Rhode Island Parrot Rescue

[Pajarita]

The only 'bad' name, in my personal opinion, is Athena - way too hard to make the 'th' sound for a parrot. They should have gone with the Roman Minerva instead of the Greek name - not that I would choose a three-syllable name for a parrot, mind you! I always give them two syllable names but, in reality, I do this because of the way dogs are supposed to be named so maybe parrots are OK with a three-syllable name...

[Navre]

My GCC thinks her name is Silly Bird. Nicholas usually says Nicky Bird. I guess they both kind of have three syllable names.

[Pajarita]

Yes, the fact that parrots talk human speech and use entire phrases would indicate that they don't mind longer names at all. Sweetpea actually makes what I would think he believes it's a joke about his name because he asks: "What's your name?" to which he KNOWS the answer is "SWEETPEA!" but, sometimes, he would say things like "Pretty Bird" or "Sweet Pretty Bird" and then goes Hee Hee Hee which is always the end to all his jokes.

[liz]

When Myrtle gets in trouble she tells me she is a "pretty pretty bird".

[Navre]

:lol:

When Myrtle gets in trouble she tells me she is a "pretty pretty bird".

They know when they're in trouble!

[Pajarita]

:lol:

When Myrtle gets in trouble she tells me she is a "pretty pretty bird".

It's amazing how smart they are, aren't they? I have two that love to scold the others when they do something bad so they not only know when they are in trouble but also when the others are - something that indicates complete awareness not only of the other birds but of what is proper behavior in them! Amazingly smart!

[Navre]

:lol:

When Myrtle gets in trouble she tells me she is a "pretty pretty bird".

It's amazing how smart they are, aren't they? I have two that love to scold the others when they do something bad so they not only know when they are in trouble but also when the others are - something that indicates complete awareness not only of the other birds but of what is proper behavior in them! Amazingly smart!

Nicky will tell Ocean that she is a bad girl. He has. Ever heard those two words together from us, but he knows what they mean, and he knows she is a girl

[liz]

They learn like children. The only word I have taught Myrtle is help. Rainbow came with that word and used it the first week he was with me. He was still living on the dining room table when a cat that was not mine came in the dog door. Aunt Betty was the only one home. She heard a little kid yelling for help with a hurry hurry behind it. She ran to help the kid but found Rainbow. While she was chasing the cat to make it go back out the doggie door she was yelling "Catch him - put him out - quick quick".

They not only learn the words but also learn when those words are needed and how to use them.

A Cockatiel came with Rainbow and many other critters. The Cockatiel could say "pretty bird" and "what are you doing". I knew nothing about birds and would pick them up like I would a toy with my hand over their backs. This little bird said "what are you doing with the pretty bird".

[Pajarita]

:lol:

When Myrtle gets in trouble she tells me she is a "pretty pretty bird".

It's amazing how smart they are, aren't they? I have two that love to scold the others when they do something bad so they not only know when they are in trouble but also when the others are - something that indicates complete awareness not only of the other birds but of what is proper behavior in them! Amazingly smart!

Nicky will tell Ocean that she is a bad girl. He has. Ever heard those two words together from us, but he knows what they mean, and he knows she is a girl

Hmmm, I doubt that Nicky knows that Ocean is a girl. For one thing, they don't belong to the same species and their species are from two different continents so there is now way he could instinctually know from looking at her that she is a girl [another GCC would though]. Most likely, he learned that from another person [maybe a previous owner who had two birds and one of them was a female?] and is using it now as a 'generic' scolding. I have birds that are female which need to be told they are 'good boys' because that's the phrase they learned as praise.

[Navre]

He hears me say "good girl" to her all the time.