Kya and Emeka: Training Chronicles

[Blueberrytunes]

Feb 25: Greetings and thank you, in advance, for your kind words and welcoming atmosphere!

 

So, my goal in chronicling my experiences with Kya and Emeka, Congo African Grey Parrots, is to learn from them, to increase my attentiveness and awareness, to improve our two way communication and help them thrive by me becoming more educated about them, for them, for myself.

 

Kya: adopted her on October 9, 2011, approximately 10 yrs of age. She has feather damage from feather destructive behavior. Her previous owner and partner broke up, Kya remained with the man. He allegedly started working from home and felt too distracted to get work done so he brought her to the bird store for another home. She has had at least two or three previous homes before me and one of those involved restricting food while the other involved her living in a garage with limited socialization. It's no wonder she wears her feathers extremely short! (Makes my blood boil to read about this treatment.) I do not know anymore of her history other than this. She has a closed band, which I understand was put on when she was a baby bird. She allegedly has some history at a bird store in Berkeley, which is, as of yet, unconfirmed. I will try to get more information about this. Her hatch date is allegedly October 11, 2002. I will try to get confirmation of this when I take her to my Avian Veterinarian on Wednesday for her annual exam. It turns out that she has a history (with previous owner) and my Avian Veterinarian.

 

Emeka: adopted him on March 11, 2012, approximately 14 yrs of age. I don't know much about his history tho I believe on the adoption sheet, there is an indication that the previous owner would welcome phone calls, to gain insight on Emeka's recent years. He also has his annual exam Wednesday morning, along with Kya, so it will be a festive, chatty morning! As the hour is late, I will continue tomorrow. I am hopeful to receive advice and ideas to better understand and communicate with my Greyt Grey companions! (Credit for "Greyt" goes to a post by "Moonrock.")

[MoonRock]

Blueberrytunes, your love for Kya and Emeka really shines through in your post. You are gathering up good information to best meet their needs, though I understand how hard it is to read of their prior treatment.

 

You are so gentle and loving with your sweet feather-butts, it was striking to see you interact with them. I am still dying to know what Emeka said after sizing up Oscar!

 

You are a fantastic "parront": you offer foraging toys and healthy food, you provide regular veterinary visits and you have the most kick-ass bird stand I have ever seen!

 

Your birds are lucky to have you, and I am also grateful to know you. I think your input will prove very valuable to forum members.

Edited February 26, 2013 by MoonRock
It is very late at night, so typing is hard!

[danmcq]

Welcome Blueberrytunes, Kya and Emeka! Thanks for the introduction and bless for rescuing them both. I look forward to hearing more from you and seeing some photos when you get a chance.

[Timbersmom]

Hello and welcome to you and your flock Yes indeed to the photos, we love them

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Welcome! we look forward to more information about your new gang!MoonRock.. kudos to you. You have alot of natural energy and care about your bird. You have lots to offer this site, and look forward to learning more about you Nancy

[MoonRock]

kins2321@yahoo.com, Blueberrytunes is intent on giving her Greys their best possible lives, so we really bonded when we met. We even see the same veterinarian! So keep an eye out for future posts by Blueberrytunes, including this thread about Kya and Emeka. She has so much to offer. And thank you for making me blush, as well. *aww, shucks*

 

Blueberrytunes, I think you should post photos of your amazing bird stand, and some video- and sound- clips of your precious feather-butts. And of course I am eager to follow this thread as well, since I know your own birds have been through a lot. See you next Tuesday, girl!

[Blueberrytunes]

Oh my, thank you all so very much for the most welcoming of greetings! I am overwhelmed with gratitude! Moonrock was right... you are all so attentive and nice!!

 

I will definitely get some pictures of both Kya and Emeka up here once I figure out how to do that, ha. I will also post a picture or two of the "low perch" stands that were specially made for Kya, due to her occasional (previous to her coming to my home, that is) balance issues. Now that ALL of her perches are low, her self confidence has grown leaps and bounds! I love her so much!

 

So here are a couple funny occurrences that have repeated:

 

Kya: I am a classical musician and practice a fair amount of piano and voice in my home. Both Greys' cages are in the living room where my piano is. Every time I sit down at my piano and play, "The Maple Leaf Rag" by Scott Joplin, if Kya is in her cage (she's often out of her cage while I am home), she will march right over to her water dish and proceed to splash herself silly. It's like clockwork. I have experimented with different pieces, Bach 2 part inventions, Beethoven Sonatas, 40's standards... nothing gets her moving like Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag." I will experiment with some other rags tomorrow and Thursday. Her response to this piece is a hoot and a half.

