katana600

It is rough living with allergies. Mine are unpredictable, I am allergic to cats, but my kids had two. We had them for 13 years. There were long periods when I had no symptoms, but an inadvertent scratch and my eyes would swell shut. Certain times of year were the worst including the onset of winter and it may have had something to do with old dust in the ducts. If you have forced air, it may be worth a try to have your ducts professionally cleaned and change to the kind of filter you can wash weekly. It may not be just dander but a combination causing the tipping point effect. Also, try a neti pot. It's worth a full blitz to see if its a seasonal overload rather than your beloved companion alone.

It's always nice to see someone joining us to learn about how to care for their little one before the homecoming. That final week of waiting is hard but it makes it all the sweeter when you become a flock. Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your joy with us.

Mostly the humans call her Gilbert in conversations about her. We follow her lead, if she is upset and says her usual "Gilbert's okay" we just say your are okay and reassure her. Every night when she used to say "time to go night Gilbert" now she says "Night night Gil girl". I am watching out for confusion and often just call her Gil as a transition. On her part though she still calls me LuLu most of the time, yet every time my daughter has been around Gil also calls out to "Maaaa" continuously. This funny Cajun thing is playing out all sorts of ways. She is changing it up a bit. Here she can't see one side of the kitchen and when I work on that side, any unusual sounds prompt her to say "who dat be kitchen?" She certainly ups her game for an audience, she is way more active, happy and chatty here. She seems to be having long garbled monologues in the evenings. We can make out a few words. Last night my sister asked "What was that?" And Gil sounded like she said the same thing again ending with an emphatic THAT and big laughs, hoots and cackling. I can not believe my good fortune to watch this little girl's reawakening. Every small triumph is magnified like the first ray of sunshine after a scary storm. She is worth the wait.

Dave as I laughed about the almond tactic for distracting a pain in the ass I had a flash of insight. This is exactly why my husband takes me to fabric shops. Hours and hours watching football when I might otherwise be looking for help with my task list or wanting to talk. Clever diversions. It benefits me to let him keep his secret weapon.

I like that. Gilda the ambassador. It not only makes people appreciate the uniqueness of an exquisite companion but also they see the time commitment and responsibility that is required. Early on when I made the choice to bring her into the family, I read other accounts of life with a "parrot with a past". I really thought that three years in we probably had heard all her phrases but she certainly did awaken her Cajun side. Today I was making hard candy just out of her sight when I banged the mold on the metal try trying to break loose a stubborn piece. She shouted "Who dat dere kitchen?" And "who dat be" She knows its funny and the goes on and on with something I can't quite make out. She is soliciting scratches from everyone. She seems to like the activity around here. She does tell the dogs "shut up" and that is one she hasn't said since the beginning, but five or six dogs in the house are a lot more than we are generally enjoying. She has new whistles and beeps and now that I have gone through three digital thermometers, she is tricking me often.

She is stealing hearts one minute and stealing the show the next. She is very relaxed here, we all settled in as if we had never been apart. We are right on the border of NY and PA and today was the first day of hunting season. We heard muffled sounds of gunfire miles away and all the dogs were in the house and distressed. First Gilda mocked their barking and chided them to be quiet. A while later we heard much louder, much closer gunfire and she called out "Who dat dere?" In her first male Cajun voice she used to use when she first came to us. Two more times as sporadic shots rang out she startled, jumped and asked the same question. Later I was on the phone telling my husband about her bringing out a phrase from her past and she laughed and said it again. She can be so funny and charming. I am so glad she is happy and has taken this travel and change in stride. I have been gone a lot seeing extended family and Gilda has gotten along splendidly with everyone in my sister's family.

Inara is quickly training you just the way she likes it. I am enjoying her progress very much. What a lucky little girl she is to have found you. Also it is remarkable to me the way she is integrating into your family in such a short time. Good timing all the way around.

I tried to leave a visitor message yesterday on your profile Dave and could not figure that one out. Since I am away and using an iPad I thought that was my issue. On the bottom of my screen I saw where it has posting permissions etc. and for edit mine says my HTML is off. On advanced it does show bold etc. and that appears to work.

