bird time all the time.
On Sunday, we went to a Baltimore Bird Fanciers meeting for the second time--though it was a first for Enyo and Ripley. Ripley was (predictably) overwhelmed; though he did curiously investigate a couple of people, he shrank away from the other parrots, especially the large macaws. Even the little Timneh greys were a bit intimidating. But I think being there is good for him, and we'll go again. Enyo was (predictably) very excited, and immediately became very, very attached to Almond, a female cockatiel whose owner decided to set her down on top of Enyo's carrier. Periodically the owner or her daughter would come by and pick up Almond, and Enyo would throw a huge fit until they brought her back. Almond seemed pleasantly indifferent to the whole thing.
Enyo also joined me on Friday for a walk over to Goucher. I asked him if he wanted to go to GIG, and he flew across the room to my hand like a magnet. Enyo is such a party animal.
Ripley's been very talkative today. He's recently learned to use first person pronouns. Last week I relayed the story to parrot_lovers, when he announced:
"I watch you poop."
Which he has said a few times since. A day later, when I was on the phone with Comcast, he was on my shoulder and said, "I poop!" Hoping that the clerk on the other end didn't hear him and think it was me, I mumbled, "Okay, go ahead."
Then he leaned away from me and crapped on the floor, declaring, "I like to poop!"
I'm pretty sure there was no way the person on the other end of the phone didn't hear him. Along with his usual nonsense, he's been saying a lot of things in context in the past day, such as "want a bean?" while I stir-fried green beans last night, "want bread?" many times while I have been eating bread or (birthday) cake, "I fly" after doing a lap around the room, "drink a water" while reaching for my cup, "turn around" while doing so, and a few good conversational exchanges. He's also been pretty okay at naming people lately, and sometimes greets us by name. Although I get very excited when he uses a new word for the first time, the number of words and phrases which he understands clearly and uses intentionally is growing as well, and I think that is more impressive.
Among the phrases he says and appears to understand completely: go shoulder, can I touch/wanna touch it, cuddle, kiss (person or body part), go potty/go poop, clean up poop (typically an order, directed at me, after he has pooped on something), and juice (oh god his favorite thing ever I cannot get him to shut up about juice).
When I was a little kid and I first heard about Alex, and read Dr. Doolittle, and desperately wanted a bird that could talk to me ... I clearly did not know what most birds want to talk about.
Enyo also joined me on Friday for a walk over to Goucher. I asked him if he wanted to go to GIG, and he flew across the room to my hand like a magnet. Enyo is such a party animal.
Ripley's been very talkative today. He's recently learned to use first person pronouns. Last week I relayed the story to parrot_lovers, when he announced:
"I watch you poop."
Which he has said a few times since. A day later, when I was on the phone with Comcast, he was on my shoulder and said, "I poop!" Hoping that the clerk on the other end didn't hear him and think it was me, I mumbled, "Okay, go ahead."
Then he leaned away from me and crapped on the floor, declaring, "I like to poop!"
I'm pretty sure there was no way the person on the other end of the phone didn't hear him. Along with his usual nonsense, he's been saying a lot of things in context in the past day, such as "want a bean?" while I stir-fried green beans last night, "want bread?" many times while I have been eating bread or (birthday) cake, "I fly" after doing a lap around the room, "drink a water" while reaching for my cup, "turn around" while doing so, and a few good conversational exchanges. He's also been pretty okay at naming people lately, and sometimes greets us by name. Although I get very excited when he uses a new word for the first time, the number of words and phrases which he understands clearly and uses intentionally is growing as well, and I think that is more impressive.
Among the phrases he says and appears to understand completely: go shoulder, can I touch/wanna touch it, cuddle, kiss (person or body part), go potty/go poop, clean up poop (typically an order, directed at me, after he has pooped on something), and juice (oh god his favorite thing ever I cannot get him to shut up about juice).
When I was a little kid and I first heard about Alex, and read Dr. Doolittle, and desperately wanted a bird that could talk to me ... I clearly did not know what most birds want to talk about.