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LauraO
11-17-2005, 01:35 PM
Well I just wanted to share that Mijo ROCKS! and I'm so glad he came to live with us.

He's in Quarantine and the only room available is our bedroom. His cage seems much bigger now that it's in our room next to our bed :omg: . Anyway, when I woke up this morning, Mijo decided to come down on the bed to visit. This was the first time he'd done it and it was cute to watch him. He walked up and down the bed, bit a hole in our sheets and eventually fell off the bed despite my warnings :rofl: :rofl:. He's not flighted so I had to pick him up, football style and put him back on his cage. He doesn't know how to step up. He hates the stick/dowel and I'm not confident enough to use my hand to practice :eek:. Funny though, I'll stick my whole head and face in the cage to give him beaker kisses :D.

Mijo loves to chatter away and it's amazing how many things he says. I think it's the funnest part of having a second hand Grey. He says hello in countless different voices. I'm sure it's from the hundreds of people who walked up to him in the petstore and said hello to him. I'm always trying to understand and figure out the things he's saying.....Mijo isn't too fond of my husband and if he's in the room, Mijo will not say anything. The only reason my husband even believes Mijo knows any sounds is that his phone ringing, whistle blowing, car alarm sounds can be heard all the way in the living room :rofl: :rofl: .

Mijo loves chewing on things. He loves these little blocks I bought on the mainland to make your own bird toys. He chews them up in about five minutes. He also figured out how to take off the plastic food clip this morning and has been chewing on it. I can't believe he spent all those months in the petstore with nothing to chew on.

Mijo hates his fruits and veggies. I've gotten him to eat egg and chicken. It was funny this morning because I clipped some brocolli on the plastic food clip and he was trying to chew through it to get to the clip. He would bite a big chunk of brocolli and then spit it out like a 3 year old who hates something he's bit into :rolleyes:.

I'm hoping to get pics of him this weekend to share. He's one beautiful guy :)

Keltoth
11-17-2005, 01:41 PM
Ah-hahaha! I'm so happy for you and jealous of you both at the same time! I have wanted a CAG or TAG forever, but just could not justify buying one big bird - because I know from my past track record that if I get just one of a species of bird, pretty soon I've just GOT to have more. It is all I can do to resist the urge every day to go out and buy two female GCCs for Maverik and Molly... :eek:

Very, VERY grats, Laura! I know you and Mijo are going to have long, happy lives together. :happy:

-Eric

linda040899
11-17-2005, 01:50 PM
Hi Laura,
Sounds like Mijo is adjusting very well to life after pet shop! :) You're going to be learning his vocabulary for months to come! Just when you think you've heard it all, he'll say something new! Greys have the intelligence level of roughly a 5 yr. old human.

I hate to say this but the "up" command is very important when you are working with a larger parrot. It lets them know exactly what you expect from them and it can save their life in an emergency. If you don't want to offer your hand, then try offering your arm. Most birds do not like being on the floor, so Mijo is more likely to step up from the floor to your arm than he is to step up from his cage to your arm. Verbalize what you want each time you want him to step up so he's used to the command. I do this with Harley, Dao, Alex and Georgia (when Georgia is in the mood) and they do it automatically when they hear the command. I use step up for on my hand and off my hand but you can use different wording if you want. Mine are just used to changing perches when they hear "step up."

BarbieH
11-17-2005, 02:10 PM
Laura, that'w wonderful. :) I just love hearing about him already! :)

Congrats from me too. :D

bellarains
11-17-2005, 02:12 PM
Laura,

I am sooooo jealous. Mijo sounds like a sweetie. I'm glad you and he are enjoying one another.

I found a TAG in the paper today, 2 years old, owner moving, can't take bird, comes with two large cages, perch, all toys and accessories, $750.00. I told my hubby that is what I want for Chistmas, and his response was, "If the cats go, you can have the Grey". I am a little ashamed to admit, I actually thought about it for a minute >o

Yep, please post me some pics ASAP. Lots and lots, and lots of gorgeous Mijo pics :D

mjm8321
11-17-2005, 02:25 PM
Glad to hear things are progressing well with Mijo. The bigger guys can be a bit of a challenge when they don't step up. I still can't get Ripley to step up on me; well he'll step up no problem, but he attacks me immediately after stepping up. What's Mijo's favorite treat at the moment? Try training him to step up by offering that one treat as the reward for stepping up. Only offer that treat as the reward for stepping up and at no other time. This worked well for me with Ripley to get him to go to a certain spot in his cage so I can change food, etc.. without being attacked.

Z28Taxman
11-17-2005, 07:50 PM
I'm glad to hear Mijo is doing well.

Now I'm jealous. I want a grey too.

LauraO
11-18-2005, 12:34 AM
Hi Laura,
I hate to say this but the "up" command is very important when you are working with a larger parrot. It lets them know exactly what you expect from them and it can save their life in an emergency. If you don't want to offer your hand, then try offering your arm.

I KNOW, I KNOW! That is just such a big beak and I've never experience such a thing in my young birdy life :wink: . I'm working on my fear though, and feel comfortable working on it when he lands on the floor next time. I've been more tempted working with him and think it's only a matter of time. He bit me tonight and it didn't at all hurt but I convered him for five minutes and he was devestated. I do agree that it's essential especially since he's so afraid of the stick.

P.S. Lori. If you really want a grey you will have one it's only a matter of time. Hopefully you will meet that special guy or gal soon because it seems as if it's something you've really wanted for awhile. You could always tell your husband that your buying the grey to keep your kitties in line ;) ;)

butterfly1061
11-18-2005, 04:02 AM
Laura,

Mijo sounds great. I can tell you're having a blast with him :happy:

Janie
11-18-2005, 10:36 AM
Laura, :D!!!!! I'm so happy for all of you! Just imagine what a different life Mijo will have now....now that he's found a "forever" family! :)

I would love to see photos! :D

Paulette
11-18-2005, 05:09 PM
Laura, I have to agree with Janie....you'd been visiting him for a long, long time and he finally has a wonderful home.....even if it is a bird hoarding home. :D

Janie
11-18-2005, 05:43 PM
Now remember Laura, *I* did not call you a "hoarder"......Paulette did! :rofl: Maybe I thought it but I did not type it! :rofl: