Nychsa

LOL Kat - Jiggy just has a Napoleon's complex! He really is a handsome boy and seems to always have this mischievious grin on his face!

LOL Dave, hmmm, I don't know re: the roost ruling thing - you'll have to convince this guy of that! Dave - meet Jiggy! As far as he's concerned, he rules anything he sees! <br><br>Post edited by: Nychsa, at: 2007/12/18 04:00

Hi Dan! I think it will be interesting to track. Before getting Bella, I had no idea how many people are afraid of birds, including my partner! I don't think he knew he was this jumpy around birds before we started living wiht the birds as he's quite confident and good with other animals. We're going to start by changing the greeting order when he comes to the house - dogs first (they just ambush him at the door, so that's always going to be the first round of greetings) - birds next - me next (and restrained in front of the birds LOL). I think since Bella's favorite meal is breakfast, I'll prepare it, but I'll have him actually give it to her. If you call her and say 'breakfast' she comes running, so if she hears him doing that - she may connect differently with him. I think he needs to table his contact with Jiggy and focus on Bella - Jiggy is just a little devil and will torment him as best he can. We can work with Jiggy later! I'll also make sure that all of Bella's treats come from my parnter as well. Eventually if he does it often enough, he'll forget about her beak and learn to read her body language. We'll see how this goes! Baby steps - baby steps! I'm lucky that my partner is the kind of person who believes that all relationships take work, and patience. He is willing ot take it slow - and that's a good thing! Cheers! Terri

birdmom wrote: Hi there Joanne, Thank you for the welcome and XO right backatcha! I should have gone back and re-read your edited post before I posted my last message! So there is a kind of heirarchy. Is there some cues as to who is ruling the roost? I'm quite familiar with canine behavior - the raised tails, the looks, the posturing etc.. But I'm not sure I see who is in charge between Jiggy and Bella (or is anyone in charge between them???) And is there a specific body language when they view someone as being lower on the pecking order? It seems they toy with my partner, particularly Jiggy. This is all SO interesting! Re: Ziggy's response - well, it's too bad it escalated - I can appreciate being affected by so many animals in dispair being brought to one. But not all new bird families are that irresponsible, and miss directed passions turn the "good families" away as well as the bad ones. That is my main concern - there can never be enough rescue organizations out there for all of the animals in need. That's why it is so important to cultivate, grow and integrate those families that would provide good homes. And I've just seen too many good people be put through hell by viriliant rescue organizations, and have watched how animals are denied a new home because of it. Birds have been a part of our discussion for the past two years, and that discussion wasn't just between my partner and I, it was also with my children, who are grown and could potentially inherit the birds if I pass before the birds do. I'm quite lucky in that my daughter and her husband have a very good relationship with my birds - which is very interesting because they don't see them as much as my partner does! But my daughter is very confident with the birds, and she has this quiet love and patience for them. She enjoys being with them. My son-in-law has that same quiet confidence. In fact, he is the only other person who has ever had Bella on his shoulder! Now granted, Bella was very skeptical and she went from his shoulder all the way down his arm, but hey! She didn't growl once! So, this has been a long and thoughtful process and we have no itention of "getting rid" of the birds because my partner is having some initial bumps in the road. He is the kind of person that believes that once you take that step and invite a living being into your home, that animal is now a part of the family. I think that is why I reacted the way I did to Ziggy's post - because I know my partner's heart, and the thought that he would ever do that to an animal is unthinkable and it hurt that someone would say "he needs to accept that is THEIR house" - he knows that, he advocates for it. Not all people who can't connect with birds would do that to a bird. But - we will work through the issues - I have an entire thread of ideas now - changing the greeting order when he comes home, get him to give them treats continously, get him to sit closer to them etc.... Cheers! Terri

Hi Nerf, Both Bella and Jiggy's wings are clipped. They can fly short distances. I think that's why Jiggy looks to jump on someone's back for a ride! He does sit next to their cages and talks to them - a lot! But, they can tell they have the upper hand. I'm wondering if there are tiered memberships of the flock - you know, like wolf packs have an alpha couple and then beta wolves etc.. A "pecking order" of sorts! I mean that term came from somewhere no? I wonder if he eventually could become a part of the pack but that they end up ranking him? I think he could be fine with that - he prefers I handle the birds

Well Joe, I'm sorry you take offense to my dislike of your son's approach towards me. I wish you and yours luck with your rescue efforts.

