# Finally, a coo!



## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

Last night after I put the birds all to bed, we heard Maggie cooing at last. She was playing with one of her toys and banging it to make the bell ring and cooing to it.  

She spent a large part of today out with me while the parrots were locked up, so she could have freedom to explore, and she went everywhere. She sat on the piano while I practiced and she played with the bead curtain and figured out how to get into the kitchen (I hustled her back out again; too many hazards for birds in there) and she had a little beak battle with my Quaker Clyde through the bars of his cage (I supervised so it didn't get out of hand. I think they were mostly just getting to know each other). She tasted a plant that's not good for her, but she agrees that it's nasty and backed away from it. She looked out the window and sort of charged one of my dogs, who pulled her head in like a turtle and looked at me like, "Save me!" and I shooed Maggie away from her. I didn't let Maggie get very close because Gigi's trained to let birds alone, but she's still a dog. When it was time to go back in her cage so I could let the parrots out, I had to follow her all over the house to catch her because she knew darned well I was going to put her back in her cage, and she didn't want to go.


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

That is so sweet! I'm glad Maggie has found her voice and is integrating into your flock!


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

Integrating? She's planning to take over. LOL She's taken possession of the top of the budgies' cage and she sits on the parrots' play gyms and she eats up their treats.


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

LMAO! So she's planning a "coup"!


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## Doves1111 (Mar 5, 2005)

Wait until you hear her laugh! I've had ringnecks forever and that sound still cracks me up! 

Dawn


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

Maggie's not a ringneck, she's a pigeon/dove so I don't know if she can laugh, but if she can, she probably will. She already plans to be the boss of the parrots, which is going to be a shock to my Quaker Clyde, who holds that position now. LOL This morning, she sat on the couch with me and preened and when I got up to get a fresh cup of coffee, she followed me. Flew after me and landed on my head. 

I tried giving her a brick and she's afraid of it. So I put it out of her sight. I'll gradually move it back into view and let her observe it for a while to see if she gets used to it and wants to sit on it, but she doesn't like it one bit right now. She likes her perch -- I'm sure she thinks she's a parrot. She lands on my head and sits on my shoulder and steps up on request like a parrot. She let me pet her this morning, too. She hasn't been allowing that until today, though she lets me kiss her back.


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## Cyreen (Jun 6, 2010)

Doves1111 said:


> Wait until you hear her laugh! I've had ringnecks forever and that sound still cracks me up!


I had a ringneck, Porthos, years ago - that sound always made me grin. 

I'm glad Maggie's settling in. I try new things in Ollie's cage all the time, just to stretch her brain. She was particularly fond of a toque for awhile, but I could never get her to warm up to a brick either. I've tried tile, small baskets, place mats; they come, they go. She did have have fun shaking the crap out of a piece of wadded tissue paper (I was wrapping presents) for a couple days at Christmas. She may look at it funny for a while, but Ollie will give anything a shot (I think mostly just to humour me).


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## Siobhan (Dec 21, 2010)

I tried having Maggie and the parrots out at the same time tonight, and it went really well. They avoided her and she did whatever she wanted to do. LOL One thing she wanted was to sit on my knee and make it very plain that she's taking over the joint. None of the parrots was willing to challenge her, so she got Mommy all to herself for a couple of hours and they had to hang out on their cages and pout. 

She's so sweet and affectionate. She's very happy to just sit beside me or on my knee and just BE with me.


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