Kya

Well, I am glad you got your money back! I have been burned by Ebay transactions in the past and just refuse to do business on there for cages anymore. It's either Amazon or I buy in person, and as much as I love Amazon, I have ordered cages that came in 3 separate shipments on 3 different dates, but at least they were as represented once I got all the parts to assemble. I am really surprised you got this resolved as quickly as you did! Good for you!

I am not above a little blackmail here and there. I buy those little diet size bags of Smart Pop (no salt, no butter) popcorn and discovered that I can get her to do just about anything with a piece of popcorn. I think that was a new treat for her and I plan to use it to my advantage. Acappella, that is not something I had considered, but you may be on to something. The rescue said it took her about 3 weeks to begin to step up for them, and even then she wasn't consistent. I have tried silently offering my arm with no command (request at this point) involved, but will try using a different phrase. I wish I knew more about her past. I am feeling better, as long as I continue my breathing treatments, which is entertaining in and of itself. I have been worried about what all of the albuterol released in the air would do to the birds, so I have been taking my grandson's choo choo train nebulizer out onto my carport to do the breathing treatments. It has flashing lights and makes a choo choo sound. I'm 56 years old so I know the neighbors truly believe I have lost my mind. We did not get to do the face to face introduction with Kya and Gracie last night - my husband sliced his thumb to the bone and spent 3 hours in the ER waiting to get it stitched up, so needless to say between the two of us and our health issues, it wasn't a great night. Hopefully, today will be the day. I can tell that Gracie is really starting to feel comfortable, she is becoming more vocal daily, and she isn't as wary when we approach her. She got really excited when my husband finally got home last night, I've been pretty much stuck here with her daily the past few days, so it's nice to see her happy to see someone after an absence. She is adjusting to our schedule, but didn't care that I wanted to sleep in a bit this morning - she was the first "woooooo" I heard. Kya and Sookie have always been content to wait for movement in the house. Gracie wants to do a head count of the flock at first light. That is okay by me, and my husband has somehow managed to sleep through it, after his ER stint last night. Or maybe it's because they are too busy stuffing their beaks with scrambled eggs and "floffles" (Kya's word for waffle) to worry about the rest of the flock!

Thanks, everyone. This morning, I heard her first word from the other room. Kya was going through his boisterous rendition of every single word he knows at full speed ahead. Gracie was at her bowl (in her cage) 5 inches from him, probably wondering if he would ever stop talking. I hear this sweet little "hello" and look to find them with their beaks pressed to the sides of their cages (still at their food bowls) looking very intently at each other. Of course, Kya set off on his rambling commentary again, and she seems content just to listen to him, but I know it was not Kya who said "hello", unless he has seriously learned a voice we've never heard from him. (He has 3 very distinct "hellos" - mine, my husbands, and the lady who was his former owner.) Tonight, when my husband is here for back up, I'm going to allow them outside the cages together for the first time. I haven't seen Gracie fly so I want both of us to be able to be right there, just in case. I really don't foresee any problems, but do not want her to fall, as her breast bone is pretty short of padding. I am enough of a worry wort that I have been placing pillows on the floor around her cage every time she is out, in case of a fall. She has all her flight and tail feathers, but everything else is pretty much down, so I am not sure how well or if she can fly, and we all know greys can be clumsy at times. I've been home from work this week some with bronchitis, so she has had lots of time outside the cage, and is getting braver and braver in her adventures, but has not come off the cage yet. I offer the step up, but she backs up, and I just stay close and talk to her. I placed some foot toys on her play stand on top of her cage yesterday, and she is slowly inching closer to them. She will also occasionally do the "grey lean" towards where I am sitting on the couch, and raise her wings as if she is preparing to fly to me, but she changes her mind. I really think it will happen soon. You see, I have pistachios and almonds...

