Once a bird has gained your trust, you can become best friends

[antoinette]

My son's girlfriend Dee, :63: is staying over for a few days during the holidays.
Whenever Dee went near Mishka in her cage, she ruffled her feathers and tried to nip her.

Dee was petrified, I think more so than Mishka.

Mentioned to Dee, she must gain your trust first.

Every morning Dee offered Mishka some dried corn flakes.
Gradually Mishka started taking them through the bars of the cage.

Dee stroked her own head, then eventually Mishka's head.

While on her feeding perch, Dee was feeding Mishka yoghurt with a spoon.

They then began to shake hands, and had the occasional kiss.

During dinner tonight (Mishka had eaten already) she climbed off the playpen, walked up to Dee and said yummy yummy please.

Their latest game is now showing each other their tongues.

LoL Now we have to put up with them saying each others names all day !!!!

Just proves, once a bird has gained your trust, you can become best friends.
Take care

 

[william]

Whenever Dee went near Mishka in her cage, she ruffled her feathers and tried to nip her.

So your Son’s “bird” is called Dee, hell man she shouldn’t ruffle her feathers at your Grey.
Agreed, animals make great friends but we must never try to give them “human” personalities. I have never come across a malicious animal in the wild. A leopard will bark if you’re in her territory, a snake will warn you if it intends to strike. OK a buffalo, well I don’t trust them. But each has its nature and its way to communicate and they tell us honestly how they feel. Then again an animal is happy being what it is. We on the other hand are still trying to get to grips with our natures: and sometimes doing a very bad job of it. Unfortunately it’s often our attempts to humanise the animals that we come in to contact with that actually causes problems. Let’s face it in general we are the only animals who are not comfortable with our “natures”. It’s a good thing because it stimulates us to create new things. But sometimes it’s a crazy situation because we don’t know who the hell we truly are at times.
“Our” birds trust that we are able to understand them because they don’t know how to lie. Primarily they have no need of it. I love that. I really enjoy their directness. If I feel the need for contact but get a “go away” signal or a bite instead, I love that too because it is an honesty I can trust. The moments we share with them are moments of clarity shared, of black and white with no ambiguity. The closest I’ve come to that in the human world was my time as a soldier.
Yes, they do make the most amazing friends. That’s why it breaks my heart to see them dying from the inside out because they don’t meet the human expectation of their human owners. Or because their simple needs have been misunderstood. They represent an important part of us that we have, in many ways, lost. That it’s OK to be honest about who we are.

 

[antoinette]

Okay Wlliam, you have now put me off the bush for life
Too many dangers lurking there. LoL
Totally agree with you, bird's don't know how to lie, perhaps we should learn from them.
On the honestly part : well let me begin duh.... I am not blonde or bright :63:
I do try not to lie. Just being myself !!!!!
Great day

 

[Auggie's Dad]

** sees no Freud or Soap Boxes **

 

[Beatriz Cazeneuve]

Whenever Dee went near Mishka in her cage, she ruffled her feathers and tried to nip her.

So your Son’s “bird” is called Dee, hell man she shouldn’t ruffle her feathers at your Grey.
Agreed, animals make great friends but we must never try to give them “human” personalities. I have never come across a malicious animal in the wild. A leopard will bark if you’re in her territory, a snake will warn you if it intends to strike. OK a buffalo, well I don’t trust them. But each has its nature and its way to communicate and they tell us honestly how they feel. Then again an animal is happy being what it is. We on the other hand are still trying to get to grips with our natures: and sometimes doing a very bad job of it. Unfortunately it’s often our attempts to humanise the animals that we come in to contact with that actually causes problems. Let’s face it in general we are the only animals who are not comfortable with our “natures”. It’s a good thing because it stimulates us to create new things. But sometimes it’s a crazy situation because we don’t know who the hell we truly are at times.
“Our” birds trust that we are able to understand them because they don’t know how to lie. Primarily they have no need of it. I love that. I really enjoy their directness. If I feel the need for contact but get a “go away” signal or a bite instead, I love that too because it is an honesty I can trust. The moments we share with them are moments of clarity shared, of black and white with no ambiguity. The closest I’ve come to that in the human world was my time as a soldier.
Yes, they do make the most amazing friends. That’s why it breaks my heart to see them dying from the inside out because they don’t meet the human expectation of their human owners. Or because their simple needs have been misunderstood. They represent an important part of us that we have, in many ways, lost. That it’s OK to be honest about who we are.

I enjoyed your posting, William. And you are 100% right that animals are always honest in their approach/relationship with us.... in their own animal way which, very often, is misunderstood by the people who care for them.