With Time Comes Trust
I rarely get to post about Lucy. This is mainly because I have very little to report on her behalf.
Some of you may know Lucy has always been people phobic and generally tries to keep her distance. I've had one small break through in the past but it was a one off and wasn't repeated! Also to clean her cage I have to catch her in a T-Shirt just to get her to leave it.
Well, lately she hasn't run from me at feeding times, though sudden moves would have her fleeing to the furthest corners of the cage.
Today I decided to hand catch her, no screens, no t-shirts. She made a break for it as usual but there was no panic in her movements and no real rush like she use to do. As I got my hand round her I got reminded she has a sharp pointy beak but there was no pressure to it, just gentle nips.
I got her out of the cage and loosened my grip slightly, at which point she made a dash for freedom. Not being flighted meant a crash glide to the floor. I managed to scoop her up and get her to sit in the crook of my elbow with my other hand covering her back. I did this because she had dropped right in front of where I would be working and didn't want to worry about her being under my feet.
She seemed quite content to sit there in the crook of my elbow uncovered. She was shifty I could tell and she still didn't want anything to do with my hands, but she was content. I got her to transfer to the arm of the chair where she sat whilst I cleaned out her cage. She didn't even move when my parents visited and walked past her. Close past her!
And then, when I was finished she somewhat reluctantly stepped up onto the crook of my elbow again so I could put her back in her cage!!
Sqqquuueeee, happy me!! She even let me fumble for the camera to get a picture!!
On a side note, how hideously hairy are those arms!! Yurrk!!
Some of you may know Lucy has always been people phobic and generally tries to keep her distance. I've had one small break through in the past but it was a one off and wasn't repeated! Also to clean her cage I have to catch her in a T-Shirt just to get her to leave it.
Well, lately she hasn't run from me at feeding times, though sudden moves would have her fleeing to the furthest corners of the cage.
Today I decided to hand catch her, no screens, no t-shirts. She made a break for it as usual but there was no panic in her movements and no real rush like she use to do. As I got my hand round her I got reminded she has a sharp pointy beak but there was no pressure to it, just gentle nips.
I got her out of the cage and loosened my grip slightly, at which point she made a dash for freedom. Not being flighted meant a crash glide to the floor. I managed to scoop her up and get her to sit in the crook of my elbow with my other hand covering her back. I did this because she had dropped right in front of where I would be working and didn't want to worry about her being under my feet.
She seemed quite content to sit there in the crook of my elbow uncovered. She was shifty I could tell and she still didn't want anything to do with my hands, but she was content. I got her to transfer to the arm of the chair where she sat whilst I cleaned out her cage. She didn't even move when my parents visited and walked past her. Close past her!
And then, when I was finished she somewhat reluctantly stepped up onto the crook of my elbow again so I could put her back in her cage!!
Sqqquuueeee, happy me!! She even let me fumble for the camera to get a picture!!
On a side note, how hideously hairy are those arms!! Yurrk!!