• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Scotty preened Harley!

faislaq

I have macaws and don't post enough pictures
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/25/16
Messages
16,507
Location
Texas
Real Name
Karen
Backstory (can skip to last night):
We originally adopted Scott and Harley as potential cage mates for our first gcc Pistachio. We had placed an ad in Craigslist and received two answers. Pistachio hit it off with Scott right away. (This is before we'd heard of quarantining.) When we brought Harley home her whole body was covered in pinfeathers. We introduced her to the boys and she allowed them to preen her for about 5 minutes before she'd had enough and climbed away. We ended up keeping both, Harley in her cage and the boys shared a cage until 'Stachi was taken by a hawk during one of our walks the following year.

Scotty was so upset by the loss of his friend that he started barbering his chest feathers. We tried to reintroduce him to Harley, but he charged at her so we didn't try again.

When we're home everyone's cages are open. Scotty hangs out on the top of his cage to be as high up as he can and Harley likes to climb around and explore when she's not sitting on eggs. (She only lays 3-4 times a year but sits on them forever.) About a month and a half ago, Harley wandered into the bottom of Scott's cage, shredded up the newspaper at the bottom and made herself comfortable. Her cage has a grate, so I guess she likes his better. At first I kept trying to move her back to her cage but she kept finding her way to the bottom of his. Then I tried putting him in her empty cage, but when we let them out, he'd climb back on and in his cage because it's taller. He is a "top 1/3-er" and doesn't use the rest of his cage and she only comes up to eat (and he backs away and waits until she's done) so they have been technically co-habituating for the past month even though they don't interact. :shrug: I was really worried about it at first and even slept on the sofa for the first few nights in case there was a squabble, but nothing ever came of it.

Last night I was giving Buzzard his night-night juice (a little juice diluted with lots of water) and realized Scott's cage wasn't covered all the way. I said, "Uh oh, Scotty is probably watching and wants some juice." My step daughter looked over for me and said, "No, he didn't even notice. He's preening Harley."
:shocking:
Say what? She said it like it was the most normal thing in the world! There they were, cuddled up on the boing, both sleepy-fluffy with Scotty preening Harley's head so gently. :swoon: I wanted to take a picture but didn't want to damage the moment. Hopefully this is the start of something wonderful and I'll have many more opportunities to take pics later.
:yahoo:
 
Last edited:

TikiMyn

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
12/13/16
Messages
6,723
Location
The Netherlands
Real Name
Robin
How sweet! The start of a love story I can feel it!:heart:
 

Begone

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
11/29/12
Messages
15,651
Congrats! :yah:

It doesn't matter how many time I have seen my girls preen each other, my first reaction is always to say, - Awww out loud.
Their is no better feeling knowing that they like and can help each other, as I'm terrible with helping with their pin feathers.
 

webchirp

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/2/10
Messages
17,760
Location
Ohio
Real Name
Chandra
Awesome!!!!
 

orphansparrow

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/2/11
Messages
2,130
Location
Santa Fe, NM
Real Name
Cara
OMG! To all of it!

I had no idea of Pistachio's story, even though I've seen your signature line a hundred times. How terrible, I am so sorry!

BUT! That is so wonderful about Harley and Scott! Such good news. :heart::grouphug3:

Also - How long has it been since Scott and Harley have known each other?
 

faislaq

I have macaws and don't post enough pictures
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/25/16
Messages
16,507
Location
Texas
Real Name
Karen
Scotty and Harley came home the first part of October 2015, three days apart. They met her first evening & she never really interacted with either of the boys since. They could see and hear each other, but never paid attention. Even living together, Harley and Scott they still stay in the same space unless she climbs up the boing to eat his food and drink his water (she has her own below), then he just backs off until she goes back down. She doesn't see very well, I don't think, so I wonder if she realizes he's still there. :shrug:

Oh well, no news is good news. Beats them not getting along. Plus, I'm still hoping for a repeat. :swoon:
 

faislaq

I have macaws and don't post enough pictures
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/25/16
Messages
16,507
Location
Texas
Real Name
Karen
It's been a long time with no developments, but last night just before it was time to cover Scott & Harley's cage, I heard some light chirping. Almost like squabbling but quieter and less urgent if that makes any sense? Maybe it's just that there were two voices and I'm not used to hearing them talking to each other? Anyway, since Scotty wasn't on top of the cage or in the upper level I snuck up to the cage to make sure everything was okay while trying not to disturb them in case they were getting along.

