kins2321@yahoo.com

Wingy... check out cages with Birds Unlimited, but then I would check online. If its damaged on arrival, send it back! Remember, bigger is NOT always better. New grey, should have a cage to grow, and be a forever cage. Upgrading has consequenses! I will be glad to measure Kiki and Sunny's cage (new), that she has deemed her new cage. I struggle now with upgrading her gym. It has to be metal, ( she LOVES sliding down the sides). It has to be the same gym she came with. Struggling to find it. I just know Sophie. It has GOT to be the same, or don't bother buying a new one. Sean has repaired her old one several times. New bolts, new screws. I know Sophie. She will NEVER accept new gym. Has to be identical to old one. Nancy

Great job JeffNOK, she is doing absolutely fantastic in such a short period of time.Sometimes its just a matter of communication that they like! I believe ( truly), Gracie is going to be an amazing bird. When I adopted Sophie at age two, ( she left an amazing home, a racecar driver that was not home alot), I asked him " whats your best advice for Sophie"? He said.... ALWAYS listen to her. She will guide you. He was sooo right. Nancy

lovethatgrey.... How cute! Sophie loves to make up new words, or when I say something crazy and her eyes dialate and constrict, I know she likes that word and wants to learn it! Her favorite... Kotchiekotchiekoo! She says it about a million times a day. she is 12. She LOVES all Dr. Seuss books. One of her favorite rymes is eineymeanymineymo. I leave several blanks for her to fill in. Hit and miss, but she loves it anyway. Once I say " catch a tiger by the toe", I say foot... she picks up her foot and I shake it. Nancy

Joe... Mikko is totally responding! Congrads! Nancy and Sophie

Talon, they always sleep in, or on their cage.3/4 of the room doesn't get used. Two cages next to each other, with two jungle gyms in front of cages. They always are in or on top of cage. They all tend to sleep in one. Just checked on them ( bedcheck!) Sophie in cage, Kiki on top with Sunny sleeping under her butt. I'll have to send you a picture when they are all in one cage, sleeping on rope, with Sunny in the middle. ( sunny's ALWAYS in the middle) LOL. Three cages sitting in the garage.Still trying to get Sophie use to her new cage. I think its a little too big for her taste. Doesn't want anything to do with her old cage either. More interested in living with Sunny and Kiki. They welcomed her with open wings! Nancy

I agree guys. I think our animals recognize and understand our humans limitations. When I first brought home Sunny our rescue sunconure,( he would fly out of his cage at his foster moms, who was fantastic, and bite everyone). I developed pneumonia within a few days of coming here. I slept on the couch where I was more comfortable. We slept in the same room. I was there for at least five days. When I finally went back to my bed.... he flew up and found me that night.WOW!I could tell he was worried about me! Nancy

CLB... your patience has paid off! I know, this is just the beginning of some wonderful moments. Congrads for such a major accomplishment. Nancy and Sophie

Dawl... we'll all be waiting with you..Lesson number one, before you even get your bird..... patience, patience, patience! ( sooooo hard!) sophie has taught me a lifetime of patience over past ten years. No rushing my girl. Eating, talking and trusting. She taught me, patience! They are sooo amazing! I am so excited for you! Nancy

Welcome guys! She's a beauty. She LOVES the camera already.. Nancy and gang

babysweet...let me know how it goes. I will be here to support you. You've got your act together.... I do as well. I am here to help you, if needed. Nancy

A grey picks a forever friend! That is great, but NOT acceptable. I was Sophie's bond, but she was encouraged, to tolerate forever friends in our family.She did so. It was alot of work. I will be glad to help you, but you may not like what I have to say! It will require a ton of commitment. It also will require you to be the parent, your baby grey, is the child. I base all my teaching, "You are the child, I am the parent." I never stray from this belief. Nancy

If you have read my posts, you see that Sophie is a very social bird. Sophie has been there for two teenagers. She has been part of wrestling sleepovers, boyscout sleepovers. We have an "open cage" philosophy, that doesn't work for many families, unless they have 24/7 coverage. My kids are 100% involved in her training. Most greys will pick one favorite. It depends on the family dynamics. If it is one person, and a grey, you can't expect them to tolerate anything else. While recovering from back surgery, my sister came to care for me. I knew this would be different for Sophie, but knew she would be fine. My sister, was going to be a different story! I asked my sister to come sooner than later! My sister needed to learn, to not be scared of Sophie. Sophie was going to insist on being friends, my sister, was going to have to learn to accept her, before I had surgery. They learned to respect each other. They spent three weeks caring for me. When my sister left... she LOVED Sophie. Now, whenever my sister calls... Sophie wants to talk to Cindy. They are friends Nancy

