Update on my old man Coca

[Giggleagain]

Coca the wild-caught African Timneh I adopted in January is doing very well. Against all recommendations I put him in a big cage (which he loves) and he spends his days on top of his cage on the play-area, or climbs down to the floor and goes exploring and playing with the toys in his treasure chest. He is very vocal (sounds and whistling) and very responsive to the same.

I don't touch him because he hates it, and at age 51 he has earned the right to hate whatever he wants to hate, and his wishes have to be respeted. My rescuing him didn't involve any ego trips of my own, and all I want is for him to feel comfortable. I am very surprised at his intelligence because even at his age he is learning color recognition and it took him but 3-4 times to be able to distinguish between blue and red. "Buuu" as he recently is vocalizing, is definitely his favorite color, but when he's told to pick the red "thing" he will do it, while longingly looking at "buu".

We'll add green next week!

Oh I wish the people at the rescue would give me the opportunity to speak to the family of his departed owner. If they would at least give them my number and ask them to call me........ but no, they're adamant they can't do that. I SO wish I could find out more about what happened in Coca's long life.

Ummm... can I talk you into believing that what you are seeing in the photo below is NOT upside down? I didn't think so

 

[Allee]

He looks fantastic, and so smart! The color recognition exercise you're teaching him is very impressive, not only does he get it but he seems to have a preference for the color blue. That takes real cognitive skills. I'm glad the two of you are getting along so well, he's obviously comfortable in his new home.

It's a shame the family of Coca's previous owner didn't pass along better information when they surrendered him.

Please fill us in when Coca lets you know how he feels about green.

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

My Timneh,Smokey,was a wild caught,and she just hated hands! I had her for 27 yrs before she passed away last April from an enlarged heart and kidney.
Over those years,she became to be a pretty sweet Grey..loved to yoink on your hair,or band her beaky on my forehead,and her vocabulary was impressive,to say the least.
If she was out of her house and I tried to get her to "step up" she would run/walk away,or grab my fingers and move them away.
She would get on my hand,only if she was cornered and had no place left to go,then tell me what a "good girl" she was But as soon as the moment arised,she'd fly off my hand,even when she knew she was clipped,then fall like a rock
BUT...she enjoyed being on my shoulder,girggling in my ear,nibbling on my lobe,playing with my hair...she just hated hands. I am assuming it was because she was stolen from her nest in the wild by some meanie with gloves on..

Jim

 

[Scott]

Thanks very much for the update. And a huge gesture of appreciation for what you have done for Coca. You have earned his love and respect - something not always easy for a Grey of unknown history. You've made the very best of what might have been an awkward relationship.