Melissa and Ramone

[LtlWngdAngl]

How is everything going with you two? And Maia?? Has she come around yet?

[Chariclo]

Thanks for asking!

I love this old bird more everyday. We are making progress. Every day he is a little more verbally responsive to me entering the room and stuff. Last night I coaxed him up to a higher perch in his cage with a peanut. (works like a charm ). He is absolutely exactly as Terry had described him - a polite old bird. He's very happy to pick through seed held in the palm of my hand, and get a warm meal each night. So different from Maia!

Maia is adjusting - as best as can be expected. I give her tons of attention after dinner - and then put her to bed around 8:30 or so. Then I spend the whole next hour talking to Ramone and enjoying his peacefulness. It's kinda like finally getting a toddler to bed and then sitting down with grandpa!

Fluffy (our vicious cockatiel) just loves Ramone. When he's out he goes right to the play top and hangs out there singing away - and Ramone joins in too. He has not yet ventured out to the play top yet though - which makes me wonder why on earth I bought this cage - but at least Fluffy is getting some use out of it.

My only complaint about Ramone is his stink! Again I make the grandpa analogy! I only notice it when I first enter the room he is in, but it's kinda funky - zooish is how I describe it. But I'm going to give him another bath this weekend - so we'll see how he ends up. How does Oscar smell?

Anyway - he's a very good boy, and I am very thankful to have his company. :)

[Casa Amazona]

What you may be describing is a little "scent puff" Amazons give off. I don't totally understand it, but it seems to happen when they're happy and/or content. Used to be that I didn't like that smell. My life has been turned so inside out that I now look forward to it, believing as I do that it indicates a happy fid. Opinions from others???

[LtlWngdAngl]

Oscar only has his "amazon smell"...nothing major, nor does it stink as much as you describe Ramone's to.

[Chariclo]

Well - Ramone had his bath and I am happy to report - smells exceptionally better! AND what I am even more happy to report - is that he has been up AND out of his cage - eating and hanging out on the play stand - finally!

He is just the sweetest thing! And it's as if he's been here forever already! He just fits in perfectly! :D

[The Outlaw]

I just think he likes pretty girls. I'm so happy he's working out for you.


THE OUTLAW

[LtlWngdAngl]

So are you able to handle him and all yet?
I'm SO glad that y'all are working out...I feel the same way about Oscar...it feels like he's been there forever!

[Chariclo]

Nancy - you sweetheart!

I can't handle him - and I don't know if I ever will be able to - but that's okay. He did give me quite a nice nip last week when I was trying to get him out of his cage for the bath - for an old guy he sure does move quick when he wants to! So anyway - I now have a great sense of respect for the amount of pain an amazon can inflict! Boy they pack a lot of punch! My fault though - so serves me right - too much too soon I suppose. I ended up just misting him directly in his cage instead of trying to get him out - and he liked that much better.

Nina-What's Oscar been up to?

[LtlWngdAngl]

Oscar is doing wonderfully...he's even starting to stand up to dewey when dewey tries to intimidate him! I'm so proud of him! He's even getting more comfortable with me and we're learning to read eachother's body language and he's more comfortable letting me know his needs and wants....it's truly a magical time between us right now...I'm starting to feel so close to him!
I couldn't ask for a more perfect parrot to be owned by! :D

[Casa Amazona]

You probably already know this, but I believe every Amazon home should have at least one long handheld perch for use in moving "not-in-the-mood-to-be-handled" Amazons from their cage to their playstand/shower/etc. and back again. Even my solid Rico sometimes doesn't want to go back in his cage at night and needs to step onto a perch for the taxi ride. Saves us endless problems and probably many, many nips. With Kiwi it's an absolute must, as he loves human flesh, preferably raw!