# Elvis



## crow (Sep 5, 2015)

This is Elvis. He was a bit upset with me taking a picture, he was busy ignoring me.  The lighting is a bit of, his yellow is actually really bright and his grey almost black.


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## BlueDragon109 (Sep 11, 2015)

Did he just get a bath? His crest is cute. Just a word of warning, his beak is abnormally long, which could just be a lack of chewable stuff, or possibly a health issue. Is he a nice bird?


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## TamaMoo (Jan 12, 2014)

He's handsome! Love his coloring.


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## JoJo's Mom (Oct 20, 2012)

He is cute, love the crest!


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## crow (Sep 5, 2015)

I have no idea what his coloring is called in English, but I'm guessing some kind of lutino, because of all the yellow and he also has a bald spot on is head.

BlueDragon109: Thanks for caring! I'm aware that his beak is an issue, but as you didn't know that I'm glad you pointed it out. It's too long and also the lower beak has a sharp "peak" on the right side. His last owner gave him to me four years ago as she was moving and couldn't keep him anymore. However I didn't have room for him until this year so in the meantime he stayed with his last owners mother. She wasn't used to birds and thought his beak needed clipping on a regular basis, just like cat and rabbit claws. She ment well, but did a terrible job and because of that he isn't able to "maintain" (can't think of a better word) his beak only by chewing. He has lots of different materials to chew in his cage, so it's not that. Luckily he doesn't hurt himself or me with it, and he doesn't have a problem with eating. It's so damaged that it probably won't go back to normal by itself, so he needs to se the vet regularly. He was last at the vets' a month ago and besides the beak he is in great shape. 

As for the other stuff: No, he didn't just bathe, he puffs up his feathers like that when he pays attention. He is starting to look old I think, he had much more impressive headfeathers only two years ago, and he is becoming scruffy. And yes, he is a really nice bird. He wasn't tame when I got him some weeks ago, but he has made a huge progress already, much thanks to the great people here at the forum.


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## BlueDragon109 (Sep 11, 2015)

We used to have a cockatiel with pretty much the same coloring.:yellow pied: Heh. Just by looking at the name of the smilie, the coloration could be some sort of "yellow pied."  Do you know how old Elvis is?


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## Francesca (Apr 30, 2015)

If ever a bird fit his name, your Elvis does! What a sweetie! I love his coloring and expression!


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## crow (Sep 5, 2015)

Actually he is named Elvis because when he was little he would always bob his head and whistle whenever someone listened to Elvis Presley. But whenever people see him they say he look like Mr. Presley, so the name sure fits.

Elvis is 15 years old. I know that isn't old when it comes to tiels, but I've known him for years and this last year he is beginning to look aged.


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## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

Your Elvis is very lucky to have you in his life,caring properly for him,after what he went through with the previous owner.People should make their best to get info about their pets,ensuring they are going to be healthy and safe.He is a very handsome mature bird ! Congrats on giving him a forever loving home . Hugs and kisses for both you and Elvis from sunny Brazil X x Teresa


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## Vickitiel (Oct 10, 2012)

He's handsome!  I think his beak needs urgent attention though -- it must be difficult and uncomfortable to eat with a beak that overgrown. Your avian vet should be able to fix it.


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## vampiric_conure (Jul 8, 2012)

What a handsome devil! Fifteen is a good age for a tiel  I, too, have a bird who needs his beak trimmed regularly- I bring him to the parrot club meetings every 3 months and they snip the end of his beak for me. As far as I and his previous owner know, his situation is genetic.


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## tasheanne (Dec 31, 2014)

His poor beak! What is the balding around his eyes from? And is that blood near his leg on his feathers? I'm glad he's getting better care now!


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## crow (Sep 5, 2015)

Yes, he has dried up blood on some of his feathers. It's from an accident he had with a toy. I made a thread about it somewhere. I have no idea what the balding around his eyes are, but the vet says he is healthy so I need to trust that. He has always been like that.

Yes I really look forward to a day where his beak is so normal he can maintain it himself. As it is now he needs to see the vet every four weeks. It sounds as though his last owner was cruel to him, but it isn't quite like that. His last (and before me, only owner) got him as gift when she was a little kid. Her parents should have taken on the responsibilty as she was way too little to do it, but they didn't. In the beginning he was a lively bird, but when no one interacted with him, he became shy and scared, especially of hands. When my friend grew up and realised that what Elvis had was no life for a bird, she looked for someone to adopt him, but was really picky about it, to make sure he wouldn't end up in the same environment again. I met her when we studied together years ago, and she gave him to me, but as I lived in a windy flat not suited for tropical birds I couldn't take him on until this year. As mentioned, in the meanwhile Elvis stayed with her mother, and that's when he got that bad beak clipping.

I really wish I could fix everything straight away, but I realise that isn't possible. But to focus on the bright side he is getting more outgoing and safe every day. Six weeks ago I got an old, sad bird with an interest in nothing, now I have a curious tiel that interacts with the world. Thanks to the great advice I get here, Elvis is doing great progress. There are so many things I never thought he would do:

He flies. For short distances only, and some hopping and flapping, but that isn't too bad for an old bird who didn't have space to stretch his wings for 14 years. 

He comes out of his cage and follows me around voluntarily. He also goes back in on command. I think I accidentally trained him to do that by saying "cage" every time I put him back. As his great fear of hands he now rushes back into his cage whenever he hears the word, to avoid me picking him up.

He is curious and examines stuff. Right now he is cuddled up and asleep beside me in a pile of measuring tape, which he took out of my knitting bag after I got him to stop nibble a half finished sock.

He has a friend. Well, a reflection, but he sings to it every morning before breakfast and talks to it during the day. He even wants the mirror to give him head scritches. 

And the best thing, he has moods. He gets angry, excited, happy and tired - and he shows it. That does wonders for the taming process. It's so much easier to know what to do when he reacts to what I do. Usually he switches between "I love everything!" and "I hate you, go die." He has the ultimate evil look when he doesn't get his way. Like when both me and my boyfriend is in the room with him and only my boyfriend leaves. Elvis loves him more than me, so he looks angry at me first, like "go get him back". When that doesn't work he runs to the door and stands there screaming for my boyfriend till my ears bleed. 

I know I sound like a mum bragging about all the stuff her kid can do, that all kids really can do, but I am just so proud of his progress.


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