kins2321@yahoo.com

I have to be honest.( I know I will hear about it!) Thats okay. I have waited at the most, a month, before I expected my bird to start working on stepup and down. Very " minimal", practicing. Trust was not there. As trust was established, so did my expectations of my birds. Nancy

I've had ants attack. I've done borax and sugar around my house. It makes me crazy, to see an ant in my birdroom. ( ask my kids) LOL I don't tolerate ants. We always have a war. I win. Nancy

don't ever be afraid to accelerate training. They will let you know, if they are not comfortable. Stepup, number one, in training. Once they stepup, introduce bird to the home. If they get nervous, return baby to cage. Sophie was introduced to each room, at her comfort level. She was introduced to all our family and friends, at her speed of acceptance. She goes everywhere in our home now, and steps up to all the family members. Its a long process, and they set the speed. YOU... have to setup the expectation! If you don't, they will be happy with the " status quo!" Nancy

I wouldn't care if I was called poop! I know you don't either! I gotta say though, I am happy to be called " rom!" LOL Poop works too! LOL Sophie watching Sherlock Holmes with the boys. She is very happy. Ryan is explaining the movie to her. ( like she cares!) She say's " ahhhh". Ryan thinks that means she understands. I know she is just humoring him and doesn't give a hoot, but she is happy that he wants to explain everything.LOL Nancy

I LOVE watching " House Hunters!" Not sure if anyone has ever seen it, but most people want " open concept" home. Luckily, we don't have that, so it was easy to convert formal living room, into bird room. We have a HUGE family room, so why did we need a formal living room? Noone ever used it, so what was the point? Its their room and they love it. Kiki does chew two windows. One in birdroom, another in family room. She at least chews the entire landing and makes it even. She knows if she chews the landing too much, she won't be able to land! LOL! I can replace two landings in the windows. She loves to sit in the sun, in these two windows. I would never deprive her of her happiness in the sun. NO big deal. Now if they land on the pooltable in familyroom, there will be hell from Rom! They know this, and pooltable is left alone.I share very well. But... I have limits! They respect the limits. Nancy

I wish I could help you! Start looking into " avian vet specialists". Nancy

She sounds amazing! A true bird whisperer! I would LOVE a Rosebreasted bird. They are a favorite of mine. I came very close once. She got adopted after nine months. I was going to take her, if noone did. We were soooo bonded at the birdstore. I actually had said " yes", i'll take her. She had just gotten adopted. Paul knew I loved her, so did tell me she was adopted by an experienced birdowner, who would be a GREAT parent. I was very happy. Nancy

My guys also throw their dishes on the floor! Fruit and veggie dish, ( unbreakable), also gets thrown down. Impatient little beasts! LOL Nancy

Great ideas from all! Birds will trust with stepup from their cage when they are ready and trusting! Go back to what you were doing since the trust was being established. I'm kind of surprised though, when all my birds flew off their cage, landed somewhere " unknown" to them, they immediately would stepup. I'm no expert! Any ideas? What will your bird do, if fly's away, and lands on the floor and you try stepup? Nancy

Sorry guys, I didn't give more detail. I hope new parents pay attention, especially. When we first got our first bird, it was a rescue, and had adopted my son at daycare, He was nine.He was out of forever homes, and would fly out and attack people's jugular. He LOVED Ryan, from the moment they met. I had no choice, but to take this bird home. He had found his " soulmate! I told kids, we could adopt him, but I don't believe in cages or zoo's, so we would have to figure it out. Eventually, Kiki, our Amazon came home, as a baby, Then Sophie our grey, adopted at age two. Yes... we continued to follow "open cage"... meaning, they have gyms in front of their cages, room they can fly.We practice flying in the family room. They all fly great, but Kiki our Amazon, is superior. Sophie, our grey, doesn't care. When I go to work, door is closed, so they can't fly everywhere. All electrical outlets are blocked, dogs are in another room ( even though they love each other!) No matter how much birds and dogs love each other, they are never to be trusted.I hope I have explained our family " dynamics" a little clearer. Nancy

Kiki loves jelly. She gets a small bite once a month, on her toast. She is happy! Nancy

Whistle away! You are teaching your baby to talk! Whistling is very important! The first step in learning to talk, in my opinion. Nancy

It is important, to remove bird from his cage, thru step-up. Once bird accepts " STEP-UP" go to different room. Wrist only, talk to each other. After owning Sophie for six months, allowing only wrist status, she was hanging with me on the computer, started biting the air, saying " NO BITE!" ( on my wrist). I knew she finally understood! I yelled to the kids... Sophie and I did a celebration dance. Everyone thought I was crazy! ( including Sophie!) Never got bit again. Sophie finally understood. A decade ago. We all have different beliefs in how to raise our birds. We need to respect how everyone raises our birds. Nancy

JeffNOK... damn you daddy! I REALLY wanted to be on that light fixture, but you wouldn't let me! So... " yeah"... I respect your opinion, and I will listen, but I am NOT happy with your choice! You are NO FUN! Gracie

Sam seems ready to accelerate his training. He already has established his " trust". He loves you, and knows you will keep him safe. If you wait for him to show you the next step, you will wait forever. He's not going to do it. Are you ready to take it to the next level? Nancy

I don't think Simon is talking late. I believe most greys take off with talking around two. They babble with baby talk before. Yes, I adopted Sophie at age two, she could say a few words, but around 2.5, she went crazy, started talking up a storm. I believe it had nothing to do with change of ownership. She came from an excellent home. She had been learning all along. Nancy

I suspect, your bird, is trying to establish communication, with the other bird. Let him focus on that, and encourage him. Encourage your other bird, to listen. Their relationship is important. You encouraging the relationship, will be important to your grey, and grey will trust you more for your efforts! Nancy

I LOVE it! LOL! " Hi babe is priceless!" Nancy

Not only, do they understand and comprehend, they show compassion. Sophie LIVES for teasing Kiki and Sunny. It makes her day! BUT.... if anyone is sick, molting( kiki), she understands, and backs off. She even tolerates Kiki being a " crazy woman!" Nancy

Tough question. If it was a new bird, I would suggest returning to cage, try again in a half hour. I also would have said firmly " NO!" As a rescue, totally different game plan! We have a rescue as well who was horrible! Noone wanted him. I spent a week with him, constantly reassuring we loved him. Then I got pneumonia. I was very sick. I slept on the couch, where that was where I was comfortable. His cage was five feet away. I left his door open, since I was always there to supervise him. Within a week, he walked out to check on me, would hang out, watch movies.I was home for three weeks. Sunny hung out with me eventually all the time. I know he knew, I was sick. Kids would feed and play with him, but he was always concerned about me. He found his " forever" home. He goes to all of us, and is bonded with our Amazon. We continue to have a " special" relationship, which I'm sure was created when I was very sick Nancy

GREAT JOB! Nothing better than dropping the bomb on our parents. I drop bombs on Rom all the time! She sometimes gets real weird, and tells me " I'm all dressed up... don't even think about it!" I think she wants me to give her an extra treat! Sophie

Hey guys ... take a plane! I've heard about those big things from TV. You can go anywhere! Sneak into the place they keep all the animals. I'll have my friend Ryan pick you all up. I know he'll do it for me, as I have him wrapped around my finger. Pookie's parent can pay. We got it covered! Sophie

Chezron... congrads! I think Pancho has been practicing! He certainly missed you, and understood he needs to be more independent. Nancy

Kiki..lLOVES jelly! Nancy

Sophie, doesn't like toys. I wish she did. Nancy