Kelsey&Marley Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I am new to this Forum and a new owner of a 1 year old Congo African Grey, his or her (not DNA tested yet) name is Marley. What I wanted to know was if it was normal that he/she only knows 3 words; Peek-A-Boo, Kelsey and Pretty Bird. Those are the only 3 words he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 you are the new owner. It is now up to you to discover your new greys capability. One years old is just a baby and capable of so many amazing things. Hard to assess since we don't know birds history. I got Sophie at age two, she didn't talk alot, but had a great owner. At 2.5... she took off talking up a storm. Maybe it was the right stage of development for her to learn, or maybe it was we had a very noisy household with lots of animals, lots of teenagers here all the time.We will never know. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCavender Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 My Sadiee(15 yo female, CAG) amazes me! For instance......I can go get our dog Gracie's leash and Sadiee hears the leash and she automatically say "Come on Gracie! ***Whistles*** Good Girl(I tell Gracie "Good Girl" everytime she comes to me on command)!!!" and when we return and enter the door, Sadiee immediately says "Good Girl!!!!" again, as I praise Gracie for doing her business when we return! We initially trained our Gracie to "Go Out" by hanging bells on the door for her to ring when she needed to go out. Now when she rings the bells, Sadiee whistles and say "Come on Gracie!". She absolutely knows what she's doing! Sometimes when I'm told something unbeliveably rediculous, I'll hollar "WHAT?!?!?!?!?" in a loud, sharp tone and now when we're talking and saying something that I guess gets her attention, she screams "WHAT?!?!?!?!"....LOL!!!! When our cell phones ring she say "HELLO!!!", EVERYTIME! We nicknamed our daughter Madison, Tater Bug and call her Tater alot of the time and Sadiee hollars for Madison alot....."Tater!!!!". It's hillarious! If I go to the kitchen, she says "Sadiee want a cracker!", esp if she hears me rattling the wrapper on something. Last story and I'll quit for now....I took her to the vet for a physical, wing/talon trim and apparantly while she was there she had heard some "unhappy" kitty cats there...LOL! She'd imitate them just identical to the way they were crying and carrying on! So, our "former" land lady which "was" a beast called me and said "Hey!!! Do you have a cat?!?!?!", I said "No mam...", she said "I know I heard a cat when I was over there the other day and I looked and looked for it but could never find it!". I commenced to explain it was NO CAT, that it was Sadiee, my parrot. She grunted and said "Humpf.....I heard a cat!", I said "Noooooo! My parrot, Sadiee imitates animals, other birds, voices, and various other sounds as well and it was her sounding like a cat, I promise you!". Well, she said "Well, Ok! If you say so!"(With a BIG question mark in her voice). A few days later she came over and she walked around Sadiee's cage and walked around it again just strarring her down....I'd LOVE to report Sadiee bellered out a BIG OLE' MEEEOOOWWWWW, but just like kids, they never perform when they really need to! Sadiee did nothing but sit there and stare at her(probably in great fear! LOL!). African Grey's are so intelligent and they BLOW my mind as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 With a houseful of parrots, you can imagine that it gets a "Little Loud" and chaotic at times in our household. It is like having a number of babies...when one starts crying, they all start. When the birds get going, the dog starts barking at them and Jay gets frustrated, yelling "Rolo" and clapping to get his attention and quiet him down. Joe has made the mental leap from yelling at Rolo to shut up by saying "Rolo!" and making a clapping sound to yelling that phrase and sounds to the neighboring dogs to using this phrase and sounds whenever he wants anyone to shut up. Lately, when Salsa or Tango show their exuberance for life by yelling at the top of their lungs and then back and forth with each other. I have been trying distraction tactics by offering them a toy or treat with a "Here! You want this?" This morning, I was in a hurry when I got home from work because we had appointments and I had to get the birds fed, changed and ready for us to leave. Salsa and Tango were having their daily "I'm happy to be alive" and "I want attention" scream-fest which caused all the other birds to chime in to varying degrees. Apparently, Joe had had enough because he started saying "Rolo!!" and clapping at them. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to get them to quiet down, Joe changed tactics and started saying "Here! You want this?" Finally, he flew off to play in the relative quiet of the kitchen saying "I've got to go Bye-Bye". He had reached his limit too! It was too, too funny....Maggie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 ""he started saying "Rolo!!" and clapping at them. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to get them to quiet down, Joe changed tactics and started saying "Here! You want this?" Finally, he flew off to play in the relative quiet of the kitchen saying "I've got to go Bye-Bye". He had reached his limit too! It was too, too funny....Maggie"" LOL- A Gentlemanly and refined Grey can only take so much cackling from the mentally challenged and childish company... very smart!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 " LOL- A Gentlemanly and refined Grey can only take so much cackling from the mentally challenged and childish company... very smart!!! OMG...ROFLOL...Thanks Dan, How true... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 I would love to see a video of this "Cackle Fest" if you ever get the chance and presence of mind during it to turn on a video recorder. It would be a HOOT literally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolina Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 The attack happened over night...somehow the raccoons were able to break in and grabbed his wing...the avian vet says it wasn't the worse he's seen so I was hopeful...unfortunately, the stress from the attack altered his blood chemistry (calcium and potassium off the charts) and he never fully recovered...it was very devastating..I raised him from a baby and I've had him since I was 15 years old...I felt like I lost a child. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarasota Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 This was my first conversation I had with my new Congo, Clarice: Clarice: It's bedtime. Me: Yes it is. Clarice: It's time for bed. Me: I'll see you in the morning. Clarice: F*%@!er It was very difficult not to laugh. I had to run into the other room. The former owner had warned me, but I wasn't quite prepared. And as hilarious as it is, I don't want to encourage it. Turns out, she usually says it while I'm changing paper in the cage. I think she may have snapped at someone while they were cleaning, they yelled at her, and it stuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 OMG Sarasota, what a character you have there!! I have no doubt Clarice probably uses that word for "Go ahead, put me in my cage. I love you.", it's just a much shorter way of saying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarasota Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 She says it regularly when I change the paper....not only in her cage, but the other cages. I've learned to develop a Poker Face! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Sarasota... mmmmm... we have a rule. If you need to swear, go in the garage and let it loose! Maybe Clarice needs to join my boys in the garage! LOL Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Carolina... my heart goes out to you for your loss. It truly must feel like losing a child. If you ever want to talk... I'm here for you. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Ah yes, the pet names our birds have for us. Since the first event, Timber calls each and every one of us "asshole" if we do something that displeases him. Just warms the heart And yes, it is hard not to laugh because he uses it so appropriately! In his mind at least... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 I would love to see a video of this "Cackle Fest" if you ever get the chance and presence of mind during it to turn on a video recorder. It would be a HOOT literally. Working on it.............HeHeHe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 This is Joe with Salsa and Tango making noise in the background. Click to watch..... Still trying for a better one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 LOL Looks like Joe is nodding in agreement to them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janfromboone Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Hi Dan, I've been reading up on "Grey Cognition". I'm not the only one with a really smart and funny bird. Of course I have a story almost every week as does everyone. One of Tobies games that he likes to play is Wild Bird. He sais "you're a wild bird" to which I respond " I'm not a wild bird, you're a wild bird". Then he growls and I say "that's very wild" and he growls louder --etc. This day, however, I decided to change my response. Tobie sais " You're a wild bird" and I said "who's the wild bird". There was a long pause (I've learned not to interrupt these pauses - something good always happens). In a moment Tobie sais "TOBIE'S the wild bird". With an obvious emphasis on the name. I thought it was brilliant that he seemed to understand what I was asking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 This is Joe with Salsa and Tango making noise in the background. Click to watch..... LOL - Sounds like one of them saying in a soft voice Step Up and Good a long with a few other chirps and joe nodding his head as in Ditto I'll step up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 This day, however, I decided to change my response. Tobie sais " You're a wild bird" and I said "who's the wild bird". There was a long pause (I've learned not to interrupt these pauses - something good always happens). In a moment Tobie sais "TOBIE'S the wild bird". With an obvious emphasis on the name. I thought it was brilliant that he seemed to understand what I was asking. Hi Jan! I loved this story and it certainly shows just how much goes on in Tobie's mind in analyzing your statement and then his perfect response. You do know "There can be only One" wild bird in your home. It's always a pleasure to read your posts and hear of Tobie's conversations with you. I hope to hear of many more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Never ceases to amaze me how they can make those connections! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 LOL - Sounds like one of them saying in a soft voice Step Up and Good a long with a few other chirps and joe nodding his head as in Ditto I'll step up. The first [sweet sounding voice] is Tango saying "Step-up" and " Papa", the other voice is Salsa saying "Step-up, Salsa and Salsa's a good girl" Yes, Joe agrees.lol. Their giving me a hard time when I try to take photos of them................I'll post when I get more................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 Hi Maggie - Looking forward to more videos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Jayd... it didn't work for me trying to open up Joe with Salsa and Tango. Any suggestions? Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Jayd... it didn't work for me trying to open up Joe with Salsa and Tango. Any suggestions? Nancy Hi, I Just double left click in the middle of the photo, If a pop-up comes up, click "View" not "Save". I tried it in Explorer and Firefox. Thanks Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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