Lina's Journal-Road to Rehabilitation

[plumsmum2005]

I was thinking about Lina and what you have written about him and left wondering if when he was boarded at the shop and everything seemed to be OK, it was a place he was used to until your Mum came for him? He saw her and because the shop was closed was unable to take him home with her? Did this trigger his neurosis, he thought he has been abandoned? It seems important that when you collect a RB2 as in, have been apart for some time, to spend some precious time reconnecting before actually leaving for home.

I do not think it would be wise to leave him again, certainly for some time.

 

[gentleheart]

Well, the funny thing is, he was acting up with me about 8 months before the shop incident, no longer allowing me to handle him. At that point it was almost like he latched onto my husband and was afraid of me. It baffles me still, I have no idea what started that.

He definitely hit rock bottom after the shop incident, especially with my mother.

He has not been boarded since though. Mom only leaves occasionally for a weekend, and we are here to watch him. He still gets more excited over her coming home from work each day than he does about anything else lol! As far as handling goes though, he's a lot better with me now than anyone else. I figure it's best that I be the main rehabilitator as I'm really the only one 'in the know' on parrot behavior. Then once he's doing better (and is progressing rather quickly I think), I can hopefully get him doing better with his mommy.

 

[plumsmum2005]

That is the case with my husband, he loves Plum and they have a crazy, mad relationship. Plum will do things only with him and stops if I come into the room, like stops dead, so funny. The main point is hubby is not confident especially in handling, all he sees is a beak I feel, maybe because Plum bit his nose one time LOL. Plum has chosen him though to be part of his flock, just through my hubby being kind and caring with him. The more people they can accept the better IMO.

Wonder what was happening at the time you noticed the beginnings of a change in Lina? Thing is you would know next time, be able to recognise and act and perhaps by the endless spiel here we have enlightened others to the same fate, who knows eh?

 

[gentleheart]

I'm feeling depressed today, I will admit. It's definitely not for lack of progress with Lina, I can tell you that much.

The past couple days, there have been several times that I go into Lina's cage, and he stays on the perch rather than jumping off and running away. I am really happy about that. I also took him out yesterday again. It didn't go as good as that one night, but it wasn't terrible either. He got a little shower before being put back too. Overall, he seems to put up with a lot of things he isn't totally comfortable with (like the shower), and does not bite or go savage on me over these things. So I really do appreciate that about him.

I am just grieving the bird that he used to be. He used to hang from the top of his cage and scream his head off a couple times a day, in that playful way some parrots do. It always made me laugh, especially if someone was trying to watch TV at the time. He used to ring his toy bells when I would play the piano. He used to yell at his toys with that distinct galah growl.

Now, he is stoic at best and fearful at worst. He doesn't do any of those things anymore. There have been a couple of one off occasions over the past several months, and he has finally started responding to my mother's "good night" song with a little bit of excitement and kissy noises as he used to. He is slowly coming out of his shell. I just really miss the playful goofball he used to be, and I get depressed wondering if he will ever be that way again.

I'll set about making him a new toy. Perhaps it will perk us both up.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hi please don't be down. They have their different days, Plum has changed over the time I have had him and it has taken ages to get a cuddle out of him today. Yesterday he was all me and very cuddly. If you think two year old child, does that help?

Have you a full spectrum lamp for him or does he get regular sunshine, outside not behind glass? Is he able to see outside, they do like to watch. You are making progress and he probably just needs time. Is your other bird near him?

Plum squeaks with delight playing with a rope ball and a bell, bashing one with the other, standing tall on his funny chicken legs with it in his beak. They do something and you think gosh I have not heard that for a while. He used to do somersaults on the carpet and wave his skinny legs in the air, squeaking with delight, not anymore :-(
My focus is Plum's health and weight most of the time.

 

[Laylatoo]

I don't have much to offer except positive vibes that Lina keeps heading back in the direction of the content little guy he used to be. I can imagine how heartbreaking it is. I'm blessed so far with a fearless girl who I can only hope will stay that way. I'll look forward to reading more about Lina's progress and with you the best!

 

[gentleheart]

I moved the birds away from each other a while ago. If I remember correctly, I was hoping that it would encourage Lina to seek our company. Does seem to have done the trick. My lovebird is more tame now as well, and neither seems worse off. We are around the house all the time, and so are the other animals of course, so it is not as if he is isolated and alone.

I noticed years ago, even before the phobic stuff started, that the noisy atmosphere and all the birds at the shop seemed to make him nervous. I do remember him really settling and becoming happier once we got him home.

He did go investigate the toy I made him with blunt tipped bamboo skewers and palm shredders. That made me happy.

ETA: Unfortunately there is no way to keep his cage near a window AND have him in an active part of the house. The layout of this house pretty much sucks. My mother is planning on building her own home this year and moving in, and the plans for that house has a lot more windows and a lot more room. The 5x5 walk in aviary will fit inside that house really well.

