Timbersmom

This isn't a meme, but I thought I'd post it here since this thread is active. I know someone has posted it here but I just saw it again on facebook and it still made me laugh. A lot of truth in it! 13 Ways to Really Prepare Yourself for Getting a Pet Bird Are you thinking about getting your first pet bird? This 13-step guide will emotionally and physically prepare you for what it’s like to live with one. If you follow this, you will have a fairly good idea what it’s like to have one of these lovely creatures in your house. 1. Take a big bite of carrot. Chew it up well, but don’t swallow it. Now go out to your dining room and spew it all over the wall. Leave it there until it dries. Get a sponge and a scraper and scrape it off the wall. Repeat daily! 2. Go to the bird supply store. Buy everything you need for the month. Then with the leftover money, go to the grocery store and pick up a five-pound box of macaroni, some parmesan cheese and some margarine. These provisions should last you about two weeks, and it’s about all you’ll be able to afford after all that money you spent at the bird supply store. 3. Take a newspaper to the bird supply store. Place it in the bottom of an empty birdcage. Read it while it’s laying on the bottom of the grate. This is how you will be reading the newspaper from now on. 4. Get some pelleted diet, some chopped up vegetables, borrow some bird poop from the bird supply store (they’ll look at you funny, but they probably won’t charge you for it), some parrot feathers, pieces of bird toy parts, some wood chips and some almond shells. Combine in a one-gallon container. Throw some of it on the floor. Now clean it up. Throw more of it on the floor. Now clean it up. Repeat at least twice a day. 5. Get a screwdriver from your toolkit. Make some gouges in the paint on the wall. And while you’re at it, use it to rip one of your lampshades and smack up a couple of picture frames. 6. Make sure you know the meaning of all of these terms: Cloaca, preen gland, PDD, PBFD, calcium to phosphorus ratio, polyomavirus, E.N.D., and boing. This task involves a lot of research. At least you'll be on your phone for a good reason. 7. Measure out a cup of flour and place in a sifter. Move about your house and lightly coat all surfaces with the flour. Now dust all the surfaces. Repeat at least three times a week. 8. Look up some wild parrots on YouTube. Turn the volume up on your phone to full blast and place it right next to your ear. Repeat at least three times a day for 45 minutes. 9. Take some of that bird poop you borrowed from the bird supply store and place it on a spatula. Now reach over your shoulder with the spatula and rub the bird poop on the back of your shirt. Let dry and then go grocery shopping. Count the number of people who either stare at you or tell you that you have bird poop on your back. 10. Do a little dumpster diving and collect odd items like water bottle caps, pieces of raffia, tree branches from bird-safe trees, pieces of cardboard and old plastic clothesline. With these items, attempt to make an interesting toy. You have 8 minutes. You may begin. 11. Save the wild parrot sounds onto your phone and set them as your 6 a.m. alarm. Make sure they are on the loudest setting possible. Repeat every morning for the rest of your life. 12. Get some bed sheets. Now take that screwdriver and make various beak-shaped holes in them. Take some of that bird poop and smear it on the sheets. Launder and repeat at least twice a month. 13. Find a reputable bird veterinarian and make his car payment for him. Repeat at least once a year for each bird you intend to get. Do these exercises for as long as you can. If you can keep this up for at least six months without losing your mind, you just might be ready for a parrot 😂😍😋

Timber is a cardboard fanatic too. I'll admit to not worrying much as long as I get the tape and gummy stuff off!

Ha, isn't that the truth! He actually knows BEFORE I have snacks. He hears my footsteps cabinet doors etc., and starts his "baby bird" cheeping before I even get the wrapper off.

I put red palm oil on Timber's rice mix. Dave mentioned his support for red palm oil years ago and I added it to Timber's diet then.

Stay safe! I can't imagine what they are going to find in the Bahamas when they can get it. I feel so sorry for the people there.

LNCAG glad to hear I'm not the only one! I think of quitting the gum from time to time but never seriously. Nicotine in and of itself isn't harmful (in the quantities I consume it) so I don't worry much about it...

I'm going to add something here. This is controversial with some because they feel that too much whistling leads to no talking. However, my first interactions with Timber when I brought him home were whistles. I quickly learned when he responded to nothing else, that he would whistle back when I whistle. I think it helped us build rapport. Timber talks, whistles, and makes a variety of sounds, but he will always whistle. Sometimes I would have to whistle 3 or 4 times, but he would finally respond. Just a thought!

