katana600

Every time we leave home and adapt to a new routine, a new household and take changes as they come it makes me appreciate the life of a rehomed parrot. At the same time I am learning more about Miss Gilbert. I've thought all this time that she is protective about her cage, her turf. She has always adapted and enjoyed the smaller travel cage compared to her big cage at home. Well, she still tries to bite me when I change her dishes or reach in her cage to clean. My sister and brother in law can reach in and she pays no attention. I thought maybe she just doesn't know for sure how they would respond but she is actually cultivating a cordial relationship with them. She gently takes pecans or sunflower seeds from their fingers and bows her head to get scratches every time they even look at her. I heard her this morning greeting them and telling them goodbye as they left for work. She has also learned the name of one of their dogs. She has a depth and a personality we are only just beginning to unravel and discover. I'm gone about five hours a day and she is really as comfortable here now as she is at home. In fact, I think she likes the extra people around. Any improvement in her life benefits all of us, her antics are quite the topic of conversation in this small rural community.

It's a blessing for all these little birds to have a loving home and the care you provide. It's tough to think where they would be without you. I wish I could help put your cages together. It's going to be wonderful to see these sweet birds happily flying and enjoying the haven you are creating.

Thank you. Every day brings something new both with Gilbert and mom. Yesterday was the best, we walked and laughed, got in half a manicure and everyone slept well. This morning at my sister's, the big dogs were barking and howling inside before the sun came up. I had tried to hush them unsuccessfully. Gilbert gave one loud disdainful "Quieeeet" and they stopped immediately. There is always something to laugh about and it feels so much better to laugh when it contrasts with all the serious business of insurance wrangling and the small stuff of dealing with conditions from icy roads to rehab road bumps. It's good to be "home" even when I miss my real home. Both Gilbert and Java have won over the household and are settled happily into a routine.

Refillable toys are cost effective too. Gilbert has a large round rubber dog toy with lots of holes in it. I wrap pistachios, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, etc. in bits of newspaper and stuff it. Then shredded paper fills the ball along with bottle corks and other interesting little tidbits. I'm so glad for Garcia and your family to be together. Parrots make a lot of mess and tie us down a bit but once she captures the heart of everyone in your life they will have many laughs and amazing moments with her.

Yes, you have nailed it. This is why I'm staying. One day she is in the present and so appreciative of seeing a familiar face. Today she asked over and over again why she hurts and where she is. When I tell her she fell and had surgery, she says "if you say so". It's a blessing because she doesn't remember the bad parts. Tomorrow I may find something completely different. Now that I think of it, that's much like Miss Gilbert. We just have to laugh and enjoy the good days and rest to prepare for those tough ones. Gil has been blissfully doing busy work every day. She adapted to the flow here and she likes getting up at dawn to regale everyone with cheerful greetings.

PS I scrolled through your photos from the link on this thread. When I saw your finger and lip, I understand your wife's reluctance. It will be an adjustment and I'm glad you won her heart for Garcia. You have already come to appreciate her and I believe the rest of your family will as well.

Congratulations on your homecoming. It may not seem to be a big difference between coming and going from work or home but I think it will be an improvement for you and Garcia. At work its natural to be mor preoccupied, have more strangers for her to consider as potential predators etc. At home is the fun and laughter and relaxed family and flock atmosphere. You might notice her eating with you at mealtime and once she knows the routine she will be announcing what comes next. For Garcia, the predictability and family bonding will be good medicine. When you go to the vet ask about Rescue Remedy. A change in our schedule taking us away from home to a place Gilbert loves was a source of good stress and she has been chewing her feathers a little. I hung a roll of paper adding machine tape, a sisal ball and other chew substitutes and that has made a big difference.

