katana600

I think you are right about him looking at me looking at him. He doesn't see my eyes pinning so he is holding his cards close to his tattered little vest. He is a subtle little fellow, it has taken me a long time to realize that he hasn't been pinning. Since he is getting so much more active and outgoing, it will be interesting to see if this is something he starts randomly letting me in on.

Biscotti brings smiles across the miles. He is so darn cute with his pumpkin. Love that he remembered his "trick or treat" and knew when to use it! I have to admit that the sound effects from Bubba and Bongo might have sent me running and dialing 911. "Suuuure you've got a parrot in that house." LOL. And Corky is always thinking!

He made that pumpkin carving look like great fun. I loved his dirty beak comment. He is beautiful.

Awww, lovely signature. I'm not ready either, but you helped remind me to get ready to get ready. LOL.

Dutch and Emmy are building a frame of reference for you in their life experience. Every day when you are calming and gentle with them will help them move forward in your home and their new life. It is frustrating and confusing at first, but I promise, it does get better. The hardest part for us was learning that sometimes doing nothing is what Gilbert needed from us until he got to a place where he could come toward us instead of being so paralyzed with anxiety. It has taken a year and a half of backing off, trying again and repeating the process but we are just starting to see improvement an that makes all the time and errors fade into the past. Dutch and Emmy look lovely in their new cages. (I couldn't view the mobile version on youtube, but when I deleted the "m." on the address bar and refreshed, it came right up.)

I took that reply to Google translate where it says it is Russian and means: Is it harmful to the shrimp to the stomach, liver? if not often used ... Oh, and I forgot to include the "title" so in full it shows "Bad for credit & Is it harmful to the shrimp to the stomach, liver? if not often used ..."

We watched for eye pinning in the car and at my daughter's, none. We couldn't stay outside long enough to observe because we were on the coast of North Carolina and even though we were south of where the hurricane first made trouble, it was still windy and cold as we got the outer bands. Now I have everyone in the family and even my friends approaching him and watching his eyes. LOL. I have them watch Java first. Her eyes are red and I have shown new visitors how she pins her eyes and caution them, if you see her pupil constrict to a pinpoint, you are seeing a lot of red and that is a danger sign with her. Maybe I am just used to her pinning often and for a lot of reasons including happiness, excitement and sometimes pure wickedness, LOL. I'm sure when I see Gilbert work up happy excitement over something that makes him pin it is going to be something to mark on the calendar.

Hope your power is turned back on soon. If your power is still off you might check with your vet's office to see if they have power, maybe she could go to boarding there. Also, if it helps any, Gilbert has a backpack that seems really small, but he has stayed in it happily for over a week at a time when we traveled. He likes a small space and he didn't chew it, so maybe we just got lucky. Also, in a crisis like this with no electricity, even a small wire dog crate would be an alternative if you could borrow one.

Misty's eyes tell it all as he digs into that pumpkin. Love to see him having some spooktacular fun for Halloween. His coloring is magnificent with that bright orange contrast.

When I picked Gilbert up, he had been housed in a cage in similar size to what he has now. Maybe the reason he previously like to travel is the intimacy and security of being in a much smaller cage. As I get to see his preferences and make small changes, I am seeing improvement in his mood and energy levels. It seems counterintuitive to give him less space to make him more secure, but we seem to be trending in that direction. Much of his improvement has been due to time and tiny changes a little at a time. He is getting more and more expressive and that helps a lot to find ways to interact with him. With him, I don't think of any changes as permanent, what he likes today seems to be ever evolving. I am just tickled to see him getting more active and seeking more attention. It keeps me on my toes as he is starting to find ways to get into trouble and these many months of immobility had me getting a little too complacent, now I have to be a lot more aware of where he is and what he is doing. It's a good tradeoff though, I am enjoying his new outlook on life.

Thanks Dan, I am overjoyed that Gilbert is starting to feel at home. We went away this weekend and for the first time ever, I am seeing that he was not as thrilled to travel. I can only attribute that to his comfort level at home. When we got back home, he dashed into his cage and then made a big fuss about checking every little detail of his cage, playstand and "basement apartment". He certainly makes his preferences known now. He was chatty last night and crooning sweet nothings. Today he is welcoming the morning light and just seems so happy to be home. It is the strangest thing that he likes his cage completely bare. He is so much more active inside the cage, up and down the bars, all around the sides and ceiling bars. The very same toys that were inside the cage are now getting his attention when they are hung on the outside of the cage. Some are on the playtop, some are on his floor stand and some are inside the travel cage on the floor. I am rethinking that great big palace now. My next experiement with him is going to be to get him a smaller cage and set it next to the big one to see if he just prefers a place to eat and sleep and then have several areas where he can climb and play. It just makes me giddy to type the word play. He has been so drawn in for so long that I thought it might be his personality, but now that he is coming out of his shell, he is actively playful. He always keeps me rethinking my strategies to balance his sense of security with enticing him to try new things and to expand his horizons. We may have physically been in the same living space for nineteen months, but we are just barely on the cusp of building a great relationship. I celebrate every gesture he makes to come one more step closer with confidence.