I often wish we could have had our two as babies, I know we missed out on a lot. Kya was like an unplanned pregnancy. I'm at work minding my own business when someone came in and asked to see me at the front desk. She had to rehome him due to health issues and had heard that I had smaller birds, and didn't know where else to turn - a quick text to my husband and we picked him up that evening after work, and we have never questioned that decision one time. Gracie was like a planned pregnancy, and don't think we didn't consider a baby. They were available all around us, but we're both very involved in rescue, so the decision was made and the search was on. She is a work in progress, or maybe we are her work in progress. Either way, we can't wait to get home to them every day. Kya loses his mind when a blonde with long hair comes in - he loves them all. He will let out a wolf whistle when he sees them at the door and won't stop talking and whistling at them until they leave. He is, otherwise, more reserved with strangers, and has to be around them several times before he shows his true personality. He's kind of cantankerous, so we usually cage him when someone comes in that he doesn't know. But in general, he seems to like everyone once he gets to know them. I cannot think of anyone I don't like ever meeting him, so it would be interesting to know how he would react.

New thread in rescue forum! As Kya would say "Woohoo!"

So sorry I haven't updated sooner. I have had severe bronchitis and it's taken everything I have just to get through the day. I decided to take a day off to rest and stay on top of my breathing treatments today. And for the record, before I begin, I HATE photobucket. Baby girl is home!!! (Did I mention I hate photobucket???) The home visit went very well, as you can see. It was a beautiful day and the amazing ladies of Exotic Avian Sanctuary of Tennessee loaded up Ms. Gracie and her cage and drove up. She is absolutely adorable and precious, and I know she is going to fit in just fine here. She seems to be settling in really well. She is 19 years old, and was surrendered several weeks ago by a man who no longer wanted her. He had her for 4 years, we don't know anything about her history before that. When the rescue got her, she was terrified of everything - toys, humans, etc. They have worked with her and she's made a little progress. She is now playing with some toys, but anything new has to be added very slowly. She was fully feathered when they got her, I think the stress of the sudden rehoming into the sanctuary with so many other birds / so many changes initiated the plucking, as the former owner told the rescue that she had plucked when he first got her. I have seen pics (I have pics - did I mention I hate photobucket?) of when she first arrived at the rescue, so I know what is possible with this little lady. Regardless, it doesn't matter. She really hasn't plucked anywhere near as bad as they had prepared me for, and I know we can make her feel secure again and get her back to a good place mentally. Physically, she's in great condition. (Kya plucked his chest completely bare, and had started working on his skin, so this looks good to me.) I have not noticed her plucking once since she has been here, and take that as a good sign. Amazingly, she has a decent diet, and is very receptive to fresh foods and grains. Her pellet choice isn't my favorite, (Zupreem fruit blend) but we'll work with it! She is a bottomless pit, and will eat anything I offer her. I am hoping Kya will learn a thing or two from her diet wise. I could use some cooperation from that boy. It is going to take a lot of time and patience to bring her around. She loves to come out of her cage and play on the top of it, and will allow head scritches, but so far, she lets you know really quickly that she's not interested in that "step up" game. We're just taking it slow and letting her do her thing. The first night we had her cage on the opposite side of the room from Kya. They kept doing the grey call (Woooooo) back and forth so the second day we moved them side by side. Kya immediately turned his back on her for the whole day, just wouldn't even look at her. At feeding time, their bowls were face to face, and hunger won out so they sat eating together, and then started interacting with each other through the cages. They seem to be very receptive of each other, and chatter back and forth. I have not allowed them out of the cages together, but if things keep going in the direction they are going, we will try that this weekend. She's very vocal, and it's funny how her voice sounds so different from Kya. I can tell exactly who it is from the other room. No one knows if she talks, at the rescue there were so many birds that they said they would have never noticed unless she said something directly in their face. I have heard her mumbling something this morning, but can't make it out. Besides, it's hard for any of us to get a word in with Kya's constant narrative. She knows her name well, so that must have been something that has stuck with her throughout her life. I won't change it, even though we have massive confusion with a Chihuahua who is also named Gracie. She loves to be misted! I was beginning to think that greys preferred to be dirty, but this baby twirls on her perch like a ballerina with her wings up so you can get every spot. I'm glad, because I think that will help with feather regrowth, not to mention the dust of 2 greys!!! Gracie does seem to be more tolerant of my husband's attention at this time - larger parrots really have a thing for him, and she was a man's bird. The rescue also said she was partial to a male volunteer that helped out. But, we are not pushing her at all, and I am sure the dynamics will change as she makes herself at home and starts to have out of cage time with another grey. I can give her scritches, occasionally she will try to nip, but if I calmly put my finger on her beak and make eye contact and say "no bite" she will drop her head in invitation to see if I will do it again. And, of course, I do. My husband can give her scritches all day with no beak at all, but she still won't step up for either of us. We are able to put our arms inside the cage and she does not seem to feel threatened or lash out. All in all, (and yes, I know it's a honeymoon period) her fears are not as evident as I thought they would be, and that is promising! Thanks to all for the support through this, and again, I apologize for not updating quickly. I may be a nurse but I'm a terrible sick person / patient, and I have pretty much been in a fetal position all week long. I will try to keep this thread going with our progress, and pics if I can make friends with photobucket - it really didn't used to be that big of a pain, did it???