Yes I believe she is determined to keep me on my toes. We had a lot of travel to and from the Buffalo airport and today when I came home she was ready for some attention. She was happy to take tiny little pine nuts from my fingers and to let me scratch her head through the bars. She leaves us in awe asking us to let the dogs out before they even go to the door and telling us good night before we stand up to head upstairs. Maybe she isn't cued in to us as much as directing us when we need to be supervised. She is gaining quite the fan club.

Everyone here in the country is still calling her Gilbert and nearly have me confused. I am not going to correct them or push for changing a good thing. She is right in the hub of the home and everyone who walks past is solicited for a head scratch except me. She is a little put off by me and even postures for a confrontation when I feed her. I thought it was a cage thing but this morning my sister fed her, reached in her cage and there was nothing. I will watch to see if its familiarity and she just is having a honeymoon period with our hosts. She is just taking changes in stride. We can't let her have the freedom out of her cage as we would at home because the one German shepherd is too interested and too young and quick to take any chances. Gilda seems in agreement that inside her cage is best. We did bring a big cage to leave here and she is playing with toys

Our car trip was Gilda's best ever. She was chatty in the car and asking to eat, snacking the whole way. She did have a "moment" when one of our small dogs burrowed under his blanket between two travel cages. She had forgotten he was under there and when we prepared to stop he came out suddenly and startled her when the blanket moved. She is terrified of blankets, towels etc. When he came back she was still edgy and tried to nip his backside. I had to put a plastic bin lid against her cage to protect them both. At our home away from home she settled right in and is relaxed and happy. We have four big dogs here so last time while I was away a lot she and Java stayed upstairs in my room and only came down while the dogs were out. This time my brother in law created a custom dog barrier with stair bannister spindles so they are in the breakfast nook right in the center of an open floor plan. She is happy, talking and making us laugh. I am staying in my home away from home making my Christmas goodies. I feel so blessed to have family welcome me with open arms and how nicely all our dogs and my parrots get along. It nearly made me cry that they worked to provide safety and comfort for Gilda girl.

The many faces of Poly. He can be coy, charming, handsome and dashing. My favorite is the final photo in the first set of five. He looks as if he is chatting up the girl next door.

I hadn't known this folklore, thanks. I was long attracted to the African grey for its understated elegant beauty and how it is subtle in appearance and stunning in communication and interactions. It took a long term close look to discover the depth of intelligence and emotion.

I can only dream of mine getting along this well. This is inspirational. Thanks!

This is a great thread, timely for holiday travel. I have the white cages and they have served me well for many years. The springs have been removed and I put quick links in place of them. Gilda spent four months in hers when we were called to stay with a sick family member and didn't have a choice. I put rope perches all over the outside so she could come out a d have more room. It want ideal but it worked. We are traveling again and the second cage looks like one I would like to consider.

She can improve her strength and is determined and getting stronger all the time. As I think back on it, the vet was speaking more of her missing feathers and that after this much time it is evident that she pulled out the follicles. You make a good point. We just don't know if she can fly, just that she hasn't in six years. Never say never where Gilda is concerned. She sees me packing and knows a change is coming. I am looking forward to seeing how she gets along this time. We will be away for about a month. This is a happy visit and our girls are flying in for both holidays while we see extended family and friends she has met and enjoyed. For a girl who doesn't fly she has accumulated over ten thousand miles of travel and she has an adoring audience wherever we go.

This is going to be one of many "threads to watch" as Delilah quickly puts your house in order. You sound like you will be easily trained to do her bidding from the onset. She will give you so many of those jaw dropping moments as she unpacks her bags and gets comfortable. She really is a gem and you are clearly smitten already, but wait, it just gets better and better. Thank you for joining us and giving us a glimpse of a day in the life of Delilah.

Give her some paper, I believe she is ready to write her list of demands. Yesssssss, get a little closer, I believe you have some red ink in your veins....

