FLOCK TALK
MY PHILOSOPHY
The chances are that I will not be a forever home. I am 48 years old. It is quite possible that they may outlive me or my abilities to provide care. And to that end, I want these parrots to be so very well behaved and socialized that the reasons for rehoming them again will not apply and each will have experienced so much variety here to find another long term committment with loving new relationships will be a snap. No screaming or biting. Able to occupy themselves and not expect to be out all the time. This is Harry, Jada and Boo's 3rd home. Jack's second. The pet store employees literally hated dealing with Jazz who has been a scrapper since the beginning. And we have issues here.
JACK THE BRAT
GREEN WINGED MACAW
He is a presumed male approximately 3.5 years of age. Jack has a few words in his vocabulary including: Hi Jack, Hello, what's that, step up, Uh oh. Jack likes to laugh. He thinks he is funny and connects the context. Jack also throws kisses and understands what it is about. Jack gives kisses for new food and treats or for new toys or to his favourite toys. He also gives kisses as contrition for yelling and biting something he shouldn't. Jack does step up but heads straight for my shoulder and isnt particularly cooperative about getting down. Jack's favourite friend is Jada, our tiniest bird ~ a Congo grey. Jack also has a few jealousy issues with the B&G. JACK'S HOME PAGE
JADA AFRICAN CONGO GREY
This was Jada when she first arrived here in February. She has her down feathers but not a single full sized feather otherwise. Not one tail or wing feather. Poor Jada. She is 4 years of age. A presumed female, though she tells herself alternately that she is a good girl or a good boy. She also has the mouth of a sailor and repeats epithaths regularly. Since coming here, 10 weeks ago she has picked up every phrase the other birds know, she mimics the Bichon bark and the tree frogs. She also will set off her own personal fire alarm every time I am cooking in the kitchen! Jada addresses many of her comments to Jack. Com'ere Jack........want a cookie Jack, right Jack, etc. She won't let me pick her up with a 10 foot pole but cuddles and smootches with my husband all the time. Jada currently has about 40% of her feathers back in thanks to the help of vitamins, spirulina and Feather Up. But Jada is biting off the ends of the new feathers and with her tail feathers isn't removing the sheaths. JADA'S HOME PAGE
HARRY BLUE AND GOLD MACAW
This is Harry ~ believed to be named after the infamous Harry Potter. But.........Harry is a girl! Harry is a 4 year old Blue and Gold macaw. Harry has been with us for about 1.5 years. In contrast to Jack she is a normally quiet and well behaved girl. Very shy. Doesn't attempt to get down from her cage or wander. Harry is only sometimes cooperative about stepping up and prefers to mostly stay by herself. She will nip when out if she is stressed and wants to go home. Harry says: good girl, Hi Harry, pretty bird, but usually only when she is contentedly ripping up paper. She can be an alarmist when she doesn't like something or someone. Oh, and her most common word.......Shut up! which she repeatedly tells the other birds to do. Jada has not picked up Harry's fondness for Shut up and never addresses her. Harry is a great bird to take outside. She will happily spend an hour or two in the outside aviary. MORE ABOUT HARRY
ABU THE MALE ECLECTUS
Boo is a 10 year old male eclectus. Although he and Jazz live side by side and have for a 3 year period, they are not bonded. Boo is currently on his 3rd home. He came to me very well socialized and handlable. And I never give a second thought to placing him on the arm of a 3 year old. He will go to anyone. He can be taken anywhere and remains very calm. I can hang him upside down, trim his nails and wings, without a squawk, etc. Gentle as a lamb, the saying goes. Boo is not a talker. Though sometimes under his blanket at night or early morning he has a few things to say to Jazz. There always has to be something....Boo is no exception, he is a wanderer. Though he never looks for trouble, just looking for his favourite person. His back, legs and under wings he tends to pluck on a twice a year basis. This behaviour began when Boo had a mate who intimidated him. In the wild, Ekki's never live together. He also has a piercing yell that I havent been able to control completely. ABU COMMENTS
JINJER ~ SOLOMON ISLAND FEMALE ECLECTUS
ROSY THE HOMICIDAL LOVE BIRD
OUR VERY SHORT ACQUAINTANCE WITH MOLLY
THE SAD TALE OF MAX AND ROSY
Max and Rosy are now on their 5th home in as many years. I was the 4th. Max and Rosy had a wonderful first year with a caring person who both spoiled and nurtured them. But when they were I believe about a year and a half that owner passed away. They were passed to an inexperienced relative at a time when heavy construction was being done next door and their nutritional needs were not being met. When I first saw the pair they were advertised in a classifieds on line. Photos showed their conditon as poor with huge feathering issues. I didn't manage to answer the ad quick enough and they were rehomed to another couple. Five months later they were up again. Their feather condition was very much improved, though Max had no tail feathers. (I should add that they had been on Feather Up and Spirulina.) MAX AND ROSY
THE SETTING
All of my buddies live in the dining room. It is the connecting room on our main floor. The living room to the front of it, the family room open to it at the rear and the kitchen off to the side. Jack and Harry live side by side with a space of about 3 feet between them. Jada has her own wall and Jazz and Boo are neighbours. All of the birds can be out at the same time. 4 on their cage tops and Jack on a large stand. I do have to move Jazzmine's cage a couple of feet. Boo has been known to bite her toes, seriously, when she gets to his cage. When he gets to her cage he follows her around and she feels cornered.
THE QUAKERS
The Quakers, were my first attempt to keep Jazzmine company. This was another situation that didn't work out. The Quakers ~ Willy and Nilly, were a very rowdy pair, squabbling constantly. They drove Jazzmine up the wall and around the bend while they were here. Jazz was a very unhappy girl.