Scotty was laying right next to Harley! :yes4: They were getting along just fine even though Harley was laying on her "eggs", but Scotty saw me peek and ended up going back to the top level a few minutes later. I'm sorry I interrupted, but at least I know that sound means he wasn't harassing her and I'll know to let them be next time. :pinksmile:


*This time around Harley has abandoned her real eggs to sit on almonds in the shell. :hehe: Can't wait to see if they hatch. ;)
 

Ninna

Walking the driveway
Joined
2/13/17
Messages
218
Location
Gloucestershire, England
Real Name
Kate Pinks
I'm so pleased to see an update on this thread, I've been wondering how they've been getting on. Sounds as if they're definitely getting closer - that must make you so happy! I'd love a baby almond too, please! My doves once sat on 2 little apples but they didn't hatch....
 

Hjarta5

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Concierge
Joined
7/10/17
Messages
2,654
Real Name
Jennifer

Begone

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
11/29/12
Messages
15,651
*This time around Harley has abandoned her real eggs to sit on almonds in the shell. :hehe: Can't wait to see if they hatch. ;)
And if your baby almonds end up hatching, I'd be interested in one. Do you ship? ;)
Sure, and they should be easy to sex.
But what it this?!? Here I was expecting to see a cute loving post, and in just some seconds it ended up like that! :wideyed:
But what a minute... I forgot that it was Karen's thread. :lol:
And of course I want some too. Can I please have 2 girls and 2 boys? :p
My doves once sat on 2 little apples but they didn't hatch....
Oh no! So sad. :( That could have been some apple trees until (or do you say by?) now..:rolleyes::D

And great update Karen! :heart::starshower1:
 

faislaq

I have macaws and don't post enough pictures
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
10/25/16
Messages
16,507
Location
Texas
Real Name
Karen
Yet another (and even better) UPDATE:

A couple of weeks ago, I heard a couple of quiet, semi-annoyed squawks coming from Scott and Harley's cage, so I glanced over to make sure they were okay & I saw them together again on the top level. I was so happy that Scott was preening Harley so I slowly grabbed my phone, and zoomed in to take a picture only to realize that Harley was the one preening Scotty! :cheer: That went on for at least another 10 minutes and ever since, they've been hanging out together a little each day! Harley still sleeps in the bottom of the cage, but now she climbs on top of it sometimes when they're out and they either just sit near each other or preen a little. I am so happy every time I see those two together. :swoon:

Here's the grainy, zoomed-in picture I took and the screenshot I outlined to help y'all see them. :)
0420181923b-1.jpg Capture+_2018-04-22-12-23-46-1.png

On a sad note, Harley has abandoned her almonds. :cry3:
 

Peachfaced

The Peachy Inkpress
JOLLY-PATROLLY
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/17/09
Messages
11,745
Location
FL
Real Name
Sadie
Yet another (and even better) UPDATE:

A couple of weeks ago, I heard a couple of quiet, semi-annoyed squawks coming from Scott and Harley's cage, so I glanced over to make sure they were okay & I saw them together again on the top level. I was so happy that Scott was preening Harley so I slowly grabbed my phone, and zoomed in to take a picture only to realize that Harley was the one preening Scotty! :cheer: That went on for at least another 10 minutes and ever since, they've been hanging out together a little each day! Harley still sleeps in the bottom of the cage, but now she climbs on top of it sometimes when they're out and they either just sit near each other or preen a little. I am so happy every time I see those two together. :swoon:

Here's the grainy, zoomed-in picture I took and the screenshot I outlined to help y'all see them. :)
View attachment 275854 View attachment 275856

On a sad note, Harley has abandoned her almonds. :cry3:
I could always send you some Sherbie eggs.
 
Top