Ummmm, yes, those really great sour cream and cheddar chips... We are waiting for our 3rd rescue to be dropped off today - if all is well with the home visit, that is it for us. 2 African greys and a psychotic little sun conure! I've had a little bit of everything, but the greys have stolen my heart, and the sun conure is too much of a pain for anyone other than us to put up with. I have learned that less is more, when your free time is limited, and look forward to growing old with these 3.

That is my thought, danmcq. SHE SHOULD BE HERE ANY TIME!!! I FEEL LIKE I'M IN LABOR!!!

The other morning, we were getting ready to leave for work and trying to find something on tv for Kya to watch while we were gone. My husband was flipping through the channels for Kya like he does every morning - he will usually let you know what excites him and we leave it on that channel. My husband flipped past Dora the Explorer and Kya proudly yelled "Hola, amigo". My husband doesn't know much about Dora, so I had to explain that he needed to leave the channel there for him. Who wants to stand between a bird and a second language?

That is the plan! Kya wouldn't have it any other way. He is absolutely spoiled rotten and very demanding. I am worried about how his strong personality will mesh with little Gracie's shyness, but I'm hopeful that once she feels secure and comfortable, he will help her get over that somewhat. I'm actually wondering about something. She has just had a very thorough vet check by an avian certified vet. She's absolutely in perfect health, as is Kya. I would love to put her in the same room with him, but across the room. Is it necessary to quarantine with a full vet check? I just think it would be better for her to be more exposed to the household, rather than kept off by herself, especially during this transition time for her. It's just my husband and myself, we are relatively quiet - other than Kya and Sookie and all the noise they make, it's a pretty calm laid back atmosphere. What do you think?

Only 2 more days! We cannot wait to meet her. The lady who runs the rescue is absolutely amazing to deal with. She is actually driving up with Ms. Gracie on Sunday - it's a little over a 2 hour drive, and with the changes she has been through, she decided it would be best for Gracie if she travels with her. She has thoroughly checked us out, and says that if everything goes as she thinks it will, she will be leaving Gracie with us. She thinks that will be easier on her than us driving down and snatching her up and taking her home. She has had her for a few weeks so will probably be less stressed coming up with her. She has a cage, but needs a new one. We have discussed this and will keep her in her old cage until she settles in well, just to minimize her stress. She is a picky eater, much like Kya, but she does have her on pellets, which is great. In that respect, she's further along than Kya was when we got him. It sounds as if she likes much the same fresh foods that Kya does, so that is great. I am really excited for the rescue - they have found a country home that they are hoping to purchase and turn into a rescue / sanctuary, as their space is limited right now. There will be a lot of work to be done to the new place if everything goes through, and my husband and I are going to try to donate some of our time in helping to get it ready. Thanks for all the support, and I will definitely be starting a thread with her progress. In the meantime, I may have a nervous breakdown waiting for Sunday!

Cute thread so I thought I would drag it back up! I am a daddy's boy and my momma knows it. She's really only good for making excellent mashed potatoes and birdie bread, I don't know why daddy doesn't see this. I make constant demands on her every morning while she is trying to get ready for work - I heard her tell daddy that she has to get up 15 minutes early just to take care of me. I don't know why she doesn't let my daddy do it - she said something about him being "unconscious" in the mornings, and she's still trying to be my friend after a year of me trying to run her off. So, I yell "wanna apple" (may substitute floffle - aka waffle, egg, grape, toast, and occasionally pop tart) every time she goes back in the bathroom trying to get ready. I also like to trick her by saying "No bite the momma" over and over again, and telling her "Kya is a good boy". Then, once I have lulled her into a sense of false security, I will say "I love you, gimme a kiss" with a big smack at the end for extra emphasis. She falls for it every time. She says if she weren't so old she would hang jewelry from the piercings I have given her on the lip. Now, she tells me a NEW BIRD may be coming to live with us next weekend, a little scared girl that looks just like me. I hope the new girl doesn't think she can have my daddy. If she's scared, she needs to stick with my mommy...Unless she's cute...If she's cute, I might share my daddy with her. I'm sure he will be upset if I regurgitate for the new girl instead of him. This is going to be tricky.

