So I thought I'd just check in, say hello and see how everyone and their flocks are doing?

Alfie and I are doing good. Work is crazy busy at the moment for me but life with Alfie is good. He had a routine vet appointment last week to have his beak burred (it grows out wonky so he has to have some help every so often to keep it in check). He was the best boy, as usual. Pretty sure he gave the vet a bit of a run around first off but they all seem to love him there, so I don't think he was TOO boisterous!! He also got to go in my new car, which he wasn't too happy about at first as it's a different size, shape and colour to my previous one. So that warranted a short adjustment period for him. I'm very thankful that Alfie is not change adverse and takes a lot of things in his stride.

I've got a ticket to go to the 'Think Parrot' show again this year in June and this year I decided to book a hotel to break up the driving. So I'm heading down on the Saturday, going to the show on the Sunday and returning home on Monday. Alfie is coming with me for the whole trip so that'll be an experience for him. I double checked with the hotel that they're ok for a parrot to stay - I paid extra for a 'pet' but they probably normally expect dogs so I figured I'd better check to make sure we didn't get turned away!

Alfie also turned 22 years old on April 16th. I didn't get him any goodies for his birthday- I'm saving up for the parrot show to buy him lots of toys/treats and various other bits and pieces. So he'll get some belated birthday presents then!

Hope those of you that are still hanging around and checking in to the forums are all well and good? Hope your flocks are all good too, of course!

Aaand of course, got to remember the photo-tax! 😁

  

Knowing he may not eat/drink well for the first few days, I made sure he got his favourite apple slices (honey crisp) more often and that he ate other higher calorie (fattier) foods.  I know he may feel too intimidated at first to approach their food dishes if too many other greys (the regulars) rush over to the food dish and monopolize it first.  Gotta be scary for him to be assertive in a new atmosphere.  Snickers seemed to have slept well last night -- I'm sure it will take him a few days (nights) to settle in and get comfortable enough to sleep there.   So those are my worries and concerns for now.  Later I expect he will have made friends and be too active to even think about me.

Anyway, it's so quiet here.  I've never been this many hours without being asked "watcha doin?"  

I have very young parrots, 1 Amazon 12 years old & a BIG handful, (hates all women, except me)  2 African Greys, both will be 18 years old this year....I have NO ONE who can take them, or really wants them.....I dont want them to go to a rescue as there aren't any in my area.  It is troublesome for me.....the stress they will go thru, as they are pretty spoiled & set in their ways.......

I have a friend who rescues Mccaw's, they are true rescues & not rehome able..She has made arrangements that when she passes, they will be euthanized so as not to go thru the stress of what would become of them. Although I was SHOCKED at her choice when I first heard this.....as time goes on & I have given it alot of thought, it seems best for them. They will never know , they will just go to sleep. 

Being caged birds, it really is cruel to all parrots as they don't have the benefit of living a fulfilled life like a cat or dog.  They are our "slaves" so to speak, in their cages when we say so, out when we allow it.  My parrots get out as much as possible when I am not working, they are out, flying freely thru the house, perches EVERWHERE, my house looks like a giant bird cage.... BUT,will they have this if left to another person, ..being separated from each other, living in a new home, new rules, new environment, new routines, new everything, food, treats, new people who handle them in a way they don't know, possibly someone clipping their wings so they never fly again..imagine what all this would do to them physologically..... Yes, I know some parrots will adapt, but with 3,,,I feel they will definitely suffer trauma, quite possibly alot.

Then there is the issue of leaving enough funds to care for them..will it go to their care or will the new owners spend it on other things,  could another owner have the money needed?  All things I am quite concerned over. I owe it to my parrots to give them the best possible life as long as possible. I know I can't control their lives once I am gone..that's the problem, they don't deserve LESS than, & I don't want that for them. they deserve the best life possible as long as they are here, I OWE THEM THAT!

So  I guess my question is......what is crueler, putting your parrots to sleep upon your death..or the trauma they will go thru as they mourn the loss of their lives & us that love them unconditionable.....as they know it ? 

Pretty dark & deep, I know   

Recently I’ve been doing a lot of research concerning African Grey… I’ve read that they are considered high maintenance, and only experienced owners should own on of these majestic birds. A lot of people say that budgies are a perfect beginner pet, but are they? What do you think? Are they? I don’t really think so, I mean, if anything I think an experienced owner should own these, because they are so small and timid… So, I want your opinion on:

- What makes an owner experienced? 

- Are budgies really a beginner pet? 

It's a bit quiet around these parts recently!
Just checking in. How are you all? How are all your birds doing?
Hope you're all looking after yourselves (and your flock, of course!)

Dreary post, sorry.  I just don't understand happened.

Anyway, it's why I haven't been active on forum.  Just sad and grieving. 

He asked me to write this,...I told him it was not necessary but Jayd's emotions are strong.

Judy, Luvparrots, Talon, Ray, SRSeedBurner, and all the Grey Forum members...I am sorry if I offended any of you. Please forgive me. Love, Jayd

I thought we could start this thread so we could all keep in touch and talk in general!

Tell everyone what you have done today! Do you have any plans for the evening? You get my drift? Just a great way for us all to keep in touch with each other and get to know each other a bit more!

Hope you enjoy!

Caroline:)

I wonder if we have any ex-smokers out there who would have any support/tips (perhaps a gadget which I could hook up to myself which would shock me if I try to light up?).

Of course I can't smoke much now. With a young son at home (and a darling, gorgeous parrot) and a non-smoking workplace, there's hardly an "appropriate" time to do it, but I have been managing to do it, and have decided to quit.

I'm going to have hypnotism on Sunday, Feb 3rd.

Has anyone ever done the hypnotism?

Not to try & turn this place into a quit-smoking-support-group forum (I already belong to QuitNet) - but you guys are always so helpful with everything I thought I'd throw it out there.

(Even an atta-girl would help! Thanks!)

I have read about the qualities of aloe vera and know you can use 100% aloe vera juice/gel with birds. Can I use the plant itself for Alfie in any way? I've seen mixed comments about birds eating the whole stalk so I'm not likely to try that. But I'm assuming there is a way I can safely extract the... sap(?)... from inside the stalks? Can I then mix that in Alfie's water occasionally? Or mix it with water and spray him with it?

...Or am I better off sticking to buying gel and juice and keeping the plant as a decorative feature? 😁

We had to start this over.. So post your jokes of the day here just like usual... Thanks everyone..

I always checked before going to work to know where my new kitten was.  But I guess I goofed one morning, probably in a rush.

I came home at lunchtime to walk the dog and wanted to check on the kitten and could not find her anywhere.  My worst fears confirmed -- she had slipped into the bird room before I left that morning!

I found her lying on her back, all four legs in the air, in pure joy, in the middle of the bird room floor.  All the parrots had come down to the bottom of their cages (huge tall cages) and my kitten was completely unharmed.  And I KNOW she must have poked a paw in a cage -- she was like 10 weeks old and very curious.

It was Snickers, my grey, who looked up at me and I swear if he could have rolled his eyes he would have.  He gave me this "we got this" look; like 'we know it's just a kitten, we don't hurt little kittens, lady, sheeesh -- give us a little credit!"

A lucky day and made me much more careful in the future to double check where the cats were before I left the house!!!  And now Zuri is happily and healthily 12 -- with all 4 paws intact!  lol  

My problem is that there is a small crack at the bottom of one of the sides (caused by them putting in a screw that was probably tightened too much). This is a screw that is put on by the 'factory', it isn't one that I screwed in. I'm concerned that over time, this will worsen and spread, causing the floor stand to break on one side and become unusable.

They will not even consider that they may have packed a piece that had a flaw in it. They have been very nasty and rude to work with. :angry: I finally got them to write a note that if it doesn't hold together for a year they would replace the part. However, they still insist that I dropped the part and cracked it.

They sent it out without any instructions on putting it together and when I called about that, jane the person who answered ranted about nothing going right -- people aren't getting their orders -- they are getting other items that different folks ordered, etc.

Their product is wonderful, but I don't think it's worth putting up with what they consider customer service. Just wanted to know if anyone else has had the same experience.

Can we send prayers her way?

Oh Lord, Our God in Heaven, please bless her and watch over her. Amen, Rev. Jay and Maggie

Any kudos belongs to Howardine

Jay's on 7 liters per hr of oxygen, he had 3 portable bottles of oxygen, the fire department had no oxygen and the hospital was packed... His oxygen supplier had no emergency number and at night it was 107 degrees and it was unspeakable in the daytime...Jay ran his bottles at 3 it per hr but this dropped his O2 to 88 or less, which is really bad because the minimum for his O2 is 91...17 hours passed and finally, he was delivered 3 portable bottles and in the next couple of hours after that, the power was restored...It appears he lost some eyesight and he's almost  deaf, we won't know of any permanent damages until he has tests.done.

How was your weekend?

Rev Jayd

Maybe start with something along the lines of:

Pet name:

Species/breed:

Age:

How long have you been owned by this pet?

Character/traits of your pet:

Pets favourite thing/activity:

----

Add any other interesting information about your pets!