Gilbert is home

[chelseaB]

How exciting! Way to go Gilbert, making a good 'ole fun mess. So nice to hear this!

[Acappella]

I'm happy for Gilbert of course, but I'm so happy for you Dee. Your joy at his expanding confidence makes me smile. Gilbert may end up surpassing Dorian as he continues to grow and change. Love love love to you all.

[katana600]

It takes a special kind of person with parrot experience to grasp the monumental surge that Gilbert has had in the past few weeks. Thanks so much for sharing this with me and sending love and energy to us. This may be a forum in cyberspace or virtual reality or something, but I feel your presence in the song we are singing in our hearts today. Gilbert is as close to happy as I have seen him yet. I don't expect cartwheels from him, but that tight hunch of his shoulders and being withdrawn and shaking has every so slowly melted away as he is making up for lost time now.

[Acappella]

Y'know, when people with new rescues join here upset because their relationship with their new fid isn't progressing, we should copy and past your first post in this thread, then this post. Then tell them there's 56 pages between the two. Might help them take a deep breath.

 

Do me a favour? When Gilbert is allowing one of his scritching sessions, tell him this one is a long-distance one from his auntie Marguerite and his brother Dorian.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Acappella

[katana600]

Dearest Auntie Marguerite and Brother Dorian, you tread first in our journey and I learned from you. I don't know how many times your song has been my strength and guide, "Just Breathe". We just breathe until we know the next direction our path is going to take. Every change of homes, even in the best of life circumstances is a stressful and trying time for our beloved parrots. Every rescue or rehome is a new experience with a whole new set of variables. We considered Gilbert for five months and were not sure we would be equipped to handle his known issues. It has taken every post from forum members before us to caution not to move too quickly or press him too far and that has been his magic. This morning, I told him about you and Dorian and asked for a scritch. He calls it a tickle. He scuttled back into his cage and hopped up to his scritching perch and ducked his little head. I can put four fingers and thumb into the cage now and cup his head as he melts and closes his eyes and relaxes to a human touch. He will stop, pull back and look at me and I slowly and quietly withdraw my hand. Then he makes a cry like a human baby, tucks and looks, tucks and looks, then buries his beak into his tummy as he rests his head against the foot clinging to the bars to anchor himself. Since Rachel left a few weeks ago, this has been a daily ritual for him at bedtime and in the wee hours of morning. He seems to like the dim lit room. His little nerves are still jangled after nineteen months. Maybe the dim light cuts the external stimulation enough that he can hold tight and just breathe. As he grasps the bars his foot will slip occasionally, so I have started putting one thumb under his foot and gently rub his toe with one hand while I touch him with the other. Twice he has forgotten himself and held my thumb. At those moments, I can feel a momentary tension and I know that one is mine as I recall the many times he spun around to bite me out of reflex. We just breathe and he relaxes enough to tuck his head for another minute or two. The warmth of his head in my hand, the waxy smoothness of his oils releasing onto my fingers and his fresh linen scent are memerizing. When I wish for greater things for him, something "more", I go back to read how far we have come and the weeks and months melt away and I go back to "grey time", without a clock or a calendar. I am so grateful for this forum to guide me and to cheer for Gilbert's every little triumph over fear and anxiety. We still have so far to go, but I feel your breath of love lifting his tattered little wings. Thank you.

[Greywings]

katana that was just beautiful to read and so true about that gentle slow Grey speed forward progress and trust.

[katana600]

Our slow gentle grey speed forward got a turbo boost tonight. I was a bit obsessed looking for eye pinning, so I was watching him, giving him treats so I could see if he would react. He has been energetic, playful and sweet. I gave him a couple of pine nuts while he was in his cage and walked away with the container. As I was ten feet from the cage, I heard him flapping and thought he fell coming out of the cage, so I turned expecting to see him on the floor. It took a moment to overcome denial and figure out what was happening. In that split second of turning around, Gilbert flew over my head! He went another eight to ten feet, turned a corner at the kitchen, went into the bathroom and landed on the toilet seat. I was too far from the cage for that to have been a downward glide. He didn't have time to get from his inside perch to the door, to the cagetop, to the toy hook which would have given him the height to make the angle over my head just by beating his wings to slow his descent as he usually does. I started the feather study and kept his feathers for the past month and there were some long flight feathers that look hollow and molted rather than chewed off. My heart is still pounding. Here I have been resigning myself to the fact he may never fly. He has not flown in four years minimum. I rearranged his house and his playstand so he could have lots and lots of new experiences and he may just surprise me yet and show me just what a new experience he can offer to me. To be honest, even though I am sure he flew, I just didn't see the whole thing take place, so I will have to see it again to believe it. But he thinks he flew. He wasn't the slightest bit scared, he stepped right up to me and asked for a cracker. I am pretty darn sure he didn't want me to put that container of pine nuts in the kitchen, he wanted some more.

