Happy to know Kira is doing so well! She was a rescue? Any idea how old she is? I remember when I got Smokey,(TAG)she was about six months old and came from a pet store. She was kind of an "impulse" buy,but I have always been a bird guy,having a budgie and hand rearing a common House Sparrow as a young boy,and knew I'd be owned by a parrot some day,and I knew it would be a grey
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She growled like a pack of mad dogs...she'd rip your flesh off if given half a chance
She would only eat seed and cower in the corner when she saw a bowl of "alien" veggies and fruit...or pellets...and would NOT even consider stepping up.
About a year later Amy came into our lives...he was four months old at the time and will be thirty-one in April. At the breeder he was in a huge flight cage with about twenty other 'zon's of different flavors. As I walked around the flight,he followed me,climbing over his cage mates and stopping when I did. He'd look at me,and move his beaky as I talked to him,then follow me as I continued looking. The breeder said " you have been chosen!" I sat in a chair as the breeder removed him from the flight. Amy immediately went from yje breeders hand to mine and just looked at me as I talked to him. I placed him on my knee and he lowered his head. I gave the breeder a quizicle look and he laughed and said "he wants a head skritch!" After ten minutes of skritches Amy's head was laying sideways on my knee,eyes closed,and beaky open like he was in heaven lol. He came home with me that day
:04:
Amy wanted to be best buds with Smokey,after all,he was accustomed to a house full of roomies! Smokes wanted NO PART of it. Amy ate everything and anything..pellets..fruits and veggies (banana and red grapes are still his fav) But the best part was he taught Smokey that there are better things to munch on. Within months Smokey eating,or at least trying,everything she was offered. She also love banana and green,not red grapes,she'd throw the red ones. Chicken leg bones she'd rip from my fingers.Trashing toilet paper rolls was a fun thing for her.Then she started to talk..seemed like she learned something new every day! "Hello! How are you??" when being uncovered. The ringing of the phone and a conversation in my mom's voice (r.i.p. mom) and a laugh and "ok good-bye" at the end. Smokes would yell at the cat "DAMN CAT..GO!!" again in moms voice.
However,she never like hands or step-up. Oh she'd sit for hours on my shoulder,gurgling in my ear,puking on my shoulder,removing my glasses or beak-banging my forehead,but don't touch me!
She passed away a few years ago at the young age of twenty-eight
Sighhh...sorry I took over your post! It sound like you and your hubby have a wonderful companion and I wish you and yours many many..MANY happy years with Kira. BTW we LOVE photo's on this forum!! (hint hint)
Jim
