Right now Salty is.....

[wrench13]

Because the temps today were in the low 50's, I decided to harness Salty up and go visit his Mommy (Geri) in the re-hab facility has been in since mid-October, to cheer her up a bit. Also in preparation for the presentation I am making in March to the local bird club. He was a bit hit with the residents and staff, and he was very cool about all the strangers in strange surroundings. Cool UNTIL one of the staff members tried to touch his tail feathers (she might have even actually made contact). He let out a typical Amazon scream and everyone jumped back a few feet. I guess I'll have to do more desensitizing trips there and other places, weather and temps permitting, before March - I really would like to bring him along to the presentation.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Because the temps today were in the low 50's, I decided to harness Salty up and go visit his Mommy (Geri) in the re-hab facility has been in since mid-October, to cheer her up a bit. Also in preparation for the presentation I am making in March to the local bird club. He was a bit hit with the residents and staff, and he was very cool about all the strangers in strange surroundings. Cool UNTIL one of the staff members tried to touch his tail feathers (she might have even actually made contact). He let out a typical Amazon scream and everyone jumped back a few feet. I guess I'll have to do more desensitizing trips there and other places, weather and temps permitting, before March - I really would like to bring him along to the presentation.

Pretty gutsy to try to touch a strange parrot's tail- lucky they didn't get bitten! I bet they won't try that again!

 

[wrench13]

Right?? THis person even asked me earlier if he bites! (Answer - YES, he is more then happy to bite you!). I suspect she is a 'volunteer' there and perhaps not all there mentally.

 

[SailBoat]

One of the on-going issues is that although we are fairly confident we know what our Amazons' may do! There is no way to anticipate what Humans will do and/or say!

Salty was really very well behaved as if Julio would have been the one that was touched! He has a strong history of rewarding stupid! It seems to never fail that Humans seem destined to get bitten, even when warned. Must be something to that hot stove story!

Well, at least "most" Parrot owners know not to do that! Yes, I did say most!!

 

[GaleriaGila]

Quick update. Tried teaching Salty a new trick tonight, so I could video it for a presentation I am making soon for the local parrot society. i wanted to show how we introduce a new trick and how Salty learns it. But the lil smarty pants learned it in 1 try! Thats not a good teaching video.

As I said above the Long Island Parrot Society asked me to do a presentation at their in-person meeting in March. I am pretty jazzed about that, usually they have nationally known people in aviculture, Authors and directors of parrot sanctuaries for CITES listed parrots, this kind of person. I suppose some of the Board members have seen some of Salty's videos. I am gonna call it "Salty and I - How We Got Here".

Geri is still in rehab and will be past X-mas, so having Salty visit the facility is a must! She still hasn't seen Tinker's grave. We buried her not in our traditional place for past pets (under a BIG boulder with the names carved into it) but in her favorite sunning spot in the backyard.

Roudybush, the maker of the only pellet Salty eats, is suddenly no longer available at any of the box store type pet stores here on Long Island, I had to buy some on-line and the bag had moths!! Grrr! I hope this is not them retracting from the parrot food sector. It was too hard and long to get Salty to see this as food.

You GO, boy! Salty's workin' it on out.

Glad glad glad to hear you're bringing sunshineSalty to see Geri.

I really felt I knew that doggone Tinker.

 

[wrench13]

Well Salty done hurt his lil beaky again. I can always tell once we come to training time. He takes his reward treat VERY gingerly and deliberately and I can tell the tricks where his beak is involved, he is hesitant to do, so we keep to the ones where he doesn't need to use his beak at all. And I crush up a few pine nuts to powder almost as his big reward at the end. Poor guy, I'll keep a close watch the next few days.

 

[SailBoat]

I recall that he as done it before, but I do not recall what he did to cause it! Was he twisting his bill with the cage bars??

 

[wrench13]

No 'Boats, just playing on his play-chain. He did fall off and I suspect he hurt himself in that. I think he may have bit his toung rather then hurting his beak. His beak is like razor sharp!

 

[SailBoat]

No 'Boats, just playing on his play-chain. He did fall off and I suspect he hurt himself in that. I think he may have bit his toung rather then hurting his beak. His beak is like razor sharp!

Ouch! I can see that would have him easing back!!
Yaa, Julio keeps his razor sharp as well!
Thanks to God, he uses proper beak pressure!!

 

[wrench13]

Oh hell's yes! In fact we had a nice scritching session on Sunday and Salty wanted to hold my finger while he was receiving. He could have easily sliced my finger to ribbons. But his pressure was light and he knows the difference. Even when we 'roughhouse' play he knows what is OK and not OK. His warning 'mmeehhh' bite is light. But the next one, if I persist, well fools tread where others don't.

 

[wrench13]

Salty is so polite and calm lately. My youngest was over for dinner and Salty was even civil to HIM, his #1 person to be hated! Could this be maturity finally showing up? Adult perspective? A Zen-like outlook on the world? Or should I be waiting for the other shoe to drop? What could he have up that feathered sleeve??

 

[GaleriaGila]

Oh, how would it be, to have a parrot who's even passingly sociable. Our brilliant avian vet says the Rb is worse to handle than the raptors he supervises at the zoo. He attacks anyone but me without rhyme or reason, and has to be cage-bound when we have visitors. I fully accept that this is the consequence of my pathetic behavior management, but DANG, consider these genes: they burrow nests (in limestone cliffs) within feet of each other so that they can fight all the time!

Salty, you are a prince among parrots.
Prince Salty.
Prince says he wrote this while looking in the mirror. I believe it.
I dedicate it to Salty, with apologies to not-a-fan-of-Prince-ers.

 

[wrench13]

LMAO Gale, shows you how deep I dived into alternative music in the 80's, I had no idea who wrote that song. Every few years I resurface to look around and see what music is doing; sorry but Prince wasn't on my radar then or now.

 

[SailBoat]

Salty is so polite and calm lately. My youngest was over for dinner and Salty was even civil to HIM, his #1 person to be hated! Could this be maturity finally showing up? Adult perspective? A Zen-like outlook on the world? Or should I be waiting for the other shoe to drop? What could he have up that feathered sleeve??

Unless his beloved is home and has been for a few weeks, its keep one's eye's closely on the feather ball with the sharp beak!

 

[4 way borbs]

Salty is so polite and calm lately. My youngest was over for dinner and Salty was even civil to HIM, his #1 person to be hated! Could this be maturity finally showing up? Adult perspective? A Zen-like outlook on the world? Or should I be waiting for the other shoe to drop? What could he have up that feathered sleeve??

ha! once Andy went through a "good bird" stage and two months later she figured out that paper is a scrummy snack and i have to guard my books to stop her ruthless taste buds! that face is too cute to be true!

 

[GaleriaGila]

LMAO Gale, shows you how deep I dived into alternative music in the 80's, I had no idea who wrote that song. Every few years I resurface to look around and see what music is doing; sorry but Prince wasn't on my radar then or now.

Happy to undertake your education in pop culture, Wrenchie!!

 

[Rival_of_the_Rickeybird]

Can we find a mind-switch machine like in the old sci-fi comics, and hook Salty and the Rickeybird up?????

 

[SailBoat]

Can we find a mind-switch machine like in the old sci-fi comics, and hook Salty and the Rickeybird up?????
View attachment 57173

Sadly, Julio would simply unplug it! Based on his choice of being 'free roaming' by simply disassembling his cage three days in a roll.

 

[4 way borbs]

Can we find a mind-switch machine like in the old sci-fi comics, and hook Salty and the Rickeybird up?????
View attachment 57173

if the sheep see's his flock......

 

[wrench13]

Rival, ol buddy, not a chance!!