Hard to come up with a title for this post.
I just wanted to write about some of the things we have learnt so far.
By Thursday Chewie had stopped giving that warning beak when we touched him and seemed happy to be touched even without snuggles being said. This showed how much he is trusting us already.
Friday he had slightly less hand time than other days (about a hour less) and he was a cranky boy Saturday morning, but within a few minutes he was back to his happy self, playing on a folding table that had been set up in the Lounge, chirping and being his snuggly self.
Sunday my husband placed him down on the table to play again and he started craning his head like he was seeking someone, my husband said "It's ok Chewie I am right here." With that Chewie attempted to fly to my husband, eventually landing on his bare chest (claws scratch lol). Makes your heart melt.
Monday was very busy for us, 3 kids off to school, and my daughter that suffers ME had home school lessons to attend, this meant she had to occupy the office with the door closed for 2 hours. Chewie did not take this well, though he could hear her on the odd occasion she spoke to her teacher, we noted during out of cage time that afternoon he was cranky again. So from now on Chewie will come out of the office during her lessons and will have snuggles with Mum. Normally he has hand time before school, then at around 930 and again after school, Yesterday it was just after school. On the 5 days of the week she doesn't have class she spends heaps of time resting on the couch with each bird (one at a time), so this was a lesson learnt, designate someone else while she has class.
So the lesson we have learnt from this is, he is incredibly affectionate and loving and even if he can hear us in the room with him, even if we talk to him, he needs human touch at least twice a day (morning and afternoon), though he seemed to like playing on the table Saturday he prefers to be on your hand or shoulder so he can feel you. So this morning I will be putting my foot down with the kids, they must be ready by 715am so one of them can have hand time with Chewie for a hour before school. (This is something they have done most mornings for over a year now as our dog was abused before we got her and she frets all day while they are at school, so they have to be ready a hour before we leave to play with the dog, unfortunately Yesterday they were not ready in time).
If you are considering adopting a blind bird, please note this is different to caring for other birds, you can not rely of toys entertaining them if you are unavailable. You are their only source of comfort, entertainment, touch etc. So learn from the lesson we have just learnt. You must ensure no matter what that the bird gets that hand time even if you are sick. Whether you designate to another family member or friend.
Note: Though I think he can see really bright light, I believe he knows day from night due to the birds outside chirping as 2 nights now we have left the light on in the office until 10pm and not put a cover over him and he has been asleep within 10mins of dusk despite the bright light.
Oh and fantastic news 3 of his Crest Feathers (that his former cage mates plucked) are growing back already.
I have read some stories of people that have a blind bird and a flightless bird (due to wing damage or just born a runner) and they have apparently got on really well and helped each other. I am not taking on another disabled bird just to see if this is fact tough. Of course we never turn away a animal that needs us.
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