Flying Soon

[Ripshod]

I'm so excited. Tau now has 2 full primary flights and 2 more growing in. Plus he's already shed a few more in his moult. I've been trying to get a pic or 2 but isn't it like a tiel not to do 'big wings' when there's a camera involved.
It's a strange moult too. I expect a moult to make him slow down and be grumpy, but he's all over his cage and telling the world about it.
I'll offer him a bath tomorrow, help him shed some sheath.

 

[Ripshod]

Best photo so far:
"Big wings!"

 

[Lady Jane]

Way to go little man.

 

[sunnysmom]

He's so cute!

 

[cassiesdad]

Love that picture...he looks so proud of himself...and rightfully so!

 

[Ripshod]

And this is the closest he's been to being outside his cage since his big night fright. He still hisses at me but I'm sat there right next to his cage and he's taking a good look at the outside world.

A thought. Is he Palefaced? The yellow coming through doesn't seem very strong at all and his grey has always been on the lighter side.

CORRECTION:


He's out!!!!

ETA: And the little fella accepted a lift back to his cage. It's like he's had a personality swap.

 

[Texas Tiel fan]

WOW! That is a big boy you have there. look at the size of those feet!!

 

[Zara]

I LOVE this picture!
So glad to hear he´s in good spirits and happy with his new feathers coming through! Even venturing out the cage! He´s doing great!!! Way to go Tau!!

 

[Ripshod]

WOW! That is a big boy you have there. look at the size of those feet!!

He's the largest tiel I've ever seen. He tips the scales right now at 105-110 grams (85 when I took him in). And this is with a low carb low protein diet. I've just upped the protein to help build new feathers and build him up for flight.
Wouldn't surprise me if he came from show stock.

 

[Ripshod]

His backstory (with links to a further backstory):
Two New Challenges | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[Ripshod]

And now, for a change of scenery, welcome to Sid's Park:

Yes, he went straight for the millet.
I always said I would reuse Sid the First's cage and I was thinking of Tau at the time. But it's all vertical bars, totally unsuitable for a tiel, so I've removed the whole front and turned it into a play area. That's Buddy's favourite box at the bottom. Buddy has never even been near it, to the point of changing shoulders when we've walked past it, but for some reason he's checking it out now lol. So we may get an out-of-cage introduction today - and I hope it's olive branches and not tasmanian devil.

 

[JLcribber]

Right now is a critical time for those new flights. Because there are only a few they are very vulnerable to damage/being broken until they are surrounded by other flights to help protect them. Take extra caution during this time to avoid accidents and damaging those new flights.

 

[AmyJas]

That's a great idea for a play area! Glad to hear you big boy is doing well. I think Lilah may be on the smaller side. She went up 1 gram today for a whopping 74g! But she's only about 4 months old, so I'm not sure how typical that is.

Also, I love Buddy in your new profile pic.

 

[Ripshod]

Right now is a critical time for those new flights. Because there are only a few they are very vulnerable to damage/being broken until they are surrounded by other flights to help protect them. Take extra caution during this time to avoid accidents and damaging those new flights.

Yes, it's the one thing that's always on my mind. Even in his own cage there's a risk of damaging them, but when he's in the play area I sit right in front and watch him like a nervous mother, and because it has an open front I can quickly get a hand there to help him. He's a very confident and competent climber now and hasn't had a single fall since his fright over 5 weeks ago. I'm not gonna bust my butt if he does have an accident, it could just as easily happen in his cage where I can't get to help him quickly.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I love that play area, what a great idea!

 

[Ripshod]

Well we were up to five primaries this morning, but now we're back to four. It came out clean so there should be no problem growing another one in. And this happened in his cage, he stepped on it while turning on a perch and that startled him. Yep, I watched it happen and couldn't intervene.

 

[Khizz]

Thanks for this update. After Mabel's recent night fright she has also been a bit more skitterish than usual, and mistrustful of me. She also lost a few primary flight feathers so has lil stubby wings at the moment. So to see that Tau is making progress makes me feel better

 

[Ripshod]

Flight Training Stage One:
Wing propelled skating. Tau now has 6 primary flights, and several (stubbies) growing in. He has enough power from his wings he keeps pulling himself off the perch or cage bars when exercising so I've decided it'll be safer for now to have him out on the floor whenever possible. And he's loving it. He'll play with his toys for a while, then he'll come skidding past me flapping like crazy. I do believe this is the best way for him to learn some control before he actually attains flight. He's really enjoying it to the point he can be out of the cage for 6-7 hours without thinking about eating.
I'm glad I have Buddy involved in this too. He's great company for Tau and a bit of an inspiration.

 

[Ripshod]

A little setback today. Tau lost another primary flight. It was fully grown with just a little blood in the very tip. I didn't see it happen but I didn't hear a yelp either so I can only assume it just 'fell' out. Maybe he loosened it in the night. He was right at the side of me when it happened. He's going to the vet Monday AM for a full workup.
It's so frustrating a setback like this, for both of us

 

[Tiel Feathers]

Oh no, not another one! My cockatiel Twilight could never manage to grow in all his feathers. Someone told me that their vet said that some cockatiels just have weaker feather shafts, but I don’t know if that’s true. I hope the vet visit goes well!