Emma says "no more".

[lovethatgrey]

In the last 2 weeks, Emma officially says "no more" and also seems to understand the meaning/ concept behind this phrase. I have noticed lately that whenever she has finished eating or is no longer interested in eating what ever I am offering, she'll say "no more" out loud and then she'll turn around and walk away. She seems to use this phrase to inform me that she is "done" or no longer interested.

 

I've been thinking about the specific context when we have used this phrase with her and usually it has been when we are offering her something to eat. We would say "no more" when there was nothing left to offer or when it seemed like she was expecting to be offered some more.

 

I think this is a very neat observation and I supposed that I should be grateful that she cares enough to say "no more" and then walk away, rather than JUST walk away and point her redtail in my direction. Bwahahahahaha!!

Edited April 19, 2010 by lovethatgrey

[Luvparrots]

Good for Emma. I believe she does know what it means. What a smart little lady Emma is!

[lovethatgrey]

Thanks Luvparrots.

 

Emma and I have a very special relationship. I am not complaining in any way but I must admit that this wasn't at all what I thought I was signing up for, nor did I ever imagine that I would have this type of relationship with a parrot. I knew african greys were intelligent but I think I had underestimated just how much.

African greys are truly very special. One does not realize how special until they live with one.

Not sure how I feel about admitting this, but often I don't feel like Emma is my pet parrot. Sachi feels like my pet parrot. Most recently I've come to the realization that I often feel like Emma is this little person with feathers. I don't know if this is because of her clever ability to speak the human language and answer me in correct context.

Perhaps it is because she seems so much more intelligent than what I expect of in a parrot. When I speak to her, I have observed her many times concentrate on what I say to her. She doesn't simply "parrot things". She responds appropriately.

She really seems to understand almost everything. There are times when I come home and I'm so tired and would rather be silent. With Emma, I feel I can't do that because she literally seems to thrive on verbal interaction. I can only imagine how much more I'd see from her if I were someone who worked from home.

We make the effort because we don't want Emma feeling like something is "wrong with her human" flock". (parrots are very empathic) The mornings are the hardest for me because I'd rather be quiet and enjoy the morning, Emma wants to yak and chatter, but not by herself. She wants us to be engaged in what she is saying so we must join in and cheer her on.

When I leave my home, I find myself making a point of letting the both of my parrots know where I am going. I do this so they can differentiate the difference between when I say I am going "to work" and when I say I am going "shopping" . If I say I am going to work then they can expect not to see me for ALL day. When I say I am going shopping, they can expect to see in a few hours or less. I think parrots do well when they know what to expect. I make alot of little concessions like this with Emma and I feel confident that it helps our relationship alot

[judygram]

Emma is one smart grey and you have to take some of the credit for that Adina for you do spend a lot of time with her and it is due in part to how you have worked with her. I must admit that even though I spend plenty of time with Josey I do not work with her and teach her things that I should be doing.

 

That is a good idea to tell her where you are going because they do understand more than we give them credit for.

[Janfromboone]

Adina- I never knew your name, just Emma's Mom. I was somehow comforted by reading you're second comment, because so much of it is verbatem what I have thought to myself. I too am finding Tobie's presence to be more that of a little person in a birds body. I might come in from work tired and start supper and the next thing you know Tobie's chatter becomes so infectious before you know it I too am answering him, singing his songs back to him an stopping what I'm doing because he sais "come here, come here, gimme a kiss". Like you I never expected what I got. Unlike you, I didn't research African Grey Parrots and it was only after I came home with Tobie that I ran across my first video of an African Grey talking (Oliver - Lang's site for Oliver the African Grey). I thought if I repeated "Hello" enough he might say "Hello". My only parrot experience was with Cockatiel's. Quite a difference. I too have wondered what Tobie would be doing or saying if I didn't leave him most days to go to work. I talk to him as if he understands everything he sais, and I think that helps him understand the context of the words he sais. Yes, I think if he wants to say something, and isn't just chattering and practicing his phrases, I think he sais it right out. Sometimes he uses a whole new phrase that I haven't heard before and sometimes he combines phrases and words in a way I haven't heard him do before and in a way that I don't remember saying myself before. Sometimes it's almost spooky and I think I must have heard wrong because how could he have put that phrase togeather and it just made too much sense.

[lovethatgrey]

I agree that african greys ROCK!!