katana600

Way to go Peck! I'm guessing his stamina will improve now that he is showing off his mad skills to the women in his life. LOL. Happy happy day for Peck.

Inara, that is so funny. We have been doing the Yogi impressions for her and today at the bird fair, I got her a little picnic basket and gave her some hemp seed for the first time. I'm turning up the charm factor to use any window of opportunity to get on her good side.

It takes a while for many greys to trust her new family. The misting is an example. If her former caretaker showed you a technique that worked for her but not for you, there isn't something you are doing wrong except not being "her". Once Bella gets settled, that will change. For her to allow you to scratch her head in the cage this early is a good sign. You will learn Bella's comfort zone, best time of the day to approach her and all her favorite treats and meals. Something she loves may be rejected at first. If you don't take it personally, you will make a lot more progress as she learns to trust you more. Congratulations on finding a unique and wonderful companion. Welcome to the forum.

These exquisite little souls never cease to amaze me. I am very thankful we get to tune in to what they are thinking by their efforts to learn to communicate with us.

That's a lot of very lucky homes to be graced by the presence of parrots. I thought it was a secret that only this forum was in on.

I had to come back and look again. Look at her tongue. I only saw that once with Miss Gilbert when she licked oatmeal off the front of her beak. Regardless of whether it was Greycie or who snapped the photo, you know a good thing when you see it. Thanks for sharing it with us. I love that face.

It's much better than three particular words from her past. I did think for a minute I had a new name and was hoping she was talking to the dog. It was sweet and unexpected. The best kind of surprise.

What a shot! She is photogenic as well as having brains. We should try mud bugs for our Cajun queen too. Great photo. You've got a great imagination and equally good sense of humor.

When our dog awakened me to go our for the third time before 4:30 am, I was disgruntled to say the least. As we came back in the door I heard a little voice say "Hey Boo Boo" just the way Yogi Bear may have said it. How could I grumble about waking up to that? It must be another blast from her past. There are many positive and delightful aspects to a parrot with a checkered past.

We found some beautiful wood turned art works that would be symbolic of setting Rio free in the treetops. Going to some art shows would be making new memories and finding a beautiful tribute for the love you will always have for Rio.

Thanks for a great big ole belly laugh. That was such a good video.

Great news on Peck's health update. Those pictures of Megan and Peck are heartwarming. It's special to have them get along so well on the initial close encounter. They both look so relaxed and busy doing their own thing without much concern what the other is doing. Great job on introducing them.

I am grinning behind Miss Gilbert's back. Can you imagine nearly every overture and offering being not only rejected on a regular basis, but being greeted most often with the stink eye of suspicion? Well things are changing. In grey time. Nearly every morning she rushes to the perch next to the food door. She sounds so sweet asking for a cracker or a treat. When I open the door to take replace the dishes with fresh food and water, she positions herself to stick her head out the door like a cartoon character with a telescoping neck trying to bite me. I have lots of strategies to get food a d water in there without shedding blood. Sometimes I fill the dish on the opposite side of the cage or I use a lovely crystal tray to allow her to see my hand but not to reach me. When I do put food in, I am not a half step away when she snatches out food and forcefully smacks it to the floor. At times when David is home, I will ask him to put the food in to see how she reacts. It's lightness and sweet appreciation. So why am I grinning? Day after day, I continue to offer her balanced, healthy choices. Day after day she rejects it with an attitude. Today. I am sitting here silently watching her furtively make her way to the bottom of her cage to pick up the food and give it a try. She is eating the peas, sweet potato, apple, carrot and other tasty offerings. In other words, that toxic sludge I have attempted to foist upon her. Hahahaha, I do believe I am making some progress I winning her acceptance. Like a drop of water consistently wearing down the surface of a rock. The oatmeal was the tool that made a chink in her armor. I'm grinning 'cause I'm winning. One little moment in grey time.

Welcome home! I had to go back to refresh my memory but I do remember you. It's going to be a study in the life of a grey to see how she accepts and integrates back into your family. Having lived with a rehomed grey, if you don't set big expectations and give her time to adjust, the sky's the limit. I believe she will remember you. I am looking for this to be a welcome reunion. In our life with Miss Gilbert, she has come a long way. She still calls out for her first beloved "Jim". As much as I love her and enjoy her every day a tiny part of my heart wishes Jim could find his way to her. If she recognized him and loved him, I know I would be at peace to do what's best for her. All my thoughts and blessings are with you and her current caregiver to make this a positive experience for all.

Every step you take to make her more comfortable is a win. Congrats.

