Acappella

I'm totally in love with your little birdy girl!

OK, so let me paint you all a little word picture. I'm sitting on the floor in front and slightly to the side of Dorian's cage going through the weekly flyers and making up my shopping list. There is a boing hanging in front of monkey's cage just behind my left shoulder. So I'm engrossed in what I'm doing and not paying attention to what Dorian is doing. All of a sudden I hear "Whatchadoin?" in my left ear and turn my head to see a grey parrot inches from my head hanging upside down from the bottom of his boing, swinging back and forth.

ME HAPPY Seriously, glad Murphy is giving you a breather. I think the true power of this forum is that you can come here and share a problem, get some sympathy, encouragement, and suggestions for coping, and that gives you the strength to take a couple of deep breaths and go back to a situation that felt like the last straw was about to break before you logged on. I know I've said it before, but I really admire you and Kate, and anyone else, who sticks with something when the going gets really tough. I'm sure there have been birds re-homed or abandoned for behaviour problems less severe than Murphy has sometimes presented, and even though you've sometimes felt like giving up it's been clear from the start that you weren't going to just because the going was getting tough. Wish it was a more common character trait, but I think anyone who cares enough to join here has it in spades. Plus now you can be a cautionary tale to anyone who sees Murphy, new and improved model, and thinks they want one just like him. Kind of like a person who has never been a parent seeing a shiny new college graduate walking across the stage and thinking 'I should get one of those'. You can be the person who turns around and tells them horror stories about teething, potty training, hormones, slaming doors, empty bank accounts and bad report cards.

Guess I'm lucky, I very rarely ever get pooped on since Dorian will only perch on my hand, and only for the purpose of moving from place to place. As for the counter-top, is there anything that your bird is afraid of that you could place there? Other than that, the only solution is to remove him from where you don't want him every time he lands there. That will take real commitment. You could have to do it hundreds of times before he gets the message that you're serious. They are persistent little so-and-sos - you just have to be More persistent!

Try to look at Booda as if she were a foster child suddenly placed in your home. You give her a nice new room and toys, and them ask her to trust you, start cuddling with you and let you into her space and heart 1 day after her arrival. Remember, you know she's safe and loved, but she doesn't yet. Let her listen to you talk and watch how the rest of her new flock treats her and each other. Just like kids, some birds have more resilient personalities and will jump into the deep end with both feet quickly, some will venture in one tiny talon at a time. Look for her body language to start to tell you when she's feeling more secure. Take it slowly and calmly and soon you'll have a good solid trust-based relationship with your new flock member.

Hope she's not a forum member, or you may be in big time trouble! As for Mojo's talking, there's no predicting it, but the best thing you can do is talk to him, and let him see his human flock members talking to each other. Dorian is most likely to imitate either things he hears all the time (although he has yet to say Good Morning, go figure) or things said with excitement/animation (resulting in the swearing parrot ) Example: He started saying "I love you" last year, but only really started repeating it after I started playing with the phrase, stretching out the words, changing tone, singing it etc... Now he's started playing around with the words too. Guess I finally made it worth his time and attention.

Well, at least then you could leave the house happy, knowing you got a positive performance review from the boss.

[DON'T walk up to him on his perch and stick your face in his. He had the decency to bite the side of my nostril where it doesn't show too much. DO NOT touch his bells. No exceptions. They are his bells. If he drops on on the floor, distract him with a pecan and then replace the bell. Or else. We're gonna work on that one.] Yep, honeymoon is over! I never, ever try to go face to beak with Dorian. He has a very well defined personal space and MY beak is not welcome within it. I can kiss his wings, his tail (when I give him plenty of warning, and time to tell me whether kisses are welcome at the moment), but never his beak, not even when he's in a super-duper lovey mood. He's also very defensive of his bells. Almost all the greys here seem to love love love bells, the more noise they make the better!

I don't think a group of people who spend as much time as we do talking about poop could ever be uppity.

