Finally Found Something She Likes!

[Wheeliegirl]

Okay, some of you know that I have a "I HATE YOUR HANDS" kinda bird.... well, I still can't touch Peachie, but last night, while we were hiding from the bad kitty cat in my bedroom, we were having a quiet moment. I saw my collection of make-up brushes sitting nearby, so I reached for the smallest one, and eye brow brush. I started scritching her head and couldn't believe that she actually enjoyed it!

It was so cute how she would turn her head in all different directions so that I could get every spot on her neck. We spent a few minutes doing that, until she had enough. She would even make tiny little squeak noises.

We've had such a hard time together, I'm so glad that I finally found something she enjoys, and hopefully, something else she can look forward to when we are together, other than going inside my kitchen utensil drawer.

I tried again this evening, though she didn't want such a long scritching session this time.

I've noticed lately that she seems to be trusting me a little more. When she is with me she doesn't really try to attack me as much, and I have learned to read her behavior and know when she is in that kind of mood or situation. I love that she looks for me when she gets frightened of something, or has just had enough time playing out of her cage and wants to be a velcro birdie for a while. She even lets me reach into the utensil drawer without taking off one of my fingers.

I have a question...does anyone think that this will get even better over the next few months/years? I know I will probably never be able to get her to accept my hands as "friendly beings", but do you suppose we might actually be good friends some day? We've been together for 9 months now.

I just did't expect progress to be this slow, I guess, but I'm thankful for what I have with her now. This sounds really dumb, but at my office, I hung a little bird feeder in a tree outside my window, and I watch the little birdies come and eat and chase each other away. It makes me think of Peachie and I really miss her during the day! There was a crow in the courtyard yesterday that stood in the same place, in the blazing SoCal sun for 3 hours! I was so worried about that crow! When I looked at him I kept seeing Peachie. If I didn't use a wheelchair I would have gone out there and brought it some water, or shoo'd him away into some shade or something. Anyway, I think that's really rather silly of me, I am, afterall...a 42 year old woman with grown boys!

Sorry for the long post. I just wanted to share tonight.

[linda040899]

Holly,
It sounds like you are making progress with Peachie. While she may never be in love with hands, you will find a way to get around that and you can still have a wonderful relationship with her. Trust must be earned and it can take months, even years. Georgia, my female Military Macaw, would still like to take me apart piece by piece and I've had her since 1991. Sometimes you just have to let the relationship go where it's going to go and work from there.

[Janie]

Holly, this sounds like very good progress to me!!!! :)

It IS the best feeling when you see ever the tiniest bit of trust beginning. A step in the right direction with more to come in the weeks, months and years ahead! My adopted lovie was tame when I got him 2 years ago but the trust issue was all new and it took lots of time to really win him over. Probably close to 3 months and even now, 2 years later, he trust me more and more every day. I've just been lucky enough to be blessed with two more, siblings that were hatched in late May, and so I am working with them several times a day, hoping to start the "trust" process with them. I hope they'll let me into their little flock but, as Linda said, they are all different and have different degrees as to how much they will and won't accept so only time (lots of it,:D) will tell. Good luck and keep at it! :)

[LauraO]

Holly! It's really great to here that you and Peachie's relationship is progressing in such a positive way. I know it's been a tough ride for you, and I think a lot of people like yourself don't realize how difficult it is to build a relationship with a bird. The great thing is you haven't given up and no matter what you've said I've always believed that Peachie really loves you :D .

I've had three hens who have gone through a really bitey and hormonal stage from 6 months to a year and have calmed down. Even my crazy creamino CuddlyBunny has calmed down. She still bites but it isn't so often and vicious and this girl was handfed from six weeks by my hubby and I so she's handtame.

Of course your relationship with Peachie will continue to improve and you guys will get closer, but she may never like hands. The fact that she let you give her scritches with the brush is amazing. Our first lovie Zimber was as scared of hands as a bird could be. For the first year we had him he would blindly dive bomb off of tall cabinets and the television sets just to get away from us and our hands. He's now 5 1/2 almost 6 years old. He still hates hands and will only step up on our fingers once in a while and I can tell even then he's uncomfortable. He's grown so much though and he is one of the sweetest and most gentle birds we have. Even though we can't touch him both my husband and I have a great relationship with him and we have some fun games we play with him. He's totally taught me that just because I can't touch him doesn't mean he doesn't love and trust me.

Anyway, congrats again and I can't wait to hear about some more of Peachie's exploits. She sounds like a handful :D .

[Wheeliegirl]

Thanks for your comments Laura. I appreciate the encouragement. :happy: