"Official" Opie and Oggie Thread

[Elysian]

He guilted me into a test. We both failed

I put on a hoodie and pulled it over my ears, and draped a thick towel on my arm. Sat working like that for awhile because I thought he would be phobic of the hood.
After staring a bit he decided he still wanted to try to get on my arm. I let him. He chattered at me and then climbed up to my shoulder.
He attacked the neck of my hood a little and I lifted my toweled hand and told him no. He stopped and I lowered my hand.
He chattered a bit then climbed to the top of my head.

Then he started attacking my hair that was sticking out, and I instinctively lifted the toweled hand again - which he bit hard enough to slightly bruise my finger underneath.

BUT I was able to put him back on his stand without bloodshed. And he doesn't seem to hate me for it because he's still trying to come over.
Maybe if we can do short bursts like this he will realize that biting any part of me gets him pushed away to the no-touch zone. And the towel and hood help me do it calmly without worrying about him literally ripping part of my finger off.

 

[Clueless]

I had both of the bands taken off my Amazons. Vet did it. They can get their legs caught on things, heard it can be ugly.

After MC passed away, I asked for his back from the vet.

 

[SumitaSinh]

I will do the same with Inca's band... I feel it's quite irritating. Myself can't tolerate anklets, either

 

[Clueless]

Make photos of the bands, those are important identifications.

 

[Pat H]

Make photos of the bands, those are important identifications.

Thanks... hadn't thought about an actual pic! I just write the # down... how can that be used legally??? NOT!

 

[Pat H]

He guilted me into a test. We both failed

I put on a hoodie and pulled it over my ears, and draped a thick towel on my arm. Sat working like that for awhile because I thought he would be phobic of the hood.
After staring a bit he decided he still wanted to try to get on my arm. I let him. He chattered at me and then climbed up to my shoulder.
He attacked the neck of my hood a little and I lifted my toweled hand and told him no. He stopped and I lowered my hand.
He chattered a bit then climbed to the top of my head.

Then he started attacking my hair that was sticking out, and I instinctively lifted the toweled hand again - which he bit hard enough to slightly bruise my finger underneath.

BUT I was able to put him back on his stand without bloodshed. And he doesn't seem to hate me for it because he's still trying to come over.
Maybe if we can do short bursts like this he will realize that biting any part of me gets him pushed away to the no-touch zone. And the towel and hood help me do it calmly without worrying about him literally ripping part of my finger off.

You... are... REALLY trying!!! Hang in there! Seems like the African species really has to know you before they give you 'they're all... ' !

 

[Birdie Mama]

‘BUT I was able to put him back on his stand without bloodshed. And he doesn't seem to hate me for it because he's still trying to come over.’

to me that shows you are both improving! He is not going to be biting one minute to never bite again in the next, but you were able to have him come out, and sit with you, and yes he tried to bite but that may have also been curiosity as never bit through a towel and hoodie! No matter what, I think it’s an improvement and a step in the right direction…

keep it up, he will eventually learn.

 

[Clueless]

Thanks... hadn't thought about an actual pic! I just write the # down... how can that be used legally??? NOT!

Legally?

I meant to identify age, where from, etc for owner.

My guys were wild caught per the bands.

Legally if they're lost? I'm not sure what you'd need to do. (They'd be waiting outside my door to bring Secret home)

 

[Pat H]

Yes. I was just thinking... If an owner had a lost bird, with a hand-written band #... would be less legally enforcedly upheld than just a # written down... Just don't know....

 

[Elysian]

Forward and back with Opie: realized I haven't really given much info on him lately.

Thursday I tried to make special time for him and brought his playstand over to the couch so we could watch TV together (he really likes TV?), before the boyfriend brought the dog home from his daycare. It was pleasant until they did come home, and then Opie got super excited to see the boyfriend.
When the boyfriend walked past the playstand Opie climbed up on his shoulder (dog went outside) and *they* sat on the couch together.

