Willow’s thread

[HeatherG]

Willow is starting to mouth and play with the toys on his basket more. He has been tossing the jingle ball out of the way and exploring the rainbow links. We have been talking about the red, yellow, and blue links and I praise him when he beaks them.

He is much more interested in licking my nose and making me crosseyed than in any toys.

 

[HeatherG]

I had Willow out on his basket and I called a Dr. Willow had been perfectly quiet until then; even as I played “Simon says” chirps with Jasper. But as soon as I got on the phone talking with the receptionist, what a variety of chirps and squawks came out of his little beak!

Willow is normally rather quiet. Lucy used to babble to herself in her cage but not Willow. If I call to him he will call back but otherwise he is usually quiet. Yet he had to bless that receptionist with his jungle noises.

I would really like willow to talk and I wonder how I can get him to be louder. I know I have such a nice bird already BUT talking is fun. Willow really does seem like a “monk” parakeet: he sits and contemplates!
————///

Well, Willow was tired of being petted and sitting on his basket with me. So now he’s on his cage squawking and complaining about being there. Huh. Maybe he is just getting louder very slowly?

 

[HeatherG]

I’ve had a lot of migraines over the past few days and Willow is rather mad at me, presumably for missing a couple “bird times” with him.

I hope he gets over this soon. It is a real drag to have him biting me for not much reason.

 

[HeatherG]

I forget that Willow doesn’t like things that Lucy liked. For example being picked up like a baseball. I accidentally do those things and then he is upset. The problem is that it’s somewhat automatic: if your very old bird who was with you for decades liked “x” then it must be ok. Whoops! It isn’t! So he’s upset about that, too. He didn’t bite me but I can tell he did not like it.

We are sharing a nectarine and I hope that we can be on better terms. I need to get my migraine treatment because the headaches every day are such a problem.

 

[onamom]

Was Lucy a Green Cheek? The one you suspect Ona is reincarnated as? I can definitely understand how years of one habit could be hard to break. Hope your migraines improve soon!

 

[HeatherG]

Was Lucy a Green Cheek? The one you suspect Ona is reincarnated as? I can definitely understand how years of one habit could be hard to break. Hope your migraines improve soon!

Lucy was a green Quaker.

I was kind of joking but kind of not. I have been struck by Ona’s forthright personality. Outgoing and sure she’s the center of the world, but still a sweetheart. Just a bossy one. And the cuddliness/ posing for the camera. Lucy was a grande dame.

 

[HeatherG]

Willow was out for a long time today and was ok with tossing side his jingle bell when it got in his way. He is doing better about being willing to touch toys. I am still praising him for touching the ball and the rainbow links. He is ok with the toys he’s had all his life, and the ones he’s had in his cage for two years, but new ones are scary.

SOMEONE was talking in their cage this morning but I couldn’t tell who. Very sneaky!

 

[HeatherG]

Sr. Willow was grumpy today as he has been getting only one long scritch and out session each day of the last few days. Migraines have been very bad and when I need to sleep, I sleep.

He wanted to be cuddled and pet but got snippy after about 45 minutes. I brought him back to his cage and zoomed him like an airplane to his cage door. He ran in and climbed up to his sleeping spot.

Both boys made kissy noises at me in the very early morning, but they don’t come out at that time. I will hope Tuesday and Wednesday are better. I want to try the new bird bath fountain for each of them.

 

[HeatherG]

Willow had a long “out” this morning and after lots of cuddling and scritches we went through the primary colors again. I handled the three rainbow links, hid them in my hand, held them in my fingers, my beak, all while saying the color of that link.

Willow has reached out to touch the links and I have praised him. He is often scared of new toys. Today he replied some two syllable word when I showed him the yellow link and said “yellow”. I told him how smart he was. He took the yellow link and turned it around in his beak while I told him it was yellow.

I think he may be starting to get the colors. I am not certain—I guess we will see. His reluctance to handle new objects makes this more difficult.

Willow was taking very good care of his basket today. He did clean up a dried dropping (yuck) and shredded some paper (nest lining?). He’s a bit possessive of his basket.

Jasper was also out for quite a while; until he started to get pinchy. Then he went back in his cage and I cleaned both cages, changing the newspaper.

Maybe the birds will have a bath later today?

 

[onamom]

Willow is so smart! It sounds like he is learning the colors! I hope they like the bird bath soon.

 

[HeatherG]

A certain bird wants to cuddle in my right hand and pressed up against my cheek while I rub his jaw. I think he’s winding down for the evening.


