week #5 had its ups and downs...
first, the down. on tuesday, as i was putting cookie to bed, i suddenly heard her breathing raspily. she stood extremely still, eyes looking straight in one direction (not pinned), chest pumping faster than normal - a stance that i understand as "fearful". when i moved, her breathing again became audible. i talked to her calmly and tried to reassure her. i tried giving her a sliver of almond, but she was completely not interested - she didn't even look at it. the weird thing was that nothing in the room had changed - i didn't add anything to the room nor did i remove anything. no knew smells, colors, etc. i thought she was having a heart attack or something.
i stayed with her and she calmed down about a half an hour later. she started moving and climed to her sleep perch. she also started to clean her beak, so i thought it was okay to cover her up for the night and i would make a vet appointment in the morning.
next morning, she looked okay - as if nothing happened. i packed her in a carrier and whisked her away to the vet. long story short - the vet found nothing wrong with her from xrays, blood test, and physical exam. she actually looks a lot better than from the first time she was at that vet. (thanks to her former owner/foster home!)
we are still waiting on the results of the culture test.
since then, she has been her good self. maybe the tennant upstairs made some weird noise that scared her - not sure. at least it doesn't seem to be anything physical.
Cookie continues to be more outgoing! yay! she unhesitatingly steps up on to my arm when she sees me holding a sliver of almond for her. i talk to her and carry her around on my arm in the room, showing her different views of her cage, the bed, etc. this weekend, i carried her on my arm into the shower. we enjoyed taking a lukewarm shower together - she occasionally "talked" to me as i spoke and whistled to her.
she also responds to our other foster bird when that one starts attacking her bells. cookie seems to like the ringing of bells and calls to it. very cute! cookie has also been responding to the calls of my own amazon. (maybe it has something to do with him being a male and cookie "possibly" being female?) - by the way, i have to see if results of cookie's dna test is in (i asked that one be done for cookie during the last vet visit).
cookie still doesn't show any interest in being scritched anywhere. the most i can do so far is tickle her toe(s). that is okay with me. i don't want to force something on her because this could break any trust that i have worked for from her up to this point. she interacts with me, she is calm around me, she eats, she plays, she vocalizes happily and plays with her bell (which means she is happy!). i can't be more happy for her. if she decides to one day honor me with scritching her head, then that will be a definite BREAKTHROUGH day. :-)
Cookie will be a great bird for someone who has a calm and friendly personality. she finds that high energy (anxiousness, peppiness, high-strung, nervousness) makes her fearful and she will defend herself. she needs someone who will respect her needs to take things slow. (she probably has about 30 - 40 years left in her, so there is no need to rush things). i have not yet tested her around children, dogs and cats. her former owner did own cats and a dog, however, and i believe things were going along okay. if she finds someone like this, she will really bloom for you and be a wonderful, calm companion.
*reminder to myself - put up more pictures/movies of cookie.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
a month has past since cookie has come to live with us. 2 more weeks of quarantine left!
cookie continues to show no interest in allowing me to scratch her head or touch her anywhere on her body. she sometimes allows some feet tickles, but not too much of that either.
she does, however, seem very comfortable to be around me. she still is okay with sharing her favorite toy with me, she takes nuts from me nicely (usually - i have to watch my energy levels when i approach her - the calmer the better!).
one thing that has changed a little is that cookie has become a little more vocal with me...which is great! usually she only makes noises when i jingle her favorite toy. now, when she feels like it, she will "talk" with me with her trills and funny calls.
i dont know if she likes her baths, but she just stands there with partly closed eyes and takes it. i use a mister that i pump and let it mist away on her. i give her a mist bath once a week on the weekend.
cookie likes apple juice - she will drink from a cup! (i give her the first sips). she loves to bite up the birdie kabob - made up of soft balsa or yucca wood. cookie loves pretty much any kind of nut or seed, although her least favorite so far are pumpkin seeds - maybe because they more healthy?
