Inara

Nancy, that is really paying it forward. I will keep my eyes and ears open. Consider yourself hugged

Kortney, I have nothing to add to the wisdom stated in the above posts, except for my heartfelt best wishes for a full recovery for your little Phoenix. Certainly, this is a worrisome if not frightening time for you, and Inara and I are sending as much positive energy as possible through the air waves and if we could send hugs and beaks we would!

I also agree on the sixth-sense hypothesis Joe gets up at about 6 and heads to the lower level to work out. Inara stays snoozing, or quiet until Joe finishes and lets the dog out, or until she hears me stir at about 7:05ish -- whichever comes first. It does amaze me how she can hear me sit upright in bed. The bed does not squeak, and there is carpet on the floor and our bedroom is catty-corner in the house to where her home is. I'm still at the thrilled to spend every moment I can with her, so no tiptoeing around here yet ---- ask me again in 10 years :D

Both of my first birds came to me unclipped and plucked nearly to death (seriously!!). An Amazon, and a CAG. After my 'zon's feathers finally came back in, I had my vet (who was a falconer) clip him because I lived in a huge old Victorian home with lots of high ceilings and antique woodwork, and I rented. Elliot, did not have a cage, he had a huge natural branch that I had made into a perch by drilling a circular hole into an old coffee table, because he was terrified of cages. He was clipped where he could still fly easily to the ground, or in a horizontal line. As traumatized, terrified, bald, screechy and threatening as he was when he first came to live with me, he developed into a very loving, relaxed, secure, and healthy companion who never again plucked. Lestat, my CAG was in the same shape that Elliot was when I got him. I did not have the vet clip him as I lived in a different home, and he was not interested in flying anywhere but to the ground. Because I had both a cat and a sighthound, his cage door was shut when he was in it. He too, developed into a well adjusted, healthy, fully feathered non-plucking bird. Even though my current home (which I own) has 14 ft ceilings, and in one portion has a bank of windows that spans two complete stories, I have opted not to have Inara's wings clipped. I don't have ceiling fans, and when she is out and about on her mobile perch, I shut the solar shades down just to be on the safe side because if she ever hit one of those windows she could fall over an entire story. She currently will flutter to the ground if she is perched on me and something startles her (like my dog baying, or other unexpected loud noise). She shows no real interest in flying, but will do the super flap wings on her perch and has room to do so in her cage for exercise when she is on her lower perches. If there ever comes a time when I believe that free flight would put Inara in major danger, I will re-evaluate after ensuring that all other avenues have been exhausted. I close her cage door when she is in it, because I have a sighthound, and it would be unfair to either Inara or to Dezi to ever leave an opportunity for tragedy. When Inara is out on her mobile perch, I am always supervising both her and Dez. If I have to be pre-occupied, Dezi goes into her crate, or Inara goes back to her home. They are both doing really well with one another, however, instincts are instincts and it can only take a few seconds no matter how mellow Dezi is. Inara is very well adjusted and her Avian Vet with whom we had our first visit Saturday, remarked at how relaxed and healthy she is. If clipping is just to make life more convenient, I'm not an advocate. I feel, however, that it is never my place to judge someone else in what/how they feel ensures their own companion's safety. There are several counter-arguments for either side, and different circumstances can require different approaches. To me, what is most important is that with so many birds being warehoused in rescue facilities, that secure, loving, patient, homes are the priority. If it boils down to a clip or a bird being passed along to yet another home or rescue facility, then to me it's the lesser of the issue. Most parrots in rescue have been passed through an average of about 8+ homes before being warehoused. Is flighted ideal? Yes. Does life always provide for it? Sometimes not.

Nancy, "rom" is darling! I love it! Chezron, your Brutus is gorgeous!

