I tried sprouting the one time, like I said. Both birds really liked it but by the second day it was kinda weird and bubbly, and I felt safer throwing it out than feeding it. Have not had time to make more yet with the weekend job. I'm thinking it will be a once or twice a week treat. Oh, I also learned to make way less than I did the first time lol.
I took Lina out today. My goal is to make sure he gets at least one hour out of cage time each day. I am not meeting that goal every day yet, but I'm going to try my best to. I probably won't be able to give him out of cage time on weekends, since I leave the house at 6:15am. Kinda have to take him out in the mornings, because the dogs can only be outside until noon due to our very hot weather.
I did get him out today. We really have to get him in for a grooming, as his nails are very sharp. They aren't dangerously overgrown, but boy are they sharp!
He is still a neurotic bugger about coming out of the cage. He freaks out and flies around. He flew into enough walls today (yes WALLS, not mirrors or windows) that I am considering maybe he would be better off clipped for a while, and try again when his flight feathers grow back in. I am a believer in birds being flighted and it actually being safer for them when they are, but as we've seen and as I've told my husband... Lina is a "special" case.
The playtop where I was hoping he would make a habit of hanging out is a fearful thing. I did get him up there one time by doing this: when I went to feed him in the morning, instead of putting his food in the cage, I made him come out. I grabbed his bowl and showed him his food in it, and then I placed the bowl in the playtop holder. Well, he refused to step on that perch at first, but stepped right onto that bowl because he was so hungry. Then after a couple minutes, he moved to the perch with no problem. Today he hated the perch again, so I will have to repeat the method I used before.
Though he was an absolute STINKER for about a half hour today, by the end we were hanging out watching TV today, and he even rewarded my hard work and efforts by saying "hello" when I was talking to him. He steps up readily for and talks to both my husband and brother when out of the cage, not in it. However, neither of those guys is going to devote an hour each day to socializing Lina, so I guess Lina is just stuck with (in his eyes) a yucky cooties girl! He reminds me of a little boy being grossed out/afraid of girls.
I just have to keep reminding myself of where he used to be, and how good he is now. Even if progress is slow, he is still improving. The new cage setup wasn't the magic fix I was halfheartedly hoping it would be when it comes to stepping up. BUT he is so much happier in it, and playing with all his toys and such.
I am not sure that I can call him my mother's bird anymore, even though she technically owns him. She just doesn't want to be a part of his rehabilitation. The maximum amount of time she spends with him is 5 minutes, saying hello and good night. She might feed him a berry or two every once in a while.
I don't know what this will mean down the road as my husband and I are looking at moving out of state next year. All I can hope is perhaps I can convince her to allow us to take him, rather than he spend his life in a cage. I suppose I have been in denial for the past few years of this, but I have come to terms with the fact that she doesn't have the desire or dedication that this bird requires. Things really went downhill for him the times that I left state. The bird adores my husband, and I'm the one that handles all the care, cleaning, and rehabilitating. Perhaps she will let us take him.
When we have concrete plans and the time comes, I will have a long talk with her. I will discuss all of these problems, and then I will make two suggestions: 1st-that she give him to us (I think there is probably a good chance of this). 2nd-that she take him back to the bird store where he will have a better chance of finding a good life rather than living in a cage.
