Gilbert is home

[judygram]

He sounds like a real sweetheart Dee and I am as pleased as punch that it has gone as smoothly as it has, he is one amazing grey and I couldn't be happier for you, thanks for sharing a couple of pics of him with us.

[pearllyn]

What a gorgeous little bird he is - does he have a wee worried look on his face there? Understandable if he does. I just love how his is trusting you, even though he is still a little scared, but he "feels" it's ok to go with you, so he does. Great bedtime story too - I'm so pleased this little birdy is bringing you such happiness - you deserve it! x

[katana600]

Yes, he is a little worried about new things, different rooms, but he really is taking our home by storm. Last night my husband was traveling and getting in late, so he said he would send a text when he arrived at his hotel. I heard the text come in, and was already tucked in, so I assumed all is well. Then another text came in, still I didn't want to get up, it was getting close to midnight. When a third text came in, I got up to see if he needed me to get online and find directions for him. Sometimes the GPS isn't accurate and I help out from home. No, no, just one text saying he made it safely and was going to bed. So, I thought my daughter must have left her phone downstairs and I went off to bed. This morning when I checked with her, it was not her phone. Gilbert was the one making the tone of the incoming text message. Hahahahhaa. He got me and I am loving every minute of it.

[danmcq]

Hahahahahaha, Gilbert is a real gem!

 

Thanks for sharing that.

[katana600]

When I went to get Gilbert, Sarah had shared all his issues with me and said she held back a little on the talking aspect because she wanted a good feel for where he was going before glamorizing a talking bird that someone might just get incentivized to take him for all the wrong reasons. I was willing to take on all his baggage and previous homes and meet him where he was and go from there. What I was not anticipating was such an easy transition. He is amazing our family every day. Last night I was leaving to get David from the airport, I told him Bye bye Gil. As I put my hand on the knob of the door to the garage, he said "See ya" "See ya later, Bye bye, back soon" Then, this morning after my husband and daughter left for work, he went through a whole recital of bye bye and welcome back. The other blessing has been the way he and Java are talking back and forth. He seems to be referring to her as "pretty girrrrl", and she is talking and responding more than I have heard her in four and a half years. She seems totally smitten with him and he is the first newcomer to our family that she has not tested and tried to drive away. He is such a treasure and I can barely wait to get up in the morning to see him again. Of course, he is awake at sunrise asking me what I am doing and if it is night night time. LOL.

[katana600]

Our time with Gilbert just keeps getting better and better. He accepts everyone in the family and allows anyone brave enough to approach him to give him a scratch on the head. Every single time I sweep around his cage he asks "What are YOU doin'?" This morning he changed it up a bit and said "Whatcha doing honey?" LOL He gets out of his cage, walks around the top and sides and last night came down to the table top to examine the toys he rejected early on. He really loves small foot toys. He has been happy to sit on my hand, on the arm of my chair and on my shoulder. This morning when I headed to the door to take the dogs out he encouraged them "Let's go potty". My favorite moments so far have been the times when he sits at my elbow and just in the quietest gentlest voice says "Gilbert". It makes me happy that I didn't give any thought to changing his name. He is a priceless treasure in my soul.

[Butttaxi]

All these updates are so great It's awesome that he is adjusting so easily, when we re-homed Rorschach I was prepared for the worst. I read all about how it could take up to a month for them to really get comfortable in a new home and it would take a lot of time and patience on our part to respect his wishes and wait for him to come to us. Like Gilbert, Rorschach took to us very quickly and didn't really show much distress being in a new home or with new people. He didn't make any noises for the first 2 days but on day 3 he started whistling and making different noises so that was a big deal for us. Each day he did show more improvement , it definitely wasn't an over night thing but he adjusted very rapidly which surprised us. By the second week he was rubbing his beak on my finger while holding him.

