There and Back Again: A Conure's Tail

[Sunnyclover]

Thanks everyone! I'm about to go into surgery. See you all on the other side.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Update:
My surgery went fine. The recovery is tough but manageable. When I got home the birds wanted NOTHING to do with me. Finley especially wouldn't let me hold him at all. He wasn't biting me but he was trying to escape from my arms and leaping away from me every chance he'd get and his little heart was pounding fast. Ollie was much the same but on a lesser level. Paris...she was wary but still let me hold her a bit. My husband and I's theory is that because I have drains coming out of my abdomen (to drain excess fluid between layers of skin...common practice with this kind of surgery) they smelled blood and fluid and think I am ill or dying and are trying to push me out of the flock and save themselves, sort of a natural selection type deal. I figure Paris is a bit young and her instincts are't quite all there yet so she's more relaxed. You would think Finley would be understanding since he's got his own issues....
Anyways it has been a week since I have been home and things are getting better, Finley lets me hold him now without flying away and I can kiss him and stuff unless I am on the couch. He hates the pillows on the couch for some reason so I can only hold him if I am up walking around. Ollie is being a pretty good boy and lets me give him cuddles for a few minutes at a time but to be fair he isn't that into cuddles anymore in general so I am guessing he's acting normal now. Paris is fine with everything and I can hold her on the couch and she's on my shoulder right now! They are all a bit louder than usual as I can't spend as much time with them or do as many of the things I used to do but as time goes on I will be able to get back to my old self and so will they.

Oh and my Grandpa, surprisingly, seems to be pulling through for now and maybe out of the hospital by the end of next week. He's 88 1/2 and he has more life to live and more rounds of golf to play! How inspiring.

 

[Jen5200]

So glad you are on the mend, and your grandpa too! The birds will come around as you get back to your normal routines again

 

[Sunnyclover]

Hello all!
I have been soooo busy these last few weeks. My son came home from boarding school for the holidays and I am trying to spend as much time with him as I can and it's his 13th birthday on January 2nd.
Other than that North is doing very well. She is less scared of us now and seems to actually want to be picked up. She got an all clear from the vet a few days ago and since then I have been trying to let her and Paris hang out some because I am hoping them to be friends. Funny enough, Paris is terrified of her and all other birds because the big big boys have picked on her so much and intimidated her for the duration of her short life...the poor baby. Funny enough the new little one Northie wants to attack Ollie and Finley but not Paris. Perhaps it's because she is so shy and meek. Also weirdly, Paris isn't scared of hands or humans just other birds lol. I have been able to make some progress with North and Paris, so that's good. North has also been fully weaned of that terrible seed mix from the pet store and onto Zupreme pellets and I am so happy about that because now I can start training her with seeds for treats. Northie doesn't bite at all anymore either which is wonderful...I wish Finley would take a page from her book lol.

Here are some pics!

 

[Aratingettar]

She's sooo lovely Doesn't look too intimidated either

 

[Sunnyclover]

Sorry everyone that it has been a while, I have had A LOT going on. Having 4 Conures sure does keep a person busy if you actually give them the attention they want and need, let me tell you! Northie is adjusting okay, she steps up and no longer bites unless I am filing her nails which is fair enough haha. She is a bit of a scared little one though, she isn't scared of hands but is scared of anything new. None of my other birds are like that, if I put a new toy in their cage they immediately go investigate and if I have a new shirt they don't care but North will freak out haha.

Other things of interest that have happened is that I had to take Ollie to the vet after he flew into the sink and the automatic dish soap dispenser went off in his eye and mouth. Luckily they were able to see him right away. They gave me some eye drops and told me to watch his droppings and he should be okay. He is fine now so that is good!

We also rushed Paris to the ER (yes they have an CAV on staff at all times) because she broke a blood feather and she has broken one a couple of days earlier and I had been able to pull it but out and put Quick Stop in it myself and she was fine but this one was too short an I couldn't comfortably get it out. She keeps breaking her feathers all the time and they are new beautiful feathers an it's usually in the morning so we (and the vet) are guessing she has night frights. Were going to set up a camera on her in her cage to see if that is true and then get her some medicine to help her with that. She is rather neurotic and also is the only bird who makes noise at night.

Finley is having some trouble again and is being quite difficult to deal with but I suspect it has something to do with the time of year or something like that. I am doing my best to make him as happy as I can! He has his moments but I know he can't help it. He's my baby!

Here are some recent pictures of the flock!

 

[GaleriaGila]

With credit to Aratingettar for the term (I believe)... hey, that's quite a CONURING (Conjuring)!!!!!!!!!

You know Finley has my heart. I'll always crave and treasure updates on him. Yeah, I bet it's Spring that's having a rowdy influence on our little rooster! Finster, settle down already!!!

 

[Sunnyclover]

With credit to Aratingettar for the term (I believe)... hey, that's quite a CONURING (Conjuring)!!!!!!!!!

You know Finley has my heart. I'll always crave and treasure updates on him. Yeah, I bet it's Spring that's having a rowdy influence on our little rooster! Finster, settle down already!!!

Gail!
You'd love to see Finley now, he's quite the rooster! He's beautifully feathered and majestic looking and he let's me kiss him anytime I want and he never bites my face (for some reason). I tell my husband that I'm lucky because I get have a boyfriend (Finley) and a husband!
Finley is so handsome!!! I almost can't take it lol.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I have Finley-Envy!

