Aly~

Thats a big fear of mine. I have a flat top stove and I keep a towel on it. Mostly because the one thing I am obsessed with is keeping that thing clean. However, if there is no towel on the stove, then there is no bird in the kitchen. The towel removed means the stove has been used and is cooling down or is being used. I remember many years ago, we had a flat top and one kid who used to visit often would sit on it. When I got tired of telling him to stop sitting on the counter/stove, I just walked by and turned it on.........he never sat on it again either!!

Thanks! I do live in West Virginia, but it's considered a suburb of D.C. anymore. Everyone commutes from here to Virginia, Maryland and D.C. It's much cheaper to live out here and have a little land. Closer in to D.C. is so expensive.

Thanks! My poor pony is melting today. The heat index is around 118 - 120 degrees!!

This is Aussie..... And this is Chopper and Milo..... and this is Steel Magnolia (Maggie).....

My self esteem....... I was walking down the hall, after putting new toys in her cage, and I hear..."dumbass". Well I guess I didn't place them just right!! Now, you have to stop and think, did she really just call me a dumbass and where in the world did she get that from? No one runs around my house saying that. Another big mystery in the Rebel's vocabulary box. Maybe a word from her past that she's bringing back into play?? UNTIL......One morning, I hear from the bed room......"Stupid BIT#%".....so I run back there, and there is my boyfriend, yelling at the news person. He has a habit of argueing with the news anchors, even tho I repeatidly tell him they can't hear him. "You call these people dumbasses all the time don't you"....."well they are".....oh great!! Now my bird is going to start calling me a Stupid BIT#%. Thanks goodness she hasn't tried to say that yet, and the BF is NOT allowed to watch FOX news any longer.

Oh these nests this time of year are terribly addicting. I watch this one, and the Norfolk Eagles, and while I was watching the one down the street from me, it turned tragic and is hard to watch. Teaches you a great lesson about wild birds tho.

Oh My....I think I've spend more on toys than I did the bird!! I'd start a toy savings account if I were you. You'll shop for some and won't be able to decide so you'll get more than you intended to, then you'll try to make some, then go back to buying them......oh and don't forget an account for buttons and new shirts for yourself!! Ehh nevermind, who cares if there are holes in your shirt or a missing button or three......Go buy new toys!!! One thing is for sure, if you can handle a three year old in your life forever, you'll never regret it. Young or old, they etch themselves into your heart with their antics..... My Rebel is the devil in disguise.....ehh who am I kidding, she doesn't even diguise it!!!

Rebel turned her stuck up little head up to them too. I was all ready for the fun of watching her chow down and nope....nuffin!!

Such beautiful dark eyes!!

Rebel has those rings all over her cage and her playstand. It's the rope stuff that gets Blasted!! Guess I'll have to go get her a new one, there is about an inch left that she hasn't shredded to bits..... My Yarn Ball Baby!!

OK, I've been looking through lots of pictures on this forum and I want to know if you guys all pull out the brand new toys for pictures? Everyone has such pretty toys and cages and they look like bird rooms from magazines. Rebel's toys, even her newest shiniest toys look like they have been run over by the lawn mower, and I don't really consider her destructive. Perhaps I should change that opinion! How do you keep everything so neat and new looking?? I found her sitting on her "atom" type toy, something she never does, so I ran to get the camera and when I looked at the pictures, it looks like I stuffed her in a frayed yarn ball!!! My Poor Birdie!!!

If you are interested in Photography, I suggest looking at www.raymondbarlow.com This man has the most magnificent birds in flight photos. He's magic with birds and cameras!!

My daughter has the Rebel T2i. I should steal it from her and set up a photo shoot for my Rebel!! Timmy's pictures are awesome!

I don't think any outside animal would try to get up in that window. I know people can't because I have it so it doesn't open far enough. Well that and My German Shepherd scares all strangers. I've seen the mail man run off of my porch when Aussie is having his "Big Boy Bark" moment. With Rebel in her cage and Aussie on guard, I always feel pretty safe.

Well, we've gone all winter long without hearing that word!! But now that the weather is starting to get nicer and I can open Rebel's window during the day a little what do I hear?? You guessed it..... It's nearing close to 70 today so I opened her window just a bit for her to enjoy the fresh air. As I'm leaving for work, at 5:00 a.m. I might add, getting into my car, I hear "Help, let me out" Thank goodness the neighbors learned about my "prisoner" last year when she started talking to anyone who went by her window. My one neighbor sits on his deck and laughs at her all the time. The guy across the street walks between the houses while walking his dog to the field behind my house and stops to have a chat with her everyday. Bring on the warmer weather.....Rebel has friends to make or quite possibly to make people call the police on me for unlawful imprisonment or something!!

Thanks Everyone. I feel so much better about this now. Rebel was left out of all the family gatherings in that room. Now she can be toasty warm and still bother everyone. She doesn't fly, so I don't have to worry about her landing on the hot stove. Although I would happily ban her from any room or let her go in any room for that matter, if she would just try to fly!!