Edited October 23, 2012 by katana600

[Timbersmom]

That would have been a surprise after four years! Another tear-jerker moment Timber is clipped. when I took him to the basement with me (doing laundry) the other day. He flew from my shoulder to the floor. He's done that before, but this time he went quite a bit further than his usual flap and glide to the floor. Does this mean his feathers are growing back in? I'm leaning toward not having him clipped when they grow back, but I have no idea how long that takes.

[birdhouse]

Phenix doesn't really bother to fly much. Then all of a sudden he'll just take off & surprise the heck out of everyone. Difference being he can fly at will & just chooses to be toted about by his willing slaves. I also think he enjoys the shock factor when he suddenly goes airborne after long stretches staying grounded.

 

Gilbert on the other hand... WOW! Very encouraging! He's been racking up such greyt points lately. Wouldn't it be awesome if he started to log some flight time too.!?! Fingers crossed! I know how happy that would make you, Dee!

[katana600]

The very idea that Gilbert is beginning to seek little adventures and has positve outcomes, I am seeing him open up and change in such dramatic leaps and bounds that he seems like a new man after just a few weeks. I have had my doubts about the Rescue Remedy, but it can't be a coincidence that he has made this much progress since Labor Day. He has been playing with toys, seeking out short sessions of scratches and asking for more. This morning he called me back five times for more head and neck massages. His wings are still tattered and there are still many missing feathers. But, I have noticed there has not been one feather in the cage tray in more than two weeks. I am seeing new feather growth on his chest and most definitely seeing a change in his posture, alertness and level of physical activity. Instead of going up to the highest toy hook on the playtop of his cage, he is coming out and going down to the floor and to the center of his branch floor stand. I am awestruck at the new fella in my life. What a guy. I kept trying to convince myself that my mind may have been playing tricks on me, that he may not have really flown but this morning in the guest bathroom, there was one little grey feather to give me a twinge, he really did have flight, be it ever so short lived. I am overjoyed to see that he is starting to have some sort of transformation.

[katana600]

Someone flipped a switch in Gilbert's brain and the good things just keep multiplying. He is getting to where he scrambles to get to his "massage" perch as soon as he sees me come into the room, or if I get up for a cup of coffee. As soon as I am on my feet he makes a beeline to the favored perch and makes his low foghorn sound and says "Hey". Yesterday he went back about five times, today he has doubled that. One thing, I have completely stripped his cage except for perches and food. He made such progress when I moved out the low toys that were in there. He has never tolerated toys on the level of the upper perches, nor hanging from the ceiling. He has come alive in his barren surroundings. He has not gone to the playtop of his cage for a few days now. His door is open nearly all day every day. Now he is coming down to the floor, climbing ropes up to the floor stand and even taking short little trips into the living room. Nothing would please me more than to have him scuttle across the floor and up to my lap for a little scratch on his head. Someday maybe. Last night he didn't want me to stop rubbing his head and when I finally told him good night, he tried everything he could think of to bring me out of bed as I have done in recent weeks. Then he started talking in the dark which is something he has started doing recently. This time was different, he was garbling on and saying something over and over again that I couldn't quite make out. In between he called out "Night night", "Ready to go night night?", "Night night Gilbert", "Gilbert's a good boy", "Pretty girl" (to Java), he called the dogs, he called me mom again, "mom, mom, hey". That is more talking than he usually musters in three days. In his excitement, he said "Mommy's pretty girl". I have never refered to myself as mom or mommy so he has to have heard that from someone else. He was laughing and talking in the dark. I was laughing and talking back and responding to him, but I didn't get out of bed to turn on the light. Today he has just been quiet, not too much activity. He seems to go in spurts. He still wants me to touch him every time he gets a chance. What a nice change.

[danmcq]

I am so happy for you! Your patience and love for Gilbert seems to be rapidly paying off as he now desires to interact with you on such a closure and intimate level. I'll bet you were on cloud 9 during this latest episode.

