Samy

Things here have been busy. Got all the Christmas shopping done and Ziggy and Koko will both be getting some interesting things. I have found that Ziggy likes the stockings, she has a game of flying off Daddy and trying to dislodge the stockings and then once they are on the floor trying to tear them up. It is pretty funny but gets annoying after the hundredth time of putting it all back up. She also finds it to her amusement to "help" with wrapping presents. While the kids are in school I have covertly been pulling out a few presents and wrapping them. She hops around the table nipping at me and telling me to go away while trying to tear up the paper. She has managed so far to "open" 3 presents and I am now forced to make her be in the cage while I wrap. She yells and screams at me until I take a scrap piece and ball it up and give it to her. Is that safe for her? I see where people give paper to their bird but I never really tried too much of it. Koko is not interested in toys so much but I noticed he loves the chains I bought him before so he will have new chains and a one of those birdie huts and Zig is getting a play gym for her cage it was actually kind of cool there is a store out here where they guy is making them and it hooks to the cage so it won't tip over mostly it's made out of wood but there are toys all over and climbing things and covers one whole wall. Hoping she will like it. Well got to run will catch up soon. Happy Holidays all.

So I know it's been a super long time but things here have been crazy. As of Oct.1 I am no longer with the military:( so had to take on a regular job which meant crazy hours (especially with holidays coming) and less home time for less money. I am still catering (which I moonlighted with while I was in but shhh don't tell) but with the poor economy those jobs have been fewer and far between. Ziggy has been happy that I have been gone more (Of course she is cause that means 1 on 1 time with daddy without the pesky mommy trying to make nice with me) Koko on the other hand makes plenty of noise to mark his displeasure with me for the time away. We bought harness kits for both birds and Ziggy fights like a tiger getting it on but once it is she is fine and even will let me pet her while it's on her but let her off and it's game on ( game being bite mommy as hard and as often as possible whenever she is near) I try very hard to be the nice guy in those situations and steer clear while still being in sight and talking to her. Koko on the other hand bites the living you know what at the harness and gets very upset and pants till I worry about his health with it on. I don't know for sure what to do about that. I went out and got a hard wood playstand for them and they seem to like it although Ziggy is still getting used to it. Koko took right to it and loves having somewhere else to play but once he is done playing will fly to my shoulder and want to just chill with me. Both birds are finally able to fly again the feathers have finally come in enough so when they stretch their wings there is no more dive bombing into the floor. My little garden has finally yielded some quality foods and they both enjoy the fresher then supermarket produce. We did move Ziggy's cage away from the window as it is getting colder and she seems to enjoy the alcove better then she was by the window. She still gets plenty of light and is still able to interact with everyone. She has become more vocal since the move too so I assume ( we all know what that does) she prefers being there. She has also taken to throwing her bowls around, she has managed to figure out how to remove them from the holders in her cage which is pretty impressive since I still can't figure out how she is doing it. Her favorite time is at night which of course wakes most of the house with the banging. Needless to say my kids are not too fond of Ziggy's new toy. I have been switching toys and finding new things to exchange in her cage she seems to really enjoy that but still loves to play with the bowls at night. Would it really hurt to take the bowls out at night and put them back in the morning? I don't like leaving the bowls out but really the house needs sleep too. My oldest has decided that Ziggy should be an artist. While my daughter was painting Ziggy left the playstand and was flying towards her cage and "dropped a bomb" right over her canvas (we have yet to cage potty train this girl as she is very opposed to actually doing it in the cage) my daughter found it so amusing she kept on painting around the spot and now it is in our shed freshly varnished and drying out so that both the stain and the paint do not degrade. My daughter had a "brainfart" as I call it and tried to get Ziggy to help her draw all that was accomplished was Ziggy ruining about 50 bucks worth of fairly expensive colored pencils, and of course nipping and biting my daughter a few times while she tried to get them back. Ziggy's latest is that she barks like a dog, she will whistle which drives our dogs running to the door and then she "woof woofs" at them and laughs. It is pretty funny. All in all things have been as they always are here (hectic) and the "ark" continues to keep me busy. I will try and update sooner then I have been lately.

