Radio Free Blue & Gold: All Gus, all the time.

[GaleriaGila]

Now I'm Jonesing Trader Joe's FRID RICE!
Thanks a lot, Gus-ster!

 

[Kentuckienne]

So, I arrive home tomorrow after about two weeks' absence. I wonder how hard Gus will bite me? I do have gifts for all...for Gus's human and mine - the same person - about a Benjamin's worth of local microbrewery beers not available at home. For Gus, every paper bag acquired on the trip. I think the first time I approach the fortress of Gusitude it will be with bag in hand.

 

[wrench13]

No biting, Gus. Never bit anyone bearing gifts, silly boy.

 

[LeaKP]

Oh wow Gus will be happy/mad/glad/angry/silly/pouty!!!!

 

[GaleriaGila]

Pictures of the Gus-ster and bags, when you rest up a bit??????????????
We haven't had a Gus fix in a while...

 

[Kentuckienne]

Typical morning: Gus on cage top, me fixing coffee. Gus moves to open door, starts grunting the way he does when he want to talk. Looks like he might want to be picked up to go poop across the room. I walk over...he puts head down...I start to put my arm up but before I can move, he's got hold of the door frame with his beak, sliding down the bars and frantically waving his foot outward. I get my arm under him quickly, he jumps on, we walk quickly to the manzanita stand, he hops right onto the perch and grants one giant boon and one tiny one. I offer my arm again to see if he wants to go back, but the instant I move he is leaning down, beak open, stay away from me you giant monster I never saw you before in my life.

I'm just a parrot transport device.

On a side note, Gus seems to struggle to poop. I'm guessing because of the kyphosis? He hunches over, moves from foot to foot, then squats deeper and lets fly. Then a second layer, one tiny more grunt and plop. I'm glad he don't like to poop on the cage, it's so much easier to clean. He asks for a ride or goes to the outside perch as far out as he can. I heard his cage was a foot deep in poop when he was saved, so maybe he has good reason to do what he does.

 

[Kentuckienne]

I have to get a sneaky video of something Gus does when he's getting scritches. If you stop scratching him,he'll sit a moment then turn and take your forefinger in his beak very gently. Then he lifts your hand as high as he can, lets go, and immediately puts his head under your finger. It's the closest he comes to talking, because there's no doubt what he wants.

 

[goalerjones]

Typical morning: Gus on cage top, me fixing coffee. Gus moves to open door, starts grunting the way he does when he want to talk. Looks like he might want to be picked up to go poop across the room. I walk over...he puts head down...I start to put my arm up but before I can move, he's got hold of the door frame with his beak, sliding down the bars and frantically waving his foot outward. I get my arm under him quickly, he jumps on, we walk quickly to the manzanita stand, he hops right onto the perch and grants one giant boon and one tiny one. I offer my arm again to see if he wants to go back, but the instant I move he is leaning down, beak open, stay away from me you giant monster I never saw you before in my life.

I'm just a parrot transport device.

On a side note, Gus seems to struggle to poop. I'm guessing because of the kyphosis? He hunches over, moves from foot to foot, then squats deeper and lets fly. Then a second layer, one tiny more grunt and plop. I'm glad he don't like to poop on the cage, it's so much easier to clean. He asks for a ride or goes to the outside perch as far out as he can. I heard his cage was a foot deep in poop when he was saved, so maybe he has good reason to do what he does.

The consistency of the poop can sometimes be the issue when there's difficulty. Is he getting enough water? Enough fruit with water like grapes or apples? The FMP (first morning poop) is always a doozy. They have it all stored overnight. I've also noticed with Hahnzel that a good solid grip on her perch makes a big difference also. If she's shaky or unstable she waits until she is before she'll go.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[wrench13]

I have to get a sneaky video of something Gus does when he's getting scritches. If you stop scratching him,he'll sit a moment then turn and take your forefinger in his beak very gently. Then he lifts your hand as high as he can, lets go, and immediately puts his head under your finger. It's the closest he comes to talking, because there's no doubt what he wants.

