Gilbert is home

[Greywings]

That made me cry, such joy with her life! It may not be the cage size but the activity and the fellowship she is thriving on. After all those Cajuns are boisterous party animals.

[katana600]

In my time with Gil, I have had lost several loved ones and she has joined the hospice team a few times. Returning to Georgia after being "home" has been somewhat quiet and somber. I have little doubt she has picked up my emotion and we have healed quietly together. My husband and were the first in three generations to move away from our rural hometown. That first move I cried my way through five states. It was the necessary thing to do to have a job and we moved about seven more times in fifteen years. Now our kids are grown and my husband travels and I feel more of a pull to come back home. It is probably the laughing and busy household she is responding to as much as her becoming familiar with everyone and being able to predict her part in the festivities. My little Cajun party animal. I LOVE that. She does like the night life here. In a couple of weeks we will have the whole extended family and then she will really shine. It's so nice to see each person come to her and talk to her and offer her a treat and a scratch. Everyone treats her like a little sister and she takes great delight in being a comedienne. It's just unbelievable to see her swinging and moving so fast, letting her hair down and throwing caution to the wind. Every day is a new day for her. I feel so blessed to watch as she slowly shakes off whatever demons she had and being just another happy family member.

[danmcq]

It's is wonderful to hear how well Gilgirl is doing on this visit. I have a feeling all the happiness and love going on there is getting Gilda caught up in the festive spirits as well. Wait a minute, you don't think anyone is slipping her some "Shine" do you?

 

Thanks for the updates. I love reading of her advancing exponentially now. It was step, wait, step back, step forward, wait to today's mutli-step, run, hop, fly, hang upside down and do the banshee. I am loving this.

[katana600]

If they are slipping her some "shine" and not sharing it with me, I will start rooting around to find some after a long day. Yesterday started off much the same as others, Gil was crooning to us by six am before I had even gotten out of bed. It was the first day everyone was home from work and we enjoyed her happy chatter. Most of it anyway, she was doing the "Maaaa" call over and over and laughing when I remarked how obnoxious she acted. I was making the final batches of caramels and almond toffee while family was bringing out Christmas boxes and sorting. In the late afternoon my sister said "uh oh" as she approached her cage for the requested scratch. Gil's cage was a flurry of nervously chewed feathers. We had not considered how she reacts to seeing boxes being packed and this was definitely the cause. We moved all the boxes to the formal living room where she couldn't see them. It was the shortest and least destructive chewing feather damage she has done. So, even though it reminds us she still has anxieties, it also does confirm that it relates to something traumatizing in her past and that she can be reassured that we aren't leaving her or sending her away. We talked to her, moved the boxes from her sight and although she wasn't quite as boisterous, she was still happily engaging us for the rest of the evening. She is a complex little soul. Watching her gain coping skills and cut short what six months ago would have left her bare and distraught gives me such hope that slowly and gradually, these anxieties will stay in her past. On a happier note, she is just smitten with my sister, calls her by name and asks for anything which will draw her close to the cage, then refuses even her most favorite treat because all she really wanted was a scratch. It's very endearing and they both are so pleased.

[birdhouse]

During the Renaissance period, it's easy to think happy thoughts & treat them like normal healthy fids because they're beginning to imitate one so much of the time. I think eventually, we get trained to avoid putting them in certain situations. They have less & less reason, so revert less & less. But my best guess is that it's only reconditioning.

 

Under some circumstances, the old conditioning will always be stronger & dictate how they'll react. Tough as that is w/any fid, it's that much tougher w/a plucker since they can do so much damage in such a short time & it can take so long to recover their plumage.

 

In a way, no matter how much progress Gilda makes, Gilbert won't probably ever go away completely. You'll always be living w/the two different personalities no matter how long Gilbert's persona is dormant. It's just one of the perks of life w/some rehabs.