Inara calls me "Woo" in several different tones of voice from lovey dovey to demanding when she wants "up up!" She calls Joe, "Joe" and will send out a few calls during the day when he is at work. When he is home and he is in his chair reading, and I have put her into her cage (in her mind) prematurely, she will call, "Joe -- Johh-ohhh. Up Up" She calls Dezi (our dog), "Dezi." She says her own name clearly, but just yesterday when I asked her, "What's *your* name?" she immediately replied, "Teeko girl." Teeko is how she says, "tickle," and was one of her new words of the day a few days ago. I about died laughing! Silly girl, is more like it!

Wonderful videos! How wonderful for you both

I started Inara on it first thing. She loves it. I keep the jar in the fridge, and just take a small bit out and either it add it to her warmed mash -- it melts in, or she even likes to nibble on it from a (demitasse) spoon once the initial chill is off. I also will drizzle a bit on her dry food.

Thank you, Mods, for making this a sticky, and thanks, Dave, for writing it all down! This is a post to keep bookmarked for sure, to email or Facebook message to friends and others who have that initial "bird lust" after meeting one of our fids or after having seen one on TV, etc.

Loved this thread! Don't even get me started on Comcast..... LOL Cable/phone companies are just the worst all the way around. We've been very careful not to swear in front of Inara. (I always say I was reared by wolves: my three older brothers) so at times I have been known to swear like a very unladylike sailor. However, in my dotage now, I rarely do and neither does my husband, although we do use the Battlestar Gallactica version of the F-bomb: Frak!! Last week, though, Inara was on her play perch near our supper table, and Joe was getting most of my attention when Inara was enjoying her "carrot talk "time. She looked Joe directly in the eye and said, "You ass!" I thought I was going to die laughing. Joe, however did not find it as funny. I have a fantastic husband and have honestly never had the occasion to call him an ass. This did, give us a glimpse into Inara's first household, though. Automated phone menus push me to the brink of frustration, and I so feel your pain!!! There used to be a website with a name like "talk to a human" or something like that, that gave hundreds of direct line phone numbers for large companies. I need to refind that and post it - all in the name of "swearing" prevention in parrots, hahahah!

OMLGG (oh my lady gaga!!) this just made my day! hahahah -- Dayo is quite the charmer. I enjoyed every minute of watching!

Congratulations, welcome, and you've left me anxious for more!

Your intro and ensuing posts have left me smiling! Can't wait to see more photos and to hear more about your adventures with your flock! Welcome!

Just tuned in and am relieved for Talon, and just bless little Piper's heart. Here's wishing Piper a good recovery, and future soft landings when taking a tumble. <3

What a gorgeous CAG Pepper is! Love his rope perch, by the way. In my experience (as others have mentioned also) our companions have rhythms and have days and times when they don't feel like socializing up close and personal, but do enjoy just being near us. Sleep really is very important as has been discussed. A possible solution may be to leave his primary cage where it is, and to get him a smaller sleep cage to put into your office for his sleep hours. Make it cozy with coop cups that have water and dry food so that if he feels the need for a nibble or drink before sleep he can indulge. My own gal, HRH Inara, is ready for sleep no later than 7:15, and a bit earlier now that the days are getting shorter. Even though my husband gets up at about 6-ish, Inara waits until about 7 before stirring. She also, as my husband has noticed, doesn't stir until she hears me get up. Sounds like Pepper is spot on for a happy, healthy, and well loved guy! Looking forward to getting to know you both better, Inara's Human