I totally understand the idea of having to re-home due to bad things happening. Those circumstances are heart breaking and emotionally scarring for everyone involved. People who HAVE to re-home for these circumstances are at the very least going to try to ensure that it's the right home for their grey, not trade the bird out like it's no more then something to own.

:mad: I have been shopping around on different websites looking for inexpensive bird stands and enclosures for outside. I saw on one today a person (very loose word for this thing) trying to trade their grey for another type of large bird.:mad: I have been bitten, hissed at, clawed and in general just abused by Ziggy but to even consider trading her for another bird just burns my butt. If you can't handle the bird find a decent home don't just trade it to someone else for a different one these are living creatures they have needs and feelings that may not always be the same as ours but they still have them. For all the abuse and bleeding bites I have received I wake up each morning telling her good morning and I crave petting her beak. She has become part of my family no different to me then my kids are, how can anyone do this? My husband left today for his weekend trip and I have gone over to the cage often since he left so she doesn't feel alone, even opened the cage door and talked to her and pet her beak until she bit me. She has been sighing and whining for him and I feel terrible for her. I gave her a new toy hoping she will be distracted just a bit and once the kids go to bed I may attempt to let her out and play if it isn't too late. I'm sorry to vent but it just makes me so angry that people can just barter their animals for something else.

Yes Ziggy and Koko both are re-homes. Zig is 11 or 12 we are guessing she is full grown for sure and Koko is around 15. This little blog is where I go to blow off steam and laugh at the fact that I have the ark in my house. I also keep my sense of humor and new ideas to try from all the great people here. Ziggy is a one person kind of bird and that one person is my husband, Koko is more sociable. This things runs as a diary and also a helping tool to get things into perspective when I think I am going to never get this right.

All is clear here. The storm missed us. Zig made a stand this weekend. I was a little under-intuitive (yes I know the word is unusable to other then me lol) and was switching out the food in her cage. Been doing it all week without issue and of course she realized I was getting too relaxed. She bit me, yep I know I ask for it by going back time and time again, and left me with a nasty gash on the back of my hand. She is just not liking anything when my husband is home. Now on to the development of the positive if hubby is not home she will at the very least step up after pulling an escape routine from her cage and flying around a bit. Koko has been getting increasingly agitated with all the extra cage time during my busier part of the year for work. He is nipping more often then is usual for him and he is making quite the racket trying to get someone to let him out of his cage when someone is home. Hoping he will be happier once the busy time is done around November. Everything else here is good, hubby goes on his first weekend out next weekend so the moment of truth with Zig shall be seen next weekend. :cool: Wish me luck

Not too much to report today. We are preparing for nasty weather and getting everything just in case Irene has a direction change. Things otherwise are pretty normal, Zig sits with my husband and still nips at everyone she does let me pet her beak first thing in the morning when I feed her. Koko has been antsy trying to get more attention lately I think the busyness of everyone has him feeling high strung. At his age I worry about getting him to excited. Things are pretty much into a routine I try to go out of the house for an hour or two a couple times a day leaving the tv or radio on for them and keeping them near enough to talk to each other as my busy season is coming. The kids are going back to school now so I leave the cages opened separately as Zig is still not fond of Koko and he seems to really enjoy annoying her. He will try and climb her cage when she's in it and she attacks the bars every time trying to get him and he will laugh at her and stand on top looking down in on her. So I now take him all over the house with me and then when I work in the kitchen or livingroom I put him away and open hers. Getting her back in the cage is difficult but we are working on it. Sometimes I can put a bowl of fruit and nuts in when I want her to go back in and she gets in without issue other times I have to wait for hubby to get home to put her back and on a rare few occasions she will let me put her back. Otherwise everyone on the east coast be prepared and I hope all do well through this weather.