 

[Sunnyclover]

@Gail
If you EVER make it to this part of the NJ/NY area, Finley would LOVE to meet you. He's pretty good with other people so I bet he'd let you give him some pets and tickles on the head. I take him places all the time (well not in the winter but I will start back up) so he'd be able to go out to lunch with us or something.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Today I took my dear sweet Finley out and about around town. 1st we went to Petco to get some Zupreem and a toy he liked. People in Petco swooned over him and one of the workers there apparently has an evil Nanday Conure who bigger than Finley...so she said. I'm a bit curious though... perhaps I should have offered to take a look at her bird and try to train him up. Hmmm perhaps in the future.
Then we went to CVS to pick up a prescription and some Reese's (for me ofc).
Next to Game Stop to get a gift for my son. The shop worker there just treated us normal which I think is nice instead of asking me "is it real? Does it talk?".
Up after that to the Post Office to send the thing for my son along with his prescription ezema cream.
Lastly, we went to Starbucks where we're basically celebrities. A barista there said are home she has a green cheek and a cocktail but was still gushing over Finley so I wonder if it's maybe her parents birds.
So yeah that was our day out! Finley was on a harness the whole time and he loved it. He loves going places with his mommy. He's so handsome and draws a crowd everywhere he goes.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Knowing that our dear Fin is with you lifts my heart every time I think about it. It truly does.
I bet that our little rooster felt himself to be quite the bird about town!

 

[Sunnyclover]

I'm glad it does Gail! I really do have to take extra special care for him because he's so difficult but I find if I do it right he definitely improves and is much happier and so am I.
Something funny that happens is on the weekends I get up late and my husband has already gotten the birds up and I go around and say good morning to each of them individually. I often get scolded by my husband because I spend wayyyy too long saying good morning to Finley or when I'm done with good mornings I go back to Finley and gush over him way too long and make the other birds sad. Lol. Oh Finley how I love thee!

 

[Sunnyclover]

This morning with my Finley!

 

[Sunnyclover]

Young Northie is doing well after her toe removal surgery. I'm surprised she isn't upset about it but I guess she's young enough to have adapted quickly. She's a bit of a weirdo in general...kind of like Ollie who's cautious, always aware and scared of various items in the house.
Paris and Finley are more alike... they're sort of off in lala land most of the time.
Boy has it been a weird month. I've been to the emergency vet 3 times in March and once in April. Ollie with his eye, Paris with breaking her feathers and night frights(x2) and North with her toe. I'm so lucky to be in a position where I don't even have to question if I should go to the vet or not or drive hours to find one...I can just go anytime 24/7.
Other than that things have been good here. Finley is getting much much better with everything but obviously something is still not right with him but I can tell he is doing his best. He has only had like one freaking out where he luckily didn't physically injure himself and I was able to intervene before it got too bad. He's a good boy.
Ollie is kind of on my sh*t list right now because he bit North's toe but I forgave him because I think he actually does feel bad about it because he saw my crying my eyes out while I was trying to stop the bleeding and he doesn't like it when I cry.
Paris...hmmm... she's such a good girl but she's super frantic at times and gets excited and jumps off her cage top. I usually see her do it or hear her do it..well Sunday I did neither. I went I to the kitchen nook and saw that she wasn't on her cage top and I had Finley in my hands. I saw her on the floor and I stepped to get her and she ran under my foot. Yeah so I kind of sort of stepped on her tail. Luckily she wasn't hurt and she only lost some of her tail feathers but was scared to death. So was I...
Well that's pretty much an update of everyone. I hope the coming days doesn't lead to more vet visits!

 

[GaleriaGila]

Okay, I'm sooooooooooooooo bad about imputing hidden machinations to my little friends, but I SWEAR that the Finster is looking coy and smug that HE wasn't the villain in the whole North toe scandal...
Innocence must be a real rush for that little rooster.
Love you, Fin. Stinker.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Oh and Ollie is even more on my sh*t list because he pooped his morning poop on my for the 1st time in about 2 1/2 years this morning. Ugggg so much for saying sorry, thanks Ollie.

 

[Sunnyclover]

This morning was interesting. Finley was being quite off. I usually take the birds downstairs for their morning poop in the sink and then I give them a small amount of nuts,seeds and fruits/veggies as their morning breakfast. Until I put the bowls in the cage and they're eating they all scream in unison for me to get the butt in gear and do it faster. Finley LOVES to eat...loves it. So to my surprise today he did not want to eat but instead if I would go to his cage to see what he was up to he'd climb into my shoulder and that NEVER happens unless I accidentally dumpped his breakfast on my shoulder. Lol. So I would oblige him for a few minutes then put him back on top of his cage to eat. Still no ..he climbed on to me again and again...he also seemed to be looking towards the ground part of the time which is strange. Have you ever seen a bird look at the ground for 5 minutes straight? Well let me tell you... it's weird. So after about a half hour of this dance I put him back and he starts eating like normal. Also he and Ollie have both been eerily quiet today.... something is amiss....

 

[GaleriaGila]

Ack! I always get all superstitious and worked up when stuff like this happens. Back in New Mexico, out-of-the-blue weird bird behavior sometimes meant earthquakes!

 

[Sunnyclover]

Hello all,

I have been on a bit of a break but I wanted everyone to know that all 4 birdies are doing well. Finley is better than ever! Here are some pics I took of them yesterday!