[katana600]

Thanks Dan, I am overjoyed that Gilbert is starting to feel at home. We went away this weekend and for the first time ever, I am seeing that he was not as thrilled to travel. I can only attribute that to his comfort level at home. When we got back home, he dashed into his cage and then made a big fuss about checking every little detail of his cage, playstand and "basement apartment". He certainly makes his preferences known now. He was chatty last night and crooning sweet nothings. Today he is welcoming the morning light and just seems so happy to be home. It is the strangest thing that he likes his cage completely bare. He is so much more active inside the cage, up and down the bars, all around the sides and ceiling bars. The very same toys that were inside the cage are now getting his attention when they are hung on the outside of the cage. Some are on the playtop, some are on his floor stand and some are inside the travel cage on the floor. I am rethinking that great big palace now. My next experiement with him is going to be to get him a smaller cage and set it next to the big one to see if he just prefers a place to eat and sleep and then have several areas where he can climb and play. It just makes me giddy to type the word play. He has been so drawn in for so long that I thought it might be his personality, but now that he is coming out of his shell, he is actively playful. He always keeps me rethinking my strategies to balance his sense of security with enticing him to try new things and to expand his horizons. We may have physically been in the same living space for nineteen months, but we are just barely on the cusp of building a great relationship. I celebrate every gesture he makes to come one more step closer with confidence.

[Timbersmom]

It sounds like Gilber is really starting to think of home as "home." That's great! Timber doesn't like a lot of toys in his cage either, but he likes perches. Perches everywhere... He also has no interest in the palace, but prefers his small, battered cage. I say, whatever makes him happy!

[katana600]

When I picked Gilbert up, he had been housed in a cage in similar size to what he has now. Maybe the reason he previously like to travel is the intimacy and security of being in a much smaller cage. As I get to see his preferences and make small changes, I am seeing improvement in his mood and energy levels. It seems counterintuitive to give him less space to make him more secure, but we seem to be trending in that direction. Much of his improvement has been due to time and tiny changes a little at a time. He is getting more and more expressive and that helps a lot to find ways to interact with him. With him, I don't think of any changes as permanent, what he likes today seems to be ever evolving. I am just tickled to see him getting more active and seeking more attention. It keeps me on my toes as he is starting to find ways to get into trouble and these many months of immobility had me getting a little too complacent, now I have to be a lot more aware of where he is and what he is doing. It's a good tradeoff though, I am enjoying his new outlook on life.

[katana600]

Gilbert has been giving me a lot of opportunities to rub his head at his request. Previously, he had one favored perch to get a treat, another for a touch and lately he has been asking for head rubs in several new locations. I just love the little tilt of his head when he says "Hey" as he invites a touch. Sometimes I even get cramped from standing at an odd angle for so long now that he is more receptive, not that I am complaining. Last night, we must have stood together for twenty minutes. This time with the relaxation and extra time, I noticed the back of his skull has a crease in it. My other parrots, skulls have been smooth and round. He bends in and closes his eyes so I can reach further into the cage to gently tug the feathers on his neck and he seems to melt when I massage his neck. It is such a treat to see him become so relaxed that he rests his head on thumb of my left hand while I touch him with my right hand. Last night he didn't even look up when the dogs barked at something where he would usually have jumped back and looked to see what the fuss was about. Another "new" thing for him in recent days has been to add his heated perch. He steadfastly avoided it even though I attached a food cup nearby. He would climb up and over to hold the bars of his cage to extract a treat and take it back to a different perch to enjoy it. Today he was intent on chastising me for touching that food cup and came quickly over as if he might want to bite me. He was so distracted he stepped onto the heated perch and said "ohhhh". Then he sat on it while he ate a few bites, so I am hoping he may warm his toes on chilly nights.

[Timbersmom]

Ahhh.. sweet success! As to the heated perches, I've been looking at those as well. Timber likes to chew on things on the outside of his cage, so I was concerned that he would "get" the cord on the outside of the cage. Do you have the kind that plugs in or is there any other kind?

[katana600]

I got the medium size perches for Gilbert and for Java from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=10899&cmpid=04csegpl&ref=6111&subref=AA&CAWELAID=525358019&catargetid=1570185209&cagpspn=pla The part closest to the cage is wrapped in wire so they don't chew it and it also is low voltage coming from a 12v transformer that attaches further away from the cage. We have never had any issue with Gilbert or Java trying to chew the wires, but I have the cage against the wall and the wall outlet is covered and they are blocked from getting in there. I know this perch is not something they need, but there is something so nice about coming out on a cold morning and having them step up with toasty warm little feet. I loved the little exclamation of surprise from Gilbert when he stepped onto his perch for the first time, ohhhh. He has not embraced it yet, but has stayed on it for a few minutes at a time when it suits him. The length of the perch is warmed at varying temperatures and I do check the bottoms of their feet frequently and test the perch with my hand on a daily basis to make sure it doesn't get hot. Java has had hers for more than five years and we leave it on summer and winter as it is her favorite spot to sleep.

