Nychsa

Bella goes nuts over chicken bones! We usually get Peruvian Chicken and she can smell it when I get home I bet! She starts going crazy, dancing around, jabbering away, saying "LOOK LOOK LOOK!!!" Then when I give it to her she tears it out of my hand and runs off growling! She grinds the bones down to a fine meal which the dogs lap up, then she dips her beak into the bone and pulls out the marrow.

Greetings everyone! It's been a long time since I've bene able to log on and chat - moves and new contracts etc.. But hopefully things will settle down now. I love threads like these - it's so fun reading all the crazy things our kids do :laugh: Bella has a comment about everything these days, and since she's flighted now, she's into everything too! Since she still can't pronounce things correctly, her baby talk is really hilarious. She tells Jiggy to shut up now and it comes out "Zjiggy sut up!" And then of course she proceeds to jabber. She answers the phone now - makes the phone sound perfectly and then says "hello?" - threw my partner for a loop - he thought I was on the phone :laugh: I've had to make her a toy box with all her stuff in it that we have to take every where because if we don't, she's into all my stuff :angry: Dan - she's picked up something your little guy was doing - she sits on the back of the couch and drops herself into my lap, kicks around in the air, laughs and scrambles to the back of the couch to do it all over again :huh: Now that she's 18 months old, I've found I have to keep her quite busy with puzzles and things to cypher out. If I don't ,she's in the coffee pots, the spice rack, dog food, lipstick, garbage cans, computer keyboards etc.... you get the picture :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

One of the Buddhist teachers I study under started an exotic bird sanctuary. Then I found out that my Buddhist teacher actually had his beloved Cackatoos that he treasured so much in India, so for his birthday I got him a little cockatial. That's when I had my first encounter with birds. As the sanctuary started to send out information on Parrots, I felt this tug on my heart strings every time I looked at the birds. I found myself starting to look for parrots. Then one day my two greyhounds and I were at Petco getting dog food and Jiggy, my conure, was in his cage doing everything in the world to get my attention. I asked a Petco employee to let me see him. She seemed a bit aprehensive, but opened the cage none the less. Jiggy jumped right on to my finger and started to coo and nibble on me. The Petco employee told me that she was amazed because he was normally very agressive and a biter. Well, obviously he needed to come home with us, so.. that was it.. Jiggy moved in.. Originally I wanted to get an Amazon to join us. After researching various breeders I finally went to visit and see which bird I would connect with. Well, the Amazons wanted nothing to do with me. But the little greys were all over me! Well, ultimately Bella emerged as our new family member and the rest is history! If I had my druthers, I would have a very large outdoor aviary and I would add a McCaw and an Amazon

LindaMary wrote: LOL She sure is trying to tell them something!

I too tell people right from the jump not to approach the birds - in fact I make sure they don't go towards the bird cages as both Jiggy and Bella are very protective of their cages. I do leave the cage doors open when people come over so the birds come out on their own. We had a house party, and I decided to let the birds stay in the great room rather than hide them away. As my guests interacted with me, the birds became curious and came out of their cages to sit on their cage doors. They both love being the center of attention, so, Jiggy started doing his "Jiggy Dance" which of course thrilled people. So, they started talking to him, and bob up and down with him. Bella couldn't stand that he was getting all the attention so she started chatting and the people were thrilled by her christal clear voice and vocabulary and started talking back to her. That of course infuriated Jiggy, so at this point he picked a guest to investigate a bit further (usually a woman - never seen him go to a man!) and he landed on her shoulder and tried to find her bra strap :blink: :laugh: Eventually I had to lock Jiggy into his cage because he just wouldn't give it a rest. Bella stayed out and of course as people were talking she was constantly jabbering in the background and always had someone standing about two feet from her cage chatting with her. She's such a ham! :laugh: :laugh: So, that's what I do - I don't even let people crowd the cages - Bella in particular will growl fiercely if a stranger crowds her cage! I know mine will also defend the house if I'm not there introducing them to people. The owner of our doggy day care volunteered to take care of Bella and Jiggy for me once, and had only met the birds once very briefly. During her attempt to sit with them, she opened the cages and went back to the fridge and started making their food. Jiggy came charging out and started to dive bomb her, bitting and attacking her!! :angry: :angry: :angry: Bella flew off her cage and started to chase her around the center island attacking her feet :woohoo: Ultimately she had to call one of her employees who had extensive bird experience to come rescue her! :ohmy: My greyhounds will let anyone in, but beware of the parrots!!!!

