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I'm still freeze drying organic fruit and veggies goodies with my company: Bodacious Birdie Bites. Please let me know if I can help!

We have plenty of frozen fruit and veggies. The freezer is packed full, actually, so I could always feed those. I am high risk as well (Diabetes, Hemochromatosis, Afib and other heart problems,) so the less I am in the grocery store to get exposed to it the better I feel that it wont end up killing me if I wind up catching it.

Timber will not eat dried fruits and veggies, but I am curious as to how the business is going? Well I hope.

This virus is no joke. So sorry to hear that it slammed you and your wife down. Glad you're both on the upswing now!

I have frozen corn and peas open (half a bag each) plus have new unopened bags of each in freezer. Also a partial bag of limas, but he doesn't eat many of them. Frozen stuff may last a good while. The carrots and apples in fridge will obviously go bad sooner, but so far, still crisp and fresh seeming. Rice is obviously good for a long time -- just made a new batch tonight for Snickers. Wish I had melon, blueberries, banana or some treat for him. Don't want him to get bored. I know I don't want him turning into a seed/pellet/peanut junkie on me, so not offering much of those (of which I have plenty).

Due to my work schedule, I feed frozen veggies. I make a mixture of pasta, rice, quinoa, and various frozen veggies. Freeze it and have enough to give daily for about a month. They don't always like what I have chosen, but they will pick at it at the very least.

He was a social distancer before social distancing was cool 🤣

I love the photo of Huey peeping out over the top of the drawer!

It has been absolute carnage here due to idiotic panic buying. I've never known anything like it. However it does seem to be calming down somewhat now. Shops put in fairly hefty restrictions and reduced their opening hours to give themselves chance to restock the shelves. They also opened early for the elderly/vulnerable and also have dedicated times for NHS/health workers to shop. They're also restricting how many people can be in the store at any time, so you have to queue outside (keeping in mind social distancing guidance) and go in when told. I went today around 1pm to grab a few bits of food. We only bought what we needed before the lockdown and so we were getting towards the end of our supplies. Thankfully I was able to find everything I needed today. I did forget a few bits but I was trying to get in and out as quickly as possible so stupidly didn't take a list. But we have enough of what we need. Alfie has a mix of pellets, seeds, dried fruit and dried veg. He rarely eats fresh produce and usually launches it with gusto across his cage. So he's fairly happy with what he has for now. I've seen others who have use dehydrators to create bird food and as far as I'm aware there's no issue with that? I buy in dried fruit and veg for Alfie as I have such a small kitchen. Otherwise I'd make it myself.

They have their expectations! Huey gets irritable if I'm not making his 'lunches with the ladies' soon after he is up.

We went to the Grocery Store once during the day and once at night. Going in the morning seems like a good idea. I will try that. We were able to find toilet Paper and Paper Towels today where before nobody had them so things may be normalizing. The Pelleted Mix I get has dry fruit and Veggies in it, so that may be good enough. Unfortunately Breezy gets upset if he doesnt get Fresh fruits and Veggies every day so he might be mad at me for awhile if I cant get them. He gets loud in the morning when he hears me up and I dont start getting his produce ready right away for him.

My State is on lockdown due to the Coronavirus. People are panic buying and food supplies are running low. I am thinking of stocking up on fruits and veggies and firing up my Dehydrator to have a supply of dried Items for Breezy. There was only one package of Raspberries and Grapes left in the store when my Husband went there to get his fresh food. I can still get his Pelleted Mixed Grey Diet I order, but am worried about not being able to get that. I can get Brown Rice still, but heard there is Arsenic in it. He does eat mash and Chop. I am going to Research how to make that balanced for him. I guess I am just concerned. Do I need to be concerned about Home Dehydrated fruits and Veggies for him? I need to find produce to even be able to do this. Fortunately, we are heading into spring here and if push comes to shove I can grow my own garden. My Husband said the Grocery Store is cleaned out and he has never seen anything like this. I will grow sprouts for him, too.

The freeze dried fruits and veggies can be returned to it's original state by adding tiny amounts of liquid. It's much different from dehydrated fruits and veggies, even in its retention of nutrients (97%)

Soak the dried food and add to birdy bread or scrambled eggs, that should work especially if fed warm. I use coconut water to soak adding more flavor and nutrients.

Having been around death all my life, I think this one is hitting home because we haven't seen this kind of fear since the 1918 Spanish Flu. In the end I believe a bunch of folks will die, same as from the every year influenza, probably more but not by much. I think often times, folks don't think about there own mortality very often, because well.... Its a taboo subject, who wants to think about their death, not many I know of. The truth is we all have that appointment, we just don't know when. Every person owes a debt, and it will be paid if your thinking about it or not, at some point. After all the death I've seen, I would rather like to think it is our mortality that defines us, not to be feared, but rather to remind us to live everyday as it was your last. Take care of those that can't take care of themselves, and do the right things, instead of the wrongs. Were all human, after all.

