Gwen

I like "Sugar", Paul. She's your little sweetie.. It sounds like your daughter wants to help name her too. You'll have to talk it over with all three of your girls..

I absolutely love you calling Gilbert your taskmaster!!! That is exactly what Roscoe is slowly becoming... Being retired and able to be around 24/7 has helped him integrate into our household. It still breaks my heart to think he was shut off in a storage (bedroom) for two years!!! They didn't have time for him anymore!! I also suspect he was only fed bread & seeds... He seems to covet them as if that's all he had.

It's been so many long years ago that i've rented, i can't say. However, my daughter has several duplexes she rents & doesn't allow animals. Two of the six units she has made an exception for birds in their lease only because she has a cockatiel!!! ))

Yes, Karen, I love, love that "Whoo"! -- too. Maybe, it is just a grey thing but Roscoe applies it as a reaction to alot of things he likes or gets excited about. It's so cute. Also, I think your right on about you dressing & Marcus might be confused because it's sporatic & not on a regular schedule. Roscoe also makes a certain squeek sound, mimicing the noise the foyer door closet makes when he sees hubby going to that area... Also, when our tiel "exercises" her wings in her cage, Roscoe takes it upon himself to be the alpha one to say, "Hey, Stop that!". I have heard my hubby say that once or twice if he was on the couch eating. Roscoe now instructs her everytime she flutters !!

Yes, Shanlung !!!! You are truely missed. After finding this forum, reading your journal entries (along w/ tears & amazement of your findings) I have grown & use alot of your techniques w/ my re-homed CAG. You have not only inspired me but reinforced my basic beliefs with all God's creatures. Since I was a little girl, I have been blessed w/ an insight and a connection to their beautiful souls !! I really never realized this but felt compelled back in my thirties to let go & experince this gift knowing that I associated with nature more than humans !! Always had lots of critters around me (living on a farm, vet surgical ass't. for 20 yrs.). Until this nasty, screaming, biting, growling CAG came to me..... I read of your adventures, & used my gut instinct, that i realized: I give them respect, recognize the level of their intelligence, ask myself what do they need & want, show them where my borders are, that they truely are able to begin to create their magic !!! Throwing out the alpha factor my vet & husband use.... I have experienced an exchange of intelligence, love, and bond that surpasses any previous connection. Thanks to you, Shanlung !!!! Please don't stop sharing !!! You are my mentor and I have learned life's lessons....

Your ABSOLUTELY right!!! Ravena is watching so closely & recognizes what your about to do!!! It is truely amazing!!! My hubby & I both marvel at how Roscoe KNOWS, not once in a while, but every time !!! The sneeze... in the morning when sinuses are clearing--each of us on the laptops ( like right this moment) one of us sneezes. Roscoe even gets the head swing, the quick motion downward w/ the sneeze!! He likes to say "Whoo !!" after, so now we say whoooo after we sneeze. Roscoe knows the difference bwt. me leaving or just going outside. Probably because I don't have my purse & i'm not dressed up ??#!! Accordingly, he will say "Bye, see you later" or " Bye, going outside?" Our home is open concept so he sees us everywhere except the bedroom. Going into the kitchen, reach for the faucet, he says "Water", Turn to the microwave & he starts beeping before u touch it !! Go to the frig & he says, Oh Boy, time to eat !! Also, has a built-in bio clock.... Tells us starting 9:00 pm to "go to bed", however, when my husband takes his glasses off anytime thru-out the day to go lay down for a nap, Roscoe says go to bed, we both just look at each other like, how does he know !! Those are just a few of the connections he understands ... It is amazing !!

Thank you so much for the update !!! I was wondering so many things about Marcus--like how you & your hubby were coming along with his ABC's. Also, how Bunsen was doing with her homones.. Roscoe has been molting but stays just as lovey.. Gabby is like Bunsen right now.. She even starts garbeling (is that even a word??) and sqeaking when I open her door to put food in for her. She is showing ALOT of jealousy when I'm cuddling w/ Roscoe so I have been careful to give her extra attention. She chirps & paces on her perch when I even talk to Roscoe... Our babies watch us so closely we don't even realize !! Hope Marcus is ok after his crash !!! The last time Roscoe crashed he had a little goose-egg above one eye!! Everytime I looked at him I could have just cried.. Keep up the good work & please keep us posted !!!! )

Jump from the frying pan into the fire !!! I love that she's curious as to what your eating, but I'm sorry you got a fat lip .... Roscoe grabs food out of my hand & loves to eat what ever I have. It's cute to see him look around, (I pick up the biggest morsel on purpose) he realizes my piece is bigger than his & immediately claims it as his like a little kid. Your baby has spunk !!

The idea you have w/ your aviary is AWESOME !!! It just gives me all sorts of virtual images of what could be done... I really think your fids would like the freedom of being inside or out to be w/ nature or you. Roscoe's cage sits by an east window in the living rm & I could see him having an aviary to the outside !!! I moved his cage to the window 6 mo. ago & he loves seeing us in the yard & talks to me out the window. Even now, w/ the window closed, he spends 4-6 hrs. just looking out enjoying his window. Every morning, after breakfast he sits in the sun pouring thru & watches the leaves fall. Just the thought of accesss into an aviary would expand possibilities. You have all winter to look for a structure or have a contractor estimate !!! Keep us posted on your idea !!!