Wonderful video! We are all anxiously awaiting summer, too, although we have had a very mild winter and are expecting temps in the 70's all week. My husband and I are screening in our carport to make an outdoor aviary for the birds, so we're very excited about that. They built it a little small for our larger vehicle, so why not turn it over to the fids!

Great pic! And that's a look all of us know too well, I think! It always makes me question what mistake I have made this time!

I will do just that! And, I admit, I have read the whole Gilbert thread over the past few months, which is part of what inspired me to do this.

I would love to video him, but unfortunately, as soon as he sees the phone / camera pointed at him, he clams up completely. He will occasionally dance for the camera, but acts like he can't say a word unless I video from the other room. He's a hot mess.

I bet it's adorable! Kya only uses his "baby" voice when my grandson is around, for the most part. Occasionally he'll spew out a jumble of words that sound like a child, and I think it shocks him so he goes back into his deepest manly voice immediately.

We have a young teen girl that walks past our house every morning to go to the bus stop. Kya is right in front of the window and lets out his loudest wolf whistle every time he sees her walk by. My husband is hoping and praying that the police don't show up on our doorstep to question him. She looks around every time. I bet she thinks I live with a dirty old man. He wolf whistles appropriately, always at females. When my daughter and daughter in law come in, that's the first thing they hear. If my old self runs through the house in a towel, I get the wolf whistle. He's lecherous.

Thanks, everyone. I am as nervous as an expectant mother. My son asked me this morning if she talked as much as Kya, and I said "I haven't asked, it doesn't matter if she talks at all." My husband hasn't asked, either. I think it's going to be very hard to determine whether she likes us immediately due to her fear of anything new - she's even terrified of toys. (Not that typical skeptical grey "Why did you put that thing that will certainly kill me at any moment in my cage" kind of terrified.) She does not adapt well to change or anything new according to the rescue. When we went to pick up Kya (first time we had ever met) he did a flip on his perch and yelled "Woo Hoo" so we weren't too worried about adapting, especially when his previous owners said he had never made a sound in front of a stranger. Of course, we have the option of fostering for 3 months before we make a decision, but let's be realistic. She's already stolen my heart and I haven't met her. I know how long it took us to get Kya (a different kind of rescue) where he is today, so I know 3 months is not enough time to get to know each other, especially with her phobias. It may be years before she adjusts, but she WILL adjust. And, I hate going into anything serious like this even considering that there is a way out. We will do our best by her, no matter what, if the adoption is approved. I will keep you all posted!

Well, we have asked ourselves the question. What is better than one magnificent bossy grey parrot? Two, of course. There are lots of babies available locally, and it was very tempting, considering Kya was 10 when he came to live with us. But, I'm a strong advocate for rescue, so how could I buy a baby if there was an adult who needed a home? It had to be a grey, we are head over heels with their personality. I contacted an in state rescue, but they would not adopt to us because we were "out of their radius". I contacted another rescue in a northern state and got the same answer. I finally found an amazing rescue about 2 1/2 hours away in Tennessee run by a wonderful lady who is willing to step outside that radius and come to do a home visit next weekend. She has paired us with a very shy 18 year old little girl named Gracie, if everything works out with the home visit, she will be ours. She's frightened of everything, bless her heart. And, she plucks. The rescue is well aware of our success with Kya, who was also a plucker, and I had told her up front that it did not matter to me as far as age and feathers go, we just wanted to give a loving home to a grey who needed one. She actually had a second one who was only 9 and much like Kya personality wise, but we agree with her thoughts 100% and have opted for shy, timid, plucking little Gracie. We are both so excited about this, and are anxiously awaiting the home visit. It really doesn't matter. She needs a home. If all goes well, we will be able to get her immediately. I am absolutely beside myself waiting to meet Ms. Gracie! We are realistic, and not expecting her and Kya to be best of friends, although we know that it does sometimes work out with greys. We will introduce them slowly and proceed from there. Just can't wait to have the opportunity to turn her life around, and I am sure she will turn our lives around, as well. Coincidentally, our Chihuahua is also named Gracie, and Kya uses her name constantly, so if everything works out, we should have tons of confusion and fun. We often call our Chi Bug instead of Gracie, so we will just have to start using her nickname, instead. I don't know her whole story, but I am sure we will find out more at the home visit. Fear is something we can work with, and we can certainly provide the security and trust that she is going to need. All I know is a gentleman surrendered her and she started plucking at that point. We're looking forward to making things right in her life again. Please keep your fingers crossed for us! Just had to share with someone who would understand.