All you need is love! OK, well maybe in the shape(s) of a new chewing/preening cage toy. Since her arrival, Inara has been completely uninterested in any of the toys that arrived with her, despite my having swapped them in and out, rearranged, and rebuilt, etc, other than one small one that I remade that she likes to toss back and forth with me. She has, however, been very happy and content, so I was not too concerned about her lack of enthusiasm. Well, Katie bar the door, because as of yesterday morning one would have thought that I had brought Her Royal Highness the crown jewels. I had ordered a colorful blocks and knots toy that I thought would be perfect for chewing and preening-type activity and upon showing it to her, she began a super happy dance complete with a lot of cooing. Her excitement was so evident, and quite charming to say the least. After I let her beak the toy several times, and was hanging it up in her cage, she began to happily hop along her top perch and then in her excitement became so completely lovey-dovey with me that she danced over to me, said "thank you teeko keeo (tickle tickle)" then regurged a little drop. I let her know that her thanks were much appreciated, albeit a bit over the top. It was just so fun to see her so jazzed. Afterward she had her morning misting (she now *loves* this! I spray the mist down through the top of her cage, and she fluffs and shakes and bows and dances the whole time) she sat contentedly preening. We also have a new game, "Hang on! Swing swing!" I took one of the old cotton rope toys that arrived with her, and sanitized it. I keep it on the couch near me and now for a few minutes during our usual hang-out-together times, Inara will grab it and I'll say "Hang on!" and then I gently swing her on it back and forth and around in circles then she goes upside down. She will now let me move it with her in the upside down position, onto my lap on her back with her feet hanging onto the rope. This lasts about 10 seconds, and then I gently pick the rope back up and then manipulate it so that she can step down onto the couch. She loves it. She is intentionally initiating training words now during our evening and morning training sessions. Last night's word of the day that she chose herself was "thank you." This morning's was her version of "grape" which currently sounds like "gwwwrp." She was saying it last night when I was giving her little bits (while telling her it was a grape), and then said it this morning when she saw the grapes in the fridge while perched on my shoulder. As I would give her pieces this morning, she would say "gwwrp," and act very pleased with herself, as I assured her that she is indeed brilliant. This last week her newest words are "thank you" "tickle tickle" "happy girl" "want some corn" "roll" (for flock and roll) "boo" (for peek a boo -- she pokes her head around and under her play perch), "wanna go out" (we ask our dog this), and "gwwrp" for grape. Her vocab is growing at light speed, and she recognizes, "coffee," "carrot," "gwwrp," "Joe," "Dezi," "Woooo," "coffee seed" (sunflower seed --she got these for rewards when learning "coffee") and applies them to the correct objects. Her basic vocab of clear, recognizable words is at about 38-40 and she combines some of them into phrases. Prior to Inara coming to live with us (and from past experience of 20+ years of having lived with an Amazon and a CAG), I put the microwave beeps on mute. Too late. She had already learned them at her old residence. However, the very cool thing that speaks to her cognitive abilities, is that when she hears the door to our microwave open (even if she cannot see it) she begins a microwave beep sequence, thus providing sound effects for me! More interesting is that in the late afternoon, when she figures that it is supper time (likely due to the waning sunshine level) if I am not in close proximity, Inara will say, "It's Joe!" and then proceed to do the microwave beeps. She has figured out that when Joe comes home, I warm her mash in the (beepless) microwave and we all have supper. So I go get her, and we have some language training time while we wait for Joe. We now also give each other "High 4's" when she says something particularly new or clearly. She's completely weaned off of her old diet, and welcomes most new foods. I usually introduce a new vegetable or fruit after she has had about a 3 day run of loving some type of food. This, to some degree simulates a natural behavior where parrots will seek out fruits in season, and eat them for a few days before moving on to the next thing. I make sure that she sees me eating whatever it is (and she won't be faked out) so that she knows it is safe to eat. She continues to thrive, and is a very affectionate little gal. I work every day with handling her toes, feet, wing edges, and upper chest, and little cheeks. She is now comfortable with towels, and with going in and out of her new travel cage (acrylic). I've successfully handed her off to two people who were strangers to her and she did quite well. All of this has been in preparation for a visit to her new avian vet tomorrow morning. Inara calls me to her cage when she wants to socialize, by calling "Woooo, Woooo, up up." She still calls me "Woooo" and says it in a myriad of ways from demanding to lovey dovey. The other morning as I walked toward her cage she said, "Woooo loves Inara." I say that to her when I put her to bed at night. This morning, Joe was busy and was getting ready to rush off to work, and when Inara heard the bells on the door (our dog rings them to go out) she called, "Joe, Johhh-oh," luring Joe back to pick her up and say good morning before he went to work. Oh, the new toy? She likes brushing up against it, but shows no interest in playing with it (or her other cage toys) even though she was so thrilled when I brought it in. Perhaps she views it as simply something colorful to feather her next. Perhaps it is because she gets a lot of interaction during the day when she wants to socialize, and she also has a fantastic view of the little woods and the wildlife outside of our home. She appears content just to forage around, come out to play and have language sessions, hang out with Joe to "read the news" in the evening, talk to herself during her private "closet practices," and just kick back the rest of the time. I feel so deeply moved and honored with the depth of our bond, and am in awe that I get to spend what I hope is the rest of my life with this remarkable girl. Teeko-teekos for all! Inara's human

