Milestones

[strudel]

I just want to tell people that I picked Tony (weiro) up and he didn't bite me. Yay! He didn't struggle to get free as quickly as before, he sat on my hand for a bit and then when I sang to him he moved TOWARDS me to sing along when I was right up next to the cage, instead of keeping his distance the way he used to.

One day, they're gonna be TAME.

This doesn't warrant a thread of its own (or probably even a post, for that matter ) so if anyone else wants to put some bit of trivia they think is important as a milestone, please feel free.

 

[Jayyj]

Always great to hear people making progress with their birds - if only to remind the rest of us we're not the only ones who consider these small steps forward as great accomplishments! I guess it's what they represent - an increase in trust, and building a relationship.

It's funny how important these little milestones are... I can vividly remember the first time Alice held my finger in the pet shop, first time she stood on my arm, her first shower, first time she braved leaving the front room (I made a cup of tea in the kitchen with her peering nervously over my shoulder), there's a whole list of them. Recently we did first ride in the car (well, first one where she knew what was happening, she's been toweled and bundled off to the vet in a cat carrier before), and this week it'll be first social call to my mum's house.

 

[TessieB]

Keep up the good work!

 

[strudel]

Was Alice always called Alice, or am I mixing you up with somebody else Jayjj?

 

[Terry57]

That is wonderful progress! I know when Darwin stepped up her one and only time so far, we were so excited! For an already tame bird, I think a milestone may be something huge, while for a different, wilder bird, the milestone may seem small when it is in fact a huge step forward
Congratulations!

 

[MomtoPercy]

Don't be silly, OF COURSE this deserves a thread of its own!! This is huge progress and you can be very proud! Bask in it!

 

[Jayyj]

She's been an Alice since I've had her - apparently she was a Rosie in her first home, but the pet shop she ended in didn't bother with a name and I only found out when I pestered the manager to look up where she'd come from and if she had a vet history. She doesn't answer to Rosie, and my sister does, so it seemed sensible to change it. Not that she answers to Alice, or anything else either... doesn't answer to anyone, this bird!

 

[strudel]

oh, thanks. I think it might have been aether-drifter's galah I was mistaking Alice for.

 

[lisa6373]

Awesome! Glad I'm not the only one who likes to share all of the little victories, and glad there is a forum like this where others "get it" lol.

 

[Allee]

These milestones are all special. And those that we really have to work and wait for are such a reward. About a month ago my shy male quaker started letting me scratch the back of his head and kiss the top of it. He will fly and land on my head now and step off his cage onto my shoulder. Not ideal training methods but huge milestones for a bird that had little human contact for his first five years.

 

[strudel]

My girl went in the shower with me this morning. She never seemed that keen on getting wet before, but she was doing her dance and I gave her a go and she didn't mind going under the water.

 

[RavensGryf]

That's so great! Just keep it up I know it's a good feeling to have a breakthrough with a pet!

 

[strudel]

So, day one, I put her on the edge of the bath, she did her dance so I picked her up and brought her near to the water. Day two, I put her on the edge of the bath and she jumped down into the bath by herself. I wonder whether she'll move forward right underneath the water next time.....

 

[RavensGryf]

I think she's getting it! She has the idea now, so I don't think she'll hate it as much as before. Good job!

 

[strudel]

She didn't so much hate it before, she just sat there, disinterested. Maybe it's because I'm in there, that she gets the idea that it's supposed to be fun and I'm not just trying to drown her in a bucket

 

[RavensGryf]

I could be wrong, but I tend to think that the species from a more arid environment like many Aussies, and Poicephalus parrots, etc. aren't quite as willing to bathe, or get excited about regular baths or showers like species from a more wet environment. It seems like it from what I've seen with birds I have/had.

 

[strudel]

You are probably right. Cockies would have their water in dams, not falling from the sky, whereas rainforest birds would often have warm showers. Good thinking, that hadn't occurred to me. Also, it would explain why cockies walk around rather than fly about. No trees!! Rainforest birds would be fluttering about in the canopy from tree to tree and down and about.

 

[RavensGryf]

I know Robin my Red Bellied would NEVER stretch out his wings when the spray bottle comes out... he runs and hides. He's not even interested in bathing in a dish, I guess it has to be at just the right time or something. He acts like bathing is an unnatural act haha.

 

[strudel]

My girl would put out her wings when I squirted her in summer...

I got my weiros out and took them into the bathroom. I can handle them now, they'll let me, I even got a bit of a "cuddle" from Eddie. He was terrible at flying, kept pranging into the walls and going "splat". Hopefully, he'll get better at it. Tony came in the shower with me.

 

[strudel]

Tony "sort of" flew to me. He was dancing about on top of the mirror and I was calling him and he was bending down towards me like he knew what I was asking for and like he wanted to fly down. He did fly down and around about, he didn't come onto my arm though, doesn't trust me enough for that. Then, later on, he flew down onto my head. I'm so pleased he flew towards me and not away, and that he was obviously listening to me when I was calling to him.

Eddie really isn't very good at flying, he just is better at sitting there. Maybe when I get things sorted better and put away anything that might "get" them, he can go loose in a bigger room and practise more. The bathroom is small, so they can't really get a good go at it before they'd have to turn. It might be turning he's not learnt yet, rather than just flying along, I don't know what they did before I got them.