Last night's trauma

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Last night was crazy and I feel like I need to share (and maybe even get some advice).

Poor Noodles was sleeping in her covered cage last night (as she does every night). At about 11:30 PM I heard a TERRRRRIFYING thud and screaming/hissing. I ran over, thinking she was having a stroke and had fallen off her perch.

When I uncovered her, I saw that her stupid pinata-type toy had fallen down and startled her (she was sleeping, so obviously, it was scary--tail totally fanned, crest up, wings out). When I got her out, she was pretty shaken up but she is okay... Thankfully, after laying her head on my chest like a scared kid..she did go back in willingly.

The issue is, after she had calmed down I tried to cover her again and she hissed and hissed at the cage cover (which is an essential part of our lives together, as she doesn't have her own room and I can't go to sleep at 5:30 each night with her).

Last night, after 3 tries at re-covering the cage, I decided to shut off all of the lights and go to bed myself (allowing her to sleep uncovered).

I am super nervous that this new fear will persist....Anyway....that's that...
Toys with leather ties are going to be a thing of the past in her cage....
 
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ParrotGenie

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Jan 10, 2019
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2 umbrella Cockatoos One male named Cooper and female named Baby 1 Little Corella male named Frankie and have 5 Cockatiels three named Male named Pepper, Fiesco for the female and female named Wylie.
Last night was crazy and I feel like I need to share (and maybe even get some advice).

Poor Noodles was sleeping in her covered cage last night (as she does every night). At about 11:30 PM I heard a TERRRRRIFYING thud and screaming/hissing. I ran over, thinking she was having a stroke and had fallen off her perch.

When I uncovered her, I saw that her stupid pinata-type toy had fallen down and startled her (she was sleeping, so obviously, it was scary). When I got her out, she was pretty shaken up but she is okay.

The issue is, after she had calmed down I tried to cover her again and she hissed and hissed at the cage cover (which is an essential part of our lives together, as she doesn't have her own room and I can't go to sleep at 5:30 each night with her).

Last night, after 3 tries at re-covering the cage, I decided to shut off all of the lights and go to bed myself (allowing her to sleep uncovered).

I am super nervous that this new fear will persist....Anyway....that's that...
Toys with leather ties are going to be a thing of the past in her cage....

She will get over it. Mines use to get scared of stuff that made loud noises, or fell and would also hiss at it for a while and pace back and forth. I would just pretty much leave it in room and let her see it a few time and she eventually adapted to it. Of course I would give her breaks in between and award her when she tolerated it being in the same room and then I would bring it closer.

A year ago I couldn't take her outside, or even though a door way without her jumping off and she would even get upset at me. Now she goes everywhere I go and during the summer she just sit on my shoulder, don't need a carrier and with zero issues and demands during the summer at times to be outside and walk around. All I did was make her face her fears slowly one by one and she adapted after a few times. As far as outside noises first I use to just sit with her outside, so she was use to surrounding areas for a hour, or so with no noises. Then after a while I would have friend close door loudly on purpose and talk loudly and ETC, let her heard motorcycles and ETC. She now not afraid of anything and I don't worry about her jumping off, flying off, or biting anyone anymore.

It took me about a year to work out all her fears and behavior issues, as she was abused by last owners. So she would freak out at any noises, large objects, especially sticks, bats, even large perches and if you raise hand high she would jump off. She was also afraid of toys as well. Thankfully none of this is a issue anymore with her. She come a long ways and honestly is one of my best companion birds I have. A lot of people know me in the area as they always see her on my shoulder at stores and everywhere pretty much and she love to talk.
 
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sunshine.within

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Sep 19, 2018
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Poor baby! Continue to cover her cage and hopefully she will forget about the accident.


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noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
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I know she needs to get over it, but I didn't want her to have a heart attack. Do you think that I should leave it covered and let her keep hissing? I don't want her to break a feather in a panic either.
 

sunshine.within

New member
Sep 19, 2018
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I know she needs to get over it, but I didn't want her to have a heart attack. Do you think that I should leave it covered and let her keep hissing? I don't want her to break a feather in a panic either.



Maybe change her cover?


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noodles123

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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
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It's the perfect cover :(...and it was like $80 bucks, but that is a thought I suppose...
 

ParrotGenie

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Jan 10, 2019
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2 umbrella Cockatoos One male named Cooper and female named Baby 1 Little Corella male named Frankie and have 5 Cockatiels three named Male named Pepper, Fiesco for the female and female named Wylie.
I know she needs to get over it, but I didn't want her to have a heart attack. Do you think that I should leave it covered and let her keep hissing? I don't want her to break a feather in a panic either.

I would leave it somewhat open or close by, so she can see you as well. She has to get over it and she will in time. My female U2 does this to me all the time, but always gets over it and then love the objects she use to be scared of at times.

Today my female U2 is scared of the new tree stand, when she saw the pieces she freak out, I put her couch so in room with it and see it. At least she no longer hissing and going into other room away from it, like she did yesterday anymore, she just now arguing at it. My male U2 on the other hand love it. I have to do this as in the next couple of days once I do all fixes to it, it will be in bird room where she sleep, so getting her use to seeing before hand.
 
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AmyMyBlueFront

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And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
How about partially covering her house for a bit?..Like leave the back side open so Noodles can get some light,and you could still turn the lights off when you want,the gradually cover a little more at a time?




Jim
 
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noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
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How about partially covering her house for a bit?..Like leave the back side open so Noodles can get some light,and you could still turn the lights off when you want,the gradually cover a little more at a time?
Jim


I did this last night and she continued to stare at it and hiss.
It may work tonight thought....
I am nervous still...really hoping she have had enough rest to just ignore that whole ordeal (doubtful).
 

Siobhan

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Clyde, Quaker; Freddie, tiel; Rocky, umbrella cockatoo.
Can you drape the cover over a corner during her play time and let her look it over so she can see it's not the thing that startled her? Rocky's cover is a cheapo king-size sheet and he has chewed holes in it. I have to replace it every few months when it gets too ragged to be useful any longer. But the way I got him used to having a cover was to let him play with it and see that it was just a sheet and not a parrot-eating monster.
 
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noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
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drama queen is over it already! yay!!
 

HEEDLESS

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drama queen is over it already! yay!!




I have a Drama Queen too if you remember she was attaching/bitting. Or maybe I'm a real drama queen myself... :D:D:D


I am glad things solved and your beloved baby gird is back to herself..:)



 

Scott

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RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
Just saw this, but am glad she has made peace. Noodle's most likely associated (incorrectly, of course) the fallen toy with the cover - and almost everything else.
 

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