2nd-hand Alexandrine
End of the first month in foreverhome.
Age: 1yr 3 months.
Zero intentional biting incidents since Vol. 1.
Zero self-mutilation since Vol. 1.
Food preferences outside a pellet diet:
LIKES: white grapes, apricot, almonds, dried pineapple, fresh banana
NEUTRAL: tomato, raisins, green-leafy veggies, apples
HATES: peanuts, excepting in-shell, which she promptly removes in order to discard the offensive peanut.
TOYS: Celery stalks (beak-floss), carrot perches (compost), romaine cores & cucumbers (mulch). None of the previous are eaten, but are apparently "fun".
Vocalizations:
"Hello" used in context. "How ya doin?" clearly present, and coming along well so far as context is concerned. Practicing "Bobbie Q. Chiquin"--not necessarily intelligible, but the intonation is bang-on, no mistaking it. Not picking up "money" at all despite significant repetition and use of shiny objects for context.
Training:
We're learning to come on command! Still cannot fly, but initiated "come & go" training for a primer. Bobbie took to it like a labrador retriever. Daily flight exercises are toning muscle. Lift is noticeably improving, as is competence--flapping is more deliberate, less panicked. This winter should prove interesting as we've indoor space for beginning flight training.
Notas personales:
Where am I? Well, I've gone and bonded with the bird. Hate to admit it, but some things just happen. Was looking for my wife to make that emotional commitment, but she's never had a bird before. Good thing Alexandrines identify with a flock. My wife and Bobbie are getting on beautifully, but it's obvious who is the favorite (dad). I figure it's for the best on account I've got the confidence, discipline, & determination to pull-off getting Bobbie flight trained.
On my decision to flight train:
It wasn't lightly taken. Bobbie has proven exceptionally receptive to accepting specific territories as "safe". That weighed in very heavily; if she were overly curious or inquisitive, I'd be too worried for her safety outdoors. As it is, when I take her outdoors, she wants her tree-perch, the patio table, myself, or my wife to be close by. She will invariably lean and reach toward that which she wants to be closest to. Perfect!
While outside, Bobbie shows zero interest in other trees, birds, structures or distractions that could lead me to think she might "fly the coop". Anyway, if I were born with wings, I figured I'd want to use them.
So, my promise to Bobbie is that she will get to use hers. Even if only for 50-100 meters at a stretch, she will fly free. That is, presuming the behavior I describe above continues, and her training reaches my comfort level. Having bonded, my comfort level has some hefty requirements.
Will journal again when sufficient progress has been made to make a worthwhile post. Figured someone, somewhere had to chronicle their Alexandrine experience. For being a bird of such historic acclaim, you'd figure it'd be easier to find more info on them!
I'm really loving these progress reports and the way you choose to write them. Very organized and analytical, yet comical! It will definitely help you in the long run in creating a behavioral history to help you with future problems that may develop. Good Job!
Thanks for the updates, it's fun to read these sagas.
I'm curious to know more about proving <<exceptionally receptive to accepting specific territories as "safe".>> Vinnie is doing Okay with his flight training. At one point I had him at almost 4 feet but now he prefers shorter distances. Also, he only comes on command expecting a treat, but I've at least got him to accept a single treat (no nipping) for round-trip flights.
Anyway, once he's fully flighted again I will have to teach him that certain places are off limits, and I appreciate any help I can get in this area.
Thanks for the saga updates, and congratulations on doing such a great job.
Regarding preferences of territories; Bobbie very clearly regards certain space as "hers", more or less. She doesn't behave territorially, but her body language tells that she wants to be one place rather than anyplace else.
When we go walking around the yard (1 acre) she doesn't express interest in perching or wanting to go anywhere but my hand or shoulder. When she sees her perch-tree My newest perch she very obviously leans toward it, expressing a strong desire to go toward it. She doesn't do this for anything besides her cage, her pink monkeys, the patio table, or her tree. Despite numerous shepherd hooks scattered in various places that would provide a good perch, and several trees that would, no doubt, be fun to explore, she hasn't shown interest in any of them. Should I place her on a shepherd hook, she sits stock-still, unmoving but her head. Even though there are shiny sun-catchers and wind chimes within easy reach, she doesn't show any interest in them.
I hope that gives you what you wanted to know. I post these updates on account I found the forum whilst looking for info on Alexandrines. I didn't find much, not even what I consider typical scientific information. I figure relating my experience is as good a way as any to share what I learn with Alexandrine and other parrots' owners. It's also a great way to find out if I'm doing anything tragically wrong.
Chiquin you're right about showing preferences through body language. The more aware one is of their birds body language the better choices you can make in training.
Maybemolly......Phasing out the treats will take time and because Vinnie is clipped it will take longer. If a bird has to fly 20 feet to you than chances are that after a while no treat will be needed. There could be a number of factors for this. The command becomes so ingrained that the flight response becomes automatic, (for Vinnie flight is still a game) and when distance is involved getting to from point A to point B becomes the goal and the treat an afterthought or reinforcement, but not the main objective.
Off Limits.....This can be tricky, so you will need to start now to condition his responses before hand. What I did, was every time Eve landed where he was not supposed to I would pick him up and say off limits right away, no warning or threats, just calm and matter of fact. The other thing you can do is flight train him using the various places you deem appropriate for him to land on. Birds are creatures of habit and will fly to and land on the same spots every time unless scared. So you need to show him and encourage these spots and make them the habitual landing spot. For particular difficult spots that he will not stay away from.....find something that he is slightly afraid of and put it on that spot. This will not only stop him from landing there, but it will and more importantly break the habit of landing there.
Chiquin: Great of you to chronicle your experiences. I understand about not being able to find much information; I'm trying to do something similar with my experiences as a Vasa Servant: put the information out there!
Haha okay I'll try this. It seems Vinnie is finding more and more things to be afraid of : his scale, a book on Celtic Myths, and the remote control, among others. Now he cries more at the sight of his scale than the harness And this is a fairly new development; he had no problem with the Vet's scale, and I've even weighed him before with this one, but recently he is suddenly absolutely terrified of it.
The one place I want most for him to avoid right now is the floor! Or at least learn to ask permission....
Vol. 2; Saga of Bobbie Q. 07/23-08/08
And this is a fairly new development; he had no problem with the Vet's scale, and I've even weighed him before with this one, but recently he is suddenly absolutely terrified of it. 
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