katana600

My memory fails me, did I want an Amazon? Of course I did, just kidding there. Recently I saw a new member post a picture of the white front amazon and I felt all the feathers on my back and neck get ruffled and my eyes were pinning with delight. LOL. I was just taken by the contrast of color of that white, red and blue accents and of course, the vibrant Amazon green. Ah. Simply amazing. There is always that pesky "but". But, Java and Gilbert are voting no for now. So is devoted husband and two kids who are now in the will as lifetime caretakers. I will work on that. LOL.

When you and Pat stepped in to adopt a whole flock, did you ever imagine the place it was going to bring you? From your aviary to your indoor gym, your lucky lucky parrots have come to a wonderland of extraordinary care and delight. We also have a couple of small dogs and early on, our 6 month old mini dachshund swallowed a wood splinter. It turned out to be a costly nightmare, he survived and thrived, but I had to change things a little to prevent it happening again. First I put my playstand into a narrow sleep playpen. That gave our young, gravely ill African grey a safe place to land when he fell off a perch. The dogs didn't charge him or anything, he was just panicked if he hit the floor. The playpen was great for him because he could climb right back up to the top of his stand without a fuss. When that no longer served our purpose, I made a hanging "atom" and put a shower tension rod in a small hallway and I went to the wild bird store and bought a "seed catcher". It was a large, round lightweight screen with strings and hooks to hang from the bottom of the atom and it would catch small pieces and droppings. http://www.wildbirdstoreonline.com/the-seed-hoop-seed-catcher-and-platform-bird-feeder.aspx It was about half the cost of this one, maybe I hit a sale. If you go to the site and enlarge the photo, it gives you the option of viewing three pictures. It may give you some ideas as you create a safety zone for your companions.

Our slow gentle grey speed forward got a turbo boost tonight. I was a bit obsessed looking for eye pinning, so I was watching him, giving him treats so I could see if he would react. He has been energetic, playful and sweet. I gave him a couple of pine nuts while he was in his cage and walked away with the container. As I was ten feet from the cage, I heard him flapping and thought he fell coming out of the cage, so I turned expecting to see him on the floor. It took a moment to overcome denial and figure out what was happening. In that split second of turning around, Gilbert flew over my head! He went another eight to ten feet, turned a corner at the kitchen, went into the bathroom and landed on the toilet seat. I was too far from the cage for that to have been a downward glide. He didn't have time to get from his inside perch to the door, to the cagetop, to the toy hook which would have given him the height to make the angle over my head just by beating his wings to slow his descent as he usually does. I started the feather study and kept his feathers for the past month and there were some long flight feathers that look hollow and molted rather than chewed off. My heart is still pounding. Here I have been resigning myself to the fact he may never fly. He has not flown in four years minimum. I rearranged his house and his playstand so he could have lots and lots of new experiences and he may just surprise me yet and show me just what a new experience he can offer to me. To be honest, even though I am sure he flew, I just didn't see the whole thing take place, so I will have to see it again to believe it. But he thinks he flew. He wasn't the slightest bit scared, he stepped right up to me and asked for a cracker. I am pretty darn sure he didn't want me to put that container of pine nuts in the kitchen, he wanted some more.

I find myself holding my breath and crossing my fingers for luck that this too shall pass for you and for Zak. One of our daughters swallowed a screw, two quarters, pennies and various other plastic parts and kept me scared, vigilant and often feeling guilty that I wasn't good enough. I learned how tough the digestion system can be. My hope is that Zak can rid himself of the bits he tore off your zipper without any intervention or harm. Oh, and the other daughter? She stuck a popcorn kernel up her nose and had to go to the emergency room to have it removed from her sinus cavity. You just can't live in a bubble and you can't keep your eyes open every minute. We just do the best we can every day. Glad that Zak is chatting away and seems to be less concerned about the zipper than you, the vet or your forum friends.

Ah, good to know. With all the changes going on in Gilbert's life, I am surprised it took me so long to notice this. Java pins when she is happy, when she is disagreeable and even when she is just relaxed. Of course with red eyes, it is much more noticeable. You know... at my house, since it is a tie, one for pinning, one for not pinning, the only way to have a majority is to get another parrot. LOL.