How cool is that??!! Your little Tequila is a love. Very exciting!!

sweet fid vid!! Loved it !

What is that old saying? "Live your life in such a way that you would be unafraid to give your parrot to the town gossip." or something like that, hahaha! We've wondered a bit about Inara's former people as she has clearly said F#$% You! and "You @ss!!" This has only been a few times, and since we've been working on "Thank you," I'm hoping that the first will extinguish eventually. The, "You Ass!" actually I think is a bit funny, and am considering trying to teach her to insert the word 'horse's' between 'the' and 'ass.' However, I only consider it, as what is funny once or twice is not so funny over the course of a lifetime with a feathered fowl-mouthed friend. LOLz You've gotten some great advice, and if there is an upnote, at least you're assured that your bird is a talker. You can always make up a story that it was a bosun's mate on a submarine.....

awww...now that's some scritch-love there!!!

Thank you, luvparrots. We are so lucky to have found her, too. A good fit all the way around, and one that at this time in my life was done with a checklist, as I we went looking for/at birds. Although, the element of surprise was/is that she is a Timneh rather than a Congo, which was who I was originally searching for. As I've come to learn, those TAGs.... they'll getcha every time :D Hahaha, Dan. She is a very brave and relaxed girl for sure. Mr. Pumpkin Man has been known to strike fear in the hearts of some adults with that semi creepy smile of his! Indeed, Misty's human, are you saying that candy is dandy but wicker is quicker? (OK sorry, I'm a punster from way back, and at times can't help myself!). I do have to say that so far, she is not the least bit interested in the pair of chairs, however, there can always come a time.....and yes, she could make short work of them! :) Awww. Thanks, Timbersmom. I love reading your posts, and am so enjoying the opportunity to get to know you better. Am just so sorry, katana600, that you lost your little baby Congo. That had to be such a huge heartbreak, and I'm sure his little beak left an indelible imprint upon your heart. Yes, your Gilbert is a challenge, but from what I continue to read as I catch up on history, is so fortunate to have found you. My LeStat really strengthened my approach toward life back in those days. I believe in the zen saying, "When the student is ready the teacher shall appear." I view(ed) LeStat as my teacher, and he taught me some very practical and somewhat mystical lessons along our looong journey together. One was definitely, "Pulling at the shoots won't make the grass grow faster, Grasshoopper." I can laugh now when I read that!

What a lovely and exciting moment! Escher has a lifetime to continue his chats with you, and I have no doubt that he will continue. Inara loves to practice by herself in her cage, and the first time she ever said anything directly to me outside of her cage, I was just tickled grey! I celebrate with you in your excitement. It's fun to listen to our companions when we are out of sight. Sometimes I feel if anyone ever had a hidden camera that I'd be considered a closet talker myself as I repeat what Inara says, only I'm in a different room! Do you repeat things back to Escher when he is closet talking too? Please tell me you do, so that I''m not alone in my 'talking to the walls.' LOL It's such a treat to read about Escher and your adventures together.

