I walked in yesterday and turned into the bird room an was greeted by a bright and cheery "Hi" from Gemma followed by a "Hello" from Phoenix! This was a bit of a surprise as they haven't really said too much since the first week. It has taken a couple of weeks but these two are becoming much less fearful and more adventuresome.
The duo came out and watched some of the Steeler game with me on Sunday. Both are still very nervous when away from their cage where they feel safe. I am taking them and putting them in new places and situations for a short time and then returning them to the cage to try and condition them to not fear new things. They are slowly starting to become more comfortable.
We had a bit of a problem the other day when Phoenix's band somehow slipped down over one of her toes. This can lead to discomfort, foot problems, and trouble perching so it need to be fixed. I was almost able to get it back in place while she sat on my arm eating a peanut but I really needed 2 hands to get it back in place. I ended up toweling her and Jen slipped it back in place. I will keep a close eye on it to see if it happens again in which case we might just have it removed.
Phoenix is also starting to enjoy some head scratches.
These 2 are really great birds so far especially for 2 birds that we were told were not able to be handled. I think it just takes some patience and some love and attention to get them out of their shells.