Kya uses language all the time, but that was not the case when we first took him in a year ago. Of course, we also have the sound effects non stop, too. He isn't a loud boy, thank goodness, because our house is not large. But he certainly has a lot to say! He loves responses from us, and both my husband and myself always try to respond to everything he says. We can tell that it makes him happy that we are so attentive - he fluffs up and carries on some more. He has only recently started using language when out of the cage. For a long time, he just wanted to check everything out and snoop around the house, and would do the occasional whistle or sound effect. Now, he's worried about where our little dogs are when he's out, and taunts them by calling for them both by name. (They can't come because they are in a spare bedroom behind a locked door.) I don't know why he thinks he needs them in the room, other than the fact that he was exposed to a Sheltie and never separated from her in his previous home. Her name was Farrah, and when we first got him, he thought "Farrah" just applied to every dog. Now, he has learned both of our dogs names and frequently asks them if they need to poop. Being dogs, they then run to me and want to go outside, even if they were just out 10 minutes ago. (Thanks, Kya!) He is only 11 years old. I have heard a lot of people say their greys decrease their language usage as they age. My husband and I so enjoy interacting with Kya, I would miss it so much if he wasn't as interactive with us. It wouldn't change the way I feel about him one bit, but I love the daily banter. When we have company, he will clam up until they have been here for awhile. Oh, he will say "Hello" when they come through the door, and "What?" if they walk near his cage, but he makes sure everyone is good and settled in before doing his stand up comedian gig. If it is a stranger that he has never met (which is a rare occasion), he will not talk their entire first visit. But he never takes his eye off of them. When we first got him, he literally threw himself into a fit every time my 5 year old grandson came in the door - we were warned that he did not like children in advance. Several months ago, my grandson came in to spend the night, and Kya didn't have a melt down. Just like that, he decided it was okay. He has since decided that he needs to get down on the bottom of his cage so he is closer to where my grandson is playing. And, he talks and giggles to my grandson in a child's voice, one that we never heard until he flipped the kid switch that day. They have belching and farting contests and both their laughter fills the house. My grandson never approaches his cage, and Kya knows he has to wait until I get Cooper to bed to come out. I am so happy with the changes.

Karen, I think Kya does the "okay, bye" thing trying to get me off the phone, as well. Just as a little subliminal message...And I work as a phone triage nurse in a busy doctors office, so when I get home, I literally hate talking on the phone - most of my conversations with the outside world are by text or very brief if someone calls. My family knows my brain has stopped cooperating by the end of the work day so they don't expect much from me.

I agree with SterlingSL - nor do you need all of the keys on your remotes. And you really don't need a case on your cell phone, at least not one without beak marks. Perhaps he's trying to tell you to invest in a tablet?

My life, in a nutshell...(Said nutshell is usually "crushed" by one magnificent black beak.) As smart as they are, the one word I am certain that Kya does not - or chooses not to - understand is "Wait". I truly feel like a dim witted servant most days. Your post made me chuckle over my morning coffee as I argue with Kya because I gave him scrambled eggs and apples instead of his beloved "floffle" (waffle - he's working on it). He asked for egg, but changed his mind about the time I was dicing up the apple in it. So, as you can imagine, chunks of scrambled eggs are flying here and there, but I see him sneaking those tasty bits of apple when he thinks I am not looking. It's all about them, right?

Hmmmmm, Kya loves to drink from a cup, too - grape/cranberry juice is his favorite. I never thought about throwing some veggies in there. Now you've got me thinking. Are you using veggie juice or just adding the veggies to his regular juice?