Inara Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 (edited) It is hard to believe that in a few short weeks, HRH Inara will be 5 years old, and with us for 3 of those. She remains the sweetest little gal ever and intrepid as all get out. I had recently swung by her vet to pick up a couple of toys and there was this HUGE cardboard/rope/wood monstrosity that I could not resist. Her vet said, "Wow! That looks pretty intimidating to a TAG." I said, "Nah, I have a feeling she will love this." Brought it home, and the second she saw it coming toward her cage she spread her wings a bit and said, "Oh boy!" Once it was installed she was all over it like (to use a quote from Talledega Nights) a spider monkey jacked up on Mountain Dew! She continues to talk up a storm using very clear and precise language, and one of my favorite things is in the mornings when she is on her tree while I have my coffee. Often she will look out the big windows and say, "Good morning sky. Good morning trees and squirrels." We did not teach her this, she simply put it together herself. She asks cogent questions, makes intelligent remarks, and also tells lies to get what she wants. Seriously on the lies!! Example: Inara: Hey! Want to go to the tree? Me: No thank you, I am working now. Inara: (in a higher pitched super fun type voice making it sound exciting) Come, come, go to the tree -- ye-ah! Me: No thank you, I am working, I have to stay here. Inara: Hey, I will get you a cookie, OK? Me: OK that sounds good! (walk over to her tree) Where's my cookie? Inara: Tree! yeah-ah! Me: Nice try -- no cookie, no hanging out with you over here! (walking back) Inara: Ohhhhhh..(in sliding down tone like "oh darn") Another example: She sometimes, if she does not want to get on her scale in the morning, will give my hand a squawk! and a beak push -- and when I give her "the look" she will say in this sweet, innocent voice "kisses" then does the kissing sound. I will say, "That was not a kiss, and you know it you little liar." Then I laugh, and she gives me a smooch. Too cute and too sweet! She cracks us up all of the time. She is completely comfortable now with both of us (no longer just "my" gal) and often will fly to sit on Joe's knee or shoulder while he is reading his laptop in the morning. If not on her tree, she enjoys doing her "ex-work" (her made up combo-word of "exercise" and "work") on one of her free standing perches while we have coffee. She hangs upside down and does pull-ups then swings around on a rope hanging from one side of it. She will start to slide down its pole, and I will tell her, "You need to get back up there...." and she will climb back up. After awhile she slides all the way down and plays in a glass piepan on the floor that has filtered water, bits of apple and/or other assorted tidbits that are floating in old plastic bottle caps in the water. She calls them "water cookies." She does all this as we're having our morning coffee. Then after about an hour to an hour and a half of exwork, water cookies and playing around, she is ready to go back home to her cage which by this time has also been cleaned by yours truly. As I type, her cage has been rolled into the bedroom with me, and she is peacefully snoozing away. She loves it in her cage, as it has never been a source of contention or trauma. She's one of the happiest little gals ever, is a total mind reader, will still sell her soul for the teensiest bit of cheese, and embraces each day with a song and a cheery "good morning" to us and the world around her. Who knew that so much love and joy could be packed into 285 little grams of grey? (she still seems SO tiny compared to my departed wild-caught CAG who averaged well over 600g) PS: Sterling -- she LOVES to watch and listen to your Gracie videos! They make her laugh and laugh! (and me as well!) Well, it has taken me so long to write this that HRH is now waking up and is ready to move into her travel cage and go outside to get some much needed sunshine after our long winter. Love to all! Edited May 8, 2016 by Inara apparently because I am a lousy proofreader :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 She sounds like a real joy to be around. I can only imagine what it's like to be around a talker like her. You always want what you don't have and I don't have a talker. But GreycieMae is one of the cuddliest Greys I've ever seen so I'll take it. And she will also sell her soul for a tiny bit of cheese. I've been toying with the idea of strapping my GoPro on my chest and doing a video of all the trouble we get into...I'll have to get on that soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Inara sounds like a real sweetheart and a much loved companion, my Josey will be 10 years old in a couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acappella Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 You found a real gem in HRH. It sounds like it's hard to be in a bad mood around your house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Here's some entertainment for HRH Inara. Court jesters they are... I'm toying with my GoPro using the chest harness. Trying WVGA 120 setting. Brat birds were out for their morning romp before going to their birdroom for the day while daddy goes to work. This is them getting shoved into their cattle cars fro the ride back to the hotel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 LOL I think the gopro is going to work just fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted May 11, 2016 Author Share Posted May 11, 2016 (edited) Yes there is never a dull moment that is for sure! She sounds like a real joy to be around. I can only imagine what it's like to be around a talker like her. You