Stories- ringneck, quaker, and gcc

[shiraartain]

It's one of the best parts about owning a home, in my opinion--being able to readjust it to your own liking. But the domino effect of projects.... . We're already planning what' we'll do with the back lawn once it gets warm again. I have plans to turn it into a garden (fruit trees and plant boxes), and my parents are mapping out plans for a small deck, protected by a mosquito net.

I'll be going to a cider mill on Wednesday, planning to ask if they grow organic apples, when they prune, and what they do with trees that don't make it through the winter. If they don't, i'll ask for organic apple orchard information. I think potting a dead apple tree would make a perfect play-gym type structure that would last for a while. I'll worry about how to actually bake it once i'm in possession of one.

[shiraartain]

I didn't go to the cider mill, will be calling orchards from home tomorrow and update you all.

I don't know if I mentioned it, but I got the internship I was hoping for! I'll have to wake up crazy early on mondays, but more time at home with the birds for me Tues-Sun . (Though I am still waiting on my sister's schedule).

We were putting Fajr to bed a bit earlier than usual today, and bc we use a hair tie to tie off his cage door in order to keep it closed, Clover flew over to try and steal it and nipped Fajr's foot when he got angry and came over to the door. His foot seems fine, if a bit tender. There was no blood. Keeping an eye on it. Cant wait until the remodeling is done and their cages can be moved to separate rooms again.

In other news, I demonstrated the first step of target training to one of the twins using Fajr before that happened. Fajr was SO excited to be receiving tiny chips of walnut, though. He knew the walnut was in my hand and kept hopping up my arm to look for it. I just put him back and had him go for the tip of the stick and he would impatiently gently bite on the wider part (I was using a chopstick), then go for the tip after a few tries. and run over for another piece. It was getting close to dinner time, which explains his over-the-top excitement. Though he did eat (shred? I never know how much he's actually eating) 2 pieces of plain pasta beforehand.

When my sister tried, her birds just ran off with the chopstick and tried to chew it up before dropping it off the side of the cage

[Pajarita]

They do tend to gang up and be more naughty when they are in pairs but once they realize they will get a nice treat if they are patient, they will start cooperating better.

And YAAAYYY on the internship, Shira!!!!

[shiraartain]

Thank you!

Speaking of behaving better, my ear got bitten by Fajr when it looked like Clover was considering landing on my head while he was on my shoulder. And then, when Fajr was on one shoulder, Clover flew to my other one and latched on to my neck . Her favorite human is my youngest sister, I believe, but she's not too choosy and will land on other people.

Both times, I screamed and shook them off. I literally have thin skin .

Now I get afraid whenever Clover lands on my shoulder and flinch when she tries. But that's just me and I should get over it. And also learn that having all the birds out in the same room is a bad idea.

There's only one organic apple orchard close enough to me (the rest are on the other side of the state...3 hour drive away) , and they thought I was crazy from their tones of voice. Told me they don't really toss out entire trees, but do pruning. Left my number so they can get back to me about it after talking to the man in charge of the trees. I hope this works out!

[shiraartain]

Organic orchard told me they would call me back and never did. Will try again after new year's.

Fajr is going through a weird time now. I've thought he was going through puberty before, but maybe this is it? Or it could be his diet?? The other birds are behaving normally though? So I'm going to go through my old posts, chart his progress, and then ask for everyone's thoughts.

There's one major problem with Clover. She LOVES hair ties. The hair plucking has stopped, thankfully, but if she sees hair tied using a hair tie, she will fly after you and latch on to your head and try to free the tie like there's no tomorrow! And will hold on tight so if you shake your head, she won't fly off. And will bit you if she decides you're doing too much to come between her and the tie. Ducking helps a little but she will just take a second to relax and then go for your head again. The problem is we all have the habit of constantly wearing ponytails...the only solution I can see for this at present is buying hair clips and hanging them near the bird room for anyone who wants to go in there.

[Pajarita]

yes, I've had a couple of birds that absolutely loved to chew on hair ties! As to Fajr, apparently, there are several GCCs that have become hormonal this time of the year... mine hasn't, though.

[Wolf]

Kiki will not rest, when she find me wearing a hair tie, until she has chewed it in half and has removed it. She is also almost as bad about zippers.

[shiraartain]

It's been a while since I updated. I didn't get a chance to sort through my posts because there were thirty pages worth of posts and I didn't have time to go through them all. I thought Fajr had settled on my youngest sister as his human, but he's bitten her five times in the past few days. Sometimes he will be calm, then unprompted, will run up to bite. With this shift, he's grown more fond of me. My internship plan backfired (working 17 hours instead of 8 because their needs changed) and two days of the week I only see Fajr when I uncover the birds and give them breakfast before dashing off to work. This has changed his behavior towards me- he enjoys spending time with me more now on days I get home before his bedtime. It worked out because one of my sisters managed to get nearly all her classes online and spends the day with him even when I'm gone. He likes her until I get home. He likes me until he doesn't. Was bitten today because he was rubbing his head against my face asking for pets while I was busy with something else and I just puffed air through my lips. He latched on to my lip and then hopped to the floor and ran out of the room.

We were worried about Fajr because someone pointed out he hadn't been flying lately, but turns out it was because we were literally carrying him everywhere. And he has been opting to climb instead of fly. Saw him fly down the stairs and he'll use his wings occasionally, so no more worries on that count.

Was doing Japanese homework this morning while Fajr was playing with a tissue. Picked up phone to translate a few words, and heard a crunching noise. Whipped head around and found Fajr speedily making progress on chewing up my homework.

The twins are caring for Lemon and Clover, but tomorrow is the first breather I'll have for about two weeks, so a cage inspection is in order. Something cool I found on a trip to the dollar store the other day are book links! They're the circular rings used to keep hole-punched paper together? We used them to clip toys to the cage, and they're strong enough that the birds can't open them and hurt themselves.

FINALLY managed to schedule a volunteer date with the rescue (same one that saved all those gccs from the bird flipper) for today, but the woman who runs it had to cancel because her son was sick. So my sister and I will try again next week.

That's all that I have to say for now, I believe.

[liz]

Kiki will not rest, when she find me wearing a hair tie, until she has chewed it in half and has removed it. She is also almost as bad about zippers.

Myrtle believes it is her mission to keep things out of my hair.
Rachel has to keep her door closed because Myrtle can open her jewelry box.
I have to hide my purse. Myrtle unzips it and steals from me.

[Wolf]

I reckon that he thought that you were blowing him off and just couldn't help himself and had to object, can you blame him? Since he apparently doesn't much care for getting blown off, I guess he thought to even the score by eating your homework and let you explain to your instructors how you got him mad at you by blowing him off and so he ate your homework. At least you have the evidence to prove that it is the truth.

I don't know for sure, but it seems to me that everyone enjoys a free ride now and then and that is cool, let's just hope that he doesn't start to think that everyone owes him this free ride.

Volunteering at a bird rescue? Wonderful idea and in some ways I am jealous as there aren't any in my neck of the woods, I bet that both of you will enjoy the experience of helping the birds, just remember to clean up before handling any of your birds.

Thanks for the update.