murfchck

New approach. Since the fids are well behaved with me, hubby is doing what i ask. No more patterens, no more habits, nothing more than head petting either! When he gets home and settled in, no more picking Gus up because his foot is up and he is sayingg "pick me up". If for some reason, Pat doesn't pick him up, he screams. So, yesterday our first attempt went well. Very few outbursts and only one biggie that resulted in a time out, to which worked pretty good. 20 more minutes of intense screaming but then he settled down and was able to come back out. The big scream fit started when i asked Pat if he noticed how good Gus has been, my mistake so i won't ever say that out loud again during this training! Lol What the heck happened to that cute lil baby clinging to my chest, dancing with me that first week? Lol He will be back, i am sure.

Not far from my vision either! Lol

Had such a peaceful day yesterday. I was off yesterday, got up and went to the store then came home and got the fids out. By 11 am i needed a nap, felt kinda sick. Got on the couch and all was good. Pat got home about 3:30, Gus jumped on him and nipped at him when he tried to remove him, Bubba started yelling. I begged Pat to just ignor Bubba but he said Bubba wanted to go to Olivers stand and play. About an hour later i told Pat to seperate them, they were beaking and squaking. He did and peace came back. Gus jumped on Pat again, but no biting for balance happened so he was able to remove him and put him back on his stand without incident. Very little screaming, was so nice but Pat and i start our vacation tomorrow so with Pat home all day, i am scared to think of how Gus will act! Lol

Oh yeah, i also got him a new puzzle toy that i thought would be hard for him to figure out. Ha. You drop a treat in the top and there are 5 "trays" that spin, dropping the treat to the next level until it gets to the bottom where he can remove it. Had the treat out before i was able to close his cage door. He didn't even watch me do it. That is three foraging toys he has and none are even a challange for him.

Okay, so i had this dream last night. We went to Gus's first owners home to try and get some insight. We rang the doorbell and he answered the door, we explained why we were there. He said he had some notes on him and he went into his house, shutting the door behind him. We waited, then heard the door lock. A few minutes later, Pat got a text from him telling us to go away, that Gus was our problem now and we should never come back! Poor Gus. Made me so sad. He had to be, what i call, manhandled last night. He was on the back of the chair and jumped for me as i walked by him. He missed and landed on the floor. He took off after my feet, grabbed ahold of my shoe laces then kept trying for the foot inside. No towel in sight so Pat had to get him from behind, time out time. He also had another sreaming fit while we were outside trying to pull some weeds. I couldn't take it so i went back in and could not get him to calm down. Finally i just said shhhhh, with my finger over my lips, the little bugger stoped right away. Had i not ever done that before? Something so simple and basic worked. Can't say it will work today but it sure did yesterday. Added Roudybush to their pellets Saturday, he loves them. Maybe he is hungry? Lol He normally slings his food out of the bowls but yesterday, he just picked out the roudybush and actually ate them.

I think if Sterling does manage the regurg i wouldn't want a video! Lol

That would be a yes to both the vet and the planning! Gotta love those greys!

Thats funny. Gus is my door opener, but he only opens Bongos food door when Bongo isn't around! Lol

He is actually not bad in his cage. He has his evening screamapalooza and the "hey, you woke me up" screams, those are okay. Its when he is out on the stand in the livingroom or on the chair in the kitchen. If he can't see us, Lordy Lordy. I am off on Mondays and thats my cleaning day, so every once in a while, i will give them their breakfast but leave them in their cages so i can work faster without chasing Gabby around. He is just fine, i got him out around noon and all was good. Pat however is our trigger, as soon as he gets home the screams begin. I mean, he belts out a few during the day but nothing non stop. Lol, that blows this weeks theory out the window i know, but i am at a loss. Other than Pat maybe giving him too much love and attention. Gus will hear the door when he gets home and starts chatting, but when he sees him, he screams. Not a fear scream, a you better come get me scream. It starts of with him saying, "pick me up, pick me up, pick me up" which slowly gets louder and turns into screams. He has tried the go to him first, the ignor him until he stops, go to him last... Nothing changes. This just started this bad a few weeks ago. We were letting him use Bubbas stand until we could get him one, now he has one, thats been the only change in the household. But he loves his stand, he even helped us pick the toys to put on it. Its really hard to admit but it has something to do with his obbsession with Pat. Maybe Gus knows his screams go straight to Pats nerves, Pat doesn't react outwardly but i know it really bothers him, maybe Gus knows too.

