murfchck

I know. At least Walmart is still selling normal bags. I accidentally got some once and fruit skins and old sprouts mixed with the scent stunk worse than just the trash! Awful!

Your lucky yours waits for you to call. As of last night, Chacho has figured out how to get out of his cage and comes to me whether i want him to or not!

All the Christmas stocking are now purchased! Hopefully we don't get another one before Christmas because I seem to have one of all they made this year!

So not sure what happened yesterday. All the birds were out, Chacho now resides in the living room so he is in the same room when they are out but can't come out until the birds are back in their cages and Pat is in the other room. I got off work early and didn't do my normal trip to play with the baby birds so I got to come home and clean for Thanksgiving. Well I brought the birds and then rethought the cleaning thing. Why clean on Monday to have the house ready for Thursday when there are 10 birds living with me and it would be dirty again within an hour! I started just doing the basics, changing the everyday plates to the Christmas dishes and dusting and scraping food off the blinds and walls and windowsills, etc. lol. Bongo was on my shoulder and I stepped back to do a bird check so I would know where everyone was and something just didn't look right but I ignored that feeling and went back to working, then it hit me. Chacho was on top of his cage and not in it. (he isn't a friend to greys so they have to be kept apart) I set Bongo on his stand and went to Chacho and luckily he stepped right up, no issue. I put him back in his cage and thought I had checked all the doors, still not sure if I missed one or if he can now open them himself, but about 5 minutes later I heard Cotay take flight and so I looked and there was Chacho on her stand and no sign of Cotay. I started to look for her but then thought better and decided to take care of Chacho first and get him back in his cage. As luck would have it, I saw Cotay struggling to get into a better position as she was hanging from a slot machine in between some plants so I went and picked her up and took her to the stand in the kitchen, then went back to Chacho who was laughing and running away from me. Just as he was about to step up, I hear the door open and yell for Pat to stop, I tell him Chacho is out so he turns right around and goes back outside. Now Chacho is excited so stepping up is going to be a challenge, I managed to lure him with his beloved cracker, get him back in his cage and quick link the doors this time. Pat is now allowed back inside, lol. After all the birds were in their cages, I get Chacho out and we play. He grooms me and throws up for me and all is right with the world again. I just wish he would let Pat near him, he is such a great bird and Pat has more time to play with them then I do so he would really thrive if only he liked Pat a little bit. I really thought having him in the living room with us, he would see Pat isn't a bad guy and would accept him, but instead it seems to have triggered him into trying to attack him whenever he walks by the cage.

Poor girl wouldn't come out of her cage at all yesterday. I left the door open for her but she stayed inside. It was a growling sort of day. I was taking out the bowls and changing the water and she followed me around the cage sticking her beak out growling then out of the blue she would make a kiss noise, if I responded to it she growled again. She is doing really good in my opinion though adjusting to her new life here. I just can't wait for the day she gets to come out and play with the rest. Bongo is interested in her, not sure though if it is in a good way or not. He watches her very closely.

I don't know. When I was putting it up I didn't take any chances and got the steel wool. We had a field behind our house, full of cows, and one day an apartment complex decided to build there. The mice had no where to go but into our house. We had them everywhere and our cat gave up and just made friends with them. Somewhere I have a picture of our cat with two mice sitting on our fireplace mantle. Had to have a pest control out to rid them and they are who told us about the wool trick, they said it was the worse infestation they had experienced. They came daily for a week and then twice a week the every other week until there were no more signs of them. At that time they used traps, which is why they came every day. I had a vase in the attic with marbles in it, we would hear the mice taking the marbles to the peak and let them roll back down the vaulted ceiling in the living room, it would have been cute except that it was in my house!

We had a poodle when I was young, she died because of that. It was horrible to see and well over 30 years later I still remember it like it was last week. There is no easy way to rid them, find the entry and block it up with steel wool. (They can't chew through that.)

So she was on her cage yesterday and I went into the room to talk to her and sing (?). I had my hands behind my back so she didn't get scared and was able to get semi close to the cage. Everything was going very good until I had to bring my arms to the front, I could only stand like that for so long. It scared her and she attempted to fly but hit the floor. The really great news is she came to me and put her foot up for me to pick her up! I was so happy she trusted me at least that much. I did not dilly dally and put her right back on her cage so she would know I am there to keep her safe. Again at dinner time when I went in to put her back in her cage, she flew off and did the same thing. We were told she would never step up, this makes 2 times she stepped up for me and 2 times for Pat! She also got a spray bath the other day and she totally loved it, opening her wings and moving around! The second try at a bath did not go so well, maybe 2 a week right now is too much for her.

