African Ringneck adoptee-to-be

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Cottonoid

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Thank you!

I don't have even a pinch of the experience that anyone commenting here has, but I sure do love this little guy.

I visited tonight, and at first he was seeming not happy to see me. Which I'd understand given that on Monday I took all his familiar things out of his cage right in front of him, and then touched him while he was crying.

I was pretty surprised (and, ok, very relieved) he came back around to his usual behaviours within 10 minutes - finding a perch where he could watch me; cocking his head; and actively engaging in the dance of "I will tell you how close you can be and how directly you can face me."

At one point he started roaming around near the top of his cage while cocking his head at me - almost like a social bird would do playing hide or seek. He kept popping his head around the edges of things he was hiding behind or on top of (I sat on the floor so I wasn't hovering over him).

Then he came back down to what appears to be his new favorite spot (according to the droppings on the floor) and checked me out for a while. THEN he decided he wanted to eat, and was looking at me, taking a few steps, looking at me, taking a few steps, and I realized where he was trying to get to and told him I'd move so he could eat without worry. I turned my back and moved away about a foot and then watched him on my phone camera. He went to his bowl and ate a bunch, total head down inside the bowl while sorting through the food. That made me happy. When he finished he went to a perch about midway up and just watched me for a bit, cocking his head a little while I talked.

I talked to the visiting owner of a macaw boarding as we were getting ready to leave - just chatting in the middle aisle so a row of budgies cages between me and Cotton - he asked if he could go around and say hi to see what Cotton would do, after I'd said Cotton goes into the corner when strangers look at him but doesn't anymore for me, and Cotton did nothing! Haha! He even stayed relaxed! He kept one eye on each of us and then just looked at me when the Macaw's dad came back around.

When he pointed that out I think I mumbled something like "he surely knows your voice by now, and the last time he saw me I moved him to a new cage and touched all his stuff and his head" πŸ€¦πŸΌβ€β™€οΈ I admit MacawDad does have a very calming voice! But dang, Cotton did better with him than he has with me ever hahaha (for 47 seconds.... Still.... Lol my pride my pride).
 

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Thank you!

I don't have even a pinch of the experience that anyone commenting here has, but I sure do love this little guy.

I visited tonight, and at first he was seeming not happy to see me. Which I'd understand given that on Monday I took all his familiar things out of his cage right in front of him, and then touched him while he was crying.

I was pretty surprised (and, ok, very relieved) he came back around to his usual behaviours within 10 minutes - finding a perch where he could watch me; cocking his head; and actively engaging in the dance of "I will tell you how close you can be and how directly you can face me."

At one point he started roaming around near the top of his cage while cocking his head at me - almost like a social bird would do playing hide or seek. He kept popping his head around the edges of things he was hiding behind or on top of (I sat on the floor so I wasn't hovering over him).

Then he came back down to what appears to be his new favorite spot (according to the droppings on the floor) and checked me out for a while. THEN he decided he wanted to eat, and was looking at me, taking a few steps, looking at me, taking a few steps, and I realized where he was trying to get to and told him I'd move so he could eat without worry. I turned my back and moved away about a foot and then watched him on my phone camera. He went to his bowl and ate a bunch, total head down inside the bowl while sorting through the food. That made me happy. When he finished he went to a perch about midway up and just watched me for a bit, cocking his head a little while I talked.

I talked to the visiting owner of a macaw boarding as we were getting ready to leave - just chatting in the middle aisle so a row of budgies cages between me and Cotton - he asked if he could go around and say hi to see what Cotton would do, after I'd said Cotton goes into the corner when strangers look at him but doesn't anymore for me, and Cotton did nothing! Haha! He even stayed relaxed! He kept one eye on each of us and then just looked at me when the Macaw's dad came back around.

When he pointed that out I think I mumbled something like "he surely knows your voice by now, and the last time he saw me I moved him to a new cage and touched all his stuff and his head" πŸ€¦πŸΌβ€β™€οΈ I admit MacawDad does have a very calming voice! But dang, Cotton did better with him than he has with me ever hahaha (for 47 seconds.... Still.... Lol my pride my pride).
Ohhh, they are such masters at manipulating emotions… just like toddlers & teenagers! Maybe MacawDad is just a familiar face…or maybe since YOU approve of MacawDad, then he feels safe.

Either way…he has improved tremendously from your first visit…all due to your patience and love!

