Humans are "Birthed" or "Born" so they have "Birthdays". Not so for the birds! We are "Hatched" and therefore, we have "Hatchdays!" I was hatched on June 15, 1997. I've been to some human Birthday Parties and they have been a lot of fun! Lots of fun things to eat and lots of people celebrating! I've never had a big Hatchday celebration. Until this year!!!
Every party needs a theme. You all know how much I LOVE Corn! So Corn was the theme and we had LOTS of it!!!
What’s the deal with all this Corn Talk?
Actually "Corn" is a word that I use instead of "Food". It was the first “food” word I learned, all food was called "corn" when I first started talking. It wasn't till later that I learned other food words, like "sweet potato". However, I continue to use "Corn" as my word of choice when I am being served my meals. When I first learned "corn", I said it so much that a two young neighbor girls took a pottery class in 1999 and made me a plate!!!
To this day I still cherish this plate from my friends "Katie" and "Kelly". ♥
The party was posted on Facebook and quite a few people stuck their faces in to see what was going on! Marcia made 6 videos and you can see the whole party in its entirety on the Event Page.
If you are more included to watch shorter, more condensed versions, then YouTube is probably what you will want to watch. I call it My Hatchday Trilogy!
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
For the record, nothing went to waist. Marcia ate most of the popcorn that day! The 14 ears of corn were cooked and put in the freezer for later, and the cornbread cut up into smaller servings and frozen too!
It must of been the best Hatchday ever!!! I had so much fun!!! Thanks to all of my Facebook Fans who participated and came to watch!
Back to my favorite destination, Marble Falls, Texas! Right in the heart of Texas! ( Click here to read about a previous Road Trip I took to this area.)
This time... I got to stay in the La Quinta Hotel!
We arrived and got used to the accommodations! Very Nice Room! Love the art work and soft beds, but actually I prefer my perch and the "Art" I make on the floor when I eat! I slept in my travel cage, but Jeff had to put it on the desk. It was more sturdy than the bed and I slept very well!
Nice TV too! Can we take this one home?
This is the kitchen! Small, but adequate. Microwave, sink, and refrigerator! That's all Marcia needs! See my Sprout container? I brought it so I could have fresh sprouts with my meals!
Here I am by the window on my perch. There was a lovely view of Lake Marble Falls. Also, a nice balcony, but I didn't have a chance to go out there. We were too busy because...
we were in Marble Falls for a very special Birthday Party! My Cousin "P"'s 2nd Birthday Party! The Party was about to begin! So we better go! Weeeeeeeeee! Party! Party! Party!
The party was being held at my Uncle's Lake house on Lake LBJ. I've been there many times before. I call him my, "Gunkle Mark!" Here is a video of me talking about him!
Marcia and Jeff loaded up all my stuff and headed to the Lake House. It took them about 2 trips each time. Jeff carried the perch and packed it in the car, Marcia carried the box of stuff I needed. Then they came back for me in my cage and other stuff they needed. It was very much like traveling with a baby, only worse! I think I require more stuff!!! (They did this several times over the course of the weekend! They got a good work out! Ha! It's so much fun watching them work on my behalf!)
Here I am at the Lake House all set up on my perch. The party had started!
There were 28 adults, 11 kids of all ages, and my dog cousin, Harley. Harley is a cute Jack Russell Terrier. Harley and I had to be kept apart. I liked all the people and they liked me. Marcia and Jeff kept a close eye on me and made me feel safe around so many people. I must say, all those people made a lot more noise than me!!! Whew! Give me some peace and quiet!
My new cousins are so cute!!! Actually, "P" is my 1st cousin , once removed. "P" is the daughter of my cousin, "K". (Aren't you glad you know that!) This is also the first time I got to meet "P" and her new brother "D"! Family! Gotta Love it!!! Both of them are as cute as Buttons!!!!
Birthday Girl! Ms. "P"
Master "D"
After a while, all the humans went down to the water and I had a chance to catch up on current events and watch some TV.
My favorite place was on the patio, visiting with all my friends and family! The weather was nice, windy at times, but the nice breeze kept it cool and the mosquitoes away! I must have gone out onto the patio 4 or 5 times over the weekend!
Oh! I almost forgot! There were a few other guests at the party! Some kind of bird built a mud nest on the front porch of the house! The eggs must of just hatched! Here is a picture of the nest full of babies!!!
That night we pack my stuff up and headed back to the hotel. Here I am perched on the shower rod waiting for one of my humans to take a shower.
