There and Back Again: A Conure's Tail

[Sunnyclover]

Always. Lol unless it's white and then Ollie won't touch it.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Well there was a long string of bad days with Finley. I have this feeling he is a lot of pain some of the time because he acts like a cranky person with a headache or something but then he seems to feel better at times and is in a really good mood, making cute baby noises and rolling on his back, giving kisses and not biting or even acting like he ever would. Hmmm I really think I am going to make another vet appointment for him and tell them to run every test and a cat scan and literally anything else because this doesn't add up. I might find that he is medically fine and I will be okay with that but I just want to make extra sure he isn't suffering.
I have been trying a new method with Finley when he is in a really bad mood and it's taken straight from the Gail and RB handbook! I have been having him step up to a perch (because he will often bite after stepping up) and it has been going well. I find that I am able to interact with him more if he is having a bad day and still take him from room to room with me and use the perch to place him off and especially take him off my shoulder. I just can't stand the idea of leaving the poor baby in his cage all day and not spending time with him because I don't think what is happening is his fault or mine and I am still going to get to the bottom of this!
Today, however, was a good good day with Finley. He was so happy and never tried to bite even once and I didn't have to use the perch at all which was wonderful. I held him and he got lots of loves and scratched and played and played.
Ollie of course is being the best bird ever as usual. I can't remember the last time he didn't do exactly what I wanted or disobeyed me in any way. I am so lucky to have him! I often wonder if he has gone through puberty yet or not because if he hasn't then all this could change but hey I am fine with that but for now...wow he is so well behaved.

Here is a picture of Finley having a good day! What a sweetheart.

Ollie on a very rare occasion will let me hold him on his back...I'd say that is one place Finley outsines him is backability. Not sure that is a word but hey!

 

[Sunnyclover]

This weekend has been wonderful for Finley, Ollie and I (and husband and son). Finley has been in extremely good spirits and has rarely bitten (like 2 times) me for 2 days! He's been happy and playing and sweet. He even lept onto my shoulder from the tree and he hasn't done that is a good while. Ollie has been amazing too! Both of them have been making more random noises this last 2 days which I'm hoping will turn into some words if they keep exploring their voices. Here is a video of one of today's antics while I was cooking dinner. They have a swing above the sink that hangs from our pot and pan drying rack. Just so you know it's amazing because they can freely poop from it into the sink and enjoy fruits and veggies up there with nearly no mess clean up. I have this little clip on bowls I put food and water in up there too. Best invention ever (thanks hubby!).

[ame="https://youtu.be/hyqQAfuav_s"]Oh that silly Finn - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Sunnyclover]

Things with Finley have taken a rough turn lately and the more I interact with him the more I think he is in chronic pain of some kind or something like that (going to vet soon to get a full work up). I have found one thing that cheers him up and I intend on doing it every chance I get. He loves going out on the deck (screened in) and just listening to the birds. And while we're out there he is like a normal bird...he wants to be on my shoulder nonstop and happily chirps his little face off and lets me pet him and hold him anyway I want and never ever bites and begs to be with me the whole time. But inside the house is a different story... unfortunately. I think if he is in pain, there is a lot going on outside and it's distracting him from whatever normally is bothering him. So I have been taking Ollie and him out as much as I can and they LOVE it. Here are some videos from yesterday and today. Ollie of course has been a dream come true as usual.
[ame="https://youtu.be/aGCcjhviBvM"]Outside on the deck to cheer up Finley - YouTube[/ame]
[ame="https://youtu.be/nodpaeTz_FU"]Outside time with the boys! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Sunnyclover]

Too cold to go outside today. Finley kept looking out the window longingly the poor baby. Ollie got to ride to Taco Bell with us kind of close to his bed time and was growling lol but I think he enjoyed it for the most part. He was also very cuddly today...loved it!

 

[Sunnyclover]

There was winter:

And now...summer:

 

[Sunnyclover]

http://www.parrotforums.com/conures...med-avian-refuge-due-neurological-issues.html

A link to what's happening with my Finley baby.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Last Saturday we went to visit Finley again. He clearly loves and remembers me. It's hard seeing him but I am happy to do it. I love him very much.
During the visit I gave him a bath so that was nice.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZThHJu1CYA"]I visited Finley and gave him a bath! - YouTube[/ame]

 

[itzjbean]

Glad to see you were able to visit Finley again! Is he still biting you at all when you visit? What does Ollie think of being the only bird once again?

 

[GaleriaGila]

You're brave! I don't know if I could stand to go see him and then leave. Thank you for visiting him, and also for helping the other birds. How is he doing? He will always have a special place in my heart, and I know that's true for many here.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Finley is doing well. He is still in his 30 day quarantine and in Paula's (the lady who runs the refuge) house. She says he is very personable and happy. I believe he is in the honeymoon stage still and not truely acting as he normally would. When I visit him he is 100% obsessed with me and clearly was and is bonded to me. I honestly had no idea he was truly bonded with me because his behavior was so erratic and confusing. When I am there he only does warning bites and not very often and it's usually just to say "hey I don't want to do that right now, stop" which is totally fine. If he had only been doing that the whole time I would have never given him up. I plan to continue my weekly visits to see if he is slowly stepping away from me or not. Paula says he has not have any freaking out episodes that she has noticed but to be fair she only handles him a few times a day and maybe for 30 minutes in the evening which is wayyy less then I ever did. I would handle him like 20 or 30 times a day and for hours and hours. It's really hard to say what's happening here with him as no one would keep as close of an eye on him as I do. We're going on a vacation from August 4th to the 18th and I plan to visit him right before and right afterwards. I am thinking after I get back he will have been integrated into the general bird population by then. We'll see if he is still really attached to me after that. Let it be known I have not yet given up my rights to Finley, i am waiting to make sure he'll be okay. But more or less he is being treated like he's going to live there forever. It is hard seeing him but I try to not be sad about it and cherish every moment with my green monster that I can. He's my baby and I love him.

