There was an elderly Cockatiel who had no name. She paced to numb the pain in her heart & nobody thought it was a shame. 10 long years she lived with no toys & no time out of her rusty cage. She used to hope with all her might that she could belong, but not now. Not anymore. She was absorbed into stereotypic pacing behavior. When she paced it was like all her problems melted away, as if she was transported to another world far away from the hell she was stuck in. No loneliness, no fear, no boredom. She craved different movement, new sensory experiences, but they never came. Then one day she got a new home, they noticed her behavior & everything she was trying to say without saying it. She wondered if they could read her mind, but they could just feel her heart. When she paced all day long, her new carer observed her closely to understand every movement, every step, every blink.
She noticed that she needed something to break the cycle for little moments at a time. Fresh barley straw was placed on her platform to break up the sensory experience & draw her attention to a different activity. That was it, her life changed forever! She would stand on the spot & stamp on the straw, her feet craving this new crunchy texture. After a few weeks she started to chew the straw, then throw the straw, then she began to play with her new toys. 10 years is not too long; she was not too far gone! She blossomed & started to get excited, she started to sing! She is Pamela & she is one of the most incredible Cockatiels you could ever meet. I can’t wait for you to hear more of her story & get to know her amazing personality.