danmcq

I hope you enjoy the write up and video: http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/12/polly-want-a-vocabulary/?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=12.05.daily%2520%281%29By

Nice job! Thanks for sharing this.

Happy Hatchday Rikki. I see ou have taken to Quill and Paper to write your birthday wishes list. Very cute and I know you'll get your wishes.

"The second I begin to get up and ask him to step up, or if I have him step up and then stand up and start to walk he will immediately fly off and refuse to allow me to approach him again. This leads me to believe this is not a fear thing, but simply a stubborn "I don't want to so I am not going to" thing. Similar to a child at bedtime or anywhere else that they are not ready to leave. Often times I am not even trying to pick him up to take him back to his cage, but to go upstairs or into another portion of the house (which he is used to) so I also don't think he is just conditioned to think that my trying to pick him up is always an indication of playtime ending." My thoughts on this from experience.... First, he has now gotten his "Wings". He has the ability now to go where and when he wishes. There is a whole new world out there to explore and he is no longer "Dependent" upon a human for transport to places they are going and he has long had the desire to go places you never have taken him to. He can go when he wants to now. He does not need to just sit and wait. Why should he? He is going to go places you consider off limits. The only thing that will stop that is placing items he is fearful of. I use toy's or items that our grey is unsure of, thus will start to go to a place or item, see what "Scary thing" I placed there and either land a distance from it and watch it or fly back to his originating point. This is one possible solution for you. Now in regards him not wanting to go when or where you do. If there is no harm in just letting him stay where he is, then do so. As long as you have place things like I described above and you know he is not going to go to a forbidden zone then he is fine. He will come to where you are if he desires or just sit and chill. Normally the times when a step up is a "must do" because you need to cage him is not often versus you just want to take him where your going. So give this some thought on how to give him the freedom of choice. As others have said, he is only two and on top of that his just gained flight abilities. That is a double whammy your going to need to just recognize as a flood of thoughts and feelings on his part. It is going to take a ton of patience, less "High Anxiety" between you and boy friend (They pick up and mirror emotions) and more trying to figure out how to let him use those new found abilities and emotion. It will be trial and error on both you and your greys parts. The more exasperated you become over this behavior, the worse the behavior will become. Kind of like the physical law of equal and opposite force being applied. Vent your frustrations here and get answers and thoughts from others here to help you through this time as you have just started to do. We are all pulling for both you and your grey for a positive outcome.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/426/609/522/immediately-end-the-killing-of-snowy-owls-at-jfk-airport/ Also, here is a news video on this: http://www.today.com/video/today/53788217/#53788217

What an interesting write up of Inara learning to count. She will indeed learn to generalize those fingers, objects etc. They are amazingly intelligent. It takes a lot of time and persistence, but they will learn the name and number of sounds as well if you teach them. Like tapping 1,2,3 to the nth depending on how high you go. Over the last several years, Dayo has learned numeric association through 10. However, his accuracy starts falling off at 8 and above right now. Especially when counting how many taps I make. The number of objects seems to be easier for them to pick up visually rather than having to keep track of how many times they heard a sound. Your doing a great job with Inara and she is enjoying the mental challenge. Most greys enjoy flexing there mental muscles when people take the time to teach them.

Yes, they can regurge when upset. My grey did that a fews times when very young and was placed in a travel cage or pak-o-bird. Just did it once in each.

LOL, good one!

LOL, you may be on to something there. My wife does tell me sometimes ..... "Your not right". Setting up outside cam's now to watch for men in white approaching.

I hope i did this right... it said to let turkey chill for a bit before i cooked him....

I hope others see this and enjoy it as well.

It's is wonderful to hear how well Gilgirl is doing on this visit. I have a feeling all the happiness and love going on there is getting Gilda caught up in the festive spirits as well. Wait a minute, you don't think anyone is slipping her some "Shine" do you? Thanks for the updates. I love reading of her advancing exponentially now. It was step, wait, step back, step forward, wait to today's mutli-step, run, hop, fly, hang upside down and do the banshee. I am loving this.

It sounds like your doing a GreYt job in getting breezy weaned. The oatmeal and other food groups your introducing is certainly going to lead to a healthy and well balanced diet for him. He sounds like a real sweetheart.

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new baby grey. I look forward to gearing more and seeing any photos or videos you may have of Breezy.

You just never know how a grey may react to even the smallest of changes. The good news is they will get used to it and act like nothing happen after a few days. That stand looks glorious!

Nice of the teaching session. Delilah seemed very interested in what your step daughter was saying.

Wow, he is going to truly taking off verbally from here on out. Thanks for the update on his new phrases and usage of them.

Oh I just love these new photos. Beaker is beautiful! Thanks for posting these.

Little nuances that makes one go "Hmmmmmmm".

