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Post by heatherg on Oct 12, 2022 0:26:44 GMT -5
I just realized your avatar is a painting! Very nice. Ralph is handsome.
The reason I like Quakers is because they are so quirky, I.e. “weird”. If I wanted a sweet little birdie I’d have found a cockatiel.
I am only sad that Willow doesn’t laugh at me or make rude comments. (like Lucy used to.). Maybe someday that will change.
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Post by biteybird on Oct 12, 2022 1:52:17 GMT -5
Haha, Gary , I have adopted one of the phrases you use with Ralph - “Thats not safe for parrots”.
I say it to Bonnie when she runs her beak along the bars and makes a weird noise.
I think she does it as an attention-seeking ploy. But it seems a bit manic for my liking.
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Post by biteybird on Oct 12, 2022 1:56:14 GMT -5
I just realized your avatar is a painting! Very nice. Ralph is handsome. The reason I like Quakers is because they are so quirky, I.e. “weird”. If I wanted a sweet little birdie I’d have found a cockatiel. I am only sad that Willow doesn’t laugh at me or make rude comments. (like Lucy used to.). Maybe someday that will change. Bonnie does a kind of cackling witch-like laugh & she does a questioning “Uhh?” when I blow air onto her feathers and make the ruffle. But she has never once said anything rude - she says only words that are complimentary to HER! 😀 |
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Post by heatherg on Oct 12, 2022 5:34:24 GMT -5
Hmm. Lucy learned to say “oh sh!t” when the alarm clock went off and then used the phrase for other things she didn’t like, like the Dustbuster. She would laugh if I dropped some thing which I did not entirely enjoy. It was thought provoking as I realized she was ALWAYS WATCHING and thinking about what I was doing. My life had a bird generated soundtrack. Utensil-setting-down noises, zipper noises, key noises….
Any bird that laughs and laughs and then staggers around it’s cage wheezing only to laugh some more is creepy smart, IMO.
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Post by cnyguy on Oct 12, 2022 20:07:08 GMT -5
I just realized your avatar is a painting! Very nice. Ralph is handsome. The reason I like Quakers is because they are so quirky, I.e. “weird”. If I wanted a sweet little birdie I’d have found a cockatiel. I am only sad that Willow doesn’t laugh at me or make rude comments. (like Lucy used to.). Maybe someday that will change. Ralph thanks you for the compliment. I painted his portrait several years ago when the arthritis in my hands wasn't so bad. It's based on a photo of him sitting on a bookshelf next to my collection of Sherlock Holmes books. For some reason, Ralph always picked that shelf to perch on. Since then, he's discovered other places that he'd rather sit, like the kitchen cupboard. Funny Quaker.  Green Quakers are usually called "normal Quakers," but I've always said that the word "normal" doesn't apply to QPs.  They do tend to be rugged individualists with definite ideas of their own. While they may do silly things, their intelligence should never be underestimated. Someday Willow may surprise you by laughing at you or giving you a "Bronx cheer." Even if he doesn't it's certain that he loves being with you. |
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Post by heatherg on Oct 13, 2022 6:36:15 GMT -5
Willow has started to laugh, quietly and not often, when I laugh while watching videos with him.
Lucy liked me to blow raspberries on her tummy, so I tried that with Willow. He looked shocked and horrified! I’ve never done that again. I’m afraid he would tell me that I’m being vulgar.
He will occasionally talk in his cage, saying “come here, step up,” etc. but he is quiet. Way quieter than Lucy was. But now I am living alone and the household is much quieter. So I guess that’s the way it is. We’ve been watching bird YouTube videos in hopes that will convince him that talking is Cool.
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Post by cnyguy on Oct 13, 2022 19:47:26 GMT -5
Willow and Ralph are proof that not all Quakers are noisy. Ralph knows and understands a lot of words but he usually whispers them when he repeats them. He'll squawk for my attention sometimes but even his squawks aren't that loud. Ralph laughs sometimes when he's playing but he doesn't usually laugh at me. He'll laugh too when I tell him that he's a silly little parrot.
Every parrot is an individual with his/her own likes and dislikes. The differences between Lucy and Willow demonstrate how true that is.
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Post by heatherg on Oct 26, 2022 23:01:29 GMT -5
I bought a couple mini pumpkins and drew faces on them with black magic marker. I have been trying to convince Willow that the pumpkin is not evil but he’s still reluctant to be near it. I don’t know if I will convince him it’s ok in time for a Halloween photo.
I’m pretty sure Jasper (Meyers) will just want to devour the pumpkin. I figure when I’m done with them I’ll peel off the marketer skin and feed wedges to the birds.
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Post by Caseysmom on Oct 27, 2022 7:12:42 GMT -5
Good luck with the pumpkin training. I have pictures of Casey with all my dogs but my current dog Oraia is scared of him and moves away if Casey is on me. They all have their own ideas of what they like. I would still love a picture of the two of them….
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They do tend to be rugged individualists with definite ideas of their own. While they may do silly things, their intelligence should never be underestimated.