On a side note, I am annoyed with the people who design bird cages! You'd think they would design them with less crevices and less places for things to get stuck, and make them easier to clean. Looking forward to eventually having that walk-in, as it will be so much easier to clean.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Cages - Plums is not huge, not a to the floor type and he spends most of his time on it at the moment, building me a nest I suspect LOL. He is making use of a playstand and I may invest in a bigger one of those. Good job re the toy, I have to hang new ones on the outside of his cage at first. Funny, funny, birds.

 

[gentleheart]

Yes, still baffles me at times. I'm used to my fearless little lovebird, who isn't afraid to investigate and play with something whether it is his or not. So being used to 2-3" of absolute, nearly obnoxious courage (the lovebird), and going from that to almost 12" of phobic fear, it is quite an adjustment.

I discovered that Lina still likes to head bang when I jingle keys.

BTW... as far as lovebirds go... amazing companion parrots! Get one young, and do not get it a buddy as they typically bond very closely to one thing, so birds or people. Mine is so sweet, never bites, is fairly willing to perch on a stranger if I ask him to (although he won't step up for anyone but me lol), has the biggest personality ever. I did a post about him in "lovebird stories", so I won't continue to derail Lina's journal lol.

I think I myself prefer the extrovert personality parrots. We will always love Lina and he will always have a home (God knows, my mother adores her bird!), but I have to admit that I personally would never adopt another RB2. I did love those bare eyed cockatoos, they crack me up, at least when they aren't trying to give you an ear piercing 8 times a day! Must admit that despite being a big-beak-o-phobe I am a huge macaw fan.

 

[plumsmum2005]

At least this gives a potential parront some useful info on RB2's.

"I discovered that Lina still likes to head bang when I jingle keys". Plum loves this too!

 

[gentleheart]

I contacted a local exotic bird rescue for advice (don't worry, Lina isn't going anywhere!). They responded, and one of the things they said spoke volumes with me.

They said that phobic galahs are similar to autistic children. All of a sudden, it all clicked. Why Lina is literally a different bird at night (he is happier, more social, talks, interacts, whereas during the day he is reclusive), why he seems more secure when held close to my chest, why odd things freak him out... mainly, that he seeks dark close spaces for safety the way autistic people do was my 'lightbulb' moment.

The rescue also mentioned (and they did cite other sources, articles, rescues, owners) that phobic galahs do better in smaller cages, as opposed to the current large macaw cage or the talked about aviary. Makes sense, again darker, closer space=safety!

So there is a new game plan. I haven't got enough research done yet (and still waiting on a reply from the rescue as well) to decide what size cage, but I know that he will not be in one near so tall. Will be less likely to hurt himself then when he freaks out and falls to the bottom as he has before. Not so often an occurrence now, but it still happens.

For now, I plan on keeping a portion of his cage covered so he has a darker space to retreat to when he is afraid. I am looking forward to seeing if and how he will improve.

I will admit that I am feeling so much better about Lina now. I was so frustrated before, but now I feel that I understand him better. It's one thing to say don't be upset with the bird for not liking you, and quite another to actually do it. It is easy once the cause is understood though.

In other news, tonight Lina came out of his shell on his good night routine with mom like I haven't seen him do in months. He actually got so excited he screamed and startled her lol! There was lots of tail fanning, talking, kissy noises, etc. It was great to see a glimpse of his old self.

 

[plumsmum2005]

This is encouraging to hear you say Lina showed a glimpse of his old self. Great going.

If you can put up some additional info would be very interested to read it.

Plums seems somewhat the same, reclusive until lunchtime, usually happy to greet us first thing, have his breakfast and then wants his covers back on???

When he plays by me on the sofa it is always in a dark space under a cushion/throw but always have put that down to their instinct to burrow and nest in tree trunks.

 

[LordTriggs]

I find it amazing the similarities between parrots an autistic people. I've seen them react in exactly the same way as me to certain things and situations. The shrinking down and alert look they have is exactly the same as I get in unnerving situations. I think looking at the similarities between parrots and autistic people can really help us learn how to help our feathered friends out even better than we do now

 

[merlinsmom13]

Anna from the Macaw & Cockatoo Rescue in NM is currently working w/a galah w/similar problems. Check out her take on this problem at https://www.facebook.com/Macaw-Cockatoo-Rescue-of-New-Mexico-96290073123/

Good luck w/your guy!

 

[plumsmum2005]

Interesting reading.

Tells us that it is not just the boys this happens to. Such a shame.

 

[gentleheart]

Well, if anyone sees any cages (in the USA) like I am going to describe, please send me a link to it.

I think the best thing for Lina would be a rectangular type of cage that is much wider than it is tall. I'd love to find something around 30Wx24-30Dx30-40H inches, something that either has a stand or could be placed on a table. Would really like it NOT to be a playtop or dome, but a square/rectangular shape.

I found one in a local ad, but unfortunately it was only 26 inches tall, so far too small, but the width and depth were almost just right. The cages with the 'right' dimensions tend to be those stacking cages, so I would be forced to buy more than I need. And the last thing I need is an empty cage sitting around making an excuse to get another bird LOL!

