Willow’s thread

[WillowQ]

Ok. I have in shell nuts that I bought for the birds. Maybe I can drill and string them? Also have bigger chew toys that I bought for Jasper, like Sola balls and inch thick cardboard. Can put in Willow’s cage right next to favorite perch.
interesting That his beak has just now started to wear down more.

 

[WillowQ]

We have milk thistle seeds and extract from Lucy.
understood, i had hoped that his flying helped work off the extra calories from the seed diet.

 

[WillowQ]

I used an emery board to remove some overgrowth on the right side of Willows beak. He really didn’t like that but got over it in about 15 seconds. Beak looks a little more even now (more symmetrical) but still very slightly overgrown.
The yearly QPS calendar arrived today! Mr. Willow is one of the May calendar birds in his beautiful photo amidst sunflowers. I see birds in this calendar with very trim beaks and with beaks more overgrown than Willow’s. I think he will be ok but I will try to trim his beak a bit, possibly just using an Emory board since ten seconds of that filing made a noticeable difference.
Willow is loving his cuddles today.

 

[WillowQ]

I did a bit of emery board filing of Willow’s beak and it looks much better. It took only a minute or two and he’s done being mad about it. He took his avicake treat from me and ate it, and is now tending to his claws.

 

[WillowQ]

And more side beak pics. I think this is about perfect, and just took an emery board to reshape the tip.

Willow is pretty fed up with me, though. We are having a cuddle for a bit.

 

[Cali]

Awwwwww, so sweet

 

[WillowQ]

Awwwwww, so sweet

Thank you. He is such a good bird to let me file and reshape his beak. Those photos are afterwards; he was depressed and just wanted to cuddle. I feel like a mean mom.

today I got home and it was already dark in my apartment. Willow just would not come out so he did not get much bird time today. But we will soon have the solstice; it will be light later and he will be awake.

 

[Cali]

Thank you. He is such a good bird to let me file and reshape his beak. Those photos are afterwards; he was depressed and just wanted to cuddle. I feel like a mean mom.

today I got home and it was already dark in my apartment. Willow just would not come out so he did not get much bird time today. But we will soon have the solstice; it will be light later and he will be awake.

Being a mom means we have to do what is best, so it's not always easy. You are not mean, I can tell. It's likely less stressful for Willow for you to do the filing than if you take him to a stranger / vet etc .... so overall, less stress.

I really do not like this getting dark early stuff .... I have been leaving work early so I have more time to spend with the birds before it gets dark. I know that's not always possible for everyone, and even for me - with flexibility, it can add stress.

I watch bird videos of this lady that trims her birds nails, and I can't figure out how she gets the bird wrapped calmly in a towel and laying on her lap so she can trim....

 

[WillowQ]

Willow got many kisses yesterday and today. I apologized for filing his beak and I think he’s ok with me now. I’m hoping that a little bit every few days will maintain his beak properly and not be upsetting. I hadn’t imagined that an emery board would work!

Today, Willow and I watched videos and ate popcorn. I stopped by a pet store and found some toys for both my birds—checking the Guinea pig aisle can give you some cheaper alternatives to bird toys.

here is Willow and his popcorn. He chewed up popcorn crumbs all over my bed. I hate finding birdseed on my bed; it is so prickly!

 

[WillowQ]

Merry Christmas!
I wanted to get pics of my very normal birds and their new toys, but they are scared of them. I hung Willows toy by his cage door but it’s SO SCARY he was hanging on the back of the cage. I will take it down and put it NEAR his cage and maybe that’ll be ok.

I got both birds a natural colored hanging toy which is a column of cardboard boxes with crinkles and stuff inside. Jasper has a bigger toy that was intended for Guinea pigs. Hers has Big gift boxes with hay twists inside. She hasn’t started working on it but she’s being loud and cheerful.

Willow has a little gadgety toy that he should like to fuss with and arrange once he’s not scared of it. It’s for his basket and we are going to enjoy some treats near it.

 

[Pixiebeak]

Merry Christmas!
I hope they accept their new toys soon!

 

[WillowQ]

I hung the new toy (chewable boxes) next to the cage door. He wouldn’t come out today. It just occurred to me that it’s possibly the scary new toy.
Sigh.
I mean I didn’t buy something brightly colored and scary, but nice soft plant colors. And still not ok!!
Jasper isn’t eating her new toy yet but I’m sure she’ll figure it out.

