Boba updates

[Gddmsam]

Hi everyone, I'm moving my updates from the welcome area to here as it seems to be a more appropriate venue.

Boba day 5:
Today is my day off so I came down stairs around 7, Boba wasn't awake yet so I let him sleep. At around 8:30 I heard him moving around so I uncovered his cage, changed his good and water and let him eat.
After breakfast we had story time and read the next chapter in Le Morte De Arthur. I keep his door open when I'm in his room. He got close to coming out, but decided that preening was more fun.
He is letting me put my hands in his cage now, but does not like when I get, what he thinks is, too close. Which is fine, he's still getting used to me.

I've been in and out shoveling snow all day and he is much more comfortable with the doors opening and closing, both on his cage and to his room. I've been playing some guitar for him and leaving the tv on when I'm out side.

He's a very quiet bird, but he has been a bit more vocal today, which I think is a good sign. He even lifted one of his little feet as he napped after lunch today. He also got some new foot toys, which he promptly ignored, lol. Most of the time he sits on his favorite perch and just watches me.

Thanks for stopping by!
Sam and Boba

 

[Tyrion]

How about some pics

 

[Gddmsam]

He's usually a bit camera shy, but he let me get a couple of pictures.

 

[WendyN]

Boba is beautiful!

 

[Gddmsam]

Thanks! I am lucky to have him in my care.

 

[CallieCadmoor]

Well done love it! Beautiful Boba!

 

[Gddmsam]

Day 6:
So as you folks know, I do my updates as Boba takes his afternoon nap. Today he is chirping in his sleep and making cute little noises. I feel like this is a sign that he is comfortable around me now, at least enough where I can start to offer him long sprays of millet with my hand just inside the cage. I'm excited as I have heard that this is good way to get our bond to strengthen and a step toward being able to handle him.

As far as today has gone so far: Our normal routine went very well and he seems much more interested in me now. He watches me as I move around his room and seems content and relaxed. I caught him ringing his big jingle bell while I changed his water and food. He did not, however, like me touching his bath ball. He climbed to his "im angry corner" and paced the top of the back side of the cage chirping at the ball. As soon as it stopped moving he calmed down even though my hand was still in the cage.

I think I'm going to buy him a stainless water dish this weekend as he prefers to drink from the ball and not the lower water dish, I think it's the height difference.

Once again his supreme cuteness has me dying to cuddle him, but alas, I know I need to work with him much more before that will happen. I am still weary of taking pictures while he is asleep, I don't want to frighten him and undo all of our hard work so far, but I will post some after he wakes up, if he lets me.

Thanks everyone!
Sam and Boba

P.S. Any advice on weather or not I should try to offer him the spray by hand yet or not would be greatly appreciated. (He already knows he only gets millet as a treat.) Thanks again!

 

[Gddmsam]

He let me get one good picture. It's the closest I've been able to get with my phone so far. Also I added a new foraging toy. Basically they're medium softness plastic cat balls that I stuffed millet into. Only 4 have millet in them. He moved down to get closer to it and has been eyeing it for about ten minutes now. I'm going to leave him alone for a few minutes and see what happens when I come back.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Sounds like he's becoming very comfortable with everything! I think you can start offering millet sprays with your hand. You can even make it shorter and shorter sprays as the days go by. Just make sure to watch his body language for any signs of distress. What is a bath ball?

 

[Gddmsam]

It's a bird bath that clips to the side of the cage. It's got a flat bottom and perch with a dome on top to keep the splash contained. It came with the cage. Thanks for the feed back, it's reassuring to me that I'm not screwing this up. Lol.

 

[Gddmsam]

So he ran away from the millet, then checked it out on the perch I rested it on and then got all puffy. I took the spray out and he calmed down. I'll try again in a couple of days. I want to give him time to settle. Should I spend more time closer to his cage?
Thanks,
Sam and Boba

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Has he seen the sprays before? Sounds like he was a little afraid of it. Maybe leave one by his cage for a while so he can see that they are okay.

How close are you to his cage? I think you can sit next to it unless that causes him distress.

 

[Gddmsam]

He has seen the sprays before, I break off small bits for him where he can see me. He loves it when I hang a piece from a short string. ( I keep an eye on him while the string is in there so he doesn't get tangled) I sit on my couch about 10 feet away most of the time, but I try to sit as close as he's comfortable on a stool in front of his cage for a few minutes at a time while I talk to him reassuringly.

