From:  shan lung <shanlung9@y...>
Date:  Fri Apr 23, 2004  4:06 pm
Subject:  Tinkering with Tink’s tether

A couple weeks ago, I wrote that while walking down
the path to JiangHu, Tinkerbell quietly mouthed open
that fishing line clasp that connected it to the
swivel joint. I only knew of it when Joy noticed it
and told me. I quietly connected it back not wanting
to make an issue of it with Tinkerbell hoping my
nonchalant attitude may fooled her.

Blownup picture of that arrangement below

http://community.webshots.com/photo/133484151/133498323kJGoCW


Before that, she managed to get one of the two chest
loops out of that clip before a few times, but as the
other loop was still attached, I reckoned she was
still safely tethered to me.

Folks, she was not fooled one moment over that and
once again, cold reality intruded into my wishful
thinking.

She bid her time and a few days ago during my evening
walks with her to that school, she decided to amuse
herself at my expense. After clipping the tether to
her harness swivel joint in the apartment, she waited
till we got out of the apartment. She squawked to
alert me and bend her head down to pull the chest
loops up and hold with her claws. Her beak closed
around that clip and she got it out of that swivel
joint faster than I could get it on. She dropped that
clip and tether and clad only in her harness, she
turned to me and bobbed her head and body in victory
gesture.

I felt this distinct chill coming on me once more. I
quickly hooked my finger into the chest loops in case
she did a victory flight as well and decided no
further procrastinations to fixing up that. I did
write in my notes to you that ‘The harness must remain
on until you decide to take it off? Needless to say,
the tether must remain on that harness as well too.

I found a place to sit and got her off my shoulder so
I can do what I should have done yesterday. Using
other spare lines on that chest loops, I made sure she
remained secured to me.

I clipped that tether line clip back on. I knew she
would be proud of what she had done and thought she
would show me how smart she was. And so she did.

We humans had to squeeze the side of the clip to get
the space to clip it on. Not an easy task as any of
you fisherman will know.

Tinkerbell used her jaw and claw to get those clips
into range. She then delicately bite on the clip and
inserted her lower jaw between the metal just as she
was shelling sunflower seeds. The clip opened so
easily, she then tilted her head to get the swivel
loop into that opening and used her tongue to wriggle
that out. Followed by yet again more victory bobbing
of herself.

I clip that back on and she angled her head so I could
have a very good look at what she did. I swear I
sensed her gloating over me. I did not know whether to
laugh or to cry.

People have asked me to market fid harness. I just
dare not when it is still experimental and I am still
struggling to remain a step ahead of Tink.

Instead of just looping the chest loops through that
clip, I looped each loop twice again in that upper
clip. That way, she really got to work hard to get
those loops away. In addition the presence of those
additional coils of loop in the clip meant the swivel
joint will be forced to the narrow end of the clip
without any opening.

The long tether line was secured to the clip with
round turn and two half hitches. But now after
clipping it on to the swivel join and forcing the
swivel to the narrow end of the clip, I wrapped the
line around the clip a few times and inserted the line
through the clip. In effect, I braided that tether
line into the clip so the mouth of the clip will be
too jammed with line for either the line to come out
or the swivel joint worked down to that opening.

The last three evenings, Tinkerbell showed her extreme
irritation by reluctantly coming to me on her recall
cues when we go out with her harnessed. She rather
spend her time in trying to puzzle out my new
arrangements on the line.

So I guess it is working for now. But I don’t know
why I am so paranoid as to check that tether lease
connections everytime she flew to me.



With warmest regards

Shanlung
Joy - wife, Tinkerbell - CAG & surrogate daughter

From:  shan lung <shanlung9@y...>
Date:  Mon Apr 26, 2004  4:57 pm
Subject:  Re: Tinkering with Tink’s tether - travelling in car

--- In [email protected], "Roberta
Kendall" <rkendall@c...> wrote:
> I love the subject line so much that I don't want to
change it!
>
> Shanlung, I am very tempted to take Betsy out with
me in a travel pack or
> on a perch in the car (or something), but I have
been hesitant because of
> two reasons: fear of disease, and also fear of her
destroying something
> with her beak.
>
> Have you been hesitant because of the avian viruses
and illnesses that
> abound? I don't know how common they are in Taiwan
in comparison to the
> U.S.
>
> I also know people here who take their fids out for
a ride in the car, but
> I am afraid that she might tear up the seats in my
car - I have a New
> Beetle with leather seats, so that's a real concern.
I suppose I could
> get a Poco Pack.
>
> Do you (or does anyone else) have input regarding
this and how much they
> take their fids out into the public?
>
> Thanks, Roberta

Hi Roberta,

From time to time, we do rent a car to take Tinkerbell
about.

http://community.webshots.com/album/96484634gzkcIZ

In the above album, the first few photos showed
clearly the travel basket perch that we use to keep
all of us happy. Tinkerbell can enjoy the sights and
yet avoid damage to car.

Joy had the task, by positioning and repositioning the
basket, to keep Tink jaws away from where she can
inflict expensive damage. I doubt training of Tink
not to explore with her jaws will ever be possible.

Joy had a bunch of disposable chopsticks to deflect
Tink, and with a small box of sunflower seeds to
distract and deflect Tink's beak away. A selection of
her toys would join Tink for the journey for her to
chew on. We carry also her travel cage just in case
but so far, we did not have to use that yet.

If you do not have anyone to look after your fid when
you are driving in a car, even if she is in a travel
cage, you must assume the worse and be prepared for
some damage. Perhaps that can be minimised by placing
that travel cage in a big box or make use of bulky
magazines to make sure their beaks cannot reach any
expensive part of the car but I really do not know.

There is also the risk of diseases.

For some time, I dared not take Tink out because of
the avian flu here. I guess in USA, the WNV must be
considered too.

I avoid all places with chickens and have taken big
detours to stay away from chicken/duck farms.

I am afraid there cannot be simple answers. Quality
of life and enjoyment of life as against the risks
that are involved must always be considered.

We have to make our decisions and live by it.






=====
With warmest regards

Shanlung
Joy - wife, Tinkerbell - CAG & surrogate daughter