While at the hotel I met a nice dog who was staying in the room next door. Her name was "Sophie" and she was a Yorkie. She heard us every night when we can into our room. We could hear her as she would welcome us by saying, "Yap, Yap, yap, yap!" Then she would be quiet! Nice doggie!
The next morning, we packed up again for another day at the Lake. While Marcia and Jeff got things packed, I perched on the shower rod and talked.
It was a fun trip and in case you are wondering... NO! I did not destroy anything in the hotel room and NO! I did not steal a towel!
It was good to be home again!
Wishing all of you safe travels! Maybe I'll see ya on the road sometime!
Humans might call me a Pack Rat! I beg your pardon!!! A hoarder? I don’t think so! Me? Stealing? A Thief! Never!!!! But officer, it was a misunderstanding, I was just BORROWING IT!!!
Marcia uses a dish drainer in addition to the dishwasher. Items we use everyday get put in the dish drainer. Other things go into the dishwasher. One item that Jeff uses everyday is his coffee mug. He fills it up every morning as he gets ready to leave the house for work. He puts on the special lid so that it doesn’t slop and spill everywhere. (I understand this is an act performed by many people in their need to satisfy their caffeine addition.) In the evening, he or Marcia washes the mug and lid and places it in the dish drainer to be used the next morning. I’m quite smitten with the lid too! I like to take it out of the dish drainer and throw it on the floor, just like the rest of my toys.
This particular day, I had other plans. I never intended to enter a life of crime, but the coffee lid treasure was just too hard to resist! There it was in all of its radiant black plastic loveliness!!!!
Watch the video and pay attention to my quick thinking and stealth action!
Fast forward, the next morning. Jeff gets ready for work, time to fill his mug… no lid? Where’s the lid? “Marcia, have you seen my lid?” he asks. “No, it should be in the drainer” she replies. Just so happens there is another similar type container in the cupboard (not his favorite) and he reluctantly fills it up and off to work he goes. I secretly hoped that loosing the lid would keep him home with me, alas that idea did not work. Several days go by, searching for the lid continues. Jeff concludes it was the best coffee mug lid he had ever had and will just have to go and buy a replacement.
Then, one day Marcia decides it was time to clean my toy drawer. (A chore she does about every other week.) This is the drawer in the kitchen, next to my cabinet where I go to shred my toys. A nice dark place and perfect for hiding things. Guess what she found!!! OH! MY! The coffee mug lid!!! HOW DID IT GET IN THERE??? She gave me three guesses and the first two didn’t count!
Mystery solved! I had enjoyed quite a few chews in seclusion and the rubber gasket necessary to keep the liquid contents from spilling had been totally shredded. Those humans! They really should take better care of their prized possessions, otherwise they become MINE!!! Lesson Learned AGAIN!
A friend is doing a school science project, and asked me to help. I love science! (After all my name is Einstein!!!)
She is trying to determine if parrots prefer a certain colors over other colors. She asked me these questions.
1. Do I have a favorite color? Green.
I can say green and salad is green. I love to eat salad! Most vegetables are green.
2. Do I prefer to play with toys of a certain color?
My favorite toy is a bell. They are shiny and usually silver.
3. Do I eat food pellets that are a certain color?
My pellet parrot food is all one color. It is natural yellow sort of color. I used to eat colored pellets many years ago and the color I preferred was… Green!!!
I can say Green, Red, Orange, and Purple. Green was the first color word I learned.
Marcia decided to do an experiment with me. Watch!
The results: Green was chosen first, followed by Orange, Red, and Purple. (These are all words that I can say. However, I do not say them when they are shown to me.) Yellow and Blue were last. (Words I have not learned to say.)
Now, this was not a very scientific study. Marcia tried to repeat the experiment, but I was not in the mood. You know… Scientists are very temperamental!
I hope this helps my friend and gets an A+ on her project!!!
I’ve been asked this question so many times! The answer is not easy, even for me, “Einstein”! Before I give you my opinion, let me tell you my story.
I was hatched in a closed aviary (A closed aviary restricts the introduction of new birds to prevent infectious diseases.) located in Garland, Texas in June of 1997. The breeder raised the chicks in her home, so my first months of life were in a home environment. The home was clean and well kept. I was held by humans and fed by the breeder’s grandchildren. I learned about the sounds of a vacuum cleaner, a dog barking, children playing, and all the other sounds and activities of a home life! By the time I was old enough to go to my new home with Jeff and Marcia, I was ready! The breeder was responsible! She made sure that Jeff and Marcia knew what getting a parrot was about! Before she accepted their down payment she told us about books to read and she told them it was like having a 2 year old child for the rest of their life!!! She did not paint a rosy picture and told Jeff and Marcia to go home and think about it! They started to read everything they could find! Remember this was 1997, and the internet was still in its early days! There was not a lot of information to be found on the internet! The rest is history; I came to live with Jeff and Marcia. To this day, they continued to read and learn about parrots and how they should be trained and raised.
