Charlie (YCA)!

[pippy]

I've got Mark's Charlie staying with me this week as he's moving house.

Charlie is getting on well with Mojo and Shinda again which is lovely

I've just taken a few pics of him and this one sums up why I'm scared of him!



No, I must be honest and say it was the camera he was after, not me! That said he still lunges at me whenever I get too near!


In this one you can just about see Mojo in the background, she was 'busy' on the bookcase!






Whenever Charlie used to come and stay before I usually found that once he hadn't seen Mark for a few days that he'd let me stroke his head.

Charlie hasn't stayed here (other than for one night) since June but I'm hoping that with Mark not here and the fact he'll see me interacting with Mojo and Shinda that I'll be able to give him a tickle before he goes home!

You can see more photos of Charlie HERE

He's a grumpy devil but I do love him lots!

[larrylow]

Charlie is lovely. How old is he/she again? To touch it why don't you try Chet Womach's perching technique. That's how I broke Arnie. Hope he regains his full health soon so we can get on with his training.

[Tom Lawless]

Those are beautiful pictures. Charlie is a very handsome bird. I think it is great that both you and Mark have parrots because non-parrot people just can never understand half of our stories or why we like them so much. Did both of you have parrots before you met each other or did one of you come to love them upon meeting?

[pippy]

Originally Posted by larrylow

Charlie is lovely. How old is he/she again? To touch it why don't you try Chet Womach's perching technique. That's how I broke Arnie. Hope he regains his full health soon so we can get on with his training.

Unfortunately we have absolutely no idea how old Charlie is but as there is no ring and the fact Charlie isn't particularly happy with close contact we're assuming he was probably a wild caught bird imported into the UK. I'm not sure when this was made illegal in the UK, ten years ago perhaps?? Really not sure but I'd guess Charlie was brought in before it was made illegal........unless he was brought in illegally which is something I try not to think about as I know how awful his undercover journey would have been

Mark can, and does, touch Charlie several times a day and there have been a couple of times when I've had Charlie here with me for up to two weeks when he's let me stroke him after a few days not seeing Mark.

This was the first time he ever let me touch him and I was soooo pleased, and scared!

YouTube - Time for a scratch!

And this is Charlie in full flow (he wasn't shut in his cage by the way, he chose to be in at that time!)

YouTube - Charlie The Amazon Parrot Chatting


I don't spend enough time alone with Charlie to be able to encourage any kind of stepping-up behaviour but Mark is trying hard! So far Charlie will put one foot on Mark's hand, something he never used to do. Then he usually bites Mark HARD!

Another video of crazy Charlie dancing to my favourite rock band, it's at the very end he's at his funniest so if you have time watch it right through!

YouTube - Charlie the Yellow Crowned Amazon Dancing to Muse

Originally Posted by Tom Lawless

Those are beautiful pictures. Charlie is a very handsome bird. I think it is great that both you and Mark have parrots because non-parrot people just can never understand half of our stories or why we like them so much. Did both of you have parrots before you met each other or did one of you come to love them upon meeting?

I've always had an interest in wild birds, if you've looked at my Flickr you'll see several sets are dominated by photos of birds! I'd never been around domesticated birds though, not until I met Charlie.

Mark's family had a canary when he was a teenager and, like me, he's a lover of wild birds.

Here's how he came to have Charlie!

Mark used to visit a chiropractor for treatment to his back. The man's name was Gilbert and he was fairly elderly.

Mark didn't need to visit him for a while then started having back trouble again so rang to make an appointment. He was shocked when the lady who answered the phone said 'I'm really sorry to tell you Gilbert died a few weeks ago after a short illness'. I think Gilbert had pneumonia.

Anyway, during that phone conversation the lady also said 'By the way, do you know anyone who wants a parrot?'! Mark had no idea Gilbert even had a parrot! He didn't let on though and replied 'Oh I'd love to have the parrot' and went to collect Charlie the following day!

That was back in November 2006.

So began our love affair with parrots! Because Mark didn't know of Charlie's existence when Gilbert was alive and because the lady Mark dealt with after Gilbert's death knew none of the finer details about Charlie, we simply know nothing!

Although Charlie was said to be a boy much of his behaviour would suggest he is a she. If Mark strokes 'his' back, Charlie sometimes does that clucking/honking noise and puts his bottom up, now that to me suggests a female bird with the horn!

Due to Charlie's nature Mark won't take him to the vet just to be DNA sexed but should he ever need to visit for another reason then Mark will have the vet DNA test at the same time.

Charlie hates the travel cage, or rather, hates being out into it but is fine once in. The hard part is prising him off the cage and into the travel cage. Goodness only knows how Charlie would react to being picked up by a vet, I'd fear for the vet's fingers to be honest but I know an experienced avian vet would know how to deal with him!

It was getting to know Charlie which prompted me to seriously look into becoming a parrot slave myself. I knew I'd want a bird I could feel confident so set about looking for a reputable breeder of CAGs and ended up with two! You know the rest

[tvymola]

He is quite the little joker! I'm sure Mojo and Shinda have been entertained since he has been visiting! Thanks for sharing the videos and photos. He is a ham!

[pippy]

Originally Posted by tvymola

He is quite the little joker! I'm sure Mojo and Shinda have been entertained since he has been visiting! Thanks for sharing the videos and photos. He is a ham!

Yes he's a funny old thing! Mojo and Shinda just kind of stare at him when he starts singing and laughing! It's funniest at bedtime when Charlie always starts his bedtime talk which goes 'Goodnight Gilbert, say goodnight Gilbert, goodnight Gilbert' then much laughing!

And when I say laughing I mean in exactly the same way Gilbert used to laugh! It is hilarious! Have a listen to this...

YouTube - Very Funny! Charlie Belly laugh!

Other than Mark playing the marimba all the noise is from Charlie, not a human as you may think!

[larrylow]

Charlie is wicked!! I love him/her. Hopefully Arnie will recover and be as healthy as Charlie is.

[pippy]

Thanks! Well you know I'm rooting for your Arnie

[larrylow]

I know thanks so much for your support. Perhaps when I make a trip to merry ol' England next year we can catch up. I lived in London as a student for 5 years.

[pippy]

Originally Posted by larrylow

I know thanks so much for your support. Perhaps when I make a trip to merry ol' England next year we can catch up. I lived in London as a student for 5 years.

Well I'm about 90 minutes from London, right on the south coast about 15 miles west of Brighton