 

Emeka: So my male Grey came into my home almost a year ago with various sounds, including a few different barking sounds and a cat's meow. I don't have cats so it's amusing when I hear him make this sound. I do have a toy poodle - have always had toy poodles - tho the barks Emeka makes sound more like a Chihuahua than anything else tho there are definitely two or three different rhythms and cadences, or speeds, of these various barks. So a few weeks ago, he was on a little stand in my kitchen (a converted camera tripod and will take a photo of that, too) while I prepared some goodies for everyone. I'm guessing he was leaning over so far on his perch that he lost his balance and flew to the floor, about 3 feet down. (My floors are bamboo.) Rosie, my poodle, was also in the kitchen. (My kitchen is not that big.) So Emeka landed about 2 feet from Rosie. I thought, this could be interesting. So I stood at a flat triangle's point mid-distance between them and watched what would happen next. Both were calm. Kya was on her kitchen table-top stand, watching. Rosie took a couple of steps toward Emeka and sniffed. Emeka took a couple steps toward Rosie, leaned in... and said: "rarf rarf rarf rarf rarf." I cracked up. I couldn't exactly hear an "f" at the end of the five barks, tho it was without a doubt, a clear bark. This has happened twice. What do you make of this? Communication? Mirroring what he hears from Rosie? In any case, I'm impressed. He seems to associate this sound with a dog. I have also asked him many, many times: "what's rosie say?" And he answers: "rarf rarf rarf rarf rarf." Of course I laugh and say, "Good Bird!"

[danmcq]

What a pleasant environment for Kya and Emeka. I can only imagine and visualize them hearing that music and singing . The bathing reaction by Kya is an interesting behavior related to Maple Leaf Rag. You have got to get a video of this!

 

In regards Emeka's sounds and reaction to Rosie. It is certainly from a previous home and experience. They do learn barking dog and cat sounds. The "rarf rarf rarf rarf rarf" is cute and makes sense and is hilarious!

 

I look forward to reading these updates on their progress in your loving home.

[Blueberrytunes]

So this past Thursday morning I took Kya and Emeka for their annual exam. We saw the Veterinarian who had seen Kya for the 4 years prior to her permanent home with me, Rosie, my poodle, and my flock.

 

Kya: The veterinarian, who shall be referred to as Dr. O, talked to me about her previous 5 year history. The notes say that the couple before me got her from someone who kept her mostly in a garage with little socialization. (It pains me hugely to even reiterate this, tho that is part of her history, which more than likely has contributed to, or is responsible for, her feather destructive behavior. I'd like to completely erase this experience from her memory bank and give those people some education!!) So, he noted that she was nervous as he moved his hand around her as she stood on the scale perch. (And who wouldn't be, really, the way he presented his fist which was a tricky surface on which to step up.) I wanted to reassure her that all was safe, tho she was clearly uncertain: what does that look like? Well, her feathers were slicked back, her neck was streamlined, her eyes were wide with heightened alertness and she stood very tall on her legs. I hated that she was clearly uncomfortable. He went thru a few rounds of asking her to step up, then step down, which she did, and finally he let her stay on the perch. He didn't feel he needed to "hands on" examine her. She didn't seem calm enough to tolerate him listening to her heart or feel her muscle mass without a struggle and he didn't want to unnecessarily put her thru that stress. I agreed. He could see that her pectorals looked strong and well conditioned. "They look great!" were his exact words. I just need to keep doing what I'm doing: provide her all sorts of foraging projects, keep her mind engaged and keep all perches low to the "bottom" of whatever she is on. Absolutely, yes! I do all of that already and will continue to do so. She received a clean bill of health (save for the emotional aspect of destructive feather damage behavior) so he advised me to treat her for the next 6 months like glass, being ultra aware of any stimulus that would affect her state of anxiety. Restrict her vertical movement to reduce the ability of her falling. Yes, I do that already, tho she likes to swing from the top of her cage and bat her toys around and she derives so much pleasure from that. He absolutely agreed that quality of life is vital and this hanging biz and batting the toys around, counts! She presently only has 24 inches of vertical space due to a "false" bottom I had constructed for her out of plywood that's half way up the cage. He said I could reduce that a little more so that total vertical "falls" would not exceed a few inches. I'm giving this additional vertical reduction some thought. Kya was a chatterbox as her exam concluded. My sweet girl.