 

[JaclynBin]

Maybe start offering millet to him from outside of his cage, rather than the inside. Offer it from the opposite side of the cage that he is in from through the bars. Talk him through it and if he seems interested but hesitant, though not full out panicky, try to avoid looking at him too much. If he thinks you don't notice his approach, he might get brave - hopefully he'll cave in and come for a nibble. He's absolutely adorable, by the way.

 

[Gddmsam]

Thanks, I adore him. He will take small bits of millet from my fingers outside of his cage already, so I thought I'd try inside the cage. I guess he just wasn't ready yet. It may also be that it's too big, I usually hold a piece about 2-3 inches long outside his cage and he will nibble on it until I take it away. This time I offered an 8 or 9 inch long piece.
I'll keep on the outside the cage approach for the time being though, sounds like solid advice.

Thanks,
Sam and Boba

 

[Gddmsam]

Update 7:
Boba seems a bit grumpy today. I think it's because I put him to bed before he wanted to sleep last night. I could tell that he was trying to get my attention after I told him it was bed time. He came to the front of the cage and called for my attention after asking him if he was a sleepy bird.

I got home around ten am today and uncovered him as soon as I got home. He promptly came down to the perch above his food and tweeted at me looking first at his dish, then me. I refilled his food with less seed and more pellets than usual (trying to switch him over) and he noticed. He checked it out, hopped back up on his perch and soon after he finished scolding me pooped in his dish. I replaced the food and cleaned the dish. This time instead of mixing the two I did the same amount, but left most of the seeds visible near the top. He seemed fine with that.

I had to run out for an hour or so, but I left the tv on animal planet for him. I got back and he is just now eating. I'm not sure if he did while I was out or not. He seems to still favor the top middle perch, but is moving around a lot more, and has spent a lot of time watching me on the perch closest to me.
I played some African bird sounds a little while ago and he started chirping. I didn't play it long as I am unsure if he was chirping because he liked it, or if it was scary to him. It was rather loud and was strung together, like when he scolded me earlier. I turned it off and talked to him and thats when he started eating.

I think that it's good that he is watching me and getting closer to me. Last night he was purring (making some sort of purring clicking) that I haven't heard before, he seemed content and comfy while doing it though.

Anyway, that's today's update, I'm going to start doing them every other day unless we have a break through or I have a concern.

Thanks a lot!
Sam and Boba

 

[Gddmsam]

Hi everyone! Just another update on my baby boy.

I've given him lots of space the last two days, with the exception of moving a couple of perches that he normally ignored to give him easier access to his water. I read to him most of yesterday and today we finished Le Morte D'Arthur. ( yay spell check didn't change that this time.) I'm going to find another book for tomorrow.

He is eating some pellets now, but refused veggies both days, even broccoli. His mood has been fairly consistent, but he seems to be getting more comfortable with each day. He has been making his cute little happy noises much more today. We also play peek a boo and he will, sometimes, cover his beak with his little wing when I cover my face. When I say peek a boo he uncovers his face and tweets, sometimes.
He is moving around a lot more, but has taken a disliking to the front of the cage. He will only go to the front on his bottom left perch, but he has been spending about 1/3 of his time there, watching me.
Yesterday he did come out for a minute. I was sitting about three feet from his cage, talking to him, when he flew from his perch to my knee. He stepped up for me and let me give him some light scritches before he flew back to his cage. It melted my heart.
I had the doors open for a couple of hours today, but he didn't come out. He has been more vocal and trusting of my hands, especially when I change his food and water. I'm going to continue using this method until he comes out on his own consistently, at which point I will start target training, at his pace, of course.

Thanks for reading, and best wishes!
Sam and Boba

 

[Gddmsam]

Breakthrough!
Today when I got home I uncovered Boba' s cage and he chirped happily when he saw me. He has spent most of the day hopping around his cage and when he decides to stay in one place lifts one of his feet and clicks his beak while he looks at me Inquisitavely. He has also been checking out the two perches that I moved yesterday and seems to like the set up much more. In addition he was relaxed and calm when I removed and replaced his water dish (Bird bath). Usually he scolds me when I move things besides his food or actual water dish. (I clean and refill each daily.) He only "Hid" in the corner twice, both times were when I closed his cage doors. He doesn't mind when I open them though, I'm not sure why this is. I am very happy to see that he is coming around. I read Lewis Carroll's the hunting of the snipe to him earlier then we started the star wars Bounty Hunter code. (With a name like Boba I thought it appropriate.)

Thanks for stopping by,
Sam and Boba

 

[CallieCadmoor]

Glad to see you two have come such a way already

 

[Laura729]

I enjoy reading Boba's updates. You are doing a great job with him!!