Angel is coming around.

[Nakia]

Just have a few mins. before I leave for work, but I had to share my joy.  :twirl:

Angel, my handicapped macaw is coming around to me. Since coming to live with me he hasn't allowed me to touch him except a couple of times to scritch his neck. I let both boys pick on an old shirt to give them something to preen. Roscoe is always all over me & Angel will pick at my shirt, but not really want to be close to me.  

In the last few days of getting ready for work, while Roscoe is out on the play perch I will offer Angel my arm or shoulder to get on so he can go out. He will just climb higher & leave.

Today I didn't take Roscoe out, instead I went into the aviary to give them their treats. Both boys were in their favorite place when they want me to spend time with them, on the front of the aviary door peering out. I go in & Roscoe is on my arm immediately.  I offer Angel a shoulder, he decides to go around me & get on the perch on his own. I position my shoulder up next to him & give him his treats. As I am handing him his little tidbits, Angel reaches over & gives me a love nibble on my cheek! The first one!!! We are truckin' now...... Of course hubby is standing on the outside of the aviary watching with NO camera in hand. 

I just had to share my joy with ya'll & now I gotta' go to work.    

On a side note....What do you do with a hubby that constantly loses things & spends the last ten minutes before leaving for work looking for the items? While I was typing this, he was walking around mumbling about something missing. I asked him what did he lose this time. He walked past me & said, "Oh, my keys again." I said, "The ones hanging from your belt loop?" He> "Yep, that's them." I just don't know what I'm gonna do with him!!! 

[YoshiMike13]

awwh! im happy for you! and LOLOL about the keys haha. if you dont mind me asking, how is angel handicapped?

[BuffaloParrot]

This is great news Nakia!    As for your Husband?    Years living with a Woman takes it's toll on the Male mind 

[Ditty]

that is fantastic!!!!!   Way cool!  a real kiss from an angel!

as for the hubs- men! 

[Sondra]

Way cool about Angel! 

The key thing, well, when you do things out of habit you forget you did them, especially when you reach a certain age.  :oldg:

[BPMar]

  ...that's like looking for glasses that you have put on top of your head!

Congrats on your progress!     That's really awesome...I picture you grinning from ear to ear!!! 

[steptoe91(tozie)]

oh!!    That is great news!! there is no better feeling than finding the trust of a fid. 

as for men finding things... well,    there's no hope. after being married for 16 years, i left my husband (long story) but even after i left, he would call me and ask me where things were.    or (my personal fav...NOT) he would call me to ask me what setting he put his beard trimmer on to trim his beard. 

[Debz]

Yeeeiii Angel!  Nakia, happy for you!   As for the forgetful husband, better you then me! 

[Nakia]

Yes, I was grinning from ear to ear. It won't be long and Angel will be letting me bring him out for fun times like Roscoe. 

My hubby has always lost things, his biggest problem is never putting things he knows he needs on a regular basis in the same place. We still haven't found his electrionic key for the V.W. Beetle. It's been lost for over a year. I won't let him go get another one cause I now it cost over $200.00 to replace & he will lose it again. I gave him the plain-Jane skeleton key instead!  Remind me to tell ya'll about all the wedding bands he's lost in our soon to be 34 yr. anniversary (March 31st). The last two he had to buy himself, I got tired of replacing them.  :pit:

YoshiMike13, Angel's handicap is that he can't stand up on his legs like normal parrots. He was born with the joints twisted kind of backwards & they act like a double jointed person's joints in that he can turn them almost all the way around. They just don't support his body. He is an excellent climber, his feet work perfectly & his wings are normal. He leans across the perches & does grasp them while perching. He eats very well & is a very busy boy, he also plays & chews his toys like any normal parrot. He is just taking a bit longer to bond to me & I think he feels more vulnerable due to his knowing he is different. We are both being very patient with each other, we have all the time it takes to get it right. 

[YoshiMike13]

Oh, thats sad. Hes unique ands that a good thing :) im glad hes starting to warm up a little.

[Debz]

Nakia, aww... Catania was 3 months when her tail accident occurred. since then she's lost complete mobility of her tail but she has learned to fly with more confidence then Pippo. She having never been clipped since coming home from the the pet store. Pipz on the other hand has had wing trimmings since coming home. This has compromised his flight confidence. Not having a rudder, makes flying a more challenging daily exercise routine.  Also noticed, Although Pipz gets around the setup with greater ease by hopping and  gliding to his destination, she is more of a careful slide hold on, slide hold on kind of gal. Which of course, makes you pity the little girl, but then you realize that out of the handicap comes amazing compensation skills! They learn to use their body to catch themselves, and prop themselves when they climb and move. Their wingies become arms with elbows! Amazing! 2 species, your youngin' macaw will or has already been doing this and my tiny 3 year old under estimated wee tiel, living in absolute brilliance.  I thought I'd share.   

[Nakia]

Thanks Debz for sharing about your darling Catania (love the name!). Isn't it amazing how they know they are different, but it doesn't stop them from enjoying life to the fullest.   

You are so right, tails are very important to their ability to fly. Sometimes us human types forget just how important these things are to our dear fiddies until we encounter the special ones that touch our hearts in their own way. 

I had a female parakeet (budgie) that had twisted toes on both her feet. It prevented her from grasping any kind of perch. So I took small pieces of Mesquite bark from my trees & made her little ramps that I leaned over the low perches so she could feel like she was on a perch and didn't have to stay on the cage bottom. Mesquite bark has a kind of wavy rough texture and made it easy for her to waddle up & down. She had to waddle on her little elbows & used the bottom of  her feet to steady herself.

The pet shop got her in with a group of young budgies and people shopping who saw her were telling the shop owner she needed to put her down. Some found it very offensive to watch her walk. I just happened to go there that day. I have been going to this pet shop since it opened in the late 80s & know the owner Pam fairly well. She asked me if I would take her & I said, "Of course I would!" She was a sweet little normal blue & lived for several years. I tried keeping her with other budgies I had, but they would pick on her, so she had to live by herself next to them.

[Debz]

Yep, I notice Pipz "bully" her often. Which is why they are not housed together when housed at all. and when they are on their set up, rather then "rescue" her which just makes things worse, I just remind her that she has the freedom to flap over to me any time she likes. And she does! As if she forgets that she has wingies!  "Oh yeah, I can fly!"  Silly fid!

[wishforabird]

OH Nakia I am so happy for youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!      once he has his confidence he will be even more outgoing.

lol good thing you were there, he would have never found his keys til he had to pee.