Our days have been pretty uneventful, we talk and do housework. The kids will be going back to school soon so hoping that I can let them out even more once they go to school. I need to find some perches or stands to either make or buy that the birds can use throughout the house. Want to find ones with things for the birds to do so they won't get too bored and antagonize the other animals. Ziggy has decided she is now bigger then our husky. She whistles for the dogs and when one gets close she nips and laughs at them as they run away.Koko has become very comfortable in the house although he has gotten quite spoiled. He makes quite a bit of noise of you walk by his cage and not let him out to go with you. I have been told that is normal for Hahn's macaws to behave that way. Zig is fully flighted but Koko is not and from the way things are going it looks like we are going to have to keep it that way. Koko spends so much time going around here and there that I worry he would get out with the kids coming and going like kids are known to do. I hate the idea of eventually having to get him clipped when his feathers grow back in, I fully believe to leave them the way they were created and let them live as they were designed to. I'm hoping to find things for the dining room so they don't have to have their cages moved every night. Also for the shower as I have heard there is something for them to use in there if not I am sure I can design something. I also want to get harness's for them so they don't have to go outside in just cages would be nice to let them stretch their wings so to speak without bars. Otherwise not too much else figure I am in for a good biting soon so everyone will get a chuckle soon enough. Have a good day all. Enclosing a picture of Koko in our flock album

I will try a different set up for you to see it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTRB3ZZ3UmY

I guess we are back to status quot. I went to clean the cages out this morning thinking that they would enjoy things back to normal in fresh cages. I gave everyone breakfast and Zig wanted out I figured why not she spent all that extra time in her cage last week she deserves to spread her wings a bit more then normal so I gave her her breakfast on our side table next to her playcage instead of in her playcage. Changing things up was my first no-no, she got out and started throwing food everywhere. I figured she was letting go some frustration and talked to her asking her not to throw everything everywhere but not really trying to stop her. I went over to clean out the playcage first, second mistake. She was not happy with me in her domain at all she climbed the side and looked at me making some sounds and saying hello but not her normal clicks of warning so I stupidly kept cleaning and talking to her singing along to the music I was playing. I don't know how she did it but she managed to open the food door and climbed in through there and stalked over to me and bit me on my ear right at the top, got me good too I needed a good long while to stop the bleeding. I am now joking with my hubby that I have an extra piercing (which is actually more of a tear) on the top of my ear. Probably should have a stitch or two but I steri-stripped it and it will leave a character mark for stories in the future. I am going to have another cup of coffee, make lunch and start working on the computer room cage and Koko's cage, hubby has already finished cleaning up the playcage. Figured it wouldn't be back to normal without having things truly back to the way they were so now we can get back to working on her tolerating me again. I am including a video of batbird in her playcage just for everyones giggles this pretty morning. (it's a little long but she is just too cute) http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1889363639569

SO I know I haven't been around, literal mad house here. Koko did well, not liking one individual but loving everyone else. Ziggy did well but was not happy with the extra cage time. She pulled an escape artist act one day while I was trying to feed her and flew around the house getting everyones attention, but on a plus note she did step up on me to go back in her cage when she was done with her flight. I think it was because hubby was not home and I was the only familiar one there as she won't do it now that no one else is here but it was a nice day for me, I don't feel she hates me quite as much as before. They both are eating better then when they first got here, they even have their own plates for meals and bowls for breakfast. Ziggy no longer attacks me on a regular basis when I put her plate in her area but I have to have kind of a diversion to get the empty plate or bowl away from her because she will still nip at me when I try. Usually we use an almond or a toy. Now that things are getting back to normal they have spent all morning snuggling and playing with us Koko is even sitting with me now all cuddled up on my shoulder in his normal "nesting" spot making "kisses" noises in my ear and mumbling Koko and come here which is what he does as he falls asleep. Got some video of the "play cage" for Zig in the livingroom being a "bat bird" and playing with her "binky" and got some of Koko talking to me not near as much of his vocabulary but what kid ever does what a parront wants them to when they want them to do it. I am still utterly insane and the ARK was even larger then normal last week but it is nice to be back to just covering for double everything then triple everything.