 

[WillowQ]

Willow was on my shoulder when I went down to get my laundry from the laundry room. A woman that I thought I was friends with picked a fight because I had left clothes in a dryer that she wanted to use. Note that there were five identical dryers open and she could have moved my clothes or chosen another. I had been sleeping for a couple hours after they were dry and she was angry with me.
i tried to say I was sorry, had migraine and needed to sleep a bit but that wasn’t good enough. She was smirking the whole time as she chewed me out for using her chosen dryer. I left as soon as I could after stating that I didn’t harm her; there were several other dryers open. Yay, another weirdo to avoid.
It was upsetting for me and probably for Willow. He doesn’t like any raised or angry voices and got very clingy when I mildly scolded someone who stole my food and art supplies. So we are bonding right now and I don’t think I will go out tonight. I will be watching videos or maybe making art in the kitchen. Willow and Jasper have been staying up a bit later and can watch my every move!
Willow isn’t scared of his new toy anymore, though he’s not yet destroying it, either. He is licking my nose. But no nostril exploring tonight.

 

[Pixiebeak]

I don't give time to people like that, I dont explain or listen to them . Miserable souls

 

[WillowQ]

I have no idea what her problem is and she scared me. We used to be friends. WTF? And she was complaining about Willow being with me. Never heard that was a problem; he just hung out on my shoulder. ??? Some new rule I don’t know about?! And a magical dryer, I guess.

I have had BAD stalking problems in this building so management doesn’t like me, they wouldn’t remove the creep so I went to the police with a list of incidents. Now we have security cameras, but mgmt think I am the problem, because I complained. I can’t cross my eyes without getting written up. So I just hide. And then turds like this person get to yell at me, I get scared and it’s apparently funny.

Public housing management is HORRIBLE to sick people, and someone with more education than them pisses them off. I am supposed to let mgmt and residents yell at me and just continue sucking up. I am the most polite person in the world, I’m not mean to ANYBODY and just want to live with my little birds. So what? What does it hurt them?

and these things scare Willow if he’s out with me and then I have a velcro bird. Poor little guy. “Happy New Year”, indeed. I gave him bird cookie in my apartment and cuddled him but I was upset and he was too.

 

[Shezbug]

I have no idea what her problem is and she scared me. We used to be friends. WTF? And she was complaining about Willow being with me. Never heard that was a problem; he just hung out on my shoulder. ??? Some new rule I don’t know about?! And a magical dryer, I guess.

I have had BAD stalking problems in this building so management doesn’t like me, they wouldn’t remove the creep so I went to the police with a list of incidents. Now we have security cameras, but mgmt think I am the problem, because I complained. I can’t cross my eyes without getting written up. So I just hide. And then turds like this person get to yell at me, I get scared and it’s apparently funny.

Public housing management is HORRIBLE to sick people, and someone with more education than them pisses them off. I am supposed to let mgmt and residents yell at me and just continue sucking up. I am the most polite person in the world, I’m not mean to ANYBODY and just want to live with my little birds. So what? What does it hurt them?

and these things scare Willow if he’s out with me and then I have a velcro bird. Poor little guy. “Happy New Year”, indeed. I gave him bird cookie in my apartment and cuddled him but I was upset and he was too.

Hope things pick up for you and you have a great start to the new year regardless of how horrid others can be!

 

[WillowQ]

Willow and I are doing better and had lots of cuddles today. I’m working on respecting his space if he doesn’t want to be pet. And I believe he likes that a lot. He was able to relax really well into a good jaw and beak rub. And I gave his beak a little polish with some sweet almond oil as i moisturized the backs of my hands.

i did run into my laundry assailant today, I had reported her behavior because it scared me and that older woman present as well as Willow. The cops had a chat with her today which surprised me; I’m glad that management may now be taking bullying seriously. So she was mad, glowering and grumbling at me, but I avoided safely. So strange! I have no idea what her issue is.

Unfortunately, Jasper picked up on my tension and started to get bitey during bird time. But, I distracted her and returned her to her cage and her new toys without a bite. Relief! And birds went goodnight at about 8 pm.

Here’s Willow getting a nice head rub a few weeks ago. His beak has really been neatened up but the blissful jaw rub is the same.

 

[WillowQ]

We are having a quiet day. I have a cold and am letting myself sleep today. Willow has had a slight beak filing and is now snuggling with my right eye. I think he will get a high value treat after any beak grooming to make it at least associated with a reward.

You can see his beak is properly trim now; I sure am glad he’s not holding a grudge. Jasper, on the other hand, is contact calling because Willow has gone somewhere and OMG! someone else is getting pet!

I hope he doesn’t start going after my nose as he usually does when I have a cold.

we are reading a new YA series called “Anya and the dragon” by Sofia Pasternak. I’m enjoying a reminder of my Russian / Polish vocab and happy I’m remembering a lot of words. Looks like this series concentrates on mythological creatures, which is fun. I wonder where the author gets her descriptive background about each creature. It’s hard to find in English.