Journal of an adopted 9 year old Senegal in Wilmington, NC

[Shinosuke]

Hi everyone,

I have a REALLY bad habit of typing up a post, bit by bit over an hour or two, then submitting it, and then authentication fails (maybe due to timeout) and I lose my post.. then I'm so upset at the huge loss of time and don't feel like retyping it all out, so I put it off for a few days..

So yea, Klaus's owner (I guess I can start calling him by name, Jason) came over this past week. He was going out of town for awhile and wanted to see Klaus before he left. We had a good time, Klaus really loves that guy. Klaus kept on regurgitating food and then eating it. Kinda disgusting, but sweet in its own way.

Jason was able to put Klaus on his back and then leave him in his lap that way.. too cool. He also put him on a towel and swung him around a little bit, which Klaus seemed to think was fun. While we were talking for a bit Klaus went back up on his cage. When I tried to get him off he got really aggressive with me for the first time ever. Bit down on my finger and didn't feel like giving it back. Drew just a little speck of blood, ripped off a bit of skin, but it really wasnot that bad of a bite at all.

Jason also gave me a book on Senegals that has some pretty good info in it. I haven't read the whole thing yet, I've been too wrapped up in a really good series of books by Terry Goodkind recently. Also, I've been playing the new game called Spore a good bit. I made a little bird character that I tried to make look like Klaus.. Doesn't look a thing like him but it chirps a lot, and Klaus likes to talk to it =)

Hurricane Hannah was nothing crazy, thankfully. It hit around 2 am I think. I tried to stay awake to watch it, but ended up passing out around 1:30 or so. Klaus was asleep much earlier than that as I put a blanket over his cage in case any windows busted in.

And that's about it since last time! It's late, and I'm going to bed soon. Night, everybody.

[Pepper's Pa]

Originally Posted by Shinosuke

I have a REALLY bad habit of typing up a post, bit by bit over an hour or two, then submitting it, and then authentication fails (maybe due to timeout) and I lose my post.. then I'm so upset at the huge loss of time and don't feel like retyping it all out, so I put it off for a few days.

I found that the best way to stop this from happening is I write my post in Microsoft Word, then copy and paste it to the message board when I’m finished.
I hope this may help to solve your problem.

[sootykitty]

So good to hear from you, Adam. I'm glad that Jason was able to visit you and Klaus last week. It was probably good for you to see how they interact together. Yep, that food regurgitation thing is a little on the disgusting side at first, but just a part of the way a bird shows affection. In time he'll do that for you too. I love the "towel swing." That sounds so cute. Don't worry about that little show of aggression from Klaus after Jason played with him. That is to be expected. After all that is HIS person right now. If you decide to keep him in your life, then you'll become HIS person and the memories of Jason will fade.

I love that you made a little bird character in the game that is fashioned after Klaus. How fun is that! By allowing him time with you while you play will help strengthen the bond between you. Just keep spending time with him because that is all that he really wants. Even while you're reading just have him hang out with you. Before you know it he'll be lying on his back in your lap! He sounds like such a cool little bird. I'm sure you'll enjoy reading about Senegals in that book. I know that I devoured the one I had when I got my first one, JoJo. It seems I just couldn't get enough information. I still am that way. I never seem to get enough. I just love these guys!

I'm glad to know that you both weathered the storm. Good idea to cover him like that. You never know what can happen, so it is always better safe than sorry.

When is Jason expected back? How are things going for you and your girl? Better I hope. Have you made any further decisions about the trial period with Klaus? I mean, has it been extended? I know, I know, lots of questions. I'm not prying, honest. I just am interested in all of you now that I seem to know a bit more about you guys. I really hope things work out for all of you. I am so glad you keep us posted. I look forward to the next chapter in your story.

[Shinosuke]

And things are going really well. He's even (I think) started regurgitating for me!

He's getting much more comfortable with life here. He's much less hand and movement shy, although I would never have called him "shy" even in the beginning. He's playing with his toys more, I've even walked in on him swinging on his perch and singing to himself! I bought him a cuttle bone his first day home which he's ignored till a few days ago.. I saw him take a few bites out of it, which was pretty cool.

I recently bought some cheap dish towels at the store and have been wearing those / draping them over my chairs, and it's helping with the mess a lot. He's even started climbing up and down the rag on the back of my desk chair, swinging around and having a good time while I am on the computer.

His favorite toys are still soda cans, glass bottles, and plastic water bottles. In fact he's tossing around a sprite can as I type this. In general he's just been more active, alert, and louder =P

He's got a pretty good little vocabulary of noises I've heard so far:

He does the microwave beep when it goes off and randomly in the morning (about 3x louder than the real thing, though)

When you close the door to his room, or sometimes even when just leaving the room, he makes a sound like a door closing (about 300x louder than the real thing)

In the morning and at night he goes through a lot of loud random noises, incuding loud as he can screaming for no reason besides the fact that he can. I ignore the shrill calls and try to answer the sing song calls, in hopes that he'll learn I like those calls more

In the morning he makes up little whistling songs, whistling random notes one after the other to us

He meows like a cat when he's feeling lonely (this is too cute)

He makes quiet gravely and popping noises when he's content and about to fall asleep on my shoulder

When people are in conversation near him he makes this noise almost like he's trying to talk, but it's just gravely garbeldygook. He does a quieter version of this when I talk to him sometimes

When I pet him I make little tut tut noises, so now when he wants a rub (which is pretty much whenever I even glance his way) he tuts at me and puts his head down

He does all kinds of whistles.. He makes cat calls randomly, does a high-low for his typical greeting, and a few others that I couldn't really explain. I'm trying to teach him bethovens fifth without too much progress so far

These aren't all of his noises, but a good majority.


To put it simply: Things are going well. I hope you're all doing well, too!

Adam

[sootykitty]

Oops - double posting! Sorry, please just read below.

[sootykitty]

I'm so happy to know that things are going well for the two of you. I just love all the little things you're getting to know about him. Aren't these little Sennies wonderful! I just think they're the greatest characters. So full of playfulness.

That screaming you're speaking of is normal. All birds do that in the morning and again at night. It is a part of their calling to the flock. It can get pretty loud, I know that. Both my Sennies can scream loud enough to be heard outside at times. Fortunately it isn't an all day event. Just a part of bird ownership. Welcome to the club!

The things you've mentioned about him remind me of JoJo. He is a mumbler and doesn't speak very clearly either. But he sure does want to be a part of the conversation. He bobs his head up and down and mumbles along. I'm sure he is talking but we just can't make anything out of it. Poor little guy!

JoJo does a pretty great squeaky door impression and he uses it in context too. So every time a door is opened or closed for that matter, he squeaks it for us. We always tell him thank you to encourage him.

I think it is just wonderful that the two of you are bonding so well. Keep up the Bethoven whistling. He'll pick it up; you'll see. He seems like a pretty great little sound machine. How fun is that!

Isn't it funny to see such a little bird pick up a pop can? I just love it when mine pick up something that is larger than they are. I swear these little birds think they're Macaw size.

I just love reading about the progress you're making and the way you are growing together. I am so pleased for both of you. I surely do hope this means that he has found a new home with you. You are great together!

Ginger

[Shinosuke]

Small update. Worked a nice 11 or so hour day today, came home to dinner almost ready and Klaus chirping at me. I was talking to Renee for a bit, and Klaus burst out with a "pretty bird" in the background! Now mind you it was more of a "weeme woo" than "pretty bird", but there was no mistaking my inflection I give the phrase and it was done in his talking voice.

Like I said it's a small update, but I thought it was really cool! He's hanging out with his face in his wing feathers on my shoulder right now, presumably taking a nap. What a great little bird =)

[sootykitty]

Now that's progress, isn't it! Mimicking you is such a compliment and sign of affection. I'm sure he was glad to see you when you got home.

[Shinosuke]

Hello everyone,

It's been a few weeks since my last update, but things are going going well! I'm really busy with work due to layoffs and an icreased workload in an already understaffed department. I do however always spend a good bit of time with Klaus at home, even if that's just him hanging out on top of his cage or somewhere else near me out of the cage. His favorite thing to do is still to sit on my shoulder or back of my chair, so there's a lot of that going on =)

He's getting much more comfortable with me. I can hold him upside down in my palm with no problem - it certainly helps that I always pet under his beak (his favorite spot) whenever I hold him like that. He's come to associate it with cuddle time. He'll also lay in my lap like that, but for no more than 15 seconds or so at a time.

Yesterday I let the dog, Dobja, out of the cage with Klaus in the same room for the first time. It went much better than I expected. Whenever Dobja came near Klaus, Klaus would calmly shuffle down off his play gym and display his beak to Dobja. Dobja would run off for a few minutes, come back, repeat. Klaus didn't seem upset by this in the least, just protecting his territory.

I'm about to head out downtown to riverfest, a yearly waterfront festival, with some friends. Hope you're all doing well!

Adam