pearllyn

I do still kick myself that i didn't start quicker with her, but live and learn. Thanks for the encouragement. x

Jilly is right, a little patience is well worth it, and your bird will learn where you want her to go - wether or not she will go there always is another matter! ALfie does know, but sometimes chooses not to - I'm hoping she will grow out of it! For those little accidents we use Poop-Off ( www.poop-off.com ) It does the job and is completely bird safe! Happy toilet training! Lyn & Alfie x

I caught the tail end of conversation last night in the IM room, that reminded me of steps we took when we first got Alfie home. I'm afraid I'm one of these people who doesn't think a swearing parrot is terribly funny, so although I don't swear an awful lot, David can do. I introduce a Swear box to discourage us. Would you believe within about a fortnight there was over £80 in there! I couldn't believe how much we swear, and you don't really notice it until you're trying not to! Needless to say it did tail off pretty quickly - we haven't needed to put any money in the pot for ages, and we have a swear free parrot. Having said that, I was in the shower lately and dropped my sponge, it landed on the floor and got all hairy, I said a bad word and Alf echoed it instantly and perfectly! She (and me) hasn't said it again, but we'll need to be careful from now on cos she's like a sponge at the minute and coming out with new stuff all the time! Does any one have any tails of their birds picking up things they weren't supposed to, that's caused an embarrasing moment for them? WOuld love to hear your stories. HOpe you and yours are all well Bye for now. Lyn & Alfie xx

After reading and adding to an earlier thread by another member, I thought I'd repost in a new thread. The feedback I get on here really is invaluable to me. I've never had much luck with ALfie and bathtimes, I think, basically, it's my fault for not starting her sooner. When we got her home as a baby, I thought it better to let her settle in to her new environment before we tackled unpleasantries like bathing. I didn't try bathing her for about 8 weeks, and by then she already had a routine that didn't include a shower! I've tried a bunch of the tricks I've read on here, without much success. The only thing I haven't tried is the bowl of water with toys in it, i thought no way she's gonna go in voluntarily! I will give it a go though. Any how, she does go in the shower with me almost every day, sits up on the shower rail and seranades me - doesn't mind the steam hitting her, but it has been worrying me a lot that she doesn't get a proper bath. I've tried the hands on approach acouple of times, and while the bites I get aren't malicious, it really is her just trying to get out, I got a couple of sore ones and it put me off. I shouldn't have let it but there you go. Today I took the bull by the horns and gave her a shower in her travel cage. I started off keeping the water just off her so not to freak her too much, but then i noticed she was trying to get to the hand that wasn't holding the shower. I stuck my fingers through the cage and she instantly climbed on to them! A breakthrough? As I slowly moved the water towards her, she jumped off, but I left the water running over my hand, and sure enough, within about 5 minutes, she was making her way back to my hand. This time, as soon as she stepped up I removed the water, then gradually got it close again. Every time, she moved away, but then made her way back to the watery hand, untill, in the end, she must have decided it was better to sit on my hand and get a shower, than just sit on the perch! When she had finished her shower, I had mine and she was back seranading me again! Gave her loads of fuss and a treat when we were done, and she doesn't seem any worse for it. I'll try it again next week and maybe supply her with her own toy-filled bath in the meantime and see how we go. Fingers crossed! x

I'm so glad Lulu seems to be on the mend - it's awful to see your beloved pet in a pickle, but really don't beat your self up over it - learn the lesson and move on. Everybody makes mistakes, not all admit them. Not long after I got Alfie, a couple of months maybe, her nails were so sharp like pins, my hands were really getting lacerated. I decided to take the tips off (my breeder had told me i would need to do it maybe twice a year)- can't be that hard, i thought, I've done dogs, sheep, goats, even the horses in an emergency - how different can a parrot be?!!!!? I got the first one no bother, taking off maybe half a millimetre at a time, I got three bits off the first nail, when I went to the same nail on the other foot, I bled her on the first clip. ONly a little, and she didn't bleed long, but needless to say, I've never done it again. She still lets me pick up her feet, but now I only tickle them. And Sandy perches do the rest! Well done for keeping calm.

