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Wow! Thanks Muse! I contacted Brad, the owner, and he has 20 potential owners! I hope he is discerning. Chili seems special to me. I also shared the name of a very good bird rescue, Mickaboo, in San Jose, where he lives. They do excellent work!

I realize this is probably the wrong forum, but most likely, the most visited one. http://bird.rescueme.org/California There is the most adorable macaw, Chili, that may be euthanized if not adopted. I would adopt her except i already have three and I am a single lady. She sounds very sweet. She tolerates dogs and harnesses. She may be plucking her tummy a bit.

That is so weird that Brutus doesn't do this with glasses. I have plenty of glassware, stemware even. It is all I drink from. He leaves it alone. Of course he messes with stuff, but I can see him coming in the kitchen and he only hangs out on the breakfast bar which rarely has anything on it. I usually throw stuff up there just to get him to throw, move, and chew on stuff. He likes whiffle balls and we play "bowling for Brutus" and he kicks or beaks the ball off of his feet.

Sounds great! Just for extra insurance have you tried REAL sunlight? I think it makes a difference.

That's an awesome photo! Wow!

Such a wonderful love story! Thank you for writing this! Brutus loves to have his feet kissed. We take a lot of time in the morning kissing his feet. He will stay completely still if you keep kissing his feet, so it takes a lot of time.

I think this funny. Lately Brutus is saying, "I've gotta go fly." I have no idea where he got this because I never said it.

Well, the cheese technique worked quickly and flawlessly. I put the cheese in the far corner of the travel cage and set it in the opening of his main cage and he walked right in. I threw a towel over the opening as I closed the door and he was in. He loves to ride in the car. I took all three parrots to get their nails clipped today. Yeah! I have one travel cage that zips into a backpack, and two, I carry, so no one gets left in the car. When we were waiting to have our turn people kept walking by (it was busy on Sunday) and saying, "They are so calm" and they were, the whole time. When we got home they all had a trip outside for sun, a shower bath, and a fresh lunch and now they can barely keep their eyes open and they are grinding their beaks. Good day!

Hi Susan, I wish you the best possible outcome. Does your vet know the cause of the aspergillosis? If not, try to do everything in your power to increase your bird's immunity. Have her on the best fresh food diet and give her regular sunshine. Roxy is not without options and help, there is stuff you can do to prevent future infection. Is there good air flow in your house? Please keep me informed.

I didn't know Cocoa, and I am sorry for your loss. I look forward to hearing all about your new little Kilaya.

I sat down and took stock of what Brutus will do on command and he does really well (I think). He steps up, flies to anywhere you ask him to, raises his wings, turns around, clucks like a chicken, makes a laser gun sound, flies to your hand, flips on his back, and flies particular patterns via command. What he doesn't do well is, he is not willing to step up except in the morning and in the evening. He will just bow his head abruptly and refuse if he doesn't feel like it. Also, unless he is really tired, if you make any motion over his head, like you are going to put your hand on his back he spooks and flies away. At night I can do this when i put him in has cage, but he is wise to control actions. He also reads energy really well and knows what you are thinking about doing, especially if it is a controlling type action. What kinds of things does your bird do on command?

I have this small travel cage that fits into a stroller or backpack. I wear the backpack on my front sometimes. Maybe while he is being so difficult he could go into a travel cage and just sit outside?

Brutus digs (he's six) on my bed. He will land and start digging. He sometimes does it on the sofa. I would love to see wild Greys do this and then it might make some sense if it had some context.

Birds seem to know things instantly. They don't wonder or ponder--they just know. Offer them a food or water and they take it or they don't but they don't change their mind--ever. I don't know how they do that. I know, Brutus liked every bird he has ever met and Jimpster hates any and all competition. Pancho just wants to play and eat and doesn't really seem to care one way or the other.

True words about the reality of bird ownership!

