I just love love love Sammy!!! Yesterday was perfect!! I didn't get Sammy out until around 2:00 and he played behind me on my chair. I got a couple of quick kisses but not much more. He got tired around 4:00 so I gave him a 10 minute warning and checked his food and water and he went right in without any fuss. Bravo!!

I then got him out around 5:30 and we went into the kitchen. He was such a good bird there too. When Paul came in Sammy was certainly glad to see him but was just so sweet. He kept bending his head down for scratches and kisses from both of us. Paul was the one to put him back in the cage so I didn't have to wrangle with him.

At about 8:00, which is usually bed time, Sammy became very active and we decided to get him out once again for a quick visit and again, Sammy was so cuddly and sweet. AAhhhh,...
smooch, smooch, kiss, kiss.

Love, love love

Sammy was so much nicer to me at 5:00. He gave me a kiss (had to take my glasses off) and I babied him like crazy. I opened his sunflower seeds for him and fed them to him by hand. We had a really good time until.............................

We played the top of the cage game. You know the one..jump from one side to the other. It wasn't fun for me. But when I finally had him in my clutches and he couldn't fly away, I praised the #2*& out of him. Good boy, good bird, good Sammy, very nice Sammy...etc. No peanut for Sammy.

My son and daughter-in-law came over last night..it was her birthday. She's 26, such a baby still. Wish I was 26 again. Anyway Sammy loves loves loves her. It figures.

More later.

Did Sammy Get Back In His Cage Without Biting Me?

Well, yes and no. The first time I attempted to get Sammy back in his cage he was on the back of my chair and I gave him a 15 minute warning. Then 10 minutes later I put new food and water into his work cage and believe it or not, he went without too much problem.

The second time was a much much much different situation. He was on top of his work cage and it is a little bit taller than me. So Sammy would jump from the back to the front on top of the cage which made me have to walk around the cage. Seriously this went on for 14 minutes. Also he would charge me and bite the crap out of me too. I realize that I have to win but geez he was really pissing me off!! I saw that the dogs had gone outside so I closed the dog door and showed Sammy the hallway so he would know that we were going to the other cage. Nope that didn't work either. So I just grabbed his little legs and pried his little feet off the cage and took him flapping and biting. No, I didn't hurt your baby, Paul. By the time I got him to his cage, he had quit biting and so I started praising him, all the time cussing to myself, and gave him a peanut. He took it. I won!?

So today, I thought about what my daughter had said. That he's around me all the time and just like a small child will be awful to the mother who is with him all the time but be such an angel for daddy. I said good morning to him as always, then ignored him and went back to work without him. He was whistling dixie (not really) but he was calling me ALOT and I would whistle back. In fact, I didn't get him out until 1:30 when I stopped for lunch. He sat on my shoulder for a good 15-20 minutes and didn't want to get down. I still couldn't get kisses but he was really glad to see me. When I said it's dog time, he kept walking and flying away from me. And of course, a few bites but nothing like yesterday. I'll get him out around 5 today and see what happens then. Wish me luck!

Pity Party is Over

Okay, I'm done. My pitty party is officially over. The reason was that I forgot to take my meds yesterday morning....haha No really. Once I figured that out and took my meds, things were better.

Sammy is sitting on my desk as I work today happily chewing up a piece of cardboard. He's been a pretty good bird so far but in 30 minutes it's dog time. I'll see if he is going to bite me or not as I put him in his cage. My bet is that I'll get bitten. Is saying that optomistic or pesomistic? Hum.

Sammy loves loves loves fried rice with egg. Paul made some stir-fry last night that was to die for and Val made the fried rice. Paul offered Sammy a bite of all the ingredients but the rice was the winner. Oh, and we have found a new toy that Sammy loves....the styrofoam box that mushrooms come in. It's blue and it chews up nicely. You know, having a parrot is very messy. We have little bits of styrofoam, peanut casings, sunflower seed covers, bits of paper and food all over the place all the time. So Donna, you can give Sammy that paper feeder thingy for Xmas!

It's Official

Sammy loves Paul more and is more closely bonded to him. Paul can put Sammy back into his cage without a nip or screech but when I do it, all my fingers are nipped and he's flapping his wings in my face and so he never gets his "good bird" peanut treat from me. What gets me is that I'm always doing good stuff for him...giving him greens, letting him come out to play at least two times before Paul gets home. I can't hardly wrangle a kiss from him either, I have to sneak up on him and give him a kiss on his wing where the first thing Sammy does to Paul is kiss, kiss, kiss....and then a kiss after Paul puts him back in the cage!! IT'S NOT FAIR! My heart is broken.

