Hello from me and Alaska the Senegal!

[mrbowlerhat]

Hi! I'm Michelle. So, yesterday I went on a trip to Stockholm to pick up my little girl Alaska.
She's a really pretty five year old Senegal, very social, calm and really kind. She's great.
She used to be clipped, but her previous owners stopped clipping her wings about a year ago, which is great. She's happily flying between me and the top of her cage right now!

The trip home yesterday went really well. It is a 3-4 hour train ride, but she didn't seem to mind too much at all, so that's good.

I've never had a Senegal before, but I've always found them lovely. Also, I have had a Brown-headed parrot, so that's something. I'm sure she'll be happy with me and my family.

But yeah, she seems great. She's of course not quite used to everything yet, but she is really friendly and will step up or fly to anyone - especially if she suspects they might have food.

Let's share some pictures (And I hope they're not too big):

[Polarn]

Welcome to the forums! And that's one good looki g sennie.
3-4 hour train ride. That's a trip to make the first day together, glad she took it alright.

[mrbowlerhat]

Welcome to the forums! And that's one good looki g sennie.
3-4 hour train ride. That's a trip to make the first day together, glad she took it alright.

Thanks!
And yeah, I was told she's kind of used to travel by train - though I was still a bit worried she wouldn't like it, also that she would hate being in her travel cage for so long (especially since I also had to wait for the train for a while), but it all turned out fine

[marie83]

She is gorgeous, welcome to the forums

[liz]

Alaska is a 5 year old that you got yesterday? She is really really special to be adjusting that fast. Her pictures show a curiosity and intelligence in her eyes. She will be teaching you as fast as you can teach her.

I am so happy for both of you.

[JacobBird]

Alaska is beautiful! Glad to hear that you guys are working out well (:

[mrbowlerhat]

Alaska is a 5 year old that you got yesterday? She is really really special to be adjusting that fast. Her pictures show a curiosity and intelligence in her eyes. She will be teaching you as fast as you can teach her.

I am so happy for both of you.

She is! I expected at least some "oh-god-no-you're-scary-and-new-i-want-to-stay-in-my-cage-right-now-okay?", but she's always ready to step up when I'm changing her food and water, and she's so very curious and comes out of the cage almost immediately when I open it to let her out. She even took the initiative to fly and explore a room where she had never been before.
I am quite amazed and really happy. She is so very social and already wants to be with us everywhere.

Thank you!

Alaska is beautiful! Glad to hear that you guys are working out well (:

I'm sure she says thank you! And I am glad, too!

[Ursibear]

Welcome to the forums! Alaska will be very happy with you I am sure What a gorgeous birdy!

[Eurycerus]

Congratulations! Wonderful photos. :]

Just a slight warning, although you might have NO problems. I adopted a 6 year old, probably female Senegal and she also was not shy or afraid at all and was a total charmer for the first two days and then had some serious aggression problems once she settled in. It was very shocking and painful, but we worked through it! So no matter what happens it will work out with patience. ^_^ I look forward to hearing more.

[mrbowlerhat]

Thanks for the heads up, Eurycerus! I really don't think aggression will be a problem in Alaska's case, though. Everything actually seems to work out just fine. But of course, you never know! I hope things are going as well as they seem to, but if they're not, we'll figure out a way to work it out!

She seems pretty well settled in by now, today she actually wanted me to cuddle and scratch her neck and head - for an hour! (As opposed to at first not really being a big fan of being touched at all - wanting to be everywhere and on everyone, though on her terms.)

The only thing I'm concerned about is the fact that she's sure all the curtain rods in the house belongs to her.
Sometimes (not always, which is good) when I bring her into my room, she'll fly straight up to the curtain rod where she can sit for hours.
I'm thinking she's used to that. When I got her, while visiting her old home, she was up on a curtain rod when I arrived, so I guess that's not been a problem before.
Though I don't quite like it. Our wndows are pretty big and high up, and I'm not that tall (and would also prefer her not being above eye level).
But also, when I think about it, she doesn't REALLY have much other choice as to where else to perch in my room, so I'm thinking maybe she'll give the curtain rod up when I'm done with her new tree, which is going to be in my room soon. We'll see!