katana600

Happy belated hatch day Sid. Love that picture of him on your signature. He looks like he is considering some mischief for you.

There is something new to learn every day, I was just reading up on the reputation again. It is an encouraging lift to know we are all working together to making this forum the kind of place where we want to share our experiences and learn new methods of communicating with each other as well as our flock at home. Thanks for the explanation Penny, it helps. For me, the fact we can give ten reps a day is good news. Thanks.

Shelby is getting the best of parrot enrichement. She is beautiful.

Just found this thread, big smiles for all of the thoughts. On Dan's... line two for grey companions: "be careful of your words, they will be repeated to your mother in law"

Thank you, you are kind. Our loss doesn't for a second diminish your disappointment, you have been carefully planning and preparing to bring home a dream and it has been crushed. It is an illustration that having your breeder hold off to be sure the chicks are healthy is commendable and sure to be in your best interest. It has been three and a half years and our loss is still breathtaking. I would not have believed it back then, but it as time goes on, our focus to move forward to take a tough case who wasn't going to find a loving home has been our tribute to the babies we loved and lost. It is a different way of being that it would have been with a baby that didn't have a history of broken trust with humans. But at the same time it is incredibly rewarding to watch him meet milestones that I didn't expect for him. Your time will come and the setback and wait will heighten the depths of your joy when you bring home the baby grey you are prepared to adopt.

Oh how I love Dayo. You will know you have displeased him when you are startled by pressure of a sharp beak pinching your neck. It sounds so good for you that Dayo is going to accept his new home. Good on you Dan!

You have every right to feel disappointed and cheated out of the grey baby experience right now. You had hopes and dreams that have been building right along with your nest egg. This isn't the end for you, just a temporary set back. It is commendable that your breeder is so honest to tell you this. I am speaking from experience, I did the same waiting, planning, dreaming and my baby died in seven weeks. If that wasn't heartbreaking enough, I took his brother and he died some months later as well. We were getting up towards 7 to 10 thousand dollars in vet bills, cages and toys. I had to throw everything away because I wouldn't take a chance of harboring an invisible threat. I was afraid I could never bring a parrot into my home because we definitely have necropsy results showing the illness was in our home. I am old enough that I will never get a baby because now I have learned how devastating it is to a bonded friend to outlive the original companion. Your breeder may be able to help you find someone in breeding community with a baby if they can not provide one for you. Keep looking for your dream, you can make it happen and it will be a sweet reward to contrast with the patience and planning you have already shown.

Hi Kevin, Thanks for joining us and bringing that music suggestion to us. My guy isnt wild caught, but anything that could make him purr would be highly sought after. And Judy, I have watched those videos and it is heart wrenching and despicable. I would do anything to help stop this because I now live with an amazing grey. Now that I have been introduced to their intelligence and uniqueness, it makes me think long and hard about how Gilbert got here too. We all have greys that are likely only one generation off from the wild caught parent. For me, it is a circular reasoning. If he wasn't bought in the first place and abandoned a couple of times, I wouldn't have the blessing that he has been in my life. Now that he is here, I am committed to making his life the best it can be under the circumstances and to stick with him to the end of our days. And around and around I go.

The links to everything birds with all the funny "bird talk" has been a good laugh. I think Gilbert is reading Felix's mind when he gives me "the look" as he is about to consider letting me touch his head. Thanks Chelsea

Hi Jane, welcome to our forum. Do you have an egg in waiting? That is really planning ahead. I am looking forward to hearing all about your flock and the new little one about to become yours.

Thank you Chelsea, that was such a joy. My favorite is when he describes you closing the window, and remembers seeing a bird, "Oh wow". He then says what a big bird it was and his next thought is a cow. Was there a bird out there that looked as big as a cow to him? Hahahaha... How sweet for him to talk about your pretty shirt, I haven't caught that one before either. What an adorable little gentleman you have taught him to be.

Hi to Bill and Tinkertonker. Welcome and thanks for joining our forum. I love to see a guy like Bill coming into his second home and changing the course of his life. It looks like you have been together a while and he is close to the age Gilbert was when he came to us. How long did it take for Bill to relax and accept you? He certainly looks happy and relaxed tucking into that corn.

We have one barker, he is the one being told to be quiet. Gilbert will even use his name telling him "Quiet Mick" in that low hush tone I use. But it is our visiting grand dog who is such a pill that she is demanding food all the time. She brings her dish and slams it on top of my foot, or gets up in the morning and comes and shoves on my bed and barks to eat first thing. When we came home and found all the bird food in the pantry dragged out, that is when Gilbert heard the "Good Lord". It was funny to hear him put it all together. He has really been giving my husband the business since we returned home weeks ago. Funnier than Gilbert using the "Quiet" with that unique disparaging tone is the look on David's face. After all this time and many reprimands from dear Gilbert, the look never ceases to get a laugh from me. He just looks shocked and so genuinely chastised "What did I do?". Then of course, I laugh because it is ludicrous that a little ball of grey fluff has that much power over him. Gilbert laughs, Java teehees and hoohoos from her spot and we all laugh. It may have started for one reason but I know he keeps doing it because he likes our reaction, but darn if it isn't just too funny.