Wow! Brutus has only picked up the petite whistle of the Pacific Slope Flycatcher! Oh now I remember, he also picked up a police siren sound and uses it appropriately like when I leave, and he thinks that is an "emergency" or "alarming" to him. He also doesn't do it very loud. It's funny. I thank heavens he doesn't do the raucous cries of the crows. Bluejays I can handle. The nice thing is they rarely make one sound and repeat it, so an irritating one is soon over. Actually, I like all of his sounds, I just think he is so clever. Pancho and Jimpster are the loud annoying ones in my house.

By jove I think I've got it! The way I do it now is place an open travel cage on a low wheeled cabinet and open Brutus' door and wait for him to go in the travel cage. Lately he is taking his sweet time. I think I will do this every day and when he realizes that going into the travel cage means he will be let out-- he will do it easily. I will make it a routine. Everyday travel cage in front of his cage and the minute he goes in I will let him out to eat lunch. He will be doing it in no time!

Cheese is king! I will try it KimKim.

Wow! great progress! I think it is because Brutus can't stand to be in his cage that he steps up out of it--gladly.

I will tell you what works for my guys. I buy dried fruit and nut mix from Goldenfeast which I always have in a bowl in their cages. They also have a bowl of Harrison's Organic (containing red palm oil) pellets at all times. Their water is spring water with no fluoride or chlorine. It comes from a local spring and is the best and so clean. Every week or so I make a bowl of organic mixed frozen veggies, and add a half a bag of Trader Joe's Melodious Blend (garbanzo beans, lentils and tomatoes), and half a bag of Trader Joe's Multigrain Blend with Vegetables (grains and veg), then I add one can of mixed organic beans and mix it up. Once it is mixed, I add a heavy dollop of organic red palm oil and ¼ cup of both organic chia seed and organic flax seed. I freeze the mixture in ½ cup portions and pull one out everyday. About every four or five days I buy the freshest produce, fruits and vegetables and sprouted peas and lentils. Today they have (ALL organic) grapes, sprouted peas and lentils, broccoli, carrots, cherries, blueberries, cantaloupe, sweet potato (cooked), apples, mango, pear, kale (they don't eat it), blackberries and strawberries. (Once in awhile if I can find organic corn on the cob I cut that in also) I divide that mixture into bigger two cup portions in glass jars. Everyday I dump a fruit and veggie mix into their bowls with the bean mix on top. They eat it like they are starving. Once a week, I thaw two cooked organic chicken drumstick bones and let them eat those. About every week they get a little pasture-raised chicken egg scrambled or some wild salmon or sardines. No processed food -- ever! No cereal, muffins, toast, pancakes, sugar, etc. Once in awhile I admit to giving them a small piece of cheese or bite of yogurt. Fat is important! Carbs are not! Carbs make birds fat! Veggies, fruit, beans, nuts, and some meat or egg is basically what I feed them. You would think they would gorge on nuts but they do not. They are all very healthy and beautiful, and not at all overweight. Don't forget the sunshine for Vitamin D to make strong bones, and balanced hormones! It sounds like I do a lot of work, and I guess I do, but I have a system and I don't have to do work every day which is a plus.

Is there a chance they could work it out if left alone? Maybe not, but my guys have issues but they end up in some kind of "deal" or something. I know my little quaker is always itching for a fight with somebody. Brutus is smart enough to know how to spar with him and get the upper hand. He enjoys it like a game, but Pancho will give up his normal perching area just so Jimpster wins.

Brutus likes wiffle balls, but he doesn't get THAT excited. He likes to kick them off the counter.

Jimpster got out once and it cured him FOREVER! about getting near an open door. Brutus and Pancho have no desire to go out open doors. The make so much racket when they fly that I can easily hear them coming. I really think they realize how good they have it in the house. They go outside only when I roll their cages out the patio door. Anytime they hear the Red-Shouldered Hawk they cower.

You know what I am not a wuss, and after researching this more, there are ways to do it without creating an enemy. There is a set of videos on You Tube where she uses rewards for small steps and uses the word, "good" rather than a clicker. I know there is probably a special section on this forum for training and I have never looked at it. We are going to start with consistent step ups and progress from there. My guy is a good guy and we will get there together. African Greys have an incredible memory and hold grudges. Why give him a reason to dislike me?