Right now Salty is.....

[wrench13]

Glad to hear Salty is improving! That batch of chop will give him extra fortification!!

And makes a darned good base for vegetable broth! Lots of zing to it!

 

[wrench13]

Salty constantly amazes me, he is so smart. I introduced a new trick, a wooden post with cross bars that you have to match with the colored wood tiles that have cut outs to match the cross bars. I left the trick on the shelf next to his cage for a few days, so he wouldn't get freaked out by it. The first time we used it in training session, we did the trick together, both of us holding the tiles and putting them on the posts. The very next day, Salty got the trick on his own. This seems to be a favorite now, as he signals to me that he wants to do it again when we are done. Smart bird. AS I've said before, he comes to our training sessions ready to learn new things - I am constantly trying to come up with new tricks and repurposing the ones he has down cold. LOL, is he training me??

 

[cnyguy]

Of course Salty is training you. That's what smart parrots do.

 

[wrench13]

Quick up date on Salty. We have refrained from keeping him clipped, due to the Covid related paring down of office hours of our CAV, and she is the only one I would let do it. As a result Salty has been honing his flying skills. The problem is that he gets so excited when my wife Geri starts making dinner and cooking, that its the time he decides to practice those skills. 2 days ago, just as Geri was slicing up tomatoes and about to light the stove to boil water, Salty decided to fly into the kitchen and land ( perfectly) between her and the stove. I hate to put him in his cage during food prep time but I may have to - even taking him into another room won't work because he has no problem flying from there back to the kitchen. I am thinking of hanging some of those beaded type curtains in the doorways and open space that separates the rest of the open floor plan from the kitchen. Has anyone used those to prevent disasters?

 

[texsize]

You going for that 60’s look?

I think it will work for a time. As soon as he realizes he can grab hold of them....


Just another nice toy from my servent

 

[SailBoat]

Sounds like a new training goal needs to be set in place.

Living with a Free Ranging Amazon has great advantages and some disadvantages. Kitchens for the most part are a 'no-go zones' and that needs to be added to their skill-set.

It's much the same as teaching that glass is a hard surface, only a bit more difficult as the Amazon can see no reason for an area being a no-go-zone. It is a process more like teaching bite pressure. Once they get it, it works.

A Very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

 

[Scott]

I had a 1960s style hanging bead barrier between bird room and rest of house. Looked groovy and birds did not fly through the strands....

However they found ways to defeat! One was to waddle on the floor and push strands aside, the other was to land on the horizontal hanging rod at top. There was about 4 inches of space. They'd fly to the top, regroup, and escape. Finally took it down when they began to chew on the beads. Probably lead paint, I guess? I'd say give it a try, every bird is different. Just closely monitor beak contact with the beads unless you know they are totally safe.

 

[wrench13]

Chop making day!

quinqua
Kale
Leafy Parsely
Beet greens
corn
cut green beans
hot red peppers
Jalapeno peppers
Red peppers
broccoli
red lettuce
carrots

Should be about 90 or so baggies. It takes the better part of a day to shop, process and bag 'em up. With 2 people.

 

[wrench13]

Correction - 129 baggies.

 

[fiddlejen]

Quick up date on Salty. We have refrained from keeping him clipped, due to the Covid related paring down of office hours of our CAV, and she is the only one I would let do it. As a result Salty has been honing his flying skills. The problem is that he gets so excited when my wife Geri starts making dinner and cooking, that its the time he decides to practice those skills. 2 days ago, just as Geri was slicing up tomatoes and about to light the stove to boil water, Salty decided to fly into the kitchen and land ( perfectly) between her and the stove. I hate to put him in his cage during food prep time but I may have to - even taking him into another room won't work because he has no problem flying from there back to the kitchen. I am thinking of hanging some of those beaded type curtains in the doorways and open space that separates the rest of the open floor plan from the kitchen. Has anyone used those to prevent disasters?

Hi I just saw this. Thought I would chime it. I use Regular curtains between all my rooms. I have the curtain rods hung in various ways that prevent crawl-thru at top. (Mostly bath-shower Tension rods pushed to top of doorways.) I put some command-hooks at the edges to easily catch back the curtains out of my way when they don't need closed. I find the regular curtains So Far do a great job of containing the birdies to whichever room(s) they need limited to. I would Guess that beaded curtains would work equally well, but, if not I suggest try regular curtains.

 

[wrench13]

I dont know if I ever posted this, but here is a video ( well a video file at least, but all audio) of Salty saying some of his stuff.

