katana600

I love this commercial! I never gave it a thought to look for it on YouTube, Thanks! I saved it to my "Frivolty and Laughter" folder.

Simply heartwarming. Dayo is a beauty.

Come to think about it, my family up there sounds more like Miss Gilbert every day with the never ending winter. Our hometown of Bradford PA had a water main break depriving the entire community of water. With sub zero temperatures and no water pressure in the lines more damage is inevitable. Now winter storm "uncle" Remus is wreaking havoc on the south once more. Imagine poor hubby's flight from DC/ATL was diverted to Detroit. Detroit has better weather than we do. If Gil associates snow with the absence of her heartthrob I may learn some new words from her.

Despite the apparent rebuffs of my offers for friendship, I love this little grey bundle of contradictions and complications. I am a very predictable companion... just watch Sheldon on Big Bang Theory. My husband can watch a new episode and say his lines before the actor does, LOL. I can get the basic "Gilbert rules" but some of her basic "commandments" are perplexingly flexible. She doesn't always respond favorably to an offer for a head scratch, but when she does, the cage bars must be between us. One day she will violently defend her cage turf and the next, she is so sweet about standing on top of the cage and watching patiently while I put things inside, clean it, or rearrange things. Last night while she was topside, I offered her a scratch, she bowed her head to show me it was okay. I put my hands inside the cage and she stayed a long time letting me reach up through the bars to rub her head. Today she has a sense of humor but it is the naughty kind and I have no where to go to laugh without her knowing. We awakened to snow on the deck, it isn't that prevalent in Georgia, and I might guess from her former decade in Biloxi MS, she may never have seen such a thing. But... as soon as it was daybreak she has complained loudly and often that there is "sh!t on the floor". First, I thought it was the sound of the spray bottle when I cleaned the coffee pot. Then I thought it might be the sound and sight of me cleaning a spill on the counter. Nope. It would appear she is talking about the snow on the deck.

Luckily she was most intent on pulling my hair and I was calm enough to back up and give her the idea to step onto the cage top. No blood shedvthis time. Even as I was disengaging her from my hair she was running toward me trying to bite my hair. It is somehow comforting to know I am in good company with Gary. If she was guarded all the time with me, or if she was always defensive about her cage it would be easier to understand. Boy howdy when I have hot oatmeal she can't get to her "sharing" perch fast enough. It's right in the center of her cage. Whether she is inside or out she will hustle right to that perch and make a particlar 3 beep sharp staccato sound of acceptance. She makes great gulping, yummy sounds while she eats off a spoon. If I have the audacity to make eye contact, or god forbid ask if its good, she draws back with a glare that makes her regular stink eye look positively charming.

Once again, we are best buddies all week. She shares my oatmeal every morning. She offers many head scratches and not once did she fling food and water at me. David was home this weekend. She was on the outside of her cage where she likes to wait for him to sit on the floor and join her. Soon she became bored so she started pulling the cage liner papers out through the bars. That was about to make a mess so I went over to change her cage papers. I never heard her nor saw her coming. I was leaning in the door, working on the bottom of her cage. She went up the side, into the opening and she jumped on my head. She pulled my hair, tried to bite my head and was scratching and digging at me with her sharp toenails. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt... that I made her nervous when I came to her cage and she was just trying to get inside to safety and "slipped". Ah. NO. She was intent and deliberate. David saw her coming but he also thought she was just trying to get inside to the safety of her cage. David says she just doesn't like me messing with her cage, dang it. I say, it is time for him to clean the cage to see if she does it to him. I got a no thank you on that one. Ten minutes after the fracas, she is as sweet and calm as she could be. Also, when he is home, as soon as I position a new stainless steel cup of food, water, snacks etc. Miss Gilbert will work overtime to wrench it free and fling it to the floor of her cage. I've tried different cup holders and the one in there now is the most difficult, but she is determined and diligent. This morning, he is at work, I fed her and all is just fine in her world. Round and round as I try to understand the little pip, she changes up her strategies and gets far ahead of me. I am no match for her, but I may be just as determined or stubborn as she is as I patiently win over her heart and mind.