You have to check with invidual papers to see if they are using soy-based ink when printing. I realize Morana that you are in another country so I'm not sure about the printing practices there. I often use unprinted newspaper, which we can get here (in Canada) from moving companies. They sell it to people who are packing for a move because it is a cleaner way to pack, it doesn't get ink on all your belongings. Also, I just checked the IKEA world web site, and IKEA is coming to Croatia!!! I have, on occasions, been known to take a few extra sheets of the paper they have at check-out when I'm buying something there . Cut it into strips, punch a hole in the centre, run a string of bird-safe string through the hole, fan the strips out so they look like an umbrella, add a few beads, tie a big african-grey safe bell at the end of it all, and you have a cheap bird toy with lots of paper-shredding fun.

'cept you'll never have to hand over the car keys to Murphy and watch him drive away in your car. lol

Another good trick is attaching a comfy perch right on the door. He sits on it, and you swing the door closed!!! Also, try putting him in his cage sometimes when you're not going out. Put him in with a good treat and some fresh water, maybe a favourite toy, then sit and read in plain sight of him for a little while, or sit and watch tv together, with lots of praise for him being so good in his cage. Then open the door and let him out for awhile. Got to keep these monkeys guessing!

I know Murphy's been a challenge almost from day one, and because we all have good days and bad days, it's ok to wish on one of your bad days that he, at least, could go easy on you. I'd give you a big hug if I were there in person. I also know that you love Mr. Murphy because, as you said, you have already weathered the storm of some behaviours that do, indeed, cause birds to be re-homed, and I give you full credit for that because there's nothing easy or predictable about it. I also believe I know the sound you're referring to, because Dorian also does it when he's in a particularily obnoxious mood. Kind of like the squeak/squeal often heard in beginners clarinet classes? (My mom taught first year band every year for 15 years and somehow exited with her sanity) Does he ramp it up in volume and intensity when you don't attend to his majesty immediatly, 'cause Mr D. does, or at least he used to. I know you say you ignore the sound, but are you sure you do 100% of the time? I thought I was ignoring him, but I've been so well trained to respond to his contact calls that it wasn't until I became completely conscious of my own behaviour that I realized I WAS responding sometimes, even if it was only 1 out of 100 times. So he learned that all he had to do was get louder and more strident, and eventually I'd talk back to him. I had to clamp my lips together and make sure I never, never gave him the feedback he was looking for. (Sometimes I'd even have to say under my breath 'I'm not answering you, I am not answering that sound) and wait until he made a more tolerable sound choice, then respond loudly and enthusiastically to that sound. You know the drill. Just check yourself and see if you're not answering by reflex sometimes. Dorian might make that sound once in a while now, but usually only a couple of half-hearted attempts before he cycles through to a nicer one, like he's just checking to see if I've changed my behaviour. Have you tried having music on? Don't know if Murphy is a music lover, but Dorian will always switch to his sweetest sounds for certain music (he loves James Taylor, but heavy metal riles him right up, and not in a good way). He might be a late bloomer with talking but don't give up. Continue to talk to him about what you're doing as you go about your day. Has the baby started words yet? I've forgotten how old she is. Teaching her words and colours etc... in front of Murphy might be a very valuble way to improve both of their communcation skills. Always keeping a birds' flock mentality in your mind can be a valuble tool when teaching and changing behaviour. We're still here cheering you on!!! p.s. Msg to Mr. Murphy. Give dad a break, eh? He's really trying. <3

Take a look at this thread. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?189518-Murphy-s-high-pitched-shrieking-some-advise-please&highlight=extinguishing or do a keyword search on the forums with the word 'extinguishing' If everyone in the household follows the advice with consistency you can solve this problem, I promise. We're always here for help, and venting!

I have two magic words that will cure the whole problem of ear attacks while you're trying to do house work. Are you ready? The magic words are . . . EAR MUFFS!!!!!

Zak is beautiful, and looks busy and happy. Welcome to the forum.

