Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:49 pm Post subject: Thinking of getting a kakariki :)
Hi,
I am thinking of getting a kakariki for a pet. Is a handfed bird my best bet? I have a parent-raised bourkes, and he's real sweet. He whistles tunes and picks fuzz off the socks on my feet.
ok so I got carried away with the rhyming.
Anyway, I was just wondering if there's an advantage to handfeds for kakariki personalty-wise, taming, etc. It wasn't very hard taming my bourkes, but he was young.
Second, are their calls louder than a cockatiel?
There's one at a local pet shop, who's previous owner didn't want him. The petstore person *said* it's been there 5 months, used to talk and be finger tame, but now it isn't - it flops around the cage when they try to put their hands in, and has stopped talking. Since I try not to be so silly as to believe what they say, I'm thinking it's most likely parent raised, and not used to ppl. I didn't see if he had a band...foo. Should I hold out for a handfed, or 'rescue' this guy from the small cage in the petstore? I'm not sure how old he is, they said previous owner said 2 years but...who knows.
They seem to be hard to find here (Oregon, US)... if anyone knows a breeder here please let me know. (If I decide to get one, I don't want one shipped - my quirk)
Kakariki are relatively easy to tame. See some of the threads about taming. Hand reared is probably better though, makes taming a little easier.
By all means rescue the one at the pet shop.
IMO kakariki are quieter than a cockatiel. They sound very different and it really comes down to personal preference as to which bird sounds noiier than the other. I think in pure volume terms cockatiels are louder and usually tend to call more and for longer periods than the average kakariki.
Search the threads for info and fire away with your questions.
P S Kakariki are very active and entertaining birds, quite a bit different from tiels. I have heard a kakariki speak before but they are not really known for any great talking or whistling ability. If you want a talker get something else. Cockatiels probably have more talking talent than kakariki.
Personally. after having a Sulphur crested that knew 200,000 of the 250, 000 english words plus telephone cars starting up...I would never have another talking bird.
I look at it this way...everyone dreams of having a talking bird, but when u say to them "our cat/dog, u come home from work and before u walk in the door it says "hello" "feed me" telephone rings, then the door bell" u realy want that? for the next 15 /20 yrs?
Kakariki by nature are not pets...more co habit...like a very good friend, and are not dependant on the companionship and pull feather when u go on holiday....or working 12 16 hr days straight thru
they are a lot of fun.
There is not one post here where ppl have been disapointed, either aviary reared or hand reared.
Rescue him...look around for a m8.
Check the members list, and countries. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Oh, I don't care if he talks. I just think he's cute! :) I love the coloring of his beak, and his little black feet. I did see a handfed kak at a bird show quite awhile ago, but didn't get him because I hadn't read up on them yet. But I wish the petstore would have, and supplied a larger cage. I think they only feed him seed, too. I feel sorry for the little guy. If he's still there I think I'll get him. Maybe with patience, he'll get used to me and not be afraid. If not, at least he's not in that pet store :p I'd probably rescue alot of birds if I was a millionaire and had the room...ah well. I guess they'd make alot of money off me and my soft heart. hmph. They have a cute blue quaker too, but, my hubby wouldn't like his noise level for sure!
Thanks for the advise, and this website!! I'm learning alot! :)
Go to the pet shop...tell them its a poorly raised birds wrong diet etc
As the age and real condition is alao unknown
....knock the price right down
Getting a bird like this...keep in the back of your mind...it could get sick at any time....on the other hand you could get lucky.
If he gets sick...you will know its not u, and at least for its last period of its life it was well cared for and happy.
There are several others here who have 'picked up ' bad birds without knowing and neen dissapointed, ay least you have done your homework and background stuff. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Well I got him :) He has already sampled some fruits/veggies, and scratched around like a chicken for seed in his scratch box. I compared him to the pics in the gallery, and he looks like a hybrid - That's ok tho, I didn't plan on breeding him. I'll post a pic in a day or two when he's up for some paparazzi...so you can let me know if my guess is right or not.