The "pedi" perches are in front of the food and water Zig is creative she will climb over them by the bars and stand on her dishes to drink or eat. Koko climbs them but hops off into his bowls as well pretty quickly. I am thinking of taking out the other perches and only put them back at night when they are ready for bed. I also created a stair type creation of "pedi" perches for Zig to play on it goes here and there around her whole cage something for her to play on all different lengths, I had hoped she would think it a game and play. I have even set almonds to the end of it to see if I could entice her to climb out but it didn't go so well the little sneak would shake the bars supporting the perch and shake it down lol.

We have the perches designed for filing the nails for both birds and neither one of them seem to like them they both stay to the natural wood and dowel rod perches in the cages. We thought about taking the wood ones out and only leaving the filing ones but I worry they would irritate their feet with it being the only perches they have. They both only get their nails trimmed when it gets unbearable to have them on us (when every time they are there it draws blood and scratches more then just the little prick marks). I wish I could find another way but everything we have tried so far is a no-go. I did find a birdie beak filing toy that as they chew on it they are naturally filing down their beaks but I haven't found something for their toe nails that they will use consistently. I think it has a lot to do with the fact they had nothing like these in their cages before and they are both older birds.

I just reread my earlier post if it sounded harsh I appologise I am a little stressed and more then a little tired getting everything ready as everyone will be here tomorrow. I didn't exactly sneak up on her as it would seem I feed her every morning the same way, I open the door, sit next to the open door waiting for her to come to me and feed her breakfast when she is ready. Then I usually talk to her and slowly attempt to pet her beak as it is usually the only spot she lets me pet, if she backs away or drops her food to nip I don't press the issue with her I just feed her and clean up after we are done. I do the same with treats as I am trying in vain to see if she will get used to seeing me enough she won't continually use me as a chew toy whenever I am near. I have been bitten many times for no other reason then I am to close to where she is. My husband is planning an extended trip soon and will be gone for entire weekends 2 or 3 times a month and she can't go with him and I feel terrible that she will have to stay in the cage the entire time he is gone if we have some peaceful way in which to cohabitate with each other I can let her out to stretch while he is gone. I would never towel her just to try and get her used to me the only time a towel is used is after her shower so I can get her from the bathroom to her cage without being seriously injured or for her nail trimming at the vets. I am not trying to rush so much as to have even ground with her so she is not a prisoner during the weekends. I hope all this makes better sense. We had a long day and all the other details for our company have been finished I think so I am totally beat and headed to bed Good-night all.

The "sneak attack" came after a month of feeding her and being allowed to sometimes pet her beak, also trying to get her used to me as more then just a chew toy as I have been bitten quite a few times by her and most times when I haven't even been around her or trying to instigate a petting or anything. Usually just cleaning out her cage or being in the same room when she is out. It would not have been the first time she dropped her food to bite me she has done it quite often before. It says a lot she would have rather held the almond then bite me as it is usually the other way around. Koko will be allowed out and about with serious supervision and usually only on my shoulder while people are in the community rooms but Zig will have to wait until first thing in the morning and later in the afternoons as there will be an infant here and we don't want to risk the bite nor stress her out. My husband plans to take her back to the big cage in the computer room and make it off limits to the visitors so she doesn't get too stressed with so many new people here.

