Janfromboone

I'm really at a loss for the right answer. Tobie has cut his chest again. Because he broke/chewed his feathers on one of his wings, his ability to fly is now gone once again. I was on the couch downstairs and Tobie was playing on the top of the couch when my husband got up to go upstairs to bed. Tobie ran to the end of the couch and took a flying leap toward the steps, as if he could fly, and landed on the tile floor missing the area rug. Well it bled and I took him to the vet the next day. She put him on antibiotics. The problem is that he has jumped off my hand while transporting him several times even though I try to cup my other hand over him. Also, he jumped off the cage to the kitchen floor so he no longer is allowed out of the cage in the morning when I fix his bowls and clean the cage. He hasn't jumped from the playstand yet but I'm afraid of that too. Tonight he was on the seat of the couch and one of the dogs heard something and stood up suddenly and barked and Tobie jumped to the area rug - a short distance to a rug, but he bled again. He has started the bleeding from these leaps at least three times this week. I've decided that the only way to protect his chest to help it heal is to keep him in the cage. I did this for a day and a half and it broke my heart. "Jan, hey Jan!! What'cha doing. Hey Jan Bird in the cage". If I leave Tobie in his cage for a week will he be emotionally devistated and more prone to plucking. The safest place in the house for him to play is on the back of the sectional couch, but tonight he jumped off of that and hurt himself again. Would you keep taking a chance and bring him downstairs or let him have time to heal in the cage. Of course then what - after he heals - He may jump from my hand or fall again. What is the answer.

Wishing you luck. It is a frustrating problem.

It amazes me how nervous they can get over small changes to their environment. I guess in the Congo things don't change much.

That's funny. I take Tobie for walks too. I'll have to use that one. I often get "Did you know there is a bird on your shoulder".

Love the fact that he makes the same sound as you do. Tobie and I play a similar game. He is usually very gentle.

Funny story! Isn't it funny how similar the birds behaviors are. Tobie does the same thing. "Brandy, come here. Sit" and there go the pellets.

tobie stays up until 9:00 and at that time I take him upstairs to his cage. Sometimes I'm later, but he still doesn't like bedtime. When I put him in the cage he does this treadmill thing on the side of the cage with his feet, hanging by his beak from the horizontal bar or the cage and running his feet up and down the wires. after a few minutes of this he settles down and sleeps. I've though about bringing him to our room and having a sleep cage in the room, but I wake up and get up in the night and I suppose I would wake Tobie. He never wakes me. I usually am awake by 8:00 on days I don't work and 6:30 on work days. He doesn't make a peep until he hears me stirring.

I think that during a time of emotional upheaval it is unwise to add more things to take care of. Of course that's exactly what I did when I bought Tobie. In talking to my mother-in-law about so many of my close relatives who are so depressed and suffering for one reason or another I made the comment "I get sad and depressed too, but when I get that way I buy a parrot". (talking about Tobie - He's my only one at the moment)

Very wise bird!!

Great stories, Tobie has been saying bad bird and then growling like the dogs do when they are both pulling on the same toy. He gets into the growling to the point of being rediculous. I wish I could teach him to do that on command by saying something like "Tobie are you bad" and then have him go into a fit of growling. It would be a great trick, but so far no luck.

Wow!! Biscotti has really developed his vocabulary. What a sweet voice. Tobie sounds like a old man comparted to Biscotti's sweet voice.

Yes, Tobie gets in the bottom of the tub and I stop it up and turn the shower on. I'll let the water out a bit when it gets up to his chest. He seems to like it that way and I know at least his underside is getting wet to the skin.

HA!! Didn't take Alfie long to learn a new bird call

congratulations. I think it took Tobie longer.

Thanks Dan. We can't be reminded enough about these points and not to equate our birds mentality with our dogs.

The sounds she makes sounds like Charlie Chan or some kung foo guy just before putting his foot in someones chin. She is quite serious isn't she.

wonderful!! now it all starts. I wish I had kept a journal of all the funny moments when Tobie started talking.

Very nice. Beautiful slide show. Aren't they all so beautiful!!

He did seem to keep time with the music . Next he will be moon walking. I want a video of that one.

Wonderful though provoking post. I wish I could crawl into the mind of the grey for many reasons, this being one of them.

Zandische, That was so sad. It sounds as if your house was as safe as it could have been and yet your bird escaped. Very thought provoking post. Even though your bird was familiar with your yard and outside he flew away. Can any of us feel that our birds are safe if they are flighted.

I have wondered if in addition to recall training if orienting the bird to the outside of the house and the yard with frequent walks and letting them see the house they live in from all angles would help keep them oriented should they fly outside the house. It isn't surprising to me that Tui didn't come back. When the wind blew him away from an appartment building imagine what that building looked like to him when the wind blew him away from it. It looked like nothing he had ever seen before. If there is a familiarity to the trees and the yard and outside of the house then wouldn't they be more likely to stay close to what is familiar.

Wonderful story!! Thanks for sharing. I'll say that anyone who lives long enough will have regrets. It's all part of what makes you such a good parront to Yoshi. .

What a wonderful video!!!! I watched it twice and replayed the slow motion flight again and again. The music was great with the video.

Yea, Tobie couldn't fly a lick when he had chewed his right wing even though his left wing was fully feathered. But then again he chewed them off at the skin. I know what you mean "dropped like a stone". I still remember the sound of that. UGH!! I bought a rabbit toy for tobie to chew up. It looks like a straw mat. I laid it in his cage bottom and boy did he freak. Something about the way it looked. He calmed down a bit and I left for work thinking that by the time I got home he would have had his way with it reducing it to a pile of straw. I honestly don't think he moved from his spot all day and he didn't look like he had even gone to the food dish. When I opened the door he literally scrambled out into my arms and then as I moved away from the cage he caught site of the thing in the bottom of the cage and leaped from my arms. Needless to say I tossed it. It was a bad idea.