How NOT to bond with your bird! [LONG]

[Addicted to Tequila]

OK... scary story. But an important cautionary one!

I was going to post about this earlier, but I was at work and they kind of have this weird idea that I should be actually accomplishing something during that time.

This is a truly gut-wrenching tale, so I warn those that tend to gasp and get high-blood pressure before hand. I will make the usual disclaimer that no one was permanently harmed during the ordeal.

Last night, I had just come in from doing some gardening. Now, my GCC and Sun are really good guys. They know that if they are good and only scream hello to me and then get quiet, yummies are on the way and then it will be playtime. I really do need to switch those as what goes in must come out... but I digress.

They did their usual three note blast that I have decided means, "Thank Goodness you returned! We were a afraid a jaguar might have eaten you and left us to fend for ourselves. We adore you and miss you when you are gone!" I am sure that the true subtitle would be closer to, "Feed us NOW!"

So, I let them settle down (NEVER reward a screaming bird... unless you like going deaf within a few years of getting it!). I gave them some dinner and had some myself. Then, I decided I needed a shower. I was covered in dirt from the garden and sweat, and my hair is over two feet long and was snarled and nasty. As the last "group" shower did not go over well... I went alone.

I really do NOT know what I was thinking. It was play time. I knew that. And they had patiently awaited my return with nary a sound. There they were, plastered to the cage door as I passed by it with a towel wrapped around my head. How much more blatent could they be? So I of course stopped, went up to the cage door and kissed them both and rubbed their tummies... and then went and sat on the couch to dry off. The couch. The PLAY couch. Right in front of the cage. The couch that they get to wrestle with me on if they are good. And they WERE being good. They were probably staring at me with dagger eyes... but I did not even notice.

What I DID notice was the all of a sudden SHRIEKING. Not screeching. I mean gut wrenching, rapid, high-pitched screams for help. Help NOW. That I certainly noticed. I bolted upright whilst crying out "What the h377?!!?"

Rexy had his little head stuck... and I mean stuck GOOD. He had learned late last week that his head fit through the bars with ease. The cage he shares with his hatch-mate has 1" bar spacing... fine for a Sun like Tequila, but not a little Green-Cheek. I had already placed a piece of tapestry cloth all around the bottom foot and a half so that the dog would not playfully separate his head from his body as he attempted to courteously pierce her nose.

The top has a grate piece for the playpen tray to rest on. I had removed the tray so that they could have more light since it was way too tall for me anyway. The grate simply drops in. In each corner the gap is one inch... but then there are rails the tray slides on, so it narrows to just 3/8 of an inch.

Rexy had somehow stuck his head through the big corner... then slid his nech down a good 5 inches of the narrow part. Some interesting facts both he and I learned last night:
1) His head has no trouble fitting through a one inch by two inch hole.
2) His neck has no trouble fitting in a 3/8 inch slot.
3) GCCs cannot pull a one inch head back through a 3/8 inch slot no mater how hard they try.
4) Birdy Moms will come running to help if you make distress calls.
5) Mom will try to calmly remember that it is a drop-in grate and is easily removed on a slant once she starts breathing again and stops either blasphemising or praying depending on how you feel about the exclaimation of "Oh my God!" as it pertains to life threatening emergencies.
6) GCCs are very calm after a good "lynching-by-cage".
7) They even forget to be cage territorial and bite you for helping them.
8) Mom will give an almost hanged bird an unbelievable amount of snuggles and kisses whilst saying "You poor little thing! Are you ok?" for a good ten minutes.

For those that are wondering... the new cage with 1/2 inch bars will be here Tuesday. The tray is back in the top meanwhile.

PLEASE! MAKE SURE YOUR CAGE HAS APPROPRIATE SPACING. CHECK FOR ANY GAPS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE EXPECTED. JUST BECAUSE A BIRD CAN GET HIS HEAD OUT... DOES NOT MEAN HE CAN GET IT BACK IN!

What if I had not been home when this happened?

[lola31]

oh my goodness I'm so glad you got him out! poor rexy

[bthomas]

omg! I am so glad that you saved the poor little fella! thank god you got there in time!

[Jannabellsmom]

Whew I'm so glad all turned out well. I'm really glad now I switched my tiels cage to 1/2 inch spacing because apparently shes pretty petite and her head fit thru the cage that was sold to me at the pet store 3/4" I think it was.

[KimM]

Oh that horrible "something's wrong" shriek! Glad he's ok. Nothing is more heart wrenching and will make you panic like that cry!

[Aces Wild]

How horrible! I am so glad that bird is okay...

But a question, why is this post titled how NOT to bond with your bird? I don't see how it has anything to do with bonding issues, but a bird who wanted to be out of its cage to play with its owner... just asking lol

[Parrotpeople]

Wow, good thing you were home!

Your story was entertaining to read (your writing style not the content of your poor baby being stuck).

[Shun Azhriaz]

I know the feeling. My Tiel, Cloud, is in her own, properly-spaced cage, but she likes to fly out and raid the ekkie cage for food (taking the view that food guarded by two birds five times her size must be tastier than anything I feed her). She tried this once on the rare occasion the ekkie cage was closed, and got her head between the bars. Fortunately, she has a skinny wee neck and getting her loose wasn't a problem. It's a moment of sheer panic though, isn't it?

[Addicted to Tequila]

I titled it the way I did because I must admit... Conurasaurus Rex has not bitten me since I "rescued" him. I do not think lynching your bird should be recommended for promoting a closer bond however! LOL

[schellp]

Your a very good story teller! I am glad that you were there and everything is fine, but I must admit I chuckled at parts of your story. Not the scream for help, got my head stuck, that will teach you to sit on my couch without me parts, but you narrate very well.