Bella 9 month update

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For those of you who are new to the forum or may have missed my earlier posts of Bella’s story. I found her at a local pet shop in a very sad condition.

Just to avoid confusion she is not 9 months old but it has been 9 months since I bought her.

She has made a wonderful addition to my home and flock. I have a lot of other photos that show just how bad off her feathers were. But I don’t think it’s relevant now.
This pic was taken a week or 2 ago.

She still pulls out some of her feathers but it’s nothing like what she was doing in the past.

She has not been as affectionate with me as she was when I first brought her home.
It could be she no longer sees me as the good guy.

I am the one who takes her into the shower and gets her wet. I sometimes mist her in her cage.
I take her out of her cage when she does not want to come out.
I put her back into her cage when she wants to stay out.

Bella has me trained to recognize her “back off Jack “warning. She makes this rapid and loud click, click, CLICK and she hunkers down and fluffs up her feathers.
Bella does still spend time with me in the morning when I take her out for her morning poo. I can scratch her and carry her around without a problem.


Her favorite person has to be my son. She spends a lot of time in his room. Just recently she discovered that my son’s door is made out of that wonderful material WOOD . She thinks this is a GREAT place to exercise her beak. Now we must keep the door almost all the way closed to protect the door.

She still talks whistles and makes all sorts of sounds. I can’t think of any new words or phrases she has picked up since “Don’t go to work"
That’s it for now.
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[Anansi]

Wow, what a difference 9 months has made! I love reading stories like this. You've done an amazing job with her!

Plucking and barbering are some of the hardest behaviors to discourage, so seeing her beautiful plumage brings a smile to my face.

 

[Puck]

She looks AMAZING! That is a wonderful change!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

I told ya Wes!! Give her time and be patient,and look how far Bella has come,and not even a year yet!
Your whole family dynamics has/had a heck of a lot to do with this,and I sincerely believe Bella was looking for someone just like you,to go home with.
Awesome job to EVERYONE,Bella included

She is very beautiful also





Jim

 

[Scott]

Nine Month Transformation! You've done so well with Bella and ought feel proud!

Amazing what love, good diet, and TLC do for a bird. Bet you have zero regrets!!

 

[wrench13]

Great job, she looks like a different parrot.

 

[DRB]

I think they go thru phases of trust and affection, especially before they reach maturity. Perjo was very affectoinate from day one, but at about 5-6 months she wasn't as much. She didn't get anti-affectionate, just seemed to change a bit. Now at 21 mos she is very affectionate again.

 

[texsize]

I think they go thru phases of trust and affection, especially before they reach maturity. Perjo was very affectoinate from day one, but at about 5-6 months she wasn't as much. She didn't get anti-affectionate, just seemed to change a bit. Now at 21 mos she is very affectionate again.

I am hoping she will settle in with all of us. My wife and son say she has recently been regurgitating food for both of them (not me :17

In the beginning she regurgitated 2-3 times for me but not since them. I guess I am watching for signs of puberty in her. That should help me nail down her age.

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[texsize]

Nine Month Transformation! You've done so well with Bella and ought feel proud!

Amazing what love, good diet, and TLC do for a bird. Bet you have zero regrets!!

You're right, no regrets.
I have been lucky that she has taken to eating pellets without a problem. She loves grapes and bananas and other fruit. Have not had much luck with vegetables.

I wish I new how to, or how we can play with her.
When in her cage she likes to climb along the top and mock attack our hands. Hold our finger in her foot and bring it to her beak. I am not sure how to respond to this without encouraging aggressive behavior.

Outside of the cage it is affection (scratching/petting) or attacking or flying away. perhaps I can hold on to a toy in front of her and get her to play that way. I have not tried this/

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[wrench13]

I dont know how greys play, but with Salty play is him on his back and I will cover his head, asking where's Salty? or lightly scratch his neck and head, while he grabs a finger and mouths it. Or I use one of the small rags and tease him with it while he is on his back. When he has had enough he flips over and usual climbs up to my shoulder and asks for a scratch.

 

[DRB]

Nine Month Transformation! You've done so well with Bella and ought feel proud!

Amazing what love, good diet, and TLC do for a bird. Bet you have zero regrets!!

You're right, no regrets.
I have been lucky that she has taken to eating pellets without a problem. She loves grapes and bananas and other fruit. Have not had much luck with vegetables.

I wish I new how to, or how we can play with her.
When in her cage she likes to climb along the top and mock attack our hands. Hold our finger in her foot and bring it to her beak. I am not sure how to respond to this without encouraging aggressive behavior.

Outside of the cage it is affection (scratching/petting) or attacking or flying away. perhaps I can hold on to a toy in front of her and get her to play that way. I have not tried this/

texsize

Perjo did this, I just let her have the finger as long as she didnt bite hard. I called out all her gentle nibbles and said "gentle". Now when I open the cage door to let her come out and play it takes her 5 minutes to stop playing with my hands.

Now she is virtually hanging upside on my hand when I walk across the room. It all happened in a matter of weeks, a switch went off for her. I think she hit an age and her trust just hit a new height.