# More progress with Ziggy!



## ccollin13 (May 24, 2013)

It's been 6 days after the move, and even though Ziggy had an awful time with the move, he's already made some more taming progress!

In my new apartment set-up, I put the recliner right next to a cage, and moved his small outside-perch to the side next to the chair. Well, he's now been coming out, going over to the perch, and ASKING to come over to visit!

I know that sounds like a little thing, for many of you it would be, because your tiels are velcro birds.  But Ziggy, well, he was in a cage almost full time for 6 years, and that's his favorite place to be. I trained him to step up and come out, and then to come visit with me when I asked... but this is the first time he's actually wanted to come visit himself!!

He's done it multiple times a day now! He just hangs out with me, sitting on top of my laptop, walking around the chair and sofa, pulling leg hairs  He sings and talks to my feet too 

And, once this week, when I tried to put him back, he refused to step down on his perch and instead climbed back down my arm!! For Tommy, that's no big deal, because he never wants to go back to the cage... but for Zig, he always wants to go back. But this time he wasn't done hanging out! That's so amazing, especially considering it's been only 6 days since I messed him up so bad by moving.

I'm so proud of him. I never thought we would make this much progress - I thought maybe he would learn to come out on his own, and maybe hang out... but never of his own free will

It's been 1.5 years with him and he's just been so brave! Patience does really pay off. I love him so much :grey tiel: Sorry for all the smilies and exclamation points and squeals, but I'm just so proud of him and I had to share :3


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

That's really awesome!! I can certainly see why you'd be excited. 
Patience certainly is key with shy/timid birds. People expect immediate results a lot of the time, but I think things just have to happen naturally with these guys.


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## urbandecayno5 (Oct 24, 2012)

That's awesome!
Keep us updated on his progress..seems like it just clicks with these guys one day then they gain more confidence pretty fast

I don't think it sounds like a little thing at all


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## .Alexandra. (Sep 11, 2012)

That is great to hear! It must be very rewarding when your patience pays off with a big step like that  Go Ziggy!


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## scootergirl762 (Aug 27, 2013)

That's wonderful! I would be just as happy as you are about his progress - I really enjoy reading about Ziggy, so inspiring and it gives me so much hope for my Stewie. Please keep sharing!


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## ccollin13 (May 24, 2013)

Thanks everybody  I always tell Ziggy about his fans on this forum!

Today we had two more breakthrough moments! When I came home from work today, I let him out, and when I put my hand out for step up, he said "Pretty boy!" and gave me heart wings!!!!  He's said that before and done heart wings before, obviously.... but never in response to me coming home and greeting him. SO CUTE!!!

Now he is on the couch with me and he came over to voluntarily sit on my leg, instead of the back of the couch! He wants to be on me now! I think he wants to chew my new dress pants.... but I'll take any reason


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## Haimovfids (Sep 19, 2012)

That's amazing







he is bonding rapidly now!! Pretty boy and heart wings! Too cute
I don't see why there isn't a reason to get excited!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Woohoo for you and Ziggy!


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## urbandecayno5 (Oct 24, 2012)

:clap:
Seems like Ziggy is progressing fast!

Maybe the move had something to do with it???
And of course his love and trust for you


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## stevechurch2222 (Sep 25, 2011)

That's great progress with Ziggy,way to go.


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## Lulu-Tiel (Jun 3, 2012)

That's great news! And kudos to you for being patient and doing such a good job with him.


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Awesome...go Ziggy!! And you of course.


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## ccollin13 (May 24, 2013)

So with an intense 6-week molt, the move two months ago, the arrival of another bird, and some traveling, Ziggy has been an absolute grouch. It's almost like he was depressed - refused to hang out, always going back to his cage, and just wanting to be left alone. We tried to give him extra attention to make up for being with Betsy, but he didn't want anything to do with us. Poor buddy. He lost at least 7 primaries and probably 8 tail feathers, a large number of crest feathers, and just general feathers everywhere - he's so ragged and grumpy!

Well, last week we broke quarantine because we had to travel with them in the same car. I think we'll be okay because Betsy was vet checked as soon as we got her, plus had another very thorough vet check in my hometown a few months ago when the rescue took her there. Plus a two week quarantine. So I think we'll be fine. Anyway, we've since moved Betsy's cage into the living room with Zig. They are separated by a recliner, but they can see each other well.

Ziggy at first was scared of Betsy. He grew up an only bird, and while he's been around Tommy, little Brat Tommy is a bully. So it's understandable. Betsy was in the cage with Fred, another rescue, so she's used to other tiels and was okay with Zig. But they've pretty much avoided each other.