As far as Ollie is concerned: Only one person knows this but even with Finley missing he is NOT an only bird. We have added a new member in our family and I have not yet introduced this new avian creature to you all because I am still in pain over Finley and had not yet thought it was the right time to talk about it. I did NOT go out and say "hey I need a replacement for Finley ASAP are there any birds for sale?" That's so not how it happened, it was a total fluke, a coincidence, the bird chose me.

 

[Sunnyclover]

We just made plans to go see Finley this Sunday. I'm actually looking forward to it a lot. I miss him a great deal. I hate looking at his favorite places around the house...I keep seeing his little black and green face in my dreams.
I would also like to give thanks to my husband (he reads this thread) for driving me to see Finley one day every weekend since he left even though he works long long hours and has very limited time to do anything he likes to do on the weekends. I have a fear of driving places I'm not familiar because I'm terrified I will get lost, then tensing up and loosing control of my ability to drive safely and I have been struggling with this ever since I learned to drive at age 27 (I failed the test 3 times before passing because I froze up mid test). He is helping me learn the route to drive to go see Finley and help at the Avian Refuge on my own in the future. The drive in an hour and 10 mins long and by the time we get there I'm so tense my hands hurt from grasping the wheel too tightly. I desperately want to learn this drive so I may visit my baby boy and help out in my free time. Please lend me your encouragement and support.

 

[Aratingettar]

No wonder you're missing him, I'm glad he's doing well in the regugee. Your husband is really special, great man he's supporting both of you with such involvement, especially given the fact he's working long hours.

There's only one way to get rid of driving fear: to drive. Get familiar with the route, get your husband on a passenger's seat and take the wheel. Let him be your route guide (letting you know in advance on where to turn, which lane to take etc.). After several times you'll feel at home with the route. So you just focus on a road conditions and safety, and let your husband be your co-pilot.

 

[Inger]

Something else that might help is to learn to trust google maps. To do this, you have it navigate you to places you already know how to get to so you can see that it gets you there too. If it tells you to go some different way, ignore it and it will reroute you and eventually take you the usual way. After you trust it that much, take the unusual way it offers-sometimes it knows something we don’t-and when you still arrive at your destination, you’ll have more trust.

I feel confident that I can get anywhere I want as long as I have my phone. MUCH more convenient than a person giving directions, since they might accidentally say left when they meant right, or tell me to head north which is fine when I’m in western Washington and can orient to the mountains, but not fine anywhere else!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sunnyclover]

@Inger We have a Tesla that has Google Maps integrated into the system and we ARE following it. So yeah I just literally have a true fear where I'm almost get paralyzed and can't make good decisions when driving somewhere new but if I get comfortable with it I can drive there and back all day long. It's just the getting comfortable with it part that takes time.

@Aratingettar I am the one driving and my husband is in the passenger seat so that's already happening.

Thanks guys!

 

[Sunnyclover]

We visited Finley again this last Sunday. I have to say I think the honeymoon period is starting to fade because he bit me many more times and sometimes acted terrified of me for a few seconds like he didn't know me. He has not yet had a freak out that I know of but I am pretty sure it's on the horizon but I am hoping by that time he'll be integrated into the bird community. The rest of the time he was glued to me and could not get enough of me. He even went on his back for several minutes at a time and played and played. I also gave him a bath. I am planning on seeing him again this coming Sunday which I believe will be the last time before our long trip to go visit family in WI/OR that we are taking Ollie on.

Ollie is doing well. He seems to miss Finley a bit but I think he is getting over it.

Here are some pics from my visit with Fin.

 

[Rival_of_the_Rickeybird]

He seems to be hanging onto you for dear life. Do you hope to fade contact with him over time? Your vet hoped that he would integrate into the flock and minimize human bonding? To you and/or refuge staff? Such a cute little guy.

 

[crazyforfeathers]

I'm glad to hear Finley is doing much better! I agree, he seems to be holding on to you so lovingly in those photos. As if to say, take me back home with you! The bond is still there and strong! Will you consider taking him back at some point? Maybe this experience had made him more mellow and easier to manage.

Anyhow I wish you and Finley the very best. Nandays are such beautiful birds. I've read that they are naturally a bit more feisty than sun conures. They mellow out a lot after 3 or 4 years old.

 

[Sunnyclover]

I will answer the above questions when I have time but right now I'm boarding a flight!
We decided to take Paris with us on our trip to Oregon/Wisconsin instead of Ollie to strengthen our bond. I was afraid we'd loose it in the 2 weeks we'll be gone and Ollie is clearly 100% devoted to me so I'm not worried about him. Sorry Ollie Baby! We just boarded our flight (United) and they gave us NO trouble. Of course I called ahead and paid the pet fee and have the airline version of the Pack'o'bird so that helps. Paris seems to like her carrier unlike Ollie who terates it but generally is clamoring to get out if I at all look like I'm going to bto open the door on the top. Right now the carrier is on my lap with the top flap open she's happily eating and accepting tickles. Updates later! Maybe I'll post about the whole trip and everything either on this thread or make a separate one with pictures and things!

 

[Sunnyclover]

We made it here to WI safe and sound. Paris made a few peeps here and there but for the most part was a little angel! Honestly, I thought traveling with Ollie was pretty easy but traveling with Paris is even easier. What a good little girl.