[Timbersmom]

I will probably end up ordering one of those. I suspect that Timber, like Gilbert, will not jump right on it. Anything new, be it perch or toy, has to go through a period of him ignoring or even disliking it. Thanks for the info.

[katana600]

Gilbert continues to expand his horizons. Last night while I was doing some airbrush painting in the basement, I came up for air and immediately noticed he was not in his usual hangouts and asked David where he had gone. He had slipped quietly down the ropes, walked across the living room and was at David's feet just under the edge of the sofa. This is the first time since his kitchen adventure that he had gone looking for his buddy David. There is no doubt he is building a new relationship with David, different than he has with me. I am just thrilled to watch them together. We might end up with Gilbert being "daddy's boy". David offered him a step up and they had a few minutes together before Gilbert asked to go back to his cage. Now that Gilbert is not so fearful of everything, I have been giving Java more freedom too. Previously, they each had to have separate time out of the cage because Java would taunt him. Well, this time was much different. Java rappelled down my computer cord to the floor, marched her little self over to Gilbert's area and climbed onto the travel cage that is now his basement apartment. Rather than back away and be upset, Gilbert came right down from the playtop, climbed to the rope connecting his cage to her and he drove her off. She flew around like a screeching harpy for a few seconds, then went to her own cage. Success! They are finally starting to come together on their own terms. He is standing up for himself and she left him alone after that. They are both out, both doing their separate things and we have started reaching a peace accord.

[Luvparrots]

Kudos to Gilbert and Java. Letting our birds work out their "pecking order" all by themselves it probably one of the hardest things to do. To just sit and watch to see that they don't harm each other while they "work it out". I certainly enjoy your updates on Gilbert, he has come a long way. Hooray!

[Timbersmom]

Good for Gilbert! What a difference from just a few short months ago.

[katana600]

In just two months Gilbert seems to have covered a lifetime of transition to a more healthy and normal Timneh. I have to say, it does coincide with the addition of the Rescue Remedy at our vet's suggestion. He has also had some upsets that I would have expected to set him back a few paces and they were hardly noticed. For instance, his sweetheart Rachel moving away, two out-of-town visits with nine hours in the car each way. Instead of a few days of quiet withdrawal, he has been an energizer bunny climbing around his cage as I have never seen him do before. Today he was hanging upside down from his toy hook and beating on his toys and shaking them. This is a guy who has huddled in his cage and never would even touch a toy for eighteen long months of being very timid and anxious. He has not been chewing his feathers or plucking and his chest is getting feathered and smooth. Today he found an almond in a shell that was tucked inside a wooden foragaing toy more than three months ago that he has never gone before. It seems as if I closed my eyes and awakened with a younger, more playful and energetic Gilbert. As for he and Java, our vet and I agree that Java's emergency was likely caused by Gilbert biting her head. Two of us were standing nearby and never saw contact but we are definitely going slow on the introductions. Luckily it was not any worse than two vet visits for Java and I have to say, it took her down a notch with her "assertiveness" so maybe a lesson was learned and she will be on red alert to fly away from Gilbert. With all his changes, it would not surprise me too much to see her fly away with him in hot pursuit some day.

[katana600]

Yesterday I went to change Gilbert's water and found a hairy critter in there, gasp. In my hurry to get it out of his cage, I realized it was only shreds of a coconut fiber ball that he has had on top of his cage forever. He shredded it and he chewed on some other toys that I noticed bits in the bottom of his cage. I am so thrilled a the prospect of watching him play and some day hope to be able to add some of the toys from his stash in the cupboard. On closer inspection as he has been letting me touch him more, I am seeing that his chest feathers are really looking good. His back used to look like a jack-o-lantern with great gaps and now there is just a small area that has missing wing flight feathers. I am hoping he will eventually regrow those feathers and have the gift of flight returned. Wouldn't that be just amazing? I am open to all possibilities with him and the idea that after four years he could become flighted once more has my heart aflutter. The day he gives me the Dayo neck pinch will be a good time for all y'all to remind me how hard I have wished for this. LOL.

[Timbersmom]

LOL I'd have been thinking SPIDER! It really would be amazing if he was flying again, and it sounds like there is an excellent chance that he will!