The Side You Don't See

[FoxersArtist]

I need to vent...so here I go with a side of me you haven't seen. I try not to let this monster out of his cage often, looking on the bright side instead, but today it must be done!

We've had Bhodi the U2 since Friday night. Since that time Bhodi has been screaming *most* of the time from sun up until about midnight. The walls are shaking and so are my nerves. I'm very proud of Bhodi and think he is already making progress - on a play gym anyway. I have no doubt that we can help this bird but I have a hard time coping with constant noise in my space. We bring the birds inside the house in shifts and spend time with them...yeah...they can be loud, but when our nerves are shot, everyone can go back in their cages or on a gym and give us some time to recoup. We usually put screaming fosters out in the aviary once they have a cleared bill of health from the vet. Well, Bhodi can't go in the aviary because wanda's precious girls are out and I wouldn't risk letting Bhodi near them. His bloodwork was all normal but I can't imagine what might happen if one of the girls went wandering onto his cage. We are fostering more large parrots right now than we ever have had at once and with 2 small kids. Uriel was set to go to his new home last week but they canceled in order to better prepare for his arrival. Totally understandable, but we had already committed to Bhodi! Our senegal foster was set to go to a sanctuary but that fell through as well. Peggy Sue is a reformed screamer but reverts when another screamer is around, or just when there is another bird making tons of racket, so she has been sounding off right along with Bhodi.

I woke up this morning with a splitting sinus headache. Andy and I both slept really rough last night and my neck was so stiff when I woke up that I could hardly move. My nerves were shot before I ever left the bedroom. I have been hiding in the bedroom as much as is possible with the sweet Katie, who I am not having in the same room with mr Bhodi for the sake of her ears. I think even Gabe, who is prone to needing an extreme amount of stimulation, is a bit cranky and wishing for the noise to stop.

This will all be fine. Wanda will be here for her birds on Friday and then Bhodi can make himself at home in the aviary and learn how to be a bird from the others, but right now it's a waiting game. Dear God, how will I make it to Friday? Will Wanda even want to come inside? LOL. I wouldn't blame her. Anyway, thanks for hearing my rant. Like I said, I try not to complain much, but today I have had it.

I gave Bhodi and Peggy some Chamomile tea and sat and sang to Bhodi for about 25 minutes. He melted into my hands and I could tell that the singing really soothed him. Please pray for more soothing things in the very near future.
-Anna

[FoxersArtist]

PS: Someone please feel free to poke fun at my situation so I can have a good laugh too! ;)
-Anna

[bonnie]

Oh Anna! I wish I could just come and give you a break! Everything will be fine... just hang in there!:pat:

[bonnie]

PS: Someone please feel free to poke fun at my situation so I can have a good laugh too! ;)
-Anna
Well in that case... Har Har!!! Those big tooz seemed SOOOOO easy from another time zone!!!:rofl::rofl:

[Diane, Clouds assignment]

Anna, I am a newbie to world of birds and have never experienced any real problems with Cloud, except his escaping from his incarceration chamber. He screams a lot less now than when he first came to study me. Sometimes we can go a day or two without a tantrum. At first, I thought it cute, but after my eyeballs started vibrating, I looked for ways to curb this behavior. I did get the Bird Sitter DVD and used it a few times to calm him down. It has worked, but I don't know if it was just a fluke cause it was a new distraction or whether he was really calmed down by what he was seeing and hearing.

He also calms down when I stick his suction shower perch to the bay window where he can watch the wild birds eat seeds I put out (as long as there are no crows, he screams at the crows).

He also likes Country music with the base turned up. But, Caribbean Steel Drums set him off screaming.
If all this fails, I sing along with the stereo and he goes into his cage and puts his wings over his ears. :hehheh:

If anyone can turn this bird around, I'm confident that you and Andy can do it. Hang in there. You are my idol. :bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown::bowdown:

[too&me]

Hang in there Anna you can take anything for 4 more days-That bird needs a birdy ipod to tune him in to soft gentle sounds-strap it on his head & strap a pillow on your ears & there you go!

[Chrissy and Flock]

My three birds love country music they have speakers in the cieling above their cages, when they get vocal I turn on the stereo for them (better than me singing to them I would be arrested for animal cruelty if I sang to them). It won't be long now Anna you can do it.

[bonnie]

My three birds love country music they have speakers in the cieling above their cages, when they get vocal I turn on the stereo for them (better than me singing to them I would be arrested for animal cruelty if I sang to them). It won't be long now Anna you can do it.
OH!!! This SO works to calm Chicken down for bed!

[Julie]

Oh.... Big huggs!!!!

