So far, Tiger seems to be doing fine. Although he still doesn't seem to like Helen that much. We did find out that Baby can do a few tricks. He still isn't
talking much but I am sure that will change. He says hello in Bubba's voice and waves his little foot at the same time. He also whistles his own tune (I'm not sure what it is) and dances to his own music. He says a few other things too, but I haven't quite figured out yet what he is saying. I think I got some of that on video tape last night.
Helen took the newspaper away from Bob today, but he found a classified site on the internet where they had birds. Before Helen even got home from work, Bubba had made arrangements to trade Tiger for a Red Lored Amazon. He plans on doing that tomorrow. More pictures to come.
As I am writing this, Bubba is on his way to pick up KoKo the new Amazon. He says he seems to be a nice bird. Very talkative too. We will see when I get home tonight.
Well, here he is. KoKo. A six year old Red Lored Amazon Parrot. As you can see by the picture, we have to take him in to get his beak trimmed. He said hello to me as I walked in the door tonight. He also says "hi", "bye", "I love you" and does a little whistling. When I was sitting in the recliner eating Ramen noodles, he climbed down off his cage, walked across the room and climbed up in my lap and started eating out of my bowl. Baby likes to eat my food too, but only if I feed it to him off a fork or hold his dish for him. Talk about SPOILED!!!!!!!!!!
I got up this morning and two birds said "Hello" to me. Baby decided he wanted to talk this morning. Wish I could understand everything he says. He sure is whistling some pretty tunes. I let out my usual morning cough and both Baby and KoKo coughed too. (Yes, I know I should quit smoking.)
It is about time for another update. Just so there is no confusion in the future, we didn't really like the name "Baby" for a 6 year old bird so after checking with Bob's youngest daughter Robyn Renee' Keikiokalani (which means "Baby from Heaven) Guffey Robertson we have changed Baby's name to Keiki. She said she wouldn't be offended. It is a much prettier name than "Baby". I am getting old, so still get confused some of the time so his name is now "Baby Keiki". He seems to do most of his talking when I first get up in the morning and am sitting at the computer. He talks quietly sometimes, so it is hard for me to figure out what he is saying. He will chirp real loud like a huge parakeet and then say "Knock it off, bird". He also says "Come here". This morning I heard him start to whistle what sounded like "Bridge on the River Kwai". He makes a sound like a cell phone, and it is so real the other morning I got up out of my chair to answer the phone. We haven't seen him do his little dance again while whistling. He does have one bad habit, hehehehehehe. He burps. It is so funny.
Now, as for KoKo, he never ceases to amaze us with something new. The other night I started singing "Jingle Bells" and he got going with his own song. I have no idea what he is singing but the melody sounds a little familiar. It might even be "Jingle Bells". But the louder I sang, the louder he sang. And if I dance around in front of him while singing, he dances too and sings all the more. Bob and I were in tears, we were laughing so hard. He did this for five minutes straight. One evening I was trying to get him to come on my hand and he kept lunging at me like he was going to bite, and everytime he did he would say "Ow". Friday night we were going out to get something to eat and when he saw me put my jacket on he said "Bye, Mama". His voice is more like a bird voice, but Keiki can mimic Bob's voice perfectly. Last night when I was giving KoKo a piece of pizza he said "Polly want a cracker". When I get on the phone, KoKo carries on his own one sided conversation. He says "OK", "Hmmmm" and sometimes just mumbles on and on. KoKo also cries like a baby when we say goodnight and turn out the lights. Last night he just went on and on.
I think Andre' may be jealous since I haven't heard him talk much since the two new birds have become part of the family.
Today, should be fun with the kids and grandkids here for Christmas Eve. Hope they all feel like showing off for everyone.
I shouldn't have wondered about whether or not KoKo would show off for the group. He was absolutely hilarious. Everyone enjoyed him. Keiki and Andre' were kind of shy. By the time we were through opening gifts on Christmas Eve KoKo had learned two new words. Grandma and Grandpa. I guess that just shows you how many times the kids called out to us. Before Laura and the boys left yesterday, he also learned how to say Orlando.
We found out Keiki, not only says "Come here" but picks up his foot and wags his finger at you when he says it.