While I'm certainly no parrot expert, what you describe certainly does sound hormonal! Sounds like me during certain times! I think if it were me, I would be looking to a vet for a second opinion.

Hmmm Dan - "O'Dark thirty" , "chain of command" - those all seem like terms I used when I was a member of Uncle Sam's Canoe club! Were you a member as well??

LOL yes Birdmom, I think I'm 'owned' by the critters that live here. I thought about that this morning - I got some tea before I fed everyone else and I felt guilty! LOL! I mean the birds have a foraging environment and they happily forage until I have breakfast ready, and my male hound doesn't get up until 9 am anyway, but my girlie hound is hungry and waiting - I'm always the last one to get anything LOL!

Oh - I selected 'show picture' and then did a refresh and the image turned up. What a cutie!!!! No wonder you love him and put up with his nip - I would too LOL!

Hmm, I can't seem to view the picture I tried to right click and select 'show picture', but it still won't show.

Oh my Laurie I'm going to remember that! I think if I saw Bella fall on her back I would completely over react and give her every reason in the world to do it again and again!

Dan, I'm going to suggest that is what we should do re: the order of greeting - you know, having sight hounds, you'd think understanding that birds are visually oriented as well would come easy to me, but it is not that intuitive for me! Do you have pictures of Jake as well? I've never seen a peached fronted Conure before. Jiggy is a Dusky headed conure. Cheers! Terri

Hi there Birdmom! I think I'm guilty - I think the birds and the dogs get all the attention! LOL! Now that's an idea - have him come say 'hi' to the birds when he comes in for the first time. When he comes the dogs nab him first and that is usually a big to-do. He then gets around to me, and then he says 'hi' to the birds. So, maybe he needs to do dogs first, birds and then me LOL! I think you might be on to something - that the birds might be jealous of him as they don't see him as part of the flock. When I took Jiggy for his vet visit, he was sitting on my shoulder and when the vet reached for him, Jiggy went ballistic. I thought Jiggy just didn't want to be touched, but the Vet said Jiggy was protecting me! But you're right - this is going to take a while. And you know something - it might stay as it is - he may never hold them! Cheers! Terri

Any time someone goes on a rant that they have all this experience and they are going to show someone else up yadi yadi yadi - that is an ego trip. Period. I am a new bird person - SO WHAT. I am here to get advice - isn't that a good thing? Does that mean I have to tolerate being talked to as if I were some imbicile? NO! Of course you will have more experience with birds then I do - SO WHAT? I came here to meet people who have experience - that's the point!!! Ok - here, let me do this for you: "wow Ziggy you have all this experience - you are THE MAN!!" You are definately bigger then my conure, I'll give you that!" Better? All good? Did you "close the door for me" now???

Ziggy if you don't want to turn people off then I would recommend not being so condenscending and potificating. Don't asssume you know anything about how my partner is interacting here, don't assume you know anything about me. If you think it's ok to act like that towards people, then the good in your message will be lost.

Well, Ziggy - I wasn't going to jump to conclusions about what kind of person you are, but apparently all these rescue efforts do seem to have a good deal to do with you and your ego - when ever someone goes off on a tangent about how much they've done etc.. and how much more they've done then anyone else, that tells me it is an ego trip. I just hope you aren't turning families away who would adopt greyhounds with your attitude. I know if I were a family looking to adopt a hound and you were approaching me like that I'd run for the hills too. Just remember every time you turn a family off, you kill another dog. I have nothing else to say to you Ziggy. I've made my decision about who you are.

