The Continuing Capers of Companion-ing Cotton

So far this round he's snipped them off, then seems to chew the remaining bits, but I can still see the stumps of the shafts. The rescue said he did in fact pluck the central tail feathers but it looked like he'd left the shafts of the outer feathers when he first was there.

He's definitely still ill even though he hasn't had further discharge around his nares, and he's visibly gaining weight back, but he's also been moved to a new home then taken to the vet then back home and is not trusting of humans yet at all - I've been shocked he's showing any signs of emotional comfort, honestly!

I spy on him a lot during the day and have been so relieved he's more and more playful and chatty every day. He's started stretching when my dog walker comes ;) (EVERYONE in my neighborhood loves my dog walker; he's the nicest man ever)

In general observing him and talking to him lots, I totally agree that Cotton's not comfortable. I can tell he's not as anxious as he was in the rescue, and I think his illness is slowly improving, but we have quite a ways to go yet in all areas.
O i fully agree:, you've had him to the vet for checks, is being treated for a serious infection. Has barely been in your home and has blossomed amazingly!
His transformation has been incredible!
 
The bonus to Cotton loving millet is that you can put that in chop, or sprinkle it on veggies. Bribery is golden! ha ha ha. He is looking amazing! He appears to really love his cage.
 
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  • #212
The bonus to Cotton loving millet is that you can put that in chop, or sprinkle it on veggies. Bribery is golden! ha ha ha. He is looking amazing! He appears to really love his cage.
Yes!!!! Millet is magic! He LOVES foraging and hopping and climbing so I think I've started to figure out a cage setup and toys that work well :)

Tonight Maynard and I ate a big plate of veggies and BOTH of us made very excited noises and head bobs which was unexpected 😂 Cotton was VERY INTERESTED and I offered him some every time I offered Maynard some. I put a couple pieces in his treat bowl and he studied them very hard.

He made his way to the bowl and touched the veggies but didn't take the bait, then went to his food bowl with chopped up carrots, broccoli, small diced chunks of grape tomato, and a broccoli floret. Also a mix of pellets, and a sprinkling of two teeny millet clumps mixed in (less than 1/8 tsp).

You guys I'm pretty sure he's eating pellets! I started recording him because I couldn't tell what he was eating for so long - waaay longer than it takes to eat 10-15 little millet seeds! He was eating for over ten minutes total!

I'm going to check (weigh remains, clean bowl, out out fresh pellets/seeds for the night) after he's done cleaning his face and getting all settled, but Yay buddy! 🏆
 
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Early morning dance party in the living room, then open door time. Cotton came out of his cage this morning to find a piece of millet on the bridge - he loves climbing but hasn't quite figured out the bridge yet, and hasn't ventured out to the rope.

Then he spent a good two hours going back and forth from inside to the perch mounted on the door, and lots of posing in the doorway, surveying his kingdom and waving to his faithful servants 😄

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  • #215
I cant see him in the first photo-
Is he even in the first photo 🤣 ?-

Also THOSE LITTLE CHICKEN WINGS ARE TOO CUTE
Hehehe I love watching him stretch and beat his wings! You're right, he's not in the first photo, whoops sorry!! I wanted a picture so I could remember where I'd hooked things ;)

Here's one you can barely see him in, with his Inspector Hat on

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  • #218
What a striking head. Cotton has a lot of poise.
His face is so expressive! I think his coloring is so beautiful. When he's content and whisper-clicking to himself, his little black feathers around his beak fluff up and he looks like he has a perfect scruffy beard 🥰
 
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I also think he's gained a bit!

He's almost back to where we were before the vet in terms of allowing my presence 😄 and he went a little further out onto the bridge a little bit ago! He looked for a way to climb up top a few times but can't get around the thicker bar, so I might try to rig perches so he can get up there.
 

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