From: shan lung <shanlung9@y...> Date: Fri Apr 25, 2003 11:05 pm Subject: Tinkerbell Freeflight 1 - In Retrospect Tinkerbell is well on the road to recovery. For Melinda of Bird-Click and others who were concerned about the wound Tinkerbell received, that wound has dried nicely and healing well now without any sign of infection. Tink is still emotionally recovering. She clings on to me when I am back almost refusing to let me out of her sight requiring much head rubs. The fright that Tink gave me induced new realisations and a paradigm shift in my attitude towards her future free flying. The following will now be considered if I ever open that barn door again to let Tink fly free. 1 Her physical security. Her escapade brought home to me how vulnerable she can be. Even a short time in the open can be fatal to her. She grew up with Halftail to the point that she will fly and strut up to HT to chase poor HT away. Tink may not be aware that other cats are not HT and may let them get within striking range. 2. Me and my wife newfound profound dislike to premature aging. No explanation needed for this part 3. Mental anguish to all the wonderful members on the list. 4. Tink's mental well being and health in allowing to fly free. I am still convinced of the great benefits in allowing her to fly free. BUT this will only be considered only after the 1st three principles. Where did I go wrong? Again with the crystal clarity of hindsight, plenty. I have taken out Tinkerbell many times on the bike to recce that area and other areas. But as you have seen in the photos, that was done with Tink wearing the harness so that she can see around. I never had taken Tink in that carrier cage on the bike. I should have done that a few times so she get used to being taken in carrier cage on the bike. When I reached the flight area, I did the setup and immediately opened the carrier door. I should have waited 15 minutes at least to allow Tink to calm down. I should have tested Tink for nervousness with treats and 'touch target' EVEN BEFORE I opened that door. I should have just sat around there with my wife and chatted away. I should not have tried free flying her in less than 100% perfect conditions. And that 100% MUST INCLUDE perfect visibility. In mitigation, I never had expected that Tink would have flown so high and so far. The point where I free flew Tink was at least 1500 meters from clumps of buildings. I even chose that place because some trees and palms were growing about 50 meters away or so. That came from what I read of Angela accidently flying her Crimson onto her neighbour's palm tree. I thought if that occur, I can just walk conveniently to those trees and get Tink down again. There were even more trees after that I thought Tink may get on thereby allowing me to get near enough to recall her back. At one time when I was in Taipei, one of my potential semi freeflight site was going to be in an open air stadium as I thought Tinkerbell cannot fly high enough to clear those walls. What a laugh that would have been. Tinkerbell was not informed of the things she cannot do and she flew so high that my dimwitted brain marvelled at it before it dawned on me I should be very worried. She flew so much much much further than I believe was possible. My bike should have been kept running and on side stand for fast movements. Even better if I can get a hovercraft instead of a bike as padi fields are flooded marshy ground. At one time, I had to ride away from the direction of her flight to get to the next lane that turned back to her direction. PLEASE NEVER EVER ASSUME WHAT YOUR CHARGES CAN DO OR CANNOT DO ON THE BASIS OF WHAT OTHER CHARGES HAVE DONE OR WHAT YOUR CHARGE DID IN THE PAST. I am extremely fortunate to get Tink back. YOU MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. Based on her initial almost vertical climb, Tink must have been spooked badly and remained spooked to continue that climb. That slight breeze in that morning send ripples on top of the rice shoots. I cannot prove it, but I am very sure that rippling of the blades of rice might have appeared as wavy snakes. The higher she went, the more obvious the wavy motion to her and the even higher she went. I noticed that earlier on, but I thought those moving waves were so beautiful forgetting Tink may have totally different esthetic views. NEVER FORGET THE ABILITY OF GREY TO SPOOK IS LIKELY TO BE GREATER THAN THE BOND SHE HAS WITH YOU. AND YOU NEVER WILL KNOW WHAT SPOOK THEM UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. I had been very indulgent to Tinkerbell in the past. That will change now. I had resisted the wiser urgings from Melinda and Wendy Jeffries to feed Tink a bit less so she will be more receptive to treats during clicker training. You all knew that was because my first sight of Tinkerbell was in the shop with her forlornly digging away in a food dish filled with sunflower seed husks. That memory has since been firmly replaced by that nightmarish vision of Tink flying off into the haze ignoring her recalls. Yesterday, I put Tink through her paces. She was so good and obediant that I strongly suspect she knew and did them well to forestall what I will do to her. Without hesitation and never jumping her cue, she flew to tower, to wobbly ring perch, to cage, to perch and coming back to me on recall. She did all her 'touch target' and the advance 'touch target', shake hands. It was so exasperating to see her performing so well at home. For my comfort and as I am a smoker, a table has been declared off limits to Tink so she cannot go there and mess with my ciggies and ashtrays while I watch TV. Those stuff are cleared off and will be use to clicker train Tink for better obediance and to intensify the bonding. I will lock up Zorro and keep HT away so that Tink WILL do her retrieve exercises that had been stopped because she divebomb the other two and I was too lazy to clear that table. I will extend that exercise to flying retrieve and deliver to me. If Tink does not do that? Too bad, she will remain only at home or out on harness. I will incorporate a whistle for recall. The recall will later be done out of line of vision. Whistle sound carry further than voice command. The recalls will be insisted on even if, and especially if Tink misbehaved by going to out of bound areas and harrasing the other two. What if Tink does not stop and desist from those actions and fly to me? :-) too bad, that barn door will remain close to her. Tinkerbell is vocalising a lot now with many new sounds and words. Tinkerbell must tell me in no less than 100 words that she want to fly free outside and why I should let her do so. Otherwise she flies only at home and go outside wearing harness. Hmmm.... maybe that's a bit unreasonable. Perhaps I need to think this part through again. The gist of this is that Tink will not be free flown for quite some time. Her semi freeflying will be done once I located suitable building for that. Sorry folks about this late follow up. At times, work load can just drain the energy to write. Then Tink's need for reassurances meant I had to stay away from the PC as her tender nibbling while perched on my shoulder can transform into a blitz of squawks and grey feathers as she land on my keyboard attempting to pull out the keys or to bite through the mouse cable. ===== With warmest regards Shanlung Joy - wife, Tinkerbell - CAG & surrogate daughter |
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