katana600

Hi everyone, I let the quilt go on to find it's purpose. A national aviculture group is looking into logistics and legalities for putting it up for raffle with all income going to research on PDD. They are estimating for it to be online in the next couple of months and I will let you know. This has taken a long time and is going to be a lot bigger than I had originally hoped. I really was looking for a fitting and lasting tribute to our little guy Juno, gone too soon. I am already working to do one just as well, or better for Kopi. It has been really important to me to find a way to turn our loss from tears to cheers. I still have a long way to go on that, but thanks to all of you for caring and encouraging me along the way. We just never know where tomorrow will take us.

You and Timmy have been such a good fit. He has come a long way and no doubt appreciates your care and attention. He knows he has it good now and he has been successful so far in his mission of training you properly. LOL. I am happy to read your update and know you and Timmy are together forever. Congrats on your ability to be a quick study for him. LOL.

Congrats on your new baby girl! The last days of waiting are the hardest, but your Bella will be home with you soon. I am really happy for you as you add to your family.

I have been reading this whole post all the while trying to figure out how long it would take me to drive from Georgia to the west coast. We went through everything we could for our two boys last year and I can not begin to imagine not doting on Otis, bringing him veggies and cooked beans and making him feel like he matters. We have three dogs and another parrot but when Juno and Kopi were sick and needed attention, they got it. Heather, I am so sorry you have had to witness this. Just reading it and knowing there are people out there without the heart and soul to keep a companion animal takes my breath away. Thank you for trying and trying to convince them to do better for Otis.

I don't mean to capitalize on your bloodied ear, but I have to say, I was thinking about laughing at the images it conjures up. Just while I was reading quietly to myself and starting to chuckle, Java started mocking my laugh from across the room. Surely, I didn't laugh out loud at Isaac's antics. It just reminds me of Dayo giving dear ol Dan the neck pinch when his is displeasing to Dayo. LOL. In all seriousness... for a minute, Steven, I am sorry he is sorely vexing you. But if we only had a video of this, maybe.... someday, just once.

Congratulations Jess and Yoshi. This is exciting news! I have been wondering how you are doing and here she was just waiting to practice and show off her flying skills. It is magical to see them fly when they are babies, clumsy and doing a lot of crash landings. It brings me happiness to remember Juno's flights and how proud he was to land on my back. It is even more beautiful to be surprised with the regaining of flight, like a little mini miracle for Yoshi, I am sure. I am cheering her on as she finds her wings again! Happy happy days.

It would make sense if the quaker parrots have adapted to the conditions there, Mino is certainly intelligent enough to watch them and find warmth and food. It is admirable for you to keep going and going and to track down every lead. It will be a day of huge celebration if you have a sighting of Mino and he is able to reunite with you, my prayers are with you always.

When you are not around, Isaac is practicing everything you say. He is lulling you into a sense of security with his "practice" word in your presence. He is waiting for you to have a full audience and then will say every word he has heard and keep people talking about you for months. LOL. I can barely stand myself waiting for the day you are having regular conversations with him, it is coming. Only a man would be so excited about Santa bringing him appliances, LOL. Small wars were started in our marriage when my husband presented me with a vacuum cleaner for my birthday, LOL. I just love to hear how devoted you and Isaac are to one another. He is both blessed and a blessing.

As you might be wondering about our quiet home this Christmas, it is also the first time in 25 years we will be home alone. Our girls are grown and have taken a step to visit extended family and build new relationships and we are giving them our blessings to travel while they can. But... for me... to keep busy in this quiet time of celebration and joy, what am I up to? Well, for my husband for Christmas I am making him a screen headcovering to protect him from Java's onslaughts when he tries to take a nap on the couch. LOL LOL LOL She has pierced his nostril and grabbed his eyelid in recent weeks. He is such a good sport, but is getting a lot more jumpy these days, so I will post a photo when he wears his new "hat" . Merry Christmas friends.

Congrats on taking the leap to become a parrot partner. I like that you are looking forward to the kids and dogs and thinking ahead on your family plans while considering this monumental journey with your little Gandalf. Great name. One of the books I read while we were a home-in-waiting for our little one to wean is The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich. I found it a lot easier to set boundaries from the beginning than to go through the heartbreak of solving the problem after the fact. When you read about all the reasons people give for rehoming their birds, it will give you a good idea to balance your expectations and be ready for the commitment. As it gets closer if you are like me and countless others, you will be holding your breath and want to rush the weaning time to be over, be patient with your little fellow to wean when he is ready, it will pay off greatly to help him learn to be trusting and ready to come to you. I am so excited for you to join us and think of those happy times when you will be together with an amazing little spirit.

Oh, it is so. Black fingernails, black clothes, emo attitude, spiked collar. This too shall pass. Those who go before me tell me it takes ten years to come back around and think parents are wonderful once more. Teens, that is. I can't speak for the greys, I have not been so blessed to reach those milestones and pitfalls. I am sure our members have some really funny stories to tell about it though. I would love to hear more myself.

I practiced for months to keep my language PG-13 or better before my little guy came home. It is a lot harder in the traffic we have here, I am thinking it might be good to put the empty birdie backpack in the front seat to remind me to keep being nice in spite of the rest of the drivers out there. Maybe that would work. I already have a pair of driving mittens designed to keep me out of trouble. So far, so good. You better believe that one word you wish you hadn't uttered will be the favorite for a long time to come.