Edited December 9, 2013 by birdhouse

[katana600]

Gil had a quiet day then went back to thoroughly enjoying her holiday. She has been saying so many new phrases and making new sounds. Well, new to me anyway. Some of her comments are just uproariously funny and perfectly timed. She is embracing that Gilda Radner persona. I can hardly wait for the rest of my family to join us and see their reactions to the new girl on the block. She has also been a bit of a pest, heckling me while I am in the kitchen. Her favorite of the moment is her calling "Maaa" and when I ask what she wants, she mocks me with saying a long string of "What?" then laughing. Last night when I let the dogs out she expanded her recent catch phrase to "Who dat dere at door". She has renewed her enthusiasm for my sister. She asks for a cracker every time she sees Marilyn move but as soon as she sees her turn toward Gil, she will tuck her head for a scratch and ditch the pine nut offer in favor of a head rub. Last week Marilyn asked what it means when her pupils are getting big and small real fast. Gilda is pinning! I have been watching for months as she has begun to barely change her pupils. It's been more of a quiver, but sure enough, now it is much more noticeable. Going with me on road trips has been really good for her.

[Greywings]

Her personality is in bloom, what a wondrous Christmas gift.

[katana600]

She just continues to give me the best little surprises. Tonight when I gave her some pine nuts she was pinning her eyes for me and she was making little yummy sounds while she devoured several offerings. Then she hung upside down and flapped wildly. Her "new" behavior and confidence is on the fast track. The more she opens up, the more her progress speeds up. She seems to relish being in a smaller cage and having no time out of the cage. It doesn't make sense that less freedom would make her so happy but, the dogs here are big and their job is protecting the farm so I don't trust having her out lest someone open the door and let one of them in without thinking. There is just too much activity to take chances, but Gil is more active and happier than I have ever seen her. She is "talking" in long garbled sentences with a LuLu tossed in every now and again like punctuation marks. I listen carefully trying to understand what she is saying. I may not get the words but she sure is making some funny jokes the way she says "hoo hoo hoo". It is our Christmas story, we are watching an amazing little soul come to life before our wondrous eyes and ears.

[katana600]

We have returned to our home near Atlanta. Gil has solidified her place in the extended family as a celebrity and comenienne. They had a little trouble with the gender thing and called her Gilbert and used the male pronouns so I just went along with it because I could hear confusion in Gil's voice and didn't want to make a fuss about it. She watched me pack the car, clean up from our stay and put together her travel cage. We took a large cage with us this time to leave behind so we can travel light in the future and give her lots of room to play away from home. She stepped right up to my husband's hand from inside her cage. That is a first. I have to admit, I was the bad guy in the corner behind her cage that showed her a small kitchen towel and asked her to do this the nice way. She was a little nervous, but stepped up and went right into her travel cage without so much as a squeak. With each car trip, she gets more confident and relaxed. This time, she was singing and talking as the car was moving. She also ate, sipped her water and took treats from my hand while we were in motion. We stopped at a motel late at night and she was acclimated and cozy there. Once we came home, I put her travel cage near her big home cage and she took herself inside and then gave me the 'what for' since I moved a lot of her perches to take along to her "vacation" cage and haven't cleaned them to get them back in place. This is our first full day home and she is much more active than I am, LOL. She retained her fascination with asking "Who dat dere?, Who dat be?, Who dat down dere on the floor?" hahahaa. Our little Cajun queen is home again.

[Greywings]

She is the Cajun Queen of all she surveys and at more than one location, perhaps an Empress or a Wise Swamp woman.

Edited January 2, 2014 by Greywings

[katana600]

I love thinking of her as the queen of all she surveys. I also love her southern roots and the things she says. She really does have a "following" from Mississippi to New York and she always leaves her fans wanting a little more. She returned home with a fresh new perspective. She has been chatty and funny. She has picked up jungle sounds and new siren sounds and an incredibly high volume cockatiel call. She must be digging into her archives because they are no sounds I have heard in our travels together. She can hold her own with Java these days. For a long time, Java would dive bomb, get in her cage and generally harass Gil. For the most part, I have tried to let them work it out, but only let Java have free range when I can be in the same room. Today Java landed on her cage while Gil was on the floor stand. She climbed right up to the cage top and sent the little red-eyed-one packing. I think we have turned another corner. Travel has been good to widen Gil's horizons.

