murfchck

Tomorrow is Bongo's homecoming day! One year with us, 6 ears old! I think he understands too! I asked him what he would like as his special gift tomorrow and he ran across his stand and rang his bell with excitement! Then as a first, let me kiss his belly! My lil guys growing up!

Ahh, i eat them myself but they have a ickie taste raw. I won't even use my bare hand when handling them! Thanks for the info, i will try raw tomorrow! It's his homecoming day (one year with us, 6 yrs old) so he is getting everything i can think of! Lol

The bowl dumping is normal in our house! I have gotten baby hanger clips and clip it on the bowl and ring that's on their stand. They still can pull the bowls out but it lasts a whole 5 minutes longer than it would without them! Lol ( the clips are not tight fitting so they can not hurt themselves with them, pointless i know, but they like that extra challenge!)

Did you steam it or just let her go for it raw?

The price isn't bad, it is $9.99 shipping that gets ya. Gesh. I will check out the local Indian shops first!

Other than the Zilla, i have tried them all... The Zupreem nut and the veggie are what we use but that being said, only my macaws actually eat it. As far as seed, usually i have Kaytee but it changes as well, i look for no(few) nuts in the bags and few sunflower seeds. They seem to get sick of the same stuff just as we do so i am a bouncer, lol. I do always add wacky mac and the dried fruit and veggies to my seed mix. Oh, i do not use supplements in the water or food. This was advised by my avian vet. His fresh foods supply that and the lighting we are setting up will cover the rest. :-)

Bath time is a good idea. I will try that one today, Thanks! I wish it were flock calling, that happens around 6-7 pm, Pats home at 3pm. Lol the flock calling is much quieter and shorter!

He is a screamer, but only when my hubby comes home. It is driving Pat nuts and i am not sure what to do to help him out. In fact when he gets home Gus, Bubba and Oliver start screaming. I know it is because when he gets home they believe its play time. He always goes right to them, loves and pets them then wants to relax after work but he has already stirred them up. I have asked him to change his routine up but when they start screaming he says the macaws are bored and want to play with each other, Bubba is being picked by Oliver and looks all ratty again! Gus screams period when Pat walks in, i think he is just scared of men. He will calm down after Pat is home and this just takes a few minutes. If he screams when i leave the room, i will talk to him, saying i am here, but won't enter the room again until he stops. The macaws don't scream at all during the day.

Eh, we were ready just in case something like that happened. None of these guys have flown around that many corners before which is why after it all settled down, we couldn't stop laughing!

I am saving for the down payment of my farm!

Bongo does not like to step up from inside at all what so ever. I still try though but first sign of him backing away i step back and lightly tap the cage door, he will come to where i asked him to then step up. I only keep trying for emergency reasons, just in case. He is a rescue at 5 yrs of age with lots of baggage. One being caged most of his life as a show piece at some company. Gus, umbrella too, also. Now getting them back in the cage is heartbreaking, they don't wanna! Food bribes worked for us. Set his fav treat near the door for him to explore on his own terms, as he gets more comfortable eek the food further until outside of the cage then when he is good with that, use your hand to hold the food and lure him out! Thats pretty much how we started. Now we reverse it, put the food in the cage so they want to go back in! I did notice in the video that you are giving her sunflower seed as a reward, only do that when she does something you want her to do. After running from you, you gave he one, reinforcing her that running away is good.

This noise i think he came to us with, nothing and i mean nothing like i have ever heard! It isn't a noise he repeats either so my chances of getting it on video is slim. He makes that noise and moves on to ALL his other sounds. He picked up a scream from Bubba of a girl from a horror movie, thats real fun, lol

Not even sure where to post this story as it involves all my little fids.. Last night i was heating up some oil. The greys were put in their room, which is a good distance from the kitchen with 3 sharp turns involved. The macaws playing on the couch, they don't fly so no worries with them. Gus on his stand, which we had to move again since the trim around my window he was near is no more and my pretty pretty flowing curtain looks like swiss cheese. Gus is screaming now because he can't see us, i asked Pat to stay by me just incase because you just never know. Bubba got fed up with Gus i guess, next thing we hear is Gus screams getting closer, we turn just in time to catch him heading towards us. Okay, Pat goes to take him back to the stand and here comes Bubba into the kitchen, laughing his butt off. Gus on stand, Bubba back on couch still laughing, Pat and myself still in shock. Then we see Oliver hanging from the couch, he we assume was going to help Bubba out but got himself stuck, so to speak, so off to help him out. Things resume in the kitchen within seconds as oil you can't leave unwatched. Then we hear feathers flying again, Gabby gracefully lands on Pats shoulder who now understands why i asked him to stay with me in the kitchen!

