Willow’s thread

[HeatherG]

This is just about Willow’s favorite place to be. He prefers if I pet him with both hands. Or I kiss his head and say, “what a kissable birdie!”

 

[HeatherG]

Willow was trying to preen the scab on my nose THAT HE GAVE ME two days ago! Ouch! It’s not ready to come off. He would like to sit all day on his basket handle or pressed up against my cheek. Jasper wants ten or fifteen minutes of pets and then turns his back to me and gets squirmy. So Willow had a nice long “out” time while Jasper got maybe 20 min out and then I brought him back to his cage.

I even bribed Jasper with peanut butter crackers but aside from taking at once VERY BIG BITES off the crackers, he wanted to go back to his house. So I returned Jasper and he began chewing on his grapevine wreath right away. He has quite a sharp big beak and gives a sharp little pinch when he wants to be done.

 

[HeatherG]

Happy Thanksgiving!

Willow, Jasper, and I enjoyed a turkey dinner from an area church today. I often go to a church event for thanksgiving or Christmas but I stayed home this year (on account of having been sick recently).

Both birds had a tiny piece of white meat and a bit of green bean. Protein is good for growing new feathers. Later we will share some pumpkin pie—always a big hit with parrots.

Willow is crunching his beak in postprandial enjoyment. He is making little happy squeaky noises and I think his tummy is quite full. But now he’s coming to grab my finger because I am typing and not petting the bird.

My dad played some wild animal noises over the phone for me and Willow did not care at all! He is rather timid about new toys but he just ignored the noises. He did not mind the coyote calls or the rabbit noises (and I thought distressed rabbit noises were quite unpleasant).

 

[cnyguy]

Happy Thanksgiving to you and to Willow and Jasper too. It sounds like you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving dinner.

Even though I didn't have any dinner guests I made a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and of course I shared a little turkey and mashed potato with Ralph. He enjoyed them as much as I did.

 

[HeatherG]

Well I had the thanksgiving turkey dinner for lunch and again for supper. And Willow sat on his basket on my lap during supper. He got PLENTY of turkey and corn, and a little bit of stuffing. Spoiled bird. He wanted to go to bed right after so I brought him back to his cage for night night.

I’m glad they don’t know what the turkey is.
…………..
I had a moment of fear after posting g this; I couldn’t hear any bird noises (of course not, it was dark) and MAYBE willow had gorged himself TO DEATH!!!

So I ran out into the living room and asked how birds were and they both made smooch noises at me. I’m so silly.

 

[HeatherG]

Both birds had a nice visit out in the afternoon. Willow doesn’t want to be pet until he has his avicake. After his crop is full he wants to be cuddled into my hand while I rub his head or beak. He has started to play inside the cup of the basket and he was yanking on the newspaper (discovered it a few days ago) so I have been playing tug of war with whatever he will tug. Alas he’s still leery of the jingle ball (it was lost for a couple weeks so it’s unfamiliar) but he was happy to fight with his shoelace toy or his blue moppy thing.

Willow wants to go to bed about seven pm, which is now very dark. He begins to pinch and then I ask him if he wants to go back to his house. Jasper likes to stay up later and will step up anytime so when willow goes back in his cage Jasper comes out.

Today jasper wanted to pick my nose. Many people have staph bacteria in their nose so I kept pulling him away from my nose and he kept trying to stick his little tongue up my nostril.

Actually I think Jasper may be a girl as Jaspers pelvic bones are very wide apart. I was told he was a boy but maybe that was just an assumption because of the territoriality and aggression (which is more a problem for adult male Meyers parrots). Jasper is a very nice bird when not biting. But if Jasper is not to bite then the environment must be very calm and predictable. That’s not always possible.

Anyhow both birds had their cages and dishes cleaned a couple days ago and still look quite good. I also found I had about 20 pear tomatoes still ripening so my guys get fresh tomatoes. Yay!

 

[HeatherG]

Willow was out earlier today and was cuddly after his obligate avicake. He does this thing where he pushes his head into my hand (or if he’s against my cheek he pushes his head into my closed eye). I wonder if this could be related to burrowing or nesting? Anyhow he seems compelled to do this , and Lucy did it, too.