Anyway, finally this week, Ziggy has been coming out of his funk. He's coming over to the side of the cage visit, finally, and actually staying - now that his primaries are coming back he can choose to leave whenever he wants  But now he'll stay and sing to my feet and play the ever-exciting game of pulling leg hairs. Yesterday I had a knitted blanket with fringe, and Ziggy loves fringe - he spent like 30 minutes with me playing with the fringe! Then I brought Betsy over and she came to play with the fringe too. They got along great, except they kept insisting on chewing the piece of fringe the other tiel had 




























So it's great Ziggy's finally back to hanging out. He even asked to come over once yesterday, leaning off his cage. But the BEST PART is that he actually flew over to the couch to visit my husband yesterday!!! He loves my husband (he's the one who gets the heart wings, usually), but this is the first time EVER that Ziggy has used his little wings to go visit someone. It's always flying to get AWAY from someone. This time he flew across the room and landed on the couch!

Then later, we were in the other room playing a game, and we kept hearing Ziggy make his kissy noise. Suspicious, we looked in, and he somehow got over to Betsy's cage and was inside exploring :rofl: :rofl: Ziggy, little cage-bound Ziggy, actually came out, found a way to get over there, and went inside to check things out! Betsy just went about her business preening - boys don't impress her that much :

Little bud is an adventurer now! Who would have thought, from a year and a half ago, that he'd be willing to come out and explore and visit, all on his own  I'm so proud of him!


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## Neeve & Sid (Sep 24, 2013)

Yay! Go Ziggy! I can see why your so proud of him, what a little cutie.


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

That's awesome! Happy for them (and you).


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## scootergirl762 (Aug 27, 2013)

How wonderful! You must be thrilled!


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

They look so cute together aww! :blush:


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## ccollin13 (May 24, 2013)

Thanks for your kind words, everyone. I'm so pleased to say that over the last month, Ziggy has become an entirely new bird.

As soon as you let him out, he comes to the doorway and looks around. He'll either go to his playstand and play around, or he'll come over to me in my chair and ask to be picked up. If I ignore him... he'll actually jump over to the chair himself to visit!

Letting his wings grow out was the best decision I ever made. I still don't regret the initial decision to clip him when we got him last year. He would always fly away when we tried to hang out with him and if something spooked him - but he had no control. He would just fly at full speed and crash land into something. Clipping did help him calm down, and did help him learn to sit put with us and explore by foot.

But, back this spring, we decided to let his wings grow out. He still doesn't have all his flights even after a major molt, but he has enough to be a very good flier. The biggest improvement has actually been his control - and I think he learned that from Betsy. Betsy has always been flighted and we never planned to clip her. She has gorgeous long wings and is a very skilled flier. My sister was walking by one day with a cereal bowl, and Betsy managed to land on the edge of the cereal bowl while my sis was walking!

So I think from watching her, he's learned how to control his flight. But he's also learned that flying is not just for running away - flying can be used to take you to places you want to visit! So far he's flown over to the couch to visit my husband several times (my husband is his favorite person - always the subject of heart wings). He has visited me by flying a few times, and he flies over to the coffee table and then to the couch to explore. He is so graceful now. The most important thing is that he learned to slow down - he would always go full speed into something, including the top of his cage. Now he has learned how to hover and how to slow down for a landing. It's so amazing! He can even land on top of my laptop now (I think, after watching Betsy do it).

Now that he can fly well and that he's trained, I'll never clip him again. He is really a new bird after discovering that it's fun to be social, and that he can use his wings to go be social with people! He is so confident, and sometimes I've seen him do a lap around the living room for no reason in particular - just because he enjoys his new wings 

He and Betsy still aren't buddies, but are still being tolerant of each other 

Here are the birds hanging out with my husband:










Ziggy being a little flirt:










Who, us? You can't prove we were hanging out. You have no evidence.










Hanging out with me on the couch:










Off on his own, exploring that dark cave behind the couch pillows:


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## ccollin13 (May 24, 2013)

Oh, and the other day my parents came to visit for a ceremony I was involved in. Ziggy was super excited to see my mom - he was flirting with her and heart-winging around the cage. So she picked him up and he was putting his beak up to her cheek and making kissy sounds and clicking sounds!!! Was the cutest thing ever. He's never shown any specific affection for Mom, so she was flattered


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

Such cute photos and awesome progress! :thumbu:


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## moonchild (Jul 29, 2012)

Woohoo! That's wonderful. I am constantly in awe of what they can do once they master their flight. Most of mine (especially the girls, naughty little things that they are) can hover, land on the edge of a bowl of food I'm carrying, etc. I see them practicing their moves. It's just so awesome. And confident birds are happy birds. Glad things are going so well with your two.


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## ccollin13 (May 24, 2013)

Tonight ziggy did the thing with me that he did with my mom!!!!!!

Please excuse my "I am going to bed soon and already washed off the makeup covering my acne" face lol. Also the noisy friends of husband in the background. Listen close for his kisses and clicks 

http://i1079.photobucket.com/albums...DC292BF-6439-00000CB13D8BEBA0_zpsb8a52a60.mp4


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