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Post by siobhan on Jul 29, 2015 13:28:15 GMT -5
The good news in our household is that since the Big Cage Clean on Sunday, Rocky is being, again, a Model Parrot. He wants snuggles and he has shown off a little more talking than usual, and the screaming (which is a 'Too thing, morning and night, and you just have to learn to to live with it) is not that prolonged. A few minutes, and he's done. Hubby seems to have learned his lesson about body language and is observing feathers and crest before any attempts to pet, and has gone back to serving His Highness with paper changes and offered treats in the hopes of mollifying His Highness. Rocky wants a snuggle in the morning, when I get home from work, and before bed, and if he gets those, he is a happy 'too and less of a diva. He played with his toys this morning and eventually let himself out (we have a way to prevent that, but it was disengaged) and then sat on his door, fluffy and content, and watched us drink coffee and we didn't even get the Morning Scream today. I gave him his morning cuddle before I got ready for work and when he saw me pick up my bag and head for the door, I got a mild display (crest and face feathers erect, wings out, bounce up and down and do the Car Alarm) but he has to protest my leaving because That's What Toos Do. LOL I wonder if we came so close to handing him off to the rescue, and he realized it on some level, and the dismantling and cleaning of the cage looked a lot like "we're packing you up and sending you away" that when he realized we were NOT packing him up and sending him away in spite of his recent behavior, that he decided, like we did, that we're all going to have to work a little harder on this whole thing, and he's willing to do his bit.
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Post by aaron on Jul 29, 2015 17:00:57 GMT -5
Sounds like progress! Good stuff! He sounds like such a sweet guy, under all that 'too 'tude.
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Post by siobhan on Jul 29, 2015 18:02:51 GMT -5
He really is. We both know that the poor baby has been passed from hand to hand so many times and probably most of them had no idea what they were getting into, and probably none of them kept him long. WE almost didn't, and we know what it's like living with a parrot. Or eight. But living with a 'Too, and a male Umbrella Too to boot, is a whole new world. It's like having a bipolar Klingon on your hands some days. BUT ... as close as we came to handing him off to the rescue, we didn't. We couldn't. We talked and talked about it and we both feel sorry for him and both of us have the same mindset, that when you take a critter in, it's for better or worse, and that critter, whether it's a bird or a dog or a lizard or a fish, is YOUR responsibility for the rest of his/her life, and since we couldn't be certain what might happen to Rocky once he was out of our hands -- though I trust the person who runs the rescue to find the best possible home for the birds in her care, she couldn't be certain what might happen down the road, either -- we decided that nobody could do any better for him than we were doing and that we would just have to make it work. He IS sweet, most of the time. He and the dogs have come to an understanding. He loves me. I think he's at least tolerant of Hubby, as long as he doesn't try to get too familiar.
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Post by aaron on Jul 29, 2015 20:10:42 GMT -5
I totally agree with what you are saying, but it doesn't make it any less impressive that you guys are sticking it out. I look forward to the day that Rocky fully realizes how good he has with you guys (as much as a parrot can realize such things).  |
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Post by easttex on Jul 30, 2015 6:11:30 GMT -5
We're of like minds, Siobhan. Save a life and you become responsible for it. I think there is an ancient Chinese proverb to that effect. |
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Post by siobhan on Jul 30, 2015 14:59:46 GMT -5
This morning, Rocky 'Too let himself out of his cage. I suspect he and Clyde have been passing notes, because that was the state of affairs I discovered when I went into the Birdcage to let the rest of the flock out, as I do most mornings. Clyde is impatient and can't wait for me to appear. Rocky demanded his morning hug before I had had my coffee. He repeatedly squeezed and released, squeezed and released my arm with his feet. That must be a 'Too thing that I haven't yet deciphered. He wasn't in the least agitated. Feathers were down, fluffy and relaxed. What it reminded me of is the way a cat will knead your leg while you pet her. Maybe it IS similar to that. Though he didn't purr, he did make the little sounds he makes when he's snuggling and happy.
I have been writing the Saga of Rocky for a web site, flockcall.com, which is dedicated to keeping parrots from being rehomed and preparing people who are considering parronthood for the reality of what they're getting into and not some "what a pretty bird! and he talks!" pipe dream. With my background as a journalist, I tend toward the basic Just the Facts Ma'am sort of unvarnished account. You want reality? Here it is, folks. LOL No pretty language. Not much in the way of descriptors. The web site owner professes to be delighted with that as a refreshing change which will be most helpful for those contemplating parronthood of any sort, but particularly for those contemplating rescue.