A big THANK YOU to a member of this forum who took the time to box up some treasured pinecones and nuts and send them to us. This made Koko's year. My usual docile little girl saw the pinecone in my hand when I came into her room and stuck her leg so far out of the cage to reach it, I felt bad it wouldn't fit thru the bars. She started dancing and singing and smacking her beak on the cage until I could open the door and give it to her. I think the pinecone is her "mate" for life! To see the change in her face was priceless! Lily and Gus were scared to death of them, but I think I heard Koko say "it's alright, that means more for me". I can't be sure she said that but I am pretty sure! :-)

Haha, a firm shhh here gets you and head cocked look and louder screams.

Yeah, Lily is just fine. Koko is to nice to fight back or bite.

She is one that the gentleman kept on the surrender we helped with. 11 went to a sanctuary and kept 6. She is one that he kept. He let us take her home with us so she can be with her own flock and get to come out of her cage again.

Ixta moved in last Saturday. She is so scared but really trying to fit in with the other greys. She had not been out of her cage for years and years. The day she moved in, we put her in the cage we have in the kitchen with the doors open and she was on top in minutes. She is a plucker and we found she doesn't fly (yet). She growls more than any bird I have ever had. Has no idea what step up means either and she is afraid of hands, heck, she is afraid of people. We are not forcing her to do anything, we take the others out of the room and open her cage door and let her explore. Yesterday, we turned a corner. When I woke them up in the morning, I was opening the curtains near her cage and she came to the side and watched me. She started sticking her beak out of the bars like she wanted a kiss, so I asked her for one and she made the biggest kiss noise ever. I thought about going in closer for a real kiss but then my brain started working again and I decided not to, been tricked by their cuteness more than once. Then last night when she was out of the cage, Pat had gone in there to talk with her and she got scared when he came in and flew, well tried to fly and landed on the floor. Pat was on the floor and scooted over to her and offered his arm to her and she stepped up (growling the whole time and screaming as if she was dying) He didn't want to stand up and scare her more so he walked on his knees to her cage so she could make the choice to go back in or stay out, she went in of course but this was a huge step for her! She whistles Happy Birthday and now my other 3 are getting their Andy Griffith and Happy Birthday mixed up! She does talk but has yet to say anything here. She says I am going when you say that you are leaving and when she hears the door, she will say I am gone. Those I have heard at her previous home. I am not sure of her age yet, should find that out in the next few weeks.

I love these trees but I have found the more I tried to rig them to be less messy, the more messy they looked and were. lol I do not get why with all the trees they make, not a one completely catches the poop. There is always one branch that hangs over the base and that is where they migrate too. I have done the plastic, I have used the painters paper and put clips on the edges to keep the paper from flying around, I have one that we put the peel and stick tile on but the best thing I can do is to let them be and get my scraper and broom and clean up when they go to bed. lol

Well now, i feel stupid. I never even looked at Lily to check her out. I am such a bad mom. And yes, they can not be out at the same time any more. I am ready to give up my hearing for the greater good!

I love my Lily, I love my Lily, I love my Lily. I have to keep reminding myself of that right now. She really is a great bird but she needs a home where she is the only bird. She got Koko last night and we don't even know when. (Gus wouldn't come out of his cage so we know it wasn't him.) When dinner time came around and we were putting them back in their cages, she had a bloody nose, actual blood coming from her nostril. On the other side she had a piece of her beak chipped away by the other nostril and it was bleeding. Also at her beak by her mouth she was bleeding a bit. We cleaned her up and she will be okay but Lord, I can not have Lily bullying the rest. I am not sure what to do. Any advise would be welcomed.

Well that is pretty dang creative and smart to put the heater in a cage.

With her attitude she may be our waitress or bartender, she could handle it. Gabby is the bouncer already and Bongo is the official jealous diva. Being the owner of this strip club, I needed a bodyguard and Chacho has taken on that roll. The rest work for peanuts! hahaha lol

That is our time out cage she is on in the kitchen. Well, we call it that but we should really call it our "save the house and the belongings" cage. It took us all day to clean, sanitize and put perches and toys in hers. 30 degree weather, we are both sick and Pat is outside with the hose trying to clean the bottom rack and pan. It was pretty bad, but spotless now. She is in overload, growling and running from us but she is eating. Only time will help with the rest. We did bring Chacho out to the living room, I am hoping that him seeing Pat all the time will help with his aggression toward him. I had him out after the rest had gone to bed last night and he really enjoyed the one on one time. We still have not figured out how to have him out to fly and stretch his wings though since he goes over the cabinets in the kitchen when he comes out and I can't let him do that with all the wires up there. Eh, we will figure it out.

