Ferocious Timothy!

[Deanna]

Woohoo! I caught Timothy beating the tar out of his Pinata last evening! It was fantastic watching him act "big and ferocious" like he should be acting!!

This weekend past, we powerwashed all the cages and I sanitized all the toys and birdie parafrenalia; when I put Timothy back into his cage he was paralyzed with fear of his new, rearranged/clean environment. (Change of any kind seems to throw him into overwhelming panic). That's why yesterday, when I moved his cage over one space, I was afraid it would destabilize him again ... BUT it didn't!! Yippie! Goooo Timothy.

We'll work real hard to replace his fear with love and trust ... baby steps and lots of love and millet!!

 

[Peta]

(Change of any kind seems to throw him into overwhelming panic).

That is all very normal at the moment, Errol and Flynn were the exact same way, its heartbreaking to see isn't it. But if anyone can earn his love and trust I'm sure you can.

There are gonna be some real heartbreaking times ahead, but in the end you will be able to look at Timothy and say to everyone "I earned his trust" and that is the best feeling in the world.

beating the tar out of his Pinata

That is amazing, the fact that he feels safe enough to do that, and I can tell ya it brought tears of joy to my face.

A VERY BIG AND HEARTFELT WELL DONE TO YOU.

 

[Deanna]

Awwe, Peta, you are so sweet ... thank you for the trust and encouragement!

And, yes, sadly, there are (and will be) times that I watch baby Timothy and my heart aches for him. ...

Ugh, tomorrow we clip his poor little wings ... I would love for him to be flighted, but he is too much of a Houdini (of the winged kind!) to not be clipped. I will bathe him tomorrow after the clipping and spritz him with AviRain and let him fluff dry. Tomorrow he will have a big day at the vet then bathing, so I think I will finish the evening with millet and quietness. Will save our play/train time for Saturday when he has had a chance to quiet himself and catch his breath.

He has seemed more content today as I've spied him. He hasn't been clinging for dear life to the side of his cage as much as he was earlier in the week and I've spotted him engaging two of his many toys.

I've so missed my Sailor (also Parrotlet who passed away). Timothy and I need each other, I think. (After Sailor's passing, I shied away from any other P'lets, but my friends and husband sort of nudged me toward adopting Timothy). So, he and I will travel this "trust" road together!! Wing in arm!

 

[Peta]

You are so very welcome. I read about Timothy and it brings back all the heartache, frustration and thinking I just didn't have it in me to help my two little guys.

And you know what, Sailor is always with you and maybe just maybe he steered Timothy your way, knowing if anyone could help him then you can.

 

[Deanna]

:smile016: up for an early day to find Timothy clinging to the same, exact spot on his cage that I left him hours ago last evening. Did my little fellow "sleep" like this??!

He can't at all be comfortable ... his poor little spirit is just riddled with angst.

Yes, Peta, I wonder if I have it in me to help him. Where, pray tell, do I begin??

 

[Peta]

Deanna, you start at the beginning and take it very slowly. He reminds me so much of my poor Errol and Flynnie, Honestly today you wouldn't think they were the same little birdies, I never heard them make a peep for over a year, now I swear they are the loudest ones we have.

Where is the beginning, well thats the big question, its wherever both you and Timothy feel the most relaxed.

Yes, Peta, I wonder if I have it in me to help him.

You will, and in time it will be hard to think of him the way he is now, just keep looking forward and never look back. And boy what a sense of achievement you feel everytime you look in those big trust and love filled eyes. Also, whenever you want to talk about him, we are ALWAYS here for you.

 

[Deanna]

Mercy, it's got to be close to 100 degrees here; the birds are in heaven but I'm melting!

Timothy is home from the vet's office. The clipping was quick and uneventful. He doesn't like traveling in his carrier (don't blame the little boy), but I got him back home post haste and back into his cage promptly. I decided against a full sink bath and instead sprayed him down good with AviRain (thinking it will help with any discomfort in his wing feathers). Much to my surprise and amazement, he didn't flinch away from the spray! He soaked it up and enjoyed himself (*boggle*). Hoorah, Timothy! He is munching on his treats now, seemingly content--my little braveheart.

