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Oh my gosh, I am freaking out with happiness, go Paco!

Snowghost

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I'm so excited I can't type. I have been working with Paco for over a year now. He now gets on the floor, I can tell, he gets quiet. I am now working and my schedule is crazy to say the least. Tonight he was on the floor, I now have cardboard up around the floor to keep him safe, yes he did chew some of it, go Paco!

Tonight, I sat on the floor and was still as a stone. Instead of going for the toes, he walked over to me and gentley grabbed my hands, my fingers, my arm. I dare not move. He did bob his head to regurgitate, a few seeds came up. I just sat there. He has been letting me put him away in the morning when I have to go to work without biting, another mile stone!

I cannot touch him and I don't. I don't want to encourage sexual behaviour to him. I am excited that have come this far, is it o.k.?

He is a 20 year old male, is there anything else I need to be concerned about? He is eating veggies and his feathers are coming in, he now even has a tail!!

Hugs!
 

Dartman

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Sounds great. I think you have to let them go at their own pace when they've had a rough life before you so they can decide your a friend and trust worthy. He's getting there now and will probably allow many new things soon as you've been fun to be around and are earning his trust. Keep going and be careful with him on the floor so no accidents happen. :xflove:
 

Snowghost

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Sounds great. I think you have to let them go at their own pace when they've had a rough life before you so they can decide your a friend and trust worthy. He's getting there now and will probably allow many new things soon as you've been fun to be around and are earning his trust. Keep going and be careful with him on the floor so no accidents happen. :xflove:
Oh thanks hun, you have no idea how terrified I am of him being on the floor. I had a wild caught White Front Amazon that could fly. Paco does know how to fly. However he is in my bedroom and in a controlled environment. I have a screen door so I can see and hear him. Paco and I have worked hard to get this far. I am so glad he is learning my trust. With the work schedule and changes in our routine, I was very stressed about it. I haven't even had time to post here. I am just glad that he is feeling safe now, he is well fed, and clean, that is something that I don't think he has ever had in his life.
 

rockoko

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That’s wonderful! :cheer:
 

hrafn

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:yah: I'm so happy for you both! Paco is so brave!
 

Snowghost

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Should I be worried about the little bit of regurgitation?
 

Hankmacaw

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Awe thank you. We have worked so far to get here.
Your experience is why so many of us recommend saving an adult from a bad situation. It is so much harder and takes an inordinate amount of time to convince them that we are ok, but the reward is unmeasurable. As an added benefit these previously mistreated guys turn out to be our very best buddies in the whole wide world.

Congratulations!!!
 

Snowghost

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@Hankmacaw I thought you left the group, its so nice to "see" you again. Thank you for your comments. I admit I get jelly from the folks that have their sweet touchable babies. I really didn't expect to get this close to Paco. He still trembles when I get close and is still a scardy cat over a lot of things.

It does break my heart that at the age of 20 he has had a crappy life. I am beyond tickled pink that Paco has done this.

Its so nice to have you folks here on this site. I don't have many in person beak freaks and they just look at me, like, "ok this woman is off her rocker about a parrot" It is very rewarding, more then I ever imagined to win Paco over like this. With Bugsy, my Amazon, I just accepted the fact that we were going to get close physically and we were ok with that. We still had a great bond.

@Ulis_Beast I haven't even thought of trying to get head scritches, I never dreamed he would do what he did last night.

Folks here in the US have a safe and happy 4th of July.
 

scott199

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Congrats, its really nice to hear, i followed the Paco story early days when we first got bert and i have to be totally honest its a true testament to the effort you've put in, im not sure many (me included) would of continued with the bites and such you were getting.

i had a few from Bert and then found a "work around", it means we understand each other, but also its holding us back from becoming proper friends, like you.

So well done for the perseverance and you're starting to reap the rewards of all the hard work and commitment.
 

Snowghost

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@scott199 Thank you very much. I'm touched by your comments. I didn't know Paco had so many fans!

It was hard and discouraging and not an easy road. I forgot to mention that I had seen some improvements, just to tired from this crappy job to post.

He will step up now, with treat in hand and go to his cage without biting. He let's me reach inside of his cage towards the back where his water bowl is. He just started to do this a few days ago. It take me stretching my arm past his body and the big ole beak of his. I had to go to work and he wouldn't get out of his cage and I was NOT going to let him stay there all day with stale water.