I put a couple of treats on my leg and boyfriend put his hand down on my leg to make a bridge, and Opie did come over. He stood on my leg for a bit and ate the treat! But ran back to the boyfriend's shoulder as soon as he was done.

Then the dog wanted to come in, so Opie had to go to his cage, and he decided to blame *me*.
Even though boyfriend carried him over there and left him, he kept pacing/chirping and wouldn't go in. Snapped at me when I tried to lure him with a treat which I usually have no problem doing.
Left him for awhile and he eventually went in, but when I went to close the door he snapped at me again for good measure.

Sigh. He almost never snaps at me since we brought him home, so that was sad for me.
He is out with me almost all day but seems.. bored. Quiet. None of that excited noise and fluster.
Why won't he learn that I am his ticket to cage-less freedom, not the man?!

 

[Clueless]

If they fall inside their cage and you run to the cage, they blame you. Odd, but true.

 

[Sodapop&Co.]

Sounds like he got a little excited with all the goings-on, but that's definitely progress! Very cool.

 

[Elysian]

I'm playing a computer game and boyfriend is watching The Punisher. Really loud.

A bunch of shooting and fighting starts, I hear Oggie start yelling. Like "Eeeep! Eeeep!". I said turn down the tv, you are scaring Oggie!

Then I turn around to check on Opie ...and he is fast asleep. More evidence that he just finds blood and violence really soothing.

 

[Elysian]

Foraging toy #4 finally used!
No idea when he did this, walked away for a few and came back to find he drawers open for the first time ever.



So he now has used the smorgasbord, the caitec wheel, that blue tipping thing, and the drawers. He has one more that is a pvc pipe with sliding covers.

The only non foraging toys he had touched are some sola pieces and a twisty foot toy.

Unfortunately if I try to get more activity out of him by filling these with pellets instead of a few treats, he just takes the pellets out and throws them lol.

 

[Clueless]

Throwing is an exercise!

 

[Elysian]

Ow! Opie just *bit* me for only the second time ever - he has threatened and snapped occasionally but not full on bitten.

And it just convinces me even more that he is a GOOD bird!!!
Because this is the first time he has full on bitten without bars between us, where he had the freedom, opportunity, and leverage to bite every bit as hard and deep as he wanted..
but he didn't even really break the skin. Had a slight drop of blood well up but I can't even see from where. Doesn't hurt, and didn't bruise or go numb like Oggie's bites.

It seems crazy that a bird twice Oggie's size can be so much gentler and less terrifying than he is

I'm not sure what happened, maybe I moved too fast, maybe he was too excited... he hadn't had any treats today and when I opened his treat container he came over to his playstand to meet me like usual, but for some reason when I extended my hand he lunged.
I don't think he got confused between skin and treat, because he doesn't usually *attack* his treats .. but he did seem just as surprised as I was when I gasped and jerked back.

... and I should not have gone ahead and given him the treat, but surprisingly he didn't run away from the commotion. He stayed there beside me, not begging, just sitting nicely.. so after I fake-fussed over my hand a bit and cooed at him to calm down, I couldn't resist letting him have it. He took it very gently.

(and of course then moved further away from me lol)

 

[Clueless]

Wanna try Secret? She's removed hunks of flesh before.....

 

[Clueless]

@Elysian it was my fault. Want to make sure lurking souls get it.

Secret was over excited and I was completely "clueless" and didn't recognize pin eyes, flared tail, et . She was walking a ladder with my two hands and I thought it was cute. Until she gave up, clamped feet on each hand and started removing chunks of flesh.

 

[Clueless]

@Elysian it was my fault. Want to make sure lurking souls get it.

Secret was over excited and I was completely "clueless" and didn't recognize pin eyes, flared tail, et . She was walking a ladder with my two hands and I thought it was cute. Until she gave up, clamped feet on each hand and started removing chunks of flesh.

Folks it was shortly after I rescued these 2 guys. I've learned since then!

 

[Dartman]

If you don't catch on at first the immediate training they give us can be brutal. Lurch certainly made sure I learned the rules very quickly.