katana600

Funny, vibrant comedian. Loves to entertain from a distance. Suspicious,wary and cautious.

We had Java, our smaller red-bellied parrot first. We were fostering Milo, a cockatiel and kept them on differnt floors of the house for a month while the cockatiel acclimated and settled down. Then we put the cages in the same room. I was going to introduce them gradually when Java flew to Milo's cage. He rushed over to bite her toe and she responded by grabbing his beak and pulling his head through the bars. We were ever so lucky he wasn't severely injured and they were close to the same size. When we got our greys, we tried the gradual introduction and Java was still unpredictable. Gilbert, our older TAG rehome has been very reluctant to make friends with Java. He seems to refer to her as a harpie or a raptor, LOL. It has been fifteen months and the best we have accomplished is to have them each out on their respective cage playtop while I am on my feet between the two cages. They have reached a peace accord, for now, while I am vigilant but I would not trust them a second or turn my back to them. We have just reached the stage where Java can ride around the house on my shoulder without her trying to fly on Gilbert's cage to pester him. He can't fly so it is easiest to just bring her past his cage and encourage her to stay off his turf.

I am so happy for you and Sam! I like your approach and philosophy with him, building his trust and helping him along without forcing him to be ready before his time. I believe this is a good way to take joy in the process. It is a win-win for you, for your family and for Sam. Thanks for sharing your happy moment with us. Success.

Wow. Everyone has to use whatever works best for their family to bring home a new parrot. I have done it three times and didn't have to resort to toweling or wing clipping. Those of you who do agree that this video is the way to go will succeed or fail in your own way. It depends on the parrot's disposition, age, etc. whether this will create a cooperative companion or a subservient pet that steps up when you tell it to but might create stress issues later. The part that I objected to in the video was the little sing song condescending and mocking of a different technique which is what I used with success. That is letting the parrot come out, get acclimated and cooperate because he wants to trust the humans in his life. It might take about ten years to figure out if what I am doing is working, but it is worth it to me to have that relationship with a rehomed bird that already has been damaged by several caretakers who thought that the strong arm approach would be the quickest and easiest way to "tame" a grey.

He is one of those icons who made his name from the men he portrayed and not from the tabloids. He will be held dear in our hearts forever, we are lucky to have lived in the generations that span his career.

I am so drawn to these baby pictures. I would love to live near a breeder and help with the babies... or at least visit and play with them and watch them grow. It has to be one of the most rewarding tasks to watch them from the tiny helpless stage to fledging and developing their character. It takes someone very special and dedicated to socialize babies and oh my the amount of time and work you must put into it. It really is a labor of love.

Our female red bellied parrot talks sparingly. It is very clear and spot on for conversations we are having but she has little need for talking on a daily basis. We had a male Congo African Grey and he was talking at seven months and learned a lot of words before he passed away. Gilbert came in a little older with a different perspective of several rehomes. He has picked up a few words from our home, mostly says much of the same thing as when he came in fifteen months ago. Even being a man of few words, he talks ten times as often as she does. It is too small of a sample to make any generalizations though. I guess I need to get a few more parrots and see how that goes. LOL. NOT.

Sorry, I can't bust this myth because I believed it when we set up house. Both mine are from Africa. We had a red bellied parrot first and I always wanted an African grey so it worked out well. Java the red bellied parrot has been with three different African greys and it has been harmonious for the most part. Gilbert is a little different because he has his own baggage and issues. What worked for us is the personality traits are similar, so it could just be that they have similar dust issues, similar eating habits and similar characteristics. Even though they are from the same continent, Africa is so extensive they are not likely to have ever had ancestors interacting in the wild.

This place sounds amazing. No wonder you are so excited about it. It would be hard to resist going back day after day to enjoy all the love and affirmation for this woman and her flocks. I really admire those of you who are able to work closely with rescues and to do the cooking and providing to the parrots in need.

Beautiful baby pictures. The close up, in the next to the last picture shows the intelligence in their eyes. They all looks so relaxed and confident. And, no, I can not begin to imagine all three of them fledging at the same time. There would never be a dull moment, or a quiet moment, I would suspect. When Juno fledged, he was so proud of himself and trumpeted his delight.

Nice pictures. Each of your birds have a unique beauty. It keeps things busy and interesting. Your little dog is sweet too.

My dogs don't bother the soapy water but I don't make it easy for them to get to it either. I looked up the Camacide base and it is (Pyrethrum refers to several Old World plants of the genus Chrysanthemum). Originally our breeder recommended it and I checked with both our vets. I got a quart of it four years ago and it is still more than half full. Even though it is considered safe for birds, I wouldn't spray it while they are in the room, nor ever use it inside the cage. Generally, if we have a few ants, I can see where they came in under the sink, or under the back door to the deck and I just spray the entry points and it seems to be enough.

I think you are spot on that your event gave Shadow and the family a different routine. Some plain ole bribery might hasten the process of getting back on track with her. Gilbert goes through withdrawal sometimes, like right now because I was gone overnight this weekend. His achilles heel is to approach him late at night when everyone else has gone to bed. He will sometimes be the most receptive to a little bribery. A second almond, pine nuts or pistachios seem to entice him over to me where he will sit next to me on the back of the sofa for a few minutes and then he will be the one to offer me his lifted foot for a step up. I am sure it is because he gets a treat when I put him to bed. As you settle down from the excitement in your life, I am betting that Shadow will just naturally come back around for you.

