The first time I ever met a RFM was in 1997. He walked up to me asking for a kiss. I worked up the nerve to kiss him quickly on the top of his big black beak and he quickly shoved his tongue in my mouth. Then he laughed and jumped into my lap. I have wanted a RFM since 1997.
Last December my dream finally came true when Valentino came home at almost 4 months old. I got him from one of the best known RFM breeders in the country. I did my research and found Wendy Craig to be the one to get my RFM from. Before Valentino was ready to come home Wendy helped me though a very difficult time when my 17 year old Noble macaw died. She helped me realize not to give up and that Valentino will eventually help heal my heart. I never regretted the decision to follow though and take delivery on my RFM.
Valentino will be two years in August. He is the most challenging parrot I ever lived with. He is scary intelligent and at times presents me with issues being able to cater to that intelligence. He figured out African Grey brain toys in less than 10 mins. He takes apart things so I am constantly putting things back together. I wonder if he will start driving my car next.
Valentino can be very annoying at times. He likes to hang off of me and squeal. He likes to pull my hair and stick his tongue in my ear, nose, eye, mouth. His scream is like knives stabbing my brain and I have to leave the room. His scream is such a trigger to me I can easily loose my temper. It has to be the frequency and the loudness of it as I have lived with parrots for over 20 years and I have never had any of their screams cause me to react that way. Baby RFM have the reputation for screaming a lot and very loudly.
At 5 months of age Valentino began talking very clearly. Just out of the blue one day I heard someone talking downstairs while I was in my office working. I actually thought someone was in my home. I went downstairs to check it out and it was Valentino talking away. I have noticed since he started talking he screams less. He prefers to communicate with me with speech instead of screams now. Valentino still does scream at times but it is not as bad as when I first got him. It is still a trigger for me and I leave the room when he screams. This works best for me.
Because I kept Valentino's wings unclipped I taught him recall from day one. I also had to teach him to fly down to me from the upper level of my home. I never realized that parrots need to be taught to fly DOWN and I am very glad he now has that skill. Just in case he ever escapes I will be able to call him down to me from a height above like him perched high in a tree. RFM are one of the best fliers I ever worked with. He can hover and does this often when I command him to go to his Java tree and he wants to land on my shoulder ignoring my command. He will hover in the air until I give him the look and point to his tree. He can also fly sideways, backwards and has fun flying in a dizzying zig zag pattern. I can throw him up in the air talons sticking straight up and he will barrel roll in the correct position to fly. I love to watch him fly.
Wendy Craig describes the RFM very well on her website.
Red-Front
I also have several video's of Valentino on youtube under Tinian Raven account. Do the search for Tinian Raven and you will be able to see the video's I uploaded.
The longer I live with my RFM the more I love him. I can get frustrated with him but in the end I love this parrot very very much. No matter what my future holds I will not give up or place Valentino up for adoption.
As with any species they will have their pros and cons. Only you can know what you can live with. If you have any questions let me know and I will do my best to answer them. If you are a macaw person you will love the RFM. How can you not love a parrot that hugs you with their wings and roll on you like a puppy. A bonded RFM trust you will never drop them so they like to roll down your chest and squeal. One of Valentino's most endearing thing he does is when it is relaxing cuddle Momma time he will be lying on my chest all fluffy and say to me. "Do you love me?" and I always have to say "Yes I do. I love you." RFM feathers are the softest I ever had the pleasure to pet.
The day I picked him up from the airport.
One of my favorite pictures. Valentino is such a sexy beast