[birdhouse]

This should get interesting. The game is on now for sure! Don't be surprised if Java wins, though. For starters, & make no mistake, she knows she's protected to some degree. She is also flighted. But the little birds are feisty. They always end up dominating in this flock.

 

It's ridiculously comical to see Sundance when he decides to remind anyone that he's the beneficent dictator of this realm. Whenever it's his turn, my tiel likes to land on Phenix' cage & set a spell. He certainly knows it's completely forbidden & that Phenix will instantly chase everyone off if they're foolish enough to even get w/in his no-fly zone.

 

 

But w/Sundance, he'll go to the far side of the cage, cuss & fuss until he's gone. I have no idea why, but Phenix tolerates it, albeit gracelessly. Sundance never stays more than a minute or two. Just apparently long enough to make his point.

 

It makes me more than a little crazy. I also have a horrible time keeping a straight face. So I'm really grateful that Sundance rarely gets the urge to prove that it's good to be king.

[katana600]

Wouldn't you know, all this time Gil-girl has been slowly getting acclimated to toys, playing and getting brave she has been watching Java. One of Java's favorite is to punch holes and unravel a roll of adding machine paper tape. We always joke that she is an accountant reading her financials. She rips and tears and grumbles and sometimes we know it must be end of month... or year end, when she grumbles up a storm. After more than a month of sitting next to Java, Gil has taken a new approach and she now has two rolls of paper in her cage. It was good to have them sitting inches apart for a while. I'm watching them carefully but they are both able to be free all day now that they are home again. They are making up for lost time and seem none the worse for their temporary confinement. Interestingly enough there have been no squabbles. I think that is mainly because they have such different communication styles. Gil loves chatting, making jokes and entertaining from arm's length. Java is a cuddle bug and likes nothing more than to sit on the mouse pad while I am at the computer so she can hold the mouse still and get scratches and snuggles. I feel like the lucky one to have the best of both worlds with these two faithful friends.

[katana600]

Deary me, I don't know what to think. Either Val (Birdhouse) is a wise sage bird whisperer or Java is receiving telepathy from me when reading that last post. Last night she flew to Gil's cage top. Gil moved faster than the roadrunner on the Wile E. Coyote cartoons to come across her floor stand, up the side of her cage to fling herself at the offensive little intruder. Java held her ground and Gil put it in high gear and attempted flight to escape. My husband and I decided to sit quietly and allow it to play out naturally and come to some kind of order or agreement in the house. Gil retreated and looked for assistance. She walked to his chair making many siren, whistles and alarms sounds and requested a step up. She stayed on his arm for a half hour while Java played the part of a plundering pirate. She went into Gil's cage, sampled all her food and toys and Gil watched from afar. After watching a few minutes, I did get up and chase Java out of Gil's cage and then Gil was leaning and wanting to go back. As soon as David placed her on her door, she quickly ducked inside and then reached out and slammed her door behind her. I have to say, that is the most exercise Gil has had in a day since we left for the holidays. Java 1 Gil 0 The gumball rally has officially begun. Gil has reached a place where she is no longer fearful and withdrawn and I think this interaction needs to be carefully supervised, but I also think it is prodding Gil in the right direction being that she emphatically defended her territory at first. As I watched her attempt to take flight with fear as the wind beneath her wings, she went a lot further than she has before. While I wouldn't want her to be terrorized, a little incentive to move was not necessarily a bad thing for her last night. There was no panting or raspy breathing this time and I can't help but wonder if her flapping and climbing and increased activity level lately has given her more strength. Of course that gives me just another little ray of hope.... someday maybe she will regain flight. It would completely change her life for the better.

[katana600]

Getting pushed a little out of her comfort zone has been a good thing with the Divine Miss G. Last night she wanted to stay up late with me and when I finally asked her to go to bed, she didn't want to go inside. I asked her for a step up and behold, she put her foot right out and let me pick her up. I quickly got a treat for her and helped her into her cage. This morning, I have asked for a step up twice and she has obliged. She looks wild eyed and panting and scared to death when she steps up, but she is at least willing to try. Slowly slowly she is peeling off all those layers and nudging her hidden personality into the light. She has been playing more boisterously too. She was hanging upside down from a "porch" shelf on the outside of her cage last night and banging one wooden toy against the wall, then placing her beak on the wall and "tracing" the arc of the stick she had just whacked up there. While she was at it, she hung upside down and with a great effort and long reach, she grabbed a cotton string toy and shook it like a puppy playing with a rope toy. I guess she is showing Java just what she is going to do if she comes hopping into her cage again.