 

Emeka: I don't know his history, other than very sketchy information written on a piece of paper by previous owner, such as favorite foods (grapes, apples, nuts - surprise surprise). Was told he was aprox 14 years old. It bothers me not to have a hatch date. In fact he came in as ERIKA, a FEMALE. I thought "she" looked like some Wagnerian Grey Parrot because "she" was large and "her" head and feet were large. Plus, "her" expression was just not very feminine. So I had a DNA test done. A week or so later the verdict was in: congratulations! He's a BOY. Huh?? No wonder! Now all makes sense. So I promptly studied male names close to "Erica" and came up with the African name, Emeka. It suits him: "The Good One." Ha. So Dr. O asked him to step up on his towel-covered hand and then step down onto the perch. He had him do this a few times to teach him that the towel was safe. Emeka learned quickly. I have played games lately with Emeka using a towel for exactly this reason: to desensitize him to towels, that they are safe and benign and okay to be around and on, indeed in. It's a win win when towel play is introduced slowly and with all kinds of happy fun! More than likely, there will be a towel involved at a Veterinary visit so the more comfy a bird is with the towel, the better. So, Dr. O said he had good muscle mass and when he listened to his heart, he laughed because his heart rate was SO SLOW. This bird, he said, is totally relaxed! Emeka made some little cooing sounds, which he does when being held close to the body. Such sweetness! He also received a clean bill of health. Dr. O then said he hoped to not see us for at least a year. He said that affectionately. ; )

[danmcq]

It is GreYt to hear that Kya and Emeka received your avian vet's stamp of approval. I look forward to hearing many more updates on their daily lives and also seeing some photo's and videos when you get the chance.

[MoonRock]

I thought "she" looked like some Wagnerian Grey Parrot because "she" was large and "her" head and feet were large. Plus, "her" expression was just not very feminine.

I can hear the music now, "Entry of the Gods into Valhalla"

 

He could see that her pectorals looked strong and well conditioned. "They look great!" were his exact words. I just need to keep doing what I'm doing...

I am not surprised that both of your CAG's got a clean bill of health. You offer so much for them to do, lots of love, and interesting experiences outside of the home. I feel you are a good example of what a good Grey owner does (indeed, sacrifices) for his/ her bird(s).

 

...and when he listened to his heart, he laughed because his heart rate was SO SLOW. This bird, he said, is totally relaxed!

I was so pleased to read this! He was totally chillaxin'!

 

It's a win win when towel play is introduced slowly and with all kinds of happy fun! More than likely, there will be a towel involved at a Veterinary visit so the more comfy a bird is with the towel, the better.

Oscar is taking to towel play pretty well, I am glad your own sweethearts are learning to feel OK about towels, too.

 

Blueberrytunes, keep the journal pages coming! And as mentioned (three or four times ), we would all love photos and videos...

[Blueberrytunes]

So here are a couple of interactions that I thought were amusing. I'd love your input on the Grey response:

 

Kya: So my townhouse sits up, above the garage and faces west. My wall has two sliding glass doors, once 8ft and one 6ft and windows on south facing wall - oodles of natural light, which I love! Anyhoo, Rosina, my poodle, likes to watch the ongoings outside and bark to her favorite people and their pooches. Kya, in response to Rosie's barking now says, "shhh!" whenever Rosie barks at these walkers. It's pretty funny. Sometimes when Emeka chimes in with Rosie, making various sounds, Kya will "shhh" him, too!

 

Do you think she is wanting QUIET? Ha. Sure seems so. She's perfectly in context with her "shhh's." All is pretty calm until someone walks by... then everyone joins in!

 

Emeka: So I have already written about Emeka's initial barking toward Rosie, when he was on the floor. He continues to do this when in proximity to her. He has now also barked when he sees someone outside walking their dog. It's a riot. I praise the heck out of those occurrences. I, of course, believe he is responding to the presence of a dog and and the sound a dog makes. I wonder, is he calling attention to a dog's presence by barking? Or might he be barking to the dog? Or, is he alerting Rosie to a dog's presence by his barking?

 

Oh these animals... so darn smart!