LindaMary wrote: Isn't it a riot! "STEP UP"! How old is Maxi? Bella is now 16 months :lol: I'd say since about mid-summer she's never had a quiet day :blink: She chatters all the time - she chatters with me, to Jiggy to the dogs, to the TV - heck, she'd chatter to herself! She tries to say sentances really fast and that sounds SO FUNNY - the faces she makes with her chatter! She was on her perch one day pontificating away about something and she got so into her speach she even raised one of her feet as if to make a point! :laugh: Maybe she's been watching too much CNN and is starting to act like a politician??????

Oh my! All these talking stories are awesome!!:laugh: What a wide range of talking capabilities - isn't that amazing? That just goes to show how diverse their personalities are! When I got Bella, the breeders told me she was already trying to say things at the age of 4 months. Little did they know!!!:laugh: That girl talks from the moment I get up to the time I go to sleep! She likes to watch TV, so she's constantly picking things up from there. She seems to get a bang out of certain phrases and she will say it over and again and then do variations on it. Right now her thing is Whoop-dee-doo! And she'll say that in all kinds of ways. She still does the peak-a-boo, and she'll sing peekie-peekie- boo- boo, or she'll just say boo boo :laugh: What where she threw me for a loop was I had no idea she could already speak in context. I found that out the first time in mid-summer when the cable guy was here. I left the room and Bella started to ask him "where'd she go?" and she kept saying it until the poor guy got so spooked he found me and said "ah, I know this sounds wierd, but I think your bird wants you! " :laugh: :laugh: She's also asked for my female greyhound, Dream if we're all together and Dream isn't with us. Bella said "where's Deeem" (she can't pronounce 'r's and she seems to drag Dream out to DEEEEEM - that may have come from me trying to get her to say Dream :laugh: ) The funniest comments she makes though is when she makes commentary on her business. I have no idea what that's about - sometime she'll do a quick "ooop! Poop poop!" and some times she gives out this groan and then she'll say "poop" :blink: When she wants me to pick her up, she stands on my foot and says "step up!! step up!!" and when I put my finger in front of her and get ready to say "step up" she beats me to it and says "step up" before I do :laugh: But she sure keeps a smile on my face! She has the best personality - funny, inquisative, open - I have no idea what I did to deserve such a wonderful family member, but I couldn't possibly lover or treasure her more!

I wouldn't say companionship and friendship go out the window when soem ground rules are established. I've lived with dogs most of my life. Jiggy and Bella are my first feathered companions and I've never felt closer to a companion animal as I do to Bella (CAG). She's a part of just about everything I do in the house - always with me, always paying attention to what I'm doing, chatting, and chatting and chatting! She talks up a storm - that is unless she's with me doing evening meditations. She sits on her perch and on her own just observes - but.. she's there! Always with me.

wildmike556 wrote: Hi Mike, The way we work it is I have a little poop stand that Bella seems to prefer to do her business on. She runs around the house all day with me, and when it's been like about 45 minutes or so, I put her on her stand and ask her to go poop poop and she'll immediately go - she give great commentary on it too :laugh: She also likes to turn around and take a good look at her accomplishments Sometimes after she goes, she'll sit there still for a few moments as though she's giving it one more good go! And then she's off again... My conure on the other hand was never potty trained because he's very picky about only going in his cage. I remember he went once on the bath tub rim and he looked at his deposit with one eye ball and then he started to scooch away from it like "oh, no, that wasn't me - I have no idea who did that!" When he's out and about in the house he flies back to his cage when he has to go - he does his business and off he goes again. I never taught him that - it's just something he does But the play stand may work for Rascal - I don't think Bella would go on a paper towel - she'd want to tear that up :laugh:

Dave007 wrote: HMMM, Dave - I'm not sure about this - take this for example: Bella loves to try and chew on the Roman shades. No matter how elusive I make them, she seems to find a way to snag one. So, I figured if I can teach her "no bite" I should be able to teach her "no, no". So, we went through this drill over a couple of days - she'd nab the shade, I would get up, go to her say "no, no" and move her away from the shade. Well, a couple of days into this she's on the shade again and I say "no, no", I get ready to get up, she runs away from the shade. I sit back down. We go through that drill a couple of times. About the 3rd time I decide she's going to keep this up either way, so I just need to move her. So she nabs the shade, I get up and go to her, she yells "NO NO" flies off lands on the floor next to my computer cable which I've told her "no no" about too, and she acts like she's going to bite that but I'm too close behind her, so as soon as I get close enough she runs off again. Finally until I catch up with her, nab her, put my finger out and before I can say "step up" she says "STEP UP!" and she promptly poops on my hand and happily says "ooop Poop Poop!!!" :blink: I just kind of look at her and then to top it all off, she makes a HUGE GINORMOUS kissing noise!!! Now look - even if she wasn't out to mock me - I sure felt mocked!!!! She also gets quite annoyed with me if she wants to play and I'm busy! She likes for me to play poke her in the belly and say "bing". When I don't want to do that, she jumps on my lap top screen and paces back and forth going "bing, bing, bing" bobbing and weaving around. If I continue to work, she starts wacking my computer screen with her beak! One time I moved her off my computer and back on the couch and she ran up behind me and ripped my glasses clean off my face! :unsure: I don't know Dave - to me it seems like she's going through the terrible twos!!!!!! I think they can be purposely disobedient!

Hmm, I seem to be reacting a bit differently than what is the conventional wisdom - i.e. not pulling away and reacting. What's worked for me are a couple of things - first Bella my CAG and Jiggy my conure are both pretty protective of their cages. I never reach in there unless I'm pretty sure they want to snuggle up to me or be touched. I go by the body language. I usually open their cages and let them come out on their own. Then I put my finger in front of them and say "step up". The other times Bella may end up bitting me is when we play. Bella is VERY playful and likes to horse around. She enjoys playing "bing" where I play poke her in the belly and say "bing", and she tries to bit my finger. Usually if she gets her nip in, it's not hard - it's a play nip, and then she'll say "pffffft ding!" like the pin ball machine scoring :laugh: But sometimes she gets a little too carried away and she'll grab my finger with her claws and lay a good one on me. At that time I pull away and look her right in the face and say sternly "NO BITE!" She can read my facial experssions and she knows she hurt me. That happened once or twice and she took it easy on my from that point on. Now whe we play, and she accidentally gets me harder, she'll actually say "ou, ou ou" and run off before I yelp :laugh:

danmcq wrote: LOL Judy - I always tell Dayo "It's Ok" when showing him something new or walking past with something in my hand he shows concern over. Now, when he is exploring something he does not trust 100%, he will say to himself "It's Ok, It's Ok". :-) Oh my Gosh Dan, that is so funny! He's self-soothing! Isn't that something!!

Hi Kevin, don't feel badly re: posting - it's been a while for me too - work has me pretty occupied lately! I have two greyhounds, and Bella, my CAG, who I got when she was 4 months old would growl and freak out when the dogs ran past her cage as well. Today the dogs are part of her flock. In fact, when one of my hounds wasn't in the room with us when Bella asked for her! :laugh: When the dogs run outside barking, Bella runs to the window barking - in fact, Bella has been barking at me all morning :blink: She does this crazy little dance when she barks too! She bobs up and down, gets on her tippy toes and makes the funniest faces! I have no idea what the animations are about, but it makes my laugh like crazy! When the dogs are circling me begging, Bella joins them. Bella also eats from my plate and the dogs wait around for Bella to drop some food. She is particularly good for them when she grinds a chicken bone down to meal and the dogs can lick up the meal! But!!! Even though they have what seems ot be a great relationship - I don't leave them alone with each other. Greyhounds are gentle, but they are dogs and they do have an instinct to chase prey. I don't want to risk any accidents Cheers! Terri

What a riot!!!!!!! {Nature-00020095}

Oh my, what a naughty girl! In the morning, it's hard for me to tell if Bella is going to be feisty and wants to play bite or if she wants to snuggle. If it's really early - like 5 am, she'll want to snuggle, but if it's later, she does like Tyco - she'll lunge at me. I know she wants to play and not hurt me, so I get hold of her, and pin that little noggen of hers between my thumbs and give her rasberries on her belly :laugh: She gets SO MAD!!!! And if she could, she would NAIL ME! :woohoo: But, I get her back on her cage too fast so she can't bite me. Most of the time after I put her back on her cage she'll say "Pfffffft DING" like a pin ball machine!

