chezron

This shot is funny. Brutus puts his face down and kind of rows with his wings.

Talk about smart! I was talking to my husband via computer screen today. Brutus flew over to the screen and LOOKED BEHIND it to try to find Larry. So funny and reasonable.

Please get him outside in the sunshine in addition to all the other great suggestions. They need sunshine to make Vitamin D. So important.

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread. Congratulations for providing Emma a new home. Please be patient. Diet, showers, and sunlight are really important and have made all the difference in my rehomed birds' health.

My CAG and other parrots LOVE to travel. We had concerns before we moved across the country. It took three-four days. They loved it because they had my undivided attention the whole time and they were close to me the whole time. I brought sliced apples, carrots, and nuts, and we snacked along the way. They loved it because they sat on top of their cages and got frequent head scratching. I was surprised at how nonchalant they were about the whole thing. They didn't get to fly and it didn't seem to bother them that much. I am proud of my guys!

Brutus has lately been playing soccer with the whiffle balls. It is so funny to watch! If you aim one at him he kicks it away, and sometimes, pretty dramatically. He drops stuff too and says "oops" or "sorry."

Brutus the CAG. Definitely knows his name and refers to himself often with endearments lie, "Brutus is a smart boy!" He also knows the other parrot's names and tells them he loves them, etc. He knows me as "Mama" or "Sharon."

Yeah Felix! I am so happy for you!

Congratulations! Way to go Jellybean! Wish you the best Daniela.

Brutus is very cuddly at night. He is also cuddly in the morning, but much more so at night.

Good for Charlie. He probably will be making expert Wood Pigeon sounds now. It is fun taking them outside isn't it?

I love that my birds can fly. I am thrilled every time. Pancho, the chunky Amazon, can land now fairly accurately. Brutus, the grey, is so proud of himself when he flies. You can just tell.

It's kind of like being put in a little room when she still has energy left. I think she is just not quite ready to settle down for the night. Sort of like pacing. I think the pattern is comforting for her too. i wouldn't worry about it.

I think it is the "terrible twos." When Brutus was that age he did some mean things around that time of day and I know he loves me in spite of it. i think those hormones are just kicking in and they are not thinking straight. I ONLY allow my birds out if they step up. I think it is important that they see their owner as their means to freedom. When Brutus was acting up like that I just avoided interacting with him. In time, I got so I could just look at him and see the wildness in his eyes that let me know he was in one of his "moods." If it makes you feel better the bad behavior wanes after a couple of years, especially if you don't punish, just redirect.

When Brutus gets really happy and content it looks like the area above his nares puffs up. Is this my imagination or is this true? He looks like a little budgie with his puffy nose.

My husband is sick and he is worried about making the birds sick. Should we be concerned?

My birds know and avoid the ceiling fans with no problem, and have for a long time. No incidents or close incidents--ever.

Dan and Dave, I just read the replies to my thread. I am extremely sorry for the hardships you are going through. I wish nothing but the best for you and your families.

I love my grey Brutus so much my heart aches thinking about it. I sometimes think that given the normal life expectancies of us both that he will outlive both my husband and I. I feel bad about that. I worry his heart will break without our current family. I know he brings out the best in me. I have patience and tenderness to levels I never thought possible for another being. I plan on actively looking for a younger family to take him when we get too old to care for him, but i will never know if they actually will care for him as we do. Sometimes I wonder about whether there is validity in articles that say parrots should not be kept as pets because of the life span issue. What do you think?

Don't force things with Greys. If they are giving you clear signals to stop--stop. They are never wishy-washy in their thinking or actions. If they make up their mind on something that is it. Always take things slow and easy and they will come around according to their desires. My guy LOVES to go on his back. We regularly flip him over and kiss his tummy. He usually says, "woooo" when we do it. He also likes to play with socks on his back. Oh yeah, and a harness or cage to go outside is a must. I didn't know Spock but he is missed by us all. What a special guy!

Really great explanations Jay and Trancework

I love nice happy stories there are so few. Warms my heart.

Turning off the lights was the first step for us to put Brutus to bed without any negativity or biting. Once he was used to that routine, we worked our way to stepping up with the lights on. Now he goes to bed with no problem and never bites because it never was an option.

I know it is only march in Rhode island, but as soon as the weather warms up you might try taking Tango out in the sunshine (in his cage). For some reason regular sunshine acts like birdie valium for my guys. Try it and see what happens.

Every time I change Brutus' water i offer him a drink. Probably about half the time he takes a few sips. Make sure to use filtered water to get rid of the chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, and toxins not cleaned by the water treatment plant.