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Bird choosing someone else

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Bird choosing someone else

Postby birdxbrain » Mon May 23, 2016 9:51 pm

Hi! Recently, my boyfriend came back from college for summer vacation and spent some quality time with my bird (Roman) while I was at school. Problem is: my cockatiel has taken a stronger liking to him than me! I think it has to do with him being a better whistler than I am, and they happily whistle together. My boyfriend isn't really a bird person, but gets along with my bird just like any pet. Roman, however, is practically crankng his neck through the bars to whistle alongside him! The only thing I'm a little sad about is that he was chosen because he can whistle better! Haha, if only I could whistle just as well. It does make me happy that Roman gets better entertainment than he could with me, though.

This isn't really a problem since I'm not particularly jealous (birds will be birds, and at the end of the day I'm still the one taking care of him) but I was just wondering if anyone else has had an experience like this.
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birdxbrain
Parakeet
 
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Re: Bird choosing someone else

Postby liz » Tue May 24, 2016 6:07 am

With 4 women living in the same house I have been moved all up and down the list of importance.

I rescued Rambo. I was the only one in the house that he had ever seen so I was #1.
I got him without a cage so I put him on the dining room table with his stuff. Momma started drinking her morning coffee at the table and she became #1 and moved me to #2. My aunt was fun to pick on so she was #3. One of three of us were always needing help. They were in their 70s and I am auto-immune which puts me down at times. My daughter sold her house and moved in to help. She became #1. Momma was #2, I was #3 and Aunt Betty was moved to #4. Aunt Betty was on the list only because she is a screamer and Rambo liked to scare her and make her scream.
Momma died at 87. Rachel took a job out of state and was only home on weekends. His "Gr'ma" was gone and Rachel did not play with him much. I was #1 during the week but moved back to #2 on weekends. Aunt Betty and her screaming should have kept her low on the list but Rambo needed a "Gr'ma" so he started going to her for attention when Rachel was gone. (This was strange and I had to teach Aunt Betty that he was claiming her and the scares were over.)
When I moved and Rachel was still in NC it all changed again. I am #1, Aunt Betty is #2 (she is easy to hit for food sharing) and Rachel became #3 because she was not with him enough.

I rescued Myrtle and have held the #1 place unless my son is here. Myrtle loved him even before she would allow us to touch. Momma was #2 because she talked softly and shared her food. Aunt Betty was ignored so I guess that puts her at #3 because Rachel was treated like a big sister and she did not like her getting attention. She would bite her if she got too close. Now we live beside each other. I am still #1 with her. My son Charles is here every day and he bumps me to #2 for a few hours each day. Aunt Betty comes in after that and is #3 because she has given up and is now sharing her food with the begging birds. Rachel is #4 and is still being treated like a sister.

I have moved all up and down the line with Rambo but stayed #1 with Myrtle. I don't mind being moved around. As long as they are happy then I am happy. Rambo always calls me Momma and Myrtle calls me Ma.
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Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
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Re: Bird choosing someone else

Postby Pajarita » Wed May 25, 2016 11:00 am

Yes, I have -with more than one bird, as a matter of fact. They choose whom they choose and, in most cases, you can't even tell why. Personally, I don't think it's because your BF whistles better... I think it's most likely something like he resembles the breeder (was the breeder a man?) or that he likes his manner (some birds like people who don't ask them to interact and just enjoy their company while others like people who actively interact, some like quiet people while others like noisy ones, etc.). They go by chemistry, like we do.
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