It's funny...

[Acappella]

...how they continue to evolve in their behaviour, isn't it? Dorian has always hated having the tv on. He sulks, turns his back on it and otherwise lets me know he's not happy. One thing is he never made a noise while the tv was on. He just sat like a lump, or at the most would shred a box while I watched the idiot box. Well, in this past week that has finally started to change. As I type this I have the tv on in the office, and he is sitting behind me going through all his noises (including, unfortunately, his recently acquired cockatoo call). It's like a dam has broken open and I'm happy for him finally figuring out that he can vocalize when it's on. I'm sure that one day soon I'll regret it and wish for his silent days, but right now I'm happy he's found a way to be happy even when the tv is on. Does anyone else have a bird that clams up when the tv is on?

[Ray P]

My live in mouth piece competes with the T.V., the phone, with the dogs or with anything that may take the attention away from her.

Have you ever heard the phrase, spoiled rotten. Well she has the rotten part down pat and not bad at the spoiled part either.

[Greywings]

No quiet birds here wether TV, Video, Phone, Computer, utube or radio.

[Acappella]

Dorian is a chatterbox when I'm on the phone, when the radio is on, when I'm on the computer or watching youtube videos, it's just the tv he's always been quiet around. I've always felt guilty about having the tv on because of it. I felt like I was infringing on his enjoyment of his space by having the tv on, so I'm glad he's started chattering when it's on. It's just the cockatoo call I could do without lol!

[LNCAG]

I despise tv so my poor parrot never gets to watch it anymore (well, I turn it on every 4 years to get election results).

 

But my grey thrives on any music or movie being played. Far from being jealous or disruptive of outside noises/video -- he considers it is being played for him.

 

I know he was used to tv in his former home, because he could recognise the Cadbury Easter bunny commercial and Snickers would do the 'brrrok bok bok bok brok' sound before the bunny in the commercial did it (this was in the 90s when hubby watched tv all day -- no idea if that commercial is still around -- might youtube it and play it for Snickers). But this happened right after we adopted him, so hubby and I knew he had already seen that commercial before and memorized it.

 

Snickers adores music, so I went ahead and bought the MP3s from Amazon of Harry Belafonte's "Banana Boat Song (Day O)" & Harry Nilsson's "Lime in the Coconut" for Alexa/Echo to play for him. He head bobs and dances to both songs.

 

I keep thinking wouldn't it be amazing if he learns the Alexa requests and then starts requesting Alexa on his own to play them for him? Hey, I can dream can't I?

[SRSeedBurners]

Haa..LNCAG, that's funny: you despise the TV, I despise the Alexa/Echo. That stupid thing is all my co-workers are yapping about right now. Even though I work in the technology field I am a very late adopter specimen. It will have to be out there for 10 years before I'll even consider one.

 

GreycieMae will watch the TV with us. She sits on my knee and it's funny to see her quietly staring at the idiot box on the wall just like the rest of us. She only pays attention when she's tired and something is of interest to her. Music and singing & dancing are what gets her attention the most. She will sometimes start head bobbing and singing along with whatever is playing. Most of the time though she ignores it. I guess she's not into binge watching Netflix series.

[LNCAG]

Hehe SterlingSL!

 

I use Alexa to play music, to set timers and alarms for me, give me the weather report and the news (news from sources *I* choose); and she controls my lighting -- esp for my bearded dragon's UVB lighting (whose on/off switch broke -- I'd have to plug in/unplug by hand without Alexa's help). But she also controls other lamps -- nice if I wake up in the middle of dark night and request a lamp be turned on (or just ask her what time it is so I can calculate how much more sleep I can get -- lol).

 

That said, I don't feel like I use Alexa as much as I thought I would. It sounds like I use her for a lot -- but really -- probably less than 20 minutes a day of actual interaction (not counting time music actually plays since after request, I might let music play a few hours). Maybe it's control -- Alexa does what I want -- tv (which is an annoying distraction and racket to me) has it's own programming beyond my control.

Edited June 8, 2017 by LNCAG

[judygram]

This got me to thinking how a grey could get you into some fine trouble if he or she figures out how to order stuff just by asking for it, the possibilities are endless which makes me think its something I can do without.

[LNCAG]

I've never used Alexa to order anything. But I gotta admit -- if Snickers can figure out how to place an order -- he deserves to receive a package in the mail. lol

 

 

(edited to add: Given all my training with him and water requests -- we'd probably receive a 24 case of bottled water -- now that would be clever indeed!)

Edited June 9, 2017 by LNCAG

[Timbersmom]

Sadly, the only thing I use Alexa for (received for Christmas) is making my shopping list. Someone here, can't remember who, has a bird that uses Alexa turn to on music etc.

[LNCAG]

I did ask Alexa "Canna Hassuh water" to which she couldn't understand command; 2nd attempt she gave me a definition of water.

Then I asked "Can I have some water" to which she replied "I've added water to your shopping list."

 

So, I guess the SnickMan won't be placing any Alexa orders afterall. lol

 

 

 

(I do use Alexa for shopping list -- I had forgotten to add that above)

[Kya]

Kya loves tv. He gets very excited if he hears a siren, and you may need a set of ear plugs once he gets started "helping" the sirens be heard. We used to leave the tv on for him on cartoons all day while we were at work, until Gracie came along and we decided they could keep each other company.

 

But, now that you've mentioned it, Gracie does not talk when the tv is on, or if she does, she does it quietly and we don't notice. She does not talk anywhere near as much as Kya, period, but most of her words come when we are doing something around her cage. She never talks when she is out of the cage at all. (Kya didn't either for months after we got him, now he does all the time.)

 

Both seem to enjoy watching tv - I honestly think they would watch Rio 24/7. Kya is very interactive vocally with shows that he likes, while Gracie just watches and head bobs frequently, as if she's in agreement with whatever is going on.

[birdhouse]

Dorian's been living in a different house for a while. Long enough to be comfortable w/the change, even. Doesn't it kind of make sense that he'd be reflecting it w/some changes in attitudes & behaviors?

 

Also, since they live as long as we do I tend to equate those types of changes w/the inevitable aging of an intelligent species. We learn (some) tolerance & patience, get bored w/things, pick up new interests, just get too old for stuff, etc. The way I look at it, why shouldn't the fids?

[Mistyparrot]

Misty mostly ignores the tv unless my favorite soap come on and he whistles along with the signature tune. He also likes music programs and loves to join in with any laughter.

 

Steve n Mistyparrot