Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Big and scary

Rocky will have been in our house for 4 years next month. He is an entrenched member of our family. Despite this, he feels the need to constantly remind me how big and scary he is. I know, Rock!Last night after work, Thomas and I were having a pretty intense conversation. We also had the radio on, providing background noise. I thought Rocky was nesting in his flannel and therefore wasn't paying attention to his whereabouts. I got complacent. All of a sudden, I felt something at my achilles tendon. Rocky had snuck up on me and fake bit me, like he does to Thomas.
I am so happy it wasn't a real bite and was extra careful the rest of the evening! Thomas thinks Rocky will lose interest in biting my feet if I just let him do it and don't react. He says that Rocky won't actually bite me, he'll just fake bite me, like he did yesterday and like he has done in the past. I am not willing to take that risk, and strive to keep my feet out of his range.

5 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Seriously. If Thomas is wrong that leaves you with a very painful lesson.

Mary said...

I know! My comment is that I'm a runner and I really can't take a foot bite as that will put me out of commission for a while.

I respect Rocky's body language and will not take the risk!

belovedparrot said...

Does he posture like this to you when you don't have a camera in front of you? If not . . . .

Christine said...

Hello Mary,

I live in Taiwan; I have two lineolated parakeets, I am an avid reader of your blog, and I especially love the entries with Rocky in them!

When I read "Big and Scary", I was just wondering, what would happen if you made a cowering posture, and scared sounds, when Rocky is doing his "I am Big and Scary" thing?

But on second thought, maybe that's not one posture you would want to encourage, huh?

All of your parrots are so adorable, but Rocky is just so----well---Rocky!!!

Mary said...

BP -- he does, in fact do that posture pretty much whenever I approach him. He does not always do it when he approaches me (though sometimes he does!)

Christine -- thanks for the comment! He likes it when he thinks I'm scared. Sometimes I kind of scream in terror, and he laughs. As you said, though, not something I really want to encourage!

More frequently, though, I spread my arms out and kind of away back and forth and tell him that I am big and scary too. This also makes him laugh.

He definitely has a good sense of humor!