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Never Underestimate The Intelligence of a Bird

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I have always wanted a parrot but have never seriously shopped for one, I don't think I would be home to give enough attention to it. I am always amazed by the way birds learn things both taught and through observation.
 
I have a Rainbow Lori - he's always talking to me. When he wants attention, he says "pretty bird", if you get really close, he says "gimme kiss", he barks, meows, asks me "what are ya doing?", says "stop", yells "come in" when someone knocks on the door, says "hello" when the phone rings, and a host of other phrases.

When he's not talking, he's busy building a nest, playing with markers (I don't know why he likes pens and markers, he just does), and finally humping the markers (he goes at it many times a day - will hump fingers and toes if out of the cage.....) 😛

He's the smartest animal I've ever owned, and my parents are giving him to me when I move out 🙂 I like him because he's MUCh smaller than a parrot, or an African Grey, requires little upkeep, and is funny 🙂
 
how do you guys clip your bird's nails?

My African Grey doesn't like it when I try to clip his nails.

hes also evil. He talks only when no ones in the room and wants to perch on my arm but doesn't want me to pet him. He also tries to take the nails off my fingers.

the funniest thing was when I bought him a toy with 8 bells on it, the next day he ripped out the piece that makes the noise inside of each of the 8 bells.
 
I file Louie's nails. I find that if I clip them then I end up hitting the quick and he bleeds a lot. just file down the tips a bit. If you file down too far it will bleed, but only slightly. Louie actually likes this. He'll hold his foot up in the air and he whistles the whole time. Do your greys like grapes? Mine will eat everything and then leave the grape "shell" (peeling), which he proceeds to flick across the room at whoever he doesn't like.
 
Originally posted by: Chelsey
Ok, so I've had this African Grey for about two years. He was 8 months old I got him, and he was a feather-plucker, which usually indicates boredom. I kinda thought that he must be pretty smart if he's bored in a huge cage with lots of toys. About a month after he was home he started talking. I know what everyone says about birds just being able to mimick and not know what they're saying, but I am convinced that I have a genius as a pet. When I walk into the room he says "Hi Chels". If I'm busy with something he says "Whatchadoin?" He calls the dogs by name and tells them to shut up if they're barking. If he sees a cat he will go "here kitty kitty!" and then slide down his cage bars to bite them. He gives kisses, screeches like the door, farts, whistles, and says hello when the phone rings.

Does anyone else have one of these awesome birds? Does yours talk and is it intelligent? I know you guys will ask for pics, so here
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omgtehb00bies!
 
Originally posted by: Chelsey
$800, but he was on sale. He'll live for 50 years and is a real sweetie, not to mention his talking abilities are awesome!
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african grays are known to be the smartest parrots out there. If you have one from early age, you can teach em all kinds of stuff.
 
Originally posted by: Chelsey
I file Louie's nails. I find that if I clip them then I end up hitting the quick and he bleeds a lot. just file down the tips a bit. If you file down too far it will bleed, but only slightly. Louie actually likes this. He'll hold his foot up in the air and he whistles the whole time. Do your greys like grapes? Mine will eat everything and then leave the grape "shell" (peeling), which he proceeds to flick across the room at whoever he doesn't like.
Click to expand...


if he / she bleeds after you clip the nails, you clipped too much. They have veins running thru those and youre only supposed to clip so much that you don't hit the vein
 
I still think he's mimicking. Saying "Hello" when the phone rings is a dead giveaway. If he was smart he would realize you talk into the phone and him saying hello will not yield any results. Instead he says hello because he has heard you say it shortly after the phone rings.

He has also probably heard your friends say "hi Chel" and "whatcha doing" and is merely mimicking that for attention. He has probably heard you tell the dogs to shut up when they bark and is doing the same. Cool pet nontheless.

All of my dogs are dumb as rocks. But they can hear food drop 100 yards away.
 
And someday you can buy a bird with money you earned!!

Oh wait, people need jobs for there own money.....

Couldnt resist......
 
I have an 8 year old grey named Chester, as he likes to pick his chest feathers. He was that way when I got him ( age 3) and goes through stages- if I park the damn vacuum in the wrong spot, next day there will be feathers all over. He also is smart as hell, he carries on conversations between me and my ex wife ( unfortunately)- he sometimes can say 4 sentences in a row.
I have had parrots ( amazon as well as a grey), budgies, etc, but I have noticed that when you talk around him, he is looking right at you, and listening very intently, as opposed to most other birds. Very intelligent .
 
I can't really see much in that one pic of you, but smart birds are neat 🙂 We had a cockatiel, and it was not smart.
 
A friend of the family was given a parrot a few years ago when the owner passed away. This bird is pretty old and mean as hell. I think he must have been neglected and just got angry towards people as the years went by. Poor bird.
 
Originally posted by: KB
I still think he's mimicking. Saying "Hello" when the phone rings is a dead giveaway. If he was smart he would realize you talk into the phone and him saying hello will not yield any results. Instead he says hello because he has heard you say it shortly after the phone rings.

He has also probably heard your friends say "hi Chel" and "whatcha doing" and is merely mimicking that for attention. He has probably heard you tell the dogs to shut up when they bark and is doing the same. Cool pet nontheless.

All of my dogs are dumb as rocks. But they can hear food drop 100 yards away.
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Well wouldn't then the parrot start saying "fvck you" or "you want it ITB?" if he's mimicking? Maybe he can discern what he hears and mimicks what is appropriate. Otherwise he'll go "hotdog hotdog *starts singing Friends theme song*" etc.

Any kind of animal will swarm to food once it becomes habitual. Like those dogs which salivate when the guy rang his bell 😀
 
My mother's friend has one. Instead of saying hello when the phone rings, this one will make a dead on impression of the phone ringing, causing the owner to scramble to get the phone. Then when she says hello, the bird will say hello. Damn bird is playing tricks on her.
 
Originally posted by: Chelsey
I file Louie's nails. I find that if I clip them then I end up hitting the quick and he bleeds a lot. just file down the tips a bit. If you file down too far it will bleed, but only slightly. Louie actually likes this. He'll hold his foot up in the air and he whistles the whole time. Do your greys like grapes? Mine will eat everything and then leave the grape "shell" (peeling), which he proceeds to flick across the room at whoever he doesn't like.
Click to expand...

I tried using the file. He doesn't like it. Mine likes grapes but doesn't like to eat the skin. He also likes cherries, corn, cantaloupes, pears, and honey dew. He doesn't really like carrots, apples, oranges, bananas.
 
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