Nyassa's Journal

01-Apr-1999

Today was a pretty uneventful day for both of us. I was working like mad from home, patiently (rather, impatiently) awaiting an apartment repair that never happened.

Nyassa got to go outside and walk around with me today, though. I needed a break, and Nyassa needed sunlight. I don't get enough of that in my apartment -- none in fact. The next one I get I hope to correct that.

While he was outside, he was the center of attention of several children. After some teaching, they were allowed to carefully and slowly touch him. I watched him closely, usually with a hand near his beak just in case, but he didn't seem to mind this at all. He even preened himself and took a little nap out in the sun, while the children asked all sorts of questions about him.

We then came inside to work on a little problem. Lately he's been threatening to bite and very possessive of his cage's food dish (which makes it hard to fill it, or swap it out for a clean one) and of his out of the cage perch. I have a fairly small apartment, and it is hard to keep things seperate, so they were placed rather close together.

I rearanged a bit, and moved his perch to the other side of the room, near my computer. He is't possessive now, and doesn't make those warning squeals like he used to when I would talk (not even touch) him while he was on his perch or in his cage. He's back to those happy sounding "whoop!" and wanting to be let out when I'm near.

As usual, for about a half hour in the morning and at least one half-hour session at night is the social talk-to-each-other session. Of course, I do the majority of the talking, but he whoops and mumbles his way along.

And now he's back in his cage again. Tommorow sarts the moist breakfast again, along with his vitamin suplement powder mixed in. I'll be watching him closely in the morning to make certain he eats it, and if so, I'll offer him a little of that daily, and seeds in a small treat-like quantity every few days. The moist food has some germinated sunflower seeds in it as well, so he'll get something to crunch on too.

For reference, the moist meal consists of various sorts of cooked beans, well chopped up veggies, and sunflower seeds. If he eats that well, which he should since that is what he got when he was growing up, I'm going to sneak in some rice and lower the sunflower seed amount down.

And now he's sleeping well in his cage again, with the lights on, but I'm going to cover him up now. He needs darkness to really fall asleep, with head behind head, or at least quiet. Tonight he'll get darkness, since I'm goign to be up later than usual. Or rather, going to bed eariler than I used to -- 1-2am :)

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