"Oh No YOU DON'T!"

[FoxersArtist]

This afternoon I found myself with a few hours to spend working with TJ, the new U2 that came to our rescue yesterday, when my kids willingly went down for a nap at the same time. TJ is very "independent" and wants everything to go his way, which included him flying away whenever I parked his step-up-stick near something I wanted him to step onto (he is scared to death of hands). I decided after chasing him across the house multiple times that it might be a bit easier to work with TJ if he was clipped.

I took him into the kitchen and got a pair of scissors out. I did not want to put him through toweling and have gotten pretty good at pulling one wing out at a time to clip while they stand on the floor or counter without getting bitten. TJ was not thrilled once he realized what I had done to the first wing and put up a big fight so that I could not reach for the second wing. He gave me the evil eye and struck at me every time my hand came anywhere near him. Finally I was able to get the other wing, after distracting him. Halfway through clipping the other side I thought he had given in but you never can trust a cockatoo and something inside knew it was coming. TJ whipped his head back in an amazing display of ninja skill, snatched the scissors clean out of my hand and took off like a shot with them, running lickity split across my kitchen floor - scissors in beak, holding his prize high in the air. Well, the little turkey wouldn't let me come anywhere near him after that and he would NOT let go of those scissors either. I had to walk away and let him get bored with them before I could get them back.

Below, TJ is NOT a very happy bird, but he still won and that must count for something:
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa154/Foxersartist/Fosters/TJScissors.jpg

-Anna

[Anne-Samantha's Mom]

he is gorgeous and pretty darned smart lol

[Patty, Linus and Co.]

Hahaha. So he's like 3/4 of the way clipped? That will make for an interesting flight attempt. Is it me, or is he small, or perhaps just shrinking away from the camera?

[FoxersArtist]

HaHa, no...I managed to give him a full clip after he settled back down but I had to towel him to do it. He isn't really small in body size but he is thin. I begged his owner to let me have him vetted but she doesn't want to pay for it. :(
-Anna
Hahaha. So he's like 3/4 of the way clipped? That will make for an interesting flight attempt. Is it me, or is he small, or perhaps just shrinking away from the camera?

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Anna --- how much does he weigh?

Lar

[too&me]

Running with scissors, Too funny. Is he more active than the average U2? Will he allow you to weigh him? How did his diet vary from what you feed?

[birdie]

that's a scary combination, a bird with a canopener AND running with scissors.

[FoxersArtist]

I can't get TJ to sit still long enough to get him on a scale. He is too flighty and afraid of everything and our scale is too small and without the proper perch needed for large parrots. I have been toweling him to monitor his weight via keel but he feels very light weight to me. I am not comfortable with him not seeing a vet. He eats zupreem pellets and his owners fed him at least one orange a day (cringe) which he loves. I have tried to peek his interest with other foods as I have already jumped into training with him. I told his owners that I would highly advise that they let me take him to a vet and told them that I cannot be held responsible for him if they did not consent to taking him to the vet but they still declined. I feel that TJ actually has too low of an energy level for a too. He is either not feeling well or is really depressed. He is only active when he is trying to run away from something scary. The rest of the time he literally just sits and sulks...
-Anna

Running with scissors, Too funny. Is he more active than the average U2? Will he allow you to weigh him? How did his diet vary from what you feed?

[too&me]

Awww poor bay you are kind of stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Maybe you can wean him off the ranges and onto something greener?

[FoxersArtist]

I wish I could pay to have TJ to the vet but because we iwll not be getting an adoption fee for him, we can't foot the bill. Also - at the same time, I do not want to inable someone elses irresponsible behavior. I hope he gains weight under my care.
-Anna
Awww poor bay you are kind of stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Maybe you can wean him off the ranges and onto something greener?