merlin update by popular request!

[sandra902]

hey mr dan

 

merlin has been home a month and we have all had our ups and downs. mostly mamma has had her ups and downs learning that birds are not cats nor are they dogs.

 

so i've really slowed down and backed off and things are more peaceful. we have our children (grown) more involved also so he is getting more stimulation from people who will love him.

 

he still does not step up but i am learning where his limits are so he has not hurled himself to the floor in days and days. so now that i am learning his limits, i can push them a little. i thought i'd have him stepping up by one month but that is the dog person in me so i have to change my mind on that one. he WILL step up though and it won't be that much longer.

 

merly loves big daddy and even rubs his beak on BD's finger when he gets his grapes. he is in my very large home office so he keeps a watchful eye on me while i work. and we vocalize throughout the day.

 

i got the mother lode of wooden beads and toy makin' stuff this weekend so i'm going to get going and replenish his toys. i found a suitable birdy basket that he and i will have fun decorating. at his foster mum's house he HATED the basket she offered him, but we'll see if he might reconsider. so we'll see what he thinks of the basket he'll watch me decorate for him. he is a pretty curious little guy.

 

as for the feather plucking he is pretty bare and scrabbly-looking. i do tell him how handsome he is and i ask him if he is preening or plucking when i see him grooming himself. i think it is about 50/50 by the way he responds to my question. sometimes he seems a little startled and guilty but that could just be me anthropomorphizing the situation. but i am going to get some aloe vera juice and start spraying him so that ought to really alienate bhim from our already fragile truce ha ha ha.

 

he does like to please me in one way though; when he would lift his wings i would always say "ooHHhh handsome wings merlin" so when we have observation time in the morning he lifts his wings often for me. plus when i am at my desk and am surreptitiously watching him in the mirror, he will lift his wings and say to himself "ooHHhh..." so that makes me happy that there is a morsel of acceptance between him and me.

 

oh yes and i have heard him say "hello merlin" when he thinks he is not being watched. i do answer him and tell him he is a very smart young parrot.

 

so that is the merlin report! thanks for asking! every day is a new set of wonders.

 

-s

[danmcq]

Wow Sandra, that is a great report :-)

 

His progress and your loving patience with him brought the start of tears to my eyes.

 

Merlin sounds like a wonderful guy with a load of love to give. He also obviously has a ton of character laying in wait for you to continue discovering as you have already unearthed a few precious stones.

 

It's obvious he is understanding your praise and responding to it with his vocal and physical displays of understanding.

 

The Aloe Juice should help immensely in soothing and nurturing his skin back to good health and hopefully stop the plucking along with all the attention you and family are providing him.

 

It sure sounds like Big Daddy is his favorite, but that by no means lessens the important roles you and the rest of your family are playing in making his new flock a happy and healthy one.

 

Please post more if you can. His progress and your writing style really brings it to life. :-)

 

Thanks again for posting this update!!

[judygram]

Thanks for the update Sandra, glad to hear it is going well in your household and Merlin will be stepping up for you soon. You are doing a wonderful job with him and time a patience will pay off in handsome rewards.

 

He may have chosen Big Daddy as his favorite, but he will have a slightly different relationship with each member of the household.

 

Keep up the good work and keep us informed as to your progress with him.

[Kibibi]

Awwww. What a great story. It sounds like a wonderful environment for Merlin.