Latest Blog Posts

6 Sep

Communication is listening first

Kathy LaFollett

There's many shortcuts in life for most anything. Typically a shortcut is just a faster way to lessen the joy and success you could have had, had time and attention been invested. That's how it is with companion parrots. You can short a process to get to what you want from your parrot, but you'll be shorting the relationship that could have been built going the long way.

29 Aug

Territorial Negotiations

Valerie Wells

Furniture to us, is a landscape of foraging and chewing events to them. This is natural on their part, even expected considering who they are in nature. But alas, negotiations are required to realign the flock goals. Rocky is really good at negotiations. (most Cockatoos are)

30 Jul

A Greek view to Parrots

David Schneider

The global context of companion parrots is a narrative sorely missing from companion parrot advocacy. Too often we apply out own socioeconomic, national and native context to another's situation. Too often that leads to judgments rather than solutions. There is no easy fix to the advocacy needs of companion parrots globally. But that fix does start with understanding.

Latest Flock Comments

An addendum: Rocky wants to supervise meals and last night we had tacos, which is difficult to share with a 'too, so he had to watch dinner from The Chair. He kept gnawing on the chair and then looking at me like, "Well, aren't you going to say something?" I'm sure he expected me to dash the three feet between us and pick him up (which was his goal) in order to spare the chair. But when I didn't, he was greatly puzzled. "Mom! I'm destroying something, here! You're supposed to come and stop me!"

Valerie Wells
15 Sep

Valerie Wells
Territorial Negotiations
Reply

Our day starts with the poops, as well. Since the days are getting shorter, Ken (the large noisy human) has been pooping before Bob (CAG) even wakes up. The Ken takes Bob from his sleeping cage, (Bob's still half-asleep!) and puts him on the bedroom perch, where we wait for the "morning bomb". Bob may yawn, stretch, scratch or go back to sleep briefly, but soon we get the expulsion, a "GOOD BIRD!", and Ken takes him to the living room to begin our fun day-- You just can't rush these things! Patch

Patch Davis
7 Sep

Patch Davis
Communication is listening first
Reply

Right on! Preach it, sister! And AMEN! We did have a young green-cheek conure once, who recognized Dad's voice coming from the phone. Her response, bless her, was to attack the phone, apparently trying to get him out! Thing is, we have made attempts to use the phone to reassure the birds that one of us (the absent one) is on his or her way back, wi.ll return. Phred, at 20, appeared to recognize my voice while I was hospitalized, when Matthew allowed him to listen. He doesn't like it any more. It apparently is not satisfactory, or else I, with new limitations each time I survive something, am changed enough that he has trouble connecting Mom-that-was with Mom-that-was. I have been home for four months, since the most recent stay. He is finally treating me like part of the flock again.

Jody Murch
3 Aug

Jody Murch
The Power of Undivided Attention
Reply

I try to only use my devices when with birdies in order to take pictures of said birdies. Rocky is willing to pose, the others not so much. But once the device is in my hand, yes, I'm tempted to scroll and divide my focus and you're right, the birdies do NOT approve. Manifestly, they do not approve. Rocky will try to take it away from me, which of course forces me to set it out of his reach (and MINE) to prevent destruction. And I am sure he knows full well what he is doing! Before I even read your piece, I had made a resolution to stop.

Valerie Wells
3 Aug

Valerie Wells
The Power of Undivided Attention
Reply

LOLZ I get that look from Snickers when I don't try to peel him off the door frame. He hops down onto the table with such a look of annoyance. Gotta love the boys.

Kathy LaFollett
15 Sep

Kathy LaFollett
Territorial Negotiations
Reply

You can't rush these things. So SO very true! lolz

Kathy LaFollett
8 Sep

Kathy LaFollett
Communication is listening first
Reply