excitement

[Birdman666]

...well all but the flamingo [emoji14][emoji14]

You have... a flamingo?!? [emoji23]

SeaWorld has a whole flock of them, that have been patterned to accept humans as members of the flock. I got to play with them on "employee day" right before they introduced the new interactive flamingo exhibit. They quite literally flock around you... it's pretty cool.

I STILL haven't been to their new aviary. It's across the street from me, I had free passes, just didn't make it over there... something always came up. Sarah says it's spectacular, and that they'd have to kick me out of the park to get me to leave...

(I've already gotten in trouble a few times for hopping barriers and playing with their macaws. But they know me there... so I was just asked not to set a bad example. The public sees that stuff and doesn't understand...)

 

[Anansi]

How about video recording this session? I'm sure quite a few members would find it very helpful. And most everyone would find it very interesting.

 

[Birdman666]

Maybe you could bring Maggie to our house to teach Zoe. I'm not exaggerating one bit when I say I can put Zoe down, turn my back for 2 seconds, turn back around and she will have caused some kind of havoc. Last time I went to the rest room and left her loose I came out and discovered her trying to dismantle the bathroom door handle.

TRYING NOT TO LAUGH.... MUST RESIST... RESISTANCE IS FUTILE...

YOU WILL CRACK UP NOW!

BTM's and RFM's are very, very similar in behaviors. Sweepea did the same sort of stuff to me when she was that age. There was about a six to eight month period of time where she just about drove me nuts dismantling everything in sight, and just being a little stinker...

Then she grew out of it. Now she stays put, and doesn't dismantle stuff (much) anymore. So, just be consistent with it. It will pass. (Eventually.) Hopefully before she "redecorates" like these two did:

https://www.facebook.com/LoversParr...2214159484380/863684860337307/?type=1&theater

 

[Birdman666]

How about video recording this session? I'm sure quite a few members would find it very helpful. And most everyone would find it very interesting.

I'm gonna have my hands full as it is without worrying about production....

We'll take pics...

Maybe some of the basics, i.e. how to approach and pick up a bird that doesn't necessarily want to be picked up.

 

[hsb_birds]

...well all but the flamingo [emoji14][emoji14]

You have... a flamingo?!? [emoji23]

yes Mingo is our flamingo

 

[JerseyWendy]

Maybe you could bring Maggie to our house to teach Zoe. I'm not exaggerating one bit when I say I can put Zoe down, turn my back for 2 seconds, turn back around and she will have caused some kind of havoc. Last time I went to the rest room and left her loose I came out and discovered her trying to dismantle the bathroom door handle.

Just leave the door open next time???? :54:

 

[Birdman666]

[/url] Just leave the door open next time???? :54:

That would work if he stopped at dismantling HER OWN cage to get out...

But HER OWN CAGE is just the warm up...

Trust me! I've been through this myself. There was a time when I had to keep the upper and lower treat cup doors of Pea Pod's cage PADLOCKED... or sure as hell, they'd be off in a heartbeat...

And everyone else's would be next!!!

BEEN THERE! DONE THAT!!!

It's a phase...

A particularly annoying phase...

A sometimes I love this bird to death, but right now I want to strangle her WHAT WAS I THINKING?! phase...

Took me 6-8 months to completely break her of it, and yes we butted heads a lot in those days... it was the NOT FUN part of red front ownership. The MOST NOT FUN part as I recall...

Actually, thus far, it's really been about the only NOT FUN part of red front ownership. She's been a good bird otherwise.

 

[thekarens]

Maybe you could bring Maggie to our house to teach Zoe. I'm not exaggerating one bit when I say I can put Zoe down, turn my back for 2 seconds, turn back around and she will have caused some kind of havoc. Last time I went to the rest room and left her loose I came out and discovered her trying to dismantle the bathroom door handle.

Just leave the door open next time???? :54:

LOL, I would do that, but don't want to give our son more of a show than he needs from his mother

 

[hsb_birds]

Apple is pumped to see Maggie lol <3 hey does anyone's GW like zippers??? I'm trying to type with apple on my arm and he is constantly trying to get my zipper and lick my face lol hes sweet (yes hes the one who gave me the hairline fracture lol) love him no matter what!!!

 

[Birdman666]

My red front also went through a phase where she tried to bite every zipper she saw in half... I lost two jackets and three pair of pants that way...

I actually try not to buy things with zippers or buttons on them, if I'm going to be handling a bird, because, they won't be on there for long!

I think that one is a universal truth. Especially buttons...

 

[Birdman666]

With Sweepea, it was the thrill of discovering how easily he could dismantle things, and then, it became what else can I dismantle....

Eventually the thrill of dismantling things wore off and she just lost interest... but it took awhile for that to happen. AND SHE WAS A ROYAL PAIN WHEN SHE WAS GOING THROUGH THAT STAGE.

 

[thekarens]

With Sweepea, it was the thrill of discovering how easily he could dismantle things, and then, it became what else can I dismantle....



Eventually the thrill of dismantling things wore off and she just lost interest... but it took awhile for that to happen. AND SHE WAS A ROYAL PAIN WHEN SHE WAS GOING THROUGH THAT STAGE.

That's where we are. Yesterday she discovered she could bend the stainless bowls to get them out and toss her food/water.

 

[Anansi]

Bend them?!? Geez! Steroid, much? Lol!

 

[Birdman666]

Bend them?!? Geez! Steroid, much? Lol!

Greenwings get an impressive amount of leverage out of that crowbar on their face... and BTM's have an impressive amount of skill and coordination in using that crowbar.

And metal zippers just get instantly snapped in half... Sweepea can do that. Her bite pressure doesn't even approach Maggie's.

Like I say, I've seen Maggie snap ABC block in half, just by applying bite pressure...

So a hairline fracture of a finger isn't really trying... that's more accidental over-exuberance. (Finger on ice doesn't even require that much effort.)

 

[Birdman666]

Now I'm starting to get excited!

Looked at some of my old notes last night (between periods of course... it's PUCKHEAD season.) My memory isn't what it once was. And frankly, none of mine bite, so I haven't had to use this stuff in years...

As an aside, Tusk now does the Blackhawk goal scoring song PERFECTLY...

 

[JerseyWendy]

My red front also went through a phase where she tried to bite every zipper she saw in half... I lost two jackets and three pair of pants that way...
...

You do NOT want to know what visual that statement resulted in.

 

[Birdman666]

TRUST ME...

Makes you think twice about having a bird that powerful on your lap!!!

And yes, it happened in a public place once...

"Your zipper is open..."

"No actually my bird bit it in half."

"Oh...[insert snickering sound here.]"

Not as bad as the infamous Demitre shower scene, but still....

 

[hsb_birds]

1 more day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so ready for tomorrow

 

[hsb_birds]

today is the day so ready to meet Mark and Maggie and his daughter and train!!! I'll post once more before I leave today ... maybe and will do alot tomorrow

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh please don't forget to take a boatload of photos, ok???

Have fun!!!