Acappella

Sadly, it shouldn't be too hard to find an unwanted bird, keep checking Craig's list and. Kijiji, maybe let it be known at local vets and animal shelters that you're looking. They often know if someone is in a situation where their birds are being surrendered. Thank you for looking for a rescue first. Although I'm sometimes sad I wasn't part of Dorians first three years, and that I missed all the cute cuddly baby stuff, I wouldn't change our journey together for anything.

I've seen that spray bottle advice as well. Thank goodness this group was the first resource I found when I was thinking about re-homing Dorian. Training techniques that might work with dogs or cats just do not carry over to parrots. I'm glad that you were able to step back and observe his body language before there was long- term damage done to his ability to trust, and that you have found a way to interact that is rewarding for both of you. Well done!

Thank you for the update. That video is precious. It's obvious how much you love your fids. Please don't take them outside without a harness or a cage. All it will take is some loud noise like a truck backfiring and they could be startled into flight and out of sight before you can do anything. We've had members lose their birds this way and I think your hearts would break if anything happened to them. <3

This must be so scary for you. Sorry I can't offer any advice, but I'll keep a good thought for you and Goofy.

That's so great! Yay Escher!!!

It's her complexity that keeps me tuning in. There's obviously a lot of very deep thought going on in that little grey head. Your willingness to wait her out, and your attention to the smallest changes, have brought about an amazing transformation in her. In the end your bond with each other will be deep and profound because you've both fought so hard for it. <3

Insurance is such a scam. You have to have it, but their lists of 'exceptions' to what is covered in a claim is long and written in lawyer speak in teeny tiny print. Do you have the energy to fight them?

After all, some boys just like us high maintenance girls!

Kudos to you for the nursing work, even while I'm sorry for the reasons you had to do it. I can't even look at stitches on somebody without feeling sick so nursing was never a career option for me. Lol I feel so bad for the guy losing his birds for health reasons. Maybe you could list the birds on Craigslist or Kijiji. After all, they're not all bad that look there, and you and the birds owners would have complete control and the chance to interview people, go to their homes etc... Do any of the birds have to go together or could you do 5 separate homes?

Hopefully Koko will stop using Pat as a chew toy once his fingers are healed up. I sympathize with the blurry pictures. I have lots of blurry Dorian photos!

It's pretty good so far. They cast a good Jamie, and I like the actress playing Claire.

I would say breakfast first then shower or she'll be too busy grooming to eat. You don't have to shower every day but it's up to you what kind of daily schedule you want to employ. p.s. Some birds like warm water some prefer ice old. Dorian, loves cold water. If I want to get him I the mood for a shower I put cold water with a few ice cubes in his water dish, then, when he stars splashing around I get out the sprayer and get him soaked.

Unfortunately Dorian doesn't get much exposure to other people. I live alone, but I make sure that anyone who is here is introduced to Dorian, and he meets lots of people when I take him outside in his small cage. This was the first time he was in a car since I moved here a little over two years ago, and it was definitely a stress for him. He didn't perch, but spent the whole ride climbing frantically all over the cage. I've never been so aware of every bump in the road! I was surprised that, after the trim, he stepped up for one of the groomers and sat with her for a couple of minutes before raising his foot towards me. He's still getting used to his blunted talons, but my hand and forearm are really enjoying the change. Lol

This really is a good group of people who care about the lives and well being of each other's greys. I hope Mr. Wayne integrates into your busy life. There's so much good info here, don't hesitate to post. <3

Dorian preens if the shower was his idea, like when he starts out by trying to fit his whole body in his water dish. If getting wet wasn't his idea, he sits and drip dries. I believe it's called sulking, at least 'round these parts! Lol

I have a d-link router and I like their customer service. I'm sure they'll help walk you through the set-up if you're having trouble.

He is looking great. In the second picture he looks like he's smiling. As for being in tune with us, I know Dorian is with me. I have Fibromyalgia, and I also get migraines. He's a very vocal fellow, but on my 'bad' days he clams right up. I don't have to ask him, he just does. If I lay down for a nap he's absolutely silent until I'm up and about again. Whether it's our energy, or an aura, or whatever, greys seem particularly sensitive to it. Whatever triggered Issac's plucking, it may now be a habit, so I'd try substituting something else in it's place. Since it's happening at bedtime, what about Miss Gilbert's night time treat of a spoonful of warm oatmeal, maybe with a couple of drops of rescue remedy in it?

I have the luxury of not having to cover Dorian because he sleeps in my office. I can turn off the lights and shut the door and he has a perfect dark, quiet, place to sleep where he isn't distracted by me coming and going. I only mentioned it to you because you said he was pulling out feathers at night, so I wondered if something in his night time routine was bothering him. I was wondering if a couple of drops of the rescue remedy at bedtime would stop the urge to pluck.

I only know of it from Gilbert's story. http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-information/ http://bachflowerpets.com

What about trying the rescue remedy that seems to have helped Miss Gilbert? Is his cage in a place where you have to cover it? Maybe something about the covering is bothering him. Is he getting a full nights sleep?

Re: signing in. I've had trouble some times as well. Try signing in from the forum page (top right) instead of from the home page. That's worked for me.

Your baby is so sweet!

So glad Mr. Wayne has found a home that knows what grey time means. He reminds me of our Miss Gilbert in the rescue room. Maybe you could start a similar thread in the rescue room for John and let us come along on your journey as you teach him it's ok to trust and love again.

Like Kat said, greys aren't known to be screamers, so the first thing is to look at and possibly move the things around her cage to see if something specific is scaring her. Maybe, as a new fid, a trip to the vet would be a good idea. If everything checks out, then it's a bad habit and you've got some work ahead of you doing some sound extinguishing. The good news is that this is a fixable problem. You, and any one else in the family, have to ignore her 100% of the time when she's making the undesirable sound. This sounds easier than it is. Our instinct is to turn to them, even if it is to tell them to be quiet. If you do, then you've just rewarded the bad behaviour by giving her your attention. They are flock animals and their instinct is to want to be with the rest of the flock. One of the most powerful training tools you have is to withhold your presence and attention. It absolutely has to be 100% of the time though. Think of it this way. If you respond after she's screamed for half an hour you've just taught her to scream for half an hour! The other important thing with sound extinguishing is to reward pleasant sounds or moments of silence. Example. She is screaming in the living room and you're in the kitchen where she can't see you. Suddenly she interrupts the screaming to make a more pleasant sound. You repeat it back to her right away with lots of praise and head towards her cage. If she start screaming again, you stop the praise immediately. Maybe one of the periods of pleasant sounds, or silence, is long enough for you to get into the room with her, but she starts again before you make it to her cage. Turn your back! This sends a powerful msg to them and it's an immediate response to bad behaviour. Warning: the bad behaviour may get temporarily worse before it gets better. This is because she's trying to figure out why a behaviour that got one kind of response in her old home (attention, even if it was negative) isn't getting the same response here. Buy yourself some soft foam earplugs to deaden the intensity of the sound for a while. Sorry, I don't know how to help the doggies! I swear to you this works. Now when Dorian picks up a sound I don't like it disappears pretty quickly. He's come to recognize when I start this practice and stops the "bad" sound, except maybe twice a day when he goes through every sound in his repertoire, but that I can handle. Good luck. We're here to cheer you along.

I'm sorry this happened to you and Pat. That must have been a real shock. How far away is the police station? Could you go to them to make the report? That's a pretty damn specific robbery. I'd be going to parts places and wrecking yards to see if someone's been asking for a catalytic convertor for your year and make truck. Hugs from Dorian and I. ((( )))