So not sure if it is just getting into the swing of things or that the whole house is crazy right now. We have been moving and cleaning this and that opening up the guest bedroom and airing it out for the company and just everything is bouncing here and there. Zig has taken to nipping my husband every time someone is in the room person or animal. It is humorous but also kind of disturbing. I don't know if this is her "true" personality or just being pissy because of all the changes. I noticed in another post that people think the birds may respond differently to someone on medication. I started a neuro medication treatment 4 weeks ago mybe Zig is not liking the smell. Koko has been a complete trip he doesn't want to stay away from me for more then a few minutes. He will scream mama if I am away from him too long. I open his cage and let him play on his playtop while I am working right next to him and he won't play he hops down the side and climbs on my shoulder and talks his little heart out. He also likes watching videos of other Hahn's as I put it up and he talks back to them and gets this head bobbing thing going on I call it his head banging dance. He blows kisses and says good morning now when I wake up. He is too cute. I did manage to give Zig a quick scratch last night I gave her an almond and while her mouth was full scratched the top of her head and was rewarded with a look that said " just you wait till my mouth isn't full with something I want, you are SOOOO getting bit" She heard my daughters goofing off in their bedroom and one is a screamer so now Zig screams like a little girl when she wants our attention. We are trying to ignore it so she doesn't continue the bad behaviors. We would like to see her talk to us when she wants attention not scream. We have found she does NOT like towels. We had to towel her to try and get her ready for her nail trim next week and she went nuts on us. Biting and screaming and flying all over the place whenever she saw the towel. She does have some more funny moments like deciding she is now a bat, she will hang upside down from the top of her cage and drop down onto her perch from there. Also she has been swinging from some of her toys built for swinging on but I have to laugh as she does most of it with her belly to the ceiling. They both have gotten better about eating and I have been trying some of the recipes and some are good others not so much. Well onwards and upwards and all that fun stuff wish me luck as too many people will be here starting Sat and I am expecting havoc in the ARK.

I try pretty hard to keep it going and get the day by day stuff out there. Good, bad, indifferent, or just plain nothing it's still something. I figure everyday I write is another day that no one in this mad house has managed to drive someone other then me crazy. Plus it's a pretty decent place to vent and laugh at all my craziness cause if I can't laugh at this life what will I ever do.

Spitfire is a word I would use. Not much to report today, they spent their "out of cage times" seperated since I was doing dishes with Koko on my shoulder "talking" me through the whole thing, cleaning up here and there around the house, and Zig has been "helping" the hubby with his homework. Now they are both chilling in their cages relaxing with nuts in their one claw snacking away they spent most of the day out occasionally having to have a "time out" for being over stimulated or just down right cranky. For the most part they were fine until my Hubby decided to have the brain child of trying to kiss me which resulted in me getting a nip from Zig and Koko sqwaking her out. Pretty boring I know but I will take boring compared to a "normal" day in this house.

Congrats on the new words, and So sorry about it being for the hubby and not you. Koko says Mama but it is his go to word to get everyone and anyones attention. He uses it to get a cracker (which he says Mama cracker) to get out by screaming Mama until I come and get him out of the cage or whenever I am not feeding him fast enough at dinner. It is humorous the first few days but Hahns Macaws maybe tiny birds but they have huge vocal cords and sound like the big guys do. Hopefully Marcus will pick up Mama or Mommy shortly and it will be you that gets the calls next.

