JillyBeanz

Come on Spock! I'm sure Jay & Maggie are giving you all the goodies you love!! Come on little man - one day we are going to look back on this and say, Gosh Spock, remember when you had Jay & Maggie and the rest of our family worried over you - you little tinker!

Well, if anyone can sympathise with you Suzzique it is Julie! Julie's been through a great deal with Argyle - and although, as you say, they are different birds - the general consensus for "training" is similar. I had a cockatiel (yip, another different bird) who was "cage aggressive" - actually, he was just downright aggressive! If I went near him he was in attack mode! I found, like Julie describes, if I sat near him (and it sometimes did take an hour) that he would calm, and sometimes (not always though) would let me touch his head. This comes from a bird whom I had to handle to take him to the AV once who took half my thumb tip away!! To be honest, in the end I gave in - he was happy to be in his cage and just be fed and watered! Perhaps this is a failing on my behalf - I had 17 years to overcome his aggression, but never did - but it was an acceptance on both our parts - he just didn't want to be that loving creature I wished him to be

Phew! She's gone back to work, he's at work and those pesky kids have plans for the day! Peace at last - although it's her short day at work and she'll be in early! I've got to say though - I'm loving my new stand - I'm barely away from it at the moment - and he's added all my favourite toys - so I'm in heaven! She's happy as well, all of my food and poop falls to the paper in the tray - instead of all over the carpet!!!! Roll on the weekend......:laugh:

Thanks for sharing this! Karma for getting it going again, and karma to kittykittykitty for inspiring you - come on there are so many new members - let us know why!!

Oh Ram - they are sooooo sweet! They are starting to look like cockatiels now! I love that bottom shot where they are looking at you "come on dad, let us out"! They have changed so much since your last pictures. Thanks for sharing them - I am enjoying their progress so much

Hey Precious! Glad you've joined the gang! Your mommy will be thinking of you day in day out - so just hang in there! Argyle, you sound like you're looking forward to going to your mum's uncles - it'll be like a lovely holiday for you away from that Beau! Pity we didn't have "parrot cam" that would have been some film your mum trying to put that cage together!! Well, I'm sick to the back teeth of "company"! It's half term - so the kids are here and then to add insult to injury - him and her have both been struck down by some illness - I know it involves the toilet, and the house stinks of domestos!! Where she works has a 48 hour "clear" rule so she's been at home today and yesterday too - I wish she'd go back to work - but rules are rules I suppose!! They seem to think we need to be active all the time - I want some peace again!!! I'll update you tomorrow though

I didn't teach Harvey his new "blackbird" song - he learned it from the radio that we leave on when we are at work! It's a perfect blackbird song though! I didn't teach him to fly upstairs (which consists of two turns) but he managed that superbly at a very young age. And I still haven't taught him to talk! He mimics with the best of them - but the only word he really says is a mumbled "hello".

Harvey was 12 weeks when he came home and probably had a shower four or five days after his arrival! Take is slowly - don't just rush in. Take him into the bathroom with you, show him the shower, let him inhale the steam - then as the days progress gently splash him. Harvey's 14 months now and only ONCE in that time I would say he has "enjoyed" his shower - he merely tolerates them

That's great news Ryan - I left Harvey with my parents last year and intend on doing the same this year - although he's one year older and not a baby any more so I'm not sure how much "out time" he'll get this year - he sometimes refuses to go back to the cage for me - so I guess they'll have no chance! He'll learn his lesson though - I'm one year tougher than I was and realise that no detrimental effect will come from leaving him in the cage! Great news that you've found someone you can trust

It's good news about the infection - but what about the nutrients? Is there something they can do to boost Spock's nutritional state? Are there any vitamin and mineral mixes that can be given to help him out? Fingers crossed they find something to help him. :kiss:

Hey! They were allowed their babies in the picture - you were just adding yours!! Great picture! Bismark looks so proud to be sitting there amongst it all

I can't wait to see this come along - I want stages of photos, not just the end product!! I like both designs, but can definitely see why you favour the second - come on girl, get stitching!!!!