I told the pet store about your site, and because I doubted they'd take the time to look it up, I let them know how they should be kept, and asked if another comes their way to please at least care for it properly. I hope it made some difference, who knows. I really was in a pickle...on the one hand, I really didn't want to give them any money to help keep them in business. The kak isn't the only animal I noticed that wasn't being cared for properly Places like this don't care about anything but $ So what's new. But on the other hand, I couldn't just leave him there. They wouldn't budge on the price either, even tho I pointed out he was wild, and even a breeder wouldn't want him because he's a hybrid (I didn't know that for sure). Oh well.
Anyway, he's here, and thanks for the encouragement. Steps I hear what you're saying, and yeah...at least he'll be better off from this point on. Maybe we'll both get lucky and he'll be OK for awhile at least, and as happy as a bird can be inside a house
Attitude in pet shops and computer shops are just the same in most cases..
No knowledge or really care in too many cases.
(Im in IT) When bored I can be a real **** and go have some fun at these places .
I dont let on thay I know anything, but know what questions to ask then get them in real mess.
Sounds like u tend to be the same... _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Hmm...maybe ppl tend to like birds whose personality is similar to theirs...
I kinda got thrown into network admin type stuff at a nonprofit I used to work for...my hat's off to you for doing that job! I found myself waaay too much for my constitution. By the end of my stay they'd grown to needing someone with programming skills and certifications, so it worked out ok for everyone. :)
The little guy slept peacefully thru the night - hasn't woken yet but it's still dark right now. He was really tuckered out - it's no wonder, since he slipped outta the guy's hands and had quite a time running around the store, under their shelves, and hopping down the aisles. And this after them telling me he was 'fine away from his cage, sits on your finger' (as he was trying to bite them thru the bars)! pffffftttt. I'd bite too if I were him. I just hope the commotion didn't stress him too much, I doubt he's been out of that cage for the 5 months they had him, and who knows before that.
Thanks re the Admin...a post way back in the members will tell u a bit of the background and history of the site
Looks like u have your work cut with the Kakariki...Going from me taming down a wild out of the bush many yrs ago, about a month to 6 weeks.
Slow easy, let him come to u..the secret, give him a good reason to. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Well he seems to be adjusting pretty well! Yesterday evening he lunged at me, and made a sort of laughing sound, pinning his pupils. I talked to him and just ignored it. Tonight I held a small piece of apple in my fingers up thru the bars, and he lunged and ripped it away from me, but didn't run away with it, just sat there eating it. By the 4th piece, he was taking them gently, even small crumbs I left on my finger to see if he actually wanted to bite - he didn't, or he certainly could have! I think he's pretty brave for a little bird, my bourkes wasn't so brave after 2 days, he was still flattening all his feathers and sitting as far away as he could from me with those big round bourkes eyes
Is that laughing sound made for a particular reason...like for aggression, or an all-purpose kind of thing? He's made it while lunging, to a toy bell, and sometimes just sitting on his perch...so I'm confused.
Is that laughing sound made for a particular reason...like for aggression, or an all-purpose kind of thing? He's made it while lunging, to a toy bell, and sometimes just sitting on his perch...so I'm confused.
As u spend more time with him u will learn to understand their language, and they yours....my wife talks to the birds in the aviary, tells them off all sorts of stuff...and they understand!!!
It is difficult to translate the sutiies of each sound, thu some are distinct.
Also what complicates things is your bird is not a Kiwi (New Zealander) and will have an American accent. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
LOL it is just there sound.........I find my boy uses it more as an excited type of thing as he will do it when i come home or when i let him oout for a play.....they make lovely noises they also make like a phone type of noise....... congats on your new guy.....they are pretty easy going guys and will do just about anything for food LOL
He's *very* territorial of his cage, and viciously attacks even when I approach the cage. I tried the 'beak tapping' technique, but it only works if my hand is outside of his cage, where he knows he can't clomp onto anything, so he'll kinda calm down after awhile and accept treats. He tries to use his feet to pull my finger thru the bars to bite them. I must use gloves when feeding or he will jump on my hand, clamp down on my skin, and flog me with his wings (reminds me of a really mean rooster my Granny had, that would attack anyone who walked in the yard). I literally have to pry him off my hand/glove. If I tap his beak in the cage - he'll go off for a second, then turn and jump back on twice as mean.
