Elvenking

Yeah...I think there are many ways to refer to a 'bond', love is just one of them...could be friendship, attraction, dependant, co-habitation, relative....words...words...words.

For me its clear..humans exagerate nature with words..animals don't. Love is nebulous....attraction can be love....a word can translate to love...love is defined by us.

Well Dave, it really depends on how you translate love into behavior. Since we as cognatvie beings interpret everything based on words, and only a fraction on instinct...the meaning of love has been molded into form over time using other concepts and words. Spoken language really changed everything. Whereas, animals simply behave in a way that appears to be love to us. Love is not a fact of nature, it's man made. Depend upon could very well mean love...why not...it's open to interpretation anyway. If it suits you to believe that the concept of love applies to your bird...why not. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 23:45

Do singing, reading, talking, acting like a dork, playing with wadded up paper and various toys, and holding him up in front of me praising count? <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 22:38

luvparrots wrote: Goodness....please...my nerves cannot take the thought. I wrestle with that concept at least once a day...probably to remind myself of what a big responsability I have taken on by leaving him flighted. I am going to train him to come to a few commands. He already gets the idea from when I say, "C'mere" that its okay to fly to me. But I would much rather get the click training going too. This is one trick I am going to work hard on.<br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 22:34

I wonder if Issac knows how treated I am when he perches on my shoulder making sweet little bird noises as I go about my business, how much I love that very thing. Or what it means when I get this huge smile on my face and say "Goo'boy" to him after he has done something good, how totally in love with him I am. How fun it is to have so much influence upon such a vulernable creature, and to use it explicitly for good.

I think that the relationship becomes something they don;t even really have to think about. They just know that part of their life is you, and a very important one. We take the place of foraging for food, providing comfort, praise and love. I think they live for that very thing and find the relationship very necessary. That, I think as humans, we can interpret as love. They certainly appear to have an array of emotions, I can certainly tell when Issac is excited and content. By the way he flies to me in constant curiosity and seeking companionship, I would definitely lean toward saying he is capable of love. I mean when you really look at it, the people you love are caring, look out for you, and would be trusted with all that is precious to you as you reciprocate the same. Yes...they love <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 21:36

Okay...got it. Even in a moments notice...if I hold out my hand...he nails it dead on.

Issac's little downy legs are all light grey. But I have seen plenty of photos of Greys that have a spec of red in different places. Most notably the King Grey's as the call them that have the little red behind the neck on the back. Even seen the rare all red CAG.<br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 20:10

LOL...It is funny how short the time is between, "I want this bird to love me and to know its loved"....to...."OMG this bird is totally in love with being around me and everything I do"

Hi Dave. Yep...when I see him coming I will stick my hand out. I look like a pro trainer in front of people when Issac and I do this. Other times when my hands are full, he makes perfect shoulder landings. But when I sit at my computer desk...the head landing is likely. I am sure he will get the idea that is not where to land. He is never there for long. Also, he is getting a lot better about not flying to Pedros cage, only about 2 times last night..and he came right off. For his age, I think his behavior is quite normal. He is the healthiest and the happiest bird I could imagine, I have to be ever so grateful for that.

I am already gone for work during the day, so I love to give him maximum out time when I get home. I do have to get over the fact that the cage is not a prison though and i suppose you are right. LOL...a little piece of my heart breaks every time I see him claw at the bottom of the cage to get out. He does get over it I believe....not sure...never caged him when I was home for long enough. *Total Softie* I certainly hope his box of toys shows up today, I want to make life super fun for him! <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 19:12

I made Birdie Bread last night for the first time. I just kept it simple for now and made the cornbread with veggies mixed in like beans, carrots, corn and broccoli. He appears to gobble that up. Good birdie! I took a bite...I even liked it.

Most of the time....I don't mind him on my shoulder. And of course it is super sweet that he wants to be with me. I would have to be totally oblivious not to recognize that. I also do appreciate it for that much. Sometimes I have to get things done though I cannot do it if he is trying to get at every single thing I do. This morning I was flossing my teeth and trying to get the laundry out of the dryer and its never been harder. I guess I will just find a way to work it. What is your "three strikes" method? There is not a particular problem with landing on my head. He just goes there when he gets the idea that it is going to be difficult to make the shoulder landing. He gets removed from my head immediately after he does it. Most of the times he executes perfect landings to my shoulder...it's actually pretty impressive Don't get me wrong, I knew that leaving him flighted would give him the choice of where he wanted to be. I just want to let him know where the right places to land are in a positive way. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 18:49

This bird suprises me in many ways. Usually I come home and immediately have one-on-one time with Issac. I feed him and talk and play with him....then i ahve to go clean up...and he is usually at least cool walking around on the kitchen counter for a bit while I do that...chewing on the dish wand or something like that. But for an hour after that tonight...its like he was suddenly possessed to be on me. LOL. Like a "I need to be close" attack. Not frantic...but much more frequent. LOL...He ended up chilling out but it left me wondering what got into him. Birds will be birds I suppose.

Do I allow Issac to free flight to me at will? He gets his "two-year-old" mode on sometimes and absolutely must be on me somehow. Which I do not mind most of the time....he's cuddly and sweet. But I was on the phone tonight....and he was having a fit like a child trying to talk his mother while she was on the phone. HA! Do I let him be like this or are there methods to keep em in line. I could go in another room lol. As I type...he just landed on top of my head. What to do? I have to imagine that for many this would not be socially acceptable behavior. Imagine if I have guests. He is probably due for more toys too. I have like 9 coming in the mail....where the hell are they...LOL.<br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/25 05:24

Ohh boy....another way to spend money. Heeeelp. I think I will stick close to home for now. But that travel cage looks very cool.

Okay, I will look into some carriers. I just don't want him to feel like I am stuffing him in a box, so I would like to find a bird-friendly carrier.

So, with the weather getting warm again here, I am looking to get Issac out in his harness for more practice. At first just for walks around my complex, but eventually maybe on a drive to somewhere else. So...how do you ride in the car with your bird? In a carrier of sorts, on your shoulder? How do you manage a comfortable ride for your Grey?

My little 14 week old Issac is doing the very same thing. Babbling, hi and low whoops and attempts to figure out how to make those vowel sounds. I love it. He will be held quite high and praised into glory the moment he says something, I will simply gush with joy for him. <br><br>Post edited by: Elvenking, at: 2010/02/24 20:07

Oh BTW....when you reheat...you just microwave em?

Awesome...thank you much for the recipie...I am sure I am going to try it...I ahve read a few cornbread recipies and I have high hopes Issac will like something like this. He LOVES corn on the cob it even makes him eat more of his greens...but this should rock his world.

I just find it most unbelieveable when it comes to the capabilities of the human race. Birds are better.

It appears a lady actually tried to pawn her to children off onto someone for what in return??? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35537878/ns/us_news-weird_news/?gt1=43001 1 Cockatoo and 175 bucks ..now I know that she probably isn't a bird lover in the normal sense...but that is crazy!

I would take the recipie Birdie muffins sound good.