December 09, 2006

Besides Luca's tail growing in (so sorry about no pics yet...i keep forgetting to take the camera with me when i go into the room! DOH!), there have been some other progresses...

1) Petrie has become more calm during my presence. He doesn't always want to stand in their favorite corner. Actually, since I placed in their mirror-swing toy given to me by a worker at the Animal Control facility in to their cage, they have been spending much more time on or around that mirror than anywhere else in the cage.

Anyways, I have found the past 2 days that I can sit next to their cage (I move slowly and backwards toward the cage while singing to get to that position directly next to the cage) and when I glance at Petrie, he sits next to the mirror (which is closer to the front of the cage than their favorite perch/corner) and breathes and sits calmly. He doesn't look like he wants to run away.

2) During the past 2 - 3 days, I have been able to put my hand up to and on the cage without the help of millet. I consider it a small success since when I move my hand to the cage (s-l-o-w-l-y) the two budgies keep calm and just look at my hand. Their chests don't heave with anxiousness.

I have even opened up the door to their food bowl. They stayed in place, but they did feel a little stressed about this. I slowly took my hand away for a bit after opening the door so they can calm down a bit more. It was asking for too much when i tried to lift out the food bowl (the large white bowl out of the bowl slot was just too much) because they turned and went to their favorite corner.

I find that talking to them and singing to them really calms them. Depending on the time of the day, Luca will sometimes chirp along with my songs. It is sooooo cute.