A recent thread about the pinning of eyes caught my attention. I have never noticed Gilbert pinning his pupils in the entire time he has been with us. Our other parrot is constantly pinning her eyes and in fact, recently when she was sick, that was the first indication I had because her pupils were dilated and didn't react to light. With that said, she pins her eyes frequently so it was noticable right away. From the time Gilbert came to us, I had little warning from him before he would suddenly strike out and bite. I have been watching him carefully as he is trying new things and even under careful observation, his pupils remain almost fixed and I wondered if this is normal for some birds.

Welcome to the forum Daniela, I hope your journey is as filled with joy and anticipation as the day your brought home your new friend. When we brought a baby grey home from his breeder, we had a bill of sale. But, when we got a rehomed parrot, he came with no paperwork, no band on his leg. It hasn't been an issue for us, but I don't know about other countries. Many of us getting a rehomed parrot have very little information on previous vet care and start fresh with our own vet. You are doing great getting him started. Congratulations on your lifetime companion.

Hi Aaron, welcome to the forum. Your description and video look like you are having a good start getting to know your new friend. His chirps and the fact he is on the front of the cage "coming toward" you is a good sign. He isn't withdrawing or growling, his vocalizations sound cheery and welcoming, as Timbersmom says, it looks like he wants to come out. You have some parrot experience and a great attitude and I am predicting he will adjust in no time. His nips are a message and if you take his message and give him some room, I am willing to bet he is going to come to you in his own time and it will be sooner than later. As for a name change, you will know when it is time. Even some parrots who came in as babies and were named have nicknames and they know it is still their "handle". Gilbert came in knowing his name and referred to himself, mostly to reassure that "Gilbert okay". He also came in telling the dogs to "shut up you idiot". In due time he has not heard that reinforced so now he says "Quiet" or "stop that". He also called the dogs "Buddy" or said "C'mon Bud wanna go outside?" and now he calls one by his name, Mick, but always refers to the other (Baxter) as Lou. He didn't do that for almost a year, so maybe he has renamed Baxter, who knows? As you get to know him, he will let you know his preferences and one day may come out and tell you his name. One of our members, Jayd, called his rehomed grey "Jim" and one day he just piped up and let him know his name is Joe, and Joe it is. Good luck to you and what's-his-name, LOL, that is a joke, I am waiting to hear what he tells you to call him.

Dearest Auntie Marguerite and Brother Dorian, you tread first in our journey and I learned from you. I don't know how many times your song has been my strength and guide, "Just Breathe". We just breathe until we know the next direction our path is going to take. Every change of homes, even in the best of life circumstances is a stressful and trying time for our beloved parrots. Every rescue or rehome is a new experience with a whole new set of variables. We considered Gilbert for five months and were not sure we would be equipped to handle his known issues. It has taken every post from forum members before us to caution not to move too quickly or press him too far and that has been his magic. This morning, I told him about you and Dorian and asked for a scritch. He calls it a tickle. He scuttled back into his cage and hopped up to his scritching perch and ducked his little head. I can put four fingers and thumb into the cage now and cup his head as he melts and closes his eyes and relaxes to a human touch. He will stop, pull back and look at me and I slowly and quietly withdraw my hand. Then he makes a cry like a human baby, tucks and looks, tucks and looks, then buries his beak into his tummy as he rests his head against the foot clinging to the bars to anchor himself. Since Rachel left a few weeks ago, this has been a daily ritual for him at bedtime and in the wee hours of morning. He seems to like the dim lit room. His little nerves are still jangled after nineteen months. Maybe the dim light cuts the external stimulation enough that he can hold tight and just breathe. As he grasps the bars his foot will slip occasionally, so I have started putting one thumb under his foot and gently rub his toe with one hand while I touch him with the other. Twice he has forgotten himself and held my thumb. At those moments, I can feel a momentary tension and I know that one is mine as I recall the many times he spun around to bite me out of reflex. We just breathe and he relaxes enough to tuck his head for another minute or two. The warmth of his head in my hand, the waxy smoothness of his oils releasing onto my fingers and his fresh linen scent are memerizing. When I wish for greater things for him, something "more", I go back to read how far we have come and the weeks and months melt away and I go back to "grey time", without a clock or a calendar. I am so grateful for this forum to guide me and to cheer for Gilbert's every little triumph over fear and anxiety. We still have so far to go, but I feel your breath of love lifting his tattered little wings. Thank you.

