I'm Married to my Pi

[finchly]

OK, after the hurricane Ernie was super clingy. Well actually even before... people kept saying he could 'feel' it coming and I kept thinking but it's hundreds of miles away.... He has been glued to my left shoulder.

Last night after we came home, all the fids were in their spots, about half the bird room lights weren't going out on time so I turned them out myself. An hour or more later I heard this banging, like someone was trying to break into the side door of the garage (I thought). Heard it again, got my weapon, went to stand near the garage door and listen.

Looked to my right, there is little Ernie peering out the screen door of the bird room. On the floor. Apparently HE was my burglar. So I got him, and he stayed with me. And stayed, and stayed. Finally I explained that he HAD to go in a cage when I went to bed, and pushed one from the office across the tile floor, clackety clack, that would've scared him before but he took it in stride. It's in my room. Where there's no space for one. At bed time he went in it quite willingly and didn't make a sound until I got up with the dogs this a.m.

So I guess that's how it's gonna be. This is how you bond with a bird, right? I'm going to get him a harness since it is such a fight to leave him indoors while taking the dogs out.

 

[DQTimnehs]

Well, you could have just put him back in his cage in the bird room. Just sayin'!

 

[finchly]

Well, you could have just put him back in his cage in the bird room. Just sayin'!

No I can't. He runs down my back where I can't reach. I tried putting my back in the cage and lots of other things. Thought about laying down and smashing him actually.

 

[Begone]

Happy anniversary, or what you say!

He runs down my back where I can't reach.

Both Eloy and now Eliy do the same. When they do I go down and stand like a dog on 4 legs, then I just turn around slowly and lay me down so they will be on my stomach.
Yes I have learn.. . And they looks so surprised every time.
You can also use a wall. By standing with your back against a wall they can not climb down.

OK, after the hurricane Ernie was super clingy. Well actually even before... people kept saying he could 'feel' it coming and I kept thinking but it's hundreds of miles away.... He has been glued to my left shoulder.

Birds are excellent in knowing about weather and they will always seek a safe place to be.
That means that he trust you and that he sees you as his safe place.

 

[camelotshadow]

 

[finchly]

@Eloy Thank you! For both the advice and the kind words. Now when he goes down my back next, won't he be surprised!

Also the dog is learning respect. He flies off me periodically, and I still don't have good landing places for him. He isn't good at landing anyway. So as soon as he flies off I say "no bird! no bird!" and she will stand and look at him. She does chase, but she stops when he stops. Probably thinks they are playing. And when I sit on the couch with him, she stays on the floor.

I'm not planning to hire the dog as a bird sitter, but it is nice that she isn't trying to eat him.

 

[Wannabird2003]

Mine freaked before the hurricane also with all the prep and moving to a strange house and back home and the reverse. During the brunt of Irma, I let her out of her cage and she sat on my stomach as I was lying on the floor of the closet. It was pretty dark by flashlight so she started yelling "Birdie Go" which is what she says when she wanted to go to sleep only she did not want to go into that cage. She also started picking her feathers again. Now that we are back home with power and things are more normal, I hope she settles down with the picking.

 

[finchly]

Now that we are back home with power and things are more normal, I hope she settles down with the picking.

Ooh I hope so too!

@Eloy so I went to the local parrot rescue, since the storm flooded them, and had Rio (baby caique) on my back doing Ernie's trick. So I propped my back on the wall like you said, and he protested but crawled around front and I got him and put him in the cage. Worked like a charm! Thanks!