Wow. He makes Gilbert's shredding look like kindergarten work. That looks like he has awesome fun for an hour or so.

Jacques Derrida 'Paradoxically, a person who is at once both extremely private and extremely public, Derrida is one of the most important, profound and intriguing thinkers living today.'

My vaccine or prophylactic is to cover the affected area with a towel every time I get up to leave the room. My particular strain of the virus seems to be repelled by towels or any cloth that looks like a towel.

Well done to you and Miss Marco! Great November page and she has my vote for cover girl next year.

Made me laugh out loud to the snorting point. We can identify with biting, swearing and pooping on the floor. Miss Gilbert's sign would say "I ate a live spider to gross my humans out. It was a 'Godfather' inspired warning"

Welcome to the forum Tonya! What is your grey's name? My Timneh was about the same age when we got her. Her name is Gilbert but a DNA revealed "he" is a she. We thought she was aggressive but it turns out she was timid and scared. When they are distress, biting is the only communication they may know. Go slowly with offering new toys. Hanfpg them below perching level so he doesn't feel threatened, you can always move them later as he gains confidence. Gilbert's first "toy" was a roll of adding machine paper. Tie it with a leather lace or whatever you have. Tear off a piece and weave it through the bars. Over time you will learn if he likes paper, wood, acrylic toys and he may change what he likes over and over again. I would love to see you tell his story in the Rescue Room. Slow and predictable will win him over. You will hear a lot about grey time. Every one of our greys is unique and individual. I so look forward to learning with you and yours.

Welcome to the forum Mylo and Dave. This is an introduction to lifelong friends, you will love what Mylo brings to your life. It will change the way you live and think. It's great to watch those new babies get a firm grip on your heartstrings and delight you with his intelligence,wit and humor. May you always be as enthralled and in love with him.

One thing is certain, your homes "up north" are built to be efficiently heated. There is nothing like playing with fire, I love the wood chopping, fire tending and keeping a pot of soup simmering when I visit. I still feel for all if you up there hearing endless weather reports of snow by the foot. Sterling, we moved extensively with three stints in Texas. Both my kids consider it home and were happy to move there when they could choose to as adults. I've lost track of my "roots". Those pictures of "uprooted" trees feels familiar to me. Hope everyone in the path of the snow can find a warm spot to weather the storms and that you don't lose power.

I'm originally from northwest Pennsylvania and we took this weather in stride and went about our business. But having just come home and now watching them get hit with one snowstorm after another its really been more brutal than usual. Sometimes I feel a little pain for them as I sit in balmy Georgia weather. It caught up to us with high winds Friday followed by an ice storm last night. I could hear trees groaning and crashing last night and two uprooted and took out the new fence that was barely a week old.

Not at all bluedawg. It is the topic. I think it's just good to expand on this because its something we all are thinking about for our long term care of our parrots in case we feel alone out here and need emergency care for our birds. I'm really sorry to hear about your mom and the stress of waiting for answers on your own health. Warm thoughts, prayers are for all your family as you cope with your illness.

There is always hope for Dorian. Gil hasn't played like this for at least six years. She started with paper, cardboard, birdy bagels, rattan, seagrass mats etc. We've offered balsa, then thin wafers of soft wood. She has only recognized the satisfaction of wood chewing for about a week but once she started she has embraced it with relish. We had company this weekend. The little toot was eliciting head scratches from David, and both lady visitors with whom she is unfamiliar. They all laugh at how suspiciously she regards me and then she laughs and gets into the game of begging everyone else to touch her. The stink toad. She also is playing with a set of plastic cups, toddler toys. She is very animated and full of energy. And now that we are home alone.... Yep, all the head scratches I wish. To see how she accepts and adapts to new challenges is so encouraging. The cold shoulder? Perfectly acceptable. It makes for a funny conversation and really opens the guests up for reaching out to her much to the delight of all.

Nancy, you bring up a good topic. The grey forum was created to provide support and share experience to bring greater understanding to life with an African Grey companion. The health of the human partner is paramount to the grey in our care. Maybe we could start a sticky in the health room, or off topic suggestions or whatever would make sense. Sharing our concerns, providing support and encouragement as well as brainstorming to provide for our greys during a rough time is a grey forum specialty. Bluedawg, I am so sorry for your new about your mom and for your own health concerns. We just never know how a pivotal day will change our lives.

