What's the most amazing thing your birds have done that surprised you?

[Birdman666]

Then there was the baby blue throat I helped finished hand feeding...

Now keep in mind this bird wasn't even all there yet, and he could STILL work a latch like nobody's business. I put him to bed, and went back upstairs, and by the time I sat down on the couch, I heard him flapping to the floor and the pitter patter of little feet.

This bird did not even slow down to aim. Full speed ahead up a flight of stairs. (No one had taught him to climb stairs.) Back up my leg, and into a mushy pile of feathers on my lap...

Now, wait until this bird gets his FULL mechanical abilities...

 

[Kiwibird]

April OMG . What did your parents do about Alfie's cage? Did they have to get a new one, or just put locks on it?!

I'm glad his feet weren't too injured. That was so dangerous for everyone!

LARGE padlocks along every side, and a replacement cage as soon as she could find a big enough one. This was years and years ago. Dumbest cage design EVER and I sincerely hope no one still makes them! Alfie is pretty devious though, and why I'm like 99.999999999% sure I will NEVER own a cockatoo (except Alfie, when I inherit him).

There are two things that I have noticed greatly influence behaviors: (1) not closing cage doors, and (2) getting them outside in a tree.

Mine have been out so long they go stir crazy if they are not.

He's on a trial basis, but since he isn't flighted, about all he can do is climb back and forth between his cage, swing and play stand. Now, as for trees, we've tried. Kiwi is too much of a he-diva to sit in some dirty old tree! Though he does like being outside a whole lot.

 

[Birdman666]

I can literally put Sally out in a tree in the morning, she runs to the top branch, where she can see in the second story window, and she will call to me when she is ready to come down. There are days when she's out in that tree for 8-9 straight hours...

That bird has "special privileges" that the others just don't get.

(Maggie has them too. Just a different set of special privileges.)

 

[Birdman666]

Speaking of mechanical abilities:

A friend of mine had a B&G whose favorite toy was a socket wrench on a chain, and a peg board with a bunch of stainless steel nuts and bolts locked down tight.

He used to take the stupid thing apart with a wrench ten times a day...

 

[Kiwibird]

Speaking of mechanical abilities:

A friend of mine had a B&G whose favorite toy was a socket wrench on a chain, and a peg board with a bunch of stainless steel nuts and bolts locked down tight.

He used to take the stupid thing apart with a wrench ten times a day...

Parrots and tools seem like a poor combination. Never know when they will fly over your head and drop a wrench or hammer

 

[Birdman666]

I had another friend with a show-off trick trained CAG who used to run to the birdie toybox, and fetch his roller skates when ever guests arrived.

He had to show you how good he could rollerskate around the living room...

(and you better be impressed, because he would bite your toes if you weren't paying attention!) HUGE personality. Which, frankly, was about as cool as it gets in my book!

 

[Birdman666]

Speaking of mechanical abilities:

A friend of mine had a B&G whose favorite toy was a socket wrench on a chain, and a peg board with a bunch of stainless steel nuts and bolts locked down tight.

He used to take the stupid thing apart with a wrench ten times a day...

Parrots and tools seem like a poor combination. Never know when they will fly over your head and drop a wrench or hammer

It was fixed to the board on a chain.

 

[Kiwibird]

It was fixed to the board on a chain.

A wise decision.... but was the macaw not able to simply chew up the board?20: Kiwi likes plastic tools from kids toy sets, but I'd never let him touch a real one. I just envision a broken toe (that would be my toe, not his) and him doing his evil cackle afterwards:52:

 

[Birdman666]

This one didn't amaze me, but it did amaze a smug ba$tard that thought I had "lost" my bird.

Sally had a favorite birch tree down at the local park. When Sarah was little, we used to make a picnic lunch, take her to the playground, and take the birds to the tree... (and free flight them.)

Well this guy thought it was hell-arious that my bird was stuck way up in that tree. "I'd like to see how you're gonna get him down from there." So I started walking away from the tree, called her, and gave the recall signal pointing to my shoulder. She gave me a "wait for me" squawk, and a split second later landed on that same shoulder...

The smug ba$tard shut up, and went away. I gave Sally a head scratch, and a treat, and put her back in her tree.



You can't really tell from the picture, but she's about 35 feet up in this shot. That's the tree... and as always, she was content to just sit up there and be a bird all day long.

And that's why she has special privileges.

 

[Birdman666]

I could go on... but I already seem to be hogging this thread.

 

[Christinenc2000]

I love the story's . Please don't stop. We will email it to your X lol. THAT was funny

 

[Sunset_Chaser]

Great thread! Love hearing all of your stories Birdman!

 

[veimar]

OMG, just read all the stories on this thread! Amazing! Please keep going, Birdman.