As another post alluded to, I contracted the Chinese Coronavirus (making sure to give due credit where this originated). My wife had it first, contracted through a kid or kids at her school, and I contracted it from her. I would classify what my wife and I had as moderate to bordering on severe symptoms. It basically culminated in 3-4 days of flu-like symptoms combined with breathing issues. At one point I could feel tingling in my toes from the lack of oxygen in my system. Breathing is hampered by the inability to breath normal and definitely not deep. My advice is to stay sheltered if you can, it's a miserable experience and can quickly go terminal for some. My wife took some pics the day I was completely out of it. My conures sat on my face the entire day, they are such a comfort: The day after I turned the corner my Greybie miss GreycieMae took over the care and nursing. I posted a pic to our family group and my daughter took liberty to cut my ass out out of the photo and trace hearts around GreycieMae. It definitely gives me comfort that when the end finally does come, my GreycieMae has someone who is absolutely in love with her and will take care of her.

Pookie could work in document destruction for the government no way you can rebuild what she can do to cardboard or paper. she requires a new box every time her cage is cleaned or paper changed. No problem with nesting behavior here even with other Greys in residence. g

I've been lucky -- my sis has been concerned that I am high risk -- so she is buying groceries for me, my parents and her in-laws. It's like her Saturday is nothing but food deliveries (we don't all live in same town). So far no has accused of her hoarding - but it's got to be a LOT of groceries. She still can't find toilet paper (I'm not out) - no idea about her inlaws' supply of tp. I did do drive-through at Arby's once for their turkey swiss sandwich (a fave of mine) and I literally unbagged/unwrapped sandwich and dumped it on a plate without touching it. Then I took Lysol wipes to all doorknobs, etc. and then double-washed my hands before sitting down to eat it. Overkill? I told my Mom that story and she thought I was crazy. She said 'well someone made and touched the sandwich' and I said I thought they wore gloves in food prep. And Mom's like "how often do you think they change their gloves and don't you think they are touching other stuff with them on?" Dunno. But that sandwich was such a treat! Snicker's food is holding out nicely so far. He is eating my own rice now without a problem. Good thing since I am out of Birdseye frozen rice and veg mix.

I cut up cardboard for Snickers with a cutter -- I don't give him a whole box. I often bend the cardboard pieces accordion style to make it easier for him to shred it. And sometimes I cut smaller pieces into strips he can hold in his foot while shredding. But his fave is just standing on accordion cardboard and ripping away. I love the pix of your grey peeping out of the drawer too. Too cute!

Boxes, cupboards etc are the only thing we have found that will keep Huey busy enough so he doesn't butcher his feet. Otherwise he has to stay on Haliperidol 24/7 and it keeps him knocked out and droopy all the time - hate that. Huey goes hormonal in the spring regardless of there being boxes around or not - we found that out the first year we had him. So does our male Caique - loses his mind and rips his belly feathers out, has no boxes etc. Not sure I buy into the boxes cause nesting theory, I'm more of the inclination that it's their normal seasonal hormonal fluctuations. 20200331_082957.mp4

I assume it depends on the bird. Alfie loves to to shred boxes and magazines and will spend many happy hours doing so. And whilst he's shredding boxes, he's not shredding my furniture, so it works for me. I have never seen any mating/nesting behaviours triggered by him shredding magazines and boxes. The only thing that had triggered a response are some foot toys- usually small ball shaped toys will set him off as he seems to think of them as eggs. Needless to say, he doesn't get those if he's feeling hormonal!

I'm glad you're both on the mend and recovering.

I'm so glad to know you are both recovered. That pic of Gracie with her head down on your shoulder is one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. Thanks for posting!

My state has been locked down for a couple of weeks. The first week was bad because of all the panic buying. For the most part, things have normalized here. I was at the store Saturday and they had almost every item on my list in stock.

I was always told that boxes etc. promote nesting instinct. However, Timber's greatest joy is his box. It doesn't seem to affect him "that" way, so he always has a box to chew on, nap in etc.

Same here with high risk group. I haven't been to the stores but sister brings by groceries so I won't go out -- and she lives 60+ miles away. A real blessing. She can't find a LOT of stuff, but I am thankful for the 'treats' (not chocolate just grocery items I didn't even know I wanted). I am blessed... could always be so much worse. No TP -- but thankfully I bought a large package in Dec or January. Still plenty left. Sis did find paper towels though!

I never use boxes or anything they can crawl into to avoid hormonal responses. Is this only for the girls? Is it safe to give to males?

Sounds like our boy Huey. Always has to be in a drawer, cupboard, bookcase - anywhere getting into anything/everything. I set up his own dresser with drawers full of wooden spoons, boxes and lots of stuff for him to get his 'constructionings' on. He even does the "whew" sound when he's working. I always compliment him on what a hard worker he is and then more "whew".

I want to say that things will be getting back to normal in the not to distant future. I'm still waiting for the wave of people to get it. I have heard of others that have fed dehydrated foods to their birds. I know some mixes come with bits of dehydrated food. Have you tried shopping extremely early in the day?

