# Houston, The Parrot has Landed. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 10, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062 "2004-11-10T19:07:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/1 "2004-11-10T19:07:04Z")
I am back from town with my new African Gray Parrot. The guy (or girl) is huge, and frightened out of his bird-mind by the change in environment. I put him in his new 1mx1mx2m cage, compared to his previous quarters, a palace. The book says to leave him alone for a couple of days, so that is what I am doing. (I hear he is making little noises to himself. Perhaps he is starting to relax.) šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/2 "2004-11-10T19:08:48Z")
Details. What is his/her name? Does it like music? Can it say anything? ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/3 "2004-11-10T19:11:16Z")
Pictures! We want pictures! ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/4 "2004-11-10T19:21:25Z")
Time, time. The bird book says to be cool for a few days. So we all need to chill. This guy is huge, and I know he can whistle. I hope to teach him to speak also. As for a name, I have selected ā€˜Onanā€™ for obvious reasons. (So obvious that I will let you puzzle over for about eight hours, until I come back online in the morning.) Pictures? no problem, just give me time for now. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/5 "2004-11-10T19:28:47Z")
ā€œAs for a name, I have selected ā€˜Onanā€™ for obvious reasons.ā€ Heā€™s a seed dropper? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/6 "2004-11-10T19:30:28Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > ā€œAs for a name, I have selected ā€˜Onanā€™ for obvious reasons.ā€ > > Heā€™s a seed dropper? He spills his seed. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/7 "2004-11-10T19:31:58Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > He spills his seed. Sorry, that was meant to confirm your post. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/8 "2004-11-10T19:41:05Z")
Congratulations! If I ever get another parrot (Sam makes enough of a mess) I would go with a grey. Is yours congo or timneh? Most of them are major league yakkers-very smart and personable. You might want to [check out this link](http://www.alexfoundation.org/) regarding Dr. Irene Pepperberg and her work with Alex, on the subject of animal-human communication. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/9 "2004-11-10T20:23:12Z")
Good thing you didnā€™t get a Norwegian Blueā€¦ 'Cause they stun easily. ---
**Author:** ![conurepete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@conurepete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conurepete)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/10 "2004-11-11T00:39:24Z")
Good idea to let him chill for a while, but remember that with a bird this smart, they can have WILDLY divergent personalities. I have a very self-confident, unflappable Timneh grey who digs heavy metal. The bird is laid-back, but cool, with a core of inner rage that for some reason he expresses by sneaking close to people and kissing them. The Timneh loves large parties, and will peacefully stand on the hands of strangers, as long as there is no country music. He will bite anyone if you play country music. If we want peace in the house my husband must pick the Timneh up a couple times a day, hold the bird under his arm and scrub the birdā€™s head with his chin. The bird does not care at all if we change his toys, the furniture, or move the entire household. He can speak, but rarely does. He appears to prefer to communicate in mime, with occasional whistles. Sort of like a young Marlon Brando, as played by Harpo Marx. The Congo is more like the bird books- he is timid, panics, and if he lands on the floor, he waddles towards you crying ā€œgimme kiss gimme a kiss kisskissā€ in the hope of getting picked up and comforted. He is a huge goof and is not allowed to eat carrots cut like discs because he will try to wedge the entire thing in his mouth sideways. We have also seen him beat himself in the head with an apple slice. He fears new toys. The Congo prefers men to women. He is a non-biting bird for us,but the Congo lost his last home because he is reported to have repeatedly gotten out of his cage, growled like a demon, and then chased his old owner (and the family dogs) from room to room. Thats the really neat thing about these birds. They are full of personality, once they get to know you. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/11 "2004-11-11T02:38:24Z")
I thought this thread was going to be about [this](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/dip?m=/n/pictures/2004/11/10/survivor8.jpg&f=/g/archive/2004/11/10/dip.DTL). ā˜¹ WARNING: Sadness within. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/12 "2004-11-11T03:01:53Z")
> [@Dooku](#): > > I thought this thread was going to be about [this](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/dip?m=/n/pictures/2004/11/10/survivor8.jpg&f=/g/archive/2004/11/10/dip.DTL). ā˜¹ > > WARNING: Sadness within. The parrot looks pretty cheerful about the turn of events, at least. [/going to hell] ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/13 "2004-11-11T03:05:59Z")
We used to have a parrot when I was a kid. A big loud red parrot named Rosie. I remember she loved to eat hot peppers. Is that normal for parrots or did we adopt a freak? ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/14 "2004-11-11T03:08:16Z")
Yup, itā€™s totally normal for parrots to eat peppers. Itā€™s how theyā€™re propagated in nature. (Peppers, not parrots.) Birds are insensitive to capsaicin, so it comes easily to them. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/15 "2004-11-11T03:16:30Z")
I didnā€™t know that, thanks! We had to give her away when my little brother was born, because sheā€™d dive bomb his crib and scare him, and we couldnā€™t keep her caged up all the time. I was so sad to see her go. I think Iā€™ll end up getting a parrot of my own eventually. Theyā€™re such smart birds and so entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/16 "2004-11-11T04:20:37Z")
Good Morning. I forgot the SDMB is a fast crowd. Yes Onan, the seed-spiller. We are up this morning, he is on the top of his old cage and doing a bit of exploring. I have changed his water and food and am now in the bedroom typing this. He seems to have a high pitched whistle and a low ā€˜do not mess with meā€™ growl. I will of course not mess with him until Saturday when I hope he will be ready. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/17 "2004-11-11T04:25:38Z")
Are you back in Saudi or Mexico? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/18 "2004-11-11T04:28:21Z")
Saudi, and of course the bird will never leave here. Very hard to transport birds across frontiers. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/19 "2004-11-11T05:35:50Z")
I just spent a half-hour or so, beside the cage reading a book, letting the beast see me close-up. Still a lot of stiff feathers around the neck. But he seems to be calming down. At first he would not leave the top of his old cage. Now he is walking up and down the walls of his new mansion. He seems to like the sound the wire makes when he walks. He also seems to like the clicks my joints make for his amusement. Finger click and claps are also big hits. He replies with some beak clicks of his own. Updates every hour as the situation develops. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2004, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062/20 "2004-11-11T06:23:09Z")
> [@AugestWest](#): > > Good thing you didnā€™t get a Norwegian Blueā€¦ > > 'Cause they stun easily. But they do have such beautiful plumage. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/houston-the-parrot-has-landed/274062.md?page=2)