Way overdue for an update again...
I kinda wish I had been more diligent so I could check back for patterns of behaviors. A year into our adventure, and she surprises me with all sorts of things.
The incessant nesting started concurrent with the cage changes I made to occupy her while I was working the extra day job. It has continued, but less severe for the most part. I think all the nesting in her day cage is what has led to the increase in cage aggression and resource guarding in there. It was mitigated by using her original cage as her sleep cage, but we're still doing that so I don't know what to change next.
For about a month she's been less nesty, but irritable and using her paint peeling screeches to advertise her angst to the neighborhood.
I took a hard line approach to her diet around October. No more Roudybush, no more soy, no more seed mix except in tiny deposits occasionally in her toys. Tops blend with oat groats, a few almonds and pistachios (those get thrown out with complete disdain despite eating many spicy alfalfa flavored nuts in front of her.) I started mixing up a wide assortment of frozen veggies, beans, fruit and almonds, and that's been her staple for about a month now. The beans are a welcome addition, but I have yet to get her to try cauliflower in any form...why is it in so many veggie mixes?
This week she's decided to go on walkabouts all over the house. It has happened occasionally, but seemed to have a distinct destination of the other cage or the kitchen doorway perches. This week it's different. I think she's declared all floor space her personal nest territory. It has become persistent and violent. There's been a lot of toweling, dancing away from her armed advances, and complete bewilderment and fear on my part. I seriously don't know how to protect myself if she manages to get to the floor. I'm elated that she's exploring and moving and crestfallen that I may have to cage her for safety and sanity. It seems like I have to take something away from her every time we have a breakthrough. The anger and frustration if I close her cage door is heartbreaking. Today I holed up on the couch so she could have time on the floor to explore. She seems obsessed, though, and still hasn't eaten much yet today. Either out of the cage or staring at me from the corner of the cage door yelling at me for the injustice of it all.
She caught sight of a black standard poodle today, and if she's not trying to escape the cage, scream at me or roam around she's saying, "Sam" and "where's my Sam?" in the saddest way possible.
I'm dizzy from this latest emotional and physical roller coaster!
I adopted Bella in July, and she was accepted right away. Around mid October she surprised me by talking to/about /with her like she did with Theo (my sheltie that passed in June.) It was a tough time and marked by Monaco with the silence regarding Theo related routines even though I kept many of them with Bella, especially the bedtime and leaving for work routine. Suddenly she blurted out her phrase, "*whistle, kiss* c'mon! " for Bella while we were walking out the door one night. Bitter sweet moments, for sure, especially when she says "teeteeoh!" when I play with bell.
She's finally working on chipping thin pine. Untying knotted paper and leather.
.gif "oh the drama :ohdrama:")