So funny…he is observing his Mommy-to-be as as keenly as you are of him. I would love to read his humanforums thread about you!!! 😁☺️😊
 
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Ohhh, they are such masters at manipulating emotions… just like toddlers & teenagers!
UMM SAYS WHO!?
(why do I now want to recite a Doctor Suess poem about the Whos is Whoville)
 
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Cottonoid

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Oh I forgot - he also spent a good 5 minutes right in front of me chewing his feathers including his tail feathers and pulling out a couple downy fluffs. He's preened in my presence before but this was the first time he's known I'm watching and goes full Chewy McChewface. I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or not, but

Dang he's a cute little stinker.
 
May 2, 2021
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Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot.
But the Grinch who lived just North of Whoville did not!

The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.

It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
It could be his head wasn't screwed on just right.


But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.


But, whatever the reason, his heart or his shoes,
He stood there on Christmas Eve hating the Whos,


Staring down from his cave with a sour, Grinchy frown
At the warm lighted windows below in their town,


For he knew every Who down in Whoville beneath
Was busy now hanging a hollywho wreath.

"And they're hanging their stockings," he snarled with a sneer.
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"


Then he growled, with his Grinch fingers nervously drumming,
"I must find some way to keep Christmas from coming!


For, tomorrow, I know all the Who girls and boys
Will wake bright and early. They'll rush for their toys!

And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!
There's one thing I hate! All the NOISE! NOISE! NOISE! NOISE!

They'll stand close together, with Christmas bells ringing.
They'll stand hand-in-hand, and those Whos will start singing!"


Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays
Welcome Christmas! Come this way
Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays
Welcome Christmas, Christmas Day

Welcome, welcome, fahoo ramus
Welcome, welcome, dahoo damus
Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to clasp

Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays...


"And they'll sing! And they'll sing! And they'll SING! SING! SING! SING!"
And the more the Grinch thought of this Who Christmas Sing,
The more the Grinch thought, "I must stop this whole thing!


Why for fifty-three years I've put up with it now!
I must stop Christmas from coming! But how?"

Then he got an idea! An awful idea!
The Grinch got a wonderful, awful idea!


"I know just what to do!" The Grinch laughed in his throat.
"I'll make a quick Santy Claus hat and a coat."

"This is stop number one," the old Grinchy Claus hissed,
As he climbed to the roof, empty bags in his fist.

Then he slid down the chimney, a rather tight pinch.
But if Santa could do it, then so could the Grinch.


He got stuck only once, for a minute or two.
Then he stuck his head out of the fireplace flue

Where the little Who stockings hung all in a row.
"These stockings," he grinched, "are the first things to go!"

Then he slithered and slunk, with a smile most unpleasant,
Around the whole room, and he took every present!



It was quarter of dawn. All the Whos still a-bed,
All the Whos still a-snooze, when he packed up his sled,

Packed it up with their presents, their ribbons, their wrappings,
Their snoof and their fuzzles, their tringlers and trappings!

Ten thousand feet up, up the side of Mount Crumpet,
He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it!

"Pooh-pooh to the Whos!" he was grinchily humming.
"They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!

They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two
Then the Whos down in Whoville will all cry boo-hoo!

That's a noise," grinned the Grinch, "that I simply must hear!"
He paused, and the Grinch put a hand to his ear.

And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low, then it started to grow.

But this sound wasn't sad!
Why, this sound sounded glad!

He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling. "How could it be so?

It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes, or bags!"

He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!

And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say
That the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day!


And then the true meaning of Christmas came through,
And the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!

And now that his heart didn't feel quite so tight,
He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light

With a smile to his soul, he descended Mount Crumpet
Cheerily blowing "Who! Who!" on his trumpet.

He rode into Whoville. He brought back their toys.
He brought back their floof to the Who girls and boys.

He brought back their snoof and their tringlers and fuzzles,
Brought back their pantookas, their dafflers and wuzzles.

He brought everything back, all the food for the feast!
And he, he himself, the Grinch carved the roast beast!

Welcome Christmas. Bring your cheer,
Cheer to all Whos, far and near.

Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to grasp.

Christmas Day will always be
Just as long as we have we.