 

On another note: what are your thoughts about male vs female humans and the tendencies of parrots toward one gender or the other? People sometimes use labels to describe a bird's preference: "oh she's a mans's bird." Or, "oh, he likes women and hates men." I tend not to buy into those summations. I will say, however, that when I'm holding Kya, I have witnessed her lean toward any man who happens to walk by at the bird shop where I volunteer. Is it their mannerisms? Is it their maleness? Is their energy, their gait, their appearance reminding her of someone she was fond of in her past? I have not witness this response in her with other women, just men. I also have a dear male friend, whom Kya ADORES. As soon as he walks in, she leans to him like there's no tomorrow. She's all clicks and head rubs until eternity. And, once on his hand, I, 98% of the time, cannot entice her onto my hand without a "back off" posture, and if I do not heed her posture, she will most likely offer her beak in a quick clamp on my finger. Ouch! So, almost always he has to put her onto a perch and THEN I can pick her up. And today when I brought her with me to walk Rosie, a neighbor with his two small dogs walked by. He used to have a parrot. Kya leaned in toward him. He proceeded to give her head rubs while she was perched on my hand and she LOVED it! She clicked all over the place. He was not the least bit reserved in his approach, like a female might be.

 

So tonight, when we had our pre-bedtime cuddles, I decided to try an experiment: I started giving her feathered head a massage - just went right for it, little finesse, just plowed in, so to speak. (This goes against my female nature, tho it was an experiment.) She loved it! She closed her eyes, threw her little grey head back and seemed to relish her full-on vibrant head massage, much like the response she gives to most males who approach her without reservation. It's been suggested that rather than labels like "man's bird" or "woman's bird" that it perhaps has more to do with characteristics and mannerisms characteristic/practiced by males vs females. So, if my actions tonight were more resonant with how a man would act (and I know this is a huge generalization), meaning more direct and deliberate, and she responded positively to that, it seems it would support the gender mannerisms/characteristic idea, because I am clearly all woman.

 

Have you thoughts on this? By the way, I did the same thing (same approach, that is) with Emeka and he seemed to totally enjoy his feathered head massage, too. He sat on my knee. (Kya sat on my hand near my neck, AFTER I had put Emeka "to roost.")

 

A very cool ending to a most vibrant day! ; )

[Blueberrytunes]

Moonrock, I am so heartened to hear that Oscar the GREYT is taking to towel play! That's wonderful and SO beneficial for him and his veterinary visits. Yay for Oscar!!

[Timbersmom]

I'm a novice, so I don't have any knowledge to contribute on your gender thoughts. I think background does have a lot to do with their "gender" preference from the stories I've read from other forum members. On the other hand, my rehomed TAG prefers my son or myself (one male, one female) over the others he is exposed to. I assume that means he wasn't mistreated by either gender in his past so it eliminates gender preference based on experience.

[Blueberrytunes]

Emeka: Okay, so this got my attention. I tucked birds in around 7p tonight and then ducked out to attend a high school performance where I do some vocal coaching. I arrived home around 10p. The Greys are in the living room so they hear me tiptoeing around, I am sure, tho I imagine they are not phased by it as this is the routine - my tiptoeing around at night. So, I ate a late evening snack (aka dinner) and then wanted to heat up some tea to enjoy with some bedtime reading. So I opened the fridge (for the 4th or 5th time during my evening snack), got out the milk to pour a little bit into my mug (and I had just poured the tea and added some honey), all of this I did quietly, mind you, and suddenly, before I had even finished pouring the milk, Emeka makes the microwave beep sound. FOUR times, just like the microwave does!

 

Now, I am keenly aware of any noise I may make in the kitchen during the evening after I have put the Greys to bed. I really do not believe Emeka was responding to any of the pouring of tea or milk, for I was *very* quiet. I make tea at different times in the day, so a "time trigger" doesn't seem to be plausible.

 

Any ideas or thoughts about this??

 

In GREYdom,

Happy night to you!

[Luvparrots]

You are not giving your greys enough credit. Their hearing and smell are very acute. My greys can recognize the rustle of the potato chip bag or the sound of the almond jar being open always and come flying as a squadron to get their share. They also love routine. Normally, open the refrigerator and then open the microwave for a quick heat up.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Even after bedtime, they will imitate the microwave or a certain sound. I don't cover my birds, but am strict on bird bed time. While I may wake them at times, I always say " shhh!" time for bed, they settle down. Sometimes during the night, they wake me. Again.... SHHHH time for bed. Nancy