today was her first day out of the house. this weekend offered GREAT weather so we decided to make the most of it. i took cookie to her first softball game. it was at one of the parks that my husband used to umpire at. (he had to stay home this time due to the mounds of homework he has to go through). i think she had a great time. when the fans started to make a lot of noise, cookie joined in with her own noises. she watched intently to the activity going on, on the field, she perched on one foot as time went on, and then when she got enough sun, she moved closer to me, where my shadow overhung a corner of her cage.
a few minutes later we returned back home and i gave her a mist bath. i think it was a great cool down after a wonderful day at the park.
cookie continues to show no interest in allowing me to scratch her head or touch her anywhere on her body. she sometimes allows some feet tickles, but not too much of that either.
she does, however, seem very comfortable to be around me. she still is okay with sharing her favorite toy with me, she takes nuts from me nicely (usually - i have to watch my energy levels when i approach her - the calmer the better!).
one thing that has changed a little is that cookie has become a little more vocal with me...which is great! usually she only makes noises when i jingle her favorite toy. now, when she feels like it, she will "talk" with me with her trills and funny calls.
i dont know if she likes her baths, but she just stands there with partly closed eyes and takes it. i use a mister that i pump and let it mist away on her. i give her a mist bath once a week on the weekend.
cookie likes apple juice - she will drink from a cup! (i give her the first sips). she loves to bite up the birdie kabob - made up of soft balsa or yucca wood. cookie loves pretty much any kind of nut or seed, although her least favorite so far are pumpkin seeds - maybe because they more healthy?
today was her first day out of the house. this weekend offered GREAT weather so we decided to make the most of it. i took cookie to her first softball game. it was at one of the parks that my husband used to umpire at. (he had to stay home this time due to the mounds of homework he has to go through). i think she had a great time. when the fans started to make a lot of noise, cookie joined in with her own noises. she watched intently to the activity going on, on the field, she perched on one foot as time went on, and then when she got enough sun, she moved closer to me, where my shadow overhung a corner of her cage.
a few minutes later we returned back home and i gave her a mist bath. i think it was a great cool down after a wonderful day at the park.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
this is the end of week two with Cookie in our home. she continues to be very calm with me, i can get very close to her and can even play with her favorite toy (a bell on a green and white toy) while she plays with other parts of the same toy. she has shown no aggression since that one bite in the shower.
she eats her fresh food well - loves corn and beans. and she really likes her harrisons pellets.
she has some reservations with my husband tho. she has snapped at him a couple times while he tried to offer some treats. i think it is just something she needs time with. he has been able to calmly sit next to her while she plays on the bed with her toys, and has at other times been able to feed treats to her, so all she needs is more time and patience.
Cookie has not yet deemed me as someone who is allowed to scratch her head. i don't push her to allow me...if i extend a finger near her head and she moves a little backward, that is enough for me to back off and do something else, like play with one of her toys. she has allowed me to touch her toes though. i would touch her toes and then offer her a reward for allowing me to touch them.
i am just happy that she as allowed me to be so close to her and allows to to clean her cage every evening without a fuss. early this evening, as she was playing with her toys, i laid nearby on the bed. i fell asleep for a few minutes and when i woke up, she was standing near me and dosing a little herself. i thought that was a cute gesture. she had to walk a bit away from her toys to get to the spot where she stood when i awoke.
she eats her fresh food well - loves corn and beans. and she really likes her harrisons pellets.
she has some reservations with my husband tho. she has snapped at him a couple times while he tried to offer some treats. i think it is just something she needs time with. he has been able to calmly sit next to her while she plays on the bed with her toys, and has at other times been able to feed treats to her, so all she needs is more time and patience.
Cookie has not yet deemed me as someone who is allowed to scratch her head. i don't push her to allow me...if i extend a finger near her head and she moves a little backward, that is enough for me to back off and do something else, like play with one of her toys. she has allowed me to touch her toes though. i would touch her toes and then offer her a reward for allowing me to touch them.
i am just happy that she as allowed me to be so close to her and allows to to clean her cage every evening without a fuss. early this evening, as she was playing with her toys, i laid nearby on the bed. i fell asleep for a few minutes and when i woke up, she was standing near me and dosing a little herself. i thought that was a cute gesture. she had to walk a bit away from her toys to get to the spot where she stood when i awoke.
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