I know it is last minute, but if you call an avian vet, they may have a list of sitters that are recommended for their parrot experience.

I forgot about your vacuum question. I have a Bissell upright. It is bagless and the center part lifts off to be a portable for stairs and small jobs. It has three filters you can take off and wash and I liked it so much I bought a second one for the basement. http://www.target.com/Bissell-Lift-Off-Cyclonic-Shedaway-Grooming/dp/B002IB0WVQ/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&searchView=grid5&keywords=bissell&fromGsearch=true&sr=1-13&qid=1292511375&rh=&searchRank=target104545&id=Bissell%20Lift-Off%20Cyclonic%20Shedaway%20Grooming&node=1038576%7C1287991011&searchSize=30&searchPage=1&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&searchBinNameList=subjectbin%2Cprice%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Ctarget_com_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&frombrowse=0

When I think of the cold weather, I also think of the many heat sources coming from a sheltered place on a building nearby. It wouldn't hurt to go out more than your mile radius. A lot of birds have gone more than five miles. You may think it is out of your control, but you are doing a lot of good things to get the word out. Today may be the day you get word of a sighting. Maybe the university would be a place to post flyers, college kids may be commuting and spread the word in places we wouldn't readily consider. When I first read your posts, I felt paralyzed by not knowing what to do for you. I understand how bereft you must feel right now. Keep trying and keep your hopes alive. You live in such a highly populated area, someone may have found Mino and doesn't know you are looking yet. One of the suggestions I have read is to locate places that sell cages and ask them to keep you in mind if anyone comes in to look for a cage for a "found" parrot. There are a lot of good people out there and my heart tells me they will be looking for his loving home to get him back to you.

I have the Bissell little green machine and I love it. I have had a lot of shampoo machines over thirty years and this one has lasted the longest and I get the most use out of it. I haven't found the heated models any more effective. I just put in enough hot water and solution for each of the little jobs I do as needed. One of the best products I have used on the dark parrot droppings is the enzyme cleaners. My favorite is by Biokleen. It is non-toxic, smells nice and I spray the spot and in minutes it disappears and I just go over it with the machine. On the berber carpet when it needs a little scrubbing, I use an inexpensive denture brush which also works really well on the cage grates.

Thanks for posting. When I look at your pictures, I know there will be another grey in our future. It means so much to see yours coming to a home with unconditional love and acceptance. I look forward to getting to know them through your posts. Thanks for the great introduction.

Thanks for joining us, your pictures are adorable. I love the one on the bottom left as he is looking into the camera. They are all great pictures. I enjoyed the avatar too. I was so busy looking at Capo's face, I had read all the posts before realizing he was getting a kiss on his sweet little head.

Oh, this is all too familiar. Ours wasn't the African grey, but our smaller bird. She is obsessed with the keyboard. She will also huddle next to the mouse while I am using the computer and if I don't stop for her cuddle request she wreaks havok on the keyboard. She learned in her first week with us how to put her beak in the cover and shut the computer down with the lock switch. It took me three hours to replace my keys and then there was one she had destroyed completely. Every time I hit the left shift button I got a little shock to remind me. All we can hope for is the flat touch virtual keypad so there will be no keys. Maybe they will make it in a titanium case and parrot proof it for us.

It takes a special person to listen in on grey chatter and feel the joy for his well being and happiness. Thanks for sharing this with us. I have seen so many videos of the bird repeating "be quiet" and worse. Even listening to videos of someone else's bird chatting away makes me feel light hearted and happy for them. I am so glad you are still thinking Timmy is the greatest little sidekick in the world.

I don't think you are over reacting one bit, I would be worried and upset too. I agree that she needs to be evaluated by a vet and you can get advice on her routine that may make it so she stops trying to start a family I haven't had this problem with my female so I really don't know what to do to help you, just know I care and I believe in you to work with her to find the right solution. One thing that I read was how important it is for females especially to have twelve hours of darkness a day because it mimicks the "off season" from the African areas where our birds originated. That was why we put Java in a night time cage and keep her bed time stable. Good luck with getting it sorted. I think she decided she hit the jackpot for her forever home and is trying to fill your life with chicks just like Sadie!

Oh Lyn, she is a star! She can kiss my beak after all. When I read the forums and see videos like this one, I know there will be another grey in my life when it is the right time.

Bless you for your dedication to bring Wallace into your life and to do whatever it takes to make him healthy and a big part of your life. He is just gorgeous. I think about him clawing at his face in frustration and it makes me feel so choked up. I am happy that you are bringing him relief and I know he will be a wonderful addition to your family. Congratulations on finding a companion who will enchant and delight you even though it is a lot of work to keep him entertained and looked after. Many happy years are my wish for you and Wallace.

It serves me right to get an earful, I have been working for four years to "train" Java to do "bomb's away" in flight, on command for unsuspecting in-laws... LOL. I have not been successful, but is sure is fun to consider such a weapon in my wicked little arsenal. Hahahahahaa....

Alfie will soon be the queen of her new domain. She will be the star of the move!