Agh... update on Gaz and a question on Gir- help!

[dunklekatze]

I haven't been on in forever!!!! I paid a visit to Gaz FINALLY on Saturday. She didn't recognize us until I grabbed her bag of food, shook it, and did this "click" noise with my tongue. She got alllll excited and did that thing where they pinpoint with their eyes and kinda take their heads back and look around all crazy-like. She doesn't look to good though, I think she's attempting to pluck herself or she's not able to take a bath.

My relatives have tried taking her out but she bites them, and hard... They don't handle their own macaw and they thought since this one was smaller they'd be able to. Gaz can have an attitude problem, I showed them that yeah, she can bite me when I go in her cage to grab her if she doesn't come out, but I don't go in there in fear. I know her bite, oh so well too... that it really doesn't phase me. They have misters in the area, and I know she just updated the misting system recently too:) Apparently she showed the other macaw how to take a bath, he used to HATE water. :)

Here's my issue though... my sun conure is a little over 2 years old now. Lately he's been flying from his cage, in a low swoop to come up high and land wherever. He sometimes will fly to me, sit on my chest and they try to "make out" with me and then he'll bite me super hard as if I were a toy he's playing with. I try to get him to step up, he will and then he won't at times, also biting me all over like he's frustrated. He's just been acting weird lately... is there a period in a sun conure's young life where they act completely different 50% of the day? lol

Gaz with her food, an older video!

Oh, did I mention she threw up on me? lol "She really loves me!"
Video of Gaz doing her tongue thing that causes her to throw up sometimes lol

[kellywess]

A Severe with an attitude problem... you have got to be kidding. LOL Does yours like the water? Mine hates it... hates to be sprayed/misted. Will only take a bath when the vacumm cleaner is on and even thats "sometimes." Just was wondering if it was a Severe thing.

[kali]

and as for your sun, as 2 years of age, this is like teenage years, he'll prob be a bit sexually frustrated lol.

i remember an old post about you having to get rid of gir to your parents, what was the reason again?? is there ANY CHANCE he could come home? there's no point him living somewhere where people are going to be afraid of him..

[KimM]

Hmmm. Is he old enough to start the mating thing?

Newt is 3 1/2 and he's humping his toys on a daily basis. It's breeding season here and he is so wound up, some days its like trying to catch a wet noodle out of a wild cat's butt. Hence, one of his nicknames... Noodlebutt!

[dunklekatze]

Awww... sexually frustrated Gir. I laugh. lol

Gaz is the one that went to my Aunts house... and I completely agree with what you're saying Kali- there really isn't a reason to keep her there if they're going to be afraid. We live in an apartment, and the management knew about us and our birds before we had moved in. We haven't had any complaints, if anything while I was at work, a neighbor was in that I had never seen (she lives on the other side of the wall) and said that she really couldn't hear them, and when she did, she enjoyed hearing that more than the kids that lived across the way from her lol.

When we adopted Chili and Static- she developed some crazy jealousy issues, she'd be screaming everytime we'd leave the room more than she had done, and if any of the other birds made a peep, she'd let us know that she wasn't happy about it, at all.

I've thought about putting up some mattress/eggcrate foam on the walls and then putting long curtains over it to dampen the sound... I'm sure if we were to get our weatherstripping on our door replaced, it would help tremendously.

Lack of money to do it though. While we could have her here with no problem, we can't set up our place to where it'll be virtually soundproof. The last apartment we lived in we didn't have to worry about a thing since we were on an end unit with some pretty decent insulation. Ugh.


As for her baths, kellywess, she LOVES them. She didn't care for being misted where we lived, but if she heard the sink going, she'd flip out. I think the vacuum will do the same thing to her as well lol... weird birds.

[kali]

you have such beautiful birds! it's one of the most colourful sig's i've seen :) lol

you could ship gaz over to me?!?! i want a macaw, don't care what kind, i just miss having a large bird.. ;)

you know what would be totally awesome, take gaz around to all your neighbours, get the kids to see him and explain to them when he is likely to be noisy and stuff. then tell them you will be soundproofing the home and ask for donations of any egg cartons they don't need anymore, you never know, someone might have access to a lot..

i can't see that anyone would complain after meeting him, they are just majestic, amazing birds!

[dunklekatze]

THank you!!!

That's such a great idea! I'll have to muscle up some guts to talk to some of them. Part of our neighbors come in and then leave like a month later since the complex does offer month to month, 6month, and 12 month leases... I swear most of these apartments have revolving doors lol

I'll go ask and see if they can save up some egg cartons though, that's beyond great. I'll steal Gaz for a day from my aunts place and bring her down here for a slumber party type of thing and show her off. oooh And take her to the park:) I miss taking her to the park sooo much:(

[Bellco]

I hope you take your macaw home. I was always afraid my neighbors heard my blue crown and would be annoyed by him. I finally after living here with him for about 7 months asked them. They had no idea I had birds and said they have never heard him at all. Only time they have heard him was when I was asking them and left him inside with my sliding door open. My tiels sometimes are heard by my downstairs neighbor and they only know the sound cause they have tiels also.
For egg crates you might wanna ask a local supermarket or bakery if they have extra. I know a few years back when I used to manage a grocery store egg crates just got thrown out unless people asked for them.
As someone already mentioned you do have beautiful birds! Your picture of Gaz is actually one of the reason I am now interested in mini macaws. I have always seen them as intimidating but Gaz just looks nice and friendly.

[Ashling]

YAY an update! It must have been great when she recognised you and got all excited! It's such a sticky situation you're in. I think the best place for Gaz is at home, but obviously it's difficult. It's no good to hear she looks like she's attempting to pluck and isn't being taken out much :( I think Kali's idea is great- you should introduce all your neighbours to Gaz and co. and do the egg carton thing. Either way, having Gaz home is the most important thing. She was part of the original Zim team!!!
How are the rest of the gang going?
Take care.