For 7 month update click here For 1 month update, click here. For 2.5 months update, click here. First update is below: Stardate: 4113,2 Inara trying to decide what, exactly this guy is all about. Inara must have bit of Ferengi DNA, she loves cool shoes and drives a tough bargain. Her feathers are a bit amiss, because she had recently finished a morning shower. I thought that a flight log would be a good way to give periodic updates on HRH Inara. Tomorrow will mark three full weeks since her arrival. Inara has done so well, and it's as if she never looked back. In the past three weeks, she has settled in, been successfully weaned off of southern comfort food and onto a more healthy parrot appropriate diet, and will now 'work for carrot shreds.' Her vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds. She absolutely associates "Joe" with Joe, "Dezi" with Dezi, and "Woooo" with me. When she hears the garage door open in the evening, she says, "It's Joe-oh." She does this sweet little chant, "doop-doop Dezi doop doop, good girl." When Dezi is near her cage and I'm out of sight, Inara will say, "Go lie down." or "Dezi down." She will go to Joe easily, but does want to (too firmly) beak his cheek and/or mustache/beard. So to curb that, Joe began to slip the 'fist of iron' in between her beak and his face and she has stopped the behavior. It was not grooming behavior (also his beard is really kept very short) nor was it aggressive behavior, but it was more pressure than just exploring, so was/is unwanted. We have her on a good daily rhythm with lots of quiet time as well as interactive time. She has not shown much interest in her cage toys, even when rotated. Interestingly, neither did my first CAG. I don't know if it is something about the rhythm/vibe in my home or what. She is very content, and a very happy girl, so no boredom issue there. My first CAG was a much older wild caught, neglected and abused rescue (see my intro post) who came to me completely plucked except his head and a few other places he couldn't reach. He purportedly did not talk. After a lot of time and lots of patience, he became a beautifully feathered, calm, and chatty guy. But again, was not interested in cage toys plain nor fancy. Each bird is different, just interesting to me that neither of mine seem(ed) interested. Inara does like to play a little 'one on one' game that she invented a few evenings ago, though. She likes to hang out on the couch next to me in the evenings after she has 'read the news' with Joe. She forages for tidbits among a couple of toys that I remade for her. One of them is just a ring of coconut shell with some wooden beads on twine that is tied in a circle. She likes to pick it up and toss it toward me, then I toss it back toward her, wash - rinse- repeat. When she's done playing, she tosses it off of the couch onto the floor and then wants to just perch on my knee for a bit before bed time. Eventually we'll move on toward more interesting games, but she has a lifetime to be exposed to more challenging activities. At some point soon, I'll update with a current vocabulary list. She and I have begun working on a targeted new word per week. Last week was "coffee" and I can now say, "Inara, what do smart girls drink?" and she will reply, "Coffee," or "drink coffee." This week's word is "carrot." The other day, I saw a light bulb go off, and she now knows and appears to really enjoy our twice daily language sessions. She likes to perch on a lower side bar of her mobile play perch, and she will start the session herself with "coffee." Then she moves on to other words. "Carrot" began as 'graat' and now is a fine, clear 'carrot.' Natch, I don't give her coffee, but "carrot" does get her carrot shreds, and other words get her small apple bites or small bits of nutriberry popcorn. As much as possible, as we move along, I would like words to be identifiers of the object to which they are related. Inara now says "Up" when she wants to come out of her cage. She will say "more" in the late afternoons if she only has "untouchables" left in her coop cup in her cage. She distinctly dislikes banana in any shape or form (dried, mashed, pieces, etc). She enjoys looking out the windows (we live in the mountains so lots of pine and aspen) and doesn't seem disturbed when seeing the ravens, jays, and magpies fly by. She truly is my midlife karma bonus. When time permits, I'll post in the rescue/rehome thread about the vast difference in experiences between my rescue birds of the 70s wild caught era and the experience with rehoming Inara who was a well loved and well socialized, hand raised fid. Both types of experiences are rewarding and wonderful, in their own distinct ways. Candy corn, and tricks and treats for all, Inara's Human

I have to agree with Katana600, what a sweet face your Nala has! Great to hear the positive update