enjoying a hot summer day

[IAmAMirage]

@IAmMirage
Regarding being touched, or sitting on humans that move, my Taco also doesn't mind. (But I also have to say, I trained him quite a lot to getting used to touch, just so I can easily check his pores (check them regularly, never had to clean them), and likely also could trim nails if necessary (never done that).) I can touch every part of his body, also pick up his feet gently and set them down again.

Had birds when I was younger - can imagine that...
Our household is of the very quiet one (two introvert adults, everything either with headphones or very low volume, no other pets or at least no pets that make noises). Taco also doesn't mind noise nowadays, but it makes him usually curious. From the window, he can sometimes see marching bands (many schools here have them and they practice before holidays and also seem to have competitions), and there is a military recinto right across the street and from our 13th floor apartment we can look directly into it, there are often soldiers marching and singing, and military vehicles including tanks moved around (but shooting training they do somewhere else as that's in a residential area here). Such things, of course, also have a visual/ movement component, that attracts him, too.

Thats cool! Its awesome he's so well acclimated!

 

[xp29]

Interesting! Mirage almost never reacts to sound. I know he hears it but he only ever gives a reaction if its something that interests him. He's heard helicopters and never been afraid of them. My dad is currently renovating the bathroom and Mirage hears all the tool sounds but never gets nervous or tries to hide. He truly is very chill. Almost nothing bothers him. Though I could probably credit that to the fact that my family owns four Caiques (Two white bellied and two black headed) that are always screaming. And I mean ALWAYS. He also seems to have no reaction to when you mess with him. Just today my younger sister had him laying on her chest and she was making him "dance" picking him up and wiggling him around a bit. (nothing that could harm him) he absolutly did not care and let her do this for about 45 minutes. Mirage really is a special little dude!

p.s. It's confirmed! Mirage is a boy! I know that beardies are often misgendered so I decided to confirm!

My girlfriend used to do that with the ferrets, she would make them belly dance, it was hilarious

 

[xp29]

@IAmMirage
Regarding being touched, or sitting on humans that move, my Taco also doesn't mind. (But I also have to say, I trained him quite a lot to getting used to touch, just so I can easily check his pores (check them regularly, never had to clean them), and likely also could trim nails if necessary (never done that).) I can touch every part of his body, also pick up his feet gently and set them down again.

Had birds when I was younger - can imagine that...
Our household is of the very quiet one (two introvert adults, everything either with headphones or very low volume, no other pets or at least no pets that make noises). Taco also doesn't mind noise nowadays, but it makes him usually curious. From the window, he can sometimes see marching bands (many schools here have them and they practice before holidays and also seem to have competitions), and there is a military recinto right across the street and from our 13th floor apartment we can look directly into it, there are often soldiers marching and singing, and military vehicles including tanks moved around (but shooting training they do somewhere else as that's in a residential area here). Such things, of course, also have a visual/ movement component, that attracts him, too.

All of mine have been ok being handled, although if you tickle the base of their tail, they'll kick ya lol. Ruby will actually come towards you to be picked up. Zsa Zsa is ok being touched after she figures out she can't eat ya lol. It truely is a challenge to get past her mouth to even pick her up. It can be vexing, she is big enough now that her bites do hurt.

 

[ChileanTaco]

It can be vexing, she is big enough now that her bites do hurt.

Was never bitten by Taco (he also never attempted so), but I could imagine how hard he could bite (or actually can bite, his food) just by viewing him eating.

 

[xp29]

Was never bitten by Taco (he also never attempted so), but I could imagine how hard he could bite (or actually can bite, his food) just by viewing him eating.

I thought that also, Sinatra bit me really hard when he was just nine months old, cut the side of my thumb down. I startled him in his sleep, completely my fault. I thought well that's how hard they can bite. Then Zen bit me while we were doing cpr on him when he aspirated. He was four years old. I only thought I knew how hard they could bite. I was wrong. I've heard of them breaking their own jaws with bite force, after Zens bite I'm inclined to believe it. The difference is the teeth vs the ridge plate. Their teeth are relatively small. They can hurt you with them but nothing to serious, the ridge plate can send you for stitches.

 

[ChileanTaco]

The difference is the teeth vs the ridge plate. Their teeth are relatively small. They can hurt you with them but nothing to serious, the ridge plate can send you for stitches.

