JillyBeanz

Ha Ha! I read that you had posted this Brittany, and then hovered over your profile on "who is online" and saw that SHE was born.... and thought, Ah, how lovely, Pepper still is a girl. Well, unless you have started putting bows in HIS hair and painting his talons, then you'll be fine - Pepper can be a boy's name too :laugh:

Oh yes, please use my room for free publicity for ME (although unfortunately Janet has more rooms than me and will be able to do her "Miss World" speech in more public places!!! Okay, here it goes. When I win Miss World, whoops, I mean Miss Amazon Parrot Informatics Person (amateur) I will strive to reduce debt, reduce taxes, increase pay - oh and save the pandas in China (well, they all say that don't they). I will, however, refrain from entering the bikini section and shall swiftly move onto ball gowns.......:lol:

Hi Stephen - yeah, you just rinse them in a sieve in cold water running from the tap then put in cold water in a plastic dish overnight, then rinse them again in the morning. Honestly, it is so easy. I'm not sure where you buy palm oil in the states, but here we buy it from our pet shops and online pet shops. Dave's right - it's a winner (and don't worry when his poop comes out smelling and looking of palm oil)!!! :laugh:

Ha Ha Dee - I meant it though! Honestly - I was so frustrated I was nearly in tears! Obviously this is something I would never do, but I can see why some feel the need to move them on! I actually had a look in the classifieds (no, I wasn't going to sell him either), just to satisfy my curiosity and the amount of 18 - 24 month old greys who are in there is UNBELIEVABLE. Since Sunday though he has been an absolute angel - even letting me snip a feather under his wing tonight. I'm not bragging just yet though.....:laugh:

Harvey either damaged or chewed one of his "underneath" very long flight feathers last night and it was hanging way down below his feet. He tried and tried last night to remove it, but didn't manage it. I hoped he'd manage through the night, but didn't and I hoped he would manage through today, but hasn't. It is chewed past recognition of a feather at the ends and is clearly bothering him - definitely when flying - he's making more of an effort as it's ruining his slipstream! I had a little peek under his wing and it was nearly chewed through, so I cut it with the scissors. I'm not normally one to help along mother nature - but I could see he was either going to chew it through (which I would prefer) or he was going to get it caught and make himself bleed (which I don't want at all). Obviously the shaft is still in situ - I presume that this will work it's own way out? I know it was probably the wrong thing to do, and I should have just let him carry on, but I was scared he would bleed.

Harvey holds his foot out and talks to it when he's got himself a peanut or a feather! He rather reminds me of Hamlet holding Yorik's skull "To be, or not to be, that is the question?". He intently stares at it and studies it's movement! :laugh:

I'm no gardener (and in fact had my whole back garden decked) but over the last couple of years during the summer months we have added potato pots and courgette plants and tomatoes and had a little turnover! The taste is delectable! I wish I had time (and the effort) to have an allotment (as we call it here in the UK) but I don't! Perhaps when I retire......

Harvey chunters away to himself too - and brings his foot up and "strangles" himself regularly! He'll sit for ages caressing his own neck (it's certainly nothing he's copying in my house!!!). He'll do this forever, mumbling, then stop and say "oooooh". I think he rather impresses himself! :laugh:

I cheat! I buy a dried salad bean mix from Asda (Walmart), boil it up according to the instructions and then separate into little bags (or as I've just learned thanks to Judy, ice cub trays for individual smaller portions) and then freeze them! I make a good batch up and Harvey loves them! I second the "soaking and rinsing beans" motion - it is so important - and when you soak them you will see why!

18! 18! 18! How reassuring! Just another 16½ years until Harvey just "moves" me about! I am 35, don't dye my hair (no grey ones just yet), but on your reassurance I shall be 53 and bald by the time Harvey just wants to "move" me!!! :laugh: On a slightly better note, since Sunday lunchtime (touch wood) Harvey has been fine. He has let me take him all over the place. I've been removing him from his stand, just for the sheer hell of it, and then putting him back. I'm not getting too giddy though - this will just be the calm before the storm! Thanks again everyone - I'm glad I'm not alone

Jayd wrote: Actually - she'd be cheaper to feed than your flock! Try and get her number!!! :laugh:

Amazona Leucocephala (Cuban Amazon) As the name indicates, the Cuban Amazon parrot is found only on the island of Cuba. The remaining numbers of this beautiful Amazon parrot in the wild are so low that it is listed with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (C.I.T.E.S.), as an Appendix I species. Appendix I species are those that are threatened with extinction. Unfortunately, this decline in the Cuban Parrot population is the result from agricultural conversions, hurricane damage to nesting trees, trapping of live birds for local and international trade, and pushing over nest trees to obtain chicks for trade. The Cuban Parrot is recognized by its pinky-red throat and cheeks, white around the eyes and fore crown, a purple-pink belly, and a light yellow beak. This picture is of an adult bird, landing on a pine tree, looking for a feed: Their diet consists mainly of the nectar from the base of flowers in the Coral trees. Flocks of the Cuban Parrot documented living in the Humbolt National Park in Cuba, give hope that environmental educational programs are convincing people that Cuban Parrots should be kept in the wild. Cuban Amazons are known for laying their eggs in limestone holes in the ground. It is thought that they feel their chicks are safer from predators in a solid hole, rather than a tree hollow, which is open to climbing predators. It is reported that Fidel Castro owned a couple - but I couldn't find a picture of the two together (rather surprisingly) :laugh:

Thanks for sending our good wishes to Will - and thank you Will for your response! Tell him to run for cover when Helga comes cracking her knuckles though!!! :laugh:

Happy Hatchday Bella! You're lucky to have got to two without the antics starting!!! Hope you get spoiled rotten (well, just slightly more than usual)!!! :laugh:

Great news!! These surgeons nowadays can work absolute wonders - unimaginable wonders in fact! Hope he enjoys his therapy - he's deserved it!

No, this isn't the reason - he bites when he doesn't want to move! He bites from the arm of the chair, his tree, the floor! If he gets the slightest inkling that he's going back to his cage he decides he isn't moving! He is sitting on top of the door behind me now, preening away. I've just taken him back to his stand for a pooh - no problem - I'm in my jim jams - he knows I'll not go out dressed like this - so he's safe!!! :laugh:

Hi Casey - perhaps moving Mikey to his large cage IN the living room would be better to socialise him. They are flock birds and like to be with their "flock". Keeping Mikey in your room doesn't share him with the family and therefore he won't be too interested in them. Unfortunately Mikey is getting older and telling you what he does and doesn't want. By having him in your room you have kind of "produced" a one person bird. Saying that, Harvey doesn't particularly like anyone else in my family - and he's well socialised! It's very difficult to coax them back too - my husband has been trying for such a long time - and Harvey refuses to let him touch him. Tell them not to give up - I know my husband hasn't (yet)!

I have just read this - and thought I'd share it. What a beautiful passage about a boy to man, with his African Grey, Polly http://www.bbc.co.uk/apps/ifl/apps/vision/opinion/log2results?L2REndPage=/mystory/stories/achievement/163068/%3Fi_like_this%3D1;&source=/mystory/stories/::vapp::gallery::163068&axis=ilikethis&title=/cgi-perl/apps/ifl/queryengine.pl/mystory&max_choice=1&L2REndPage-non-js=&choice=1

I read all that when I was getting ready for Harvey to come home - and tried the old "don't let him higher than you" routine. It doesn't make a bit of difference! He can be on top of a door, on top of his cage or quite differently sitting on the arm of the chair. If he doesn't want to budge, he doesn't budge - high low, or anywhere the wind blows - nothing to do with dominance, just sheer bloody minded! It would be very difficult to lower everything in the house - Harvey is flighted and my doors are definitely taller than me!

Well, this weekend was no better - and culminated in me opening the front door and letting him fly out! Only joking - but he was so horrible that had I not been the person I am I would have! Yesterday he absolutely refused - to a point where I had him sat on the top of his cage with all the doors off the hall closed so he had nowhere to go and had the perch at his feet. Even gently pushing on his chest got me nowhere - he was firm, steadfast and absolutely refusing to budge. When I did put my hand near him he bit me, and hard. He has perfected the "bite between the web" of my little finger, and even at one point on offering my arm, he bit into that - it is just sheer luck that he didn't take a chunk out of my arm. After 15 minutes of leaving him to stew on top of my bedroom door (the stairs don't have a door so he had access up there) I could hear him chuntering away and went to retrieve him - he stepped up no problem. He is as sweet as sugar cage tonight, regularly stepping up and down, up and down, with no problem! Someone promise me this will be over soon!!!! Seriously though - I really can see why there are so many in the classifieds at this age - people with no resolution or research could readily give up (don't worry, I'm not one of them - we are going to ride this one out!!)!!

Tried again at the weekend - left the harness on his cage - he flew to it and threw it on the floor! I keep it in the drawer in the study and when I opened the drawer he flew off! Intuition says that I have a "used all summer" aviator on offer!! :laugh:

He's still got that little tinker twinkle in his eyes and looks like he's still up for some mischief!! Come on Spock - get well soon x

katana600 wrote: Ha Ha! Not quite - the UK has it's fair share - but we provide FREE healthcare!!! :laugh:

Ah, bless her! We ladies have to stick together! We have hang ups about the size of that area - and Josey is just joining us in our campaign! Wait until she starts asking "Does my bum look big in this"!!! What a little sweetie Judy - leave her at that! I love it!!! :laugh:

That's unbelievable - the pressures in later life that are going to be put on the medical services for something as stupid as doing that to herself! I'm sticking her picture on the fridge - that'll stop me