Once outside of his cage, he'll sometimes attack my hands if I'm sitting on the floor. Otherwise, he runs if I move, then finds some object to sit next to and shows it his beautiful beak.
I haven't thought of a name yet, but at this point, Sid Vicious or Vlad the Impaler are top contenders :) I'm hoping he'll calm down after awhile, but I'm not holding my breath.
There is a thin line between him thinking it is a game or reacting to teasing, and 'discipline' That line is defined by the point as to who 'wins' the encounter and who is the dominate party.
If he plays, a nip, fine...play back with him.
If he bites, react so as to slightly more than he does, hurt back.
I mentioned in an old thread regarding our Sulphur Crested on a similar issue, I would pick up a wing and bite that, he soon learnt how hard he could nip me and getaway with it. Kakariki being smaller and different in nature, this is not practical. Hence a tap on the break, or hold it and give it a good shake, only when he bites, not nips. Or a flick on the top of his wing.
If u watch a flock of Kakariki settling down for the night u will observe similar establishment of pecking orders within the flock.
I have never been a fan of gloves, even with larger parrots. Pain this relative, even if blood is drawn, there are things like bashing a thumb with a hammer that are FAR worse.
When we are mobbed in a flight, they will nip a small mole on my neck, or an ear, I brush them aside without any other reaction that lets them know they hurt me....enough to let them know its me at the top of the pecking order. It doesn't take long for them to settle down to a nibble. _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
That made me laugh - when I was 4 or 5, we got a poodle, who turns out didn't like kids. One day it bit me in the thumb, so I bit it back on the ear. My mom gave the dog to my granny, and we got another poodle who ran away all the time. Bad luck with poodles. Poodle is a funny word.
Well when I approach his cage, he'll throw himself against the cage, jump up and down, put his foot thru the bars, with his eyes pinned and feathers on his head all ruffed up....he reminds me of a punker in a mosh pit. I'd have to bite him pretty hard for it to be harder than his bite, which draws blood. A quick bite and run away wouldn't bother me, but sinking his beak into my flesh and hanging on like a pit bull is another. If I were into piercings and body mods, we'd be a perfect match. I tend to avoid bashing my thumbs with hammers whenever possible too :D Easy to give his beak a shake tho, as it's attached to my hand and I'm shaking him trying to get him to disengage his clamp. His wings were clipped when I got him, and I intend to let them grow in, but I may be in for an Alfred Hitchcock scene if I don't figure this out before then....
My granny's advise for that rooster was to get a willow switch and let him have it. I was 8, so spanking this chicken was pretty funny. And it worked very well. The rooster never bothered anyone again. But again, not practical for a kak. Maybe I should have rescued a chicken!
"Now remember, things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is. "
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I feel sorry for the little guy. If he's still there I think I'll get him. Maybe with patience, he'll get used to me and not be afraid. If not, at least he's not in that pet store :p I'd probably rescue alot of birds if I was a millionaire and had the room...ah well. I guess they'd make alot of money off me and my soft heart. hmph. They have a cute blue quaker too, but, my hubby wouldn't like his noise level for sure!
But on the other hand, I couldn't just leave him there. They wouldn't budge on the price either, even tho I pointed out he was wild, and even a breeder wouldn't want him because he's a hybrid (I didn't know that for sure). Oh well.
.
And this after them telling me he was 'fine away from his cage, sits on your finger' (as he was trying to bite them thru the bars)! pffffftttt. 
I'd bite too if I were him. I just hope the commotion didn't stress him too much, I doubt he's been out of that cage for the 5 months they had him, and who knows before that.