Update: Morgan is doing great. We did discover that he is very much aggressive towards people wearing hats for some reason. My two girls do not care at all but Morgan's whole demeanor changes. It is so bad that he actually flew at me and bit my face/lip pretty badly. He actually punctured it. However, once the hat is gone he goes back to being just as sweet as you could ever hope for. We now have a sign on the room warning about wearing hats into there or around him. I also learned that he is a skilled and consistent flyer. He is not one to wait for you to come to him, he flies right to wherever he is wanting to go. This has presented some challenges as he is also a very destructive grey (at least compared to my girls). He is always looking to get into something and loves the top of the fridge for some reason. Primarily I think Sio he can try to get at the woodwork and chew on plastic parts of the fridge. That had to stop immediately, a cute stuffed owl curtailed it. So, we have had some bumps so far but nothing detrimental. He is definitely a boy, when comparing him to my two girls, He is big, clumsy, and always in trouble. Hahaha. Here is a fun pic I got of him.

I am in the High Risk Group (Diabetes, Heart Disease, Hemochromatosis) but am just being careful as I can. That means only going out when necessary, staying a distance away from people and telling people to back off, I am high risk if they come too close to me if I do absolutely have to go out. People are panicking, it is crazy! The stores in my area are almost empty and get emptied out again as soon as they are restocked. I havent been able to find Flour and other baking supplies since this all started. There are no cleaning or Paper Products to be found in the stores. Fortunately, I am Retired with a Pension, but money is no help when there is nothing left to buy. I cant Imagine the Hardships of those who cannot work during this due to the lockdown in my State. We are only to go out for Essential Services, pretty much food and pharmacy only. Even the medical centers are going to video conferencing.

These days I only run when chased

I worry about it, but for my 21 year old son who has asthma that goes wild when he gets sick. He will be alone. I worry about getting it because I am a runner and don’t want to lose my lung capacity. However I am considered an essential worker and am still working every day. I just try to stay safe and stay away from others.

You are correct, but the logistics is a nightmare, and there are still politics in play. Your no more older then I am LOL, you have wisdom and common sense, that which is sorely lacking in these times.

I totally agree. I think we are seeing a overreaction fueled by panic to this one. I understand the need to take extra precautions if you are elderly (guess I may fall in that class) or compromised, but I suspect in the final tally the damage done to people due to economic repercussions may outweigh the effects of the virus. My time will come when it comes, meanwhile I will not live in fear. I am as careful as I can be, but I'm not going to live in a cocoon. I often wonder if all the resources should not be focused on protecting those at high risk instead of the general population... just my opinion.

Very well said, Kevin.

Wow! so glad you were able to take Maxi out of purgatory. You've made a lot of progress.

I’ve had her about 3 years now.

Hey all - everything is settling down nicely. I’m still a bit concerned my girls are so okay with it tbh. They literally do not even acknowledge his presence. It’s nuts. I thought they’d be riled up and loud but nothing. I’m talking, it almost looks like they are ignoring him deliberately. It’s odd but no displays of aggression so I’m fine with it. I’d love to tell you guys more about my flock. I’ll post about them as I have time. I can tell you about Maxi first, since she was my first grey. When I adopted her from a private household, I was told she was 21 and that she was purchased at a petco. The previous owner was bitten early on in maxi’s life and it got her locked up for the next 20 years. The owner was terrified of her, so she never let her out again. She escaped from her cage one time over the years during a cage cleaning at which point I was told she lived under the couch for a week before finally coming out to be caught and put back in her cage. During my first visit to meet Maxi it took the owner 15 mins to find the keys to open her cage. Maxi was terrified, feathers ruffled, loud growling, she was not friendly or happy whatsoever, but can ya blame her? I didn’t and when I saw her in this state I told the lady I’d be taking her, paid her 700 bucks for a “rehoming fee” and brought her home. It was a very very rough few months. She screeched nonstop with shrill high pitched alarm sounds for most of the day for weeks on end. She started plucking her ankles and underwings. It honestly creates a tremendous amount of tension in my marriage. But in the end we came out on her good terms. Maxi gets better and better each day. It took almost a year to get her to step up. She does now regularly and eagerly. She’s also teaching herself how to fly. She will literally spend time during the day to work on flying and when she nails a spot she meant to get you can see the excitement in her face and body language. When she fails, she honestly still looks kinda happy lol. But she gets better and better ever day. She’s not a talker at all and prefers whistles and coos. When she does talk it’s in a whisper voice. Think someone saying “whatcha doin?” In a whisper. That’s about all she says. She’s my girl, I love her bunches and feel so happy to be able to give her such a good home and happy life. OH!! I forgot to mention the biggest shock of owning Maxi. She’s actually 43! Not 21 as I was told. The vet was able to teach her band back to a specific breeder and time. So there’s a whole 22 years not accounted for. Who knows what this girl has in store for me in the coming years. Can’t wait to find out. I’ll tell you guys about JoJo sometime soon.

Love the photos! Especially the messy beak! Hope things are settling down ok with your new addition. I would love to see/hear more about them all!