I'm not jumping into buying any new cages just yet. Part of what I am struggling with is how small is too small? And how big is too big? Most of the cages I look at seem far too tall. Ones with tolerable dimensions are typically overpriced and usually have a playtop. And then there is the problem that I am just far too picky about everything. lol.

Merlinsmom, the article you posted is the same one that the rescue I contacted sent me.

Think I found the perfect cage!

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/you-and-me-standing-parrot-cage

ETA Update!

Heard back from the rescue, this is what they said regarding cages:
"The galah we had years ago was housed in a 3x2 not too tall cage. He spent much of his time down on the grate so we cushioned that with a towel and added some visual blockers so he could retreat from anything concerning. Currently we have a phobic grey at the sanctuary. We have taken the bottom part of a double stack cage which is probably 30" square and created his home, so it is very low to the floor. He's also has stress with visual cues and being up high and seeing out windows, or face to face with people, is very stressful for him. I also think because he plucks his flight feathers down to nubs, and will drop if he has a panic attack, he doesn't have the confidence to be high. He gets out of cage time every day and spends his time roaming underneath other cages and hanging out on the bottom shelves, and he returns himself home just fine. I think if he had to climb up to a higher door he wouldn't be able to stay calm enough to do it. So, just some ideas we've tried here. "

Have known people to use ferret cages for their birds. Maybe in this instance it would work. At this point I'm looking at anything lol.
The rescue put me in contact with a mentor that has rehabilitated many birds, including a very bad off galah. When she gets back to me, I will post what she says.

 

[gentleheart]

Huge step forward!!!! :jumping40

I felt guilty that I haven't spent much time working with Lina over the past several days. I just hadn't time, energy, patience, or will to work with him, and truthfully was feeling pretty discouraged.

Today I went and covered a part of his cage, as I said I would. I just went down and put the dogs up, turned the fans off. When Lina sees me doing these things he knows I am going to do something with him and immediately becomes jumpy and nervous.

I went over and just entered his cage space, and started talking to him as normal. He climbed to the covered part of the cage and started swinging one of his toys. He seems to always swing this toy when he is nervous. Almost like a physical outlet for his anxiety. I swing his toy with him and started up the 'good boy' routine, praising him every time I move and he doesn't overreact. I started waving my hands and such as normal.

After a couple of minutes, I slowly reached one finger out and TOUCHED HIS HEAD! Though he was a bit nervous, he allowed me to. Any attempts to touch him inside his cage before resulted in massive freak out episodes. He even let me do this several times, and the more I did it the more comfortable he became!

This is an incredibly huge step forward. I mean incredible! Who knows, maybe next week he will be stepping up?

I also had a thought. The only way I could ever get him to step up from the cage (in the past) was if he was at the bottom. Maybe a cage set lower to the ground would help reduce his anxiety about stepping up? One thing I do know for sure is that he can't have one so tall, so that when he does freak out and fall it won't be so far. I am thinking too about lining a fairly thick rubber mat over the grate, with paper on top. I think this would help with some shock absorption if/when he falls, and reduce risk of injury.

 

[plumsmum2005]

I do not think you should feel as you do, as long as Lina is safe, fed and warm on the days life is busy what is the harm. The imposition of a timetable is not healthy in this situation. You are expecting things to happen at your speed. Accept Lina, rejoice in every step forward but please accept it is not a race and could take years.

If you can relax about the situation with Lina, he will be more relaxed as they pick up so, so, easily on our emotions. At the end of the day you still have a healthy, gorgeous and intelligent parrot who will be with you for many years.

It will probably be better for you too to relax? I do not mean to upset or be mean just my opinion.

 

[gentleheart]

Thanks for the encouragement/reassurance.

I don't really have a timetable. It was more of a "wow, that happened fast!" reaction. I was just excited to see where we will be next week, but if it's either no progress or even regression, that is OK too.

Thinking back, he really has come so far. He used to freak out if you even just looked at him. Now he can be approached and interacted with by most everyone.

I noticed an increase in his interaction and interest in life around him after keeping a portion of his cage covered all day. It definitely appears to help him feel safer. He was talking, grooming more when people were around, etc.

 

[gentleheart]

Got to talk to the bird rehabilitator last night (she's the one that posted that article about CBD oil). She had some great suggestions. Like covering the bottom with plastic bubble wrap to cushion it, then layering a towel over it, and then putting the paper over that. That is for when he has a freak out and falls.

So we will be ordering that cage soon. I am excited. There are so many advantages, including being easier to clean than the big macaw cage!

Today, I went in to visit Lina. He continues to let me scritch his head very lightly, and he is also sidling down the perch towards me, and lifting his foot as though he wants to step up. I positioned my arm as though I was going to offer a step up, but I did not bring my arm next to his feet. He leaned down and stared at my arm a tad nervously but did not fly away.

I have his cage door open and left the room. As per usual, no attempts to venture out yet. Makes it difficult to get him out of cage time, unless he is forced or scared out, which is not what I want to do. He is making so much progress and I'm not about to destroy what trust we have built.

I am curious to see if he will go into a honeymoon phase in a new cage. I'm not counting on it, but it is possible.