Our model 'Too is back

[Siobhan]

After a really rough week recently in which Rocky bit his daddy badly THREE TIMES, we dismantled his cage and took it to the car wash for a good scrub and after he got done pouting about that, he has been an exemplary 'Too ever since. I don't know if watching us take his cage apart made him think we were rehoming him and he was relieved that we didn't, or if that last bad week was just part of the adjustment, or what. He's been cute and affectionate and plays with his toys and only yells a little bit. He even showed off some new talking yesterday. I didn't understand what he said, but it was clearly talking.

He does not like it when I leave, and he can tell the difference between me going outside and me leaving for a while. He puts up his crest and sometimes does a full display and goes to the side of the cage nearest the door and leans out like he's trying to grab my clothes and pull me back. I'm trying to teach him to "give Mommy a kiss" and he'll let me kiss him all I want but so far isn't kissing me back. He is very affectionate, though, and wants to sit on me and even climbs aboard when I'm trying to clean his cage. Yesterday he was on the couch arm and the cover slid a bit and he lost his balance and grabbed my arm with his beak and when I said OUCH, he let go instantly. It didn't even bruise.

I'm hoping that as we approach the four-month mark and have been through so much difficult adjustment that we're all beginning to settle into a groove together. I found out some horrible stuff about his history last weekend, and I still don't know all of it, but the poor baby has really been through the wringer and we both want him to have a secure and happy home with us forever.

 

[iamdomain123]

Aww! What kind of too? If he's been rehomed before maybe he's used to it and was begging to be kept. Best of luck!

 

[Siobhan]

He is a male Umbrella 'Too and he's been rehomed many, many times. From what little I've learned of his history, he never stayed anywhere long. And the most recent two of those homes were absolutely horrid. One man teased him by banging on his cage and said Rocky "liked to get high." Yes, he blew marijuana smoke in his face. Then they gave him to a household with a violent alcoholic, who probably terrorized him, and he and the first man were friends, so the first guy came over to visit regularly and teased Rocky MORE in his new household. And that's just the most recent two homes. Goodness knows what he went through before that. He has a very nice and once-expensive cage, so at some point, somebody cared and took good care of him, but who knows how long ago that was, or how old he is. It's amazing he's not more mentally damaged than he is. That he is still willing to love and trust us astounds me, and we are trying very hard to be worthy of it.

 

[ToMang07]

That sucks to hear of his past, but his present sounds most promising. Glad to hear he's getting settled in!

 

[Siobhan]

He is very clingy and needy, but it's no wonder. He's probably beginning to realize that he's safe and loved with us. I'm very low-energy and gentle with him because I want him to feel completely secure most of all. When he wants to be silly and play, I'm silly and play, but usually what he wants is a soft voice and to snuggle or just sit on my lap.

 

[Taw5106]

He's looking for an anchor, a a permanent flock. I brought my Buddy in 1.5 years ago when his owners passed away. He is 25 years old, had a good home but he was love starved for a while. His owners were elderly and fell ill. Be patient, patience is key!!!!! Even now Buddy shows new things. It sounds like you are on the right track winning him over. Ever thought about taking him with you when you leave home? I've taken mine to restaurants with outdoor tables, Loews, family events, even to pick up meds from the pharmacy. It's fun watching them out with you. I've harness trained mine and I have travel cages. If it's just my find and me, travel cage in the car, if Husbwnd is with is and driving, leash. They love it!

 

[JustineBird]

I am trying to get justine used to other people, she is extremely close to me and my parents but when others tried to pick her up she runs away or puts up her crest and tried to bite. Sometimes she is fine, she is starting to go to my moms friends when they are over and my aunt but when she was at my house she tried to bite my roommate and she screams if he gets close to the cage.

 

[Siobhan]

I hope someday we can take Rocky places, but his cage has been the only constant in his life and he freaks out if he's out of sight of it. I can't even take him into other rooms. I know I couldn't take him away from the house. I'm trying to gently acclimate him, but so far the best we can do is the enclosed front porch (with a picture window between it and the living room where his cage is, so he can still see the cage) and very brief forays into the adjoining hallway or a few steps into the kitchen. Any more and he slicks down and panics. I was told his last home gave him baths in the bathtub, but after hearing how they treated him otherwise, I'm suspicious of whether that actually happened and if it did, if they forced him to do it. For now, he takes the occasional bath in his water dish and sometimes I try misting him, but he's not fond of that and if he exhibits uneasiness, I stop. I wish I could show him my starling taking a bath. She absolutely LOVES baths and takes several every day, and if he could watch, it might convince him to use the bath I offer him. So far, he drinks out of it and drops food and toys into it, but doesn't bathe in it.

 

[Scott]

What a great narrative of how Rocky has progressed. Despite the biting setbacks and cage separation anxiety, he has indeed discovered his forever home!

We can only imagine through the prism of our mammal brains what passes through the minds of our parrots. Given your knowledge of his terrible background, he is fundamentally a sweet and workable bird.

 

[Kiwibird]

Awww... I'm glad Rocky is back to being a better behaved boy Just keep praising and rewarding his good behavior and not encouraging the bad. He has had a rough life, and is likely a bird who will take "some time". I agree with Scott though, he sounds like a sweet, good natured bird deep down. You just have to keep on working with him and earning that trust.

BTW, what is it with people giving parrots drugs? Second person on the forum this week who's had a bird who was deliberately being given drugs in a prior home. I don't really care if adults want to fry their brain, but why can't they resist giving it to children and animals???

 

[Siobhan]

Right now he's making silly sounds and laughing. He usually only does stuff like that when his cage is covered for the night.

 

[itchyfeet]

This is brilliant, congratulations and good on you!

 

[PrincessSarah]

My rose came to us from tweakers. They used sticks to bang on the cage to get her out. Lord knows what else she went through. You can't even say the word stick asserting her. She's terrified of treats, if all things ave she's completely cage bound. So, I get your struggle. It sounds like he is making great progress!

 

[Allee]

Great progress, Valerie! I'm happy to hear this.

 

[Siobhan]

We've had two really good weeks with no issues. Cautiously, I begin to think we have settled in.