On a lighter note, I swear Sammy said "hi" in my voice a couple of times yesterday. He was flying to my head and I held up my hands and caught him and he was flapping his wings like mad, causing my hair to fly and he said "hi". Can't get him to do it any more...that figures.

More later

General Info

Sammy has picked up a new whistle. It's that whistle that you do to get some one's attention. Whee oo weet. Does that make sense? So now when you come in the door of our house you hear a blend of the wolf whistle and this new one. We found out that Sammy loves tator tot casserole. Just a few bites, nothing big and he doesn't like cranberry sauce. Paul fried a turkey outside but he wouldn't say "bird" instead of turkey because he didn't want Sammy to know that we were eating a "bird"...LOL Valerie came over and Sammy jumped onto her right off the bat. That's a good thing. Sam is still very friendly to other humans too. We hope he stays that way.

Sammy still doesn't like his new "work" cage as well as the other cage. Val and I were putting him back into his cage after an hour and a half "Sammy time" and he fought us both to stay out. He bit Val pretty hard and kept a steady tirade of bites on my fingers until we forced him back into the cage. I scolded him but it didn't do any good. I don't know why it's much harder to get him in this cage. To put him into the other cage is relatively easy. He doesn't bite and most of the time goes right in. With both cages, we offer a peanut for him when he gets inside. Any idea?

The New Cage

This is Sammy's new cage. Paul and I put this thing together last night. This one is perfect and you can actually see Sammy in the upper right of the cage. He likes it because it's bigger but he stays on the upper perches most of the time. Right now he's getting ready to take a nap so he must feel protected. He did fall to the bottom one time which scared the yikes out of me but he wasn't hurt. He has to get used to the perches in there and the size of the bars. Never fear, Lulu was right there waiting to catch him.....she's such a good helper....yeah, right.

Now I read someone else's blog and she said that cat and dog saliva can be fatal to birds. She recommended that you wash your hands before handling your bird if you've been petting a cat or dog. I don't know about that, but I intend to find out.

Well, it's true. There is a bacteria in mammals that can be given to birds and they can die within 24 hours if not treated. Cats are the worst, then dogs, then humans. I read one vet say that he has never seen a bird that got the bacteria from a human, but he has seen several birds that got it from the pet dog or cat. Well, my dogs aren't going to get anywhere near Sammy. He's way too precious of a pet to be careless.

More later

This is Misha on the left. She's the sweetest dog ever but she is a true hunter. She's caught and eaten many squirrells and she would probably not be able to stop herself from chasing Sammy.

The one on the right is Lulu. She's a rescue and a trash eating dog who has to dominate everything the others do in the family. She'll nose up to Sammy's cage and he'll run at her with her beak open and growling. I think Sam's realized that she doesn't like him and would like him to go away. The first words Sammy will probably say will be "Leave him alone, Lulu"! But in her defense, she's the most loyal dog to me. She has to go everywhere I do all day long. Well, yesterday was pretty uneventful. Sammy did get to be out of the cage for about 3 hours. He was so mad to get back in but it was "Dog's time". I hear him out there just whistling away....whee whoo....whee whoo. And, because I'm a trained human, I'm whistling right back to him.

More late.

Some of Sammy's Favorite Things

1. Being out of his cage around us

2. Paul

3. Me

4. Valerie (our daughter)

5. Peaches 'n' Cream Oatmeal

6. Peanuts

7. Sugar Snap Peas

8. Chewing on a fresh corn on the cob

9. Eating off the bottom of his cage

10. Chewing up things.

At least we're the top 4. We were told that Sammy sees himself as a human and one of our flock and so by being near us all the time, he has the protection of his flock. The dogs are definitely not part of his flock.

This is Marty. He's probably around 2 years old and, poor Marty, he hears voices in his head. His brain isn't right and he has lapses of poor behavior. Everyone wants to like Marty but unfortunately he makes it hard to like him. He's the sweetest boy in the world though..especially when he's asleep...LOL

He really doesn't care what Sammy does. He's pretty much scared of the noises and leaves Sammy some room.

More later

New Stuff on This Blog

Over to the right, you'll see random videos from YouTube. Just click on it and it will play at the top of the screen. I hope you enjoy these.

Pictures

Please scroll all the way down the page to see some random youtube videos all about different animals.





You have to be sure to keep an eye on Sammy when he's out of his cage. He stripped my telephone cord down to the wires in the blink of an eye. That's why you give parrots wooden toys. It takes longer to destroy them than the plastic toys.


Did you like my pictures?

