Re: [Freeflight] Book Case Trauma -Post,post script

["Douglas Delgado" <Dougandmona@msn.com>]

Tom wrote;

"She will look for another place to do her thing or just get over it and 
then you can remove the sheet and it will all be OK. Hang tough,"

Thanks Tom. I know you understand because you have been through so much 
more with Elliott....and even though you know it is instinctual, it is still 
tough. I don't like that mess of beak and feathers flying at you and 
having to swat it down. Then, after you do it, you just feel so very bad 
but you look at the bird and you know that it doesn't bother the bird at 
all....they don't care that they were swatted down because they are entirely 
focused on their task at hand, which is to get into that nesting sight! You 
(the swatter) are just an obstacle to their task...

So, that means I can go ahead and use operational conditioning principles 
and remove her from the area, set her in her cage and reward her for getting 
in her cage with the cherished almond....just get her mind off that task of 
burrowing in and making a nest. Once she is away from the area she is as 
sweet as pie. She gives me beak smooches and I know I can trust that.....

The problem is that she is seven years old, she is a very very healthy 
little Timneh and she is at the most natural, healthy stage for a 
parrot...that independent, make a nest stage. I can even empathize with 
her.....that's what I wanted to do when I was in my 20's....make a nest. I 
really wasn't happy on some level until I had made that nest. She isn't 
any different from any other living creature.....

But even knowing all of that, it is still hard for me. I had to swat her 
out of the air! She bit me....(not enough to really complain about, I 
wasn't dripping blood or anything like that)...but still, she bit me and 
that just hurts your feelings. I know, I know that I'll get over 
it...because she is over it....but it is still hard.

Thanks.

Mona in Seattle
Phinneus Fowl (aka Phinney) TAG
Pretty Rita Cockatiel
Babylon (Senegal Poicephalus)
Doug (spousal unit)

>From: "Tom Beard" <tomasbeard@charter.net>
>Reply-To: Freeflight@yahoogroups.com
>To: <Freeflight@yahoogroups.com>
>Subject: Re: [Freeflight] Book Case Trauma -Post,post script
>Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 17:15:44 -0700
>