Birdie's cage is in our back room. He doesn't come out because of the dogs and he's too hard to get back in his cage. I've often wondered whether he would be better off with either a mate or with other people who can spend more time with him. We both work full time.
OK...Blunt and honest
Reading betten the lines....
You have got the bird, fallen in love with it, but over time, no matter how you feel about it, it doesnt quite fit into your lifestyle?
And you feel bad about it?
Dont....
I just wish more people where more honest about it like you...(asuming I right?)
Its not just birds, but dogs cats cars...not much you can do about the kids thu .....unless you move to some African country, where you can sell them....easdier to wait for them to leave home.
Quote:
I've often wondered whether he would be better off
That is right attitude, thinking about the pet 1st.
You know how you got into the pediciment, dont pass onto people who u may feel are doing the same thing.
Check out the local bird clubs and find some one with birds...even for free...think of the 'money loss' as punshment for a wrong call with all good intentions
"better off" if one really cares, they make sure of that.
OR...be alpha dog, and as alpha dog, its not difficult to get them or any other pet that things are off limits, and even be friends.
Takes bit of persitance.
Our cat used to be a very effective hunter...blue russian....
We had a bird in a cage on a low table, she could not touch the cage...
After a couple days we could go out and leave them
The cat learnt all out flights where off limits.
Now we have a house parrot, out 27/7 they pretend each other dosent exist, even when inches away from each other....The birds in the avaies dot take any notice of her....BUT ANY other cat or dog, theres warning sounds all around..even the thrushes etc in the gardens take notice.
A parrell, when ppl have children one has to teach ones cats and dogs the new baby is not a good place to sleep, and not a fluffy toy to play with.
Yes it means more work, but when you achieve such a situation as above, it is very rewarding to sit back and watch. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Steps, please, could you elaborate more on how you trained the kitty on not to touch any bird?
I'm interested about it, been thinking of a small terrier dog or a cat to help control pests, and also to keep away other cats or the occasional fox or other prey animal.
Before traiing any animal, one hast to be the Alpha male.
The animal hast to learn what a forceful "no" is and as alpha male by instinct no is no.
So once the bird is around, be in a cage or on a perch, yopu let them approach, the 1st thing they have is curiousty, accessing the danger
Watch the body languge , just as curoisoty changes to aggression, lightlu hold the animal (rem you are alpha male) and talk quietly about the bird.
As they move forward its another "no"
Another eample is stopping the cat jumping on the car..
cats on the car, pick it up nicely and stand close to the car, it will want to jump on, you hold back in your arms with a no....stay there till it realises it cant jump on the car, and wants to jump to the ground.
3 to 4 times over a couple days and it will not jump on thecar again.
Terriers...each breed of dog has been breed for certain aspects or high lighte instincts...terriers..including greyhounds where breed for hunting furry things...rat catchers. Even a old lap terrier, see a rat and it turns into a killing machine....choose your dog carefully.
A wild cat, the instict is food ....that is a big instinct to over come, a well feed cat is to play...with teeth and claws...that can be trained vey esay into co habitation, and even freinds and companions.
Once the cat/dog understands the rules of the alhpa male, it will often become very defensive of the birds towards other animals...even attacking them, and if the alpha male encourages and rewards such behavour , its very happy about that..
you know you are alpha male when having dinner in front of TV, u put your plate down, it moves towards the plate, you just as "no" and walk out of the room.
When finished dinner, can put the plate down and say "yes" and only then they will get into it....
Age of the cat doesnt seem to matter, the breed can, many breeds have intincts so breed out of them all they are good for is show, and get beat up by the local cats....personally I like the Russian blue, not a cuddly cat...and full of natural instincts to work with...and rule the roost with the neigbour hood cats....very territorial....
Foxes..we dont have then here, so I have no experiance in this area. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
yet another master class on taming. Must raise my hat.
About foxes, they are mostly rare near cities in the area I live, but since there are forests nearby and some meadows here and there they venture out in the night.
Sometimes I think maybe it's not foxes but some astray dog or most probably astray cat wandering around the high grass.
When I was living in Belgium it was forest area all around where I lived in the outskirts of Brussels, and I could see many nights a beautiful fox wandering around. A couple of times I heard a hissing cat and when I looked through the window it was 1 or 2 cats driving away the fox. Surprisingly for me the fox didn't fight back. He was standing but eventually turned around.
They are something like a furry chihuahua with a long furry tail, very funny.
About the Terrier dog, it was a good colleague from USA, Rick Solis, who told me he adopted a terrier-type dog and has proved to be an excellent guardian for the birds and very intelligent. That's why I thought about a terrier-type.
Russian blues, I take note and will give it a look. The problem is, I don't live where the birds are so maybe it's a bit of an issue to educate the cat, that's why I was partial for the dog.
I have even heard of people using geese, which have a hell of an attitude, but also make a hell of a noise especially at dawn (lived in Belgium next to a small water-park with fowl and ducks in there). And I don't think my grandpa will be especially happy about duck droppings all around the place.
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.....unless you move to some African country, where you can sell them....easdier to wait for them to leave home.
