2011- The year of the Parrot

[aslterp59]

Gemma is 9 months old and we have had her since she was 6 months. She loves to make up tunes. We whistle often, and she takes bits and pieces of what she hears and makes up her own songs. She is also trying to talk. Her first word was (what else?) "more." She uses it when she wants anything. She has not taken to bathing much yet, but one day I played with her a bit with some water at the kitchen sink, which is next to one of her play peaches. She wasnt totally comfortable but seemed to enjoy it somewhat. When she seemed to have enough, I took put her back on the perch. She immediately turned toward the sink and said "more." Maybe she liked it a bit more than she let on... My husband has heard her say "sweetheart," and she will say "whatcha doin?" and "good morning" and will whistle for the dog and say "c'm here." Her speech is not extremely clear yet but I can hear it improving. Her new and much larger cage arrived today. My husband put it together of me and this evening I'll introduce her to it slowly. I was a called out on a job this morning about 4:30 and it looks like I won't get home until after 4:30 this afternoon. Can't wait to get home and see it - and Gemma will look so cute in it!

[Tule]

Tule and I just moved in to an apartment with my boyfriend, Harlan. Tule is suuuch a stinker, half the time he doesn't want me touching him, and he is very afraid/nervous around Harlan. Which is interesting because Harlan is the only one who has been able to teach him any sounds on purpose - cat call and water drop sound lol. He's 2 now and hasn't learned any words, but he's still very vocal and Harlan is convinced that Tule is starting to say "hello" and "Tule", but to me it just sounds like another abstract sound. It's pronounced Too-lee, by the way.

 

Anyway. Last night I got Tule out for some play time. I took him over to the couch, Harlan was across the room on his computer. Tule and I played for a while, Harlan and I talked, Harlan talked to Tule, and he eventually became really comfortable and was having a blast playing with my jacket zipper. Harlan asked for the guitar next to me, and in the process of moving it Tule was frightened and got up on the back of the couch. He didn't want me or Harlan near him. So I went to the end of the couch and Harlan sat on the floor in front of me and we talked and played with some newspaper.

 

At first Tule just watched us, then all of a sudden he ran towards us on the back of the couch and stood right next to us trying to see what we had. It was a big show of courage and I'm sooo proud of him. [: I can't wait for him to be really comfortable around Harlan (and me too...).

[reggieroo]

Keep up the positive work with Tule, he will get there in he end. Just tell Harlan to be slow & gentle round Tule till he learns to trust him, no sudden movements. If you tell Harlan to do interesting things like he did with the newspaper than Tule will most likely get curious & come over for a nose. It's all about building trust & that is something an African grey finds hard to do but once they trust you, then the world is your oyster.

[Stevie]

Hopefully this is the year that my new house member jess will start her new and very happy life.I have given her a new home after 10 years with her previous owners who had no interaction with her.she is coming on in bundles.with the help of jasper,our amazon who was 1 in april.All the best to all the feathered friends and there families.

[Cheshire Cat]

My Tui has literally come on in leaps and bounds since I brought her in June 2010. Within a couple of weeks she became more trusting and now she just loves human company. I hate having to walk out of a room as she begins calling out for you. I love her so, so much and I don't know where I'd be now without her. She's the light of my life and keeps me going when I'm having rough days. I even had a tattoo of her earlier this year on my wrist which is a grey wing and her name in red - so she's with me wherever I go.

 

When I first got her she scared me so much when she began plucking, but thankfully she got out that and hasn't plucked since.

 

She does tend to have a soft spot for men and will fly off me a lot of the time to my friend or my dad if they're in the room.

 

Sadly Tui hasn't mastered many words. She can say 'hello' and makes gutteral sounds, but hasn't really picked up the art of properly talking. She's still only 18 months old so maybe in time more vocalisations will come.

[Codys Mom]

Cody speaks Amazon lol since the day we adopted Rocky almost everything Cody says sounds like Rocky talking if I'am out of the room I have to come back in to see if it's Cody talking or Rocky, he has Rocky's Hiiiii and Hello down pack plus he still does his chicken noises lol

[reggieroo]

My Tui has literally come on in leaps and bounds since I brought her in June 2010. Within a couple of weeks she became more trusting and now she just loves human company. I hate having to walk out of a room as she begins calling out for you. I love her so, so much and I don't know where I'd be now without her. She's the light of my life and keeps me going when I'm having rough days. I even had a tattoo of her earlier this year on my wrist which is a grey wing and her name in red - so she's with me wherever I go.

 

When I first got her she scared me so much when she began plucking, but thankfully she got out that and hasn't plucked since.

 

She does tend to have a soft spot for men and will fly off me a lot of the time to my friend or my dad if they're in the room.

 

Sadly Tui hasn't mastered many words. She can say 'hello' and makes gutteral sounds, but hasn't really picked up the art of properly talking. She's still only 18 months old so maybe in time more vocalisations will come.

 

She will start talking more soon, I'm sure. If she can already say "hello" then she has already mastered it, just give it time.