Sassy, you are doing a fine job with Neytiri. Even with experience with human babies, with two baby greys and giving meds, a few weeks ago when our other little bird was sick and needed meds, I was just as scared and feeling inept and bumbling to try to get her to take her drops. When I had to take Gilbert to be tested, I was praying he didn't need to take anything because he would definitely be challenging and it is more than two hours round trip to the vet without any traffic issues. Good to know you have added this experience to your bird mama resume. As Neytiri is showing improvement, I hope you are feeling better and getting over your illness as well.

It might be helpful to you to know what size cages they have been housed in at your grandma's. The cage you are looking at is what I put our rehomed Timneh in and have a second one for our smaller Senegal-sized parrot. Two years later I am wondering if Gilbert would have been better off starting out here in a smaller cage, he was afraid in the big cage after knowing much smaller quarters. I know you are needing something in a bit of a hurry, the local big box chain may be all you have for comparison. We have been lucky with our timing and location to get our cages at a bird fair for less than half the cost of the one on your link. Something to think about, I have brought in one sick baby and one somewhat special older bird with "issues". You will need a travel cage for vet visits. Since time is short for the transfer to your home, maybe get each of them a generous size travel cage for the first couple of weeks, assess their needs as you prepare to move them to a more permanent solution in your home. It would also allow you a bit more time to research online and look for the possibility of a bird fair near you. Another suggestion would be to look for a breeder, parrot rescue group or vet who might be able to steer you to a local vendor.

Thanks so much for joining us and welcome to the forum. You are in the position to observe the extremes of what works with a hand raised baby coming into your home and what you have to do differently to accomodate a forty year old who may not have known the human bonding experience during her most impressionable months. In the years in between coming to you, she may have come to view humans from a very intelligent perspective and her experience may not have fostered trust and goodwill. With that said, I will chime right in to say amen to luvparrots "never say never". With an older, (but still much junior to your girl) ten year old Timneh with a "history" and "issues", I am nineteen months in and just getting started with him. As I see a trending toward acceptance, it is still on his terms and I have learned to define success in different terms than I would have with any other area of my life experience.

You made me snort coffee on that one. Good one. Now that I think about it, on the rare occasions that Gilbert has given me a mind numbing chomp, he says "sorry". I thought he was feeling bad about the whole hurting me thing. Now that I think of it, it could have been "Oh, sorry, I lost my head for a moment, I thought I was in paradise and was dreaming of ambrosia and the sweet nectar of the gods". Hahaha. You just made my day, thanks.

You bring up a good point about looking at what is in the commercial mix and finding ways to mitigate the cost by finding similar ingredients. I tried to do that with the bean mix that I was cooking for my parrot. It looked a lot like the soup bean mix in the grocery store. There were some things in there that I couldn't readily obtain like raw paddy rice. I am a do-it-yourselfer and Sam's club bulk purchase kind of girl. When I got right down to it, in the proportions I would have to locate and purchase, I did the math and discovered it was cheaper per pound to buy the avian specific brand. Even with the Harrison's, when I get it down to cost per serving, it isn't near as bad as the sticker shock the first time I bought a bag. Of course all I had to compare to was a good brand of dog food and a ten pound dog. The dogs get really excited when I fill their dish and eat every morsel. A parrot dines in a different manner entirely. I even considered weighing the far flung food from the parrot. LOL. Basically, it seems really expensive to buy the food when you are first starting out because your mind compares it to food prices you have been used to seeing for much larger animals and humans. It is human nature to compare to what you know. When our vet first recommended a couple of the pricier name brand pellets, it was difficult to process the numbers. Once I got into this parrot lifestyle and realized the pellets are a percentage of their diet, I realized how many things I really should be eating and changed my own eating habits around the fresh veggies and whole grains that have slowly changed our diet. What is recommended for healthy humans is coincidenally parallel to what our parrots should eat for the most part. The bonus is when we share a healthy plate with our parrot, it is a flock activity that helps strengthen our bond.

This is very good information. I have been saving feathers for a study and had no idea the stress marks would be so subtle, or potentially last months after a stressful event. It is hard to get close enough to Gilbert for a close inspection and the vet hasn't mentioned this, but it could just be that with the circumstances and known stressors, it was just expected and not discussed. I will put this on my list of things to watch for improvement over time. Thanks for starting this thread and for the helpful posts from our friends.