So I guess thinking Ziggy wasn't so effected was an understatement on my part. She has now decided even if I have food she wants NOTHING to do with me. She puffs out and attacks the bars anytime I am near. Not sure if it is a direct result of Koko liking me or if she has just decided no one but Daddy is good enough for her. She is defiantly more tolerant of everyone in the house which is a plus she can now come out with my husband and move about the house and doesn't bother anyone unless they bother her. Both birds are defiantly more vocal then before talking up a storm to each other and Koko to us and Zig to my husband in the computer room. She is pretty funny hearing her from the other room and my husband was talking to Koko last night he pooped on him and it made my husband laugh when I commented that they have clearly made their "chosen" people clear as Koko will not do that to me he actually makes a specific noise I take him back to his cage and he does his business in the cage and gets back on my shoulder. Anyways my husband laughed at the joke and Koko laughed and mumbled "that's funny" which made us laugh even harder of course making Koko laugh again too. We made the attempt last night to see if Zig would come to me if my husband put her on me and she went batty and attacked the you know what out of my arm, hand, and shoulder probably would have gone for my face if my husband had not grabbed her at that point. She has picked up Koko's vocabulary though she now says "come here" and "Koko" along with "pretty bird" and "what" since those are the ones Koko uses most. They both also say hello especially when the phone rings and because of the squawking and the kids and their objection to leaving him out Koko is now at the table with us for dinner and they both are getting better about eating different foods. I was able to print a list of all the known foods that are ok for them from an avian vet's website and if we have something for dinner they can't have I whip something up they can so they are still included. Koko is defiantly not as picky about the food he eats but they both have their quirks at the dinner table. I don't know if anyone else has this problem but I can't get them to stop bathing in the water dishes, even with supplying them both with their own "tubs" with water to play and bath in they still won't go near them and insist on using their water dishes. My husband baths both birds twice a week we have a mist function to our shower and he sets it up and takes them in on alternating days so that Zig gets a shower every Monday and Friday and Koko gets one every Wednesday and Sunday. Any other day they have a fresh "tub" every morning put in and I take it out in the afternoon and they still insist on using their water bowls. I tried putting ice cubes in their water bowls and they just think they are toys. Zig decided yesterday she was going for a ride she climbed from the chair in the computer room onto our older husky's back. Poor Dallas had this look of why is this little creature on my back and my husband rushing to get her off of him and telling her no she can not climb on the dog. Was serious until she started laughing at him for telling her no I couldn't help it I left the room and laughed at him. He is going to have his work cut out for him with her she likes sitting in his lap and attacking buttons if he has them on his shirt or the belt buckle on his pants she was doing that the other night and bit him in the "bulge" of his pants. I laughed so hard there were tears in my eyes for hours. He did not find the same amusement as I did as the reaction Ziggy got has now turned it into a game for her and she continues to try again and again. I warned him he can't react from everything I was told and read the more reaction they get the more they do it but he can't seem to help himself and she now wants to play whenever they sit on the recliner. I have noticed Koko won't play with any of the toys we put in his cage. When we got him I was warned he had not had many toys and showed no interest in anything they had tried to give him so they just left his cage empty. I am just leaving the toys in his cage maybe watching Zig will make him want to play with them if not then they are there if he changes his mind. Well that's about all for today We are going to be lazy as tomorrow is the start of a busy week and we have company coming next week so this house will be crazier then normal. Hoping it won't throw the birds off too much.

We refuse to acknowledge the language issue and Koko now finds it to his amusement and laughs at her when we don't talk back which I don't think is endearing him to her very much. They both are now in on the morning routine and keep the chatter at deafening levels first thing in the morning. They go back and forth constantly and both are picking up on each others different words so it is defiantly interesting to watch them go at it across the room from each other. Ziggy still will not let anyone near her we are getting into a routine where she is pretty much left alone unless she is being given a treat and talked to but will only talk back to my husband and only when it's just the two of them in the room. Koko on the other hand will talk to anyone who will listen and speak to him. He blows kisses and sits with people I guess I am his "chosen" human as when he gets cranky of being held and passed around he comes to me and hides in my hair and nips all who try to move him. He has the cutest reaction to being told no he makes a small hissing sound and then repeats "no" like a kids having a temper fit. We have a bigger living room space for Ziggy and she uses this more now then the computer room one as I think she has issues with being alone. She makes a pathetic whine/sigh every time we put her in the big one now, she would rather be in the big cage in the living room with Koko at night. She doesn't even like him but she doesn't want to not see him it's pretty crazy. My husband of course over indulges her and lets her stay in the living room cage and now I wonder why I even got the huge cage in the first place. I have a new recipe it isn't much but both birds will eat it. I made some if the spinach, tomato, and regular pasta spirals about a quarter cup cooked it up mixed it with a quarter cup of steamed mixed stew veggies added a quarter of a diced fine chicken breast and just a small handful of grated cheese. They both love it served to them at dinner time. Mornings are still chopped veggies and fresh fruit for Koko and baby spooned puree and oatmeal for Ziggy. Not much else to report. Marcus- Hands were already full to begin with, but the ark would not be complete without 2 of everything.LOL