Peek a Boo
You're a Good Boy
Pretty Bird
A Buuuurrrdd
You're a Pretty Bird
Don't Do That
Hello Dere
Hi Daddy
Pretty, Pretty Pretty Bird
What'r You Doing

I've never asked him to talk on command, so its hard to anticipate when he will go on these talking jags.

 

[SailBoat]

Always love hearing Parrots speaking without instruction to do so, as it just them interaction on their own... Honest enjoyment!

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

It's so funny when they get in the mood to talk. Amy's time is usually in the morning. Today it was the usual HELLO!HOW ARE YOU!ELLEN!..He seems to wait for my response then carries on...it was a ten minute session this morning.
Salty's a good chatty fella Al


Jim

 

[wrench13]

Its funny what sets them off. Salty kinda mumbles and rehearses stuff quietly from when he get up until its time to come out in the afternoon, when he has a few shouts and he settles down again. Its when Geri starts makin' dinner that the real floor show starts. Everything from talking like the above file to honest to god velociraptor screeches that are friggin blood curdling, no rhyme or reason. A loud sound track with music gets him going sometimes, and some types of music always get a rise from him: female opera, fast bluegrass vocal tunes, gospel choir music.

 

[wrench13]

Salty seems to like the new chop blend. He leaves very little in the bowl. I've been alternating the nightly mix, by adding either a Nutraberry, a Zupreem mix of dried fruits and bunch of other stuff, or the Texas Freeze dried mix, and of course leaving the chop plain. And he will always try to beg Geri for some people food, which he gets an occasional small schnibble of.

 

[wrench13]

For posterity, when I come back here in 5 years to look thru Salty's life story, Yeah, we won the Picture of the Month Jan contest! Feb 1, 2021. We won with this short video:

Atta boy, Salty !!!!

 

[Anansi]

Quick up date on Salty. We have refrained from keeping him clipped, due to the Covid related paring down of office hours of our CAV, and she is the only one I would let do it. As a result Salty has been honing his flying skills. The problem is that he gets so excited when my wife Geri starts making dinner and cooking, that its the time he decides to practice those skills. 2 days ago, just as Geri was slicing up tomatoes and about to light the stove to boil water, Salty decided to fly into the kitchen and land ( perfectly) between her and the stove. I hate to put him in his cage during food prep time but I may have to - even taking him into another room won't work because he has no problem flying from there back to the kitchen. I am thinking of hanging some of those beaded type curtains in the doorways and open space that separates the rest of the open floor plan from the kitchen. Has anyone used those to prevent disasters?

Hi I just saw this. Thought I would chime it. I use Regular curtains between all my rooms. I have the curtain rods hung in various ways that prevent crawl-thru at top. (Mostly bath-shower Tension rods pushed to top of doorways.) I put some command-hooks at the edges to easily catch back the curtains out of my way when they don't need closed. I find the regular curtains So Far do a great job of containing the birdies to whichever room(s) they need limited to. I would Guess that beaded curtains would work equally well, but, if not I suggest try regular curtains.

I agree. The regular curtains with wall hooks to either side are probably the best and fastest answer to the problem. Keep them slid open most of the day, then close them when it's cooking time. They'll work better than the beads, I think.

For posterity, when I come back here in 5 years to look thru Salty's life story, Yeah, we won the Picture of the Month Jan contest! Feb 1, 2021. We won with this short video:

https://youtu.be/kCzm9Ew5ny4

Atta boy, Salty !!!!

I love this video! Most impressive, Salty!

 

[wrench13]

First try with the mini-Jenga tower. Salty took the pcs of wood off the top, so he doesn't quite get the idea of the game yet. But he did try it. Hesitant at first to get near the tower, but once I showed him I was doing it, he manned up, and came over and took a whack at it. He is so trusting!! Glad I spent the extra $2.00 for genuine Jenga, the wood is hard maple.

 

[SailBoat]

Been working with Julio 'during hormonal season' on stepping-up from the floor. Clearly not for the faint-of-heart. But, a needed action when he has claimed an area that he needs to be move out of to 'cool off.'

Love the Salty photo on his back with a three point connection!

 

[wrench13]

I know what thats like 'Boats. Usually Salty steps up, especially from the floor, with no problems. In the last month or so, he gives the finger/hand a too hard beak hold, not breaking skin, but a lot harder than he usually does.

What's the saying? And this too shall pass!