This is the final article in a seven part series that chronicles the details of this precious bird’s healing process.
In sharing this information with you I ask you to acknowledge along with me that parrots are intelligent, sentient and self-aware individuals capable of feeling a wide range of human-like emotions.
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Using a Holistic Approach for Healing Feather Destruction
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Create New Toys
During the process of inventing toys and games for Elvis (Green-cheeked conure), we created ‘paper toys’. A ‘paper toy’ is a small piece of walnut wrapped and scrunched inside a small square of blank white paper. Elvis receives one ‘paper toy’ with his fresh food each morning. He then has the freedom to play with his daily ‘paper toy’ when and how he chooses.
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Identify Stressors
Another innocent activity that had caused Elvis a lot of stress was cleaning his cage and sleeping nest box. Now when cleaning I will leave his paper toys scattered around the cage floor, leave his nest box completely alone, and only wipe clean the bars at the cage bottom and replace the paper in the tray. Elvis feels much more comfortable with his ‘paper toys’ laying where he left them. Periodically, throughout the day, he will go to an individual one and either move it or begin playing with it at random.
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Although I would not normally provide a nesting box for a companion parrot (not engaged in nesting activities), because Elvis came to me with this nest box – and because it provides a sense of comfort and safety for him – the nest box will always be apart of his enclosure.
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Let Your Bird Choose
Allowing Elvis the right to choose his level of involvement in these basic activities has made a world of difference in eliminating situations that had been stressful for him. It has also improved our relationship. Since I do add a new ‘paper toy’ each morning we have started a new game where I remove one – and only one – old ‘paper toy’ each morning as he receives his fresh new one that holds his tiny walnut surprise.
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Positive Reinforcement
When charting his progress regarding learning to leave my clothes and earrings alone, Elvis still has some work ahead of him. His impish personality coupled with his unwavering persistence in this area tells me that I must remain vigilant in being consistent with him. When I was teaching Maria, one of my Blue and Gold macaws, to leave my clothing and earrings alone it took about a year of consistent positive reinforcement and redirecting her actions to alter this behavior in her. With Elvis, it will take as long as it takes, but I do know he will be able to improve this behavior.
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Healing Results
It has now been nearly two years since Elvis joined my family. His last feather destruction incident was about a year ago. His plumage is in wonderful condition and he loves his sprouts. Our relationship has grown, and he is very dear to me. Elvis trusts me and feels loved, valued, and cared for. He has learned to play with a variety of toys, safely exploring new ones placed inside his cage, and eagerly enjoys wholesome fresh foods. He now bobs his head in that playful conure manner as he says, “SqEEE-bul”, and I repeat “Sweet bird”, back to him. But more importantly Elvis has developed self confidence. He has learned to be patient with and accept change, and has come to understand that respect flows both ways. I respect his needs and he respects and trusts my judgment in caring for him. Elvis has discovered his own niche in being a self fulfilling, happy member of a multi-species family.
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Did this post provide you helpful information? Do you have questions? Please send us a comment.
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This is the final posting in sharing this article with you that first appeared in its entirety in the August 2007, issue #115, of Parrots magazine. Subscriptions to Parrots magazine are available on-line at www.parrotmag.com .
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This article series, 1 through 7, tells the story of Elvis when he joined my family in May 2005.
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For more information on Leslie Animal Communcation and Healing Work see her article “Healing Emotional Upsets & Behavior Issues at the Source”.
Schedule a Healing and Communication Session for one of your critter kids. Email Leslie at
[email protected] .
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