Lol - you are all most welcome to drop by anytime. It may be a bit far for some of you though! See yawl later! x<br><br>Post edited by: pearllyn, at: 2009/09/11 13:31

Sorry Jan, My dogs are members of an organisation called Pets As Therapy, every week I take them round a nursing home and let the residents stroke/cuddle them. The man in the Supermarket noticed the P.A.T. logo on my t-shirt and saw me buying a chicken and asked if the chicken was therapy for the pets! x

judygram wrote: Judy, very interesting to hear you say this. As well, as having Alfie, and our dogs, megan and tia, I also have 3 horses. I think quite highly of a man named Monty Roberts. He is a great believer in not forcing horses to do anything, but somehow, getting them to do things for you because they WANT to do things for you! For instance, with a horse that is diffocult to load, training him in an environment where it is hard for him to do anything else, ie, making it EASY for him to succeed and diffocult to fail. I imagine the same principles could be used for parrot training - I don't know why I didn't think of it until I just read your post! It is true, all our babies, and not just our parrots (i think alot of people on here are multi animal people!) are very special - no-one in the world has a horse as handsome as my Gavin!! But it is so great to hear people loving their animals, despite their flaws! I was in Morrisons today after having my therapy (Pets as Therapy) dogs out on their weekly rounds, and a man who was serving on the chicken counter noticed my t- shirt and said " is this therapy for your pets?" I laughed and said no, but they will share it! He went on to say that, yes they can be therapy, but mostly they are just annoying! I said, oh, mine aren't, grabbed my chicken and ran! It's just so great to hear from people who are truly into their pets. Long may it continue! xx

Bernie, these are fab! I do have a telescope, and love using it, but haven't really since we moved back into town. Keep these great pics coming please! x

You do. You make the best fid toys ever. Your fid toy making skills are unrivalled. There is no-one who makes fid toys like you, on the planet! Your skills are so sought after, that you are inundated with requests for fid toys, and out of the goodness of your heart, you pledge to fulfil every, last order! Unfortunalely, now all your time is taken up with toy making and you don't have any time at all to spend doing the things you want to do, including, spending time with your own fids. I wish my bird will be happy and healthy for the rest of her life.

Lol, most of the time, jilly, most of the time! Glad Harvey is enjoying his outdoor time tho. Thanks for looking at the photos of ALf, dan, will try to keep updating! x

Oops, sorry Judy, you already said that! SHould've read the whole thread first!!

I agree. These "breeders" shouldn't be supported, and in any case, Mother Nature knows best. My grey is beautiful - how can you improve on perfection?

Alfie hates water too. I think, basically, it's my fault for not starting her sooner. When we got her home as a baby, I thought it better to let her settle in to her new environment before we tackled unpleasantries like bathing. I didn't try bathing her for about 8 weeks, and by then she already had a routine that didn't include a shower! I've tried a bunch of the tricks I've read on here, without much success. The only thing I haven't tried is the bowl of water with toys in it, i thought no way she's gonna go in voluntarily! Any how, she does go in the shower with me almost every day, sits up on the shower rail and seranades me - doesn't mind the steam hitting her, but it has been worrying me a lot that she doesn't get a proper bath. I've tried the hands on approach acouple of times, and while the bites I get aren't malicious, it really is her just trying to get out, I got a couple of sore ones and it put me off. I shouldn't have let it but there you go. Today I took the bull by the horns and gave her a shower in her travel cage. I started off keeping the water just off her so not to freak her too much, but then i noticed she was trying to get to the hand that wasn't holding the shower. I stuck my fingers through the cage and she instantly climbed on to them! A breakthrough? As I slowly moved the water towards her, she jumped off, but I left the water running over my hand, and sure enough, within about 5 minutes, she was making her way back to my hand. This time, as soon as she stepped up I removed the water, then gradually got it close again. Every time, she moved away, but then made her way back to the watering hand, untill, in the end, she must have decided it was better to sit on my hand and get a shower, than just sit on the perch! When she had finished her shower, I had mine and she was back seranading me again! Gave her loads of fuss and a treat when we were done, and she doesn't seem any worse for it. I'll try it again next week and see how we go. Fingers crossed!