Thanks Dan, our other parrot Java is also prone to give a little startle and give me a smack with her beak if a pinfeather is ruffled. Gilda isn't quite there yet. Her sessions where she permits a touch have very specific "rules". I can only get my fingers throught the bars just right to reach her chosen position. She holds the bars with one talon and bows her head and says "hey" and that is my signal she is asking for me to come rub her head. I am only permitted to touch with two fingers and only gentle strokes from the top of her head to her neck, more like petting. If I touch her neck or shoulder she will tense and swing her head, but not bite. It is a very delicate operation and we have come such a long way but I guess I am a bit on the slow side because she says until I get it right, she will hold her boundary firm. LOL. Of course I dream of possibilities and think how great it would feel for her to sit on my knee instead of the awkward contortions I have to stand in while getting in my "place" which she has dictated. I also dream of her flying and even though her vet says it is not going to be possible, I just "know" that she is going farther, her angle to the floor is getting greater and she is getting stronger. She may not fly the same way as other birds, but to her, she is flying. Every day I tell myself if this is "it" if this is her best, that is okay with me. But, I don't want to limit her potential by cutting short our hopes and drawing inward. Her happiness is my measure of success. For her to finally be able to express herself, albeit at the expense of a tender finger, and then tuck and relax again is awe inspiring. A year ago that would have been a two week setback and those two weeks were hell to her. Now it is kind of like the reflex I have at the orthodontist when I can't resist the "swallow and clamp" every now and then. I react exactly as Gilda has coached me... "oh! sorry." No wonder she finds it so amusing.... it's kinda fun.

You are all giving me the idea of wanting to make a stand just the right height for Gilda to some sit next to my chair where she can read the forum over my shoulder. I think we are getting close to her finding her mojo and coming away from her cage a little at a time. All of your handiwork is inspirational. Thanks for sharing.

Hahaha Nancy, right when you think we are one step ahead of them, they are carefully observing our behavior to give us more "enrichment". All kidding aside though, I went almost two and a half years with a little soul who was so shut down, she never made messes. I could have put one paper towel in her cage to catch her droppings because it was only in one place. I don't run around after her with a dustpan, she can fling things far and wide now and a mess is a beauty to behold. The first time I had to sweep up a shredded toy outside her cage, I could have had a party I was so delighted. I rejoice that she is messy, even when she flings a cup of water across the floor.

Dave, Thanks so much for addressing this and bringing it up again. I brought Gil home with known plucking issues and because of reading your posts and others here tell me to not take it personally and just go on as if nothing happened, it would be the right thing for her. I have taken your advise and we have an occasional stressor that will culminate in her trying to tell me something about her anxieties and she will chew off her feathers from her neck to her legs. I just continue to reassure her about what the stressor was, most recently when I had to go to the hospital with a very ill family member. Gil was in good hands but a few days was a long time to her. By understanding this is an emotional issue with her, it has been much easier for me to love her through it and not get to frantic that I need to "do" something. And you are also spot on with the observation that she might just shut down if she couldn't deal with her anger and frustration. That's how we met and it just keeps improving with her all the time. I really couldn't have done it without the wise counsel of forum friends. You guys have been a big part of giving Gilda a new outlook on life. Thanks.

Early Sunday morning Gilda was having her early wakeup head scratch at her request when she suddenly, instinctively turned and nailed the tip of my pinky finger. She immediately tucked her head gently to continue her little massage. All I can think is that, as we know, they are wild at heart, she may have seen movement from the corner of her eye as my finger was splayed as my hand was relaxed. I usually keep my thumb tucked for this very reason. I guess I was just sleepy and not alert enough. There was a little blood letting and then immediately back to her sweet little self. It was just a reminder to me that she is still fragile and a little nervous with hands. She has come such a long way. I was able to put it behind us. What I think was really awesome is that where she once would have taken a long time to come back to being relaxed, she was immediately relaxed again. Her ability to rebound is what I am focused on, not the reflex that caused the nip. Also, she didn't bite nearly as hard as she once would have, she seemed to have caught herself mid way and that's another good sign. At the same time, she has been taking small pine nuts from me without the need for being inside her cage. I have to say it makes me a little nervous but I continue to offer and give her room to go inside first if she would rather.

Nicely done! She looks so happy and relaxed on the stand you made. Love the way you made the base. It looks really great. You are smitten with her, I can tell. I believe it is mutual.

My theory is what began in the wild served a specific purpose and then they adapted to captivity and it serves another specific purpose. First it is a test of the worthiness and dedication of their human subject. Only the strong survive, others are relegated to the rejected, defective human exile from parronthood. Next, once the subject has passed the minor testing, usually two years, then the uncanny ability to read minds propels the parrot to seek enrichment for his human, you know, something to occupy her time, make her feel like she is contributing to the flock by cleaning and replacing food, toys, cage papers etc. What other paltry excuse for productivity would these poor humans have anyway?