Alex & Me, by Dr. Irene Pepperberg

[HRH Di]

I got a copy of this book from my daughter for Mother's Day. It's not a particularly long book and I read it in a little under a week. Dr. Pepperberg's research was amazing. She challenged so many "truths" about how animals think or even if they think. I'd like to start working with Ruby and see how much she can learn. I'm sure she's every bit as smart as Alex.

The saddest part of the book is that Dr. Pepperberg thought of Alex as a collegue instead of a companion. It wasn't until after he passed away that she realized how much she missed in that regard.

I highly recommend this book for any parront, especially if one has a CAG.

 

[Spiritbird]

Yes it is a very good read for any bird lover. I think it was sad in some ways when Alex would say "wanna go back" meaning his cage. I wonder if he liked his life in a lab. There is a second book I understand but do not know if it is completed.

 

[antoinette]

I was viewing some of his video's on youtube, I must admit, I personally think he was not happy in the lab. He did not look well at all. His feathers were in a shocking state.

 

[Abzeez]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqPvsB9-_J0&feature=fvst]YouTube - Alex the smart parrot passes away[/ame]


Here's one video I found on youtube. You're right. He really didn't seem to happy. Everything seemed more like a chore, and I wonder if there was ever any play time, or was it always learning.

 

[antoinette]

I am searching for another one, Alex looks too terrible, you can see he had been plucking. Will try find it.....

 

[HRH Di]

I'm looking for the special they did with Alan Alda. The research provided wonderful things for the advancement of the treatment of parrots and other animals. Beginning to how they think and learn is amazing.

But, I agree, about Alex's quality of life. In the book she talks about his training and the things he learned. She refers to his "play time" occassionally, but, I think Alex really loved her but she never let hims know that she loved him back. He learned to say "I love you" from students. That's just sad.

From the tone of the first and last chapters when she focuses on his passing, I feel that she knows now what a mistake it was not to tell him, but it's too late for Alex. He did everything and more that she asked him to do. I'm sure he would have liked to know that she loved him back.

 

[Abzeez]

Griffin, her 12 year old?? Grey is in the same condition. So it doesn't seem like she learned to much.

 

[merlinsmom13]

It makes me ashamed to be human. We never realize how good things are until they are gone. I bet Alex lived in the lab, never had the home environment that our birds do. The most heartbreaking thing is that being so smart, Alex probably realized what he didn't have. He spent 31 years performing, hoping that his human would love him after this trick & the next trick, it apparently it never happened for him.

 

[antoinette]

I enjoy just watching Mishka being himself, playing and swinging in his cage, his favourite pass time. He is always learning something, even in his cage. When he swings on a certain chain, with a bell, I tell him go ring the bell (which hangs at the bottom) He then proceeds to ring the bell, and I promise you he giggles when he does it. When he sits on my lap at night, if he feels like playing and not training we play. I make sure his training sessions are such fun, that he looks forward to it. I am sure he thinks its playtime all the time, whether he is learning new words or tricks. We have the most amazing relationship, we even think alike, and I am not joking, we are definitely on the same wave length. Yesterday I dropped a water jug, water every where, Mishka sat in his cage watching me, and said oh oh I'm in trouble.

There is not a thing I would change about about the way I have brought Mishka up

Oh hold on ....... there is one thing I wish I could have done differently, and taught him to use a stick to step up onto more often. Once in a blue moon, he will use the stick, but prefers the hand.

 

[antoinette]

Mishka brought me to tears AGAIN..... when videoing him, I heard him saying some thing so special, he touched my heart so deeply.

By this message on video, I know Mishka knows he is loved and cared for.
When wanting my attention now he calls me, tells me he loves me, knowing I can't ignore him LoL

I pray that Alex knew that he was loved by so many people, and felt the love.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5eukP3SLI8"]YouTube - World's Amazing Talking African Grey Parrot "MISHKA" A Message for Mommy[/ame]

 

[Spiritbird]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW I LOVE MOMMY What a special boy he is.

 

[HRH Di]

We have the most amazing relationship, we even think alike, and I am not joking, we are definitely on the same wave length.

This was really the point I was trying to make. I'm sure Dr. Pepperberg's parrots are given the best health care and given affection - just not by her. I think she missd out on the most rewarding part of the relationship, and, consequently, so did Alex. From reading the book, he had loving relationships with other trainers and students, but these people were sort of transient - graduation, jobs, etc. The one person who was a constant presence for him and who, I'm sure, he love best, didn't know how to show him affection.