It’s kind of like he’s pushing forward with his legs or his neck. I wonder if this pushing movement would help to form a nest chamber? I know cup-nesting birds form a nest partly by the pressing of their rounded breast and tummy.

Willow has also been interested in tugging and pulling on tissues, paper, and small toys. But most objects he will run away from if I offer them to him.

 

[HeatherG]

Willow is very pinchy today; pretty sure he’s mad that I had my hair wrapped in a microfiber towel.

I lost the towel and now he’s tentatively licking my hand. Likely he will find the place he made me bleed and groom that.

I love my bird, but he is having some issues today.

I clipped Willow’s long beak-tooth that he doesn’t wear down. It’s about the thickness of a toenail, so transparent and no blood supply on this overgrown part. But this “tooth” is the part that catches and punctures when Willow is pinchy.

He is just not a very “chewy” Quaker. Maybe if I put a pedicure perch near his food dish he would beak-wipe and keep the “tooth” worn down.

Luckily Willow does groom his toenails.

 

[HeatherG]

Willow was bitey today, too. I think he’s upset because there is construction on his window’s side of the building. I can’t tell you how many times I got bit or pinched today. And this was not a tap but a hard pinch…

So I was not too happy with Willow after the many pinches I got while trying to give him cuddles and head scritches. I’m hoping this construction will be over soon. I don’t like being bit and I don’t like to think that my bird is very anxious.
————-

It will make my living room dark but I will shut Willow’s blind. This biting is not normal at all and he must be really scared to be biting me. Poor little guy.
————-
I see that the thick rope that’s been hanging down over Willow’s window is gone tonight. Maybe the workers are done with the brickwork and Willow will soon be back to his sweet blue self. He smooched at me when I closed the blinds tonight.

 

[HeatherG]

The rope is no longer hanging past Willow’s window and he is in such a good mood today. He’s playing with toys and everything. Right now he’s up against my cheek getting his jaw rubbed and purring. I have gotten a few pinches but it’s probably been learned like a bad habit. Hopefully that will fade away. Willow is so mellow today and is licking my hand.

I’m so relieved. I guess all residents pets are upset. Willow is snuggled up underneath my right eye so I am glad he’s happy now.

He just killed the Kleenex that made a scary nose blowing noise. What a good bird!
————
Willow was SO MUCH BETTER today. Like a different bird from the last two days. I am relieved because I was unhappy with his behavior in the last few days. But it’s only 6 pm and totally dark so I think we’re done for the day, he will not want to come out again.
————
NO , Willow did not want to come out of his cage at six pm. He really really did not.

 

[HeatherG]

So I say a phrase to Willow, and he looks at me and moves his beak. I mean, he makes eye contact like, “is this what you want?” I don’t want him to be discouraged but I’m not sure how to get him to make the SOUND with the beak movement.

 

[HeatherG]

Woke at 9 am to blood curdling Quaker screams and saw the workers cleaning and finishing outside Willow’s window. I think he about had a heart attack. I picked him up and brought him into my bedroom away from that window and let him sit under my hand. I told him I was sorry and didn’t know that would happen.

We were better and then the workers comer around to the bedroom window and start using the platform and scaffolding. I literally put my body between the bird and the window and stuck Willow in a corner (of my bed) on his basket.

I feel very bad that Willow got so scared by those men in their PPEs standing in a box scrubbing his window. I bet the workers could hear him yelling outside.

Finally returned Willow to his cage 2+ hrs later. If that window has been washed they MUST be done, right? So I hope poor Willow is ok. He was happy to go back to his house by his toys and on his favorite perch.

Jasper will get some intensive bird time but at least no one was a foot away from him in a weird suit and gloves, hose and squeegee. Damn those guys must be cold but I’m still annoyed they scared poor Willow like that.

I looked for a bag or bulk mixed nuts in shell at the big grocery store yesterday and I could not find ANY. I thought they would make a really good treat to slowly pry out of the shell. Hmm. Where can I find these?

 

[dera]

Poor Willow! Hopefully he'll return to his usual mood in no time

 

[HeatherG]

Poor Willow! Hopefully he'll return to his usual mood in no time

I think he’s already there, it was just sad to see him so scared.

