Feels like Christmas Eve...

[nofearengineer]

Since I get to go get Bitty in the morning!

Wow...it was really weird at the grocery store tonight. I haven't bought a watermelon since I lost Gandalf. I love watermelon, but it would have just been too weird eating it without having a fid to share it with. I also got some nice sweet potatoes, since they're always on massive sale after Thanksgiving is over. (What the heck is wrong with people not wanting sweet potatoes any other time of year? )

Anyways, it looks like I'm all set with some goodies for when I get her home. Not to start a trend or anything....but I might even resort to offering her a French Fry or something during the trip, just to test her susceptibility to bribery.

Like I always say, the path to most animals' hearts lies through their stomach.

 

[antoinette]

You have waited so long for this day, your heart must be beating ten to a dozen
So glad you will be sharing so much with Bitty, starting out on the road LoL
If only Bitty knew how her life was about the change, actually for both of you
Let us know how the road trip went, and how she is settling in.

 

[mellykyitus]

thats fantastic, post some pics! i'm so excited for you xxx

 

[SharonC]

I was thinking yesterday that Bitty comes home today!!! You must be so excited!!! I can't wait to hear all about her!!!

 

[Von1983]

Can't wait to hear how you and Bitty are after your trip.

I'm so incredibly happy for you, you deserve this so much.

 

[HRH Di]

It's so exciting to bring home a new baby. Enjoy your trip!

 

[Spiritbird]

Norf. the entire forum is with you on this ride home with little Bitty. You have learned patience and understanding of what a grey needs. Her life will be enriched from now on. My Rosie would say anything if I gave her a sweet tater french fry

 

[antoinette]

Norf I can't wait any longer..................
Did you bring Bitty home?
I want ALL the details NOW

 

[Cowtown]

Norf I can't wait any longer..................
Did you bring Bitty home?
I want ALL the details NOW

Me too.. we need an update !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Spiritbird]

You must be so busy with Bitty you forgot about us!!!

 

[SharonC]

:54::54::54:

 

[bogo1]

I'm worried we aren't hearing anything
Hopefully it is just travel and getting settled and we'll hear soon.

 

[SharonC]

It does seem odd...it wasn't an overnight trip, was it?

 

[nofearengineer]

Sorry I didn't post up last night, guys!!! I'll explain that later in this post. Short story (for those of you who can't wait LOL) is that Bitty is home with me and doing very well. Longer version is below...

Oooops, Bitty just flew over to the cou
ch and is chewing on my keyboard.....+just a sec ROFL....

 

[nofearengineer]

Okay...Bitty is hanging out below her cage, and I'm going to leave her there for a while. She either does not know how to step up, or just doesn't trust me enough yet (probably both). She flew over there when I tried to get her to step up on a glove. She bites pretty gently at first, but if you pester her, it definitely becomes real.

She's got a little sneeze going on, but seems pretty happy (she didn't have the sneeze last week at the vet). I'll keep an eye on that, as she doesn't seem cold...no shivering, etc.

Last night, I was afraid I would never be able to touch her. In fact, that's the reason I didn't post. Last night, she wound up in the same spot she is now, and trying to get away from me, she ended up flying into the corner with my computer, and getting a death grip on the fan grille on top. It's not the bar kind, but the perforated grid kind. However, I actually heard one of her talons start getting touched by the rotating fan, so I immediately shut it down. After further pursuit, she latched on to a spare drive case I had, so I finally just picked it up put it in the cage with her until she let go. After everything was settled down for the night, I didn't want my whole report to be "wow, this sucks".

What a change 24 hours makes! While eating my lunch today, she got visibly excited. Corn bread? You betcha. Lord, she ate like a pig! After she already had a good breakfast this morning. Pretty soon she was pretty much writhing around in the corner of her cage as I scratched her head....for about half an hour. I couldn't believe it. She even let out a couple of "boops"; otherwise, she's been completely silent since she got here....except for the shrieking last night trying to put her back in her cage.

So already there's been some progress. Affection through the cage bars seems to be where we're at right now. No touching outside yet. She's really not scared of me....she actually seeks me out...just not touching buddies yet. I'll get some pictures posted once the camera stops scaring her.

Thanks for all of the concern guys!

Oh by the way...her cage is a joke. It's waaay to big for her, with bar spacing too far apart...about 1-1/4". The lady mentioned her falling to the cage bottom a lot. Well duh! It's a King's Cage Model 137. Look it up. I think I'm going to keep it as long as it takes until she gets comfortable here, then move her into Gandalf's old cage.

I still have to figure out how to avoid her getting too scared tonight when I put her back in her cage. She's dozing underneath right now, on the corner closest to me. (always close to me...she wants to be friends, but doesn't know how)

 

[SharonC]

Well, that's a relief! I was thinking something had gone wrong!!! I'm actually glad that we didn't know about her clinging on to the fan and you having to shut down the computer....it would have been worrisome!Now that today was a better day, it just seems funny! LOL!

 

[lisamarie973]

Oh Norf!!

Sound like she is making GREAT strides to befriend you ALREADY! That is awesome news, so very exciting. If she's so willing already, imagine how she'll be 3 months from now!! She is going to be your best friend and you hers!
I'm so so so happy for you, I just can't express it enough, I have this HUGE smile on my face as I type this to you from the overwhelming excitement of you finding such a sweetheart of a bird.

I hope she realizes super soon that the camera isn't going to hurt her and makes her debut! I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say I can't WAIT to see pictures of her!

Congrats, Norf!!!!

 

[nofearengineer]

OMG, this girl will not stop eating! She's a bottomless pit. She just got a good scratching (through the bars of course), and is now settling in for some sleep.

Thankfully, I found out how to get her back into her cage without traumatizing her any more. I just slide the bottom grate out a few inches, and she happily climbs up the back leg and back inside.

I figure once she's 100% won over, we'll start on stepping up. Right now it's funny how she'll come over to me on the floor, stand right beneath me, but not let me step her up. She's not scared of me at all.

 

[bogo1]

Welcome home Bitty ...you are one lucky bird and I doubt it will take you long to figure it out.

 

[antoinette]

Bitty, sure sounds like you are settling in extremely well
Norf, I can sense such happiness through your posting, I am so so happy for you.
You and Bitty were sure meant for each other.

Enjoy each and every moment with Bitty, you know just how precious they are.

Let the games begin ........................