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Dakota is loving life!

Posted by Michelle & Dakota on 10/6/2026, 10:24 am

Hello all! Sorry I haven't posted in so long! Dakota is thriving and happy and we have learned so much about each other in the 10 months we've known each other now. He is exactly the healing we needed after losing Sunny almost 4 years ago now. Dakota is so sweet and loving and obsessed with his mama, but he also has a very spicy side! He can be a biter at times and even draw blood (usually from my husband). He doesn't do the nibble bite Sunny used to do. He's got a strong beak! He loves to be in my face singing and talking to me and loves head rubs while he serenades me. He loves to come out daily several times a day and is very serious when it's time for bed. He is a strict follower of the setting of the sun. He loves hanging on husband's shoulder and looking out the window and will be mushy with the hubby when I'm not around. Ha! He says I love you, peekaboo, and alot of other words I can't quite place. We found he doesn't enjoy meeting new people at first,he gets very territorial of his cage and possessive of me and puts on quite a display to show big and bad he is...butt fanning and open wing displays. Not sure how my husband and I will ever go away together again. Yikes!

I wanted to ask what you use to prevent drafts from windows. We used to use the plastic seal you use with a blow dryer but I worry about an odor. I was wondering about maybe a hanging quilt or something like that. What do you use for the colder months. His cage is pretty close to the window and he likes to sleep right near the window side which is so strange but how he likes it!

Attached are sweet pics of Dakota: loving his mama (pardon my morning appearance lol), always with food on his face - he loves peppers, carrots and most veggies, doing his talk to the hand pose and happy on his food bowl!

Re: Dakota is loving life!

Posted by Cathy on 10/6/2026, 12:15 pm, in reply to "Dakota is loving life! "

A match made in heaven. I'm so glad that he's doing so well. I love the "talk to the hand" pic. It really looks as if that's what he saying, LOL.

Cathy

Re: Dakota is loving life!

Posted by Cindy Az on 10/6/2026, 1:48 pm, in reply to "Dakota is loving life! "

Great pictures! What a character. I agree about just the healing thing for grief.

Re: Dakota is loving life!

Posted by Seesthru, TC advisor on 10/6/2026, 6:22 pm, in reply to "Dakota is loving life! "

External acrylic or plexiglass sheets put up can help. You can use them in the inside too, but You'd probably have to have them made to fit the windows, or cut them yourself... and you still have to attach them somehow. Id use air conditioner tape, it comes in clear and colors, to attach them if you don't want to screw them in.

Lots of parrot owners on facebook say they use the blow dry film and have no issues. I've never used it. So I can't recommend or not recommend it. If you use that, just install it while he's in another room and let it air out and cure before putting him back in.

I'm in Florida. We do get prolonged cold here. But I'm a redneck about draft protection. My birds are freaked sometimes by the sight of people walking by or cars parking right near the window, and by the ambulance that regularly gets called out to pick someone up. Those flashing lights are very bright.

I wet bubble wrap and put it up, but it didn't stay. I ended up simply taping a sheet over the bottom half of the window to hold rolled up towels and blankets to the window. They protected the bottom half of the window. I have 2 curtains in the window, to block out those ambulance lights... so that helps. I cover the side of the bird cage nearest the window, too. It's not a pretty solution, but the birds don't care. I make it as neat as possible.

Since your VERY beautiful and expressive little one likes the window, I'd say, if you can afford it, have a plexiglass insert made, with silicone on the edges, find a non odor silicone.... then you can insert the plexiglass in the window and on the sill, and the silicone will keep it wedged.

PS

Posted by Seesthru, TC advisor on 10/6/2026, 6:23 pm, in reply to "Re: Dakota is loving life! "

In case I didn't say it, Dakota is beautiful, and so smart! Such a sweet expression! He loves his fam!

Re: Dakota is loving life!

Posted by Michelle & Dakota on 10/7/2026, 2:47 pm, in reply to "Re: Dakota is loving life! "

Thanks so much everyone for the ideas and for loving Dakota! 💖💖💖

Re: Dakota is loving life!

Posted by Nancy on 10/6/2026, 8:28 pm, in reply to "Dakota is loving life! "

He is so handsome! Cant wait til morning Happy loves to listen to other tiels. One of my houses is also by the window. My birds are covered at night and in the cold weather I also cover them with a blanket. When it gets super cold I use 2 blankets so wont get a draft and has worked for them for all for over 15 years…

Re: Dakota is loving life!

Posted by Lori on 10/8/2026, 9:05 am, in reply to "Dakota is loving life! "

What a cutie. So glad you found such a wonderful birdie!

Re: Dakota is loving life!

Posted by Diane on 10/10/2026, 9:37 pm, in reply to "Dakota is loving life! "

He's so beautiful. I'm glad it worked out. I have black out curtains and for this year I just purchased curtain liners. I also have the draft protectors at the bottom of the window. Heavy duty curtains really helps. Hopefully we'll have a warmer winter than last year.

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