Of course, WE are here to serve them. BUT we are either ROM... Hi birdie... we are their moms and dads. When they feel threatened.... they call us. We jump and respond! Sometimes we get called in panick, only to hear HI! They are our best friends.... but when it counts most, we are not just their best friends, but their parents. We keep them safe. When I am asked about my kids, how many I have, I say.... I have two boys, three birds, and two dogs. Yes, I have seven children in my home. Thats how I think. Thats how I treat them. Nancy

I use 1inch rope. I also make sure I have several perches , for nail and beak scratching. Sandy and concrete, I believe. I find the three of them on the rope perch together many times, with Sunny in the middle. ( my sonconure). The otherday, I found Sunny sleeping in Sophie's new cage on the rope perch, with Kiki and Sophie sleeping on the rope perch in Sunny and Kiki's cage. LOL I think, as Sunny is the only boy... he was TIRED of the girls. Wanted a break! Nancy

Brendon, the sisal rope and leather strips are good choices. ALWAYS... be careful with string. They can wrap themselves in it... as Sophie did once. There have been two close calls in our life. Once I found Sophie totally wrapped in string. ( our blinds!) I cringe to even think about it! Of course, my beautiful blinds got thrown out. Curtains got tossed out as well. My formal room was slowly becoming theirs. Nancy

Jeez... what a GREAT idea! Here I've been grapping checkbook registrars about 20 times a month from the bank! Maybe if I give her the phone book, she'll stop being a little banker and I can pay my bills in peace. Nancy

Sounds good to me too! Nancy

LOL guys! It sounds like Sophie as well! Mine, mine, mine! The only difference for us is.... if it is new, maybe scary, its Kiki's! (our Amazon). Once Kiki tests it out, appears safe, then its Sophie's! LOL Poor Kiki.... she tests everything first. Food and toys! Nancy

I am lucky, my birds came to a consenses, of when they all wanted to go to bed. I am lucky to have a room dedicated to just them. ( use to be a formal living room that I didn't need.) Room is dark at nite. They put themselves to bed, many years later. I DO remember the constant walking out to the family room when they were little! LOL BACK to bed! Of course, whenever I have a party... Sophie KNOWS the party is for her! Out she comes! She won't go to bed until the party is over. She's on my shoulder, or anyone else she adopts! I am lucky to have very understanding friends. They all know how important my birds are too me, and all of them feel honored when Sophie wants to stepup to them. Nancy

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day as we did. Nancy, Ryan, Sean, Ollie, Zoey, Sophie, Kiki and Sunny

Brendon, sorry I don't know what kind of paint is safe. I LIKE all your toy ideas! Don't worry about if the popsiclesticks break. Thats what they live for... search, seek and destroy!!! Just be careful all beads are not small enough to choke on, just like a child. Sophie my grey, doesn't like alot of block toys, but all greys are different. Kiki my Amazon LOVES all wooden toys. Sophie LOVES anything she can shred. Pinattas, papers, etc. When I do my bills weekly... Sophie sits next to me with her own pretend checkbook and registrar. ( she has her own). I talk to myself when I do my bills... she does the same! I hope she has more money in hers than I do!LOL Nancy

Biscotti is so adorable! Loved the pic! I will have to download pics of my guys this morning. Once again.... wrapping paper was the biggest hit! They helped everyone unwrap. Didn't give a hoot for their toys Santa brought. LOVED his wrapping paper. LOL Nancy

hmmm, definitely a tough one! Since Christmas is over, maybe you could remove the tree a little sooner.( just to cross that out as the cause!) Then if she still does it, does she look scared? If not.... I suspect you have a very smart baby who knows how to get your attention! Kiki our Amazon did this as a baby.( wayyyy much louder than a grey!) LOL Once I ruled out all causes, I made sure I didn't respond when she screamed, waited ten minutes then went to get her so she wouldn't associate her screaming with me coming to get her. It worked. Kiki now screams between 3-4pm. She is allowed to scream her heart out, noone will hush her. She appreciates the hour of full release, as this is what Amazons love to do. Nancy

Hassan... I think your new guy is doing well. I agree he maybe being more quiet during the day, as that is what life may have been for him with previous owner. He is bonding with your dad. That is GREAT! He has the ability to do so. See if your dad can become more active in his life. Work on stepup and down with dad. Once he trusts dad, have dad bring him away from the cage to family room. Have your baby watch the interaction between your dad, you and rest of gang. Let birdie see your dad trusts you all. Of course, immediately return him to his cage if nervous.Eventually have dad have birdie stepup to you, then back to dad. We did this with all three of our birds. They each bonded to someone different. We practiced this for all three. Now all of them go to anyone here in the house. It was fun this morning opening Christmas gifts. All three were there, we traded birds like crazy to open gifts. We had sooo much fun! Of course, wrapping paper was their favorite gift. Who cares about new toys? LOL Nancy

Ellie... Lola is beautiful! I LOVE her name. She looks like a Lola. I also give Kudos to birdstore to not let her go home until sixteen weeks.Time to make sure she's fully weaned, which will be better for you guys and her. What a fantastic Christmas present! Nancy and Sophie