Radio Free Blue & Gold: All Gus, all the time.

[Anansi]

Ah. Yeah, if I try letting Jolly stand on my arm with a long sleeve he sometimes has to catch himself as well. It's weird, because once up on my shoulder he has no problem putting the grip of death onto my shirt collar. But he's all gentle and dainty with the fabric everywhere else. So I usually don't start walking until he's either on my hand or shoulder. Such a lovable weirdo.

Maya, on the other hand, grips tight no matter what with those little Wolverine claws of hers.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Ah the wonderful weirdness of parrots!

The Beloved arrived back home yesterday. I made him wait on the porch a moment so I could go say hi to Gus one more time and see if he'd step up, but he just looked at me. As soon as the door opened and he heard his name called, his head snapped up ... his feathers slicked down ...he pointed himself in the direction of the sound like a weathervane...and was very very happy to be reunited.

He wouldn't stay away, and so we played "human fetch the sock" until everything was unpacked and put away, then J picked him up, and Gus just rested his head up against his chest and closed his eyes for a head scratch. He NEVER does that. He likes to be scritched, but he usually wants to be a foot away or so, and he doesn't ever snuggle up. That was an AWWWW cute moment.

His human doesn't work with him as far as training or teaching him things, but he does get spoiled rotten with affection and care. Beloved does all the cage cleaning, food dish washing, pinfeather tweaking, poop patrolling, etc. So my chores are reduced now that he's home, but so is my Gus time. Ah well.

 

[GaleriaGila]

You bear your position in life with grace and dignity, my dear friend. You're a worthy sidechick.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Sidechick! That's me!

 

[Anansi]

Sidechick! Hahahahaha! Oh, high comedy!

Gus, what's your secret, bro???

 

[Kentuckienne]

Sidechick! Hahahahaha! Oh, high comedy!

Gus, what's your secret, bro???

What, the secret to being a total butt-head and biting the hand that feeds you, yet still able to command transport and treats from your victim at will?

 

[Anansi]

Nahhhhhh. Just the... uhmmm... sidechick part.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Apparently, being a butthead *IS* the secret to the sidechick thing!
Gus and the Rb may have gone to the same charm school back in the day.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Apparently, being a butthead *IS* the secret to the sidechick thing!
Gus and the Rb may have gone to the same charm school back in the day.

Don’t be giving Anansi any ideas! He’s one of the nicest mods - don’t you dare try to turn him into a butthead! Oh, is this the truth finally coming out? The Rickeybird was as sweet as pie and gentle as a summer breeze, but you taught him his wicked ways? Hmmm? Hmmm?

 

[Anansi]

Hahaha! No Butthead charm school for me, thanks. Knowing Gus and the RB, it would probably be more akin to boot camp!

EDIT: Just caught the change to your sig, Kentuckienne! High comedy!

 

[DiscoDuck]

overwhelming long.. thanks though!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Gus wishes everyone a very merry Xmas, as long as you let him help open any gifts wrapped in good paper.

 

[Scott]

Yay, a Kentuckienne and Gus sighting! Looks like wonderful merriment, glad you are both well!!

 

[wrench13]

THat head shake made me laugh, hard. THanks for posting!

 

[Kentuckienne]

Today I heard a weird little ticking sound in the kitchen. And then here comes Gus, waddling cautiously across the living room floor. He stopped and looked at me…looked around like “how did I get here? What happened?” He turned around slowly and waddled a couple of steps back. I know that when he is on the floor he will step up, so I offered him my arm and he rushed over. We had a nice tour of the house and looked in all the closets and out some windows. Then I paid him in almonds for the privilege. Someday maybe he will let me scratch his head again, but for now this is as good as it gets.

 

[SailBoat]

As the odd one out at our home! Any Win!! Is a Big Win!!

All things are possible with time! As long as there are no deadlines to steal away at your heart!

 

[Kentuckienne]

So Gus has been going for more walks. He slides down the cage and explores very carefully. Reaches up the wall with his beak, tries to lift the floor grate over the heat vent…he NEVER did this before. He always just lurked on top of his cage. His human may have figured it out, though. A while back we stopped giving him so much paper. He LOVES to rip paper into smaller and smaller bits. Sometimes he tosses bits off the edge and watches them flutter to the ground, then looks at you to see if YOU saw it, too. And that’s so cool, except he barfs up after every meal, onto the paper, then eats the barf with paper stuck to it. Not healthy at all. He’s had a couple yeast infections.

So, no paper, and suddenly no barf. The paper must be some kind of nest trigger. It’s too sad to cut him off completely, so he still gets paper now and then, we just clean it up right away. He’s not barfing and eating barf, which is really good. But now he goes walkabout, poor guy, probably bored, and we have to close him in his cage when we are out if the room which is sad. He won’t just sit and lurk anymore.