Now to get a giggle out of you... We brought Carl home in August. Well (Larry don't read) we sleep with the birds in the bedroom with us. We covered him up, just like the rest of the birds. OH MY GOSH, HUGE MISTAKE!!!! He would sleep for an hour and wake up flock/emergency calling because it was pitch black and he could not see/hear us. Talk about heart attack in the middle of the night. After we figured out he did not like to be covered, the screaming stopped, but until then it sure gave my heart a race.....

Anna, by this time you are down to 3 days, and if anyone can do it, you can.... Remember it is not the end of the world if you pack up the two babies and go for a visit at Michelle's for a couple hours to get out of the house. Take care of yourself so you can take care of the family.....

[Wanda and Flock]

I wish I could stay for awhile and help you...maybe I can give a bit of a break and let you get out of the house for a few....? Would you let me take you to lunch on Friday or could you get away? Or, you go to lunch with your mom and I'll babysit....anything I can do...
While you are gone, I"ll try the clicker and see if Dave will do your dishes and laundry.
Worst case, you might have ransom notes when you get back....
"Cute kids w/ big eyes on the move to Texas...bring 50 million in plain white envelope to get them back...eventually... come ALONE!" Hehehehehe:D

What exactly do you do to get a break? You have probably never had one have you?

[Wanda and Flock]

BTW, do you have a tv in the aviary? Or a place to put one???

[Patty, Linus and Co.]

Anna, It's the most maddening thing in the world to have a cockatoo screaming night and day. It's no wonder that you are beside yourself. You deal with it and deal with it, but then something snaps and you can't take one more second.
The worst part is not being to do anything about it - not being able to find anything to put the bird at peace or find a peace for the bird that doesn't involve screaming.
My heart goes out to you. Patty

[FoxersArtist]

Awww, Wanda!
You're so sweet! I know you're going to be in a hurry once you are here to get those babies back home so don't worry about it! I'm really hoping that Bhodi has settled down some by Friday. Actually, he's been doing better this evening. I put him back in his cage and him and peggy sue hollered for a while and then both stopped. Now he is sitting in his cage groaning, but nothing at all like his roar so I'm very happy. Besides, I got to talk with bonnie and julie and they really cheered me up!

We do get out some. Andy and I like to take either friday or saturday night and go out for a date at least a few times per month. The baby goes with since she's nursing, but she's always a pleasure to have around. She distracts us in church with her cute smiles and cooing, hehe. Other than that I love to talk to you all to take a break and relax! I'm feeling much better now that I have had a short break from the screaming. I totally would have packed up and left earlier but it's snowing outside and driving with other NM drivers in the snow can be risky.

Thanks for cheering me up everyone, i'm sure tomorrow will go better.
-Anna

[FoxersArtist]

BTW, do you have a tv in the aviary? Or a place to put one???

We dont have one out there but I have considered buying one to put out there. I bring the radio out sometime and play it for them and they love it! I wouldn't mind having a tv in their closet so i can just slide the door open and let them watch and slide it shut so they can't get to it the rest of the time.
-Anna

[Wanda and Flock]

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:


SNOW???? Ummm...how much does it snow??:glare:


:help::bburr::frozen:

[birdie]

Earplugs! {maybe I should take my own advise & buy some}
When the 2 Zons & Stella start a competition for who's the loudest, then the rest chime in~ it'll drive me from the house! I take refuge in the garage for about 15-20 minutes.

:hgz:you'll make it, we're here for you to vent.
Think of it this way... only 3 days til Friday, you'll sleep 1/2 of it so there's only 1 1/2 days till Friday:D Did that help???

[FoxersArtist]

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:


SNOW???? Ummm...how much does it snow??:glare:


:help::bburr::frozen:

It's headed your way Wanda...at least thats what the news said. It's been snowing all day but only an inch stuck.
-Anna

[FoxersArtist]

Thank you all! I feel much better now, actually. Bhodi quit screaming this evening and though he screamed off and on a little bit, he was mostly quiet which gave me a much needed break to recoup. Maybe it's starting to sink in that screaming wont cut it? I hope, I hope, I hope. HeHeHe. We haven't even looked at him once while he's been screaming, so that's got to count for something!!! I sing to him and rub his little head when he's not. That should count for even more. I'll fix his little white wagon.:mad::haha:
-Anna

[CrystalinNC]

Just think of Bhodi as a loud, obnoxious man from the Bronx...and Peggy Sue his wife. When he screams, she screams!
The partiers are in the aviary playing cards, smoking cigars, and having a cold one while the newly married couple squabble in the house.
The birds in the house are trying to watch TV or in any other way ignore the goings on, and "minding their own business."
Sounds as if you have New York right there at your fingertips.
It is also referred to as the city that never sleeps....

smiling yet?

[Anne-Samantha's Mom]

aww big hugs..you will be ok dear...hugs