[katana600]

Thanks for sharing about Rorschach. Their trust and acceptance is a gift. I feel so lucky to be accepted by this little bird. I have to admit I made him mad yesterday and he stayed mad all day. He was looking a little dusty so I told him he needed a bath. In ten minutes, I looked up to see what he was doing and he was in his water dish happily splashing away. I thought this was a chance to initiate bathing, so I put a shallow ceramic bowl in his cage and he wanted nothing to do with it. While it was fresh on my mind, I filled up the mister and sprayed him a little. He acted more scared than angry, but boy the rest of the day I got the cold shoulder and a quiet gurgling growl from him. It was the first growling I have heard and he is still holding a grudge this morning. I know how much he needs to be bathed, but will take a new approach to see if he will tolerate being on a shower bar and getting steam and mist in the bathroom and gradually work up to the spraying.

[pearllyn]

What brilliant updates Dee! I can't believe he is sweet-talking you already "honey"!! Lol!! I'm so thrilled he has taken to you and yours so well - and it must be a huge relief for Sarah to know he has landed in such a great place. What a sensible thing for her to do, not letting on about his talking abilities! It obviously wouldn't have made a difference to your decicion to take him, but it would perhaps appeal to the wrong crowd.

It's lovely to hear that Java is smitten too - you will have such fun and games when the two of them eventually meet!

Don't fret too much about showertime. I think it's more important at this stage to establish the trust and bond between you. I would leave a bowl where he can get to it rather that using the spray. He obviously didn't like it, but will investigate a bowl of water when he is ready.

I love that you have found such a little treasure. Thanks for the updates. xx

[katana600]

Thanks Lyn. Sarah helped me again to be forgiven. She sent a text last night as storms moved from her state toward ours that Gil would be nervous during a storm. A few hours later as the storm and hail hit our area, I was prepared and talked to him about the big noise, then I left a light on for him so the flashes of lightning wouldn't be so shocking and I came out and talked to him a couple of times. This morning I awakened to his sweet little voice asking what I was doing and telling me it was okay. He is the king of his world again today, standing on the perch on the outside of his cage top. He is flapping his wings and just feeling frisky. My plan for the near future is to let him come perch in the bathroom while I run the shower and let the steam build up. Gradually, I will get him to perch in a safe dry spot in the shower and when he is ready he will let me know about playing in the water. Also, I recall Java and Kopi being intrigued by ice cubes floating in water, so when he is settled and back to trusting me again, I may put them in a dish where he can play and splash around and find another way to bathe him that he will accept and not be so upset. I know greys in general don't care for a shower and we have to be creative. His adverse reaction lasted a lot longer than just the casual dislike. His two day stint was not pouting or grudging his misting, he was really scared and stressed. On the positive side, it did cool his ardor for "feeding" me and he was certainly distracted from his amorous gestures toward me and he no longer wants me to be his girlfriend... so THAT is a relief. LOL.

[danmcq]

It sounds like the two of you are building a very fast relationship and coming to understand each other very well. I am so happy for you Dee, you deserved this.

[Butttaxi]

I feel the same about the trust being such a gift I almost cried the moment he rubbed his beak on my finger. I know Rorschach has been re-homed a few times in his short little life but I have no doubt that everyone who had him loved him dearly.

 

Bathing you really do have to get creative lol Rorschach's previous owner had said he didn't like to be sprayed and to give him a shallow bath to play in... well he only wanted to play with his toys and when we tried the tub so that there was some dry area as well as water to walk in he never went near the water. We decided to try the spray, I made such a big deal about it he actually started enjoying it. The last little hurdle is he wasn't getting wet enough to my liking so I bought a shower perch. We got this the other day, first shower with it I still had to use the spray bottle after because his feathers were so tight that he didn't really get all that wet. Since he opens up ad gets all silly with the spray bottle I came up with the brilliant idea to take the spray bottle into the shower with us and it worked. I was also able to spry him with the shower head and he didn't tense up after a while and started doing his little silly shower dance.

