Hi Everyone!

[harmonicaman68]

Hi,

 

I just joined Grey Forums and am somewhat new to blog sites, so please forgive if I mess up with protocols. My wife and I had a red factor Sun Conure named Mali who died recently. (We we're breeding her and an egg went septic). She was beautiful and of such a loving and laid back temperament. She was great with children (and small grandchildren). We've been trying to adjust to her being gone after having her for 16 years (from when she was only 10 weeks old). We studied up on who we might bring into our lives and a friend, Steve Hartman of Hartman Aviary introduced us to Ziva. She's a beautiful TAG who has been wonderfully socialized by Steve and his volunteers. She was about 13 weeks old when we brought her home, and we've been owned by her for 4 weeks. You would think that she was born in our home. I've been amazed at how she has taken to us. The big project now has been to get her comfortable with every visitor. I take her to work with me a couple days a week. She is shy, but lets everyone approach her and she steps up for all my co-workers and their children.

 

More surprising is finding she is cuddly and a playful friend that is every bit as playful and fun loving as Mali was. From the reading we have been doing on Greys, we have high hopes. It is amazing how intelligent these beautiful Greys are.

 

It is fun to meet all of you on Grey Forums ... and to read about each of your experiences. We hope to learn from each of you and to contribute where we can

[judygram]

Hello Harmonicaman and welcome to our family, we are so glad you could join us and we look forward to hearing more about you and Ziva.

[judygram]

You certainly picked the right bird and it is so wonderful to hear that she is adjusting to her new home and it has worked out so well for all of you.

 

I have also taken my grey with me to work occasionally, she enjoys being out with mommy and she loves to go, she doesn't hesitate to get in her carrier, we are fortunate to be able to do that with our birds.

 

I don't want to burst your bubble but your grey may not always be so cuddly, some are but a lot of them will be when babies and then they become more independent but that is something you will find out as time goes on.

 

We love pictures here so if you have some of Ziva you would share with us we would be most grateful.

[danmcq]

Welcome Harmonicaman and Zive!!

 

It's GreYt having you here and thanks for the wonderful introduction. :-)

 

Ziva sounds like a wonderful Grey and with your plans of continued socialization and trips with you to work and other places will get her used to change.

 

Looking forward to hearing more and seeing some photos when you get a chance.

[katana600]

Congratulations to your family and welcome to Ziva, what a great name!

[harmonicaman68]

Hi Judy,

 

I agree with you. I don't know if the bubble will burst or not. Ziva continues to do things that Mali didn't do. For instance, when I got home today, she flew into the family room, flew down to the floor where I was sitting on the floor, laying out some toys from our grandchildren's play kitchen for her. (I had previously introduced her to them the previous two days). She proceeded to wrestle with a set of toy measuring spoons and tipped over a play tea pot. My wife started laughing ... and I looked up. Ziva had rolled with the spoons ... was laying on her back on the floor with the spoons being held above her in her feet. Then, after 30 or 45 seconds of play, she got up, ran after a plastic egg, pushed it around for a few minutes. Then she did the measuring spoon thing on her back again. I laid partially on the floor watching her. She saw me, abandoned the egg, scooted across the carpet and began snuggling with me while making these soft "snuggling" noises. She flew to the top of the refrigerator where we have a perch for her ... then back to my wife's hand in the family room where Terri was sitting in a chair, and back to the floor near me for more snuggles.

 

I'm waiting for the independence and hopefully only temporary aloofness that Steve Hartman said is usual as parrots gain skill in flying. He said when that happens, we need to wait for Ziva to decide to re-join and re-establish the playful times. He has assured me that this will happen, but we're just enjoying this moment in her development while it is here.:cheer: