Neutrino

[fluffypoptarts]

I ended up adopting Neutrino a week ago. Had all her tests done and we have another little girl! Healthy as well, which is shocking considering all the stress, though she needs some Bene-bac. She has no clue what to do with millet, and seed is all she recognizes as food! Poor baby. I showed her the tasty noms I made for her last night, and she just warily cocked her head and eyed the food like it might jump on her. It's both sad and funny.

Vet said there's nothing to be done for her foot and that since she has decent use of it, it's best to just leave it be. Trying to do something that may or may not make it any better would only be more stress for her. I want to make sure to get a cage that's not too tall for her (her wings are very clipped, and she does slip off perches not too infrequently with that foot), but boy is it difficult to find the right one!! I did finally order one, though.

 

[lupe]

she's adorable! glad she's healthy. With alot ot TLC she''ll come around...congrats!

 

[Piccha]

What a lovely little lovey What kind of cage did you end up getting her?

 

[Stormcloud]

If you have another bird within eyesight of Neutrino that eats chop or chews on whole leaves such chard, buk choy, or kale, she'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. Leeann was exactly the same but learned from Echo about veggies, toys and baths.

 

[sunnysmom]

She's adorable!

 

[fluffypoptarts]

she's adorable! glad she's healthy. With alot ot TLC she''ll come around...congrats!

I don't know how she's healthy after what she has been through! But I'm very glad, too. She is freaking adorable. She is even smaller than my smallest lovie. Termite thought he was the tiny one in the house at 45g. He was my little Napoleon! But now this little girl is giving him a run for his money. Vet weighed her at 43g and said that was actually a healthy weight for her. She is seriously tiny. It's like...am I holding a parrotlet or a lovie?

Before the DNA results came back, with the way my other female had been acting since Neutrino came home (ticked off!), and the fact that Twinkie kept trying to visit the quarantine area (the player in the house, apparently), I thought the vet must be right that this tiny one was probably a girl. Little Neutrino has been so quiet, but as soon as she let out a squeak or two, Snerky's entire demeanor changed to, "HATES IT, AND HATES MAMA, TOO!!" Though her behavior is winding down a little bit the last day or two. I hope my fierce girl will realize that she does not have to duke it out with Neutrino to keep her place in the household/territory! She slipped out this morning while I was changing her water and I gave her lots of kisses and praising. Only got a little bit of attitude back.

Neut was so cute last night. She was all cuddled into my hand with her head resting on my fingertips (she's not actively friendly yet, but she's getting less nervous about being cuddled). I was rubbing her head and she was falling asleep when all of a sudden her heart was pounding and she was shaking and wide-eyed. I am wondering if it's PTSD or something. I think it will take her a while to realize that she is safe now and never has to worry about anything again.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

If you have another bird within eyesight of Neutrino that eats chop or chews on whole leaves such chard, buk choy, or kale, she'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. Leeann was exactly the same but learned from Echo about veggies, toys and baths.

Snerky is not very good about eating, buutttt....that is who we have to work with! So in a few days I will show them to each other and see if Snerk can teach Neut both how and what to eat and how to play. (She doesn't know what the toys are for, either - isn't it sad when they have obviously never been exposed to these things? ) I am pretty sure Neut took a bath on her own, at least.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

she is sooooo cute! congratulations on your new feathered friend

 

[fluffypoptarts]

What a lovely little lovey What kind of cage did you end up getting her?

She's very mushable. I bought the A&E one I was talking about, though apparently it is backordered until March (going to switch another bird to it when it finally comes in). I found one that seemed identical other than the brand, so I bought that for Neut: Amazon.com : Anahola Abode Flight Bird Cage - 28" x 18" x 55" - Platinum : Birdcages : Pet Supplies Will definitely be comparing them.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

If you have another bird within eyesight of Neutrino that eats chop or chews on whole leaves such chard, buk choy, or kale, she'll get the hang of it pretty quickly. Leeann was exactly the same but learned from Echo about veggies, toys and baths.

Yep…. I love the "Monkey see.. Monkey Do" method of teaching. Or you could call it " follow the leader". When one bird starts most often the others follow.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

she is sooooo cute! congratulations on your new feathered friend

Thank you. ^_^ You would melt if you could hold her tiny little body in your hand and have her looking up at you as she rests her head against your fingers. That is how she got me. With that look and with how trusting she was in my hand. I said to her, "Baby, I might eat you! For all you know, I could be a bad person! You have no survival instinct whatsoever!" And she just blinked sleepily at me as I rubbed her cheek.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Yep…. I love the "Monkey see.. Monkey Do" method of teaching. Or you could call it " follow the leader". When one bird starts most often the others follow.

Maybe she will see another bird as being more reliable! I pretended to be eating and enjoying her food and she was absolutely not convinced, lol.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

Thank you. ^_^ You would melt if you could hold her tiny little body in your hand and have her looking up at you as she rests her head against your fingers. That is how she got me. With that look and with how trusting she was in my hand. I said to her, "Baby, I might eat you! For all you know, I could be a bad person! You have no survival instinct whatsoever!" And she just blinked sleepily at me as I rubbed her cheek.

I totally would melt! so so sweet

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Neut is slowly getting less shy. She's still easily startled and skittish, but she is vocalizing a lot more and seems slightly more comfortable with me moving about her temporary cage and such. I am delighted that I have heard her little "robot" noises twice now, lol. Once during this past weekend, and tonight as I turned the light off and said goodnight. She's so cute. Still hasn't tried to pinch or bite.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Neut is such a little weirdo. No one ever told her she is supposed to turn her head to look at things behind her, not whip it straight back!! Crazy bird! That is the only way she ever looks behind her! I have never seen any other bird do this, lol. She really is a little robot!

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Well, my tiny Neutrino decided to leave my hands and sit on my shoulder last night. This was all well and good until I looked directly at her one time, which sent her leaping off my shoulder in a panic to clothesline herself on the edge of the coffee table. She seems to be okay, but good grief. That little girl is trying to hurt herself one way or another! One minute she's okay with me, the next she's like OMG!!! Poor baby Neut. ;__;

 

[fluffypoptarts]

My mom came over to get my help with something and she said hello to Neut. She got to hear Neut's cute little chaleep noises and even better, saw the crazy backwards head flip!! I laughed so hard I almost cried. Mom kept trying to get her to do it, and of course she obliged so long as there was a little space between her and us. She is such a little fruitcake.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

So I've been trying to figure out how to get Neut to eat the Bene-bac since I don't think she is trying any fresh food yet (I was mixing it into that). Tonight I just squeezed some onto my finger, reached in, and wiped it on the edge of her beak. Her expression was priceless! She was quite still and stared at me rather uncertainly, then she slowly started to lick it and looked startled but quasi-interested. Her little face is so freaking cute, I can't even explain.

 

[zoo mom]

Congrats on the little cutie pie.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

My poor girl, this is twice now that I've had to try to smush the Bene-bac in through the slight opening of her little beak and ended up getting it all over her beak while trying to get her to "open"! She is being pretty good about letting me wipe it off, though - just have to move verrrry slowly as she's still quite jumpy.

I have been alternating between not touching her for days more than a slight petting of her side and seeing if scooping her out and holding her a bit will help calm her. Oddly enough, even though she has some anxiety over being held, she seems less anxious in general when I am holding her more. She gets drowsy in my hand and lets me rub her little head. She still has times of hyper-vigilance interspersed with the sleepiness, but I think that is due to what she has been through and will only ease with time and gradually learning to trust me.