Acappella

Steve, technically he Can fly, he just doesn't think of it as a way to get around. The only time he's flown, with a very few exceptions, have been when something startles him off his perch. His flight is wild and undirected, usually with a messy landing, although that is getting better. Well, he's not flying into walls as much. Basically, he doesn't know he's a bird. I don't think he was allowed to fledge before he was clipped for the first time, and he was kept clipped all the time. I let his wings grow out years ago, but he hasn't made the connection to use them to fly. I don't know if he ever will.

Have you tried doing what birdhouse did, let him see you play with it?

It is amazing when I think back to the fearful little fellow I took in how fearless he's become. I recently took Dorian's rope swing out of his cage for repair and decided to try his boing in his cage. He hasn't seen his boing since we moved three years ago (I haven't found a place for it) and was prepared to have to go through the whole routine of starting it across the room and slowly moving it closer. Well, he didn't so much as blink, just let me put it right in his cage with him, walked over to it and gave it a good shake to ring its bell. New toys don't phase him either. I really believe it's based on the trust he has in me and I'm very proud of him.

I'll preface this by saying that in my house the phrase "step up" is never used. It has bad associations from his former home and sets him into fearful trembling immediately. Well for the last couple of months my boy has discovered he likes hanging out on my desk. He climbs down his cage, across the floor, up the desk leg and then waves his little foot around until I let him climb onto my arm and place him on the desktop. Sometimes his behaviour requires that I remove him from the desk to go back into his cage to 'think about what he's done' (yes, I know that's wishful thinking). He becomes quite willfull at these times and had started to bite me when I was trying to get him to step up. I know I should 'take the bite' but it got to the point where he was biting down on already raw skin. So I did a bad (to me at the time) thing. I decided that when I had to move him in a situation where he didn't want to be moved, even though I was afraid of a breach of trust, I would try stepping him up onto a perch. Of course, he was not happy about it, and I felt like a bad parront, but now we've reached a compromise. When he sees the perch he still makes his displeased noises, but he steps right up onto it as he knows I mean business. This way I can get him into his cage in a rush if I have to, and I can still step him up onto my hand for fun moves (Wanna come with mom? Wanna go to the living room?). Do you guys think I'm a bad parront, or a wimp, for resorting to a perch for step ups?

Sounds like you need a bullfrog relocation project.

(The title should be Happy Outdoors) Those of you who have followed the path Dorian and I have walked will know that he has had an at best indifferent relationship with the great outdoors. At first he was frankly terrified of everything. The sun was going to kill him, the breeze was going to kill him, the birds were going to kill him . . . He would just sit frozen in place until I carried him back in. (I take him out in a cage that's 28"h x 18" x 18"). By the end of last summer he would deign to take a drink or a snack, or try to take a bath, but no sounds would leave his beak and he would not play with any toys. Well, yesterday I took him outside for the first time this year and he was a different bird! Playing, singing, talking, interacting with neighbours, wagging his little red bum, grooming, bathing, and not panicking when I got more than a few feet away from his cage. I think I may have finally convinced him that the great outdoors are not evil which means I can take him outside more this summer. Go Dorian!!!!!

Yeah, Dorian gets loud before bed, but he's never done the pterodactyl scream. He just gets veeeeeeeery vocal.

I'm really enjoying the series. They're staying true to the books for the most part and the places where they are diverging aren't annoying me. I'm also listening to the podcasts that Ron D. Moore is doing for each episode. They give some good insights on why he makes the decisions to stray from the books when he does. I am worried that they're all going to have a drinking problem by the end of the show though, as there is a lot of whiskey drinking going on! lol

Made me smile.

Sure she looks all business with her wings, but her face is still covered in formula. Exciting age.

I love how you're able to recognize and celebrate every step forward while not taking her setbacks and continued antagonism towards you personally. Actually, you also have been celebrating her setbacks as they become smaller and more infrequent. I'm glad David is accepting his role as favoured one and that you don't let it get you down as you serve and pander lol. I'm also glad you're not too attached to the carpet on the stairs as I don't predict a long life for it now that it's become part of Miss Gilbert's territory.

Aw, what a sweetie.

So great that she isn't regressing all the way to barbering her feathers. Pretty soon you'll have to update her picture at the bottom of your posts to one with full, sleek feathers.

Remember, talking/not talking isn't always an indication of happiness. I've been realizing lately that Dorian isn't talking nearly as much as he used to, or adding new things to his vocabulary. I believe this is because since the move to this much smaller house he's almost always in my presence so he doesn't need to use sound/speech to bring me to him. I think it's awesome that you're giving the rescue remedy a try. Keep us updated on how things are going.

That fluffy little head is just crying out for a good long scritching session!

So sorry for the loss of Ivan. He was beautiful.

Thanks for the visual, and the smile it gave me.

Happy belated hatchday Alfie, hope it was a good one.

How's the Guster specifically doing these days? Is he happier with the bigger flock?

Funny how Dorian has never taken to banana. I've even tried smearing some on his beak hoping that an accidental contact with his tongue would get him to try it, but no dice, he cleaned his beak on a perch. He just tosses banana chips out of his dish. Your guy is so cute.

Nope, not the only one. Dorian tosses them right away.

Love all the pictures. My favourites are the 2nd 'what's up' and the last 'ball on head' pictures.

I know the thread is long but that in itself is part of the point that some rehomed birds take longer to settle in than others. Just reading some or all of that thread will help new people with rehomed birds manage their expectations while giving them hope that even the most timid bird can eventually find its way into its new flock.

Welcome to you and your new fid (feathered kid). The grey lounge would be a good place for a general question like your one about falling. A night light may help prevent night frights.

Welcome to the forum. My best friend is a magician who has done busking festivals twice in Singapore and fallen in love with it there. He loves hot weather. It looks like those pictures might have been taken in an outdoor aviary. Were they? Do you have to do anything special to keep him cool?