I learned today that Willow can fly quite well with the outer two primaries uncut, so sadly they will probably be clipped tomorrow. He took off screaming while I tried to carry him away from the window and I found him hanging from the top of a bulletin board. I hope he’s not too offended but if I have everything handy and do it calmly it will be done quickly and I’ll apologize.

I want to add some rainbow links to Willow’s cage and play with the Jolly Ball, too. I hope that makes it into a good day and not an upsetting one. Then I have a giant chewy toy to add to Jaspers cage and lots of fresh veggies for dinner.

 

[HeatherG]

After a couple months of praising Willow when he touches his jingle bell ball, today he is playing with it in his basket. Rolling it around and responding when it rolls back down. Not being terrified. Yay!

Willow is still thinking about the jolly ball on top of his cage. Doesn’t want to approach it yet. Later on I will add bribes to induce him to check it out. I think it’s too big for inside his cage.

Willow is in the “so many Quakers, not enough months” 2023 calendar! Not sure which photo was accepted but we are happy.

 

[HeatherG]

Willow had a few extra wing feathers that were not ready to cut when I trimmed his wings a couple months ago. In our scary window washing incident earlier this week he showed he could fly very well.

I live in an apartment and can’t divide the kitchen from living room so I don’t want him flying. Anyhow I decided to trim the remaining feathers today. And it was fine. Literally five seconds to spread out wing and clip on each side.

I told Willow what a good job he did and gave him part of an avicake. He’s finishing it before he goes back to his cage. Jasper wants to come out and Willow has had a nice visit for now. (He’s wiping his beak on everything and fanning his tail to show how much he enjoyed his treat.).

Preen, preen, preen. I am forgiven.

 

[HeatherG]

I have been playing with and showing some toys to willow. He’s now shaking a preening shoelace toy that has a big brass jingle bell at the end. I’m also approaching him with a coffee stirrer. That would be a fun weaving tool. He’s been playing tug of war with me as well. I’m glad he is playing like a normal Quaker.

Willow’s latest thing is to lick the tip of my nose for minutes and make me go crosseyed, looking at him. No idea what about my nose needs to be licked. Of course, Jasper tried to catch me off guard and stick his tongue in my nostril. That’s worse.

 

[HeatherG]

He can’t fly at all. If he could get any lift or it was windy we wouldn’t be going out.

It would be more sad if Willow flew into the soup pot in my small apartment, which could happen if he were not clipped. This is the choice I’ve made to keep him safe.

 

[HeatherG]

We now have a real blanket of snow and had a snowstorm today. Willow’s blinds are open again so he can look out. He seems ok with the change. It is colder and damp, though, and I have some joint pain post-covid. I am very sore.

Willow was out on his basket for a long long time around noon. He’s been playing with his toys a bit and tugging on my sleeve. I’m wearing a wrist splint and he’s trying to gnaw it off. I was typing today and Willow got annoyed that I was not petting him so he (mildly) attacked my hand until I returned to Petting Willow.

Willow was licking my nose for a long time today. Who knows why? But he wanted to be close to me while I read.

He and Jasper are much more relaxed now that the construction is over. Both are so cuddly. Willow came with me to check for Friday doughnuts but alas, there were none (?). And no coffee. So he got a little walk around but no sweet treat.

I need to clip Jasper’s wings if I want to carry him anywhere beyond my apartment and have been putting it off because I know Jasper won’t like it. Yet I think that would be safest for Jasper. Especially since he is bigger and can bite harder. I need him to not have any adventures.

Willow seems to be ok with the Jolly Ball on top of his cage. Maybe I should load it up with treats. It seems like it would be a really fun nest.

 

[onamom]

I have been playing with and showing some toys to willow. He’s now shaking a preening shoelace toy that has a big brass jingle bell at the end. I’m also approaching him with a coffee stirrer. That would be a fun weaving tool. He’s been playing tug of war with me as well. I’m glad he is playing like a normal Quaker.

Willow’s latest thing is to lick the tip of my nose for minutes and make me go crosseyed, looking at him. No idea what about my nose needs to be licked. Of course, Jasper tried to catch me off guard and stick his tongue in my nostril. That’s worse.

Ona likes to lick my nose sometimes too. She once licked the inside of my husband’s nostril With me she’s more interested in sticking her beak in my ear, oof.