[pearllyn]

Oh I'm glad he coped with the storm well. It can be so stressful for them because they don't fully understand what is going on.

You're shower plan sounds like a good one, and you can both relax, now he has decided he just wants to be friends LOL! Look out Java! x

[katana600]

I already loved this little guy before I ever met him. He is still very grumpy three days after the misting debacle. Where he was running excitely to see me he is now more likely to scoot away, so I just don't press him. I am retreating and giving him room to make up at his own pace. Of course, I am offering him bribes and tidbits when I come to see him and he is still talking and basically happy. He is just sooooo precious. I love his antics and every sound he makes. When he whooped this morning, I whooped back at him and he got so excited, bobbed up and down and repeated over and over again his happy shouts. He absolutely knows the difference when I go to the door to let the dogs out or if I am going out for a walk or to visit a neighbor. He knows if I head toward the garage door, I am leaving and he shouts Bye Bye, See ya later. But I haven't figured out how he knows the difference at the front door, the dogs always run to the door with me, so that isn't his clue. He seems so wise and knowing. I am daily in awe at this exquisite little character. I hope to live up to his trust and companionship. We are still getting to know each other.

[judygram]

He is just letting you know the bath was not a good idea but he will come around again soon as it is still early in the getting to know you process, I think you are doing wonderful so far, he is one smart cookie and keep the updates coming as we love hearing how things are going.

[pearllyn]

but i haven't figured out how he knows the difference at the front door, .

 

telepathy!!!!

[katana600]

It has taken a full week to get back to the place we were with Gilbert before the misting debacle. He is back to happy chatter at all times, he tries new foods and has a good appetite again. He has accepted a bucket full of foot toys and he plays with some of the original toys brought with him from even before Sarah took care of him. It never fails for him to ask "What are you doing?" when I sweep around his cage and table. My daughter wanted him to talk so she gave it a try and he hissed at her and did his best cobra imitation. He will take food from her hand and sure doesn't mind when she opens the door to his cage to let him out when we come back home, but I guess she is not to be his housekeeper. Also with Gil's return to sweetness, he is back to making advances to me. He will bow his head for a scratch and when I scratch his head, he quickly turns around and "feels" my fingers and it seems like he is trying to lick me. I am discouraging all his advances, put knots in his leather ropes and give him puzzles and "work" to do. The proverbial cold shower did the trick last week, but I am not willing to upset his system the way it did before. We will keep moving forward and balance the need to have him bond and settle into his new home while at the same time convince him that mating is not an option. I think my absolute favorite thing about Gilbert is his night time routine. As it gets dark, he and Java both get an almond before bedtime and as each person goes off to bed Gil is shouting out "time to go night night" "ready to go night night" and sometimes he says the first part and when he gets to the second part he will belt it out like an opera singer and we all laugh. Gil and Java have continued to laugh out loud when the lights are off and I am in bed. I don't think there is any happier moment in my life than to lie in the dark and hear two parrots chuckling and laughing out loud around the corner. If I could bottle that feeling, I would be rolling in riches. Who am I kidding? I already am rolling in riches of the love of two parrots and the sound of their laughter, and mine.

[danmcq]

You two are perfect together Dee!

 

Gil is such a character the two of you same to match very well. YOur doing a GreYt job! I love reading your updates.

[MarcusCAG]

How did I not find this thread sooner? Reading over your posts, it sounds like Gilbert has found a wonderful home with you, congratulations to you both!

[Malikah]

Awww, how wonderful! I'm glad things are going so well.

