Antics

[thegars]

Working on clicker and target training....still....it’s ok...she is attentive to it but she is NOT a treat hound....we have tried everything under the sun....she loves her Harrison’s, vegetables, Avicakes etc...but in her bowls...she likes grapes and apples but won’t take little pieces, wants a slice or a grape in her bowl...we walk her around the house, we take her outside in the enclosed lanai....everything I have read, tried and well....as I said earlier, when we trimmed her wings...she became even more loving and wouldn’t bite...but I want a healthy bird....not a fat lazy one...lol

 

[thegars]

Btw...thank you all....your suggestions do not fall on deaf ears....tried/trying most every one of them....sometimes multiple times...be well...

 

[thegars]

Not a new antic...but one to address....at soon to be 4 years old...Debbie is too smart..lol...she knows when my wife and I are going to leave the house....like if we put on shoes or gather things to take with us and becomes pretty hard to convince to go to her cage....she’s flighted and just flies away when you get her close to her cage...tried putting a treat in her food bowl, she figured out that that was a trick...lol....changing our pre departure routines worked for a while but....not so much anymore...she just knows! It can take 15 minutes to get her in her cage! Ok normally but if we have to leave in a hurry...not so good!

 

[bigfellasdad]

I know that one too, they have 6th sense for it don't they. if im nipping out for a few minutes, ill tell Enzo just that and she will go in shouting 'bye' in a rather posh woman's voice. If I just say 'bye bye' she can take a good few minutes going in as she knows ill be gone for some time. If im in a hurry to go out, I will get her in before I put my shoes on, that's often the quickest way.

 

[thegars]

Update...spring time...fun...hormonal....flighted....now 4-1/2 years old....bought a beautiful java tree perch....silly bird scared to death....working slowly to acclimate her to its presence...as I said, another spring...love being her human but damn...lol

 

[bigfellasdad]

2 things, regurgitating isn't only a sexual thing, its also an 'i'm really happy to see you' thing. let Debbie know you are happy too.

The worrying thing is her interaction with your wife, i havent an answer for that one as i have that too with any new woman in my life, parrots know human sex (m/f) and for sure it seems greys have a favourite. My longest standing GF and Enzo have just come to an agreement where they tolerate each other only. I wish I could improve things but not managed as yet. It has certainly got passed the bighting/stalking/flying at stage, but the jealousy thing is still strong. im not sure there is an answer

One thing, every time i return to my house, the fist thing i ALWAYS do is greet Enzo, always, no exception......no exception.... Try and get your wife to do the same, I tried with GF but she doesnt try so hard.

 

[thegars]

Here’s even more to add to my conundrum....Debbie actually prefers or is less frightened by women, except for me. She’s improving in her acceptance of either sex but more relaxed with women. Socializing has been a priority lately...now I’m not entirely sure that her/his behavior is hormonal but she acted pretty much the same last year about now...hmmm...12 hours of light/ dark year round...out and about most of the day...I really don’t want to do it, but last year we finally resorted to trimming her wings...behavior calmed immediately! But she loves to fly around the house and We enjoy the happy flighted goofy bird!

 

[thegars]

Sadly, we did have Debbie’s wings trimmed….she became a bit too unruly…fortunately it’s a minor trim and she can still get around…also molting so her feathers will return pretty quickly…her behavior changes immediately….yet she doesn’t seem saddened nor depressed….still comes over for attention from both my wife and I, just doesn’t bite, laugh and fly off…still out of her cage 8-10 hours a day with plenty of perches, toys and sunshine…actually has 3 distinct areas to enjoy safely…hopefully her last wing trim…

 

[Scott]

Hopefully Debbie learns a bit of restraint. One of my Goffins became unusually out of control about 10 years ago, my CAV suggested wing clip. Worked like a charm, as sweet as ever with no repeats!

 

[thegars]

Well….Debbie is 5-1/2 now….coming into her own. Confidence improvement…until time to be put into travel cage and go to vet for nail trim! Just terrified! We keep her travel cage nearby so as to desensitize her around it…she land nearby but doesn’t really want to acknowledge it’s existence. Patience and persistence but really heart broken when we need to go to the vet….trying everything we can come up with, even keeping the towel used to get her in the travel cage nearby, putting her favorite treats near the door way, she’ll tear up the towel but ignore the treats!

 

[thegars]

Debbie will be 6 years old in October! Where has time gone? She has become my wife’s best friend! Calls for her when she can’t find her. Lands at the bathroom door and knocks and tries to push it open if she’s in there! Will sit on her hand for what seems like hours, staring or giving her kisses! Just hates her having anything holding her hair! I think she thinks her hair clips are eating my wife’s head…lol and will attack.
We both seem to have our places with her, I get her when she’s scaredy-cat, flies right to me for rescuing, I’m also the one that gets to give head scratches!

 

[Terry57]

Debbie will be 6 years old in October! Where has time gone? She has become my wife’s best friend! Calls for her when she can’t find her. Lands at the bathroom door and knocks and tries to push it open if she’s in there! Will sit on her hand for what seems like hours, staring or giving her kisses! Just hates her having anything holding her hair! I think she thinks her hair clips are eating my wife’s head…lol and will attack.
We both seem to have our places with her, I get her when she’s scaredy-cat, flies right to me for rescuing, I’m also the one that gets to give head scratches!

What a fantastic update! I love how Debbie needs you and your wife for different things
Any pictures you'd like to share? I'd love to see her

 

[ScottinSoCal]

Just hates her having anything holding her hair! I think she thinks her hair clips are eating my wife’s head…lol and will attack.

Probably just thinks it's something stuck in there, and as a good flockmate, wants to preen it out
Scooter investigates everything in my beard or mustache, to see if there's something that needs grooming. I return the favor by cracking feather sheaths on her head and neck, and getting rid of the little flakes.

 

[thegars]

Debbie

 

[BirdyBee]

Debbie

Aww she's such a cutie ❤

 

[Cottonoid]

She's beautiful! So is your home - I love that wall behind Debbie's tree!

 

[wrench13]

LOL, in typical parrot fashion, they get a lovely tree stand and only spend time on the very highest point.

 

[thegars]

LOL, in typical parrot fashion, they get a lovely tree stand and only spend time on the very highest point.

Absolutely! Although when she demands a treat she happily goes lower and keeps banging the treat toy…lol

 

[thegars]

Debbie’s transformation over the last year has astonished us here. She just returned from a very long adventure in the car with us! Florida to northwest Indiana and back! Absolutely unfazed after the first 1/2 hour and daylight came. We covered her cage on three sides to keep the distractions at a minimum. She quietly sat on her perch or talked, ate and drank water! Met new friends and family while visiting then turned around and made the trip home! Got in the house, she saw her big cage, flew to it and headed to her “night night” perch!

 

[wrench13]

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