Boy oh Boy, Paul, it sounds like you have a new challenge w/ your new little one !!! After 2 yrs. of trial & error w/ Roscoe, he still surprises me w/ a good bite when I least expect it. He seems to be a little more cage aggressive outside on his cage than inside. I still try to walk over & talk to him and end up getting bitten when I'm petting him. He's pushing the limit... will bite, say, "OUCH!", walk up his cage laughing !!! Also, it seems when he's under his "tent" on the floor he will mouth my fingers and sometimes bite, other times he will rub his head on my hand & make kiss sounds... I still get LOTS of displacement bites when ever my husband coughs or walks past us. They DO like to be in control !!!! Hang in there..

After we PM'ed I went to posts & found this.............. How disgusting !!! good things come to those who wait, and you will be saving more money waiting (you can never have enough savings) !!! You HAVE DONE EVERYTHING the right way and I know if this isn't meant to be; there is something better that will pop up. You just pour out that love to your fids & you will have a grey soon! xoxoxoxo

Welcome, Welcome !!! All of us with our re-homed CAGS are learning day by day. Most of my revelations have come from what he needs not what I want out of him. Roscoe shows me more every day; but it was slow going at first. He had alot of baggage and past abuse but the last few months have been pure heaven. He's just coming out of his shell and beginning to show me he loves and trusts me now. Baby steps... and, yes, they are moody !!

I am so very,very, very happy for you, your family and your adorable cute little grey !!!!! Finally your day has arrived and it looks and sounds like she/he is as happy as you are !!! As you both settle in, please keep us posted. Congrats !!

Our Roscoe got his name fom Roscoe James McClain... song, "So in Love" 1963 Very, very cute photos !!! Love that innocent baby face ..... As for clipping..... I say NO<NO<NO!!! it's entirely up to you, but i'm a firm believer. Never have clipped any of mine, never will.

Eshana: Did you get my message on cockatiel mutations ???

This is a dream coming true !!!! The love and joy is just exploding with the tears !!!!! The roller coaster ride is at the top !!! I'm so happy for you Paul....

Very interesting !!!! Roscoe also came to us with about 4 different voices. In the almost 2 yrs. w/ us, he HAS ADDED both mine & my husbands. He had two different male voices, a female, and a child. I never expected, or even thought he would learn, many new voices or sounds.... With my 10 yr. old grandson staying over this summer, he has "taught" Roscoe probably 10 new noises to mimic.. My daughter also says he sounds just like me when he says certain words. He greets me w/ a distinct hello in my own voice and will turnaround & greet my husband in the morning w/ a sing songy hello in my husband's voice. I think he has at least 7 or 8 different ways he just says hello !! Also, I've noticed Roscoe knows the different ring tones on both our cell phones & will say hello in the appropriate male or female voice matching the ring !!! There are probably lots of things I haven't even thought of... Oh, add 1 more male voice he came to us with: a deep sothern accent!! P.S. BTW, to Janet... It would be cute that in a few months your big boy, Sterling Gris, started talking in your feminine voice !!!

Hi !!! Welcome.... You picked out the PERFECT name LOL... My Roscoe is an 11 yr. old re-home I've had almost 2 yrs. Pictures, PLEASE!!! We love them, especially the cute babies. There's also a wealth of knowledge here, so look thru threads & find answers or ask away..

Was just reading this thread & I agree Bunsen is female. I've had four cockatiels over the years.... 2 male, 2 female. Yes, the males DO walk more upright & females more horizontal. My male used to try to do the "nasty" on the side of my hand & also on his perch ( i worried about splinters.. LOL) when hormonal. My females make all the garbily, cooing, noises when i pet her , if hormonal. The girls will stick their tail straight up in the air with the vent moving.. (sometimes in the corner of the cage. I can also tell when my female, Gabby, is wanting to lay eggs as she sits in her food bowl & makes noises. BTW, soooooooooooooo proud of Marcus with his vet clipping his nails. What a good boy !!!!

Yes.... He works his way thru the pages, testing to see how thick of a stack he can bite through & when he gets a big chunk & drops it... He says OHHHHHH like that was a good one !! Then when the pages are chewed to the binding -- that's when the new challenge begins !!! He loves the thickest, most difficult areas & is very pleased w/ himself !! After hours of fun... when I start to scoop out the piles of shredded pages, he says "Boy, what a mess!!" when i've cleaned up, he says "Good job, buddy !!"

THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!! I was enjoying watching him shred for hours & how much he loves it. My husband mentioned that maybe the colored ink was poison to him & I started to panic. He doesn't injest it, just chews, tears & spits it out with a method that seems to almost mesmerize him. It's like a job he's obsessed with. Anyway, it sets my mind at ease. I thought i'd heard somewhere that CAG's liked to shred phone books. Magazines are so much fun for him; I just wanted to make sure they were ok...

Every morning after breakfast, Roscoe, LOVES to shred paper for a few hours... Previously, it's been paper plates, pieces of cardboard, etc. One day last week he started on my "Better Homes & Garden's" & "Prevention" magazines. He enjoys himself for hours shredding away..... My question is: Is the ink harmful ????

It's weekend, Paul !!! Any update ???

Waiting and hoping for good news from you, Paul....