Hope all your tests come back normal and Neytiri puts those grams right back onto the scale and then some. It is always better to have taken them in to catch something early because they are so subtle in hiding symptoms. Judy says it and I agree, Neytiri is in good hands.

I have been having internet issues and am gathering speed to fire AT$$T for cell phones, house phone and internet and get a satellite. When I finally got back online today I have been thoroughly enjoying this thread. I liked the video, birds of a feather traveling together sounds like a great theme song. The pictures of Bubba and Oliver are just beautiful and awe inspiring. You are a godsend to all your flock. They seem to put a smile on your face too. The video I imagine of you and Pat and the running of the birds has me laughing and I haven't even seen it yet. Your stories have been the highlight of my week and that is saying something because I have spent four days at a local quilt expo, took lots of classes and had a ball.

Thanks for joining us and welcome to you and your flock as well as to your family. You are really lucky to have found such a sweet guy as Charlie as he is also blessed to have come home with you. I don't think I have ever seen a white front Amazon, Rocky is beautiful. I love that our forum added a room for Amazon's, I keep looking and looking and living vicariously through the stories of all of you with these beautiful parrots with the big personality. Well done at introducing Charlie to your home.

Oh those precious moments. I am so sorry your guy Gryphon has these night terrors but also think how lucky he is to have you there to comfort and calm him. Your account is very well written, it feels like I was there with you and made my heart swell with the joy you must have felt at the closeness he permitted you. When he went back to sleep, I am guessing he was having sweet dreams of having the best companion in the whole world too.

Hi, welcome to our forum. Isn't that a coincidence, I have a Timneh Grey and think about getting an Amazon almost every day. This forum has a mix of wonderful people, some with mulitple species and all of us have a great respect for the individuality of each parrot. My deepest condolences on the loss of your beloved African Grey. It takes a long time for the sadness to fade a little so the joyful memories can bubble up unexpectedly to make you smile again. You are getting there as you contemplate another exquisite companion. Good luck as you consider your options. Our TAG is Gilbert. What is your Amazon's name?

It takes a special kind of person with parrot experience to grasp the monumental surge that Gilbert has had in the past few weeks. Thanks so much for sharing this with me and sending love and energy to us. This may be a forum in cyberspace or virtual reality or something, but I feel your presence in the song we are singing in our hearts today. Gilbert is as close to happy as I have seen him yet. I don't expect cartwheels from him, but that tight hunch of his shoulders and being withdrawn and shaking has every so slowly melted away as he is making up for lost time now.

This may be a first for our forum. I am celebrating because Gilbert is making a mess! Hahahaha. He is making a mess because he is branching out a little, no pun intended. He is chewing the branches on his floor stand and has the bark flung far into the corners of the living room. I feel like I am growing up into a real parrot companion. This morning when he greeted me with sweet nothings, he allowed a really long head massage then came right out and traversed his rope "bridges" to get back to work on remodeling his floor stand. Where he has objected to every toy on his play top or heaven forbid, inside his cage, he is now happy to engage when they are hanging mere inches away on the floor stand. He has very few toys in his cage, only the ones he had when he came. Maybe it is like a youngster who has lost interest in his toys, but if you put them away for a couple of weeks, they think they are new all over again. When I took things out of his cage and moved them to the floor stand, he is like the energizer bunny in the cage, up and down the sides, walking on the grates, hanging from his "ceiling" all to get a view of where I put his darn toys. LOL. I bought a tray from the hardware store that is meant to go under a washing machine as a drip tray and put that on the floor partially under his cage casters and under the floor stand. He can fling his mess and it will keep the dogs from eating his shrapnel, or other appealing offerings. I am adding a maze of rope perches so he has an out-of-cage wonderland. His travel cage/basement apartment is a hub or terminal from which all ropes go to different tantalizing new vistas. Who would have ever thought to put things closer to the floor in order to entice a parrot who seems to only want to get higher? It is counterintuitive, but it happens to appeal to Gilbert at this particular time. Did I say my living room looks like a version of "MouseTrap"? I am having visions now of something like a jungle themed restaurant in a mall I once visited. I am imagining a system of ropes decorated to look like jungle vines all around the room and vaulted ceilings to offer him a vantage point from which to fling all manner of objects down upon unsuspecting heads. LOL. The joy I feel for finally tapping into Gilbert's spirit is beyond the words I can find this morning. It brings tears to my eyes to watch him act almost like a "normal" Timneh. It is only going to get better from here.