Had also thought of the ridge plate, from experience with other reptiles.
(I also see no fault in an animal biting or otherwise reacting averse when startled in sleep. Also not when some medical things must be done. That's scary for them, but must be done, and even many humans would react kind of weird. For Taco, luckily none of that was necessary yet. But I'd gotten a couple of bites or bad scratches from other animals in somewhat similar situations.)

There is one food I feed Taco from a spoon: tuna (the cactus fruit, not the fish!). Putting it on a dish makes a big mess, so from a spoon. I got him a sturdy wooden spoon as he's after nothing so much than tuna, not even insects.
Seeing the tuna, he suddenly really expands like in preparation for a big meal, goes after the tuna - can't describe it differently -, and then he would try to rip the spoon out of your hands.
My husband didn't really believe me when I said the wooden spoon is necessary, no metal as Taco is really biting down so hard on it he might hurt himself, and he would easily break a plastic spoon, even one made for feeding babies. He then tried it, giving Taco some tuna with the wooden spoon - and said that wow, this animal has a lot of power, suddenly turns into a food monster and if he could, he would have eaten the spoon, too
It is the only food he has taken always and quite immediately so far when offered. With insects it is, sometimes he takes them immediately, sometimes he just looks, licks and is happy with me putting them into the bowl for him to eat later, or he isn't taking them at all that day. He's eating really well, but just not food-motivated and tuna is really the only "I must have it now!" food for him.

 

[xp29]

Had also thought of the ridge plate, from experience with other reptiles.
(I also see no fault in an animal biting or otherwise reacting averse when startled in sleep. Also not when some medical things must be done. That's scary for them, but must be done, and even many humans would react kind of weird. For Taco, luckily none of that was necessary yet. But I'd gotten a couple of bites or bad scratches from other animals in somewhat similar situations.)

There is one food I feed Taco from a spoon: tuna (the cactus fruit, not the fish!). Putting it on a dish makes a big mess, so from a spoon. I got him a sturdy wooden spoon as he's after nothing so much than tuna, not even insects.
Seeing the tuna, he suddenly really expands like in preparation for a big meal, goes after the tuna - can't describe it differently -, and then he would try to rip the spoon out of your hands.
My husband didn't really believe me when I said the wooden spoon is necessary, no metal as Taco is really biting down so hard on it he might hurt himself, and he would easily break a plastic spoon, even one made for feeding babies. He than tried it, giving Taco some tuna with the wooden spoon - and said that wow, this animal has a lot of power, suddenly turns into a food monster and if he could, he would have eaten the spoon, too
It is the only food he has taken always and quite immediately so far when offered. With insects it is, sometimes he takes them immediately, sometimes he just looks, licks and is happy with me putting them into the bowl for him to eat later, or he isn't taking them at all that day. He's eating really well, but just not food-motivated and tuna is really the only "I must have it now!" food for him.

Most every pets I ever had, had a favorite food. It's good you found his. The wooden spoon is the best solution sounds like he'd break his teeth otherwise.

 

[IAmAMirage]

Zsa Zsa is ok being touched after she figures out she can't eat ya lol. It truely is a challenge to get past her mouth to even pick her up. It can be vexing, she is big enough now that her bites do hurt.

I've only ever been bitten by Mirage once. I had (foolishly and without realizing) painted my nails the same color as hornworms. He took one look at my fingers and.... Chomp. Wasn't a bad bite though. A little blood, but nothing some styptic powder and a band-aid can't fix.

 

[IAmAMirage]

Most every pets I ever had, had a favorite food. It's good you found his. The wooden spoon is the best solution sounds like he'd break his teeth otherwise.

Is it weird that Mirage detests fruit? He absolutely refuses to eat any fruit. However...he does really love corn and parsnips. He doesn't necessarily have a favorite food though, or at least not that I've found.

 

[IAmAMirage]

My girlfriend used to do that with the ferrets, she would make them belly dance, it was hilarious

I don't really like it when my sister does it. Poor Mirage looks at me like "Mom....what's she doing to me....help" However, she often gets what she deserves. When Mirage finally takes a stand and tells her he's done, he also takes a nice big poo on her. He then proceeds to look very pleased with himself and look at me like "Oh yeahhhhhh! Look what I did Mom! Look! I got payback! HAHA!"