Thank you for asking, it's been an especially long week. Surgery was the day before Thanksgiving and was extended due to many bone shards from the shattered ball joint. Insurance dictates one day in the hospital for an 82 year old with this replacement joint. She went to a skilled care facility which is a nursing home. Pain management has been a nightmare. She has Alzheimer's so she can't remember when she had meds or if she asked already. It's barbaric. I've committed to staying until she is released, it could be February. To better news, Gilbert is in heaven. She loves my sister. She swoons and lets her pet her head every time she passes through. She picked right up where we left off on the previous visit. On our 16 hour car ride Gilbert got upset when it got dark and protested by hanging upside down. It was snowing, cold and slippery driving for a southern car. I finally got a blanket over her cage and put a flashlight under it so she could see without blinding our driver. We came into the house and Gilbert greeted everyone, laughed and chatted like nothing changed with the months and miles between us. She nervously chewed her feathers the next day. Once I got her some paper, coconut rope balls, and an array of toys set up she has been at ease even with some long days home alone. I think my sister enjoys the reunion with Gilbert as much as having the rest of us here. Today was the best day for Anna, she is so grateful to have a friendly face and she is strong and motivated to return to her apartment in assisted living. I am dividing my time between pets and the nursing home about 30 miles apart. It's our hometown and many friends would like to spend time together. Our kids will fly up here for Christmas and rather than my usual methodical planning, baking and doing special home made gifts for everyone, I am here with one small duffle bag of clothes for a one week stay. I'm just going to wing it and be happy.

Happy Birthday to Dorian and what a great relationship you have for eight wonderful years together.

The hearth fire description of Phenix is so inviting and cozy. I will think of it often as my crew and I head back to the frozen tundra of northwestern Pennsylvania. We are about 80 miles east of Buffalo and there is no way I can leave until the snow is cleared. My mother in law fell in her assisted living apartment and shattered her shoulder so I will go to help. Miss Gilbert loves it at my sister's home. I hate to leave home right now with her because she is just starting to come out of her cage to explore. She has decided she is tired of looking at the carpet on the stairs so she is determined to remove it one thread at a time. This morning I heard her scratching and came around the corner to chide her, "Hey!" It made her jump. She recovered quickly and drew and arc on the carpet with her beak then gave me the stink eye and sarcastically responded "What."

Okay, I have to admit even with mice, it makes me lay awake thinking about Decon or sticky traps. Last year we had a battle with a rat that came in. Even with the destruction, I couldn't agree to let my husband use poison or sticky traps. What I did find at Home Depot and finally, reluctantly after some serious damage, is a battery operated electric trap. It was less than an exterminator and quick.

With children I have heard that the one who is the most rebellious will later in life be the closest and bring the most joy. I am so very happy to hear your wife is getting a respite from naughty little parrot bites. It must make your lives exponentially more pleasant. Kilaya is a very good model for your photography. It's beautiful the way you capture her spirit.

Hahaha, you have been with Phenix longer than most of us have had a spouse! i haven't been married long enough for it to get old yet either. :-) My companions aren't demanding, more low profile. I remember thinking "If she just gets 'unfrozen' I won't ever complain about her mess." I haven't gotten there yet but getting a water dish flung upon me has gotten to be a thin, worn out punch line. Now she has a heavy ceramic bowl thats even hard for me to wrench free. She isn't what I would call joyful just yet, but I can see it from here. She has the most endearing little "hey" spoken in the dark of night that will still get me out of bed to come to her side for a warm little scratch session. When I get so thrilled to see her venture a few feet away from her cage, I admit there is a devil's advocate whispering that mobility will inevitably mean destruction and demands. When David is home on weekends, she has been getting out of her cage. She stepped up willingly last night to be carried in to watch him sleep. She is more smitten with him all the time. Hope to see that continue.

Our vet told us the same thing about waiting for a rehome to settle before doing a baseline bloodwork. He said they will have elevated stress levels and if there isn't something glaring like a fresh injury or suspected infection, the first visit is a meet and greet. It really set the tone for Gilbert and she has had great vet visits since then. Glad you are not seeing evidence of new plucking, maybe she knows she is in a really good place with you. And whether you feel like you need it or not, there is such a deep appreciation for someone who takes a chance with a troubled soul... Or two. Your life would be quieter, cleaner, more elegant if you didn't fill your home with parrots, but I think its worth the occasional mayhem. Thanks for being with us on the forum.

I agree Val, she shows me her soft side fleetingly and I would wait 'til the end of time to see it just once more. In the meantime she says and does the funniest things. That's what keeps us coming back, keeps us striving to do better. I know as time passes I slowly see a little more of her spirit. It's like the ember of a fire, nearly extinguished but capable of being nurtured into sustained roaring source of wonder. She is going to realize some day that its good to be the queen. She really surprises me all the time. Today she tried to take a bath in her water dish and when I got the sprayer, she welcomed a good soaking. She licked water from the spray bottle and even though she was inside her cage and my fingers were within reach she didn't try to bite me. It's cold her for Atlanta and I would not have considered spraying her, but I followed her lead and she wanted a cold soaking. The enigma that is Miss Gilbert.