Misbehaving

Sammy is going through his "terrible two's". I thought he just misbehaved only with me but this morning he did it to Paul. Sammy is only 4 months old but african grey's can live to be over 50 years old so this really could be his time as an adolescent. You know, most animals go through this stage. I think it's called by most to be their teenage years too. I know my sugar gliders and my dogs are nicer after about 2 years and up. Having gone through both a boy and a girl human teenagers, I think I can handle all most anything. Our kids were very good kids but they had their moments. I always tell my friends that by the time they can drive, then they'll almost be back to being a normal person. Same thing for pets. You just have to grit your teeth and bare it.

More later.

Fits

Yea!! Paul is back!! That's Sammy talking. Sammy adores Paul. I'm learning to deal with it. LOL Actually it really is good that Paul's back because he can resume the morning feeding and playing. Then I get to play later during the day. Sammy grows more intelligent every single day. He certainly knows how to play me. If he wants out of his cage, he pitches a fit like a 2 year old child. He'll pace at the bottom looking for any way out, then hang upside down from the top. He knows it scares me. The first time I saw him do this, I ran to his cage to help him and all I got was a bite on my finger. It didn't bring blood but it sure wasn't his normal tasting. Then I read that you're supposed to ignore them. That did work but it took alot for me not to look while listening to all that thrashing around.

Today is my birthday so if you read this send me a birthday email to TandPKreth@aol.com

Sammy vs. the Dogs

I'm a HUGE animal lover. I have had an iguana, a bearded dragon, an anole, three sugar gliders, 3 dogs (Lulu, Marty and Misha) and two canaries. I know what you're thinking. We have lots of room for more animals so we got Sammy. The three dogs have always been with me around the house. I work from home and so they have me pretty much all day long. Now that Sammy's here, he wants to be with us all the time too which is okay if he wanted to stay in his cage, but he doesn't. He wants to be on my shoulder or the back of my chair. The breeder said that we are Sammy's "flock" and he will want to be with us all the time.

My dog Lulu is a rescue dog and she is the head bitch of the group. She has to always, always, always be in charge of everything. She constantly growls at Misha. So much so it's terribly annoying. Well, she also wants to control Sammy. So the two cannot be left alone and never ever can she be around him when he's out of his cage. If Lulu gets too close to the cage, Sammy will puff up and growl and run at her with his beak open, but he hasn't fooled Lu.

So my day starts like this...Paul gets up earlier than me and takes Sammy out of his cage for some one -on -one time and breakfast. Sammy's favorite is Peaches n' Cream oatmeal. I stay in bed because the dogs won't leave the bedroom until I do. This lasts about an hour.

Then Sammy goes up and the dogs come out. Then after the Ellen show, I put the dogs outside and bring Sammy to my work room (bedroom again) and he stays out for about an hour, usually on the back of my chair. This is also his time to "poop". And yes, you can teach a bird to poop on command!! This routine is repeated 2 to 3 times a day. The dogs and Sammy are all starting to get used to this routine. Except when Paul goes out of town. That's a whole other blog....

More later.

Sammy's Cousin, Sam!

Hey hey!

I'm Sammy's cousin, Sam. I'm 2 1/2 years old! Since I'm older than Sammy, I'm telling everyone that he was named after me -- his favorite cousin!!

My momma will meet Sammy in person this Christmas. She's so lucky -- I wish I could meet him, too. But, who knows, Sammy may be talking so good by then he might try to make me sit, bark, lay down & stay -- that, I wouldn't like!

You can visit momma's pet tips blog by clicking here!

This is a video I took showing Sammy flying down from upstairs and landing on Paul's hand.

Sammy's New Cage

Well, the cage had been damaged during the shipping process. The seller is going to send me another one but it will take another 7 days or so. Oh well. Now all we have to do is put it all back into the box.

Sammy is learning the hard way that his feathers don't give the same lift as before. He probably feels like he did when he first started flying....banging into everything. But he's a quick learner and will realize which perches he can still fly to.

As I'm sitting here at my computer Sammy is behind me on the back of my chair making all kinds of interesting noises. Some of them sound like a noise a new baby makes. It's very relaxing when he does that.

More later.

Sammy's Brother, Marty

Hi! I'm Marty. I think my new brother, Sammy, the African Grey Parrot is pretty neat. But, boy, he sure does wear me out!

Sammy Gets a New Do

It was a lot harder for me and Paul than it ever was for Sammy to get his wings clipped. It's just sad to see him try to fly across the room and instead he only goes down, not up. But, like I said last time, we don't want to lose him.

