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Post by percy on Oct 30, 2010 11:47:57 GMT 10
I have a gorgeous little 3 month old green cheek who's been with me for about 6 weeks. She lovely, well behaved, likes to come to me and be with me, trouble is when my husband is around she wants to be with him.  We're careful to keep them apart and he doesn't feed her or care for her at all, but if we're sitting at the table together she'll often leave me and try and get up to his shoulder to preen him and nuzzle his neck. He has a bird of his own so he doesn't want another. I do lots of things with her like training and playing with toys and of course general care for her. I'm wondering if this desire for a male will always be there and whether it will increase as she becomes sexually mature. I have a male friend who was thinking of getting a green cheek - should I just accept the situation and let them meet and see if they like each other? She likes me but she wants a man. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated. |
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Post by vankarhi on Oct 30, 2010 14:18:04 GMT 10
I have never owned a GCC but they are very cute little birdies ;D
At 3 months of age she is still a baby and not really looking for a "mate in your husband". Sometimes birds will just pick a fav person in the family. I understand how you feel.........but I probably also am of the thinking that "well if sometimes she wants to be with him that is ok ....... when he is not around I will have her out with me" ;D
You may well find that when she matures she might want his company.........but she might not. I would just make sure you handle her as much as possible when he is not around and you do all the cleaning and training and treat giving to her and make sure he DOES NOT. I would possibly leave her in her cage when he is around??? Or put her somewhere else???
It is like other animals too........they choose who their fav people are and sometimes it might not actually be "us" ;D
I had a galah who as it turns out was a hen.......and as much as she loved me........if there was a human male........any human male.......she was not fussy as long as it was "male" lol ;D .......... she would fan her tail and bob around, swinging her head and making her cute little noise and then try to climb up onto them and preen the hair on their faces ....... she was a real "flirt" but only with males lol (how she knew the difference I will never know).........and I just dealt with it because I knew when they were not around........she was my girl ;D
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Post by lolwutburds on Oct 30, 2010 14:32:41 GMT 10
I had the same problem with our Green Cheek when he was young. He was bought to be Luke's bird but we both wanted to be able to handle him. Squibly HATED me at first. He'd play games with Luke and be snuggly and sweet.. then turn around and bite me. After about a year and a half, he realised I wasn't the devil and now a few years later he prefers to be with me, but will go to anyone.
I think it's all about sticking with it and making a commitment. Too often you see people saying, 'This bird doesn't like me, I'm going to get another one..' but all it takes is a bit of research and work to have a perfect bird. They are still 'wild' in the great scheme of things, nowhere near as domesticated as a dog and need to be approached in a different way. Build trust with the bird, and you will have a bird that will do stuff because he wants to, not because he is forced to.
In the end, your bird will change so much over the years that how they act at a few months old shouldn't be the reason to give up on her.
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Post by asharee on Oct 30, 2010 14:45:34 GMT 10
my GCC hates anyone, but me. im not sure why, or anything, but i love him to bits!
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Post by percy on Oct 31, 2010 14:07:44 GMT 10
Thank you all so much for your thoughts. It's put the situation into more perspective for me. I feel more comfortable about it, now I'm keeping in mind her young age, that what's the harm in her flirting with hubby occasionally, that she clearly loves me and comes to me for everything else (!), and even to remove her from the situation if she's getting too flirty. She's a darling little bird and I'd miss her funny ways terribly if she wasn't here. I suppose I didn't want to push her into being in a same sex relationship with me when she'd prefer a guy!!
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Post by Laraine on Nov 1, 2010 9:45:10 GMT 10
I've got a handraised Red Rump that hates me but loves men. Every time I put my hand in the cage to feed them she jumps on my hand and bites me. But a man can put his hand in and she doesn't attack. Lol.
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Post by vankarhi on Nov 1, 2010 12:05:56 GMT 10
they can be funny hey Laraine ;D
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Ollie at 8 1/2 months. 
Rosie at 3 months.