I feel like a giddy new mother again :)

[EllieMae]

The last eleven days since bringing home Sassy has been both amazing and nerve-racking all at the same time. I feel like I did almost twenty years ago when I brought home my second child. I know that probably sounds stupid but it's kind of the same concept because my first son was only 18 months old when I had my second and I was still feeling that I had so much to learn and here I had a brand new one to care for. I've only had Leo for almost 5 months and still learning how to be a good parent to him and now I've brought home Sassy. LOL. and like my children these two are total opposites. This house has been a funhouse since she got here. Leo has calmed down from those first couple of days, he's no longer regurgitating or trying frantically to get her attention but he is still very interested in her and how she is interacting with us. He watches everything. For two days I left Leos cage door closed and didn't give him the option of coming out. I'm notorious for my sink or swim mentality so I just had to see how they both would react giving him this option. So I opened his door. At first he didn't come out but Sassy went in. I was very nervous, after all, the first time my oldest son laid eye on his baby brother he smacked him right dead in the face. Everything actually went very smoothly. I had twenty minutes of pure pleasure watching the two of them. Sassy cautiously checking out Leos digs and Leo cautiously watching this hot new chick checking him out. Leo took a shot and tried to give her his toy three times but she just wanted the treasure in his food bowl so he sat back let her have his prized peanut. Leo has two waffle balls hanging on a stretchy string and they both played with that for awhile and the Leo decided he wanted a snack but when he dipped into his bowl Sassy snapped at him which earned her a loud squawk. She stepped back really fast sat there for a moment staring at him and then she just made this loud farting noise and climbed out of his cage. I laughed til I cried.. she actually gave him a raspberry!! My first thought was "and so it begins" Later that day Leo finally ventured out of his cage and by evening I very anxious as he had decided that he was happy and cozy in Sassys cage and did not want to come out. So for the second time in his time here we were forced to use a towel to pick him up and return him to his cage. I was really upset because he has only been out once before and we had to towel him to get him back and he had not left his cage in the last four months since then until Sassy's arrival and I was afraid that this would be another set back. I seem to have been wrong again. The next morning when I uncovered and opened Sassy door Leo was sitting at his front perch going back and forth ready for me to open his. He has been out each day but we have to use a towel and get much screeching to get him in at night but I'm hoping that he will get to the point that he will go back on his own. He took a bite of something from my hand for the first time and he has said his first word. "What" and I'm hearing him do quite a bit of mumbling. I still can't get him to eat fruits and veggies but he watches Sassy and she eats anything. I'm noticing that while Leo still throws the good stuff to the floor I'm at least finding chucks out of them now so he's at least tasting.

Sassy is something else. She is my hellion. If I blow in her face for biting she blows back at me. If I scold her she gives me raspberries and when I put her in the cage for biting first she hisses at me and gives me a raspberry. Then resorts to her loud screech and when I still don't go get her.. she starts the kissing and Jack taught her I love you so she throws that one in as well. After all the toys I have bought these birds her two favorite things to play with are my keys and a shoebox. (Just like my kids) I'm lovin life and my babies but if anyone has any ideas how I can work with Leo so that back to the cage doesn't have the dramatics, I'd be very grateful. The one thing that I was doing was trying to get him to step up on a perch every hour or so and that was working. I finally got him to step up on it and I could lift him up an ince, but then I guess I got him too close to me and he screeched flew back in the cage and starts growling when he see me coming towards him with it now.

Thanks everybody, I know was long but I'm so happy and excited and I don't want to regress.

Edited March 16, 2013 by EllieMae

[Timbersmom]

What an exciting adventure you are having Sassy sounds like quite the character, but that is what makes them so endearing. Leo is coming along too. I am a novice so don't have any advice about getting Leo back in his cage. If he's stepping up on the perch that's progress, and I would think that as he starts trusting you more and getting used to you it will probably work for him.

[JeffNOK]

Thanks for keeping us updated on everything. You seem to have very good attitude and approach to life with your flock. Sassy sounds like a challenge--but an entertaining one. Hopefully the bites will soon diminish significantly.

[danmcq]

I love hearing updates like this when time, patience and consistency pays off. What a character Sassy is!

[judygram]

It all eventually works itself out and Leo and Sassy are working on their relationship, great update.

[pjbmom]

keep up the good work. Patience is the key and staying close with them both.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Keep opening the cages and observing their behavior. Safety is the most important thing. They know what to do. You are a bystander, ready to step in only when needed. I'm lucky now to have three birds of different origins, whom originally had three cages, went down to two, but could go down to one, as they all live together in one cage. Second cage there if they want some peace. Rarely doI find a bird in the "palace." Keep working on "stepup and step down". Imperitive for all birds to learn it. I was more sucessful teaching and learning, away from cage. Work with a gym in another room. Nancy