I have the second one for Dorian. It took him years (literallyy 2 years) to go on it, but now he loves it. I couldn't use the toy hanger because my ceilings are too low, so I used the side bars, and drilled some holes in the frame with a metal drill bit to customize the stand a bit. Here's what it looks like right now.

My Dorian was clipped before he was allowed to fledge, then totally cage bound for the first 4 years of his life. Since I got him a little over four years ago he has had his full flight feathers but only flys 'accidentally', when something scares him. He has finally seemed to realize what his wings are for, and once in a while when I'm not coming fast enough when calls me he has started to take off from his cage, but it's blind flight. He doesn't have any control over where he ends up, and his landings are awful (but getting better). If I hear wings, I have to go searching for him because he will not call out to me from where he's landed. This is why I feel so strongly about letting our birds keep their full wings. It's so sad to me to see Dorian on his cage looking like he wants to take off and fly, much like you described the pet store bird doing, but then settling back on his cage and calling for me to come to him. I've often thought if I had another bird in the house that was an accomplished flyer maybe Dorian could learn from a flock mate, but I don't have the resources to take on another bird. Maybe your TAG could be a flight instructor for this guy!

Yeah, we're a little nuts, but in the same way, so it's all good. If you bring this guy home make sure you are totally prepared for the quarantine process. It's time consuming and a pain in the tail feathers, but sooooo important. I'd also book an appointment with your avian vet so you can take him straight from the store to a check-up, considering how imcomplete the background information on him is. I'm with you though, I'd just want to scoop him up and smuggle him out of the store, poor little guy. Let us know what happens.

Pandora, the pvc pipe is used in home construction and can be found in the plumbing section of home improvement stores, at least that's where it is sold here in Canada. The colourful tape that's wrapped around the pvc is called vet wrap. It's used to tape up injuries on animals, and can be usually be found in places that sell tack supplies for horses (you can buy it from the vet, but it'll be twice as expensive!). People also use sisal rope to wrap the pvc pipe. My bird Dorian doesn't like sisal at all, but other members' birds prefer it over the vet wrap. You just have to experiment until you find what your bird likes. Have fun.

Obviously taken on backwards-and-upside-down day. Welcome to the forum. Ruby is a beautiful looking grey.

I love my Bissel little green, especially since I got it for $5 at a yard sale. Sorry, couldn't resist a little good deal gloating

Dorian isn't much of a toy bird either, except for paper shredding, so I've just found a gazillion ways to make toys with different forms of paper. Tie a roll of adding maching paper to the side of the cage. Make a string alternating beads with paper muffin cups, and put a bell on the bottom. Get a wiffle ball and make an octopus with beads, leather string and small paper cups made for candy making. Cut a few strips of paper, punch a hole in the center, fan the strips out and hang from the top of the cage like a paper umbrella. Use the paper cups that fast food restaurants have at condiment counters, put a treat inside, pinch the top closed, thread some bird-friendly string through it, and string a bunch of them across the corner of a cage like a clothes line. Do the same with a string of paper dolls, (or snowflakes for a seasonal touch). Weave long strips of paper through bars of the cage. As for teaching how to play, I find what works best is to sit where he can see you with another person or animal and play with the toy together in front of him. If you pretend you're ignoring him because you are sooooo facinated with playing, the flock instinct, along with a little touch of jealousy may be enough to make him want to join in. He may become a champion toy player, or you may just have a bird who is more 'zen' than others. Dorian has always been on the quiet side, apart from loud playing and

Hee Hee. I've pretty much eliminated swearing. I don't even swear outside of the house because I don't want to slip into the habit. Yesterday, I was loading something into my cars' trunk with the help of a sales person. I have an injured wrist, and I hurt it badly trying to be helpful. Instead of swearing, I said "ow, sugar, frick and frack, geez, ow". The sales person looked at me with a raised eyebrow, and I had to explain that I've had to make up my own swear words so my parrot won't repeat something I don't want him to. Yet another un-anticipated side effect of having a parrot.

Make sure the pet sitter is bonded and has insurance. Anyone who does it as a business should.