It, to me, is love for sure! I just can not see myself refusing his offer. Gus does this as well to me, isn't as neat or compact but... Lol

One of our greys, Gabby, hated me without doubt. I did my normal things with all the birds and let Gabby just tolerate me in her space. I didn't force myself on her. It took months but our relationship as gone from what you have described to being allowed to pick her up. Been about 6 months. If she tried to attack me, it was me who picked her up and did the no bite time out and it was me who got her out of time out. If i allowed Pat to do this, or if i let him to protect me from her, she would never learn not to bite me. Gabby is 100% hubbys baby and i respect her feelings and now she understands that, so we get along just fine.

I know there are many opinions about allowing this or not but i wanted to share it. After almost a full year with us, Bongo was such a different bird yesterday. He was dancing around, dumping his water bowl (his version of playing, lol) and whistling. In all this time, that has been one of his most active days. When i put him to bed, he has started running to the top where the breeder box door is and waits for me to open it and get my nite nite kisses. Last night he stopped short, just hanging upside down watching me. So i just opened the big door and stuck my head in for our kisses. He doesn't let me touch any of the "trigger" points but lets me play with his beak. I had his beak between my fingers where he normally likes to pull away like he is going to bite me, but instead he regurgitated in my hand. It brought me to tears. He is not an affectionate kind of bird but this said a lot to me!

Lol, he said they were good UNTIL about noon. Then they started screaming! Lol Totally right about the learning from each other.. Bah hum bug, Gabby taught Bongo how darn fun it is to dump the water bowls. Bongo is my little sponge and picks up all the others habits!

Ahhh, much better evening with them! Today should be interesting. Daddy is off and i will be at work, lets see if he breaks anyone! They have a mind of their own so he is in for a treat! It is funny how diff they are during the morning verses the afternoon hours, and how they know the weekend. He doesn't get the morning time cuz he is at work, weekends are calm.

Bongo has started a new sound that we just can not figure out, can not even describe it very well. Sort of like a cross between a cat in heat and a baby crying. No babies here and a fixed cat, this is a tuff one! Good thing we like to solve mysteries!

Boy was Bubba a mess yesterday. He fell off his stand twice, being a booger trying to pick him back up, then off the couch when i went outside. I came back in a noticed my kitchen was destroyed, dish towels everywhere and drawers open. I was outside about 2 minutes, he opened the drawers and got up on the counter no doubt by the evidence he left behind! Then Gus took flight around the room, then Bongo who didn't land so well. In fact, ever seen a grey with a black eye? Yikes, poor Pat got home at around 7pm and all i could say was, " i broke the birds today! " lol

Ah, great. He has started to love my hubby too. He upchucked on him and spent last evening cuddling with him on the couch. I was happy to have the evening off! All the fids wanted daddy for a change and i took full advantage. Having my calgone moment!

I am thinking the same thing. Not ideal by what was described. The heart knows what the heart wants but, will that want continue when when the bird is in a bad mood because of not getting enough sleep? If your home is that busy, will there be time that the bird needs? Atleast 4 hours out of the cage everyday? They require a lot, are you ready for that?

Thanks! There is learning every day for sure! I am trying to figure out Gus, when i have something he wants, he will grab it and push it at me with a little jump, over and over. I don't know if he is just playing or if it is a dominate kinda thing. He will do this and has fallen off his stand in his excitement or anger. Lol He doesn't bite so i can't figure out what he is trying to tell me!

Gus has been doing great! Still a big ol mammas boy but thats okay. Had him and Bongo with me on the couch the other night, they both did good, stayed on their own sides for the most part. Bongo groomed his tail feathers a little and Gus was fine with it. Me, i was scared to death, my face was kinda in the middle, lol. Had to give in to him and move his stand to where he can see me in the kitchen. Fingers crossed it helps with the screams while i try to cook. He was on it today and it seemed to help but the real test is going to be when he is use to the new spot! Found a food he likes more than eggs too, bannana oatmeal.

You'll be out soon!