I am with you on that! Really? After the sun came up, there was snow on the ground! 25 tonight and 70's again this weekend, it is no wonder I am sick!

10 Good morning all my babies, Well I knew if we didn't plan it would happen. Everyone will get to meet Ixta this morning, please play nice. She is very scared and very timid unlike the rest of you. Cotay, you got to meet her last night and it is going to be very hard telling you two apart. It was kind of cute though how when you saw her and she you, she backed up and you ran up daddys arm. She can't fly yet, right now she drops to the floor like a brick, hard as she tries. We heard you greys calling to her last night, and she was replying to you. I hope whatever you all were talking about, it was nice. She has to get a bath today, for a girl without feathers, she sure is a dust ball. When daddy was holding her in a light grey colored shirt, the front of it was white when he put her back in the cage so like it or not she has to have a bath. There are a lot of feathers poking out so maybe this will help her. It is going to be a tuff day here moving you guys around and making a little room for the holidays. I will be cooking for the family's Thanksgiving day and did a head count yesterday. After the count, I went and bought a bigger turkey, went from a 15lb to a 23lb. I have 2 kitchen chairs and a couch, the rest is your stands and a few cages. This will be fun, come on over but don't plan on sitting down! There will be at least 19 people here and this is if they do not bring anyone with them. Which every year, someone does. Our family is one who will bring a stranger in if needed. One year there was a homeless man that Pat's sister met, he had a pregnant dog so of course she brought him and his dog home to her house where he stayed until the dog gave birth. 9 puppies later he connected with his family and left, leaving the dogs with her. lol She rescues dogs and already had 6 or 7 at that time. Our 2 legged family is a mess! Pat's brother has a mini farm and their latest resident that moved in with them are 2 baby squirrels and 2 ducks. The ducks are full grown now but won't fly away, in fact they stand by the back door at night until they are let inside, in the morning they are back at the door waiting to be let outside again. They live in the city and luckily have found a house in the country and are moving at the end of the month, and yes, this house has a pond in the front yard for the ducks! So guys bare with us today and things will be semi back to normal again real soon. I love!!! Lisa

To my dearest semi feathered babies, and Gabby & Lily, It is official, daddy got me sick. I am trying to push past it because I gave daddy such a hard time. For almost two weeks he moaned and whined and it was driving me nuts hearing that moan after he coughed, oh my gosh am I sorry I got angered. I found myself making that same noise yesterday. This is a chest killer of a cold, but I can't let on how bad I really feel, lol. I will try very hard to get over this so it doesn't interrupt our time together! It seems there are just not enough hours in the day any more. We are supposed to be bringing Ixta home today, I was asked to bring a carrier and the truck when we go over to clean the cages today. It is really cold out though and I would bet he changes his mind and says we should wait for better weather. With that being said I did not prepare anything for her arrival because I didn't want to make any changes with you guys until I knew for sure. Since I didn't do anything, it will probably happen. Please guys, open your wings to her and welcome her to your flock. She has had a pretty tough life. Show her the ropes, but Gabby and Cotay, keep the bad habits to yourself please. It has been years and years since she has been out of that cage of hers so she will be very scared. Chacho, you lived with her before coming here and I hear you are the one who killed her brother. That is in the past and I will not bring it to the present, just know that I will have to move you out of the room because I don't want her stressed out even more. Plus, you want back out into the main living room anyways so I call it a win-win. Also, she will need that room so we can open her cage door and let her venture out and find her wings on her own like you got to do. This will be a challenge for all of us, but I know we can handle it, we wouldn't be asked otherwise. I am proud of you all! I love, Lisa

Its Friday, any news?

Oh yeah. Well I said that and then thought about Little Girl, she is the scarlet and Pat can hold her sometimes. The other one is Harley, he is just over a year old and is okay, needs working with but would be okay to handle for the most part. As for that rooster, my neighbors are understanding of all my birds squawking, if I had a crazy rooster added to the mix I think they would kill me! But thanks for that offer!

Awe shucks thanks for the duck offer, but I think we will be closing that portion of our rentals. Need to make room for more flights. We are going to eventually, in time, as money allows follow Sterling's design of a carport type of flights. We will be connecting it to the house though and enclosing it in and will add a covered walkway allowing us to put them right into their flights across from it. I will soon have 18 birds and they do not fit in the house we have so this will be a priority. (Sterling, ever wanted a blue and gold macaw? You are so close to us that a simple Sunday drive will get you one or two! Umbrella Cockatoo you say? Lily is a sweetheart, then there is Gus, but Gus is timid and would need time to learn. Not sure when these next four will be arriving but 7 macaws will do me in when it is just me and the hubs) I am seriously out of room.