Nice, thanks for sharing this!

Thanks for the photos of the sink bath. They certainly do like to find their own methods of bathing many times. It could to hear he is getting himself soaked. Daves comments on the Aloe plant are coming from an expert. I agree with him wholeheartedly.

It sounds to me like Toby is full blown in to the terrible two's at this time. Your description sounds exactly like Dayo was from about 18 months through 3 years old. He was a terror at times. Your going to have to learn to deal with it, much as you are in leaving in cage a little longer so you can get work done. You'll also figure out ways to avoid situations that will invoke a bite, at least slow them down any way. The good news is, it is a phase they go through that does end after a while. You should post and ask for help when you start feeling overwhelmed about such behavior. Many of us have been through this and will have helpful tips for specific situations.

Dayos bedtime routine. This has been going on for years. He will not even think about going in his cage for night-night time until he is positive we are in fact going to bed. I must shut the TV off. Then I will get up off the couch and start telling him it is time to go night-night. He is normally on his T-Stand chilling and he will do a wing stretch as I approach. Then we do a little beak joust using my thumb and first finger to rub his beak between them. Then I start pushing my hand under his belly while stating it's time to go night-night. He will step up and I lift him up under my chin and rest it in the cradle between his neck and back. We walk over to the cage, open the door and as I insert him next to his perch he steps off. During this time, my wife is heating up hot water in the microwave. Dayo loves hot water and expects when he is placed in his cage to go night-night. While he is pressed up against the front of the cage anxiously awaiting the hot water, I bend down and say "Daddy go night-night, Mommy go night-night and Dayo go night-night and we close our eyes (I close my eyes and bend head down) and go to sleep. He watches my eyes intently while doing this. Then I give him a kiss. When we have family down spending the night, I include all their names in this and he will turn his head and look intently at me as I list off all the names as if to say "Hey, this is different!". My wife then brings the hot water in his bowl and holds it up to him in the cage and He drinks a few big gulps, then we place the bowl in the cage door. Then we both place the cover over his cage. Once covered we peek in and tell him good night and to have sweet dreams. He is then happy as a clam and is totally silent and relaxed for a good nights sleep.

Happy Birthday Corky!!! I have no doubt you will be spoiled rotten today. Enjoy it and also demand your dad take photos and videos. We all would love to see and hear much more about you life's adventures.

T'was the night before Christmas, when all through the tree, the birdies and parrots were all filled with glee, The clutches were snuggled in their down feathered nests, while vision of flight, sent them all soaring west. Fresh millet sprays had been hung with great care, with hopes that "Old Scarlet" (Parrot St. Nick) soon would be there. The Conures and Amazons had all settled down, but those crazy cockatoos were still hopping around. When high in the tree tops, a ruckus arose, I thought I should check, just to see what goes. Peeking through branches, leaves lit by the moon, I thought I was dreaming it looked just like noon! When what to my wondering eyes should there be, but a flock of eight Grey's with Red Tails shining landing in the next tree. Gliding behind, holding reins in his beak, I spied the red bird, with a blush on his cheek. He whistled and squawked, calling each one by name, buoyed by a breeze, as closer they came. Now Talon, now Josey, now Dayo and Ana Grey, on Corky, on Misty, on Gilda and Gracie. To the top of the palms, to the top of trees tall, now fly away, fly away, fly away all! I watched as they circled the green jungle maze, and thought for a second I'd lost sight, I was in such a daze! But, soon they appeared, drawing a basket behind, which was filled with new toys of the bright, shiny kind. Back to my branch I climbed mighty quick, I'd heard of Old Scarlet, surely this was no trick! He carefully perched by an old snoring grey, while I fretted and wondered if he'd get scared away. He wasn't even distracted when the parakeet sneezed. He hung the new whirlygigs, sighed and looked pleased. Standing proud and quite stately, he filled me with trust; but I felt ashamed, his feathers were covered with cockatoo dust. He paused, just a moment, fluffed and preened in a stoop, turned around slowly, saying "At least it's not poop." Then he laughed out loud--like a real human being. I blinked my eyes twice, at what I was seeing. He picked up a peanut and tossed it my way. "Here's a small Christmas treat. Don't get spoiled, okay?" He strutted back to the basket, put a strap round each wing, chirped at his flock, who started to sing. Their tones were so perfect, they were magically dear. I was sure it was Memorex or a choir quite near. The melody lingered, for a moment or two, but I caught one last glimpse, before they flew. His eyes were so merry, twinkling with impish delight. His charming ways had brightened this long Christmas night. As upward they soared, toward the golden round moon, I heard every word, he joyfully crooned. "Merry Christmas to all, peace, joy and cheer. Be good little birdies. I'll see you next year!" Author Unknown (edited a little by danmcq)