Sitting here in my retired bliss, thinking about whether I want to take the grandkids to Dairy Queen for lunch... and wondering how mad Timber will be if I leave him alone again. He has gotten accustomed to having me around a lot, and noticeably pouts when I leave.

I quit 14 years ago using the nicotine gum. I'm ashamed to say I'm still chewing, but the doc says whatever works! Different things work for different people, my middle son and his wife have been successful switching to vape. Vaping has it's own issues, but better than cigarettes according to most doctors. Some are successful with Chantix. I have to say, it was my hardest habit to break, and I've had some other bad ones. Good luck and God bless to anyone who knows the struggle is real!

Two weeks is not long for a grey. It took 3 months for my rehomed TAG to decide it might be OK to interact with me (a little). Hang in there though, it's worth it. It has been 7 years now and he is bonded to me and we have a good relationship.

Timber is lazy, really lazy. I put fresh peas on a skewer for him every morning. He will get one or two out himself, then sit there and stare at me til I come over and shell the rest. And handfeed each one to him. He will shell his own peanuts, but usually only does one side then tosses the other down. Like, I just wore myself out and don't have the energy to do the other one.

Love memes and loved these! Thanks for sharing

Hilarious! I've always wondered why they enjoy hanging upside down like that. Guess I'll never know...

I wonder if the plastic bowl thing in the King's Cage was temporary. I bought mine in 2017, and it has metal bowls...

When I go to the avian vet, I always take a bottle of water and a small bowl. I try to get Timber to drink before heading back, but it's always a no-go. After 6 hours he might though!

He's beautiful! Loved the videos. He is so bright-eyed, talkative and active.

I'm assuming this is the sound I call Timber's "alert" which I hear when someone comes to the door or he is frightened by something. Thankfully, he doesn't do it when I'm in the room, it's like if I'm not in the room he wants to let me know all is not well. That's why we call it his "alert."

What a sad story of loss! I thought the same as LNCAG, except for the plucking Odie looks good. What a blessing that your aunt was available to take Odie, who knows where he would have ended up otherwise.

I always had cats, and raised 3 children. When the kids are small (like toddlers) you have to be alert and teach them how to treat pets in the home. The cats were curious about the babies, but were never aggressive or problematic with infants. That said, I got Timber because he was in a home with a 4 year old, and the mother feared for a bite to the 4 year old. My comment about that would be the same, you just have to teach the children how to coexist peacefully with the pets.

I have two aloe plants that have been alive and thrived for years. They are enormous, and the pot is always so full of starts it's a constant effort to keep ahead. They are in potting soil. I have no idea why they are so hardy, since I am lousy with plants. I do know someone told me a long time ago that they are succulents, not cactus, so need more water than a cactus. If that is true or not I haven't researched but I water them with the other plants. I'm attaching a picture of one of them. I'm pretty proud, since it is the only thing I've kept alive more than 5 years...

Timber peels literally everything too. What amazes me is how adept he is at it. With his fresh peas, the skin is on the floor and the inards are gone in the blink of an eye.

Isn't that the truth LNCAG! I've read most of the stuff on parrot body language, but Timber is very sly about it. He will definitely try to lure his victims in for a bite. Glad things are returning to normal neoow! I wonder if he had a hormonal spell...

I wouldn't worry too much about the food and water if the trips are relatively short. When I take Timber to the Avian vet (1.75 hours each way) he doesn't eat or drink anything. I asked the vet since I was a little concerned about it (it seems like he is eating or drinking often at home) and he said they usually wouldn't want food or water if in a different situation or environment and it was nothing to worry about.

I have two cats (was four until last year when the 18 and 19 year old cats crossed the divide). They are lazy and not very predatory. When I'm home, I let the cats and Timber be in the same area. The cats were curious when I brought Timber home, but lost interest after the "new" wore off. I did have scare one time when Wilson jumped up on Timber's playtop (he's nosy). I'm not sure who was more surprised, Timber or Wilson. That said, if I'm not able to watch them every minute, they are separated. It only takes seconds for a fatal accident to happen. I'd love to have a bengal! I can imagine that with their activity level and hunting instincts, they'd be much more likely to "chase and capture" even if they didn't have truly ill intent.

Timber does the foot toss also. I think I mentioned on another post that he does this when someone is in the room that he does not like. Funny!