It was a couple of years later that Marcia and Jeff learned about parrot rescues. These are places that are filled with birds that were not as lucky as I was! The parrots were purchased as babies and then for some reason or another, the owner did not have time for them or they developed behavior problems. It was heartbreaking to hear stories about people who could not spend time or make a commitment to their feathered friend! It was then that Marcia began my website in 2001 to educate people. To let people know that parrots need interaction and companionship to thrive in captivity! Given that, we make pretty entertaining and wonderful companions!
My opinion…
80% For the adoption of older (re-homed) parrots
20% For the purchase of baby parrots from RESPONSIBLE Breeders
100% Against the capture and importation of wild caught parrots.
It’s a fact, everyone loves baby kittens, puppies, and parrots. We live in a free society and we cannot stop people from going into business and breeding parrots. However, we can decide who to purchase those parrots from, and we should only do business with those breeders who are responsible and who look out for the welfare of the parrot. Breeders should screen prospective owners, educate the buyer, and refuse to sell to someone who is not suitable. Prospective owners should do their homework and be prepared for parrot ownership. If you are making your baby parrot purchase in an informed and responsible manner, I congratulate you!!!
Unfortunately, parrots will continue to be placed into rescues due to the irresponsible decision to purchase a baby parrot. These birds need your help! Here is a list of Rescue Organizations. If you own parrots, like parrots, or thinking about getting a parrot you have a responsibility to support a rescue organization. Go visit a rescue, ask questions! You may find that the parrot of YOUR DREAMS will be right there waiting for you!!!
Sponsor a parrot! This is a terrific idea if you don’t have time in your life for a parrot right now! Did you know many parrot rescues have programs where you can donate toward a particular parrot while it is being kept at the shelter until it is adopted? People don’t think twice about donating to a dog or cat shelter, parrot shelters need donations too! (I donate to several organizations, and whenever I’m in a contest, all my winnings will always go to a parrot rescue!)
More importantly, my opinion doesn’t really matter! People need to make their own decision. It must be an educated and researched decision. Be a responsible pet owner! There are Pros and Cons to owning both a new baby and an older parrot. (There are plenty of websites that address these Pros and Cons*.) Let it be said, a parrot is not the right pet for ALL people! We live in a busy society and people should realize that owning a parrot is a commitment for the rest of your life!
Lastly, I’d like to share a quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “Many have forgotten this truth but you must not forget it. We remain responsible forever for what we have tamed."
Ever Since I was in the DVD and CD ROM combination set entitled, “Train Your Parrot To Talk”, a lot of you have been asking me about my play perches. I really like them and if you're crafty you can probably build them yourself.
The pictures are in thumbnail,
so click on them to see the "BIGGER" Picture!
My Kitchen Perch
My human, Jeff made this perch for me when I was a little chick.
It is made from an unfinished bar stool (24" tall) and a plastic plant saucer (22" diameter). Marcia bought the toy hook from a company that is now out of business and she can't find anyone who makes one like it these days. It mainly stays in the kitchen but can be rolled into other parts of the house. The saucer is bolted to the stool, so it can be taken apart. This is the perch we take to the bird sitter and when we go for a road trip in the car.
My PVC Perch
This perch purchased at a Bird Mart in May of 1998. It was built by the man who was selling them. He had a whole bunch. Marcia has never seen him at the show again, so I guess he went out of business too.
I hope these pictures and measurements help you build one. 1" PVC pipe and fittings were used. The measurements indicated are the cut lengths of the PVC pipe before you glue the fittings on. I don't know what kind of glue was used. Just be safe and be sure it doesn't "off-gas" and hurt your birdies. The measurements are close, but not exact. For example, I measured the poop tray as 17" x 25" and it's really 18" x 26". The poop tray is a baking sheet and can be purchased from any restaurant supply. They can also be found on Amazon.com Click Here I suggest starting with the tray and build everything out from there.
Underside of Bowl
Tray and Tray Frame
Tray frame rests on intersecting supports
To make the PVC pipe less slippery, it looks like it has grooves gouged into it. Most likely done with a Dremel tool. All of the perches that I use are textured like this and I have no trouble getting around on them.