Baby Keiki has been whistling Bridge on the River Kwai again, but never when Bob is around to hear it. He also makes sounds like a cat fight. Whenever I am on the phone, KoKo say "OK" and mumbles a little, then "OK" and mumbles some more. He keeps it up until I hang up. Andre' is pretty quiet. I still think he is jealous of the new birds. Bob had to go into the hospital for two days and one night when I came home from visiting him Baby really got going. I wish he would talk just a little louder. Maybe then I could make out what he is saying.
Well, Baby moved to Brainerd to be with Laura. For some reason, all of a sudden he was scared to death of Bob. Everytime Bob went near the cage, even to feed him, he totally freaked out. We were really afraid he would have a heart attack. Laura and the boys were here this weekend and we found out Baby just loves Laura. Laura is the only one he will allow to touch him.
When he is outside the cage and she comes close, he bends his head over so she can scratch it. I know Laura will give him a good home.
Koko has decided he likes it out of the cage now. He likes to sit on my lap or shoulder. He does nip a little when he feels like it, and then he hollers "Ow!". He is so funny. I found out on Friday night that I am pretty sure he was potty trained before. Because when I put him on his basket, lined with paper towels, and tell him to "poop" he does just that. He has never pooped on anyone that was holding him. So every 15-20 minutes or so I just set him on the handle of his basket and tell him to "poop" and he does. Then I pick him up and play with him again. The latest thing I am teaching him now is to hold a small phone (baby rattle) and say "hello". Right now he just tries to reach for it and then squawks at it and tries to bite it.
Well, that's it about it for now, so take care and I'll be checking back in later.
Well, we have four birds again. On Wednesday we acquired Rocky, another Double Yellow Headed Amazon and, Doc, another Congo African Grey. The man who owned them had to sell them because his fiance' was allergic to birds. We looked at them before Christmas but just couldn't pay what he was asking for them. He really wanted to sell them to us, because after meeting us he knew we would give his birds a good home. It didn't hurt that we told him he could come and visit any time. Although we really wanted the birds we told him we just couldn't swing it. He called one more time before agreeing to sell them to someone else. We told him we just couldn't do it. Well a couple of weeks after Christmas he called Bob and told him that the other couple backed out and wondered if we were still interested. Of course we were, but could not afford what he wanted for the two birds and all his equipment. He had over 5,000 invested in the birds and equipment and was asking much less. Well we agreed on a price substantially less than he was asking and because he absolutely had to get rid of them and wanted us to have them, we closed the deal. He and a friend delivered the birds and all the equipment Wednesday night. Poor guy had tears in his eyes when he left and promised to visit soon.
We are down to three birds again. Koko left for St. Cloud tonight for his new home with Shannon, Tara and Malia. I know he will be happier there. He sure didn't like Rocky. Rocky seems to be the dominant one and they both couldn't be out of the cage at the same time. Bob called Shannon after they got home last night and KoKo was singing in the background like there was no tomorrow. Sounds like he enjoys it there.
Well, we have found out that Rocky sure has a personality. He loves women. No matter who it is, he comes out of the cage and won't get off her shoulder. He doesn't talk much, but the personality makes up for it. He loves to give me kisses. He also likes to wrestle around on my lap. He can be very noisy though. Doc just continues to say more and more things. He rings the cell phone, says "hello" and then "Can I call you back?.
Koko is enjoying it at Shannon's. He has learned to say "I don't want to". Wonder where he learned that from, Malia.
Baby is continuing to talk more and more at Laura's house too. One day Laura woke up from a nap on the couch and Baby said "Get off the couch". He also says "Hi Koko". Why didn't he say that when the two of them were in the same house? He also calls "Odie, Odie!". Orlando called me the other night and told me that Baby sits on his arm now. He was so proud.
Bob swore, "No more birds", BUT he has been wanting a female Eclectus and wouldn't you know he found a good deal in the newspaper. A breeder was selling her because she was chewing her feathers because she wasn't getting any attention. Well, she will get plenty of attention at our house.
Bob named her Kuuipo. It means "Sweetheart" in Hawaiian. We usually just call her "Ipo" for short. In the week we have had her she is already learning to talk. Most of what she is learning is from Doc. With her daily shower, we are hoping her feathers will get back to normal. She doesn't seem to be chewing them anymore, but the poor thing hardly has any wing feathers. She likes to come out of her cage and sit on her basket on our laps.
We had to rearrange our living room and put all the birds at one end. I do think we need a bigger house. We are also birdsitting for Laura's two birds for the time being. It sure gets noisy around here sometimes. They don't like the noise of the kids when they are here. It is a competition. Which can be noisier, kids or birds?