She gives her scientific reason for keeping a distance, but she also realizes that that distance is impossible to keep after spending 30+ years with someone. Especially after she lost him.

 

[merlinsmom13]

Didn't mean to hijack your thread on a rant. I really need to read the book. Its just that since I've had Merlin, I've questioned whether these intelligent creatures should be kept as pets. I think Merlin is happy, but would he happier flying thru the trees. We love to spend time together, he flys to the bow-flex & reminds me its time to work out. lol

I definitely hate the thought of a grey in a lab setting.

 

[Abzeez]

And its not JUST Alex. As I said before, she has Griffin, who is 12, in the same condition. As a scientist, you would think she would try to improve, and learn from the mistakes, and also try to figure out why this is the second grey in her care that plucks.

 

[PortaPerch]

I'm about 2/3 through the book, and have come to wonder if the size of the brain is not the whole story in rating intelligence. Birds have been evolving since they were dinosaurs, and probably their brains are much more efficient than ours; giving high output in a smaller size and weight. After all, their bones are hollow as an adaptation to flight, why can't their brains be packing more intelligence per gram?

PP

 

[Davinchi]

I have been meaning to read the book. I saw a bit on our PBS channel about Alex and that was what prompted my interest in the CAG. After youtubing a bit I found clips with Einstein and his act and I was resolute in getting a Grey. It was a great decision and I have enjoyed every minute of it.

 

[Echo]

Well I have had the pleasure to meet and talk to Dr. Pepperberg multiple times and you have to in order to form an opinion on her and her work. Before meeting her, I read her book and watched the videos of Alex like you all did and thought what you thought about his quality of life.

YOU HAVE TO MEET HER to see what a gentle, soft spoken, petite lady she is who loves birds and devoted her whole life to proving that parrots are NOT the bird brains that people think they are. To fight for them to be at a place where people look at them differently and for them to gain the recognition they deserve! Without her work, we wouldn't have a ALEX. He also devoted his life to his kind. She is extremely smart and could have led a rather luxurious life, however, she is still going around talking and meeting folks like myself to raise money for the research (through merchandise from the foundation).

She talks about Alex fondly. He knew that she loved him I know. And in one of her video, she does say it back to her. He was never in a cage, had the best nutrition and plenty of toys. He had many people to drive crazy. They had to serve him and give him whatever he requested. Most of all, his MIND was challenged and working all the time and for a Grey it is very rewarding.

Dr. Pepperberg is very easy to like. And I'm sure that someone so devoted will get the affection of the Greys she works with. Unfortunately, they tend to form a strong bond with one person only. I do believe that the reason Alex plucked was because she had to travel a lot ....without him. He probably missed her terribly. I believe that she also gets stressed wondering how long she can keep her research before the grants stop and he was able to sense that.

I was early at one of her speaking place (a bird only place). I decided to visit the parrots who lived there and as I entered the room, she was there by herself talking softly to them. You could have heard a pin drop (I had been there many times and the birds are always yacking....the Kookaburra especially). I didn't expect her to be there so early and alone and honestly didn't know what to say (I had all smart things to say in my head but couldn't come up with anything), so I said hello, and shook her hand, turned around and left! What a great first meeting . Got to talk to her later after her speech thankfully. Living close to her lab, I do try to go to her speeches that are local. Unfortunately, the bird store she used to visit will close in September .....

 

[wolf0994]

Thank you Echo for that post. Honestly I have wanted to read that book for a while and found myself getting a bit judgemental based off of what I saw on youtube. This serves as a reminder that things "may" not always be as they seem.

 

[Echo]

And its not JUST Alex. As I said before, she has Griffin, who is 12, in the same condition. As a scientist, you would think she would try to improve, and learn from the mistakes, and also try to figure out why this is the second grey in her care that plucks.

Besides Griffin she also works with Arthur who I don't believe plucks.

I do not work in that lab so I can only speculate one of the reason Alex might have been plucking. All I know is that plucking is not always a behavior that is caused by poor nutrition, sickness or lack of care and stimulation. It seems to be a behavior of captive parrots, however the cause is not always known. I am just talking from my experience with my Grey who is a plucker whose reason for plucking is unbeknown to me.

 

[PortaPerch]

I finished the book tonight, and highly recommend it to any bird person, parent, or person with intellectual curiosity. Dr. Pepperberg went through hell in her personal and business life. I will not judge or second guess her actions. Alex and she made monumental contributions to humanity, dispelling the myth that man was given dominion over all life on earth, because of our brains and language.

I wish her the best. Is she continuing her research?

PP