Credit to Doctor Suess and genius.com
 
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Cottonoid

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I love that, Stormy! Thank you! 😍 You know that's gonna end up part of our holiday traditions now πŸ₯°


I would love to read his humanforums thread about you!!! 😁☺️😊

Oh golly πŸ˜† "The middle age lady came again today to tell me stories. I don't know what neuroplasticity or corpus callosum or pectin oculi mean and I really don't know why she insists on looking at the evil glowing rectangle when I'm looking my best and showing her all the new places I can go in my house. I wish she'd just sit and listen to MacawDad talk to Macaw with me; he has such a nice tone and says nice things like "How you doing today, Macaw?" and none of this Let Me Tell You a Story About Why You're Smarter Than Me business."
 
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Oh I forgot - he also spent a good 5 minutes right in front of me chewing his feathers including his tail feathers and pulling out a couple downy fluffs. He's preened in my presence before but this was the first time he's known I'm watching and goes full Chewy McChewface. I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or not, but

Dang he's a cute little stinker.
Yep…it’s the classic β€œwill you still love me if I do…THIS?! I’m going to act out…what will human groupie do?β€œ

Human groupie did the perfect thing which is nothing! No response.. no attention. That wall he’s built is breaking down brick by brick. Eventually β€œhuman groupie” will be simply Mama. 😊
 

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Yep…it’s the classic β€œwill you still love me if I do…THIS?! I’m going to act out…what will human groupie do?β€œ

Human groupie did the perfect thing which is nothing! No response.. no attention. That wall he’s built is breaking down brick by brick. Eventually β€œhuman groupie” will be simply Mama.

I love this line so much, I had tears in my eyes. You have exactly what Cotton needs...love and patience and you accept him for who he is.
I am also so grateful to go on this journey with y'all.
 

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I love that, Stormy! Thank you! 😍 You know that's gonna end up part of our holiday traditions now πŸ₯°




Oh golly πŸ˜† "The middle age lady came again today to tell me stories. I don't know what neuroplasticity or corpus callosum or pectin oculi mean and I really don't know why she insists on looking at the evil glowing rectangle when I'm looking my best and showing her all the new places I can go in my house. I wish she'd just sit and listen to MacawDad talk to Macaw with me; he has such a nice tone and says nice things like "How you doing today, Macaw?" and none of this Let Me Tell You a Story About Why You're Smarter Than Me business."
I laughed till I had tears@ MACAWDAD is now Sean Connery in my mind! Because I'd stop whatever I'm doing to listen to him talk ❀

I think my parrots human thread " Just make kissy noises when she looks this way, its very reassuring to her. "
 
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EEPEEP121

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Hello,
Just read/skimm this post and wanted to let you know that my Indian ringneck loves watching other irn's on you tube and learned to talk from them. Holding my phone up to the play top of his cage was how I got him to willing walk over to me and eventually step up and bond with me. So if he shows interest use it as a bonding tool as I did. It worked for me and for my husband since at first he only trusted and wanted to interact with me. My husband began to play you tube and tik tok videos and now he lives my husband and goes to him all the time. A lot of irns are scared of hands especially over their head. But over about 3months I saw a big change and I am able to pet my bird when he wants it 😁 and can kiss all over him and "pet" him with my face as much as I want. Definitely took a while to gain his trust but it is well worth it!! You will feel like you'll never gain his trust but you will whether he allows you to touch him idk... but don't give up. You seem like your in it for the reasons and willing to go the distance good luck!
- Bleu's human/momma (marie)
 
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Cottonoid

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Hello,
Just read/skimm this post and wanted to let you know that my Indian ringneck loves watching other irn's on you tube and learned to talk from them. Holding my phone up to the play top of his cage was how I got him to willing walk over to me and eventually step up and bond with me. So if he shows interest use it as a bonding tool as I did. It worked for me and for my husband since at first he only trusted and wanted to interact with me. My husband began to play you tube and tik tok videos and now he lives my husband and goes to him all the time. A lot of irns are scared of hands especially over their head. But over about 3months I saw a big change and I am able to pet my bird when he wants it 😁 and can kiss all over him and "pet" him with my face as much as I want. Definitely took a while to gain his trust but it is well worth it!! You will feel like you'll never gain his trust but you will whether he allows you to touch him idk... but don't give up. You seem like your in it for the reasons and willing to go the distance good luck!
- Bleu's human/momma (marie)


Thank you so much for the encouragement and ideas! He does perk up when I play a YouTube video of a pet ARN making lots of happy whistle-chirps and beeps 😁
 
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Cottonoid

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I visited Cotton on Saturday by myself using the door code - so nobody else was there yet! The lights were dimmed and the boarding birds were convinced I should be feeding them breakfast - lots of "Hi {their name}" and general shrieking at me, which made me feel like a bit of a jerk! Sorry, all you cuties I know by call now, I'm not the food person!