It’s very hard to get a decent pic of me with the phone balanced on the basket rim with one hand. But Willow looks happy.

(I can’t figure out how to edit the photo to zoom in on Willows corner.)

 

[HeatherG]

Willow enjoyed a whole avicake sitting on the basket handle and then scrounged the scraps from his basket. He did not want me to put my hand in his basket and pick him up and if I offered my hand to step up he pecked me!

I waited until Willow had guzzled some more and asked him to “come in, step up” and he started to repeat the “cuh” and climbed out. Once he got on his basket handle I could touch him, and when he decided he was done snacking then he wanted to be cuddled in my hand and up against my cheek.

Funny that he’s getting protective of his basket, especially when it’s SITTING ON MY LAP ANYHOW.

It’s snowy today and particularly dark. Both birds crashed early. Grr. I would have liked more bird time after dinner. I’m pretty sure they would have liked some black bean burrito, but it contained onion and garlic as well, and I’m trying not to share that. They did get the pepper guts.

 

[HeatherG]

Fri morning donuts and coffee. I was celebrating being awake at 9 am, and used this opportunity to start teaching Willow to say “where’s mine?”

He only got a tiny inner piece of donut.

Ye olde Lucybird used to say “want some!”.

I think he enjoyed being around several other people, TV, and admiration of the bird. He stepped up for one man and let a woman scritch his neck without biting much.

The man asked, “didn’t you used to have another one of these birds?” Ouch. “Yes. I had a green one named Lucy who was 25. She’s been gone for two years.” Another man marveled that Willow sat still on my shoulder and did not fly away. “Of course. I would not bring him here if he was likely to fly around.” That man has always scowled at Willow so perhaps he will be happier.

P.s. today Willow’s forehead is pinkish-grey, from my lipgloss. He is a cuddly bird today! And Jasper is wroth while in his cage. He will be out next.

 

[HeatherG]

Guess who used the Swan Pet Waterer (and Bird Bath) today?

I realized it’s before noon with plenty of time for him to dry off, so got the Swan BB out and sprayed with cleaner, then rinsed (makes me nervous having had it in bathroom for a while). Willow did a good job waiting on the tree while I prepared.

I figured out how to put the pump assembly together right and then retrieved Willow and basket from the bedroom. Sat with willow on the basket and the swan BB on the toilet lid. Willow still doing ok. I showed him the water stream and he took a drink! Told him what a Good Boy! He was watching the water intently. I put willow on my hand, put bird hand on the basket rim and splashed with my free hand. Willow still ok, watching my free hand take a bath.

Thought I’d sit there and watch the fountain with Willow . Willow started making splashy water noises! Moved bird hand to Bath rim and Willow looked interested. Asked him to step up and he stepped onto the bath rim, watched my hand splash, then hopped in and bathed. He flapped and ducked and splashed and got very wet for about a minute while I cheered!

Willow hopped out to the bath rim, I waited a bit then stepped him up and toweled him off a bit (he’s dripping wet in winter).

Now I am cuddling with my stinky wet bird. Maybe we’ll try the blow drier on low, better yet a few exchanges of towel. He’s only shook out a bit of the water.

Yay Willow!!

Jasper bath next.

 

[HeatherG]

Willow continues his spa morning with a pedicure and finally begins to preen after a half hour of relaxation. Much rattling of feathers and yawning.

 

[onamom]

Sooo cute! Ona also love to relax after a bath. Post bath is her favorite time to have a cuddle session. (Let's be honest she always wants a cuddle session.) Way to go Willow! What a clean, happy birb.

 

[HeatherG]

Sooo cute! Ona also love to relax after a bath. Post bath is her favorite time to have a cuddle session. (Let's be honest she always wants a cuddle session.) Way to go Willow! What a clean, happy birb.

Jasper just had the MOST WONDERFUL BATH EVER. Was in cage preening. Now in cage complaining that he wants out.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen jasper have that much fun!

 

[onamom]

Awww yay both boys love it!

 

[HeatherG]

Awww yay both boys love it!

They both look really nice now. Very clean and smooth and satiny. Both needed a bath but Jasper more so. I haven’t wanted to take birds in the shower in the cold because it is so miserable already to have lots of cold wet hair. Now I see it’s very necessary for them to bathe regularly (if not in the shower with me).

 

[WinniePooh]

Jasper just had the MOST WONDERFUL BATH EVER. Was in cage preening. Now in cage complaining that he wants out.
View attachment 47013
View attachment 47014
I don’t think I’ve ever seen jasper have that much fun!

Awwww