I know it's a bad habit with this guy, he was plucked bare under his wings by the time he was only 2 years old. I watched him go from endorphin releasing stress plucking to just because he can, bad habit. Thankfully our avian vet gives me lots of great ideas trying to distract him from this habit, but I still cannot get him to stop. I have tried everything, from avian calming teas etc. there's no nesting anything happening here, I know better.
He's very loved and very spoiled, perfectly fine right where he is until said time a great situation for him arises. Someone with a lot of experience working with previously traumatized large birds who are still learning to control the beak pressure. I learned the Barbara Heidenreich method decades ago when I was raising my B&G from a baby. Even learned free flight.
But this guy is a challenge, I was his soft place to land to learn not all humans are awful. To decompress and learn he's safe and has freedom to blossom into his best self, he learned to go on his trolley to venture outside for some sunshine, pine nuts for the win.
He is trainable. He just won't do it for me, very stubborn and has me trained.
Loving an animal means ensuring their future and not just handing them over to whomever (rescue or other) and saying, bye hope it works out. I could never do that, I would have to be on my death bed.
I have way too much invested in this guy's future health and well being . He has a custom built tree, a custom trolley for trips around the garden, although he will never be able to fly and that breaks my heart. He's a great eater of all the healthy things, Greens , veggies, pellets, a strict daily nut regimine.
I know I have brought him as far as I can training wise etc and for me, that is a harsh reality. Then add long covid brought on this chronic fatigue so it's rough at times. But we are hanging in there.
He's very loved and very spoiled, perfectly fine right where he is until said time a great situation for him arises. Someone with a lot of experience working with previously traumatized large birds who are still learning to control the beak pressure. I learned the Barbara Heidenreich method decades ago when I was raising my B&G from a baby. Even learned free flight.
But this guy is a challenge, I was his soft place to land to learn not all humans are awful. To decompress and learn he's safe and has freedom to blossom into his best self, he learned to go on his trolley to venture outside for some sunshine, pine nuts for the win.
He is trainable. He just won't do it for me, very stubborn and has me trained.
Loving an animal means ensuring their future and not just handing them over to whomever (rescue or other) and saying, bye hope it works out. I could never do that, I would have to be on my death bed.
I have way too much invested in this guy's future health and well being . He has a custom built tree, a custom trolley for trips around the garden, although he will never be able to fly and that breaks my heart. He's a great eater of all the healthy things, Greens , veggies, pellets, a strict daily nut regimine.
I know I have brought him as far as I can training wise etc and for me, that is a harsh reality. Then add long covid brought on this chronic fatigue so it's rough at times. But we are hanging in there.
