aslterp59

What a beautiful baby!

Isaac is beautiful! Great pictures!! Gemma has become really interested in dentistry lately, too. She likes to try to play with my teeth, and one day I tapped her beak with my teeth (would hate to think what THAT looked like) and she was enthralled! Sometimes it's good when there are no cameras around to capture the things we do to make our fids happy!

It brings me to tears when I think about how much you must miss Murphy. check almost daily to see if there's any good news about him. Stick with the forum if you can, though we know it must be hard to read as we share our stories about our fids. We're here to try to support you in any way we can as you go through this difficult time. And of course we're all hoping to see some wonderful news really soon!

When we got Gemma, his breeder said that she liked peanut butter on Sara Lee white wheat bread (no crust). Naturally, when I made it for her here, she wouldn't touch it. She wouldn't even eat peanut butter! What CAG doesn't eat PB??? She will eat it now, because I eat it on toast in the mornings and she wants whatever we are eating. But she still won't eat peanuts, which I thought every red-blooded American CAG liked!

Still checking in every day or two to this forum to see if there's any good news about Murphy!! Hoping that very soon you'll be reunited!

Please be sure to keep us posted on how everything is going. This is really a "conundrum"!!

AH, I understand now. It just sounded so funny... kinda like, "my kids, all my pets in fact, etc" I'm still getting used to who has how many fids and their names and sexes... sorry!! :-)

Gemma enjoys trying to pull the keys off my laptop keyboard... and has succeeded a few times when I wasn't quick enough to stop her...

Have been enjoying reading about Marcus' speaking antics. I had to laugh at some of the wording in your story... "...and the boys--all the pets, really--are so excited when (your husband) is finally around the house for any length of time..." The way I read it, your boys are numbered among your pets??? Don't worry, both our kids (who are grown and live away from home) claim I love Gemma more than I love them and that Gemma DEFINITELY has more toys than they did when they were little. :-)

Thanks for sharing your heart. You're right, this is a safe place with a lot of caring people (and not just for our fids, smile!). As the mother of two miracle babies, I was thrilled to read your story and rejoice in Ruby's third birthday, too! Have a great time on your vacation, and we know you'll have a great reunion with Skittles and Aristotle when you return!

Happy for your new acquisition and hope you have many many wonderful years with Quinn!

Priceless pictures! Thanks for posting! We didn't get to see our Gemma when she was a baby so this gives me a good idea what she would have looked like.

HI, can you post a picture of the travel cage you got for Rorschach? I'd like to have something on hand for Gemma if we need to take her somewhere. Sounds like the cabin idea is a good one so you don't have to be concerned about temperature and such. Hope you have a great time!!

I ordered this one too and it arrived today. My husband has put it together for me and tonight I can start introducing Gemma to it. Can't wait!

Gemma is 9 months old and we have had her since she was 6 months. She loves to make up tunes. We whistle often, and she takes bits and pieces of what she hears and makes up her own songs. She is also trying to talk. Her first word was (what else?) "more." She uses it when she wants anything. She has not taken to bathing much yet, but one day I played with her a bit with some water at the kitchen sink, which is next to one of her play peaches. She wasnt totally comfortable but seemed to enjoy it somewhat. When she seemed to have enough, I took put her back on the perch. She immediately turned toward the sink and said "more." Maybe she liked it a bit more than she let on... My husband has heard her say "sweetheart," and she will say "whatcha doin?" and "good morning" and will whistle for the dog and say "c'm here." Her speech is not extremely clear yet but I can hear it improving. Her new and much larger cage arrived today. My husband put it together of me and this evening I'll introduce her to it slowly. I was a called out on a job this morning about 4:30 and it looks like I won't get home until after 4:30 this afternoon. Can't wait to get home and see it - and Gemma will look so cute in it!

She looks adorable! Gemma fights with her little fluffy feathers when they fly around her head.

Gemma sat on her "boing" today for a while, and a bit later I heard her playing with some of the toys tied to the bottom. Here's a picture (I hope - not used to adding pictures yet)....

I tried something like this (but was in a hurry because I'd just received a call to a job) and when I got back home it had been chewed thoroughly. Gemma seemed to really enjoy it! Thanks for the great idea.

I took your advice, Toni, and downloaded the Parrot Enrichment Activity Book (then printed it out). You're right, it's full of great ideas!!!

Thinking of you and hoping for the very very best - and SOON! I know you must be heartbroken.

Bet that was a lot of fun viewing that video!! Great news!

Jenn I'm making an order that includes a couple of bells. They are showing up as $0.00. Not trying g to steal them! Smile

I made a boing!! It took going to a few different places to find untreated thick rope but finally found some. Tractor Supply or a place that sells horse supplies carries that kind of rope. My husband suggsted clothes hanger wire for the innards. I didn't use the thin white wire but the thicker kind that is attached to a cardboard tube for hanging slacks. I straightened and connected two then wound the rope around it as others have suggested, then put it in the shape I wanted. At the bottom where the rope had already been coming apart I tied toys, whiffle balls, etc. Gemma watched me make it and hung near her cage for a couple days. She sat on it today and was initially unsure. But after I held it steady and gave her treats, then gradually let her feel the flexibility of it, she got used to it and spent an hour or more on it. Picture to follow soon!

I was window shopping on Google in various sites that sell cool stuff for parrots a few days ago. I saw some sites that has carriers that are backpacks for carrying parrots. Here's a link to one. They are pretty expensive but if you camp a lot it might be a good investment! http://www.csnstores.com/Celltei-Pak-o-Bird-Nylon-Mesh-Bird-Carrier-PB001-X-CEL1067.html?refid=FR49-CEL1067_2615649_2615705&PiID=2615649&PiID=2615705 I just googled "backpack parrot carrier" and got several results. And personally I'd love to see an RV with built-in cages!!

We had a CAG for several years who tore up our doorframes but refused to chew any wood we put in his cage. We tried just about everything to get him interested. We'd have to position his cage "just so" when he let him out to play on top so he couldn't reach anything. One thing that I have noticed with Gemma, my 9 month-old CAG, is that if there is already a bit of a "chew" in a piece of wood, if it's somewhat splintered somewhere, she shows more interest. Could you use some pliers or something and splinter some of the wood? Not completely off -- that's where she always starts, and once she starts chewing there, then she goes on to enjoy more of it. It's almost like we start it for her and she takes it from there. Just a thought.... there have been some great suggestions here! Good luck and let us know what works!