[danmcq]

Wow, I have really missed some wonderful updates on Gilda, while being too busy with work to check this thread! She is certainly kicking fear to the curb and starting to enjoy the freedom from it. I can only imagine the look on our and hubbies faces and emotional joy and awe you are both experiencing the new dynamics at play. I love the story of Gilda putting out the 911 calls as she fled to your husbands safety from the intrusion by Java. Gilda is a joy to read about with her new leaps and bounds in to the ever expanding freedom and wonders outside her cage to be had.

[katana600]

My favorite of new things in Gil's repertoire is the way she goes into her cage, grabs the door decisively and empatically pulls it closed with a loud clang. It is every bit the shout of the emancipated teen (or two year old) having the last word. Her 911 siren calls are only brought out in times of turmoil and she has a long list to choose from. I'm glad you mentioned that because it reminded me of her former distress at storms. She has lived though several hurricanes on the gulf coast from her years in Biloxi Mississippi. Sarah had mentioned how storms would get Gil stirred up and upset for days. It just crossed my mind that last night we had the worst thunderstorms with high winds, heavy rain, tornado warning sirens and Gil never skipped a beat. It is a reminder of just how much work she has done to overcome the fears that had her shut down and panick stricken most of the time. We are having second thoughts on changing her name and pretty much just stopped calling her by any name directly. She is happy at night to say "time to go night night Gil girl" but one of her joyful songs is to call out "Gilbert's a good BOY!" drawing out the last part and saying it over and over again when she is cheerful. From the first time last August when we talked to her and started calling her a girl, she has started to sing out, then stops and checks herself. Then she starts and stops and just looks confused. Since we were at my sister's everyone there stuck with what they new and called her Gilbert and I didn't correct any pronouns, just watching and wondering if it makes any difference. It does seem to make a difference to the way she knows herself. So, I am kind of in limbo. So many things are going so well, that I am just tiptoeing around this one and letting her find her own way to think of herself. And besides, the little pip still calls me LuLu. hahahaha

[katana600]

Finally today while Gil was out playing on her "perch porch" I was able to slowly come around the corner with a camera phone. Twice she saw me coming, stopped in her tracks and refused to allow any photos or video. I am beginning to think maybe she is in a witness protection program or something the way she is so camera shy. But, at last I got one photo and one short video of her joyful antics. I am going to have to keep working on the video to get it posted, but at last I have a photo that shows she does get out of her cage and play a little.

[katana600]

I think the video is finally rightside up and the link should work so you can see this girl playing with reckless abandon. It is such a wonderful thing to watch her open up and just play happily. Even better that I could get up and move around the room and finally get her on video.

[Ray P]

Weather you know it or not, all your dreams are coming true with Gil Girl.

 

P.S. I still like Miss. Gilbert, It sounds so dignified.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Ray P

[danmcq]

LOL - Loved the head swagging and banging that toy against the wall. very entertaining. Hopefully this will be the first of many more to come.

[Timbersmom]

Loved the video and the pic

[katana600]

I like to call her Miss Gilbert too. This has been such a great day. She tried to fly off her cage and spent the better part of two hours exploring and she came to the kitchen with me. She has stepped up for me three more times from her cage too. She sat on my shoulder in the kitchen while I moved very slowly and explained things to her. She tried to fly off my shoulder a couple of times but then walked back to me to get a step up. While she is in such a mood for adventure, I see a window of opportunity to try new things. I gave her some fresh cut veggies today and she ate a few things in the kitchen. There is good stuff out there with LuLu. It has been a day of good surprises.

[Ray P]

And just think, there`s more to come.

[Greywings]

What joy to be a part of such a renaissance of the personality Miss Gilda Gilbert, even a joy for those of us voyeurs from afar.