I'm still looking for the deeply hidden little heart of gold inside this thoroughly lovable little character. I know its in there, she lets me get a quick peek every now and again. She sure isn't the type to wear her heart on her sleeve, is she? The truth is I am very glad she landed here too. I think I may have had it too good most of my life being able to learn things quickly. She is my lesson in humility and is teaching me the meaning of patience. Slowly turns the clock in grey time. But golly why does she wait at her food door trying to nab me a couple of times a day? I'm grateful for her choosing a "touching" side of her cage and a "battle" side. She is very consistent on this one thing. Time is on my side as I try to learn how to always see her good side.

I was also a lurker trying to learn about my first parrot even though she wasn't an African Grey. This form is a bunch of friendly and very knowledgable parrot companions "brought together by a feather". Thanks for joining us and introducing your flock. My first thought on crackheads was sunflower seed addicts. I laughed to see how many interpretations we can have in that theme. "Cracking a tough case" such as Miss Gilbert. Can opener beaks cracking hard shell nuts. Cracking jokes to keep us in stitches, the good kind, not the ER kind of stitches, hopefully. Welcome to grey forums.

My little darling asks sweetly for a cracker. I fill her food and water and she wrenches the water dish out and drenches me. Then she throws food at me when I clean up. I like Zeus' approach. He is very funny.

Oh my goodness, that made me a crybaby. It brought back some special moments of meeting my first grey baby. Thanks for posting. Beemo is a perfect baby.

That is so funny. It has to be a "thing" to teach a parrot to say cracker. Gilbert asks for a cracker and it could mean anything food related. I guess Zeus is making a mockery of your food prep skills. Too funny. I love that they can tell us what they are thinking.

Beemo is a great name, it fits the pictures you have shown. It's unique, fun and gender neutral. I am not familiar with the character, but your little one will give the name it's own character at your house and beyond. Nice touch!

The Felix illustration and Einstein video made me laugh, great posts!!! I fear I am not up to snuff to be CGT, she certainly has invested a lot of time trying. Great thread, thanks.

When we adopted Gilbert there was no paperwork, just correspondence from this forum. Just for peace of mind if I were doing it again, I would have a vet or humane society scan for a microchip. Also a vet visit would establish a paper trail and history in your son's name. I did consider adopting a red bellied parrot before we got our greys. That woman wanted me to sign a contract saying if I didn't feed the bird properly (purchased from her only) or if she deemed I wasn't taking care of the parrot to her satisfaction I would be required to return it to her or she would come get it at my expense. Not a chance would I sign something so vague to adopt from a stranger. I agree with Dave. Considering the time and care required to keep up with Gilbert, it was a gift of peace of mind to have a caring home for her. Once he meets her and she agrees to rehome to him, an email with details should be enough.

No sooner than I post that she has had a quiet spell, she has been a virtual chatterbox and energizer bunny. David had a long week of travel and arrived home late last night. Maybe his return has been the reason, but today she has been extra chatty and busy, even though he was at work. She has been hanging upside down and beating her wings. She is generally very efficient in her movements so this dancing and frolicking is surprising. While I was in the kitchen preparing dinner, David was on the floor near her cage playing with the dogs. Gilbert went into a long ramble we couldn't understand and punctuated it with "jerk". I have never heard her say that, but it sure sounded like she was giving him the business about being gone for so long. A little while later she was demanding to go night night and asking for a treat. She has been a real challenge for us and we are often wondering what more we can do to make her happy. It seems that waiting and just giving her the room to be herself is the magic she needs. Thanks for your words, I often have wondered if we are the right home for her. I've wondered if she would do better with a man for her primary caretaker. Then, we have visitors and we take her away from home and she hasn't really ever had a "love at first sight" moment with anyone else. She keeps us laughing and she chuckles along.

I haven't experienced this with Miss Gilbert but Java went through a couple of love fests. I painted my nails and she wanted nothing to do with me. The smallest change may be the trick. Maybe one of those fingerless gloves when you are using the computer and mouse might help him keep his distance until he cools down a bit. Dorian knows most of your distraction techniques, he may respond if you change things up a bit. Do you give him hemp seeds? Just wondering because I read recently hemp is given to chickens to stimulate egg laying. I give them to Gil in small amounts and haven't seen any mating behavior though.