Someone flipped a switch in Gilbert's brain and the good things just keep multiplying. He is getting to where he scrambles to get to his "massage" perch as soon as he sees me come into the room, or if I get up for a cup of coffee. As soon as I am on my feet he makes a beeline to the favored perch and makes his low foghorn sound and says "Hey". Yesterday he went back about five times, today he has doubled that. One thing, I have completely stripped his cage except for perches and food. He made such progress when I moved out the low toys that were in there. He has never tolerated toys on the level of the upper perches, nor hanging from the ceiling. He has come alive in his barren surroundings. He has not gone to the playtop of his cage for a few days now. His door is open nearly all day every day. Now he is coming down to the floor, climbing ropes up to the floor stand and even taking short little trips into the living room. Nothing would please me more than to have him scuttle across the floor and up to my lap for a little scratch on his head. Someday maybe. Last night he didn't want me to stop rubbing his head and when I finally told him good night, he tried everything he could think of to bring me out of bed as I have done in recent weeks. Then he started talking in the dark which is something he has started doing recently. This time was different, he was garbling on and saying something over and over again that I couldn't quite make out. In between he called out "Night night", "Ready to go night night?", "Night night Gilbert", "Gilbert's a good boy", "Pretty girl" (to Java), he called the dogs, he called me mom again, "mom, mom, hey". That is more talking than he usually musters in three days. In his excitement, he said "Mommy's pretty girl". I have never refered to myself as mom or mommy so he has to have heard that from someone else. He was laughing and talking in the dark. I was laughing and talking back and responding to him, but I didn't get out of bed to turn on the light. Today he has just been quiet, not too much activity. He seems to go in spurts. He still wants me to touch him every time he gets a chance. What a nice change.

I don't know for sure, but I think maybe my eyes pin when I get the sudden cobra strike from Gilbert. It hasn't happened for months, knock wood. I have been getting up close to him and peering into his eyes, he probably doesn't pin because he is resisting my hypnotic gaze. I can't wait til the weekend when we travel so I can watch to see if he pins on the trip. He is a well seasoned traveler and does great in the car and at our daughter's home, so maybe he will have interest in something that will make him want to hone in for a closer look.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and Neytiri. It is so scary for us to have to give meds at home for the first time. When our baby was sick, I first toweled him and held him to feed him a dropperful. The second time was tougher because he knew I was coming. I decided to sit quietly, visualize myself walking through the steps to have everything ready. With a fleece blanket on the counter top to be prepared for scooping him up in case he resisted, I asked him nicely to take his medicine and he beaked the syringe and I squirted it in. We both were a little surprised, but every day after than he just took his meds when I showed it to him. If you do have trouble getting them into Neytiri, give your vet a call, they will have lots of helpful suggestions or maybe have you bring her in so they can help. It's that much worse when you don't feel well either. I wish I could come by with some chicken soup and a hug for you.

What a great start you are having with Romeo. Some of us have heard the pterodactyl primal scream from our greys at play. It is a little startling at first but seems he is letting his hair down and getting real comfortable with your family. You have really made some lovely changes to accomodate him and make him the center of your family. It is wonderful to read your posts and see how well all of you are doing with him.

We will be traveling this weekend, so I will watch closely when we are in the car where he has lots to look at from different distances. Also in my daughter's home, I will be watching his eyes closely as he sees her after a couple months of separation. Then, in November he will be headed to Texas to see his beloved Rachel as we move her household to her new home in Odessa. That will be another opportunity to see if he pins for her. I now have everyone watching his pupils to see if we might get some clues to his inner thoughts.

Orange Kiki has been through so much already. He found you for a reason Penny. What a difference a caring vet makes. It would be horrifying to wait three weeks for him to be seen and I am so glad you have an alternative. His life will be blessed when his pain is gone and he can live his days with love and your care. I am so sorry for the stress this has caused in your life and I have a serious case of stink eye going out for your ex. You are the one setting a compassionate affirming example for your kids and they will remember you going to great lengths for those you love. What goes around comes around, and you have the best focus in life so that is going to be magnified for you as you sit peacefully with a cup of tea and a warm kitty appreciating your touch in his life.

The very idea that Gilbert is beginning to seek little adventures and has positve outcomes, I am seeing him open up and change in such dramatic leaps and bounds that he seems like a new man after just a few weeks. I have had my doubts about the Rescue Remedy, but it can't be a coincidence that he has made this much progress since Labor Day. He has been playing with toys, seeking out short sessions of scratches and asking for more. This morning he called me back five times for more head and neck massages. His wings are still tattered and there are still many missing feathers. But, I have noticed there has not been one feather in the cage tray in more than two weeks. I am seeing new feather growth on his chest and most definitely seeing a change in his posture, alertness and level of physical activity. Instead of going up to the highest toy hook on the playtop of his cage, he is coming out and going down to the floor and to the center of his branch floor stand. I am awestruck at the new fella in my life. What a guy. I kept trying to convince myself that my mind may have been playing tricks on me, that he may not have really flown but this morning in the guest bathroom, there was one little grey feather to give me a twinge, he really did have flight, be it ever so short lived. I am overjoyed to see that he is starting to have some sort of transformation.

Dan, I think you hit on something about Gilbert being unemotional. When I saw him first he was scared senseless and pulled tight inside himself. It is like he has locked down inside himself. When he has bitten me, it has been like a cobra strike with no warning. He has never growled or screamed, he just pulls inside and sits like a rock. It just wasn't until I read about pinning it struck me that I have never seen him do it. If this is a poker face, I am taking my little savant to Vegas. LOL. As he is changing and opening up, it will be interesting to see if he does start pinning at some point. That may be an indication he is getting to his innate personality instead of being so scared and closed up.