Diary of amigo. Start of the growing friendship

[lino]

Hi guys, I think I will start a log on amigo's progress here.

 

1st she come as a shy bird. Don't eat and come out from cage for the 1st day

2nd day start eating alittle.

4th day start eat alot

6th day took food from my hand.

8th day-true colour come out. She eat so much !! Including te pellets.

11th day step up from cage to my hand and play outside.

15th day, start bring her out of the house

She was very shy but because of her greediness, she enjoy outdoor very quickly

 

16th day. Out of her eagerness on sunflower seed, she learn 3 trick in one section

Shake hand, flap wing and wave on command

 

Then time flies. I don't know how many days she has been with me

[lino]

I forget to mention, along the process, she learn a few sentences.

 

It's so funny, she will say out thing that she learn before in lady voice.

The laughing, the greeting, good morning, hallo and night night, etc etc all in lady voice.

And the words she learn from me, she say it in a deep tone.

 

From this, I know she learn alot of words in my house already

 

She is getting very very comfortable.

She is talking to her self all day. Dance, bob her head. Lift up her leg, wing and tilt the body in some angle and rock while singing to her self.

Really use up those words that she know in to tone and sing it out.

I don't know where she learn the time, but she is putting word in to the tone really randomly and dance while singing.

 

When I come home at night she will say hallo, it's late, where have u been.

In the morning, she will say good morning, prise the lord. God love u.( I'm not a Christian, but the previous owers are)

When I am holding my bag and wearin. My shoe, he will say where u go( in my voice)

I will answer school.

She will say not so late!! In lady voice

I say ok. And she say good boy( in my voice)

 

It's drop the jaw of my family that the bird holding simple dialog with me.

When she is hungry or he is looking for me, she will scream mummy mummy!

 

But I am not a woman. But she adress me as mummy

[lino]

here come the little unpleasent part.

she learn to trick the house hold and always make the sound that make us run out of the room

like he will make a telephone sound. she does it so well that many time, we are tricked. we run out of the house and attend to the phone.

then she will say "hallo...how are you???"

 

most recently she will mimic the sound of the kettle. its a bit anoying at times. but no one can tell apart the real kettle sound to the fake one or the real telephone ringing to the fake ones.

 

any one encounter this problem before?

[judygram]

any one encounter this problem before?

Are you kidding? That is one of the best games they love to play, mimic a sound that makes you come running only to find out it was your grey, better get used to it!

[lino]

Yea. They really make the sound that is perfect.

Interm of volume, quality, all the same.

 

It's amazing. But very deceiving!

Today, there's another sound to trick us.

The door knocking!

 

And today he manage to open the door.

The cage is put against an open window so that he can see the outside and the door is secure by a spring.

She break off the spring and cone out.

Lucky I was at home and she walk to my room and scream out mummy mummy.

 

Btw.

Any way to not get trick by the noise she makes?

The more we get trick, it seems like the more she gonna do it.

[judygram]

Any way to not get trick by the noise she makes?

The more we get trick, it seems like the more she gonna do it.

The only thing I can suggest is when you realize you have been fooled by her don't make a big deal out of it, she is doing it because of the reaction she is getting so when you find out the noise is her just ignore it, don't even laugh about it just go about your business as if nothing happened.

[Jayd]

I forget to mention, along the process, she learn a few sentences.

 

It's so funny, she will say out thing that she learn before in lady voice.

The laughing, the greeting, good morning, hallo and night night, etc etc all in lady voice.

And the words she learn from me, she say it in a deep tone.

 

From this, I know she learn alot of words in my house already

 

She is getting very very comfortable.

She is talking to her self all day. Dance, bob her head. Lift up her leg, wing and tilt the body in some angle and rock while singing to her self.

Really use up those words that she know in to tone and sing it out.

I don't know where she learn the time, but she is putting word in to the tone really randomly and dance while singing.

 

When I come home at night she will say hallo, it's late, where have u been.

In the morning, she will say good morning, prise the lord. God love u.( I'm not a Christian, but the previous owers are)

When I am holding my bag and wearin. My shoe, he will say where u go( in my voice)

I will answer school.