Peta, I don't know exactly what the "beginning" will be for us ... but I think tomorrow, I will put a throw over our bed and place Timothy out with some millet and treats ... I have to scrounge through my toy parts to pick out some appropriate foot toys and strew them about the spread. If I can work in a lesson in "step-up" that will be good ... if he wants to play hide-n-go-seek, I can do that, too. I'll let Timothy tell me the definition of "beginning" for us both. I want to challenge (but not push) him ... I want to build him up, his confidence and bond.

This is the "play ground" that I want to work up to with Timothy:

http://www.parrotsparrotsparrots.com/p-playarea-fantasy_playland.htm

Doesn't that look like waaaay too much fun?!

Sorry, I keep mentioning Sailor (my late-P'let). He was mentioned at the vets when I was there--my vet lost a P'let too and, too, was brokenhearted. Sailor seems to be on my mind sooo much of late. He was the coolest little fellow. I went to the nail salon today to have my nails done, and the gal and I visited up a storm--mainly about pets. She, too, lost a beloved pet and was dead set against getting a new one. She told me that her friends and family (same as with mine and Timothy) really pushed her to rescue another pet ... against her wishes she did, and she told me that she didn't know who needed who the most -- her or her dog. So, she firmly believes that I desperately need Timothy. I think she is right. ... I just hope, hope, hope that I am able to show Timothy that he is a VERY, VERY BIG BIRDY in a tiny, adorable package ... that his his birth right.

 

[Deanna]

A little background on Timothy ... in his previous home (4 years), he was not abused ... I would characterize it more as sort of neglect (disinterest?). He was treated as a song bird rather than a parrot needing interaction and bonding. He was plopped into his cage and became adept at escaping each time the door was opened. Then a cop and robber chase would ensue ... with the woman chasing him around the house with a dustmop! (I would get the heck out of Dodge if a dustmop were coming at me!!!).

So, when he came to live with me, I vowed to NEVER chase him (thus, the reason to clip him and "ground" him -- not offer the opportunity to escape). The very first thing we did was blockade the lower half of the door which was his primary escape route. That stopped the escape pattern immediately. My next plan was to introduce him to a hand that was loving (and did not contain a dustmop). But, he fell ill within days to a bacterial infection that lasted a months time ... ..... As a result, what I was proposing as a "good, safe" hand, turned into one that was used to catch him for twice daily medications and deep bathings. (Luck against luck ).

So, since then, my hand has been "suspect" to him ...

He is all better now, plummage looks great ... the illness was longlasting but finally abated. So, there are some rules here ... no dustmops, mops, brooms of any kind. No chasing ... and now, the hard part is teaching that hands don't always mean catching for medication or unwanted baths. They are to jump on, skitter across, for feeding and scritching.

Anyway, that's a little background on my little guy. When I went to meet him and was witness to the woman badgering and chasing him with a dustmop I was stunned and mortified!!! Golly, mercy ... no wonder little Timothy is afraid of his own breath!

Tomorrow will be fun despite all of this! He's the boss and we can do (almost) anything he wants!

 

[Peta]

Peta, I don't know exactly what the "beginning" will be for us ... but I think tomorrow, I will put a throw over our bed and place Timothy out with some millet and treats ... I have to scrounge through my toy parts to pick out some appropriate foot toys and strew them about the spread. If I can work in a lesson in "step-up" that will be good ... if he wants to play hide-n-go-seek, I can do that, too. I'll let Timothy tell me the definition of "beginning" for us both. I want to challenge (but not push) him ... I want to build him up, his confidence and bond.

Ya know, when you have fids like Timothy, or mine, we never know where the beginning is until we start. Think thats all we can do, go with the flow of things.

Dont think you can go wrong with that way of starting (2nd highlighted paragraph) who knows how far he can or is willing to be pushed better than Timothy. Seems you have found your "beginning"

So, there are some rules here ... no dustmops, mops, brooms of any kind. No chasing ... and now, the hard part is teaching that hands don't always mean catching for medication or unwanted baths. They are to jump on, skitter across, for feeding and scritching.

That is a hard one, with mine it was showing them that the hands were not gonna beat them. I used to hold my hand (and only my hand) in the cage for a few mins, and do this each day for days on end, finally leaving the hand in the cage for quite a long time, One day Errol came on my hand totally by accident, and its been okay since. (sounds so easy doesn't it, wish it was that simple)