In the beginning, the dance with Gilbert was a half step forward and five steps back. Gradually we have improved our choreography, it seems now he takes one step forward and a half step back, hesitates and takes another leap forward. There isn't a day that I don't laugh with him and have an awe for what he is accomplishing. Yesterday he climbed down off his cage to a small wooden and wire enclosure blocking the main floor from upstairs bedrooms. We have two furry houseguests. I am "grandma" sitting for my daughter's dog and cat. The poor kitty is scared to come downstairs and doesn't much come into sight of the stairwell at the top. But... Gilbert's cage is right in line with that vantage point and he has seen her. Months ago, when he was visiting at their house, she climbed to the top of a bookcase where he was safely in his cage and he chased her right back down. Now he is going over there and perching on the gate and taunting her. I didn't realize at first what he was doing. We do have another taller gate on the top floor separating her from coming downstairs unless I open the gate when the bird cages are closed at night. He was on the lower gate and when I asked him to step up, he refused. This is odd because he usually wants a lift back down from this gate. He has lots of open space when he is standing on the gate and this is where he has been practicing his wing flapping to build up his chest muscles. When I decided it was not a good idea for him to be calling attention to himself even though it would be difficult for the cat to get to him, I put him back in the cage. He was steadfastly determined to climb right down and go back to his spot on the gate. It is amazing me to see him becoming more and more brazen as he interacts with the deeper forays into our home. When I knew I couldn't be vigilant to keep track of him, I put him back in his cage and closed his door. Soon, the cat was feeling safer and she came to the upstairs gate and meowed. Gilbert said "Good Lord" in a disdainful tone, then "Quiet". It is like a comedy around here with his antics.

Great to have this thread highlighted again now that Gilbert is reaching a new brave outlook on life and is playing a little. You all have some wonderful ideas.

I have a confession. Gulp. The first time I tried to give Judy a reputation, my mouse hit the books instead of the star and I clicked in a reflex move. It brought up infractions! It scared the beejeebers right out of me. Thankfully, it warned me that I could not give our dear Judy an infraction. Whew. It has been a couple of days but it still makes me a little nervous. I am learning so much more about the forum functions though thanks to the recent posts.

The good news is, its the law of attraction. Everyone sees what you have done for the lucky ones who have been graced with the opportunity to live in your home and outdoor aviary. So you are a beacon to all who are looking for a solution and a guide to give another parrot the utopia of your home. I try to look at what you have done from the standpoint of the improvement made in the lives of the parrots involved in this year alone. Then... yep, the parrot bill of rights... and I want to have a little addendum for those who have rehomed a traumatized parrot. For every moment of fear and anxiety, for the times when they show terror because something reminded him of a bad day in his life.... the person responsible should have a chip implanted and the parrot should be taught to flip the switch to give them an electric shock. Okay... I need to crank it down a notch, maybe I have thought about this too many times in the past two years with Gilbert.

Something tells me that Elliott is going to respond to you before I get my first real trust from Gilbert. It was one thing when he was sweet on our daughter before she finished college and left home. Then I thought I would be his favorite as he previously had ignored my husband completely. Nope, he became enamored with hubby. Then, when we visited my sister, she became his wonderful-favored-great-one. Its two years and counting. He wants me close with the lights on if he is scared. He wants to see me last thing before he closes his eyes and first thing when he awakens. Yet I am the only one of all our family as they come and go to whom he still refuses to step up to from his cage area, inside or out. I fully take advantage of everyone who comes along and gets into his good graces by having them ask for a step up. Then if they ask him to go to me, he happily obliges from their hand. He also is quiet cooperative to step up for me from the floor after he climbs there on his own and from any other room in the house if he is on a floor stand or table perch. Its okay to yearn for his goodness to be cast upon you. You have shown patience with Roger and have a great outlook with Elliott. It will be soon. In grey time.

That's so funny. Usually when I answer the phone to someone who knows me there is a slight pause and "Dee?" and I always respond, yes it is, I was just using my nice voice until I heard it was you. Hahahaha, LOL. Lucky for me Gilbert has been in many homes so when he says something I don't want to claim, I blame a previous home. I have the best of both worlds.

Happy hatchday Biscotti. This was the best day for your mommy bird to start the journey of a lifetime with you. It makes me so happy to see you grow up with such a loving home. With all the laughs I have had just from your videos, I can only imagine that living with you is a thousand times more delightful. You have been an inspiration and a comfort to me. Thanks Chelsea and Biscotti!

If I am reading this cell phone copy, is the current "owner" that is saying she is mean and will not permit the birds in her house? Geeze all mighty, that exchange makes me want to rescue the birds AND her husband. It is very difficult to speculate on what is best for you in this circumstance. There isn't a parrot lover among us who wouldn't want to make life better for these three based on the text conversation alone. Under the best of circumstances, rehoming a very well loved younger grey is complicated. Long term care of a former breeder is a different endeavor altogether. If that is the situation here, it is just too hard to tell. Even with two years of loving Gilbert and still working to gain his trust, I would not feel up to the task of this one, they might well need to go to a professional rescue and be evaluated before finding homes. Again, without actually being there, seeing them, interacting and trying to understand the dynamics, it is a tough question. What I implore you to do is to look deep inside yourself and ask will you commit and keep one of them regardless of how long it takes, if ever that she may become your loyal and entertaining companion. My heart goes out to all involved. Thanks for listening to the little voice inside that says you need to get more information. It could be an entirely different scenario than the way it sounds on the first layer.

Hi Janelle, I am sure glad you found your way in to our forum too. Welcome to you, Roger and Elliott. The comment you made about waiting two years for Roger to trust you is the best indicator that you will win Elliott over in good time. I am just making progress with an older rehomed Timneh grey after two years and he didn't have near the level of trauma Roger has endured. Lucky for Elliott, Roger can give him the low down on wrapping you around his little talon.

I am on board with that. Since reading about reputation and finding out what it means, I have resolved to make sure and use it every day. What better way to let our lady Judy know how much her welcoming posts mean to those of us that were drawn in by her hospitality. Thanks Judy!

That is great news. I am guessing you might have gotten just a little excited over it. How did Storm react when he saw that it made you so happy?

Great job on catching that shot. It looks like a beautiful place fo her to stretch her wings.