To take a line from Dr. Seuss, Oh, the places she'll go! This morning, she launched from the seed catcher level and flew to the most distant corner of the living room. She shook off a rough landing and flew back on the same path to her cage. She was only off the floor by six inches or so, but maintained flight the whole way. We are letting her ride that fine line between new excitement and old habit as every time she flies, she get nervous and chews feathers. I say it's a fair trade off since she is making progress and her demeanor is not as a reclusive neurotic, but more just a little talon wringing on the path to indepencdence. There is a little anxious twinge for me when I see snowy forecasts beneath the chairs on the living room and throughout the house. But really in the scheme of things it's her way and I would rather see a few bald spots and the confidence in her eyes after a flight if this is a necessary trade off. She is taking monumental "risks" and I am beyond thrilled to watch this new girl recreating herself. Go Gil Girl!

Thanks for sticking with us and for passing along information that will enhance our appreciation of our own companions. Your raw grief is a testament to the energy and efforts you put into giving Rio a charmed life with you. Thank you for caring about Juno too. I visited him with his breeders until he could come home. He was in our home less than eight weeks and his eyes never had time to change color when he was stricken with PDD. We took in his brother Kopi and he succumbed from the same illness a few months later. In my adult life I could have counted on one hand the number of times I cried before those losses. It changed something deep in my soul to be close to the exquisite creature that is the African Grey. Once your heart has been touched, the world has more of everything good. Five years has not erased the gravity of our loss but it has allowed a greater gift of perspective and substance to everyday life. We would love to have you stay with us, share your celebration of Rio's life and come through your grieving to share our greys for a time as you heal.

What a cozy, interesting alcove you have created to make mealtime a shared celebration of taste and experience. I may need to borrow your ideas to see if it might draw Miss Gilbert out of the final resistance to leave her cage area. Your pictures have been inspirational. Thanks.

He seems oblivious to the sparrows sharing his cage. I liked the way he says his name. Also, loved that toy that looks like a marionette puppet. He hauled him up to play with his hat and sent him swinging to "hang". Solomon is really shining in your home. Thanks for the update.

Imagine a fifteen pound eagle with a seven foot plus wingspan. That is impressive. I also like that they pay tribute to the eagle's beginnings and service by training them to hunt and returning them to the wild. Great article, thanks for posting it.

That is such a nice tribute to this loving couple. I'm only speaking for myself here, but when I hold my husband's hand, it's only to prevent him from escaping. LOL. My kids think it is sweet though.

I have dreamed, wished and prayed to hear the sound of flapping wings. When I was nearly convinced it was not meant to be, it is getting more obvious that Miss Gilbert may regain her gift of flight. She has endured nearly a decade of flightlessness. The value of a short, hard won flight across the living room is priceless. Your shared warm moment is uplifting and priceless as well. Love that your birds can go outside to their new playroom too!

I know that Ray, I am an easy mark. LOL. Plus, her loud noise doesn't affect me much, I raised kids. Hubby is home less often and it did rattle his cage a little. Lucky for us, like with our kids, it was a passing fancy. Last night we both were witness to another intentional flight. She was down low on her seed catching tray this time and was able to rise at least six feet into the air and flew completely across the living room again. The effort she needs to put into it is extraordinary and her control is getting a little better. Afterward, I talked to her and kept her away from her cage as long as I could until she started fluttering and looking for an escape. Not long after that, I came back into the room to discover a feather layer as she chewed a quarter sized spot on her chest. Compared to shredding of feathers in the past, this was minor and she didn't show any real signs of frustrations. She is talkative, active and full of herself today. Its so nice to start peeling away those layers and polishing our little diamond in the rough. Oh yes, and she took my side in a debate today! We were debating the design of our lawnmower, of all things. I thought there should be a switch to turn off the blades while leaving the "self-propelled" part in gear to move from one hilly area to another without cutting a path. Hubby was disdainful that he thought I wasn't hearing him declare it is not possible. He spoke a little louder to emphasize his point. Gil piped up "that's sh*&" and we all decided it was a silly thing to discuss in the first place, it is what it is. Just like the occasional feather destruction, her timing and use of a cuss word occasionally will probably be part of her coping techniques. It sure shut down the debate.

Our vets and breeders recommend Roudybush as well as Harrison's. We just happened to have a parrot who liked the Harrison's better. As with you, the pellets are a small percentage of the daily diet with fresh veggies, grains and small amounts of fruit. I am not a professional, but would think an underlying illness was more likely to have caused Rio to be slightly underweight rather than his diet. When ours were sick, yes they did lose a large percentage of body weight in a very short time. I believe it was the words of Maya Angelou that gave me a measure of comfort when I was trying to make sense of what I must have done wrong to lose my beloved Juno. "We did what we knew. When we knew better, we did better." That may not be exactly her quote, it is what makes sense to me. Your pain is from a genuine love and caring for a dependent you thought would outlive you. You were obviously involved, caring and a good steward of the gift of nature in your life.