Yes, we're going to be getting a better video cam here soon (maybe for Xmas??) My partner wants to video me doing the "Tuditat" with the birds LOL. Bella bobs her head doing the Tuditat, but Jiggy gets down! And of course we want to film Jiggy on Doc (my male hound). I took Jiggy to Florida with me to visit my daughter (before we had Bella) and her family and they have a beagle - a lovely, rolly, polly beagle. And that poor critter was in the living room when my grand daughter taught Jiggy how to do the Tuditat, as five year olds go, my grand daughter had enough after a while and walked away and Jiggy thought - "no, hey, wait, I'm not done!" and he tried to fly after her, but since his wings were trimmed he had to find a ride, so he landed on the sleeping beagle thinking that was the ride! That poor beagle - all four paws in the air at once yelping as if the devil himself were after her! Jiggy went flying off her back and landed with a thud as she raced away as fast as possible. He stomped up, shaking himself off, and then strutted back to his travel cage. Unbelievable those little conures!

Oh my goodness Dan, Jake sounds like a character! Why do you think he wants to get Dayo's attention like that? Does he posture when he's trying to show everyone how big he is? When my son-in-law was here (he's 6'4) Jiggy was apparently SO impressed with his height, Jiggy was constanlty posturing, making himself "tall" snaking his head around every time he saw my son-in-law. Jiggy follows Bella around- that is except in the morning. Bella is a morning bird and Jiggy doesn't get with the program until around 10 am. She likes to dance around, run through all her words and sounds, and best of all, chase Jiggy first thing in the morning. He prefers to wake up a little more slowly. So, I've had to keep his cage closed in the morning to let him have his peace!

Hi there Dan! Wow!!!!! Now that is a feisty conure you've got there!!! No, Jiggy isn't like that - he does have a personality bigger then life and he is the life of any party I have here at the house. He dances (we call it the "Jiggy Dance"), he dances dangling from one talon upside down, when he gives me kisses it is SO LOUD! He thinks the Greyhounds are his personal carriers, dive bombing them and riding them around. My male lets him, in fact, he waits for Jiggy to adjust himself, but my female runs - and guess what, friggin Jiggy hangs on as long as he can! What is up with these conures LOL! they are somthing else! But as far as my poor partner goes - yes, I think at least for now the status quo will be that he will dodge Jiggy, and will give them treats and runs. It's funny though that he's always looking out the Jiggy gets his fair share of things. Bella tends to monopolize my bowl, glass or plate when I'm eating and my partner always says "hey, don't forget the little guy!" - how could I!!!<br><br>Post edited by: Nychsa, at: 2007/12/16 22:50

OH MY Judy! LOL That is a hoot!!! I think the Conure Grey relationship is a riot. Jiggy is really lucky that Bella is so good natured. If she had a bad attitude he'd be missing all his tail feathers by now! They both snuggle in my shawl in the evening, but lately Jiggy has been trying to snuggle up to Bella while she is in her little pouch she makes herself out of my shawl. She really gets upset when he invades her space like that. Does your conure try to snuggle with Josey?

Oh Spooky that is a great idea! I have flax seeds here - I'm going to see if Bella will try those with some of the rice ice cream she LOVES (with mango and coconuts)

Hi there Talon! Since I'm lactose intolerant, I use Lactose free milk, and that seems to sit well with Bella. I also use soy ice cream, and many other soy, rice or lactose free products. Lactose free milk doesn't really taste that much different then regular milk.

Oy Bella likes oranges alright - she was sitting on my shoulder while we were both watching TV and I was eating one - she usually helps herself to what ever I'm eating LOL. She snagged herself a nice big piece, munched away and then shook her head causes pieces to fly into my face. What a mess LOL!

Bella seems to like the color red - on her telephone she seems to enjoy pushing the red button quit often and she snuggles into my red shawl when I wear it in the evening and we're snuggling together ( in fact she makes herself a little pouch that she rests in so she can put her head right under my chin). But she does hate this one sweater I have - it's beige and white, but it's bulky. Maybe I look like some kind of wierd bird when I wear it!