There were a few tears, lots of frustration but I work with him every day, the same routine even if its different times of the day. I work a flex shift and its not easy sometimes.

After last night I am grinning from ear to ear and look forward to a long relationship with him.
 

scott199

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@scott199 Thank you very much. I'm touched by your comments. I didn't know Paco had so many fans!

It was hard and discouraging and not an easy road. I forgot to mention that I had seen some improvements, just to tired from this crappy job to post.

He will step up now, with treat in hand and go to his cage without biting. He let's me reach inside of his cage towards the back where his water bowl is. He just started to do this a few days ago. It take me stretching my arm past his body and the big ole beak of his. I had to go to work and he wouldn't get out of his cage and I was NOT going to let him stay there all day with stale water.

There were a few tears, lots of frustration but I work with him every day, the same routine even if its different times of the day. I work a flex shift and its not easy sometimes.

After last night I am grinning from ear to ear and look forward to a long relationship with him.
im so jealous, bert has never been anywhere near as bad and i've been able to pet him and reach in and out of his cage for months but still no where near stepping up, so you had a bigger issue and overcame it, makes me feel a little like a failure compare to what you've achieved, we've comets a stalemate, i don't force him to do stuff, he doesn't bite me :D but its almost become the normal now.

i'm truly happy for you but more so Paco, finding a life he deserved from the get go, but he's got it now and many years to come.

Well done.
 

Snowghost

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@scott199 thank you for comments. Paco came into my home a very scared and unhealthy bird. He smelled, he was thin and scraggly. He did not move for the first three days he was here. I vowed I would work hard to make his life a happy one.

I came on this site in Feb 2019, my old Amazon was ill and I didn't know what to do. I helped her cross the Rainbow Bridge. I refused to keep her in a padded cage and on meds the rest of her life.

Two weeks later Paco came into my life. I wanted to educate myself and I still do, on everything I can about a CAG.

I tried lots of different strategies and I posted here. It is a lot of work and I am o.k. with that. Every day I experiment with Paco, does he like this, is he scared of that. I go slow, I talk, we laugh, we rock and roll to music.

These are some of his funny eating choices: Frozen warm broccoli, cubed carrots, can't be sliced, fresh or any thing else. Peas must be squashed not whole. His tastes varies from day to day. He is afraid the laundry, anything black and yes he did bite and bite hard.

My point is don't be jealous. Keep working with Bert. It took me almost a year and a half to get this far. He may bite again, I don't know.

How old is Bert? How long have you had him? Oh, and one trick that works, is I hand Paco a treat, can't bite when your beak has food in it. He now goes to bed on his own and sometimes he will get in his cage on his own.

Greys are such a joy and I never imagined having a bird like this in my life, and I appreciate him every day.
 

scott199

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berts an unknown age, we've had him 6 months now
 

Snowghost

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I only know Paco's age since he was bought from a breeder. His second owner told me that he had been sexed and bloodwork had been done. I have no records. That is all I know right now. When my finances improve I intend on taking him to my vet. He has a band on his left leg with writing and numbers, I'm hoping one day I can read it. I never knew how old my Amazon was. A co-worker gave her to me. Her husband bought her from a pet store, which doesn't mean much. The store told them she was a male and five years old. She had an open band on her leg. When the internet came into existence I discovered he was a she and she was wild caught. She lived with me for 25 years. My vet said it was impossible to tell how old she was, she could have been 40 for all we know.
 

Monaco

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Paco has a lot of fans! I follow several birds on the avenue, even though I don't say it outright or post on their threads. I will make a point to post my admiration from now.

im so jealous, bert has never been anywhere near as bad and i've been able to pet him and reach in and out of his cage for months but still no where near stepping up, so you had a bigger issue and overcame it, makes me feel a little like a failure compare to what you've achieved, we've comets a stalemate, i don't force him to do stuff, he doesn't bite me :D but its almost become the normal now.

i'm truly happy for you but more so Paco, finding a life he deserved from the get go, but he's got it now and many years to come.

Well done.
@scott199 , don't you dare get down on yourself! Progress looks different for every bird! You're both making tectonic shifts even if each one has seemed no more impactful than a down feather floof.
 

Dartman

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Probably not, sounds like he's decided he likes you and wants to feed you. It could be he thinks you're a good candidate to be his mate but right now I'd say ignore it and keep working on being the chosen one he wants to be best friends with.
 
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