:laugh: Siobha! Isn't that the truth! You should see her little ernest face when I say it! Thanks bBrew! I'm delighted

lOL I just tried to get her to say "Dream" , so I point to Dream and I say "DREAM" drawing it out really long and annunciating it carefully. She answers back "DEEEEEEEEM" in perfect tone as mine but sans the "r" {Feel-good-0002006E} Oh well - Deem it is!

Erika, I think you and Baxter are really very special - it's really a testimony to both of you

Thanks everyone I was really so moved - I mean I know she's connecting with me more than I know - but to actually have an exchange with her is like a dream (or deem in Bella's case :laugh: ) come true! I can't tell you how many times I've looked at my greyhounds, particularly if they're not feeling well, and I've thought if only they could talk to me, I could help them better. I've gotten so used to reading body language and interpreting it. To have a companion animal actually tell me what's on her mind is just breath taking. I know one of Bella's biggest issues is where her flock is at all times. She seems to pay close attention to that, and it's very interesting she really thinks of the greyhounds as part of flock I'm heading to DC tomorrow and Bella and Jiggy are staying with a friend from the local Bird Club for a week. She has a grey male named Digger - he's 5 years old and chatters away, she also has a McCaw (not sure what kind - sounds like a severe McCaw from the size), two amazons and a green cheeked conure. I can't wait to see what Bella and Jiggy have to say to that! Digger, from what I understand has a large vocabularly, so Bella may come home with all kinds of new words! Thanks again for listening - I almost cried it was just such an amazing experience! Cheers! Terri

That is so sweet! Feels really good doesn't it Pogo - {Love-0002012C}

Thanks Dan - that poor little boy, thank goodness he's in a good home now...

Greetings everyone! Now I know this isn't much, but still - I'm just delighted beyond belief - Bella and I had a real (well, kinda) conversation! {Feel-good-000200BB} Bella joins me in the evenings to do meditation practices, as do Doc and Dream my two greyhounds. Jiggy, the conure is the only one who stays behind becasue he's too restless to meditate around! Bella sits on her perch next to me, and usually cleans herself, or plays with something. Today, as we were doing our evening routine, Doc and Bella join me, but Dream was missing. After I sat down and started getting comfortable, Bella says to me "where's Deem" - she meant "Dream" - Bella has problems saying "r's"- Baby talk :laugh: . So, I say to Bella, "I don't know, what do you think, do you think Dream is outside"? Bella looks at me, cocks her head looks at the door and says "woof woof woof" - Dream always runs outside barking and Bella usually barks right with her :laugh: I was so pumped! She knew exactly what we were talking about! This is so cools!! We had our first two way conversation (that I understood that is :laugh: ) I know - it's not that big of a deal - but if anyone can understand how exciting this can be - it's this grey loving community!!! Cheers! Terri

Yep - many yawns - Bella will scratch her ear and then yawn over and again after that - she also yawns while she's scratching her ear :laugh:

lOL got the visual now She - oy vey - it sounds like Charlie and Bella would be quite the pair! How old is Charlie? Yes Judy - Bella keeps us all in stiches! I'm starting to feel badly for Jiggy, Doc and Dream because they just can't keep up with her! She manages to grab everyone's attention all the time, and she does it in such a funny manner, you can't help but look at her and laugh! And she's interested in EVERYTHING I'm doing - she has to follow me around, get on my shoulder and then hangs over everything I do, observing it with the closest detail! I tell her what I'm doing usually, and you can see those little grey wheels spinning - she then tries to mouth what I'm saying and come up with some wierd usually. The other day I was interested in what was on TV and she was eating out of my bowl while sitting on my shoulder, I looked over at her and before I could do anything about it, she shoved a piece of chewed up watermelon into my mouth!!!! :sick: :sick: :sick:

LOL She! Charlie sounds like a character! Ok - you're going to have to help me understand what the "wall of death is" what does he do? Cheers! Terri