Hi Sasha:
I had cockatiel in high school and college, and I considered her very easy to keep. We were buddies and she went with me almost everywhere, and this was before the internet and before I knew about harnesses. (More about
Zenyatta another time perhaps)
As far as Parrots go, Vinnie is my first, and I only brought him home July 2nd; so I haven't the experience to compare him to other parrots. I'm guessing, though, he's darned easy! No doubt I suffered my share of bruiseful bites in the beginning, and he's still nippy at times (mostly about going to bed), but he'll always step to my hand, always step up to familar friends, and almost always step up to strangers in Central Park. He will eat from anyone's hand. He usually enjoys bedtime playtime and will lay that long vasa goose neck flat down on my chest for scratches and beak rubs, but he's molting at the moment and seems more independent; he usually insists on being on my person, but lately he just wants off!
Also, Vinnie is clipped. You can compare him to his biological sister, Anka (Brock is a member here) who is flighted. I think her bonding experiences are taking a little longer, but I don't think Anka is aggressive, either.
The two most difficult things I have with Vinnie are diet and education! Because Vasas are predatory birds in the wild, they need more animal protein. I don't want to give him too much or too little, and I'm not quite sure where this line is. If I have chicken, I give him a chicken bone. If I have a cheeseburger, I give him about a square inch (with lettuce and tomato), if I have sushi I give him some crab, etc. But is it enough or too little? Only blood tests can tell.
Education? Don't underestimate the wits of a Vasa. Kimba has far more stories than I, but here is an example:
I decided if Vasas are so smart, why teach Vinnie to turn around in a circle if I can teach him left from right? So a while back I sat him down on my knee with my props : a chopstick, a clicker, and a can of chopped walnuts. I also break up the walnuts into smaller pieces so he doesn't get too much in a sitting.
The first day we had ONE 15 minute session. Each time he followed the chopstick around in a circle with the command of "turn left", and then I'd click and treat. The next day, the exact same thing.
And then I lapsed for 4 or 5 days before the third session.
On the third session I had Vinnie on my knee and props by my side, but while I was breaking the chopped walnuts into smaller pieces, Vinnie kept going at them, and I kept pulling them away, saying "Wait, hold on, I'm not ready yet" etc. Finally I just blurted, "you want one? turn left" and don't you know -- without a chopstick to guide him, just the command alone! He turned a full circle left! I wouldn't even call it our third session, since it hadn't even started. I was so excited and proud I called my mom, and throughout the whole conversation Vinnie was on my knee turning circles to his left to try and get one of those walnuts. This after TWO fifteen-minute sessions, four or five days before.
The downside is he's so addicted to left, I've given up on turning right for now -- I'm going to throw a few other things in between.
I'm sorry this is so verbose but I thought it a story worth sharing. They're so quick to learn, and just so smart.
So aside from the vasa diet, you have to find ways to fill those big little brains.
Aside from his tricks (Turn left, high five, shake hands) Vinnie knows parts of his cage - "go to your rope" and "come to the door". He will be 6 months on September 20. He talks something, but I can't make heads or tails of it.
For me, yes somewhat of a challenge, but dang, Sasha, with all the experience you have with birds? You could probably teach them to help you out! Believe "foot rubs" are somewhere on Vinnie's list
haha
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