Nychsa Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Greetings everyone and happy holidays! One of the features I found quite interesting here on this site was the map that showed site members who are in my immediate area. Have there been any Grey Get Togethers - like a pot luck, or open house etc.. so people can meet and greet? I know bringing the greys together for play time might not be a good idea (we do this with the grey hounds, but I realize dogs are a totally different kind of critter!), but Grey socials might be nice - no? Cheers! Terri (yes I love a good party LOL!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 That is a great idea and it has been talked about here before. Although, we were talking about gathering in New York, but many could not make it with such short notice. Local get togethers is a better idea. It is not such a major undertaking and would only take a few hours on a weekend to get their from surrounding locations. If nothing else, the Greys would have a wonderful trip and they could scream at each other from their travel Cages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Well Dan that idea of a get together has not been totally scraped but just put on the back burner for now as the one who was behind getting that going is in the middle of a major move right now. But I am sure that sometime this coming year we will hear more about that very idea. But I like the idea of smaller area get togethers, for I think that most of us would not be able to go long distances to meet a lot of the other members. A meeting on a smaller scale would work better for a lot of us, including me. This is something I am sure we will consider in the near future as things settle down and we get back to more normal routines here with the admins and others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Well thats good to hear Judy. :-) But, it does not take Admins or us Mod's for others to plan their own local activities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Thats true Dan, anyone on this forum can plan their own activities with local members if they so wish, I was just referring to a larger scale get together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Goodness, a forum wide get together in NYC - now that sounds like a great time! But I'd love to do a local in the interim. I would think it would only be the humans - no? I would think that could get a little too interesting to bring a bunch of AG's together at once no? Cheers! Terri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 You are right Terri, a get together with our greys would mean having them in close proximity to each other and if any one of them was infected with a disease then they all would be exposed, too risky in my opinion. As far as a forum wide get together in NYC, that won't happen now as that was CeasarsDad's idea since he lived in NY but he is moving to Florida in January so if it still happens it will be in Florida unless plans change. I would love to do a local one also to meet the ones closest in a particular area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Yes, the disease factor is one concern I would have - or better said my vet has put the fear of disease into me! He's very particular about making sure we do the best to keep bacteria at bay. I would think birds who don't know each other might also get a bit testy with each other no? Bella seems very territorial towards the birds she sees outside. When they are on the feeder she gets very upset with them, growling and flapping as if she wants to shoo them away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Besides I just want to meet the members, we all kind of get to see each other's greys from the pictures we post, but to be able to actually talk to one another face to face would be unforgetable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I think we should all go to Hawaii and see Makena! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Hmm Hawaii! I've nver been! If all goes well, I'll be 1/2 way there soon. I'm game! Will Makena have us???? Do we need a bribe??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookyhurst Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Oohhhh, Hawaii! Me likey . I think a grey get-together would be fun too. I've read of places that do it (everyone has health certificates for their birdies to prove they're healthy) as a way to socialize their birds with new people. Nikko loves people, and has shown a lot of interest when we've seen other birds in pet shops. We haven't seen any greys, but the doves and cockatoos really drew her attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 :ohmy: Hawaii a long way for me !! i love NYC spent xmas 06 there, would love to meet members tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 Oh no kidding Spooky! What kind of places are these? Health certificates would be an idea re: getting them together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 This is building momentum and Maui would be a great destination to visit Makena. B) Don't know that many would be able to assemble there, but I wouldn't mind going back to Maui again. It was our favorite Island after having done Oahu and the museums, tours etc that are the main attractions there. A trip there would take a lot of planning and time for most to get vacation times lined up and plenty of cash stashed for the wild parties at Makenas House Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted December 31, 2007 Author Share Posted December 31, 2007 San Diego is as far west as I've ever gone. Maybe I need to make a New Year's resolution to go a little further! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookyhurst Posted January 1, 2008 Share Posted January 1, 2008 Nychsa wrote: Oh no kidding Spooky! What kind of places are these? Health certificates would be an idea re: getting them together. I remember it was African Greys, and I'm thinking I read about it in one of Maggie Wright's books or websites. People brought their greys and they sat in a circle. They passed each other's greys around so that they got used to being handled by many people. I'll do a search and see if I can come up with some more info. Nikko goes to the vet once a year for a checkup. I'm sure the vet could probably sign off on something saying she was negative for any icky diseases. I do take her out in public though (the park, stores, etc.), so I don't know if that would invalidate such a certificate. She doesn't have physical contact with any animals or humans while we're out, but I suppose she could be exposed to something that was airborne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted January 1, 2008 Author Share Posted January 1, 2008 Super - thanks Spooky! That sounds like an interesting idea - the circle. I bet if that goes on often enough the birds get to know each other too. Do you use the Aviator harness when you take Nikko out? I had my first success in putting it on Bella. She was unsettled putting it on, but once we got it on and went outside, she was SO curious about everything. She did dig her talons into my shoulder though - she usually doesn't do that - she's usually really gentle, so she may have been a little anxious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookyhurst Posted January 2, 2008 Share Posted January 2, 2008 Nikko goes out in her Adventure Pack. She really likes it, except for when we go to the dogpark. She gets jealous of the dogs running free, I think, and starts to chew on the bars after awhile. I wish she would wear a harness, because I know she would have a great time being "free". She is 6 or 7 though, so it would be quite a challenge to get her into one. Here is a picture of Nikko and me at a Blessing of the Animals. She was the only bird there. Go figure . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 Spooky that's a great picture! Thanks for sharing Bless your heart for carrying Nikko like that! I'm sure she appreciates it as well. Re: the Aviator harness - I think I got lucky. Bella is very playful, so I have tickle games I play with her that got her used to my touching her places such as under her wings, tail, belly, feet etc.. When we play tickle, I tell her I'm going to tickle the belly, or tickle the wings, her feets etc.. and she nibbles on my finger real fast and runs off only to come right back for more. I'l hide my fingers under my fist and she'll try to get my fingers, so I let her get one and she grabs hold of it with her talons, nibbles real fast and runs off and then we play tickle again. My "mom" side told me I need to treat her like a little kid and get her used to letting me touch her all over so that in the case of an emergency I can inspect her quickly without getting bitten to pieces! So, we've made this a game - and one she seems to like. When we got the harness I played tug-of-war with her with it. We did tickle the feets with it, and she grabbed it and I grabbed it and then we played tug-of-war. Since she's used to me holding her head so I can clean her beak, right after playing a little, I gently took hold of her head and slipped the harness over her head. She went ballistic at first, but after we talked for a while I was able to calm her down. Since she was distracted with the harness being over her head, I was able to slide her wings under it - and that really made her mad! But then I quickly told her we're going outside and we dashed outside so she could see what we were up to. She was REALLY interested in being outside, but didn't want to leave my shoulder. She did march around a little in the grass, but preferred to come back up on my shoulder. Now it's cold outside and I can't take her out. I'm hoping for some nice days as if I let too much time go between these activities she'll revert back to fighting me about the harness. So! It is an adventure taking them out!!! Cheers! Terri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkasper Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Wow, Terri that sounds like great progress. I bought one for Ned but like the typical impatient male I didn't bother watching the DVD before I attempted to put it on him. I managed to get it on him but he was NOT HAPPY. :blush: Now, after watching the DVD I'm trying to get him to slowly warm back up to just being near it. I hope I didn't ruin him forever from wearing it. I think if I go slow I can get him to try it again someday (hopefully). I've always been hard-headed about reading the instructions *FIRST* and this time I really wish I would have.... /mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nychsa Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hi Mike, I'm sure you can start over with Ned. I didn't watch the video either. It just seemed important to me that in order to make sure I can care for Bella properly I be able to check her out all over, including under her wings, her belly etc.. So, we made a game of it where we play tickle the feets, belly, wings, under the wings etc...She loves horsing around, and playing games so she's gotten used to me touching her all over, and I think that is what made it easier for me to slip the harness on. Good luck!! Terri 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