There are 10 stainless steel screw-eyes for hanging toys. They are indicated with a red dot in this picture.
Have fun with this project and send me a picture of the perch you build!
Yeah, that's right! Ever since Barbara Heidenreich came to visit me in the summer of 2008, Marcia has been reading and learning all about Positive Reinforcement Training. She went to http://www.goodbirdinc.com/ and bought a bunch of books and DVD's. Marcia is a busy lady, but she made it a priority in her life to train me to do a few things on cue.
To date, (March 2011) I have learned learned 6 vocalizations and 2 movements on cue. Marcia recently posted this video on YouTube and some of you have asked questions. So watch the Video and then I'll answer the questions.
What treats do you use?
The treat used in this video are Chow Mein Noodles from Szechuan Chinese Restaurant. I also like pretzels (low or no sodium!), almonds, pecans, and Baked Lays Potato chips. All treats are cut into very, very tiny pieces!
Do you use a clicker?
A clicker can be used in Positive Reinforcement Training, but Marcia doesn’t use a clicker because I would learn to imitate the clicker sound. (Very annoying!) She uses use the word "Good!" and then follows up quickly with my favorite treat.
How much time per day do you spend in training?
Every minute of the day is a possible training opportunity. She has treats at the ready at all times. (In the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen) So if I utter the word she’s trying to capture, she can bridge & reward ASAP. Right now she’s trying to capture "Raspberry". Every time I say it, I get a treat! Pretty Cool!
Our "going through the routine" (like what is on this video) is anywhere from 5-20 minutes about 3-4 time a week. Sometimes I’m not interested, so Marcia doesn't make me. Sometimes, just the basics, like “step up” & “step down” still require treats to get me to do those tasks. Jeff, on the other hand, doesn't have to. I’ll do most anything for Jeff! He’s my favorite!
During the course of the day... every interaction with me is training in some way. When I’m given something, they tell me what it is. (Carrot, apple, sweet potato, etc.) When they do something, they tell me what they are doing. (Go computer, take a shower, gotta clean, etc.) But, I don't treated for these because it is interaction.
How long does it take to get a word on cue?
It varies. Depending on how diligent Marcia is to capture the word and how often I'm willing to say the word. (I can really drive her crazy with that!)
Are you hungry or starving when you train?
Ha! Do I look underfed? No, my training sessions are usually right before lunch or dinner. I'm motivated to work for my treats at those times and they are kinda like an appetizer!
What's your favorite subject?
I like recess a lot! But, my overall favorite subject is LUNCH!!!
How can I learn more about Positive Reinforcement Training?
Just go to http://www.goodbirdinc.com/ and click on "Parrot Store". You will find all the DVD's and Books. When you are ready to check out, enter the word "Einstein" in the box that says "special code" and it will give you a 10% discount!
Last Summer Barbara Heidenreich came to visit me again!!! This time she brought a bunch of people with BIG cameras and all kinds of movie equipment. It was a really fun day and believe it or not, I was not scared! I talked for all the visitors and had the best time!
So what was the reason for this visit? Well, so many of you have asked, “How do you train Einstein to talk?” and many of you have requested a talking CD of Einstein! Barbara Heidenreich of Good Bird Inc. has just released a fantastic DVD and CD ROM combination set entitled, “Train Your Parrot To Talk”.
In the DVD, Barbara explains several ways to expose your parrot to sounds you want them to repeat, methods for encouraging your parrot to talk, and teaching them to talk on cue. She also talks about the myths associated with talking parrots and discusses which birds are candidates for talking.
The 45 minute DVD also includes a 15 minute interview with my humans, Jeff and Marcia, with entertaining footage of me talking and a CD ROM to play for your parrots!
Jeff and Marcia share many stories about me on the DVD.
• The time I said my first word.
• The many ways I learn new words.
• The story about imitating the security door alarm.
• My Mirror Friend.
You’ll also see me perched on the shower asking Jeff to make animal sounds! I've really got him trained!!!
And there's MORE!!!
The CD ROM is 2 hours of many different species of parrots vocalizing 1000’s of words and sounds! Very entertaining for humans and parrots alike!!! Included is 8 minutes of Non-stop Einstein talk!!!
Here is a “Behind the scenes” video and you can see for yourself how much fun we had the day of the filming!
Visit Good Bird Inc. to order! Barbara is offering a very special 10% off to all of my friends!!! The discount is good for all of Good Bird products! Just enter “Einstein” in the Special Code box when you check out.