Oh was he a pill and a half today! Not sure what was up with him, just an off day i guess. He didn't scream as much but he jumped from his stand trying for hubbys shoulder, however it was a face hit. Later on, he jumped at me from the back of a chair and hit the shoulder but grabbed my neck for security. Got a nice gash. Then later he flew over to me, much better landing although he was removed asap. I can't allow that. Gus has only been with us a few months, my other fiddos are just fine with his screaming. I was mostly kidding about them getting a headache because of it. They still talk and whistle away. I am starting to think it is just the freedom he has that could be scaring him, he was locked in a, what i would consider, to small of a cage for a long time. Thats my working theory this week anyway!

To be honest, i was ready to run away when the screams started yesterday! I could hear my neighbors macaw screaming also if i walked outside. It was like i had no where to hide. I told my hubby to take me somewhere where i could drink a bloody mary and all he gave me was a cocked head sideway stare then ordered a pizza. Lol Not having to cook dinner was nice, it gave me a chance to sit and love on my monsters without having to jump up every few minutes. Gus was in heaven, he got into a ball all nice and round, dropped his head back and i swear he said, love me. I kept looking at him asking how something so freaking beautiful could be such a nightmare! Lol He was put in time out twice, we both promised to be consistant with it and made a list of reasons why would use time out. The screaming was number one, first time he started and wouldn't stop i went to pick him up to do our first time out and the stinker bit me. Reason number 2 for time out was then added to our list. Lol It wasn't a mean bite, but a bite just the same. We are going to keep this up and pray it works. What is the saying? It only takes a week to form a habit, but months to begin to break one. Do you guys think we need to move him out of the bird room? Could he be upsetting my other guys with his screaming?

Wow, what great photos! The one of the huge bruise, kinda scary, lol. Both you and Jay have set me back on track! Ear plugs in, i am ready for tomorrow! Car getting fix by a mechanic, I will work with Guster! On ward!

Come babysit then! Lol I need a night, weekend, week, month off?! Heehee

Wow, is that what they look like when their beaks are closed??? I only see a closed beak when there is food around! How beautiful they both are! Oh and a car update... The part i killed was some pully thing, girl description. It has a belt on it that does something with the alternator, heater, stearing and other stuff. As explained to me, makes the go. Somehow when it snapped off the belt stayed on the center thingie. On the bright side, the squeaking noise that was driving me nutso is no more!

Jay, i am so glad they are in your care now. One day that thing they seem to be missing will come to be! Gus is a sweetheart, loves to love and be loved, problem is he wants it all the time! He only gets that way with Pat now. When we first got him, he did that to me, i was able to ignor the screams and now he is great when its just us. When Pat gets home, to say our house is calm is a total lie! Its mayhem. Gus screams, the macaws want their play time, Gabby starts flying.lol I asked Pat to stop running to him everytime he starts it up and after tonights rant, he said he would really try. I am thinking about moving him into the living room to give the other boys ears a rest. Only problem is he wouldn't have tv during the day to keep him busy. I am not sure if it really bothers the other birds but how can it not? I can say i am at my wits end and lost. He doesn't eat much at all. He likes corn but he can't eat it every day. Seeds he throws, pellets thrown. I cook eggs, pasta, rice, veggies, fruits, meats, chicken legs and nothing. He must be eating something though, his weight is steady. He tries food but only if we hold it for him. I tried scewers, nope. I hide things for him to discover, he pushes it out of his cage. I am whining and venting, please just ignor me! Lol My car broke today too so nerves are on my sleeves! I got in it this morning and started it. There was a bad thud, i really thought and animal had gotten up in there and i had just killed it. I shut it off and stood in the rain waiting for blood but nothing. It weighed on me all day. I asked Pat finally to go look. He came back with some part in his hand and said that is what i had killed. All i could say was please tell me that piece is like something we buy and have to assemble where they give you extra screws! My car was still running so it just had to be an extra part! Nope! Okay, i am really done with my pity party now!