I love GUS, that's almost exactly how my late little Maxie used to ask for scratches. Except GUS is about 30 or 40 times bigger than Max was.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Gus went for his six month checkup yesterday...and has yeast. His daddy is giving him antibiotics by mouth - I'm just amazed he can do it - Gus seems to get over it in about five seconds, too. No more sweets or fruit until the two week checkup shows all clear. Bonus: cutting out sweets and filling the bowl with pellets, he's just chowing down big time. He likes the Harrison's pepper formula. And he's gained almost 30 grams since he's been here. Wish him luck!

 

[Scott]

Good luck Gus! Yeast belongs in bread, not within parrots!!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Typical morning: Gus on cage top, me fixing coffee. Gus moves to open door, starts grunting the way he does when he want to talk. Looks like he might want to be picked up to go poop across the room. I walk over...he puts head down...I start to put my arm up but before I can move, he's got hold of the door frame with his beak, sliding down the bars and frantically waving his foot outward. I get my arm under him quickly, he jumps on, we walk quickly to the manzanita stand, he hops right onto the perch and grants one giant boon and one tiny one. I offer my arm again to see if he wants to go back, but the instant I move he is leaning down, beak open, stay away from me you giant monster I never saw you before in my life.

I'm just a parrot transport device.

On a side note, Gus seems to struggle to poop. I'm guessing because of the kyphosis? He hunches over, moves from foot to foot, then squats deeper and lets fly. Then a second layer, one tiny more grunt and plop. I'm glad he don't like to poop on the cage, it's so much easier to clean. He asks for a ride or goes to the outside perch as far out as he can. I heard his cage was a foot deep in poop when he was saved, so maybe he has good reason to do what he does.

The consistency of the poop can sometimes be the issue when there's difficulty. Is he getting enough water? Enough fruit with water like grapes or apples? The FMP (first morning poop) is always a doozy. They have it all stored overnight. I've also noticed with Hahnzel that a good solid grip on her perch makes a big difference also. If she's shaky or unstable she waits until she is before she'll go.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I think it's probably because of the serious hunchback spine he has. He didn't get proper nutrition as a wee one, so he suffered some bone deformation. His internal organs are compressed. Poor guy.

 

[goalerjones]

Typical morning: Gus on cage top, me fixing coffee. Gus moves to open door, starts grunting the way he does when he want to talk. Looks like he might want to be picked up to go poop across the room. I walk over...he puts head down...I start to put my arm up but before I can move, he's got hold of the door frame with his beak, sliding down the bars and frantically waving his foot outward. I get my arm under him quickly, he jumps on, we walk quickly to the manzanita stand, he hops right onto the perch and grants one giant boon and one tiny one. I offer my arm again to see if he wants to go back, but the instant I move he is leaning down, beak open, stay away from me you giant monster I never saw you before in my life.

I'm just a parrot transport device.

On a side note, Gus seems to struggle to poop. I'm guessing because of the kyphosis? He hunches over, moves from foot to foot, then squats deeper and lets fly. Then a second layer, one tiny more grunt and plop. I'm glad he don't like to poop on the cage, it's so much easier to clean. He asks for a ride or goes to the outside perch as far out as he can. I heard his cage was a foot deep in poop when he was saved, so maybe he has good reason to do what he does.

The consistency of the poop can sometimes be the issue when there's difficulty. Is he getting enough water? Enough fruit with water like grapes or apples? The FMP (first morning poop) is always a doozy. They have it all stored overnight. I've also noticed with Hahnzel that a good solid grip on her perch makes a big difference also. If she's shaky or unstable she waits until she is before she'll go.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I think it's probably because of the serious hunchback spine he has. He didn't get proper nutrition as a wee one, so he suffered some bone deformation. His internal organs are compressed. Poor guy.

I just walk Hahnzel over to the toilet or a trashcan

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[GaleriaGila]

Oh, Gus-ster... we're all pulling for you!
Hang in there, still and yet, Kentuckienne...

 

[Kentuckienne]

Update from Planet Gus!