I had budgies when I was younger (sweet, but useless) and then obviously my cockatiel Spiky for 17 years (not so sweet, but still useless!!) and loved him to bits. Now, Spiky was incredibly low maintenance - I only had to feed him and he was happy! Moving on to Harvey - I would just say exactly the opposite of everything that Jay has described an amazon as! It's sad that so many greys end up in the classifieds - but unfortunately I can see why!! Through these pages, if I was adding another bird I think I honestly would take an amazon - but because of my limited variances of birds - I would have to say Harvey, my high maintenance, high cost, constant attention seeking Grey!

What a really interesting read ~ thanks for the link

Well, am I pleased to be back. After the kids put me in a care home (and insisted I took Harvey with me) they took my finger top from me, no means to communicate on the uww (universal wide web) - but I did meet a galacton from 1 million light years away when doing my morning marathon today who gave me this communication means. I thought I'd try that grey forum that I used to be a member of (Harvey's 101 now and hardly ever in - goes off to all those clubs and wing groups in the sky as described by Dan). I'm so pleased some of the old faces are still around though, but perhaps since none of us actually "own" greys anymore, we should be joining one of the other forums for our new "pets". Oh, by the way, I've just got myself a sabre toothed tiger - cute little thing - Mr Smith down the corridor had one and I needed one too......

kittykittykitty wrote: Ha Ha! Well, I'm the same and believe me this isn't something that would have ventured into my room pre-Harvey days! I now don't have a focal point as my beautiful fireplace anymore - I have a 5 ft Java tree, with it's colourful adornments that get chewed!! Michael's hung some extra hooks off it to put Harvey's favourite toys on and he's hanging out there all the time! It's great!!!

Come on Spock - we, your fan club, lie in wait for some good news and that you've "turned that corner". Hope the vet had some good news to cheer Jay & Maggie (and the rest of us) up :kiss:

Oh Beau! Lucky you - going on holiday ~ how nice of your humans to take you - mine just dumps me at the old people's home (the woman says it is her mam & dad's) and they've got this four legged thing "Suzy" who I'm not scared of either! Plants, now, I'm good at the plant thing - lucky for me my favourite is a Yuk Yuk plant or something like that - but it's on the safe list and I get to chew chunks out of it in the summer when I'm in the conservatory! Oh Bella - I'm not a decorator - but I'm a great carpenter! Him and her have painted walls, so no wallpaper, but they have fantastic door frames that I enjoy imprinting with my beak - why do they get so annoyed? Oh well, best go - she'll be back soon....!

Well, obviously this morning it was "bomb time" - 10 hours post bedtime and I thought he might have forgotten his new tree! I apprehensively took him out of his cage (as usual), chatted to him whilst travelling to the living room (as usual)and then he saw it.........jumped on and let one rip! First morning bomb success story!!!!! :laugh:

I could never take on such a responsibility - I know you have to start somewhere - everyone who raises chicks had a "first", but I wouldn't want to do it!! Harvey was hand raised/spoonfed from a breeder and we brought him home, fully weaned at 12 weeks. In the UK it is against the law to sell an unweaned bird - so it is really only breeders who have to hand rear birds (obviously the price tag rises when they are hand fed). Harvey's fab - no detrimental effects from me not weaning him

Ha Ha! Fab! Can't wait until the next verse is learned!!! :laugh:

Oooh! So many friends! I am so excited - well, this is what's happened in here tonight. Those two (the ones who seem to run after me the most) opened this big cardboard box and this knobbly, bobbly tree thing was in it. The man one had to put it together (I get the idea the woman one could do it, but just lets the man think he's better). Well, the discussions that surrounded it included "he's never going on that", "what a waste of money", "Jeez, I didn't realise it was going to be so big" etc etc. Well, I can't do anything about the size, so I had to prove them wrong. I sat on top of the door for about 8 minutes, checked it out and flew over to it - I could tell they were impressed - oh well, if I do something naughty tonight, perhaps they won't jail me - I've shown them alright! Right - best go and eat some more on that new tree thing - oh, and the bowls are made of pottery and I'm sure I'll get my beak through them.......!

What a great idea Lyn - how long do you keep her in her cage? I was reading different views on this on another forum and it was a general consensus that only a few minutes should be "time out". Personally, I leave him there for a good 10 minutes - for his own safety too - before I throttle him! :laugh:

That's fab Lyn - one day I hope Harvey will be obedient and have more of an attention span than the length of time it takes to eat a sunflower seed!!!

Jill - I couldn't log in to see your new baby!! Hurry up and load some so I can see!!!!!!!!