Thimbletack

[rivx]

Thimbletack, often shortened to Thimble, is our new little friend. She likes blankets, sitting on heads, and destruction! She’s not a rescue like Gracie, just a well-cared for bird who needed a permanent home. I think Gracie is already a tad jealous — she gets jealous so very easily. When I first started working full time…she’s still holding that grudge. :th_biggrin: Of course, she has no reasons to be. She made me love tiels so much I just had to get another.

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Thimble is very active, more like a conure than any cockatiel I’ve met, but quiet. She even tries to hang upside down. She fails, but it’s worth a shot. She does not like to see the dogs, which is funny to me as Gracie adores them. We’re still getting to know each other but we’re happy to have her.

[Dragonlady2]

She is a beautiful bird. She seems pretty tame. She might teach Gracie a trick or two. So happy that Thimble is settling in so well. Hopefully Gracie will mellow out a little and become more accepting.

[rivx]

She sure is a stunner! Gracie is a little couch potato, I think if she got much more mellow she’d turn stuffed. :pinkgrin: But you’re right, I hope she feels secure with another around.

I am curious, since we have received clear blood panels is there any reason to quarantine longer?

[Dragonlady2]

I would give the vet a call to confirm that the quarantine can be waived. I would think so, but they may have other reasons as to why it should continue.

[rivx]

Quarantine was dismissed!

We started out with two cages set apart from each other and when they were side by side and otherwise minding their business, we let them out. Gracie ignored her and ate her dinner. Thimble ventured into Gracie’s cage. It’s a new cage, so she isn’t territorial over it. Gracie ignored her and ate her dinner, so I provided millet. They ate it side by side.

Gracie is still neutral towards Thimbletack. Thimble is very interested in Gracie, though, and has approached her with food a few times. Gracie doesn’t like when she gets too close and will move away, but she is very tolerant and otherwise unbothered…

Not sure what to make of that! She seems to not care either way. I wonder if she was once an aviary bird.

I guess we’ll see what they think of each other as time goes on. Thimble eventually left Gracie’s cage and is back to exploring the house.

[Dragonlady2]

Awesome news. Just having same species birds together is a bonus for them both. If they eventually interact with each other…icing on the cake.

[rivx]

Still going well today. Thimble is obsessed with Gracie. She just wants to be close to her, and keeps trying to snuggle up. Gracie makes sure she keeps her distance with a hiss but doesn’t bother her any otherwise. In other words, Gracie still does not care, but Thimble wants some love…I have a feeling she’ll accept it eventually. Especially because she gets millet everytime Thimble is around, and she loves millet.

A funny thing. She will eat vegetables if Thimble is eating them. She’s always tried them, but never cleared a plate. But they’ll eat veggies together just fine. :th_biggrin:

[rivx]

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She is very tame. Definitely a peoples bird. We are close already. Gracie has been venturing farther from her cage now that she sees her new friend exploring the house. That makes me happy. Well, it did until she decided to fly into the kitchen and almost crash into my dinner. It wasn’t hot, no worries.

[Dragonlady2]

Maybe Thimble had a friend in her previous home? Gracie is gonna learn some things and it sounds like Thimble is a great teacher. This will be an interesting journey for them both. Thanks for the update.

[rivx]

Oh, she certainly did! She lived with five others who were already adopted, and her owner had a beautiful indoor aviary with more birds. I know everything about her background this time around (for the most part), which is a relief.

[Dragonlady2]

Thimble is probably a little confused and can’t understand why Gracie isn’t like her other friends. You never know, she may win Gracie over.

[rivx]

We’re getting there! Caught them sharing food and toys a few times now…

We’re also now torn on Thimbles name. We chose it — she did not have one — so she won’t be confused either way. We’re between Thimble and Leslie, after Leslie Allen Jordan, who we all loved! Tough pick.

[rivx]

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She’s settled in well, and now flock calls for the family. She loves Gracie, who is now letting her close. We discovered she likes to paint! I open a drawing app, chose a color palette and let her stomp away and use her tongue to draw. She likes to watch the colors appear. She gets endless entertainment from it, and it’s pretty cute.

[Dragonlady2]

Thimble sounds like a little sweetheart. I am sure she will be able to win Gracie over.

[rivx]

She is teaching Gracie what target training is all about! Gracie has been too scared of the stick. But this little one is bolder than sin and very smart. Gracie sees that the stick won’t hurt her after all, and is starting to touch it. I’m so happy to see my baby girl come out of her shell and feel secure and happy. My Gracie loves scritches, but was always soooo hesitant to come get them. She will always be my heart.

I am so glad we grew our family. Our little one is very intelligent, even for a tiel. She has conquered target training and spin, and delights in learning new things. She’s a bad one, too…into everything. :pinkgrin: We’re very amused.

[Dragonlady2]

This is wonderful news. What a great decision to get Gracie a friend! Gracie will be able to reap the benefits of having Thimble around and you do as well due to Thimble being so open and accepting of her new life.

[rivx]

A month home as of yesterday! We did end up changing her name to Matilda — she didn’t have one before our home, so the month of figuring one out didn’t unsettle her much — which is a good thing, because she quickly began to respond to it in a way she didn’t to the others we tried out. Funny!

She quickly grew into a little trouble maker. She throws things off the table and tugs the night time cover off at bedtime… snatches things to run around the house with….she likes the chase. Gracie is not so amused, but has decided that they’re friends. She grooms her tail for her, but their relationship reminds me of the old man and the boy from UP.

Regardless, Gracie joined us tonight. She flew over to the bed for a head scratch and relaxed for a bit before I put them up.

AND on another note, we finally know how old Gracie really is!! We were never sure. But through contact with a previous owner we were able to confirm she is between thirteen and fourteen years old. No wonder!

[Dragonlady2]

What great news. So Gracie is finally coming around. Good for her.

Will you find a nickname for Matilda? Tillie? Mattie? I seem to have found shortened names or changing syllable sounds like Jo-wee, emphasis on the “wee” for Joey. Peewee’s name changed to Peeweewee.

You are doing such a good job with them…they are lucky to live with you.

[rivx]

Thank you very much! I am so glad you think so.

We call Matilda by her full name usually, but she is often Baby or Tilly. And when she’s acting trouble, we call her Dovah. Matilda is from Skyrim, and Dovah means in dragon in that world. She’s just happy to be referred to. We’re that family…our dog has nine nicknames used almost daily…oops?