Nancy, I am so sorry to hear you were hurt. It does make us vividly aware of the fragile nature of our life and best laid plans. Even though both my daughters say they will look after our parrots and dogs, they are young and don't have the life experience to understand what that commitment means. It would be nice if like minded grey families could network to help facilitate finding foster homes for our parrots for short term emergencies and for long term placements. You bring up a good point. I think it would be a good idea to put my forum username and password on Gilbert's cage and hope my kids would sign in, let our members know what happened and seek advice and understanding here. I really hope you are healing and feeling okay.

When Miss Gilbert started playing, she is making big progress. Some toys have been in , out and around her cage for four years of offering and being rejected. Yesterday I moved the new toy from outside to inside while she was in her cage watching. She did run across perches, play "porches" and offered to bite me but didn't seem at all bothered by the larger than usual wooden toy. Today it is half way to being demolished. At the same time she went into a feather chewing frenzy and there is the appearance of a snowfall around her cage. She doesn't act nervous and I think even though she is adapting, change makes her anxious. She is learning new things and making progress. Today she surprised me about 6:30 am with a loud, emphatic "You're WELCOME!" In my voice. It was a big surprise and it took me a moment to think about where she got that. For the month since we returned home she has staked out the food door every morning. When I put in fresh food and water she takes a swipe at me, then she throws food and flings water. ...and I say "you're welcome" a bit facetiously at her lack of appreciation. Bahahaha, I guess she got the last word on that one. She is currently standing on one foot on top of her open door, grinding her beak.

GilGirl continues to play with her wooden toys. Up to now she would play with leather laces and beads, a few select foot toys, a sisal ball and a few foraging toys with shredded paper. This "first" opened the door to new experiences. I have an entire cabinet filled with toys that have been tried, rejected and tried again. Something clicked this time. She does what she typically will do with the other types of toys, such as leather laces and beads. I hang them outside her cage, below her favorite perch. When no one is looking, she reaches through the bars and starts pushing it around a little. After a time, a long grey time, she might come out and bat it around a little from the outside of her cage. Usually though, when I move it inside she freezes and will totally avoid that side of her cage. This time she went right to the toy within minutes and destroyed it over a few days. Once the disks were gone she has chewed off the dowels and end pieces as well. In the meantime, there is a new one, a little different and bigger on the outside of her cage. I've seen evidence of splinters but she is secretive about it. The playing, beak grinding and venturing out of her cage continues.

Miles of smiles, thanks Mr. Sterling! While I was grinning and enjoying the fun the dogs were having, Miss Gilbert was chiding them to be quiet and my two came running and barking to join the pack.

Candy corn pants. That's confidence. Charlie will give your family many hours of entertainment even if he keeps you on your toes. Seeing both of them together eating sure gives a lot of hope they will coexist with a minimum of strife. Long may this teamwork last.

Ray, I just have to tell you about hearing the Amazon purr. i have been watching a few different ones with tbe zest they have for life, play, eating. I have read here how they are so special when they choose their own human. There is a secret heart of hearts that says "maybe someday". A few weeks ago I visited Agatha again. She is a "standard fixture" in a store where I get my bird food and she is not for sale. I heard her purr and it was enchanting. I also heard her shriek and either it was still echoing in my ear or I could hear it from the parking lot with the car doors closed. :-) She was boisterous. Well, I have thought of her a little and thought of you and Cricket a lot. When I came home from this visit, our eight year old red-bellied parrot, Java purred at me when I walked past her. She has never made that sound. It may have been coincidental, but it was quite a surprise. She has been doing it almost every night since then.

Kudos to you for kindness, patience and perseverance. What's her name? We have an older rehomed Timneh with a similar reluctance to trust. We have had her, Gilbert, or Miss Gilbert, for four years. She has permitted head scratches while inside her cage, but she is still wary and guarded after all this time. Being low on the floor may be less threatening to your girl. I think it all depends on the personality and life experience of each individual parrot and their "new" human. It makes me so happy that you have had this breakthrough with her. Long may it last.