Cotton was NOT as excited to see me at first πŸ˜‚πŸ˜¬πŸ˜± and he let me know in very obvious terms that he hasn't forgotten I moved his favorite things and touched him without his consent.

But it was AMAZING to be there on my own - I just sat on the floor and chatted, and read out loud, and hummed nonsense while I was reading to myself, and randomly chatted to him (and a cockatoo that came down to floor level to chat with me from across the room 😁)

It was again this time faster than I expected before Cotton was walking around his cage and checking me out. If he were a tame socialized guy I'd say he's playing peek-a-boo with me, and that's how I'm treating it (and saying out loud too) and he isn't yet showing me otherwise, ha!

He started to come down to his food bowl, which in his new cage seems to be a pretty simple way for us to develop communication because it's more obvious when I back up or he pauses - but he got there and OH YEAH there wasn't new food yet so he backed up and just stared at me hahaha. I got up and went to get a little piece of walnut but he went back up to the fun corner.

He is spending more time looking at me now, and maybe it's my wishful thinking but I feel like even when he shows his nervous body language and going to his safe spot, he's not *fearful" like he was before in his cage up front.

The volunteers that came in before I left all know now that I'm adopting him, so I think I'll ask when I visit tomorrow what their timeline is. I really want to set up a vet appointment on the way home so I can stay hands off as much as possible at first.

In the meantime, I'm cat sitting this week and have spent the daytime hours getting as much painting done in my house as possible! I did the entire living room on Friday but decided to go back to the old color so am redoing it today. Argh! I feel like there's a VOC clock ticking now ! 😱

I keep telling my dog all about Cotton and have been imagining Cotton in the spot his cage will be when I'm doing my morning routine before work. I'm pretty sure my dog thinks I'm nuts talking to an imaginary friend πŸ˜‚

It's weird to me and yet not at all that Cotton is already a part of my daily life...I just hope to bring him home soon!
 

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Laurasea

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love the uodates!
I can just imagine all the birdies like hey where's the food lady?!
Like his bigger cage.
Any weirdness id put Down on you showing up before breakfast ..lol ...butds like their routines
I can't hardly wait for him to be home with you
 
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Cottonoid

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I'm getting impatient myself - I just don't feel he's thriving there.

I'm glad you said that about routines because I made sure to show up when I normally would :) But their usual volunteer that does the morning was still out of town so all the birds were a bit confused. I'm totally smitten with the 50+ year old Amazon that's boarding - he's so sweet when they've had kids in the shop, letting them cuddle him and give scratches. I swear the times I've stopped by to say hello to him he's silently giving me advice and I love it.

Who am I kidding; I love all the birds there! I've had lots of time observing especially the (many) budgies and their individual personalities and it's been hard to watch some get adopted that split up buddies.

If it weren't for meeting Cotton I'd probably have 25 budgies by now 😊
 
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Cottonoid

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Laurasea I'm realizing the color I originally was going to repaint my living room is the same as your great room πŸ˜‚ and is currently the color of my bedroom. It's so calm and peaceful feeling to me. But my son's gf likes the current color and it's important to me that she and my son have something from their childhood that is the "same" so I attempted to go just a couple shades lighter. It didn't work. Back to "pumpkin toast" which is a nice cozy color.

Why yes, I am procrastinating finishing this paint job..... πŸ€¦πŸΌβ€β™€οΈπŸ˜¬πŸ–ŒοΈ (It's grey and gloomy and rainy and cold outside which doesn't help!) ....My assistant is on couch strike due to weather.....
 

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Laurasea

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Blue is my favorite color especially if paired with orange ( ha ha not because I'm a gator fan ) I love color anything other than white or tan...

Awesome pupper!
Painting is a drag......I'm probably over due

Cotton definitely not tge personality to thrive at the rescue. Some parrots love all the action tho!
You've made him so real to me, that I feel compelled to rescue him myself! So good thing you g0t there first.
( note to self , no going to rescues, unless I'm ready to bring home several!)

Saxguy went for the ekkie but came home with 2! So no rules ! You can bring home another!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW Cotton lucked out , you are absolutely the best human for him . I'm so moved by the 2 of you.

Warms the heart, and balances out the tragic stories we have
 

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