I applaud for your daughter. My son was told similar things at birth, he has an a/v septal deformality with mitro valve displacement along with quite a few other things that come with Down Syndrome. The doctors wouldn't allow us to go on the transplant list as he is considered a medically non-applicable member of society. They will surprise us all the will to live boggles the mind and strengthens our own hearts to them.

As far as fair warnings go we took on an adult Grey(Check out the Ziggy updates). If your like my husband and they take to you right away your good to go. If your like me you can still be trying but it's all worth it when you hear them laugh or make cute comments.

So Ziggy in not so jealous (personally I think more relived) that the rest of the house is handling Koko and petting Koko and playing with Koko, as long as it's not HER Daddy being the one to do it. I find it quite ironic that Koko has picked up on this and my Hubby got quite the nip for trying to pet Koko. I got a little smug and asked him how it felt, in which of course in good spirit my hubby says "guess I deserved that" and went to take Zig to play on the computer which she promptly bit him for playing with the other bird. I couldn't help laughing at that point. How many chances honestly am I going to see him get bit compared to me and last night I got a twofer. This morning I started my normal routine. Said good morning to everyone and made breakfast for all the animals. I have to warn any other holstic tree hugger out there feeding the ark stinks in the morning they will run you over. I am relieved to find out that I do not have to blend into mush all the fruits and veggies for Koko he eats everything no problem. Still blending for Zig so Koko gets an energy shake in the morning with the leftovers from Ziggy's too. Koko does NOT like oatmeal though so of course I have gone from making one thing for the cats, two things for the dogs (both have different dietary needs due to age and allergies), each kid always wants something different, and now two separate but somewhat the same thing for the birds. I have decided I am no longer going to be a party coordinator owning my own business I need to be a short order cook to cover for all the meals everyday. I start the breakfast at 6am and am not done until around 8am cleaning up the mess. I have heard that if you put a tub,bowl,or bucket of water into a cage that the birds will play in it essentially bathing themselves. Koko does this quite happily and very loudly along with messily. I decided to try it with Ziggy to see if she likes it. I know some people love taking their birds in the shower with them but with Kids and all the animals from the moment I get up to the moment I lay my head (and even then) I do not have a single moment to myself (I have to share the bed with the hubby he gets disgruntled otherwise). My shower-time is the only spare moment I get where I am alone and that is just for me and call me selfish but I am reluctant to share it even with the birds. I make sure there is only an inch or so of water just enough to splash and make a mess but not enough to hurt themselves in it. Ranaz- I may have a big heart but I swear the bigger my heart gets the smaller my brain functions. I must be certifiable by now or just plain crazy. Morana- We are trying very hard to keep the same things going and not change her routine or her attention too much. It will be hard to keep it even with the kids they love giving attention and of course for the younger ones they will give the attention to the one that won't bite and attack them. We still only allow Zig at the dinner table I do have my limits and can't have every animal along with my kids at the table. Will fill in more later and get pictures soon of the new addition

So we were talking with some friends and there was a Hahn Macaw needing a home. I was leery to say the least as everything with Zig is still not only so new but so harsh right now. I have to say meeting Koko was a pleasant surprise he is a doll. Very social and vocal for that matter, my son and daughters played with him for hours when we got home. Zig is not quite as fond she has been staring him down especially when my husband holds him, which of course gives me a little bit of pleasure considering everything. I commented to my friend tonight I so need to build an ark and lock myself in my own cage somewhere in it. Of course if I really wanted to be ambitious I would have them build an ark and build a dingy so I can trail behind them without actually being in all the havoc. Wish me luck I am off to go play with my circus.