Kirby, our "brain damaged" cape

Posted by Bill P. from AC8ADB2E.ipt.aol.com (172.138.219.46) on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at 5:54PM :

Hi everyone:

We have had Kirby (P.F.S.) for about nine or ten weeks now. He is the strangest parrot we have ever shared our home with.

We have a long kitchen with an area at one end that was once used as a breakfast nook, but now is home to our parrots and their cages. In the morning when I enter the room, Kirby goes spastic and hangs upside down by his toes, flapping wildly as if his foot is caught on something and making perfect telephone ringing sounds as loudly as he can. When I hear the ringing, I know it is time to answer the bird. I then get him out. At first, he does not want held as all. He only wants to jump around excitedly on his cage top and look out the window.

If I let our other parrots out he gleefully charges them off of their cage tops and they go flying everywhere in terror.

Kirby then alternates his vocalizations between the beep of the microwave and the ring telephone. Maybe housing him near these devices was a mistake? He has also learned whistling from the cockatiel.

When we first got Kirby we thought he was starting to say a word or two but that turned out to not be the case. So far all we get out of him are odd sound effects. My wife doesn't think Kirby will ever speak and she lovingly refers to Kirby as Thor's "brain damaged" little brother.

After Kirby's morning excitement, he calms down a bit, and he likes to be held and skritched. I have learned to be careful if I try to kiss him on the side of his beak. Kirby has a big dry fleshy tongue that he tries to stick in the mouth of any unsuspecting victim. Very strange parrot.

Kirby also loves to lick eyelids and preen eyebrows. Perhaps this is why pirates are always pictured with a parrot on one shoulder and an eye patch covering a lost eye. Hmmmmm. Come to think of it, the pirates are usually also shown missing at least one hand and one leg. Parrot inflicted injuries?

Kirby also likes to beat the living crap of his hanging toys. He will grapple them, hang from them and growl while kicking and biting them wildly.

When we try to get him off of his play top, Kirby likes to charge and growl at us, but he has never even once actually bitten any of us (so far). Despite the ferocious growling, he will gently mouth one's fingers.

Another odd thing about Kirby is his habit of climbing into the bookcase headboard of our bed whenever he gets a chance to. He is definitely a cavity dweller. Sometimes when we watch TV in the bedroom, Kirby will "nest" in the shelf on a towel next to a stuffed parrot toy he likes.

I am working right now on trying to get Kirby to enjoy laying on his back. At first he would panic when I placed him one his back. Now, in the evening, when I lie down to watch television, I will place Kirby on his back upon my chest with his beak near my chin and his little chicken legs pointing straight in the air. He will stay this way for several minutes while I skritch his beak.

I started inverting him onto his back after seeing pictures of two different capes laying on their backs in their owner's hands. One set of pictures is of Thor (page one of the Thor pictures on this site). I have misplaced the link to the image of the other cape.

Our whole family loves this wierd and demented poicephalus very much.

Sincerely,
Bill

-- Bill P. -- signature 7OKS8. Follow Ups: Re: Kirby, our "brain damaged" cape - Craig (Thor's Dad) 1:50PM 04/19/2006 (XZhNK) Post a Followup Name: E-Mail: ( default ) Subject: Message: : Hi everyone: : We have had Kirby (P.F.S.) for about nine or ten weeks now. He is the strangest parrot we have ever shared our home with. : We have a long kitchen with an area at one end that was once used as a breakfast nook, but now is home to our parrots and their cages. In the morning when I enter the room, Kirby goes spastic and hangs upside down by his toes, flapping wildly as if his foot is caught on something and making perfect telephone ringing sounds as loudly as he can. When I hear the ringing, I know it is time to answer the bird. I then get him out. At first, he does not want held as all. He only wants to jump around excitedly on his cage top and look out the window. : If I let our other parrots out he gleefully charges them off of their cage tops and they go flying everywhere in terror. : Kirby then alternates his vocalizations between the beep of the microwave and the ring telephone. Maybe housing him near these devices was a mistake? He has also learned whistling from the cockatiel. : When we first got Kirby we thought he was starting to say a word or two but that turned out to not be the case. So far all we get out of him are odd sound effects. My wife doesn't think Kirby will ever speak and she lovingly refers to Kirby as Thor's "brain damaged" little brother. : After Kirby's morning excitement, he calms down a bit, and he likes to be held and skritched. I have learned to be careful if I try to kiss him on the side of his beak. Kirby has a big dry fleshy tongue that he tries to stick in the mouth of any unsuspecting victim. Very strange parrot. : Kirby also loves to lick eyelids and preen eyebrows. Perhaps this is why pirates are always pictured with a parrot on one shoulder and an eye patch covering a lost eye. Hmmmmm. Come to think of it, the pirates are usually also shown missing at least one hand and one leg. Parrot inflicted injuries? : Kirby also likes to beat the living crap of his hanging toys. He will grapple them, hang from them and growl while kicking and biting them wildly. : When we try to get him off of his play top, Kirby likes to charge and growl at us, but he has never even once actually bitten any of us (so far). Despite the ferocious growling, he will gently mouth one's fingers. : Another odd thing about Kirby is his habit of climbing into the bookcase headboard of our bed whenever he gets a chance to. He is definitely a cavity dweller. Sometimes when we watch TV in the bedroom, Kirby will "nest" in the shelf on a towel next to a stuffed parrot toy he likes. : I am working right now on trying to get Kirby to enjoy laying on his back. At first he would panic when I placed him one his back. Now, in the evening, when I lie down to watch television, I will place Kirby on his back upon my chest with his beak near my chin and his little chicken legs pointing straight in the air. He will stay this way for several minutes while I skritch his beak. : I started inverting him onto his back after seeing pictures of two different capes laying on their backs in their owner's hands. One set of pictures is of Thor (page one of the Thor pictures on this site). I have misplaced the link to the image of the other cape. : Our whole family loves this wierd and demented poicephalus very much. : Sincerely, : Bill Optional Link ( default ) URL: Title: Optional Image Link ( default ) URL: This board is brought to you buy Thor's Cape Parrot Information Site.