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Post by aaron on Jul 30, 2015 16:52:08 GMT -5
Can't wait to read the final Rocky Saga!
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Post by biteybird on Jul 31, 2015 3:34:42 GMT -5
Tell us when the finished product is on the website. That sounds interesting - must have a look at it!
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Post by siobhan on Jul 31, 2015 11:38:00 GMT -5
Oh, there are entries there already. I'm writing about one a week and so far, three are up. It's under my real name, Valerie Wells, and if you click on "advocate center" on the menu page, then choose "the library" in the drop down menu, that's where you'll find them. The most recent is "We don't say goodbye" and after seeing it online, I feel compelled to write a follow-up, because it sounds as if life with Rocky is a constant barrage of aggression and battles and I should also show the other side. This morning, for example, he yelled a couple of times to let me know he was awake, I uncovered his cage, he came out and wanted a hug and kiss, and then he ate his breakfast and that was that. He had some pizza last night and a good-night hug and then we had a nice conversation before he went to bed. I know, pizza's not good for him, and he only got some crust, which he dunked in his water and played with but didn't actually eat. His sharing of my dinner is more a bonding activity than eating. Sometimes he actually eats what I give him, but mostly he just wants to make me give it to him. LOL
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Post by aaron on Jul 31, 2015 13:27:31 GMT -5
Really good stuff! I enjoyed them. I read all three, and look forward to the next. This sort of writing is really important. People need to understand the committment and challenge that comes with these birds, especially the large ones. Showing the other side would be good too, but I think the challenges you face with Rocky are very compelling to read about.
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Post by siobhan on Jul 31, 2015 14:42:43 GMT -5
That's what Kathy said when she asked me to start doing these. I had been sending desperate emails to her and she talked me down off the ledge about a dozen times just in the first few weeks of having Rocky. LOL Then she sent me to look at Flock Call and she asked if I would write about Rocky, if I was comfortable with writing for publication, at which point I told her I'm a journalist and I write for publication all the time. She said what she wanted was the unvarnished reality because, especially for her purposes, people need to know the difference between getting a purring kitten or a dog who lives only to please and getting a parrot, who doesn't care if you're pleased and might even enjoy NOT pleasing you. LOL Your job is to please HIM. Still, I don't want it to sound like we're clamoring for sainthood or something. Rocky IS sweet and even well-behaved quite a lot of the time. He's entertaining. He's not as noisy as he COULD be. Last night he even danced with Bill and made us laugh uproariously.
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Post by aaron on Jul 31, 2015 14:56:57 GMT -5
I hear you... I think your work is fairly balanced so far-- it's not like you don't mention the snuggles or "i wuv ooos"... But you give a fair representation of how those things are interspresed, sometimes quite bipolar-ly with major challenges, and that's the kind of story people need to read.
If only this sort of reading was legally required before people could purchase a parrot.
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Post by siobhan on Jul 31, 2015 16:30:24 GMT -5
Exactly. Yes, he's beautiful. Yes, he talks. They all talk except Maggie. They're all gorgeous. BUT ... And how many people walk into a pet store or look at a PetFinder picture or wherever they are when they make the fateful decision, and consider what comes after BUT ... What about poop? Noise? Special food? Giving up air freshener and Teflon? Cleaning the oven with a scrub brush by hand because you can't use the self-cleaning feature? Bird-sitting if you have to be gone overnight? Finding a specialized vet, because Dr. Old Friend who sees your dog knows nothing about parrots. People do not think about these things. And the animals suffer for it.
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Post by aaron on Aug 2, 2015 20:12:48 GMT -5
Yep, that is definitely the truth. There is so much that people don't think about, or don't know about. And the stupid pet stores make it so easy to just walk in and purchase a life-changing parrot. Granted that's where we got Cupcake, but I'd imagine it almost never goes well for most people. I'd never do that again. I tell people about how much work it is to have a bird all the time, and my wife and I have even talked a couple people out of buying birds. Not because we straight up told them not to, but when we explained the impact that having Cupcake has on our day to day life, they were like oh... never mind. Of course, birds are wonderful and beautiful and can make unbelievable companions, but most people are simply not cut out for it.
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Post by biteybird on Aug 3, 2015 2:17:27 GMT -5
Actually, when I think of how little we knew (or know now!) about Parrots, I often think in hindsight that we were naive and not ready for a quaker. We're facing some big challenges in Bonnie's behaviour but she's part of our little family & we'll sort it out together.
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