She will say not so late!! In lady voice

I say ok. And she say good boy( in my voice)

 

It's drop the jaw of my family that the bird holding simple dialog with me.

When she is hungry or he is looking for me, she will scream mummy mummy!

 

But I am not a woman. But she adress me as mummy

"When she is hungry or he is looking for me, she will scream mummy mummy!

 

But I am not a woman. But she adress me as mummy"

 

Sounds as if there might have been a issue with who fed or who would..

 

A gray always carry's their baggage with them, they never forget, hopefully with time, they don't unpack it as often...

Edited April 6, 2011 by Jayd

[lino]

thanks guys...

jayd, what do you mean by baggage? is it like their pass expiriance that will never go off? like happiness or horror expiriance that affect their reaction to certain things?

[Morana]

Yes. They bring memories and experiences with them into a new home so sometimes you have to be really patient with them and help them go through their issues, fears and other problems. To gain their trust can sometimes take a lot of time, I imagine, especially if the bird was abused before.. You are obviously doing great;-) However, I have a question. What do you mean you take you bird outside? Wearing the harness, or she is in the cage? Is your bird flighted?

[lino]

Actually the bird is clipped. Badly clipped that she would fall and land beak 1st or chest 1st

She also have problem balencing her self. And she have issue on meeting new ppl and going to new place

 

So I slowly encourage her to go out and slowly meet more people.

Now she is looking forward to go out.

 

IMHO, birds, clipped or not clipped, are born and made to explore. So I dint like to keep them just at home. I will bring them out as often as I can. Usually one at a time and if course with a very careful measure to ensure they are safe.

I have not introduce harness, but after my exam I will have plenty of time to introduce harness so I can still bring her out after she regrow her wing.

[lino]

I was lucky that my bird isn't abused. Actually she is the one abused her ex owner. She will show dominance, aggression and will attack them. She gave th owner so much stress and fear until the owner decided to put her on adoption as he believe neither the bird nor te bird were doing great.

 

They were interacting, but no physical contact.

It's something like jayd's story on an adopted cockatoo.

So it's pretty fast that the bird adapt to my house.

[Morana]

Actually the bird is clipped. Badly clipped that she would fall and land beak 1st or chest 1st

She also have problem balencing her self. And she have issue on meeting new ppl and going to new place

 

So I slowly encourage her to go out and slowly meet more people.

Now she is looking forward to go out.

 

IMHO, birds, clipped or not clipped, are born and made to explore. So I dint like to keep them just at home. I will bring them out as often as I can. Usually one at a time and if course with a very careful measure to ensure they are safe.

I have not introduce harness, but after my exam I will have plenty of time to introduce harness so I can still bring her out after she regrow her wing.

I asked those questions because, I don't know if you know, but even clipped birds can get carried away very far with a gush of wind. This way, your bird can easily get in a harms way.

[lino]

thanks morana...

i will take extra care before i we going out...

[Jayd]

thanks guys...

jayd, what do you mean by baggage? is it like their pass expiriance that will never go off? like happiness or horror expiriance that affect their reaction to certain things?

 

What you have stated is basically correct. In Greys, the intelligence and emotional levels are extremely high so because of this,they are capable of complex thoughts. It takes very little for them to become emotionally unstable. They have extremely long and good memories and they are capable of comparing present conditions with previous conditions. Simple example: If a Grey is offered and teased with an almond and are constantly denied this almond after tasting it once, he will eventually assume they cannot have an almond. Compound this with any physical or emotional abuse, even if it was unintentional, they will not only remember this,they will try to figure out what they did to deserve it. Some Greys are more stable emotionally than others. So it is very important when you interact with a Grey, (a new fledgling or an older bird) to do exactly what you mean...with only their best interest in mind. All parrots are this way to some extent. A Grey has the intelligence and emotions of a young child so always treat them as such and use positive reinforcement. Their baggage or diary is always with them to always to compare with...a happy or unhappy past. Please read this; http://www.greyforums.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=213&catid=5&Itemid=4

[lino]

i realise that my grey is really trying very hard to express her interest in communicating and interactin with me.

in the past 2 weeks, i have been very very busy. i come home later then usual and my playing and training time with her is cut.

she start to communicate with me through body language and speach

 

the conversation that i mentioned earlier. i was very very surprised when she can asked me all the question before i am going out. i asked the previous owner that it was the question usually she ask her daughter.