Chelsea, don't forget that red booty jungle chicken. That one keeps me laughing whenever I think of him. LOL. My daughter calls Gilbert, Gilberto or other silly variations. When I got him, I had been naming my birds on a coffee theme, but I couldn't bear to rename Gilbert since he knows his name. When I am out of the room and he talks to me I call back to him Gilbert Machiatto Grande. He bobs his head in approval but hasn't tried to say it. He's a grande for sure.

Out with the old, in with the new! Roxie was making room for her fresh dishes. LOL. That is funny.

I love that your sweet Simon is starting to practice his speech. Nothing could be more wonderful than to hear him say "I love you" after you have said it to him so many times before. It is very endearing when we hear our parrots practicing the endearing phrases they have heard. My favorite from Gilbert is to say "Night night. Sweet Dreams". He has been saying it since the first day he came to our home and it gives me a warm feeling to know someone loved him before I could.

Good question Steve. I hadn't thought much about it. Gilbert doesn't call any of us by name. We currently have three dogs and he only uses the name of one, but even then it seems to be generic to all of them. Our theory is that he calls "Mick" because he hears that name the most often because Mick is the one getting into the most mischief. The other dogs go outside and Mick stands at the door but won't go out until you call his name. Same with coming inside, Mick stands at the steps and looks the other way until I lose my patience and scold him to come IN. So, when any dog barks, Gilbert says "Quiet Mick". When one dog goes to the door, he says "Wanna go outside Mick?" That seems to be the only household name he uses though. He still calls for Jim and sometimes he asks one of the dogs "Whattareya doin' down there Lou?" LOL. We don't have a Lou. Also, a year ago, he met someone once while we were traveling and liked the sound of his name, Walter. So he asks often about Walter, where he is, how he is doing or says Walter is a good boy. For the rest of us, if he wants attention, he will softly say "Hey" and we jump up to give him anything his little heart desires. Who is training whom around here?

Gilbert, Dorian, Sam and Spencer are special cases. Whether it is something from their past, or partly their innate character trait, they are more sensitive than an average rehomed parrot. You will know what to do with Sam and how far you can test his boundaries. Our progress isn't measured by how much they permit interaction as much as how relaxed they can be given the fears they have come in with. You really have come a long way with him and are exceptionally adept at finding ways to draw him out with the foraging toys and your gentle approach. It says a lot to have such joy over the milestones that you finally reach with Sam. As you offer him "bridges" to come out of his comfort zone, he comes a little closer to you. With Gilbert, sixteen months seems to have passed quickly for me, but it is still part of the introduction period for him and he is very cautiously considering to stay outside the cage, on the playtop, for most of his day now. All it takes is a sound outdoors or someone new coming to the door and lickety split he is inside his cage. I actually wish there was a trap door up there when he could be inside in an instant if that makes him feel a little more confident and in control of his own sense of safety.

We have professional exterminators spray only the outside perimeter of our house on a quarterly basis. We have had some ants come in just this weekend. I have a little bit of camacide left and have been having a hard time finding more. It is something about the flower they use to make it, maybe marygolds, being hard to find. It is all natural, safe for birds. In the meantime, I went to the site Dave recommended and many of you are using similar solutions. I have gone so far as to put our pet dishes on little wire pedestals and putting them in a "moat" with a little dish soap in the pan to keep the ants from getting in the dog or cat food. I saw one ant inside last night in the living room and was wondering about raising the bird cage up on stilts with a pan of soapy water under each leg. Now that will really add some class to my living room decorating.

Tucker sure will help brighten up your life. He is adorable. Glad to hear he is settling in and making the most of his homecoming. My husband is not the bird guy in his mind... but he is making progress. LOL. So happy to see how your little guy is quietly taking in the new home and finding his place. He looks so calm in his backpack. He is a beautiful boy.

I have not had that kind of reception to misting either of our parrots, so it is double the fun to see how much yours and Ray's love their showers and baths. That is just awesome. I love it.

After a long weekend of traveling, I found this post first and it really gave me a big smile. I especially love the photo where the water is spraying as she delights in her bird bath. She is such a character. She is certainly enjoying the splashing and gets the most out of a little dish of water. Great photos. Thanks.

You are well ahead of the curve for a rehome if Buddy is being quiet and gentle in just the first week. He is close to age of our rehome. It is normal for him to be holding back on talking and being a little withdrawn, he doesn't know what he is getting into with your home. If he has been rehomed a time or two, he is getting the lay of the land and wondering if he is safe. I look forward to seeing how he fits into your life and how he will blossom with love and care.

This has been an extra burden on your shoulders, I am so sorry for everyone involved. It is hard to know the suffering of the families involved. As your community comes together to support one another, it helps to know everyone cares. I am sorry for you losing Mimi. It is good that you can look to your other blessings and know you have comfort in your time of loss.

He is a curious little fellow. I am wondering if he was looking to see where you went... or looking to verify your location before he went to seek some mischief. LOL. If that were my two, I would be thinking they were the lookouts so the others could get a warning before you came back in. It is lovely to know Pancho is branching out a little and feeling comfortable in his home.