Introduction:

We were both lone birds in separate loving homes, but our owners could see that we weren’t as happy as we once were. Through Problem Parrots we were brought together in. our safehouse and we quickly became good friends. We eat, play and snooze, side by side. Like most birds, we have the occasional squabble, but it never lasts long.

Penny – I’m the more confident and outgoing one. You can pick me up and fuss over me as much as you like.

Orville – I’m a bit shy at first and prefer to sit back and watch the world go by. I take time to adjust and won’t step up until I feel ready. I’m not as hands on, but I do love sitting with you for hours, just relaxing together.

History/Background:

Orville – I was with my owner from when I hatched. I do tend to bond more closely with men, but I am happy to be around anyone. When my owners went away on holiday, I began plucking. As their work commitments increased, they noticed I wasn’t as happy. I stayed with my current foster home for a few months. During that time, my plucking improved. I played more and I really benefited from the company of other birds. I returned home for a while but it became clear I needed more attention so my owners made the difficult decision to hand me into Problem Parrots for my well being.

Penny – I was previously with Problem Parrots before being adopted into a loving home, where I thrived for years. More recently my owners noticed I wasn’t quite myself. They sought advice, but something wasn’t right. They realised with heavy hearts that I needed more than they could provide. Being a lone bird can be hard, we really do need companionship.

By luck and fate, we met in our shared home. From day one, we bonded. We occasionally have a little beak to beak disagreement, but they’re short lived. We move freely between each others cages (her toys are better…. and sometimes her food too!) Since we have been in our safehouse, we have moved into the same cage and are doing well. However you are more than welcome to put us in our own homes if you choose to.

We enjoy affection on our terms, kisses and tickles, only when we are in the mood. Give us time and trust and we will continue to grow in confidence. We do step up, although not always on demand!

We enjoy flying round the room, but are equally happy playing in or around our cages and stand. Our safehouse mum has made the stand a fun and enriching place, full of treats and things to chew (and throw at her!)

We also love going out in our buggy. It’s one of our favourite activities! We visit thw lake, the woods, and meet lots of people. We can be a little shy at first, but once settled, we chatter non stop and comment loudly on anything that moves.

Orville – My plucking has reduced significantly since becoming more active and having Pennys company. New feathers are coming through, but I will still need monitoring as I occassionally pull them out. There is no set pattern to my behaviour. A slightly longer dark period at bedtime and dietary changes have also helped.

Training:

We have huge potential and can learn a lot with time,  patience and dedication. We’re both curious and love being involved in whatever you’re doing.

We are learning boundaries, especially around food. We need reminders that we’re not allowed to take food from your plate, but we’re improving and respond well to rewards.

We’ve been doing short training sessions to keep our minds active. With the right approach, we could both be trained to use a harness. However, as we’re quite flighty, this would require lots of indoor training first and a strong bod of trust before venturing outside.

Diet:

Orville – I was previously on a poor seed based diet but I was transitioned to a healthier mix. At first I wasn’t impressed with pellets until Penny showed me that they were worth trying! Now I eat Harrisons Fine pellets with the occasional Tidymix.

Penny – I’m on Harrisons Fine pellets and helped Orville realise they’re food! I also enjoy Tidymix as a healthier treat.

Both of us love pulses, beans and vegetables. especially in chopped form (though we do enjoy throwing them too!) Fruit is less popular, we usually just toss it aside.

Our favourite treat are Lafeber Nutriberries. We will happily step up for one of those! At bedtime, we enjoy cashews, almonds or walnuts. We’re both great eaters and like to have a good meal before settling down for the night.

Enrichment:

We lone to chew. Ideally toys rather than doorframes or furniture (Penny!) Simple things like old books, magazines, plain paper and cardboard keep us just as entertained as expensive toys. We enjoy flying to our stand, which has been turned into a mini play gym. It’s also used for training sessions. We can happily entertain ourselves, either alone or together, and enjoy exploring outside our cages. As we grow more confident, we will spend even more time out and about.

Penny – You’ll often find me under the cage, happily shredding paper and cardboard!

Summary:

We are Penny and Orville, a bonded pair who found each other after both feeling lonely on their own. Since coming together we have become close companions. We eat, sleep and play together. We would be ideal for the first time bird family. We do nip, but not meant with any seriousness. We are not loud birds and we do not continuously shout for attention.

Penny is the more confident and affectionate one, happy to be handled and fussed over, while Orville is a little shy at first and takes time to build trust, but enjoys calm company once settled. Orville has a history of feather plucking, but it is improved with routine, diet and having Penny around.

We’re curious, active birds who enjoy flying, exploring and playing with toys and anything we can chew.

We both respond well to gentle training and have lots of potential with the right time and patience. Our diet is healthy and varied, and we love foraging and trying new things. (even if we sometimes throw them first!)

Together, we’re happiest with companionship, enrichment and attention, and we’re looking for a home that understands our different personalities and can give us the time and care we need.