 

recently she will bent down and vibrate the wing vigorously with feather tight together and eyes keep looking at me(not in a fearful way, she is definitely not afraid of me)

 

the grey has actually deprived from physical interaction for years, but how come she doesnt pluck? and she has been at home for years without knowing the outside, howcome she enjoy outdoor so fast and enjoy meeting new people in such a short period of time? so can i say my grey is mentally more stable then common grey?

 

actually before i got this grey i have been reading about grey for 4 years. always get withdrawn by the fear that the bird might pluck.along the way, i heard greys become plucker for the simplest and easiest reasons like another bird at home, bring out, go for an outing, arrival of newborn, to even as easy as spook by children. all this stories scared me and make me wait for so long before i got my grey.

[Jayd]

My signature states:

"A Grey is a wild animal removed from the wild, bred to be companions. They are long removed from being able to take care of themselves but not so long as to forget at times they're still wild...so it's up to us to make sure we protect them. We're the reason they demand all this attention."

 

It will be approximately another 200,000 years before a Grey is considered domesticated such as a dog or a cat. Their memories of the wild are passed on from generation to generation.

[Morana]

the grey has actually deprived from physical interaction for years, but how come she doesnt pluck? and she has been at home for years without knowing the outside, howcome she enjoy outdoor so fast and enjoy meeting new people in such a short period of time? so can i say my grey is mentally more stable then common grey?

 

Plucking doesn't have to be their single response to stress. For example, not all humans bite their nails when they are anxious/stressed, but many do bite them. And if she has been deprived of attention, it is somewhat natural that she enjoys others people company more and faster that she would if she wasn't neglected. Again, not a rule, but somewhat logical. About outdoors.. I figure it is like giving me a good chocolate bar. I don't have to taste it several times before I know I like it more than some other chocolate or candy bar;-)

And in the end, your grey may be more stable then common grey, or not. Maybe she just have better coping ability with that particularly kind of stress. For example, when I go into the classroom, and kids in my school are certainly not a creme of society, they provoke, they are loud, they do not want to do anything, let alone mathematics. Some people are not cut out for this kind of stress. They would maybe freak out and leave the school, maybe they would try to bring order to the class but with much effort and get frustrated, etc...but me...it comes natural. I have much more patience for this kind of situation than I would when my computer brakes down. I would pull my hair out if I would be left alone fixing my computer too long. But walking into this kind of classroom is very easy to me. So, maybe you had the luck to get a bird that could cope more easily with that particular type of situation she was in.

[Jayd]

Greys do not necessarily need a reason to pluck nor does stress have to be involved. Not every Grey plucks, even under the worst condition. Plucking can be caused by dry skin, a disease, stress, diet. It's inherent that they know what the outdoors is...from the time a hatching has senses, (smell, sight, etc) they can tell the difference in the air when the door or window is open and they can see differences because they can see into the ultra-violet range which we can't.When a Grey looks at a Grey, they see more than shades of grey, white and red because of their ability to see in the ultra-violet range. When a young or old Grey look out a window, they can tell there is a difference, the same as a human.

A Grey in the wild doesn't bite but he knows how. When 2 Greys play and bite each other, they get a mouthful of feathers. If a Grey is playing with you and bites you, he gets a mouthful of skin (Ouch!). A Grey (parrots) are wild animals. First and foremost, they think as wild animals. This is ingrained in them. When people talk about sounds and whistles that Greys make, (or calls) from all over the world, all Greys have similar sounds that they make and they mean the same thing to all Greys. This is part of their genetic make-up. Parrots, no matter how friendly or loving they become, they are captive, not domesticated. They have to learn to be friendly and loving to you. Knowing about the outside is the same as a baby bird knowing how to eat and fly.