GREAT!! I shall let Rebel enjoy the bar tonight!! Thanks!!

Do any of you use a wood stove with birds around? We have a very large Bar/Entertainment room that I keep closed off most of the time. It gets very cold in there and well, I just never use the room. However, when the BF is over he loves sitting in there watching the big screen. He gets a fire going and just hangs out in there. My concern is the smell of the stove. The room is never smokey, but you can still smell it. Will that affect my bird? Rebel loves to be around her "Paa Paa" but I won't let her down there with him because the smell (which is actually a good smell to us humans) scares me for her. I was just curious if anyone else uses wood for heating and how it might affect the bird. Aly~

Rebel has many voices/personalities. It's amazing how she can go from being a normal bird to being such a suck up as soon as "Paa Paa" walks in the door. When he is there she only has eyes for him. I'm not even good enough to bite anymore. She loves her "Paa Paa"!! And the Voices.....She sounds like me sometimes and like her beloved "Paa Paa" sometimes, but I'll never forget the day that I was sitting at the computer and I hear this horrible demonic voice saying.." I ammmm Rebel". It was very low and scarey. I turned around and said, yes you are and you are staying in that cage..... She's done it a few times and it's frightning to hear. I like her sweet voice!!

It's like keeping up with a 2 year old here. Rebel is now officially "Marvin", but only in the morning. I know it's my fault because I talk to her as I'm giving her her breakie and say things like..."are you a starvin marvin"..... Now every morning as soon as she hears the first noise, she screams..."Marvin....Marvin here......" In the evening she is back to sweet little Rebel. I don't think I like Marvin much at all......so demanding!!!

I'm used to hearing my bird yell for the dog or whatever it is she wants.... FROM HER ROOM. Well, I have a very large German Shepherd dog and I'm always very watchful of him when the bird is out. I mean, I know my puppy wouldn't hurt the bird, but lets face it, he's a dog, with a prey drive and you can just never be to careful. Normally when Rebel yells at the dog, it's in the form of yelling at him...."Aussie NOOOO". She gets that from me yelling at Aussie when he chases the cat. I'm always telling Aussie NOOOO... Anyway, I'm in the kitchen minding my own business, when the dog comes in and nudges at me, kinda like he does when he wants to go outside. Then I hear "Aussie..Aussie...hello..." and it's not loud like normal. So as I'm getting ready to let the dog out, I walk around to the dining room and guess who is there, just chillin' talking to the big mean dog?? You got it...REBEL!! This is the second time that she has gotten out of her cage and I know I locked it up tight!!! You gotta Love 'em....cos I think it's illegal to cook 'em!!! :eek:

I think the fluff is jsut adorable!!!

I have the second one for my Grey and I too used the vet wrap on the side bars. Rebel loves to hang out on the top of it, so the lower level really doesn't get used that much. I took the swing off and added one of those round rope swing things. It makes it easier to grab on and play. The little skewers are supposed to be for food treats, but I put balls and paper rolls and baby spoons and fun stuff on it. It was to much trouble to have to clean them a million times a day, besides she preferes her food loose. It's so much easier to throw at me that way!!!

HA HA Nothing!! You Loved it, I Just LIVED It!!! I hope everyone had a Wonderful Happy Thanksgiving!! I know My Rebel Did!!

OM MY!! Where to start. Just a suggestion and maybe not even the right ones, but works well in my house. If the bird is new to your home, leave him alone for a few days......talk to him, move slow around him, interact with him while he's in the cage. Let the poor baby get used to new hands and animals before you let him out to have to defend himself. My Rebel is a man's bird also. She ADORES my BF and merely tolerates me. I have found that the best way for me to deal with the sneak attacks is to watch very carefully her mood. If she puts her little foot up to me, then I know she MIGHT want to come out and play on her stand. However, I have taken to putting a towel over my arm to avoid hurtful bites. I also make sure to have her favorite cracker available to keep that beak busy while I move her from her cage to her playstand. When he seems calm you can also just open the cage door and let the bird venture out on his own. Keep some toys out for him to play with but keep the food and treats inside the cage so you can get him back in the cage. At least until you feel comfy putting him away. You'll learn pretty fast what his favorite treats are. Show him a peanut and pop it in the cage. Before you know it he'll be running inside to get it. There's no guarantee that he'll ever be your best friend, but he will tolerate you and calm down. Go slow and you'll be handling him before you know it. Rebel still prefers men, but that's ok. It's funny watching her be a flirt. The AC guy was over to look at my unit, and she drifted down from her playstand and marched right over to him, stepped up on his boot, looked up and said.."Hello there". She often trieshto get me in trouble too. WHen my BF is over she knows it. If I'm in the bird room doing whatever, she starts screaming "Stop....Nooo...PaPa PaPa". I always get "What are you doing to that baby?" of course I'm usually on the other side of the room not even paying attention to her. But she gets what she wants and Pa Pa comes to save her!!