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Post by siobhan on Jun 7, 2016 13:26:09 GMT -5
Rocky 'Too was a closet talker until recently. He would wait until he was covered for the night and then talk and talk and only rarely did he talk when he was out. Lately he's begun talking when he's out, too, and yesterday just chatted up a storm while we were sitting on the porch.
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Post by cnyguy on Jun 7, 2016 20:25:54 GMT -5
Scooter is supposedly a chatterbox, but she hasn't been since she's been here. She'll say something every now and then, when the spirit moves her. I'm not sure why she decided to be so talkative while I was out on the balcony. Both parrots could see me, and we could talk back and forth through the screen door. We had a brief hailstorm this afternoon, and it made quite a racket. Both parrots sat still as statues for a while, then Scooter piped up with "Too noisy!"  I guess maybe she had been told that in her former home, so maybe she does get a little vocal sometimes. |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jun 8, 2016 0:27:43 GMT -5
That's a pretty impressive comment by Scooter.
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Post by biteybird on Jun 8, 2016 3:26:46 GMT -5
I agree with Jan; very impressive and in context, too!  |
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Post by cnyguy on Jun 8, 2016 20:42:18 GMT -5
Scooter is supposed to know several words and phrases that she can use in context. I haven't heard many yet, but as she gets more comfortable here, I'm sure she'll have more to say. In her prior home, she learned to make the sound of a pop-top can opening when the owner's husband came into the room with a can of soda or beer. She's also supposed to say "Time to go to sleep" when the lights are turned off, but I haven't heard that one yet. She has said "It's okay, Scooter" when she hears an odd noise that might be a little scary to her. |
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Post by cnyguy on Jun 15, 2016 20:54:58 GMT -5
Scooter had a visit today from her former owner, and it seemed to be a little unsettling for her. At first, Scooter backed away from her, then came over to greet her. and ask for scritches. Her former owner kept asking Scooter if she was unhappy here and if she'd like to go home-- then told her she'd be staying here and would like it here someday. I don't think that was helpful. After she left, Scooter spent the rest of the day chewing off breast feathers.  I decided to give her a misting later, and added some aloe juice to the water, and also gave Scooter a little chamomile tea tonight to try to get her settled down again. |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jun 15, 2016 21:29:29 GMT -5
"Scooter spent the rest of the day chewing off breast feathers" - that says it all. She should not be returned to her former owner as there is obviously some sort of stress involved. Is she settling?
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Post by Caseysmom on Jun 15, 2016 21:36:16 GMT -5
Poor Scooter, no that wasn't helpful st all... I guess it made your friend happy to see her but very confusing for Scooter. I rescued gaston when he was one and a half. His first owner came by a few times to see him, but the last time she came gaston screamed when she picked him up and ran over to me. She cried said she was glad he was happy and clearly loved us but never came back. hopefully Scooters first owner will see how happy she is with you.
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Post by siobhan on Jun 16, 2016 10:02:11 GMT -5
I have to agree. It doesn't sound as if the former owner had a good relationship with Scooter and she should stay with you, and perhaps no more visits from Former Owner, at least until Scooter feels completely at home with you.
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Post by easttex on Jun 16, 2016 11:01:37 GMT -5
That her previous owner didn't really consider Scooter's reactions beforehand tells me you're the one for her. (As if we didn't all know that already. ) Along with that high intelligence comes a lot of sensitivity. |
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Post by cnyguy on Jun 16, 2016 20:20:29 GMT -5
I think Scooter's initial reaction was "Hey, you gave me up, remember? I don't want to talk to you anymore." Then she decided, "Well, you were always good to me, so I guess you can scratch my head." Today, I've been telling Scooter that if she's ever asked again if she wants to go home to respond "I am home!" She was in good spirits today and even splashed around in her water dish (not a very effective bath, but she's trying). She does seem to feel that she belongs here, but still isn't completely at ease. She will step up, but wants to step right back down; she's content to perch on the fold-down door on her cage, but that's as far as she's ready to go. She looks around from there, stretching out to see through the kitchen doorway and looking over at the sliding glass door (not much to see at this time of year except the big maple tree out there and the plants on the balcony), so she is interested in everything-- but still learning that the things she sees aren't going to bother her or harm her. She sees how confident Ralph is when he's out of his cage too, and is undoubtedly thinking that over. |
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Post by siobhan on Jun 17, 2016 10:12:56 GMT -5
She'll come around. Birds settle in at their own pace. Jade was "home" from the moment we let her out of her carrier. Clyde was as soon as he recovered from being outdoors on his own until he located us. That took three or four days of a lot of eating and napping. Benjy took a couple of YEARS. It just varies by bird.
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Post by cnyguy on Jun 17, 2016 20:54:55 GMT -5
She'll come around. Birds settle in at their own pace. Jade was "home" from the moment we let her out of her carrier. Clyde was as soon as he recovered from being outdoors on his own until he located us. That took three or four days of a lot of eating and napping. Benjy took a couple of YEARS. It just varies by bird. I know you're right. I think that Scooter's nervousness and apprehension is normal for her, so it will take more time for her to get used to anything new or different. George the YCA was at home five minutes after he came through the door. Ralph seemed to know he was here to stay from the beginning, but it took him a few weeks to be completely comfortable here. Scooter will settle in, but I expect she'll always be a little wary of everything she sees and hears. |
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Post by easttex on Jun 18, 2016 3:32:33 GMT -5
I was able to handle Allie right from the start, for some reason. I think I was more tentative than she was in the very beginning. But it did take a while for her to really settle in, and caution and wariness is in her DNA. One of these days I'm going to look for studies on my theory about ground-feeding birds and cautious natures. There must be some out there.
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Post by cnyguy on Jun 20, 2016 19:39:25 GMT -5
Scooter has been more talkative the last few days, saying mostly phrases she's known for a long time, in her former owner's voice. Today, she said a new one, in my voice: "pretty grey parrot." I tell her quite often that's what she is. Today she also said something in context and for a good reason. She said "Scooter, you need fresh water." I'd given her some only a few minutes earlier, but when I looked, I found that she'd pooped in her water dish-- she really did need fresh water. |
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I guess maybe she had been told that in her former home, so maybe she does get a little vocal sometimes. 
I decided to give her a misting later, and added some aloe juice to the water, and also gave Scooter a little chamomile tea tonight to try to get her settled down again. 
