Exciting Breakthroughs!

[Lori~D]

Charlie has been with me a few years and some know his story, some dont. Anyhow he is NOT a bird to touch,lol. He came with the old "bait and switch" trick...turn up the nape and literally ask for "scritch me" but then nail you hard if you even tried. He would not step up on anything and will still not take treats or anything from my finger except my finger. He is so terrified of the perch I had to forget that. So we use a glove. I have been making progress a tiny bit and managing to get him out to be with us just in the last few months (after two years with me and Dont know how long before). It still has always been a task and sometimes a towel. Until the other day. Yes, I am wearing a glove as the video just before this one he nails me good. He still tends to fly off my hand but we are working on it and we can "sometimes" now walk all the way back to the cage. Its very exciting - he is still terrified. We are ordering some Avicalm to see if it helps as he shakes for awhile whenever we work but he IS in fact coming around. Not taking the glove off yet,lol. This is the very first, clean step up, not forced, off a perch and not the floor (where we started over a year ago). The first floor step up was in the last few months.

[Dana64]

Congrats Lori! These tiny accomplishments mean so much to us because we know we are headed in a forward direction! I know with my Mackie that these "breakthrough" moments would have me on Cloud 9 for a few days... I absolutely hated the "1 step forward, 2 steps back" routine...

Mackie is teaching me the power, and reward, of Job-like patience... and we are getting there....

I am so thrilled for you and Charlie!

[Lori~D]

And Just now! He did it from the cage!! I had to stand still for-like-ev-er. LOL, he had one foot on the cage and one foot on my arm for twenty minutes before he finally let go. I had to rest my finger on the cage to hold steady. We walked to the living room all the while him exhibiting flight behavior but OH GOD its progressing and I know it can only mean a brighter future for him. That first vid was from last week and these two are from a few minutes ago. I am now wearing my Purple Parrot Protector instead of a glove. My birds actually like the grip it provides and seem more comfortable on it than just my skin. In Charlies case we have a sweatshirt sleeve as well for now.


The vids arent the best because he is not afraid of my phone. I fear the camera would really spook him...

[Alyx]

Lori your fids are so lucky to have you!!

[Vilas]

I can relate to the breakthroughs! I'm happy for you. Hiccup is extremely afraid of gloves and perches to step up on. The glove is the last resort from the floor. He has gotten better about the "biting" and I just have to 'read those eyes' of his. He will lung just for the heck of it. I don't really understand but I know the trust issue is getting better for him. He now knows I will scritch him on the places he directs me to (with the beak) and is now letting me pet from his head down his back without flinching. He's talking more too.

[Mango27]

That is awesome, your patience and determination are paying off. Im sure you will be posting again with even more improvements in no time now.

[Tom Lawless]

That is incredible. You have really broken through a major wall. You may be the first person he has ever trusted. It will be interesting to see how things progress as he realizes you really are O.K. and have no interest in eating him.

[NoLimitssjca]

That's a great breakthrough. It's bound to lead to a better quality of life for him.