He finally can whistle the "wolf whistle" that Paul and I have been teaching him for weeks. He sounds just like Paul which is a good thing because my whistle is a little weak. We have a house that when anyone opens a door or window, a beep is heard and Sammy quickly realized that the beep means someone is coming in. So if you come to our house, the first thing you'll hear when you come in is that Sammy thinks you're hot!! It's a great ego boost!!

Today we're going to be putting together a new cage that I bought for Sammy on ebay. It's a very large cage so that when he's working with me, he'll have a big cage to play in. The one I have now is way too small. Sammy likes to climb all over it, sometimes upside down and he just doesn't have enough room to do that in his work cage.

So enough for now but I need to let you know that Sammy wasn't over the top to see his breeder. He gets alot more excited when he sees us. Which is the way we want it to be!!LOL

A Big Day for Sammy!

Today is a big day for Sammy. He's mastered the art of flying..and landing. The landing is the tricky part.

Four weeks ago Sammy started flapping his wings really hard. He would be on his perch and let it rip and papers or anything else not tethered down would fly away. A week later he took his first leap of faith..from the top of his cage, over my head, and smack into the window blinds. But he didn't fall to the ground. He hung on for dear life until I rescued him. From then on until today he would soar around the room, up and down the stairs and learning the crucial down flapping that lets him land on our heads. Perfect!!!

But today, we will get his wings clipped. We both had misgivings wondering if we were doing the right thing. Sammy absolutely loves to fly and we love it when we tap our outspread arm and he comes happily flapping over to us. But we've heard the stories, one especially frightening from Sammy's breeder. Some one comes in the door unexpectedly and the bird flies out the open door. It happens all too quickly and it can take days or maybe never for the owner to find their bird...searching for water when it doesn't know how to because it's always been given to him in a shiny silver bowl. We don't want that to happen to Sammy so we will have his wings clipped in a "show bird" style. This will allow him to fly about five feet but always going downhill to the floor.

On another note, we're anxious to see if Sammy will remember his breeder. We call him his granddad. More later.

Cleaning your Parrots Veggies & Fruits

Spray Organic Apple Cider on your fruits & veggies to remove harmful toxins. Wait five minutes then rinse.

The African Grey's Sensitive Respiratory System

The unique bird’s respiratory system dictates that they are much more sensitive to gas and vapors than we humans, hence special cautions must be exercised in the home. The gas released when Teflon pans are heated is perhaps the most devastating as they are not only odorless but few individuals even realize the hazard exists. This is not to say that all Teflon pans need to be removed or that home cooking should be stopped, but to be aware of the situation. Using a thin layer of water when preheating will absorb the formaldehyde gas released.

Should exposure to any gas or vapor occur, immediately remove the bird from the environment and air out the house. Other common household hazards include insecticides, self-cleaning Teflon ovens, solvents (including nail polish remover and paint remover), most varnishes and stains, carpet cleaners, lead based paint, and oven cleaners.

Remove the animal immediately if you believe that toxic gas has been released. Always err on the side of caution, waiting to watch the bird for a sign of a reaction will only prove irreversible.

African greys are particularly sensitive to a mold (aspergillosis sp.) that grows in the Midwest due to the extreme humidity changes we experience, particularly in spring and fall when molds grow at an accelerated rate. A good quality air cleaner and dehumidifier in the household is strongly recommended, to prevent this fatal disease.

5 Foods You Should NOT Feed Your Parrot!

1. Caffeine
2. Chocolate
3. The pits of most fruits
4. Avocado
5. High acid foods such as tomatoes and pineapple (uncooked)

How to Stop your Pet Bird from Biting You!

1. Find out why your bird is biting. Like many bad habits, we may teach our birds to bite by giving them what they want when they bite.
2. If you can anticipate when your bird might bite, simply avoid the situation. Feed the baby before he gets frantic. Don't leap onto the battlefield when the war is in full swing. If a bird is afraid, take a lower perch for yourself by sitting down, don't stare at him, talk quietly and reassure him until he is comfortable. It is a good time to sing for him.
3. All young birds go through a teething stage when they learn how to use their beaks to climb and to interact with the world. Remember that birds do not have hands and must use their beaks, so don't punish your bird for normal feeling, tasting, climbing or "preening you" behavior. Just let him know that he needs to be gentle. When your bird grabs hard enough to hurt you, shout "BEAK!" Do NOT make a long drawn-out paragraph out of the word "BEAK!" like you might with "Owwww" or "Nooooo". You want a quick alarm sound. Don't make a big deal out of it. He's learning how hard he can hang on without hurting you. You don't want a song in this situation. Sing to him when he's being good.
4. If he persists in grabbing too hard, keep the bird at your waist level, on your hand - not on your shoulder, and if he still keeps biting, drop your hand down about one inch until he loses his balance a bit. Don't move far enough to make the bird fall. You want to get his attention. You don't want to scare him or hurt him.
5. Train your bird to stay on your hand where you have the control position, and avoid 90% of biting problems.
6. The final option is to put the bird in a cage for 2-minutes of "time out". Completely ignore him during this two minutes. Turn your back on him and don't talk to him. This banishment from the flock is a very severe form of punishment for a bird. Because the flock represents safety, this punishment should not be used lightly. If your bird was hungry and wanted back in his cage to eat, pay more attention next time and put him back before he bites. We don't want him to learn to bite to get back to his cage for a quick snack either.
7. NEVER, NEVER HIT YOUR BIRD. Birds do not understand physical punishment. Hurting your bird will make him afraid of you. If you want a loving pet, never thump him on the beak or hurt him. He should see you as his friend and refuge.

10 Fresh and Tasty Foods for Parrots!

1. FRUITS. Grapes, oranges, bananas, melons -- just about any kind of fruit imaginable is good for your bird. Full of taste and various vitamins, fruit is a wonderful source of nutrients and is a favorite among the vast majority of pet birds. As with any fresh food you offer your bird, remove and discard any leftovers a couple of hours after serving. This prevents bacteria growth inside of your pet's cage!
2. BEANS. Beans are an outstanding source of protein for your feathered friend. Try boiling a 15 bean soup mix without any seasoning. Allow the beans to cool, and then offer a scoop to your bird. Chances are that this will become a fast favorite with your little friend. Remember to never serve raw beans to your pet, as some varieties can be poisonous unless cooked.
3. SPROUTS. Your bird will love alfalfa spouts! Be sure to thoroughly wash any sprouts that you offer your bird. Some may have come into contact with pesticides in their journey from the garden to your local supermarket, and you don't want to pass these toxins on to your pet.
4. VEGETABLES. Wild birds feast on an amazing variety of vegetables in their natural habitats, so it only makes sense that fresh veggies are good for captive birds as well. Try offering your pet some thoroughly cleansed broccoli, cauliflower, or greens next time you serve these veggies in your home. Other avian favorites include carrots, asparagus, and peas.
5. PASTA. No matter whether it's cooked or uncooked, birds love pasta. The good thing is, it's full of energy enhancing carbohydrates! Try boiling some bowtie pasta with vegetables and serving it to your bird when cool. If your pet prefers his pasta crunchy, fill a few raw macaroni noodles with peanut butter for a fun and tasty snack.
6. BREAD. Whole grain breads taste great, and are a wonderful source of fiber. Try offering your bird small bites of bread as a treat for good behavior.
7. POPCORN. Believe it or not, many pet birds enjoy snacking on popcorn! You can serve your bird either popped or unpopped kernels. If you choose to serve the popcorn unpopped, boil the kernels for a bit in plain water to soften the tough hulls. If you desire, you can pop the kernels for your bird using a very light amount of pure vegetable oil. Never give your bird microwave popcorn. These varieties are extremely high in fat and salt, which can be harmful to your pet's health.
8. CEREAL AND GRAINS. Whole grains are another good source of vital protein, not to mention beneficial carbohydrates. Try serving your bird oats or shredded wheat, and watch the feeding party begin!
9. NUTS. Nuts are extremely high in fat, and should be used sparingly to prevent obesity in your bird. They are, however, very tasty, and many birds appreciate them as special treats. Always make sure that any nuts that you serve your bird are clean and unsalted.
10. PEPPERS. Birds lack the taste receptors that pick up on a pepper's stinging bite, which makes them a favorite of birds around the world. Try giving your pet a nice fresh chile or banana pepper and watch him chomp through it to get to the meat and seeds inside.

Sammy says to Try his Fruity Nutty Parrot Pops

• Fresh Fruits
• Nuts (optional)
• Some of your bird's favorite seed (optional)

Blend all ingredients until they form a smooth paste.

Pour the mixture into popsicle molds or ice trays. Freeze the pops until they are solid.

As an option, you can cover the trays with plastic wrap, and insert halved popsicle sticks through the wrap and into the pops before freezing, to give your bird something to hang on to.

Any combination of bird safe fresh foods, nuts, and seeds can be used.

When We First Met Sammy!

Sammy joined our family on October 12, 2007. We first came to know Sammy by finding a veterinarian/breeder out of Moore, Oklahoma. Glen or Sammy's granddad, as we refer to him, has a fantastic knowledge and friendship with each bird he raises. In fact, on the day we brought Sammy into our home, Glen was at a loss for words. Granddad will be happy to know that Sammy will visit him on regular visits for his check-ups.