Zoe update

[thekarens]

Hey guys, just thought I'd stop in and give an update on Zoe. She is both the love of my life and the bane of my existence. She has removed every door on her cage (that's 6) and has escaped more times than I can count. We are currently looking for a new cage as her current one is chained together and stainless steel zip tied together. Unlike a lot of macs she refuses to chew wood, but if it's a puzzle or metal she's all for it.

Here's a video of her enjoying Adele:

[ame="https://youtu.be/syiEr_532yA"]Zoe enjoying Adele - YouTube[/ame]

 

[chris-md]

Wait, seriously??




Now that's a coincidence

 

[Birdman666]

She is both the love of my life and the bane of my existence.

Zoe enjoying Adele - YouTube

THAT is macaw ownership for you...

If it makes you feel any better, Maggie's door is tied on... (she snapped the hinges just for fun) and sweepea's treat cup is also tied on, and mine don't even get locked up... they do that for the entertainment value of taking things apart.

Tusk runs around taking everyone's playtops apart. So it's not just a macaw thing.

So I totally feel you pain... (and your love!) Believe me I get this one!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Karen!! It's SO nice to 'see' you AND get to see gorgeous Zoe!!

I LOVED that concert. So much so I recorded it. Zoe and her mom(s)have GREAT taste in music, HAHAHAH!!!

Gosh, what a clever girl she is! Scary, too! Have you decided on a new cage yet?

 

[thekarens]

We haven't decided yet. I'd love a Kings cage but it's a little out of our budget at the moment (our dog recently had to have surgery) and frankly any mechanism she'll take apart. I've been looking at the Prevue Empire X-large on Amazon for now since all the doors can be padlocked closed, but I can't tell how flimsy the bars are or aren't. She doesn't really chew things, but if there's any way whatsoever to take something apart she will find it.

PS we loved the concert too and bought the album the day it became available.

 

[thekarens]

And when I say she will take it apart I'm serious. Every door mechanism on her cage is literally in pieces. You can't turn your back on her for a second without her getting into something. She makes this high squeal of delight when she's doing something she knows she shouldn't be doing and that's when I know it's time to come running.

 

[Birdman666]

A friend of mine had a pair of breeder BTM's that took an ENTIRE FLIGHT apart.

Sat there in the flight squealing with contentment all proud of themselves, AS IF the flight was still there... then "helped" put their puzzle toy back together again...

Totally in character for these guys!

Sweepea can't dump her food dishes. They are locked in the cage, that is screwed onto the food cup doors...

Yeah. Macaw proof! :11:

So she takes the whole treat cup door off... THUD! SPILL! SQUEAL... (TUSK AND LILA QUICKLY WADDLING OVER TO FORRAGE THROUGH THE PILE OF FOOD ON THE FLOOR...)

 

[JerseyWendy]

I wonder if you could somehow solder anything and everything 'screw' related with SS soldering media, so that she could no longer get to the screws??????? Just thinking out loud here. Of course then the cage would be quite permanent. :32:

 

[Birdman666]

I switched the bolts out to aircraft quality lock nuts, and that seemed to do the trick.

Until Maggie discovered that she can apply enough pressure to with that crowbar on her face to PRY THE FREAKIN HINGES OFF!

Why bird? Why?! I don't even lock you in the stupid cage...

 

[thekarens]

Wendy, your suggestion is a good one and that will help with the screw portion, but not as much with the doors. As silly as it sounds the plain flip locks that can be padlocked are better than the food doors out front door with mechanisms. Those mechanisms mean nothing to her. Since she's destroyed then we have to shove one side of the cage against a wall and pull it out when it's time to feed her. The other side is permanently chained shut so we can't use those food dishes.

 

[thekarens]

Mark, she has to be locked up when we're not home. One day I got a call at work from our son. He had just gotten home. Zoe had once again let herself out, let out all the other birds, all the food dishes were on the floor, the mechanisms for the food dishes were on the floor and she was busy dismantling the playtops for their cages. Oh and all their toys were on the bottom of the cages because quick links are a joke to her.

 

[Allee]

I've missed seeing beautiful Zoe! I see Parker shares Zoe's excellent taste in music!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Mark, she has to be locked up when we're not home. One day I got a call at work from our son. He had just gotten home. Zoe had once again let herself out, let out all the other birds, all the food dishes were on the floor, the mechanisms for the food dishes were on the floor and she was busy dismantling the playtops for their cages. Oh and all their toys were on the bottom of the cages because quick links are a joke to her.

 

[GreatBlue320]

Happy New Year, Karen(s) and Zoe! So happy to get an update and loved the video of Zoe enjoying Adele! I hope you find a solution to your mechanical birdie dilemma quickly. I, too, understand "love of my life; bane of my existence". There are moments when I look at Baxter and feel like I couldn't possibly love him more and there are other moments when I am very happy to let him have some private time in his "house" while I enjoy some peace!

I hope this doesn't sound insensitive or unsympathetic, but I would love to see a video of Zoe in action! Does she only engage in her favorite pastime while you are away or out of the room?

Chris - Can't believe you have a photo of Parker with Adele in the background! So funny!

 

[Christinenc2000]

So glad to see that sweet face of Zoe . I hung all BB's toys with hose clamps Figured that would take care of it. Nope he learned how to break them

 

[Terry57]

Karen, SOOOO good to see you! And Zoe obviously has wonderful taste , in music
I have missed my Zoe updates here and would love some on Sammy and Sydney too!

 

[thekarens]

Unfortunately I never catch her being "bad" otherwise I'd stop it before she destroyed whatever. She's fast. I can take a glass to the sink and come back, which probably takes 20 seconds max and she will have dismantled something.

 

[RavensGryf]

Hi Karen! I was actually just thinking about you this morning, and here you are! Hope to see you around more.

That Zoe is a real engineer but taking apart, instead of putting together! It's just amazing what she's capable of! I hope you get the "perfect" Zoe cage soon, until then good luck .

 

[Anansi]

K1!!! You and Zoe have been missed! Good to see you, hereabouts!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and yours!!!

Zoe's dismantling skills are rather impressive. You do realize that you must set up a camera to capture all of this for us, don't you?