No changes please!

[Elle]

Blu does NOT like changes! A couple weeks ago I changed the inside of his cage and moved everything. He didn't like it. Bedtime was comming and there was no way he would get into his cage. Instead, he would stand in his door giving me the "who do ou think you are to rearange my house like that" type of look!
I had to cave in and change everything back the way it was in order to put him to bed.
After that insident i was very nervous about getting him a new cage which I really needed to do. His old one was not appropriate, too small.
So Saturday, we went out and got him a big new cage. panick struck the house when I started moving his furniture and toys into his new house. He would fly accross the living screeming, squacking and not impressed.
When the time came to put him in his new age it ws a fight. No way was he going in there! Nevermind there is 10 times the room there was in his old house, he is NOT going in!
After two hours of fighting I got him in. If looks could kill, I'll tell ya, I wouldn't be here typing. After a few days in his new home, he is starting to like it but he won't admit it to us. As you know, with lovies, humans can't be right. I cannot be right that he would like it, I cannot be right that he has more room in there. No way!
With his new cage we ran into a little problem. He has his tinker toy play pen on top of the cage with toys, water and treats. His toys are falling between the bars and I'm forever picking them up at the bottom of the cage. He thinks it's pretty funny and does it on purpose. I think it's his revenge.
last night I put a piece of cardboard under his play pen. Blu was so devastated! He stood at the corner of his cage, refusing to go near it, giving me that head tilted sideway, that sad look and he keeps saying " Pretty Blu, Pretty Blu."
I know taht before the end of the day I will cave in once again and remove the cardboard and start picking his tos fromthe bottomof the cage again. It is a heart breaker the way he looks at me and keeps saying Pretty Blu. :(

Elle

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Poor, poor baby Blu! How painful it will be for him to admit that his momma is right! ;)

Some birds just don't take well to change, you'll find that introducing new items slowly may work better for your bird. If you want to put the cardboard on top of the cage, try putting it next to the cage for a few days where he can see it and get used to it. Let him play with the cardboard during playtime, and let him see the cardboard when he's out of his cage. This might help... or it might not. :roll: Depends on the bird.

I tried this process when I got new cozies for Melody. The new cozies are *identical* to her old one except they are different colors. I showed her a new one, let her play with it outside the cage before bedtime. Then at bedtime I put the cozy in her cage. She wouldn't go near it. I had to wash her old red cozy and throw it in the dryer at 9 o'clock at night for her so she would go to sleep. But the next day she decided that the new cozy was OK. Go figure.

[bellarains]

Hi Elle,

I hate to say it, but Blu may have a point. I'm not sure I would like someone coming in and rearranging my whole house either :lol Seriously, you might try moving just a couple things around at a time if it really freaks him out. You know, move two perches today, a toy or two tomorrow, etc..... If the change is gradual he may be more excepting???? Worth a try.

I'm sure he will be completely adapted to his new mansion soon. More space is always good :D

I had one thought for the cardboard replacement. You could try a piece of plexiglass. This way he could still see his stuff, just not reach it. A little disconcerting maybe, but maybe just not being able to see his stuff or out of the top of the cage upsets him.

Who knows what they are thinking, we just have to cater to them until we figure out what makes them happy :rolleyes:

[linda040899]

I'm going to share something that I've learned with my Abyssinians. They don't like change, either. Once my babies are grown and I need to put them in their own cages, I've discovered the move goes easier if the new cage is the same color as the one they are leaving. I had to do this with Franci about 2 yrs ago and she took to her new, larger home like a duck takes to water. A lot of my commercial cages are white so I just get more white ones!

[Elle]

The cage we got him is white as well. Just like the old one. He seems to start liking his new place. He'll chirp and move around when we're not wartching. Then when we look at him or go near the cage he'll go on his favorite pearch and give you that sad look and a "pretty Blu".
I think he has an ego problem and doesn't like to admit that I might be right. The new cage is much better for him.
we didn't put anything new in his new cage. it's all the old stuff from the old cage. He just doesn't like how I rearanged the cage. we did think of putting plexi glass on top of the cage. We need to find someone who will be able to cut it for us at the store ( they either refuse to do it and want to sell you a whole sheet or charge you an astronomus amount to cut it) and it will have to wait until next week.
Blu is so stubborn it's hilarious. He will go on his tinker toy pen and hang upside down to get at his treats but refuses to step on the cardboard. On the bright side, he is getting a lot of exercise like that! :rofl:
he did get two new feeders withthe new cage. They are very low and it is taking time for him to adapt to that. I respect that and am leaving his old feeders and lowering them every day until he feels comfortable with his new ones. when it comes to that, there is no point in rushing. Dehidrated and starving little birdies are not a good thing.

Elle

[Paulette]

Elle,
I think Blu is milking it for all it's worth and that is so cute. My lovebirds came in a huge cage and I had a brainy idea that I would move them to a similar cage that is a about 3 inches smaller and then put all my parakeets (4)in the big cage together because one pair is in a homemade cage for a rabbit or something. So, I put all of the lovebirds items in the same place they were located in the old cage and they didn't know the difference; the orig. cage was black and the new cage was white; they were identical otherwise. But...the parakeets hated being together and I had to move everybody back. I had put the pouting pair of parakeets in a nice cage, but it has only small doors, only to have more pouting ugly homemade cage that they love. Birds are a hoot!
Paulette

[Elle]

I can't beleive it! I came out of the shower and Blu is standing on his cardboard, happily eating his treats. My first reaction is: "Danny, Danny! Look at Blu!" Danny looks slowly at Blu and says " I know, him and I had a little talk and everything is all right now."
I think I'm a little jealous. It seems that Blu is Danny's baby, not mine. :confused: At least everything is back to normal, and I didn't cave in!

Elle

[Janie]

My lovie does not like ANY changes! If I want to add a toy (which will likely never be touched, :D) I have to introduce it for days before I put it into the cage or on top. He usually runs from anything new. Just like some kids and some adults (me!) who don't like change. :)

[Joanie Noel]

Danny looks slowly at Blu and says, "I know, him and I had a little talk and everything is all right now."

:rofl: That's just too funny.