Spoke with Cotays caregivers yesterday! The wife is so excited, she has been chosen! She called me saying, " shes mine, shes mine! She is good with my husband but wants me! She loves cuddles and crawling up to snuggle under my neck. She even told me she loves me!" Safe to say they are smitten and Cotay is happy!

I use the Britta pitcher, i do have to watch for the charcoal that sometimes slips thru. We are going to be running water into the birds room and i plan on just getting the one that just hooks onto the faucet. I worry so much about the water being clean, but i turn my back for a second and they are on the floor in the dog water bowl!

We walked outside.... Still within his view though. Just tried to secure some items down for a big storm that was supposed to come in. That was his pityful screams, the real bad one he does goes something like this. Imagine hearing an assending scale of " err err errup " then say " ralph " over and over, 20 times minimum in a loud deep voice. And by loud, i do mean skull cracking, brain peircing loud! Thats when we know he is really mad about something. Ahh, to love a cockatoo is a true sign of insanity! Lol Or atleast this one, he has seperation issues, only with his daddy though. I can be home, in and out all day and have no issues at all with any of them. Pat gets home and our zoo goes helter skelter!

Since Oliver doesn't fly, i guess he is trying to keep Bubba grounded. Tonight during their play time we heard an awful scream. Looked to see Oliver with Bubbas tail in his beak pulling him across the table. It was so hard not to laugh at that sight. Poor Oliver tries soo hard to spread his wings out like Bubba. It is actually opening more and who knows, he is still young, he may just stretch those muscles and ligaments out!

Okay, we know we did wrong but it was 15 minutes of us ignoring this until we thought he would hyperventalate. Then it took even more time for me to get set to take this video. When he did stop, Pat told him we just did bad by picking him up but we didn't know what else to do. This could be a video that is shown to those thinking about getting a cockatoo! http://s1296.beta.photobucket.com/user/murfchck/media/VIDEO0070_zpsaca18b4e.mp4.html

We have noticed new feathers on Bubbas wing! He had chewed them all off one wing before he came to us, but he now has 4-6 coming in. Good and bad feeling with this, lol. We have been teaching him to fly and to keep his muscles built up but with feathers, he could really manage it. Having 2 greys and a U2 flying around is hectic but if we add a macaw to the mix, someone better come looking for me if you notice i don't post for a few days, i will be hiding in a corner drooling!

That he is. Had a weird thing happen with him yesterday. My paper towels ran out, pulled the tube off to change it and Gus freaked out, took off flying and screaming. Don't know what happened to that poor boy with one of those tubes but i am guessing it wasn't good. Took a while to calm him back down. So far now we know no ball caps and no cardboard rolls from paper towels.

Okay, deep breath! Stay focused and consistant with the training! Loki is trying to train you also and its a battle of wills, who gives up the training first! Loki flies to your head, bob and weave, when he lands gently pick him up and place him where its okay to you for him to land, forearm, perch, couch or chair. Trick is being consistant. As for the playing thing, i asked the exact same thing, even started a thread asking others how they play with their greys. Come to find out he wasn't ready yet, over a year now and he is just started to open up and play a bit. I bought him this cute toy about 6 months ago, last Friday, he killed it! I went Saturday and bought him another exactly the same, Sunday morning it was dead again! He will not do this when i am around!

We have a sandblasted manzanita, one that isn't sandblasted, a java and a big dragonwood one we put together from swings. I love the dragonwood. Now, my big birds are a wee bit challanged so keep that in mind with my opinion/review of them. My greys are on the dragonwood and they have a good grip and some bark to chew. The other stands, sand blasted manzanita and java, are just too slick for the footing, my guys fall off of them alot, we had to add crype mertle branches for them to really grasp. Again, they both have a bad wing so their balance is not good. The other manzanita with the bark, encourages chewing and is no match for the U-2. With all that said, my grey Bongo, prefers his cheap rope and dowel swing from petsmart that hangs over our sink, so.... Lol

Heehee, Pat had Gus cradled like a baby yesterday walking around the house. To his utter suprise (duh) he felt something hit his hand, he looked down and was missing all his buttons on his shirt. Gus is fast with that, i now only wear tee shirts when i get home. On the bright side, we are getting quite a good button collection started!