Edited April 10, 2011 by Jayd

[lino]

thanks for the input guys...

i will just keep working with her. i really want to see the ful potential of her intelligence. she enjoy learning new things.

in some occasion, i saw her singing a random tone and with a random words. she will dance while she is singing.

today i try to sing for her and hoping that she will one day caught the song and sing it. if that stage is achived, may be i get her sing while i play guitar.

sound crazy and i dont know if it is doable. but no harm trying. she enjoy the singing(even it is out of tone). she will stay there motionless and the eye keep pinning.

 

bad news about yesterday.

when i bring her out for outing, i put her on a perch. it is about 1.5 m hight. i give her some seed and she enjoyed it.

i walk away to get my self a chair. out of sudden she jump down from the perch. i didn t know how she land, but i just pick her up with me and she sat with me on the chair.

i notice the chest area get a little wet and i open up the feather. the chest got bruises and the skin is torn.

 

i bring her to the vet. the vet say just apply some medicine and leave the wound to dry. the bird just dont react to the wound. there is no expression of painfull or so what ever. everythingis normal.

the vet examine the wing and count that there is 14 feather is cliped from one wing and 15 form the other.

he suggested me to pull out some of the clipped feather so it can grow faster and the bird will be able to glide.

 

so the pulling begun.

we towel the bird. she strugled a bit. then the wing is pulled out and the clipped feather is pulled out with some kind of tools. there was no struggle or screaming from the bird.

so i bring home the bird. the bird behaving 100% normal. as if nothing bad ever happen. she will behave and so just as per normal, climb down from the cage and walk to me and call out "mummy mummy" while i am doing my work.

 

i hope i will se many pin feather in 4 weeks time

[lino]

i am not too sure why,today migo is behaving very strangely.

she doesn't talk when i come out from my room. when i am changing her water and food, she puff up and lounge at me.

she makes no sound at all and just sit on the furthest perch. last night she still loving. but why today she suddenly change?

[lino]

hi guys...

my grey is not getting better. he has since become grumpy and dont really want interaction. she also become more aggressive.

doesnt wana step out from the cage and everything. she aslo talk very little naw adays.

i only hear her saying bye bye when i leave my house...

her weight has increase 370 last time to 410. her poop is good and her appetite is huge. she started eating veg and fruits too.

but the behaviour is not the same.

any suggestion?

[Morana]

Well, your birdie and you may just have finished your honeymoon period and this is just the way she really is. You're going to have to deal with it. Slowly, start again...-training, talking, gaining her trust,.. and you'll (re)build your friendship. IMO, this is nothing unusual. Just, be prepared and arm yourself with lots of love and patience:-)

Do keep an eye on how much she eats daily.

[lino]

Thanks.

So far, she doesn't want To come out.

Behaving like a stranger. Not very agresive

I am not too sure if it's normal. Because the change is too sudden. It's like as if some one change the bird during the night.

It's an overnight transformation

 

The good thing is shr maintain a good appetite and start liking veggies and fruits.

[Morana]

I had a birdie before Zak. My mother found him in the puddle of water on the side of the road,all soaked since it was raining cats and dogs. H couldn't fly anywhere so my mother picked him up and brought him home. After the birdie got dry he began to play with us, let us handle him, cuddle him-he was really a bundle of joy. Than after a week our birdie changed so drastically (for worse) we couldn't even get near him. He screamed all the time, bit everyone who got near him and it lasted for almost 6 months. You see, he was sad. Obviously he escaped from an open window, on a worst day possible,and for the next 6 months he was calling by the name his previous owner. He was mourning. It was braking our hearts seeing him so sad and that he wouldn't let us near him, but we were patient and talked to him much. We spent much time with him, making him toys, bringing treats and one day he let us in his heart. He was our best friend since. I think he had a great owner before because, in no time, he let us do with him stuff I couldn't imagine was possible with birds. He was so trusting, loving and he cuddled and talked a lot. He slept with me (on the frame of my bed),and it was amazing friendship before he got really sick and died:-((((( My point is... The patience and the whole lot of love we gave him made all the difference in the world. Your bird will let you know for what and when is he ready and you mustn't push him further than that. Don't worry too much and let him blossom:-)