I think his name was originally pronounced "teeka" but I call him "Tehka" because giving him a name made him feel more like he was really my bird and not someone else's that I was borrowing. It's close enough to the original sound that he made the switch easily. This sound also reminds me of "tech."
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| I'm still not entirely sure he has eyes though... |
When we first took Teka home, he was very quiet. Not scared necessarily, but he mostly ate and slept. Now he is still a pretty quiet bird, but he chirps and climbs around on furniture when he comes out of his cage. He has adjusted to my apartment very well, even though it is his fourth home so far!
I was worried that Teka might not be socializing very well because he seemed like he just wanted to sit on Cooper's cage a lot and didn't want to get on my finger. Now he is happy to explore more places such as the couch and the window (or my breakfast) and he likes sitting on my head or my finger when I take him out of the cage.
He seems to be responding more quickly to "up, up" too, although he still sometimes runs around instead of getting on my finger. I read that you have to wait until birds fluff out and not chase them because they will start feeling like you are a predator. So I keep talking to Teka to make sure he is fluffed up when I'm trying to pick him up. When he does step on my finger I lift him up (which birds like) and tell him he's a good boy. I haven't had to grab him at all for a week now.
I think because Teka is still a baby, he doesn't recognize that "finger perch" means "free taxi ride" like Cooper does, so that's probably why he's nervous. Hopefully he'll continue to get used to being handled by humans as he gets older.
Cooper still isn't the biggest Teka fan, but he tolerates having a bratty little brother, which is good. I was worried that because I have two males, they might fight or have dominance issues. However, Cooper lets Teka come in his cage and climb around and eat out of his dish. He just looks mildly annoyed about it.
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| Teka invades Cooper's cage |
Right now, Cooper is still more affectionate. He'll do stuff like fly to my shoulder and demand to have his head scratched. However, this might be a species difference. Teka definitely is interested in what I'm doing and likes to be talked to. He also likes sitting on my head and chirping. Probably because he feels like he is the highest and most important one of us.
Teka is beginning to imitate Cooper's vocal patterns, including his attention squawk. But he uses it more as a way of talking to himself rather than demanding attention like Cooper does. Overall, Teka isn't bothered when I do stuff in my room or walk around the apartment without paying attention to him. So I can leave him uncovered when I have to cover Cooper.
I'm not sure yet, but I'll probably end up keeping both of the birds because they can be company for each other when I'm gone. Cooper was pretty lonely at my parents' house because when Will is at school there aren't a lot of people to baby him.
I am trying to be a good bird mom.
