2-3 yrs ago I thought "this guy is a phony, those kikes are handfed or something like that"
Now I must kick myself in the teeth for saying that. Those kikes are "wild-aviary-raised" kikes, just like mine.
I heard of other people saying similar stories about tame aviary raised cockatiels, etc... never believed them. But... they were right. They can be actually tame.
And Steps should upload more videos of Bob, his king parrot kept at home. Another "wild" aviary-raised bird.
Those red birds are simply awesome, extremely beautiful. One day I would love to keep a pair.
Dont have a video camera....or even a cell phone...
All the parrots in my album...except Bob sub album are avairy raised and the big parrots are 3 to 5 yrs old before any taming .. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
OH yeah teflon....
Run a word search for it ....u will not use teflon pans even without birds around _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Dont have a video camera....or even a cell phone...
All the parrots in my album...except Bob sub album are avairy raised and the big parrots are 3 to 5 yrs old before any taming ..
Stop buying fancy parts for your hot rod and buy a US $100 digital like mine, so you can shoot the vids (it's a Canon is590)
It's a photo-camera but can shoot 640x480 vids of decent quality.
Cellphones s*ck
OH yeah teflon....
Run a word search for it ....u will not use teflon pans even without birds around
I did catch a post about teflon and am currently lobbying my boyfriend to throw out our electric wok. We have steel pots so the wok only comes out when we need to cook a large portion of something. Or, indeed, a stir fry.
Thank you to all who have posted advice :) We have been enticing him out by placing apple on our knees (he's still a bit cautious) and some seed which has been great fun! His diet has also been slightly expanded to include some more veg. Although he loves lettuce a lot.
@Looby - oh dear we've always assumed he was a he! We're not interested in breeding so we're not too fussed. He has got a broad beak so we assumed he was male?
Have (hopefully!) attached a photo of him reading the paper. He does like keeping up with current events :)
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