Interesting response to my PD symptoms

[chrismw]

In my profile pic I'm playing with my parrot, Lily. She's just about 2 years old-a baby in the parrot world.

I got her when she was not quite 5 months old. She was (and is) sweet sweet sweet. However there was a notable pattern to her interactions with me. I started levodopa shortly after she came to me. As always, adjusting the medications was a challenge. I began to notice that Lily would "bite" me when it got close to the time for my next dose. She also would "bite" when I was feeling really tired. As soon as I would lay down she would climb on my chest and and nestle down, if I tried to get up she banged her beak on my collar bone. She continues to do this. When I'm having an off period she gets rather agitated and needy.

Anyway, to shorten this up--I think Lily is sensitive to not only my emotions but somehow senses changes in my bio chemical levels.

To clarify--Lily is capable of breaking my finger, her "bite" I mention is more like a grasp. If she had hands I imagine she'd just touch my arm to get me attention. The thump on my collar bone though--not so pleasant!

Well gotta go--Lily is trying to close the cover to my lap top--stinker!

[Hidden]

She is looking after you but she is a little strict. It is so sweet when you find a pet that loves you so much they look after you.. I have a little dog that keeps a close eye on me. I will tell her to go on to bed and she will go but if I am not there in a few minutes she comes back to check on me. Best friends in the world. Stanjo

[Hidden]

They both sound like a blessing.

[honeycombe3]

How interesting. I haven't come across this ability to empathise in birds before. I know of a couple of cockatiels who rule their respective roosts. One repeatedly drops hard objects onto a hard floor if it's owner's attention is engaged elsewhere for too long. The other 'buzzes' guests at speed nearly parting their hair!

[GrammyC]

At some point most afternoons my energy level drops off considerably. I call it, "Hitting the Wall". When this happens, I have to sit down and rest. I have noticed that right before it happens, my Yorkshire Terrier will start to whine. She won't stop until I sit down and hold her on my lap! I think she knows before I do when the "wall" is about to hit! Our furry and feathered friends enrich our lives, no doubt!

[chrismw in reply to GrammyC]

That's exactly it! It's like Lily senses I'm fatigued before I do. She probably gets frustrated that I don't heed her interruption before I'm completely done it! Big dumb human!

[Susie01]

Animals are amazing. I had a Sheltie for 17 yrs. of my adult life. He could read my every expression and was so smart that sometimes I did not even have to tell him what to do, he just knew it by the expression on my face.

I have heard of dogs being trained to recognize an oncoming seizure in their owners and even dogs that can be trained to recognize early malignancies in people.

I would guess that your bird has a certain sensitivity to changes in you

For anyone who has had an animal that is close to them, they can understand how important that bond becomes.

[Kat00]

I am an Avian behaviorist and have rescued lots of parrots. It looks from the picture that Lily is a Moluccan Cockatoo? (I can't see her crest or color clearly in the picture) Birds are amazing! While dogs have a strong sense of smell and react to the scent of chemical changes in the body...Parrots have a poor sense of smell...but they are experts on body language and it is believed since they see light in a different spectrum, they see changes in the energy around your body.. Lily will become agitated when she senses these changes.

( it has been documented that parrots can tell when someone is intoxicated and become agitated by this)

As far as the pounding of the beak on your breastbone...parrots will bang their beak on a tree branch or a person for that matter to state their claim on territory...maybe Lily is claiming you!

Isn't it wonderful to have such a loving sentient creature as a companion?!

[chrismw in reply to Kat00]

Lily is truly truly amazing. She is the first bird I've ever had--ever held even. She is Mobrella--(male was moloccan/female umbrella) and when she displays it's spectacular!

And as for claiming me -- oh yes! I'M HERS, HERS, HERS!

[srarndt]

Cool Beans!

MY take on Lily's sensitivity to your conditon is because the more intelligent of animals seem also to have a real knack for "Being Here Now" that is being in the present instead of worrying about the past or fretting about the future. And while they are with us and being in the present, they notice when we've veered off course and forgotten our meds or feeling blue, or tired, etc.

Most of us humans seem to struggle with the concept of being focused on the here and now. Hence it seems to be what is most needed for us to find and maintain happiness and inner peace. Funny that we humans find it such a struggle and our so-called "dumb" friends acheive it naturally.

Enjoy Lily! What a gift!

Steve (Bisbee, AZ)

[chrismw in reply to srarndt]

Your right. In our human arrogance we show how ignorant we are or can be.

[gran5-]

Lucky you!! My dog Olivia, can be a brat and very opinionated and demanding. When she has her service vest on her behavior changes completely. She knows she is working. She takes it very seriously.

[ddmagee1]

It’s amazing how our pets pick up, on our Parkinson’s symptoms, and react!