“Foster” BG - Michael - Questions

[Emma&pico]

I just see pure love in his eyes for you

 

[Toy]

He does! I've been giving him a little bit of time to settle in before he has to get snatched with a towel when I bring him to work to get trimmed. I want to get him to let me do it myself without restraining him but he needs them so much sooner than I'll get him to let me I'm betting
He hasn't gotten one yet but she did give him one the day before I picked him up. I was planning on showering today after I go feed some horses (I feed horses once a week in exchange for lessons), and I was going to see if he wanted to try sitting on top of the showe (or come on the perch inside if he's willing) I know he's only used to a mister so I wanted to introduce him to the shower slowly. If he's not a fan I might have to buy a mister again lolol

The day I got JaJaBinks we had freezing rain. I drove 45 minutes in freezing rain, down a long dirt road along a corn field to previous owners house. While there owner back handed her. I knew I had to get her out of there. Once in the car I promised her she'd never be in the dark again. I had 8 toy poodles. I sat the crate on my washing machine, let the dogs out & took her to the tub. Ran down & let the dogs in. Then back up & gave her a good scrubbing. I had parrot shampoo I had gotten at a bird fair. She ACKED the whole time, but I just kept telling her she was filthy & needed a good shower. The dirt poured out of her, so I scrubbed her twice to get her clean. She eventually learned to love shower & would play peek-a-boo with the shower curtains. Then off to my dog grooming room to trim her 2 inch long nails. I sat her on a table perch. She held a foot up & I just snipped off those long nails. Then she lifted the other up. It was like she knew it had to be done. Then downstairs & on a play gym, where I gave her fruits, veggies, seed mix & nuts. She went crazy with joy. We had no cage for her, so she had to be placed in a large wire dog crate for 6 weeks until her cage arrived. It took 6 weeks for her to stop ACKING, because if she thought you were going to touch her she'd get hit, shoved in a tiny cage & kept in the dark. Previous owners abused her, kept her in a tiny home made cage & in the dark 24/7. Eventually she became an amazing companion. She loved going to the Harley Club & hearing all the Harley's fire up. She loved Christmas, Halloween, etc. She loved helping with dishes, laundry, etc. Even tho she hated towels & other things I did, she forgave me for them. B&G's tend to be pretty forgiving. I also changed her name from Doobie to JaJaBinks. She learned to say her new name & never said her previous name. She often waddled into the kitchen & I'd set her on the table & she'd eat with us. I really miss her. JaKhu is nothing like JaJaBinks was. JaKhu is nipy, very destructive & bullhheaded. She's a major work in progress.

I got JaJaBinks to love showers by using a handheld shower head. Sat her in the tub. I'd do wings up, turn around, etc. Once all rinsed well I'd let her play. I slapped the water, acted silly, etc. She'd flap her wings, getting me all wet too, laugh, scream, run back & forth, hide behind the shower curtins, etc. When she was done & ready to get out she'd let out a growl sound. Then I' to a quick toweling to dry her off some, which she hated, then she'd run down the hall & wait for me at the top of the stairs. We'd go down the stairs together & once down to about 3 or 4 steps left she'd stop for me to pick her up & take her back to her cage. As I said she was amazing.

I'd give Michael a chance. Set him in the tub & turn the water on slow. Let him check out the running water. Run your finfgers thru it & act excited. If you have a handheld shower head let it down. Then turn the shower on & do the same. It may take several tries before he learns showers can be fun.

 

[Miss Annamarie]

So he’s yours then

he’s not a foster fail he’s just where he belongs


I am sure your next foster bird you will find their perfect fix for them Micheal is just your perfect fix

are you keeping name Micheal

I'm not sure!! His last owner wanted to change his name as well but thought it suited him. So he's definitely had his name for a minimum of maybe 10 years. I think a new name would be a nice change for him in his forever home. I can't believe i didnt even last 2 weeks of fostering before adopting him lol! We have really really connected, I had always hoped for that with River as I am very much a macaw girl, but she was very much that for my dad and would just tolerate me as needed. He's not been here for 2 weeks and if he knows I'm home and I'm in a different room he has actually started going to the door and knocking and saying hello to get me to come back. From being a bird who never leaves on top of his cage for 6 years, to becoming a bird who wants to go everywhere with me and wanders in just 2 weeks is insane.
The lady was very nice and shes very good with her other birds. I wish that she had kept that love she initially had for him. When I met him so little ago he was such a nervous hesitant but interested bird. He's still wary with other people than me but even in this little time he'll still be goofy around strangers already. When i first took him home i told me partner that i hope michael knows he will be so loved while he is here. And i guess now that doesn't have to end

 

[zoo mom]

Congratulations. Michael understood the assignment. You are now his.

This is not a foster fail. It is a foster success. The purpose in fostering is to prepare an animal for its best home, and to help them find it. In this case it turned out to be yours.

 

[Miss Annamarie]

I live above my boyfriend and hes not very much a bird person but hes kind enough on datys i work to hang out with my birds for an hour or two.
On Sunday I got home early and my boyfriend was up there, and when I opened my bedroom door, Michael ran across his cage, his stand, my desk, up my closet organizer, and over to the door, to hang down at me and say HELLO HELLO HELLOOO
I'm not sure how this is the same bird who "is really good about staying on his cage and doesn't leave it unless you get him". I'm so glad hes comfortable enough to wander!!

 

[Toy]

Pure sign he's chosen you. He's now a happy bird

 

[Miss Annamarie]

I just noticed someone changed the title to have quotes around foster

 

[KiMa27]

Michael is so beautiful, I hope everything is going well so far! I have a blue crown conure on Gaba and Meloxicam for arthritis. She does get around quite a bit more on it, but I've never tried anything else.

 

[Peachfaced]

I just noticed someone changed the title to have quotes around foster

My fingers slipped…

 

[Finchbreed]

It sure does not sound like Michael is a foster - much more like he is an adopted.

 

[BrianB]

It's a wonderful feeling when you adopt an animal and they adopt you right back.

 

[Miss Annamarie]

My Spanish class partner

 

[Miss Annamarie]

We took a shower together this morning and he had the time of his life omg!! Last time we took a shower he was not a fan, but this time he was laughinf (i didnt even know he could laugh), and doing big wings, and going wubububub so id grab his beak snd shake him around
Before and after dry bird and wet bird lol!

 

[Miss Annamarie]

This is such a hard post to make because we clicked so well and so fast, he's such a good bird.
But after a lot of talk with other people in the rescue he will do so much better in a one bird household.

About a month ago he started getting more and more upset any time I would interact with any other birds. I always have a foster or a rehab here. If it was one of my mammals he didnt care, but any type of bird, pigeon or parrot, he would get super upset.

A couple weeks ago, I had him on a stand maybe 3 feet away from me and Midge was on my laptop with me. I pet her and he started banging his head against the stand so hard he bruised himself. It got so bad that even putting her food bowl in her cage or changing her water, he would start wailing and biting his feet or wings and smashing his head against anything near him. I took him on walks most days that are nice enough. I feed the crows and on one walk one landed maybe 2 feet in front of me and he bit my neck, under my chin, my hand, and back under my neck where I had to pry him off. Afterwards the crow didn't fly away snd he bit his leg so hard he drew blood.
I have a baby pigeon right now and when I was giving him formula about a week ago he broke off one of his toe nails way too short from banging himself against the side of his cage and biting his toe.

He kept bruising his face all over, over and over again. It got to the point where I felt like he was going to really really hurt himself or get brain trauma it was so hard. A lady visited the other day and he stepped right up to her and stayed in her for a whole minute before reaching for me again. Her 70yo catalina passed a few years ago and she's been waiting for the right bird. I sobbed for days but it will be so much better for him. Shes been sending me updates and he's stepping up for her reliably and everything. I'm glad I was a helpful stepping stone for him but I wish it could have been his forever stop. I told her if she ever can't keep him to reach back out to me

 

[Finchbreed]

Sorry that Michael and you did not work - but maybe it did - because he could now be at his true forever home - with you as a regular visitor.

 

[Miss Annamarie]

Sorry that Michael and you did not work - but maybe it did - because he could now be at his true forever home - with you as a regular visitor.

I'm hoping so, I've visited him twice already even though it's been a week I probably annoy them lol!! But hes doing really good. I miss him a lot