December 8, 2013 / Leslie

One Year With Charlie

Last Wednesday was one year since I adopted Charlie, a Lovebird, from a shelter. We thought Charlie was a boy but when the bird began to lay eggs, I realized he had to be a she. This determined little bird has laid eggs five times now. Of course none of them will hatch because her ‘mate’ is one of her toys. I rotate the toys to get her to stop, but she just chooses a new toy as her mate.

After I got her settled in her new home and attempted to interact with her, I realized that she had little to no social skills. Her preferred method of communication was biting. Fingers and hands were the enemy. I didn’t dare put a hand inside or even near her cage. Giving her food and water was a challenge. At first I thought she just didn’t like me. But that wasn’t the reason. She was scared.

Charlie makes new friends.

I eventually found out that Charlie had lived in four homes the previous year. It was going to take time for her to adjust. Once I realized that Charlie intended to adapt on her timetable and not mine I felt better about being bit and rejected by a bird. I can’t blame her, she had no reason to trust me.

Now, after a year of no-pressure living she is finally coming around. She even made friends with my wooden birds that I use to hold notes and recipes.

Charlie takes a selfie.

We think Charlie is about 8 years old. Adjusting to a new home could not have been easy for her, but she did it. Although it has taken me a lot of time and effort, it has been a rewarding experience.

In the last few months her behavior has changed dramatically and most of the biting and aggression are gone. Time and patience have paid off. While she still doesn’t like fingers, hands are now ok as long as they are palm side down. Shoulders have become a fun place to roost and she follows me around instead of flying away. I finally feel like she is happy in her adopted home. She sat on my shoulder while I typed this, something that never would have happened a few months ago.