Athena: Progress report

[Lashania]

Well, as some of you know, I recently rearranged the furniture in my room to give Athena's cage a place by the window. Ever since, she seems much happier, and much more talkative (that is due to all the birds that chatter outside, I'm sure).

So, today, I decided to try a training trick that I'd watched a few days ago, where you use clicking and treats to get the bird up onto your hand without forcing them.

It took 10 minutes, but I finally had those cute little Lovie feet firmly planted on my hand while she went to town on some millet spray. I was super happy, did my clicking, and then put her down. 5 minutes later, she did it again! Hurray! Progress!

[michael]

She's got ya hooked! Good job Athena! ...........;)

[linda040899]

Hhhmmmmmm. I also have to wonder who's training who...... :lol Great job with Athena, all jokes aside! Love, kindness and tons of patience!

[Lashania]

Heh, I think it's a bit of both. I really do.

[Lashania]

Discovery! Singing to Athena gets her to close her eyes and fall asleep... ish. She'll close her eyes, she'll zone out, and as soon as you're done, she fluffs up, shakes, and then makes a little chirp.

[linda040899]

Most of the fun with forming a relationship with your own parrot involves learning likes and dislikes. :) All of mine tend to be very expressive and communicate extremely well. As slaves/flock members, we need to learn the "rules."

[Lashania]

Heh, she's apparently a big fan of the theme song to Dishonored, Misty Mountains, and Grenade by Bruno Mars. XD

[Lashania]

So I took Athena and her cage downstairs today, so she could chill with all the people in the house. She handled it really well! I left her in her cage, for the most part, so that she could get used to all the comings and goings. After a few hours, she was just chattering away.

I even got her to mimic some of my whistles. They didn't sound like whistles, of course, so much as she was mimicing the rhythm and such. But it was adorable. We also discovered she is a fan of beethoven, because when we put it on for my son, she started singing as loud as she could. :)

[linda040899]

Thank you for the wonderful update on Athena!! It sounds like she's made herself right at home and you've all been assimilated as her personal slaves for the rest of her life!! I think it's really great that she's found a true loving, caring home. :)

[Lashania]

She really has. I'm apparently her main slave, but she's warming up to the husband. She will sit on Tristan's hand, his head, his shoulder. (Tristan is 3.) She prefers his head, and preens his hair.

She'll sit on my 8 year old's shoulder.

She whistles back to me. I got her to do a short staccato burst today. It was hilarious. Dog was so confused.

[michael]

Sounds like Athena and her flock have made wonderful progress! .. Thanks for sharing! ..........:)

[Lashania]

She's trying to talk! I know that 'robot' sound anywhere!

[Lashania]

March 6th - After nearly 2 months, Athena came out of the cage... ON HER OWN. I'm so proud!

This was not a 'scared' come out either. This was her banging on her cage door to let her out. LOL. I was actually surprised, busy doing the dishes. So I look on the table (which is where I put her cage whenI bring it down stairs) and she's 'lifting' the door that her food tray slides into. She can't actually get out if it's open, the food tray takes up too much room. Even so, I was really surprised. So I opened the main door and tied it open, and within just a few seconds, out she came. She started rolling things across hte table towards me, so we played 'ball' for a little while. She wouldn't let me pick her up while she was out, but she wanted to play!

I'm so proud I could burst!

[Lashania]

Athena demands to be let out more and more these days. I'm tickled pink about that.

So today I had her cage up in my room, and I'm laying down on my bed reading a book while her cage door is open. She'd been going in and out, playing with her toys, etc...

And all of a sudden, I feel a thump near my foot. There she is. Completely uninterested in allowing me to pet her, but very eager to 'hang out' by me until I move around too much, at which point she jumps back to the cage stand and climbs onto her perch.

PROGRESS.

[thebubbleking]

awsome! soon you will be posting " how do i put my lovebirds back in the cage? " XD

[starwynde]

I concur with Bubbleking... once they get out, the trick is getting them to go back in the cage willingly. Gem, my lovie, gives me stink eye if I'm at my desk and haven't opened the cage for him. If I ignore him too long, he starts yelling at me (sounds eerily like the ambulances that always go by our house) until I open his cage for him. Eager to get out, but convincing him to go back in (and stay in) for the night usually involes plain popcorn or a bit of millet as bribery. Otherwise, Gem is stuck to my finger and refuses to get off.

It sounds like Athena is adjusting well and you are well on your way to having a permanent lovebird implant on your shoulder (or head, or where ever else she decides to take up residency...)

[Lashania]

You might be right... I had to put her back in late yesterday and she got up on the dowel rod just fine... but she gave me this 'look' after I put her into the cage before stepping off the rod.

[Z28Taxman]

You might be right... I had to put her back in late yesterday and she got up on the dowel rod just fine... but she gave me this 'look' after I put her into the cage before stepping off the rod.

Wait until she hides in the middle of your back where you can't reach her! :evil: