Introducing Corky, the African Grey Parrot

Leo519 · Post by **Leo519** » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:16 pm

Wow, Corky is a very handsome Grey! That's so awesome he now has many happy, healthy years ahead of him with you as his parrot parent

lnlovesorange · Post by **lnlovesorange** » Wed Aug 12, 2015 3:24 pm

Karen I'm so GLAD this bird found you!!! What a great save you made!!! I like stories with happy endings, even if the beginning is sometimes hard.... He's where he belongs now, and oh HOW beautiful he is!!!! Good luck with everything!

Jen · Post by **Jen** » Sun Sep 27, 2015 4:28 pm

KarenB
How is Corky doing? Hope all is going well for both of you!

KarenB · Post by **KarenB** » Mon Sep 28, 2015 7:56 am

Hi all! Corky is doing well. I have been letting him move at his own pace as far as stepping up onto my hand. He was isolated for so long, and it is just going to take him a while to fully trust. If I get the opportunity to pick him up off the floor, I take him to another room for some one on one time. I think a big part of his hesitancy to step up comes from having Zoe in the room. She is flighted, and he is not at the moment. When Zoe is in her cage, he is much more responsive to me. It is obvious he likes me. He seeks my attention, mocks me all the time and we have a special tune we whistler back and forth to reach other, especially when I leave the room. So, all is well. We are just taking it slow.

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:02 am

KarenB

Sounds like he is coming along great! Any aggression at all?

Thanks for giving us the update!

KarenB · Post by **KarenB** » Mon Sep 28, 2015 8:09 am

He is not aggressive, but if Zoe flies over while I am talking to and petting him, he will chomp down on my finger. It's like he can't bite who he wants to, so he'll bite who he can. That's why I prefer to handle him when Zoe is in her cage or, more rarely, when I can take him off to another room. Otherwise he wants to be affectionate but he's still wary.

Jen · Post by **Jen** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 8:49 pm

KarenB
Just sent you a PM. I'm reading "Alex and Me" by scientist Irene Pepperberg. What a WONDERFUL story. Every bird lover can relate, no matter what size bird you are caring for. But this story is really remarkable. I thought of you when I saw the book and hope all is going well for you and Corky. Please keep us posted!

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Mon Dec 21, 2015 10:31 pm

Jen

That woman Irene Pepperberg doesnt look ANYTHING like the woman I saw working with Alex in the 1970's in my National Geographic magazines when I was a kid..........not even close.

I used to be able to find videos of the ORIGINAL videos of the scientist who worked with Alex and made these discoveries decades ago has disappeared.

Jen · Post by **Jen** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:30 am

Babs
There are photos of Irene in the book with Alex and she looks pretty much the same to me....but one thing I have to say is if you looked at a picture of me 30 years ago and compared it to today, you would probably say "That Can't Be You"!!! LOL There were several scientist (women) working with Alex so maybe some of the photos were not of Irene but one of her associates. Anyway, what a terrific story! Hope KarenB has read it.

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:54 am

Jen
My facial memory must be getting bad. But I do remember that story when I was a child and I was just mezmerised by Alex even back then.

It really is an amazing research discovery

wilkifam · Post by **wilkifam** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 1:55 pm

SO happy for Corky that he found his way to you! He is beautiful.

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Wed Dec 23, 2015 7:27 pm

Its been a long time since your first announcement. Thanks for getting us caught up so far!

Pictures??

KarenB · Post by **KarenB** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 7:16 pm

Well, hello, y'all!! Thanks for the inquiries. Sorry it's been a while since I've checked in. I'm just not doing much with my finches nowadays.

Corky is doing better overall. If it is just the two of us, and Zoe, our blue throated macaw, is in her cage, Corky is very sweet and gets all mushy and regurgitates for me, which in parrot language means I love you. He still has issues stepping up onto my hand but will do it hesitantly if it's just us and I praise him abundantly. I think that will just take more time.

I don't know if he was just never taught to do that before or if he was somehow traumatised with regards to stepping up onto a human hand. He doesn't seem to have any issues with me touching his feet or gently grabbing onto his leg, or even cupping my hand over his back and saying squeek squeek.

He takes food from my hand with no problem, and he has even wandered off his cage looking for me a few times. I think if he were an only bird it would be much easier to get him to do what I want, but with Zoe around and out most of the time when we are home, it is difficult. I really don't have another place to place his cage right now, and I prefer he be in the living area with everyone so he is not isolated as he was for who knows how many years. That would just seem cruel.

Anyway, I'm not concerned about him being cuddly. He is healthy and loves all the new toys he gets, and that's just fine. I think some day he will learn to completely trust, but it will take a long, long time, I'm afraid.

Post by **Babs _Owner** » Mon Dec 28, 2015 8:43 pm

but with Zoe around and out most of the time when we are home, it is difficult. . I really don't have another place to place his cage right now, and I prefer he be in the living area with everyone so he is not isolated as he was for who knows how many years. That would just seem cruel.

I can imagine living life in a box and only hearing people, sights and sounds from faraway walls. Seeing the same shadows day after day crawl from one room to the next SLOWLY as the sun rises and sets.....year after year after year.

The boredom, the loneliness.....

Heck yeah he's jealous! You're the first loving interaction hes had his whole life.

KarenB · Post by **KarenB** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 12:38 am

Jen, I read Alex and Me years ago. I think I still have it on the shelf somewhere. I have read everything and seen every video I could find on Irene Pepperberg and Alex, and some of the other grey parrots she has and continues to work with. Fascinating stuff. And as an aside, I think Irene has always looked the same.

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Introducing Corky, the African Grey Parrot

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