always want what you don't have and I don't have a talker. But GreycieMae is one of the cuddliest Greys I've ever seen so I'll take it. And she will also sell her soul for a tiny bit of cheese. Sterling, she really is a joy. And I envy your interactions with your flock! I love to see how easily you handle them and all the wild F U N ! When I see GreycieMae and Isaac and other greybies whose hoomans can snuggle them up and who love to just hang out up close and personal I get a wistful feeling, as HRH is a busybody and while she enjoys a bit of a knee perching or shoulder perching, she prefers not to be handled much. I would *love* a snuggler!!! Inara sounds like a real sweetheart and a much loved companion, my Josey will be 10 years old in a couple of weeks. She really is a sweetheart, albeit a bossy one. I must confess, sometimes I call her Beelzabeak! But she definitely is much loved and a great companion. Gosh Josey will be 10?! Time flies!! You found a real gem in HRH. It sounds like it's hard to be in a bad mood around your house. I really did find a gem and she's a real testament that many re-homed birds can be easy and sweet. It was worth taking my time when looking for her. That being said, I had had many years of experience so I trusted myself to find the right fid fit. Although, I was surprised it was in a wee Timneh! Even after 3 years with her, I'm always surprised at how light she feels compared to my (dearly departed) husky old 'zon and CAG. You are right, it is terribly hard to be in a bad mood around our house living with such a little smartarse. :) Sometimes, though, it can have a bit of downside, and that is when I would just like a peaceful, quiet morning, bath, evening, etc. and it's no dice. I have always made it a practice from day one to not ignore her when she is "using her words" instead of her beak (hahaha) so a lot of peaceful reverie is interrupted with my constantly having to answer her even if I just want to be quiet. My beloved will just put his earphones on to tune us both out. I feel that since I'm the one that encouraged her natural proclivity for talking, that it would be unfair now to just ignore her when she is truly wanting to communicate and is not just doing her "radio free Inara" (just talking to herself with her head in her water dish chamber just to hear the echo -- lol ) Here's some entertainment for HRH Inara. Court jesters they are... OMLGG! I've said it before and will say it again -- you and your fids need your own sitcom! Hey Sterling, how long does it take to upload one of your videos? Even a super duper short one of HRH seems like it takes forever to upload. And what video editing software do you use? I have some really good clips of HRH, but don't want to bore people with all of the blah blah blah stuff that is in between the fun stuff. I would love any suggestions. Right now I am using my Galaxy Note 5 android phone for my camera. LOVE the idea of using the GoPro! Agree with Timbersmom, looks like it is working great! Edited May 11, 2016 by Inara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRSeedBurners Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 OMLGG! I've said it before and will say it again -- you and your fids need your own sitcom! Hey Sterling, how long does it take to upload one of your videos? Even a super duper short one of HRH seems like it takes forever to upload. And what video editing software do you use? I have some really good clips of HRH, but don't want to bore people with all of the blah blah blah stuff that is in between the fun stuff. I would love any suggestions. Right now I am using my Galaxy Note 5 android phone for my camera. LOVE the idea of using the GoPro! Agree with Timbersmom, looks like it is working great! Usually only takes 5-10 minutes. I try to limit my videos to a max of around 3 minutes as that seems to be the max of attention spans out there. 1+ minute is even better. When I do edit, I use Windows MovieMaker. It's free and pretty easy to use. Editing is what soaks up all your extra time but it's worth it if you need to chop out the fluffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Would enjoy seeing HRH in action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inara Posted May 12, 2016 Author Share Posted May 12, 2016 Thanks Sterling, will work on putting some things together. Will have to Dropbox from my phone and then upload to computer then work on editing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Thanks Sterling, will work on putting some things together. Will have to Dropbox from my phone and then upload to computer then work on editing. Sorry. No. Unacceptable. It's already taken too long. You can't give us a build up like that & expect us to wait like this. You've got to give us something!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoow Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Aw she sounds amazing. I sometimes think that I would like Alfie to talk some more. His vocabulary mostly consists of squeaks, whistles and various other noises with the odd word or phrase thrown in. He's just not interested in learning words and picks and chooses what he wants to learn! But we have lots of fun with our whistling battles and flock calls as it is. Alfie loves those kind of games and often challenges my housemate with his whistling too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray P Posted May 25, 2016 Share Posted May 25, 2016 We who live with a [hrH] know just what you are talking about and would not have it any other way. Corky who has been with us for over 15 years knows no other way of life and she takes full advantage of what ever she can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now