Lol - the look on Koko's face is priceless!

Lol - the look on Koko's face is priceless!

Lol, Dan, that makes more sense now! I didn't get it the first time - thought it must have been American humour!! Bless Dayo! The day ALfie apologises to me, I'll fall of my perch! Thanks for the update.

Karma to you, plain Jilly, for trying agian after a bad experience! When I got Alfie, she came with one of those big chunky harnesses, which I did get her used to from the word go, but soon switched to the much neater and lighter aviator (great harness). Although Alfie doesn't mind me putting it on her, and when I say doesn't mind, I mean she doesn't object, so I assume she doesn't mind. She does chew at it sometimes though, but not to the extent where she's made it unsafe. I do scrutinize it closely before every outing tho. She does seem to enjoy going for walks with us, and joins us and the dogs on most walks, although, we live at the beach and the only time she joined us for one of those walks, we got mobbed by seagulls! (probably more distressing for me than Alf as she hid inside my jacket!) On days where it's been very sunny, we give her some shade. Once David rigged up a brolly on a garden fork so she could sit under it! Hope Harvey is still enjoying his "free" time! x P.s. tried to upload a photo of Alf but it was too big, so here is a link (hopefully) some pics of Alfie in her harness! http://cid-570cc52d11a02d5e.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/Alfie<br><br>Post edited by: pearllyn, at: 2009/09/10 11:55

Hello, New member here ( if I meet the requirements!) My name is Lyn. I don't really have a drink problem (denial). I live in a pub (true). It's just...., there! (convenient). Will try and make the meetning tomorrow night, but work on a friday evening so may not can stay long. See you then!

I guess this means a grey is a grey is a grey! You have all just described Alfie to a T! It's as if you know her! Jane08 - I'm just kind of going through the biting thing you descibed with Rangi - I'm very encouraged by you saying, once it was over it didn't happen again - I haven't had a bite now for around 10 days........! Jan, what you said about Tobie gamboling across the top of the couch, we get that on a daily basis, and she does the "kung foo" head aswell - I say her head swings like that because of all the nonsense in it!! You see it and just know there is trouble on the way!! At just over 19 months maybe Alfie is having her terrible twos early - please don't let them last the next 50 years!!

What an awfully distressing story, and he sounds very young! If the breeder is out of the question, it may be worth asking around to see if there is anyone else local with birdy knowlege. Hope your little bird will be alright.

Hi Journeyman, Alfie has loads of them coming through and they feel awful! She won't allow me to remove the sheath, as Dan has suggested, but she does love it when I just sit and sort through them - you like you see the monkeys doing?

Ooh congratulations! That must be so exciting! No doubt you'll keep us updated on the progress - hope everything goes smoothly for you!

Great vid Dan, When Alfie hears my two barking, she joins in! Maybe Dayo should have a word with her!

I've just found this thread and have thoroughly enjoyed reading all the posts - Karma to you Danmcq for starting it! Alfie and I aren't quite at the conversation stage yet, although I usually do get sensible replies from her when we're playing about - typical interaction might go like this me - blow me a kiss alfie Alf - (makes kissie noise) then blows it me - good girl Alf - good girl, step up (then flies to me) me - good girl Alf - good girl (She says this a lot at the minute!) Then I'll put her on her perch me - have a whoopsie alf Alf - have a whoopsie (has one) good girl!! Alf - (screams) me - (in a whisper) sshh Alfie, say it quietly Alf - psswsswss (quietly) We do a lot of chatting when I'm in the shower too me - Where's your little duck? Alf - quack quack quack me - where's your pussy cat? Alf - Miaaaaaooooooowwww! me - where's that little monkey? Alf - ooh ooh ooh aah aah aah! me - and where's megan? (our big dog) Alf - Meeeegan! (whistles on her then barks like Megan) I'm amazed by some of the stories I'm reading on here and can only look forward to the day when Alfie is telling ME to keep the noise down!<br><br>Post edited by: pearllyn, at: 2009/09/09 13:34