Sounds sweet to me actually! Timber wants to be in the room I am in, but he doesn't want to be on me all the time, so no advice here. What Talon recommended is certainly something I'd try though in your circumstances.
What an exciting day! I feel badly for her previous owner, but sometimes circumstances are beyond our control. It sounds like she is a well-adapted bird from a good home, which is a big help for you in establishing a bond. Good luck and God bless
It may be weeks or never with a new item. I have had a boing hanging by Timber's playtop for about 4 weeks now. He doesn't seem afraid of it and plays with the bell on the bottom. I have yet to see him set foot on it though. Actually, I put him on it after a cuddle session a few times. He hops on it and quickly makes his way down to the regular perch on the playtop. Hope springs eternal though!
Thanks for the link Wingy. I buy stuff from Dr. F & S all the time and I hadn't seen they had a safflower based seed mix. I'll give this one a try next!
Wow, that would be a shock. I've actually hesitated to have Timber tested because at some level "he" will always be a boy to me. Maybe I'll just live in blissful ignorance. The hardest thing for me would be trying to say "her" instead of "him." In the end, what difference does it really make though? Very interesting theory about LuLu. Who knows? That could have been her name at one time. I hadn't thought about it, but some do rename the birds they rehome so it is certainly possible.
I try to give Timber as much variety as possible. He gets pellets, seed, spouted seed, and vegetables (some cooked, some not) every day. He also gets whatever we are eating that he can have, as well as pine nuts, almonds, and a peanut or cashew at bedtime. I remember reading somewhere, sometime on the forum to give 1/4 cup of seed a day.
Right now I'm using Volkman Avian Science Super Hookbill. I have a bag of Higgins Safflower Gold to try next. I'm feeling my way in this area too. Hopefully someone with more experience will give us the answer...
It sounds like you are well on your way to paying your "debt" to Gilbert for your mistreatment. They always have to put on a bit of a show just to let you know they noticed your absence and were displeased don't they? I'd give him 72 hours...