[katana600]

Thanks to all of you for your encouragement. I love this little sweetheart. It brings tears to my eyes to know he is accepting me so readily. I am in awe when I ask him to step up and to go into his cage and he readily obliges my requests. It is a wholly different experience from bringing home a baby but ever so fullfilling and exciting. I find I have to go back to the beginning to read some of the advice on this forum. A mature grey with life experience outside our own home makes my mind work extra diligently to find ways to help him feel secure while at the same time try to interact. Yesterday was my group quilting day. Gil has been gradually warming up to a comfort zone to leave the living room again, so I took him downstairs to meet the ladies. He was a little charmer. He asked everyone what they were doing. LOL. He stayed on my shoulder for a long time watching me draw and cut plastic templates and he got on a table top to walk around for the first time. Not a day goes by that I am not just deeply appreciative that I took a chance and invited Gilbert into our lives. He does one thing that is perplexing and that is to lick me. That has never happened before, but my bird experience is limited to only to four birds including him. It seems as if he is testing and feeling things. He does an unusual little head motion where he licks out one side of his beak, tilts quickly to the other side to lick and repeats it really fast over and over. When it turns to the pumping of his head to "gurge", I give him "work" to do. He seems to like to untie knots in a leather rope. I just keep distracting him and politely turning down his advances and he seems to forget about it for a little while. I think it is partly due to the season, partly because he is in a new place and just plain adult bird lust. I try to keep it in perspective because he does go off to do other things too. I keep in mind that in spite of how loving and attentive he is, in grey time, he has only been with us for a blink of a little golden eye. We are all learning our place in the new flock order. He is a little rascal and in spite of his small stature, he is bigger than life. His first vet appointment is coming up and then he will have a chance to see how he and Java get along outside the cages. She has been uncharacteristically passive about the whole setup. She gets a cuddle every night before our bed time almond routine and she has shown no curiosity to fly around investigating him. It amazes me that she will just get a cuddle and then hop right back into her cage sweetly without so much as a flyover. I just think this was meant to be and am more grateful than I could imagine for the love and laughter he is bringing to our home.

[katana600]

Gil is getting more adventurous. He has been climbing out of the cage and sitting on top of it since day one. Now he is climbing down to the table top and walking around to explore things that previously were a little intimidating to him. This morning he gave me such a startle. I got up way earlier than usual and didn't do my normal routine. I sat in the dark and did my computer stuff when I heard a loud obnoxious clanging that caused me to make an exclamation and he said OOOOOOH! He had pulled his empty breakfast dish out of the holder and flung the small stainless steel dish onto the hard floor. The he was soooo satisfied with himself that he got me to my feet and said "Want a cracker?" Which is what he calls all his food. So, that was my cue to feed the birds and dog and get off the darn computer. LOL. I am being well trained. I love it.

[Georgiesmum]

Lol i still get a fright when they fling the dish. Gilbert sounds great

[katana600]

Gilbert is great! He has been talking some in a garbled quiet way that I can't always understand. Today he was talking to himself when I was taking the dogs out and he must have realized I was not understanding, so he t a l k e d real slow. He has quite a southern drawl when he uses a man's voice. He said "Come on bud, come on over here buddy". LOL. Some of the things he says and the way he says them tell me his previous homes were kind and sweet to him. He certainly talks sweet to me anyway. LOL. He isn't being quite as persistent with his sexy dance and gurging, so that is good. He got scared by a paper towel I put on the arm of my chair yesterday and screamed bloody murder. It was the first real growling or vocal upset I have seen. I would say he is getting settled and feeling more comfortable about making his wishes known. He also puffed up and refused to go inside his cage early when we were going out on Saturday evening. He offered half heartedly to bite me, then flung himself to the floor and dashed around hiding under things to escape me from going through with putting him in his cage. Then, just as suddenly as his little tiff began, he talked softly to me and waddled out from under the sofa and went in his cage without any more trouble. So, he got two almonds. LOL. I thought for a moment that I was rewarding some unpleasant activity, but he does know the difference... plus I was feeling guilty about leaving the house. As I locked the front door all of could hear him saying "Bye bye, see ya later, come back soon" and then he added one of my sayings to him "Have fun". My friend was joining us and she asked how I could ever leave him it was just so sweet.

[Zoom]

I just wanted to tell you that I love the Gilbert updates. He sounds very special, and so do you.