 

[ChileanTaco]

Yes, I really worried about his teeth and gums when using a metal spoon or a spoon he could break like a plastic one.

Most every pets I ever had, had a favorite food. It's good you found his.

True. (Had many pets, and can say it for all the pets and for some of the foster animals (wildlife).)
For birds it was usually some human food that would be considered rather unhealthy but could be given sparingly. Or things at least mimicking that. My birds often were after crunchy things, crackers. Removed the salt from a salt pretzel. Or yes popcorn - but without oil, without any sugar, salt, spices. Then it's just corn, one or two for the bird, I salt mine and none for the feathery guy anymore.

 

[IAmAMirage]

My birds often were after crunchy things, crackers. Removed the salt from a salt pretzel. Or yes popcorn - but without oil, without any sugar, salt, spices. Then it's just corn, one or two for the bird, I salt mine and none for the feathery guy anymore.

Our birds absolutely love popcorn. However, I must admit pretzels (even without salt) is horrible for your bird due to the dairy and sugars in it.

 

[ChileanTaco]

Our birds absolutely love popcorn. However, I must admit pretzels (even without salt) is horrible for your bird due to the dairy and sugars in it.

This might have looked misleading I was not giving them huge amounts but one mini pretzel broken in half (two birds) - per year When we bought some for New Year's invitation we did that.
(Even we don't eat such snacks normally; we're quite of the "no processed foods, no softdrinks, no donut, no fastfood, buy organic, market, baking our own bread" kind of people of which others all the time assume we would have tons of allergies but we oin't have, just want to avoid the "all the sugars and processed stuff" thing.)

So yes I generally agree: no (or only super rarely) human snacks for pets. My birds lived a long, healthy life (also never overweight); my cockatiel made it to almost 19 years. Might have been very different if they had really been snacking from the bag in front of the TV or so They also never got the snacks/ pellets commonly sold for birds as I would not consider this a regular food (and then would have the whole bag there). Same with my hermit crabs: fresh, plain food, no pellets.

 

[IAmAMirage]

This might have looked misleading I was not giving them huge amounts but one mini pretzel broken in half (two birds) - per year When we bought some for New Year's invitation we did that.
(Even we don't eat such snacks normally; we're quite of the "no processed foods, no softdrinks, no donut, no fastfood, buy organic, market, baking our own bread" kind of people of which others all the time assume we would have tons of allergies but we oin't have, just want to avoid the "all the sugars and processed stuff" thing.)

So yes I generally agree: no (or only super rarely) human snacks for pets. My birds lived a long, healthy life (also never overweight); my cockatiel made it to almost 19 years. Might have been very different if they had really been snacking from the bag in front of the TV or so They also never got the snacks/ pellets commonly sold for birds as I would not consider this a regular food (and then would have the whole bag there). Same with my hermit crabs: fresh, plain food, no pellets.

Ahhh! My bad! I apologize if I seemed a little aggro.

 

[ChileanTaco]

Is it weird that Mirage detests fruit? He absolutely refuses to eat any fruit. However...he does really love corn and parsnips. He doesn't necessarily have a favorite food though, or at least not that I've found.

I only had offered him tuna fruit - no blueberries as that's not a common fruit here. And other fruits I don't want to feed them to him, either as not too much sugar, or just not good (citrus) or even dangerous for beardies (avocado).
Likely he tried the tuna as it's green (there also red ones but the green ones are much more common here) and he likes veggies including napales (prickly pear pads cut up). With tuna, I can also imagine it's an instinctive thing what the smell of that tells them "eat it!" as in a desert it might be one of the rare occasions to find really watery plant material.

I apologize if I seemed a little aggro.

You didn't And I can totally understand anybody just in case assuming it might have been fed often, just to be on the safe side. I'd guess it's really more often that when mentioned, the pretzels are fed regularly (to both human and pet) instead of super rarely.
I've seen so often people wanting to "treat" their pet with something (maybe as they themselves are so much used to huge amounts of high-calorie snacks? like chips, donuts... being a regular thing), overweight pets (birds not being able to take off anymore, beardies so wide that it's really not pancaking), pets that only know colorful pellets, pets that get what is indeed candies (!) as human assumes these are "fruit"... and it always makes me sad and when I can maybe influence this also clearly somewhat aggro.