Hi from South Africa (Johannesburg)

[Fiorella]

Hi everyone! I'm new to IRN's and only got mine (apple martini -apple for short-) a few weeks ago. She (not sure of the sex yet actually, but calling her "she" is just easier than s/he all the time ) is a dark green IRN with yellow under her wings and blue feathers on her tail who is now 13 weeks old.

She is SO cute and loving, loves exploring and chewing on everything she can find (I can't leave her unsupervised while she's out of her cage for fear of her getting her claws on something she's not supposed to be chewing.) She has never bitten me or anyone in the time that I've had her and is extremely friendly and tame, although certain people do startle her a bit.

Recently I've been feeding her seed, pellets, sweet corn, carrots, apples (coincidentally her FAVOURITE, I guess I picked the right name) peanuts, peas, green beans, raisins, unsalted popcorn, potato etc... Which is quite exciting as she wasn't weaned when I bought her and it feels like I've accomplished something by helping her through this She has the biggest sweet tooth I've ever seen, opting to go straight for the raisins, apples and sweet corn before anything else, and munching on them with her eyes pinned and making little squeaks of pleasure every now and then.

She HATES looking at herself in the mirror and I often find her trying to kill her reflection in the little mirror toy she has, so until she starts to like herself I don't think I'm going to be getting her a friend, just in case she attacks it too

Because she's still very young, she hasn't started speaking yet but she understands the word "no" (if she starts chewing on something she's not supposed to I say "no" firmly and she'll move on to something else) She knows how to bob her head up and down when I say "yes" and squawks while she does it. If I say "Kiss" she lifts up her beak for one and also makes a little squeaky noise of hapiness (I'm assuming.) she also practices her talking (I think) by making strange little noises in her sleep or while she's happily exploring places, it's not necessarily mumbling but it's different to what I would call a "squawk." How can you tell if she is actually practising talking?

Anyways, just needed to let that out I'm completely in love with my little Apple!!!! she amazes me with her cuteness everyday.

-Ella

[kyria]

She sounds amazing .. I will look out for pictures i hope you will put up. Welcome to the family

[SCB -SA]

WARNING WARNING< you are now hooked, thats how i started with my lil blue boy, i now have 3 indoor and a bredding pair outdoors, im also from SA, not too far from you actually. You get some stunning colours in JHN that we dont get where i am from its just not fair.

They are too cute when they are little, especially the talking in the sleep, you still got a few months before Apple will talk, nut the best part is listening to them learn, its the funniest thing! Our boy used to put his head under his wing and yap away gibberish to himself until one day he decided to greet us with a big HELLO!

They are amazing little things, good luck when Apple goes throu bluffing thou!!!

HEHE! - Scb

[ellieelectrons]

Mine made noises like that when they were asleep too. It's normal... I think they're experimenting with what sounds they can make. I can't recall that ours have done it recently though, they must grow out of it? They still carry on like that in the shower though!

Have you tried taking your baby in the shower yet?

Ellie.

[ellieelectrons]

Just as I posted... my youngest decided to go to sleep. He is about one year old... and he is still making noises in his sleep! I may not have noticed this recently because they tend not to sleep when I'm around any more.

[Fiorella]

@ Kyria- Thank you!!!!! It's a great one to be in ;)

@SCB- hahaha, yes!!!! They are too addictive and clever! What colours do we have here that you don't? I actually got her from a breeder in Germiston who's blue pair laid eggs recently, I'm waiting a few more weeks to see if they're ready to leave yet as hand feeding is such a mission! Although extremely cute to see your baby all full and satisfied after her feedings. what other colours do you have?
She talks in her sleep ALL the time, the first time she did it everyone in the house gathered around her cage and watched and when she opened her eyes it was kind of a surprised "what did I do?" look sometimes makes little noises to me as well when I speak to her I'm just a bit scared that she'll develop a screaming habit from my cockatiel who is the loudest little bugger I've ever come across. I'm scared for the bluffing stage too!! :O

@Ellie- I'm too scared to! haha, how would I go about that? Where would I put her and won't she get a bit freaked out with so much water all over the place? I have a little spray bottle that she gets sprayed with on hot days and she seems to enjoy it a lot.

[SCB -SA]

Hey fiorella, well you huys have more cobalt and turquoise, as well as the violets, and pied and lacewing are more common there as well... I have a green, a blue, a stage coloured one no one can figure out, and a albino and rainbow breeding pair (who havent bred for me yet!!)....

I am hoping to get another in the next few weeks, money permitting i would like a lutino.... The hand raising is the best part man!! those lil eyes watching what you do ALL the time, and when they realize food is on the way... You had better be quick or you'll get food everywhere! HEEHEE!

Bluffing isnt that bad, although they can be real buggers, its all worth it in the end...

SCB

[pinkdevil]

Hi to you Fiorella and your new baby Apple.
They are sooooo cute when they are little and make those oh-so sweet baby noises. They really know how to melt your heart with just a slight tilt of the head and those big brown eyes look pleadingly for just ONE more treat, or just a FEW more minutes out of the cage before bedtime.....

[ellieelectrons]

@Ellie- I'm too scared to! haha, how would I go about that? Where would I put her and won't she get a bit freaked out with so much water all over the place? I have a little spray bottle that she gets sprayed with on hot days and she seems to enjoy it a lot.

I have some suction cup perches that I bought from the Parrot Society of Australia Shop (about $10 each). I put them in the shower out of the way of the water. When I first introduced Janey she was a little scared... but I did it gently, gently. Eventually she understood what was going on. I shower her by letting her sit on my fore-arm and holding my hand under the water jets. She then gets wet from the spray.

Our second bird (Charlie) was easier to introduce. He was a little bit scared at first but seeing Janey enjoy the shower made him less scared.

Interestingly, Charlie is the most avid shower-er. Every day that I take them in, I place them on their special shower perches. I then offer for them to step up.... but they know they don't have to come if they don't want to. Charlie will almost always step up... he also doesn't balk at putting his head and body under the shower jets... I sometimes pull him out before he wants to come because I worry that they are too hard on his little body and that he will bleed.

Janey probably consents to getting wet once or twice a week on average but she loves being in the shower itself... at the end of the shower, she never wants to come out straight away, she likes to be left in there on her own for a while... not sure why!

Ellie.

[kyria]

I jump in the shower with tshirt and undies and have the birds on my shoulder, the can climb around in and out of the water and totally love it. Even My Eclectus Dexter showers with me. We also have perches for when I don't want to get wet .. lol

But having them in with you is a great way to bond with them