The good news is his yeast thing is all cleared up. Took three vet visits, cutting out all sugar and fruit from his diet, and drugs. Jeff figured out how to just grab him around the head and squirt the meds into his mouth! Gus seems to forget it instantly. I wonder....we had been trying to expand his diet because he won't eat veggies, so I made a couple batches birdie bread using puréed baby food veggies and fruit and he was starting to eat that. But maybe there was too much sugar in it. Or maybe SOMEBODY was sneaking him too many cookies. We'll never know.

His feathers are beginning to look better...glossier in the sun and well zipped. But he's broken the ends of most of the outer primaries on one wing - they were growing in one at a time and unsupported, so one wing had mostly good feathers and one wing has short ones. He went through a small molt and looks better. Still has weird dark spots on some feathers. He's getting a little better at getting in water but still won't take a regular bath, which would help the feathers.

He still loves to rip up paper and has a new annoying habit of snapping his beak against the flat metal cage top which makes a noise. I worry he'll damage his beak. Whenever he gets a treat like a little piece of sandwich, he eats it then runs up to the top of the cage, pukes it up, and eats it back. I think maybe he sees that area as a nest, and he is driven to feed his mate/babies.

And he is mad at me again for being gone for a month. He asked me to pick him up to take him to the poop spot...stepped right onto my arm...then but me twice, right on the shoulder on the way there. I think maybe because we had to walk past his human and he wigged out...usually when I wait until he asks hard...slides down the door waving his foot frantically...he doesn't try to bite. We have a long way to go and it doesn't help that I leave so often. I'm bummed out, but Gus is really doing great, looking better all the time, and hopefully beginning to feel some trust in this new environment. It's been almost a year since we got him which isn't that long.

I have a better camera - one with a flip screen so I can film him without looking at him - and I'll get a video of him tearing up some paper. It's kind of all he does: tear paper, and then sit on top of the cage staring silently off into space. He's the quietest macaw I ever saw. A few ear-splitting screams when he feels abandoned, a few grunts or a snarl if a feather gets scratched the wrong way, but mostly he's as silent as can be.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Gus-ster!
Gus-arama!
Gus-alicious!

Yay, Team Gus! I'm relieved.

 

[plumsmum2005]

"And he is mad at me again for being gone for a month"

Course there is another possible option LOL

 

[wrench13]

Thanks very much for the update on Gus, one of my favorite members here. Does Gus like paper towel rolls , that sort of thing , to tear up? Phone books can be hard to come by and likey to get sparser as the years go by. Or maybe something heavier gauge, We use rolls of kraft paper , 3 ft wide , at work and theres always a few empty ones laying by.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Gus likes to have company while he eats. Today I had some rice for lunch, and I gave a bit to Gus, then sat at the table by his cage to eat. He came over...looked in the bowl, looked at me...ate the rice...then finished up all the food in the bowl left from breakfast that he ignored because we ate breakfast in the next room. I got a few grapes from the fridge - he has always rejected them. I stood by his bowl and ate half a grape, then put a couple grape halves in the bowl. He looked at them and back at me. I ate another grape saying yum um...he picked up one of his, and whee! Tiny pinning eyes, head bobbing up and down. We each had two grapes. First time he's eaten them. He's not supposed to have too much sugar, but it would be so good if he'd eat a bigger variety of foods. He seemed to regard me with a bit more tolerance...then Jeff walked in the room and Gus lunged at me so hard he almost fell off his perch. It's like he can only trust one person at a time. If J has to go out of town, in a day or somgus is stepping up and allowing a head-scratch. I wonder if there is something about the dynamic of having two people around...as I understand, his former parronts got divorced and this led to his his isolation in the cage. Does he think one human is a friend, but two humans are trouble? What's going on in that little brain?

Wrench, he does like paper bags and towel inserts but gets bored and leaves them half chewed. Same with boxes: on top the cage is a half a box and two ragged-edge paper bags. If he sees a paper bag, or hears one in another room, he goes into full on wings-up hyperdrive until he gets it. But phone book chunks, or pieces of plain paper, he tears them until there are only little bits, them he rummages around for the biggest pieces and makes them smaller, until there is only confetti up there. Paper is what floats his boat.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Probably nothing more than, to use your choice of word 'toleration' out of dependency. If there is no one else around what choice does Gus have? He's hungry and you have the food.

If there were additional family members then they would fill the void?