Come here!

Today Zada has been doing this really cute thing. I say "Hey! Come here!" And she goes "MMMMMM!" And runs to me haha. Thought I would share.

Glad to hear she's done running from you

She let Pat hold her on her back in one hand!

OH, that's good news! I know you were a bit worried about her warming up to you and that sounds like excellent progress.

Yeah she is starting to tolerate us haha. She only lets me pet her through the cage though. Except once haha.

Aww!!!

She sounds so smart

Awww she sounds like she is really settling in!

Be sure to give her nummies when she does something wonderful like that for you. Reinforce that good behavior!

I must say, I'm a bit jealous of you getting to have a big bird, it sounds like so much FUN!

Definitely, what Vicki said, reward her when she does what you want her too. Doesn't always have to be with treats, loving works too, but babies react more quickly to food.

Vikki wrote:

Definitely, what Vicki said, reward her when she does what you want her too. Doesn't always have to be with treats, loving works too, but babies react more quickly to food.

Einstein has always reacted better with love than with food

Maybe she thinks you're yummy??

Glad to hear she's approving of her mom now

i am pleased for you that things are working out...great news after a rocky start...we are all secretly jealous of you...lol


dusty

She's warming more and more each day! Today she even preened my hair! She also tries to take Pat's freckles off haha. She's a very intense litte lady, and I think thats just the macaw personality. Everything about her personality is big haha. But I like that she just puts everything out there, if that makes sense. Its easy to tell what she wants. And she isn't much of a cuddlier, but she likes her feet held, have her beak and head rubbed, and she is very content to sit and watch me read while she turns a piece of wood into a plie of toothpicks! (I stepped on one yesterday, ouch!) She is really hyper!!! And always trying to get into trouble. Haha she's a lot of fun

That's a baby's job: to get into trouble, then be cute enough to get out of trouble .

RogerP wrote:

That's a baby's job: to get into trouble, then be cute enough to get out of trouble .

So true Roger!

While your back is turned:
When you realize baby has chewed up something you'd rather it hadn't: "What's wrong, mama?"

Haha no she makes sure I'm watching!!
And she makes this weird, almost like a panting noise, at night. If someone walks by her cage or something. She did it just now, I was holding her, then I turned the light off and she started making the weird panting/hiss type sound. Does it mean she is scared?

I think I know what you're talking about. It means she's not comfortable. My cockatiels do that, when they're not sure about something and are trying to scare it off. Usually when it's dark or if there's a big animal like a dog nearby. It's a warning sound: "Don't come any closer!"

Yup, thats the way of it. And macaws have HUGE personalities...and they get bigger every day.

evil chicken wrote:

I think I know what you're talking about. It means she's not comfortable. My cockatiels do that, when they're not sure about something and are trying to scare it off. Usually when it's dark or if there's a big animal like a dog nearby. It's a warning sound: "Don't come any closer!"

"I'm a cockatiel and I'll mess you up!"

Einstein does the same thing. If I come home late, and check on the birds, he'll sometimes wake up and start hissing. Then I turn on the light and show him it's just me. He then starts singing and begging to be let out.

Sebastian whispers in the dark, he's aware that we have to be quiet. I think its so cute, though when we first moved into the new place, I accidentally grabbed his cage on my way to the bathroom late one night (there were still boxes everywhere and I had to move his cage to get around it) and he didn't know it was me. Grabbed my finger and nearly ripped the tip off. I screamed quietly to myself (LOL) wrapped it with gauze and tape and went to bed. Next morning I saw there was a trail of blood to the bathroom and my finger was pretty well mangled. (It was late and I think I was in shock) Now I know to talk to him if I ever am near his cage in the dark.

That's why I developed a particular sound, a quiet "cluck" that I make with my tongue, that my birds identify with me without words. At night, any talking gets the dogs moving and my husband is very sensitive to people speaking... Don't know why... But if I cluck, the birds know its me and don't freak out if I have to reach into their cage or grab them for anything. It also reassures them if they alert on something that isn't a big deal. I just cluck and they go on about their business.

Sebastian is really the only one who will make noise at night. The others are pretty much dead quiet when its dark. Pickle will mumble under his breath, but never yells or goes above a whisper. Bryan sleeps like the dead and the cats don't react vocally so...

What I do think is cute is that when Bryan goes past Sebastian's cage at night to go to the bathroom (his cage is next to the bathroom door) he whispers "Hi big guy" LOL. I said "Maybe he's gay?" LOL

Apple hisses too, and I do the soft clicking with my tongue, which Apple mimics back to me

Apple hisses too, and I do the soft clicking with my tongue, which Apple mimics back to me

Is it a constant hiss or is it only when you're near her cage in the dark?