Oh goodness, this is an exciting moment for Gilbert. Over time, he has started trying new things. The travel cage sitting next to his big cage and attached with a rope perch has been his favorite hangout for a couple of weeks. On occasion I have pushed his floor stand up next to his cage and he has infrequently climbed onto the top branches, but he just gets on, sits there and eventually gets back off to go to his big cage again. It has tiered levels but if he only climbs on the top, he can't reach the hanging toys. Yesterday, I made some minor changes and attached a boing from an eye hook just under one of the top branches. That is now connected to the travel cage and tonight he came out, tested the rope of the boing and has climbed to the "inner sanctum" of the floor stand. He has been playing with a bell and ringing it. that is a first for him. He may bump the bell in his cage on occasion, but has never played with that one. He is a bell ringing fool on the floor stand. This is a first to see him play with enthusiasm. He did climb to the top level of the floor stand, then over to the big cage. This time though, he traversed the lower level of his cage to get to the rope, to get to the boing, to get back to the inner level of the floor stand. He has not flinched at his toys and seems to have come to a new sense of confidence. I have been cheering him on from a safe distance so as not to interupt his grand adventure. He has made a few low foghorn sounds and sirens that he does when he gets nervous and seems to tell himself there is danger and scary things, but then curiosity gets the better of him and he touches the toys again. The very act of shaking a bell like a puppy chewing my favorite slipper is giving us both such delight that I want to jump up and down with glee. Gilbert is learning to play all by his little ole self. This is such great news and opens new horizons for this little guy.

Maybe with the move and excitement of change he is getting relaxed and working up an appetite now. I was wondering if after your move have you gotten new pellets from a new supplier? One supplier may have a high rate of turnover and the pellets may be the same brand, but fresher and more appealing. Is that a possibility? It is heartwarming when our picky eater finds something he loves and munches while he makes happy noises. Glad Jasper is settling in and eating more is a great sign.

Oh dear, I thought I was on the edge of MBS the way I watch all the Amazon threads. Too late, with two parrots, I am already indoctrinated, I better start looking for the space for another cage.

It is so thoughtful for you to come back in and let us know how you are doing. The pendant is a lovely tribute to Ivan and is very touching. I saved feathers from the first two babies we lost to illness. This seems like a beautiful way to hold him symbolically over your heart. Dusky will bring you much joy, its great for you to open your home and heart to her.

Welcome to the forum and thanks for joining us. I agree with the others and vote that George will forgive you, he just got panicked and scared. If you practice the harness buckles and get to know how best to use it, you can introduce it back to him and see what he thinks. It will be a little scary the first time you take it off again maybe because of the unpleasant business. I find it helps a lot when I have to approach something like this if I first get real calm and visualize it being successful. Then ask George for his cooperation and I am guessing the two of you can do it together. He is still young, he has had many good interactions with you so I would bet he will be fine to give you another chance after a few days. A nice treat or two when you have success getting it back on him and a pleasant outing may give him a reason to want to cooperate.

Great news for Romeo. Never say never on the touching, we have waited months and months but are starting to have requests for just the briefest head rubs. We are up to twice a day and it is awesome. It takes a while to understand his signals and it sounds like Romeo is interested. He is beautiful coordinating with the colors in your clothing. I love that he came to you, you must be measuring up in his eyes and that is a big task. Congratulations and thanks for sharing.

Dear Steve, please hire Misty out to help me with my internet connection. I have gone through two modems in the past three days and have a call in for repair, but I would sure rather see Misty show up.

That is so sweet. When I played the recording, Gilbert responded with his bomb dropping too and sounds like Bobbie, but wouldn't do the canary for me.

Thanks Dave, I have been paying a lot more for the 8 oz bottle of Avitech red palm oil, I think about fifteen dollars. I will definitely check this source.