To clip or not to clip?

[Nancy B]

Hey, how's Elvis doing now??

 

[Nancy B]

Well, just keep at it. That is cockatoo ownership for you. If you can make it through the first couple years or so, you get it figured out and its mostly smooth sailing after that. Just be observant. Both of my cockatoos pluck but they are generally in nearly perfect feather only because I stuck it out and trial and errored long enough that I started to accumulate a list of small things that when combined lead to a most happy, healthy and well feathered cockatoo. Sometimes its one step forward today, three steps backward tomorrow and you might have to hold out for another three weeks until something clicks and you can take a step forward again. Most things work their way out in the end.

I noticed the one step forward 3 steps back! I thought boy we screwed up this time! We had a 6 week setback with Freddy and I had a fit. Nice to know that's just normal. Freddy got spooked with us trying to get him back into his cage about 5 weeks after we got him. Then it was 6 weeks before he would come out and spend any length of time with us. He came out for very short periods only. Now he's doing great, Joe as of two days ago is able to hold & cuddle him. Freddy gives him kisses. My son & I are patiently waiting our turn lol. They say 2 years to really get them settled??

 

[sunnysmom]

Hey, how's Elvis doing now??

Had you asked at the beginning of the week, I would have said good. We had a good weekend with no biting incidents. Which kind of made me think that Elvis is just too excited to see Howie when he gets home from work, as Howie gets home first after Elvis has been in his cage all day. With me having Elvis out all morning on the weekend and then Howie coming in and out of the room, Elvis seemed unphased. But then 2 nights ago, Elvis bit Howie pretty badly. So, we're back to me not knowing what to do. Elvis now isn't allowed around Howie at all outside of his cage. I'm not sure how long we can do that, but it's what we're doing for right now. Of course, Elvis then screams for Howie because he really does like him. Which is why this biting is so confusing to me and makes me sad. Thanks for checking in with us.

 

[Lady Jane]

Aww I am sorry you go through this.

 

[sunnysmom]

Aww I am sorry you go through this.

Thanks. As of right now, Howie wants nothing to do with Elvis.

 

[Nancy B]

Awww....no.....I'm so sorry. geez I wish I had advice to offer. Had you asked JLcribber? Wondering if it could have hormones added to it now? I remember reading somewhere some birds can't be handled at all when hormonal. I hope this is something that will pass. Just throwing out ideas....

 

[JLcribber]

Awww....no.....I'm so sorry. geez I wish I had advice to offer. Had you asked JLcribber? Wondering if it could have hormones added to it now? I remember reading somewhere some birds can't be handled at all when hormonal. I hope this is something that will pass. Just throwing out ideas....

This situation is a pretty common thing. This is the reason rescues are full of these kind of birds. It takes tremendous fortitude to see this through. As Monica mentioned you've got about 2 years of rough road ahead before everything falls into place.

The problem is Howie is not a bird guy. I'm not blaming him for that. You need to be a "bird brain" to look after problem/reacued parrot.

In the home where Tika came from he literally broke that family up. Dad left. I did not leave. I made it a mission to win him over. Is it fair to ask Howie to take on that same mission? I certainly don't have an easy answer for Elvis except push ahead.

 

[sunnysmom]

This situation is a pretty common thing. This is the reason rescues are full of these kind of birds. It takes tremendous fortitude to see this through. As Monica mentioned you've got about 2 years of rough road ahead before everything falls into place.

The problem is Howie is not a bird guy. I'm not blaming him for that. You need to be a "bird brain" to look after problem/reacued parrot.

In the home where Tika came from he literally broke that family up. Dad left. I did not leave. I made it a mission to win him over. Is it fair to ask Howie to take on that same mission? I certainly don't have an easy answer for Elvis except push ahead.

I'm afraid you're right. I don't think Howie is a bird guy. The irony of it is that Howie is the reason we got Sunny (the cockatiel- he inherited him) and then he's the one who wanted a goffin. And cockatoos tend to like Howie. (Ask @cassiesdad, Milton loves Howie.) And all the goffins at the rescue here seemed to gravitate to Howie. None of them had the slightest interest in me- except for Elvis. Although it was clear that he liked Howie better, he seemed to also like me. So, I thought fine- Howie will be the favorite but I can still interact with him, etc. (And I knew I would be the primary caretaker but I was prepared for that.)

I think in truth, Howie is hurt. He's taking it personally that Elvis is biting him when they used to be buddies. I don't know how much more Howie is willing to do. He doesn't trust Elvis now, at all. In an ideal world, I would get home from work first. Let Elvis out of his cage for a few hours, and then when Howie came home, Elvis could go back in his cage and shortly thereafter to bed. Unfortunately, it's the opposite. Howie gets home 3 hours before me and by the time I get home, do not have much time to spend with each before bedtime, let alone separately. For the past few nights, Howie has basically gone upstairs and watched TV so I could let Elvis out. That's fine short term, but long term, I can't expect him to basically hide upstairs all night. And it's not fair to Elvis to only be out of his cage for an hour before I leave for work.

@JLcribber , Howie did mention perhaps seeing if Elvis's former foster mom would take him back for a few days just to give Elvis and Howie a break from each other and see if that would maybe reset Elvis, so to speak. Good idea? Bad idea? He's not bitey to me and I don't think he would be bitey to her. (Plus she has like 8 big cockatoos- so Elvis is a pipsqueak in comparison. LOL. ) Or I have thought about a second bird? (I know I'm the first to say don't get a bird for your bird's sake only.) I've always planned on eventually fostering again. So I could bump up fostering to see how Elvis does with another bird........

