Willie Buttons (aka ButtButt) is HOME !

[JerseyWendy]

...

He also makes a sound as if striking the bars of his cage with a metal rod when a dog gets too interested in him. Even my German Shepherd was impressed. She clearly interpreted it correctly. WARNING, get away from my cage! (I don't think I want to know how he learned that sound).

....

That just ran chills up and down my spine. I don't want to know either.

Sounds like he's making himself right at home though - which is fantastic!!

 

[Giggleagain]

Willie had a few 'firsts' this last week. He came out of the cage for the first time, to play on his balcony (an upper cage area that opens). He took food from my hands without biting. He somehow flew or dropped to the ground and yelled "I'm coming" by the dog gate between the family room where his cage is, and the kitchen where I was on the phone. I was so shocked - and I think so was he - that after quickly hanging up the phone, I ran to the gate, bent over and offered him my arm to step up, which he immediately did. I climbed over the gate with him on my arm and deposited him safely on his balcony again. There was no time for fear on either side. This was the good news.

The not so good news is that yesterday he wing-flipped me with a raised foot and begging eyes to offer him my arm (my left one) and promptly chomped down hard. I didn't pull away not did I utter a sound, but he didn't let go, just kept chomping 3 or 4 more times. I don't know if I finally stepped back or he finally released, but he seemed surprised that there was no drama. I just walked out of the room, washed the area with soap and cried a few angry tears. Then returned to him and told him to go back in the cage.

He broke the skin a bit and I have a nice bruise about 1/2" high. He got me good - I can't feel that side of my arm, he seems to have pinched a nerve. I'm sure it'll go away once the swelling is down, but I'm glad he picked the right area to chew on. Anywhere closer to my wrist and I would have been in trouble because I'm on aspirin therapy and bleed rather "freely". So much for reading body language incorrectly, or maybe he speaks his own foreign language. Charles V said he speaks Spanish to God and German to his horses. I'll try Spanish with him next, since English isn't working so well.... hahahaha.

 

[Kiwibird]

Happy to hear he's somewhat settling in. The fact he would come to you "in panic mode" shows he at least gets the concept of stepping up/trusting a human even if he's not ready to go to you under better circumstances yet. GREAT job on your reaction to the bite too! That is exactly how one should react (or should I say, non-react). I know it hurts, but his look of surprise that you didn't start jumping around screaming is a good sign he may not want to try that again so quickly since it didn't get him the reaction he wanted. Curious though if you asked him to step up when you offered your arm and why you used your left one? The reason I ask, is if you didn't SAY 'step up', to a bird who isn't totally trusting yet he may have been unsure of your intentions putting your arm there (begging to step up or not). Also, they get used to a particular "side" of the human they go to, and if you are left handed, that may take him a while to get used to if he's always stepped up to right handed people before. Kiwi will not typically get on my left hand or arm (or at least does so with upmost caution) even though he hops right on the right arm or hand. Just keep working with him though and I'm sure he will start shaping up soon enough

 

[Giggleagain]

Curious though if you asked him to step up when you offered your arm and why you used your left one? /QUOTE]

That could very well have been the problem. I'm rethinking the whole situation and I don't remember whether I asked him to step up or not, but I was sitting on the piano bench next to him eating some rice....and had the plate in my right hand. The devil is in the details and you honed into them without even being here. Thanks for the tip Kiwi, I'm sure that was it.

 

[Giggleagain]

3 weeks, 4 bites. Will I ever learn what he is telling me? He was truly enjoying the sweet potato I held for him, but apparently I held it "too long" because he bit my thumb in gratitude when he was done eating. He's been asking for a ride on my arm, but after the last bite I'm hesitant (speak "terrified") to repeat the experience. I can finally feel my arm again, but people still ask me where I got that big bump and bruise. After 2 weeks it still looks bad. I just proudly say "AMAZONA".

My bite journal is filling up rather quickly. I'm afraid one of these days he'll take my nose off while I'm singing. Either he hates it or loves it so much that he gets all flashy-eyed and gurgly. I haven't figured out whether he just hates music or just my voice.

I think I know why his former name was Butt-Butt.

 

[Kiwibird]

Sounds like you got 'tough' one. Unfortunately, there no good way to tell if they are going to warm up right away or make you earn their trust. Fear not though, the wild green beasts CAN be tamed Kiwi bit me a lot too when we first had him. So much so, I resorted to handling him with gloves/on the stick for a long time until trust was established. Just stick with him and show no fear (hard, I know) and on his own time (however long that may be) he WILL eventually come around. In the meantime, stock up on bandaids and possibly invest in a good pair of gloves [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Handling-Leather-Protect-Reptile-Scratch/dp/B00YTPKK3E/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1434494045&sr=8-31&keywords=animal+handling+gloves"]http://www.amazon.com/Handling-Leather-Protect-Reptile-Scratch/dp/B00YTPKK3E/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1434494045&sr=8-31&keywords=animal+handling+gloves[/ame]

OR, if he likes riding on the arm (Kiwi does with me because I have small hands), try an arm protector [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Parrot-Arm-Perch-Size-Medium/dp/B003F61BUO/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434494234&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=parrot+arm+guard"]http://www.amazon.com/Parrot-Arm-Perch-Size-Medium/dp/B003F61BUO/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434494234&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=parrot+arm+guard[/ame] (they have them in small and large too, depending on your arm size).