Timbersmom

Happy birthday Nilah! And we wish you many more

Yeaaaaa... I'm dancing on my perch and whistling another one bites the dust... You go guy! Grey power! My items are much the same as your list, with the addition of the knobs on the kitchen stove. Jamie gets so upset when I get anywhere near them. Anything that important to her must not be allowed. Part of her training is understanding that anything that stands between us must go. Another item on my list is that thing she calls "grandson." It is squirmy, noisy, and an attention hound. It's vocabulary is no where near what mine is, and it sometimes smells bad, so I don't understand the fuss. Nonetheless, when it toddles into another room I send out a contact call. It is growing quickly and might be trainable. Hmmmm I'll have to think on that...

I've had Timber (TAG) for almost 3 years. I am his third "companion" (that we know of). I was told he was 5 or 6 when we got him but who knows? Definitely not a baby is all I know for sure. I'm also not positive about gender. I was told he is male, but have not checked. Unlike you, I was totally unprepared for a grey. I was thinking of getting a bird, the opportunity arose to rehome Timber, and I took it. I was clueless. This forum probably saved his life (and possibly mine My husband and I are both retired now, so Timber has a lot of out of cage time. The only time he is caged is when we get out and about. We are up about 7 AM, his cage doors are open, and he is out until about 8 in the evening. I have 4 cats in the house, so if I am not in the same room with him and he doesn't want to go wherever I'm going, his doors are closed. Timber doesn't scream or pluck. He can be noisy, but just whistling and calls which are music to my ears since it means he is active and engaged. He says several words and phrases, but not often when I am in the room with him. He will become vocal with language if he is caged (like when we don't get up early enough in the morning for him) or when we are traveling to the vet. He will whistle back at me when we are in the same room, and he says his name when I'm getting the cats a treat. I assume that is because he doesn't want to be forgotten but who knows? Our problems have been more on the order that most rehomers experience. It took him months to deem me trustworthy, but now he will sit on my arm and I can scratch around his head and beak for as long as I am willing to keep it up. He is still training me, and he would tell you my progress is slow. Seriously, I've never tried to teach him tricks. He will step up, but only if I say "Want to go?" and give him my forearm. He will not respond positively to "step up" and will not step on my hand. That is the problem with rehoming, you don't know their previous experiences and it takes awhile to iron out why they react the way they do sometimes. When I brought Timber home, "step up" would get me a bite every time, as would presenting my fingers. I have no idea what bad experience he had with that command and with hands, but that must have been what it was.

Beautiful cats! I've always wanted one, and probably will when my current cat population declines. I have four house cats, but two are over 15 years old. I hate to think about it, but I know they are already well past their average lifespans At any rate, I can see a Bengal in my future! I worked with a guy who had one. He said his would jump from floor level to the top bunk of a set of bunk beds he had with no effort at all. I can certainly see what you mean when you said you can't let them be out at the same time as your grey!

awwwwww... love those baby pics and seeing how much they grow so quickly!

LOL same thing here. I made the mistake of buying a plain burlap colored biong and got the "if I step on that I will die" from Timber.

Glad you have already figured out who "rules the roost" there and just call him King now. I would have saved myself some grief if I'd been aware of that when I rehomed Timber. I was under the foolish misapprehension that I was the boss...

I'd love to see pics of your bengals neoow. I've always wanted one!

Hello and welcome to the forum! Echo is a cutie. I have four cats. They don't take as much interest in Timber as he does in them. That said, I'd never turn my back on any of them when they are out together.

Beautiful as always. I love seeing them in flight!

What a beautiful baby! He looks happy and healthy. Good luck and God bless

LOL Jeff, that was funny! I can see it too. It reminds me of when my kids were small and I dropped them at daycare. They would put on the saddest faces and sometimes cry. The sitter said that didn't last until I was out of the driveway.

That's great news!

Lovely pic of Nilah! Haaaa to the back alley thugs Sterling

That's a good plan. It is always best and quicker if you let them "discover" new items on their own and in their own time.

Very interesting! Thanks for posting

You will be as well prepared as you can be! That is great. I imagine it is like bringing your first human baby home. You read everything, make all your preparations, and they still manage to throw you a curve. Your preparations will give you a big head start though, in giving your baby a long, healthy, happy life. I wish I had been that prepared when I rehomed Timber.

Hello and welcome to you and your growing flock!

Don't let anyone push you into anything. We all have to grieve in our own way and at our own rate. Hang in there!

Another great video! Thanks for posting

Precious! I really enjoy watching her grow. Thanks for posting!

Looks like you did a great job!

I hung a long boing (rope perch) from the ceiling next to Timber's cage. He totally ignored it for 6 months. Then one day I walked into the room and he was sitting on it. Now, I have to replace it regularly (he chews on it all the time) and he uses it a lot. It can take a long time for them to accept a new item but don't give up! If it was inside his cage and making him fearful then it should definitely come out. If Timber seems afraid of a new toy, I put it on the counter where he can see it but isn't afraid of it. Then I periodically move it closer. That said, there have been many toys he has never "taken to." He gets over his fear but still isn't interested. Just like my children, I see things I think he will just love and he has no interest. Hold up a straw from the convenience store however, and he goes nuts for it. Go figure Also, welcome to you and Zazu! Tell us more about your life together and post some pics when you have a chance.

Another thing to consider is light. Does he get any sun or do you have a avian light for him? I have no experience with plucking (to date) but I've seen that mentioned in other posts.

Sorry for your loss!