 

[JLcribber]

A few days isn't going to make any difference. They have the memory of an elephant. He'll just pick right up where he left off.

 

[JLcribber]

I tell you this honestly. The reason why we have a bird world downstairs and human world upstairs is so that I don’t get a divorce. If my wife had to deal with Tika all the time she was home it would not work. He get 30 minutes of her undivided attention at the end of the day. He does not see her any other time.

No he’s not being deprived. He gets his special half hour every day and everybody is happy because it’s consistent and normal.

 

[Familyof12]

Biting is awful and I really feel for you. I'm so sorry you are going through this. I foster birds and I got a beautiful WBC named Magic. She is 10 years old and she had been returned three times back to the rescue for biting. She's been with us now for four weeks. She is still in quarantine so we don't know how she will react with Charlie our baby WBC who is now about 8 months old. Charlie is bigger than Magic but has no hang ups. Magic HAS A LOT!!!! She would bite and not let go until she took a chunk of flesh and then she would laugh so evil you would think I needed an exorcism! I finally had it one day and let her bite all she wanted and while she was doing it I just kept whispering how much I loved her and I would keep her safe and not to be afraid. I whispered it. Not said it out loud and while she was munching on my finger or hand or arm I would put her head next to my mouth (yes, she has taken apart my lips, took a hunk of flesh from under my chin in my neck area, arms, legs, and one of my fingers looks misshapen from her biting it and taking so much flesh that it is now a divot on that finger! LOL

The best news now is she doesn't break skin anymore. She will bite (without any triggers from us) if she sees something as dangerous, it's her auto-response. I get it. If I were here and someone mistreated me, I'd be the same. But now she doesn't. She may get irritated but I auto whisper "I love you" over and over. I tell her how beautiful she is and how much people would think she was Ms. Universe. She loves it. I believe it's the fact that I won't bend no matter how badly she's attacked me. Now she's so bonded to me she only wants me.

I'll get bit again I'm sure. I know it will be something I did wrong but until I figure it out and her out all the way, and that takes a long time, building trust is a two way street. They can feel your vibe and react to it. I've been bitten when I was in a foul mood recently and I must have hurt her feelings. I'm sure I deserved it or not but it's a part of having them and loving them.

 

[sunnysmom]

Thanks everyone . I will keep working on it. I love Elvis, and he really is so good for me. It makes me sad that Howie is on the receiving end of the bites . And as I said before , Elvis likes Howie . I really think it's attention driven. And hormones . I am hoping that once the hormones die down that Howie and Elvis can start again. In the meantime, I need to figure out a way to try to make them both happy. I may just have to move Elvis upstairs .

 

[sunnysmom]

Biting is awful and I really feel for you. I'm so sorry you are going through this. I foster birds and I got a beautiful WBC named Magic. She is 10 years old and she had been returned three times back to the rescue for biting. She's been with us now for four weeks. She is still in quarantine so we don't know how she will react with Charlie our baby WBC who is now about 8 months old. Charlie is bigger than Magic but has no hang ups. Magic HAS A LOT!!!! She would bite and not let go until she took a chunk of flesh and then she would laugh so evil you would think I needed an exorcism! I finally had it one day and let her bite all she wanted and while she was doing it I just kept whispering how much I loved her and I would keep her safe and not to be afraid. I whispered it. Not said it out loud and while she was munching on my finger or hand or arm I would put her head next to my mouth (yes, she has taken apart my lips, took a hunk of flesh from under my chin in my neck area, arms, legs, and one of my fingers looks misshapen from her biting it and taking so much flesh that it is now a divot on that finger! LOL

The best news now is she doesn't break skin anymore. She will bite (without any triggers from us) if she sees something as dangerous, it's her auto-response. I get it. If I were here and someone mistreated me, I'd be the same. But now she doesn't. She may get irritated but I auto whisper "I love you" over and over. I tell her how beautiful she is and how much people would think she was Ms. Universe. She loves it. I believe it's the fact that I won't bend no matter how badly she's attacked me. Now she's so bonded to me she only wants me.

I'll get bit again I'm sure. I know it will be something I did wrong but until I figure it out and her out all the way, and that takes a long time, building trust is a two way street. They can feel your vibe and react to it. I've been bitten when I was in a foul mood recently and I must have hurt her feelings. I'm sure I deserved it or not but it's a part of having them and loving them.

That's great of you. I try to tell Howie not to get upset with Elvis but so far it's not working. I will share your story with him.

 

[JLcribber]

I finally had it one day and let her bite all she wanted and while she was doing it I just kept whispering how much I loved her and I would keep her safe and not to be afraid. I whispered it.

You can’t do that with a cockatoo or you’ll be dialing 911. Seriously.

 

[Nancy B]

Oh geez....maybe I am glad I'm not Freddy's favorite. Freddy is in a finished family room area that used to be my son's playroom. It's large and there are several sections to this one room. We have a wide screen tv, and a couple of chairs and couch. Joe took Freddy over to one of the chairs to watch tv. He said Freddy got nippy, not really hurt, but enough to concern Joe. Joe said no bite, Freddy, and immediately took him to the cage. He said it was obvious Freddy wanted to sit with Joe, but Joe made him have his birdie time out, then went back to him and he seemed fine. He couldn't figure out why Freddy nipped in the first place. I think it was different and uncomfortable for Freddy, or too close to the tv, the chairs are much closer to the TV than Freddy is used to. Or too far from the cage for comfort.