birdhouse

Whoohoo, Issaac!! That is really a fine new set up! Is that the 43" model?

I don't know from youngsters; only problem children, having a bunch of grown rescues. But if it's not hormonal already, it's going to be eventually. Seems like it would be better to discourage potential mating behavior right from the get-go. Sorry Felony.

My TAG Phenix never has allowed anyone to scritch him, for the most part. Once in a great, great while, I get to rub the sheaths off his new feathers. But I will tell you it's only for a few minutes at a time & it's still pretty risky! lol He has trust issues & I have to respect that he just does not like that type of contact. Never has. Never will. It's okay to rub his beak & feet (unless I've recently cut his nails!). But that's it. So don't be disappointed if that doesn't turn out to be Novalee's thing, either.

Or maybe skip the fish (poop) & go directly for the filter (although that would look pretty cool if you could actually make it work). You might find a submersible aquarium filter or something for a small koi pond or container as well as a pump. Thinking the water would probably need to be dumped fairly regularly & run thru w/white vinegar, like a coffee maker occasionally. Wondering if it would also steam clean, maybe? Wouldn't probably be good to power wash, though. Those beautiful fountains are usually painted ...w/what I don't know. Assuming(?) it's safe to drink out of, it would still eventually be likely to start to peel at some point. Whatever you use in & on it would probably contribute to how soon it reaches that point.

Ho-ly snicklefritz!! How did that happen? She does not look much like a baby at first glance, any more, does she? Wow, no wonder you're getting PPD. But on the flip side, now the fun begins for real (... which is kind of like the parront's version of the Chinese saying, "May you live in interesting times." But just never mind that for now lol ). She's already stunning. It will be a total mind-blower if she doesn't turn out to have a huge personality! As wonderful an experience as raising her to this point has been, bet you'll enjoy what comes next at least as much if not more. And thank you again for sharing all the best parts of this !!

I'd have started a new thread in "Rescue Bird Haven". But I thought this might do just as much good here. This is a group/site that's new to me & I haven't had time to do any homework, yet. Is anyone familiar with birdadoption.org? * * * * * "Captive birds are now facing an epidemic of overpopulation and homelessness. There are not enough homes — especially good homes — for every bird! Thousands of birds are displaced each year simply because their caretakers can no longer provide the time and attention they require — either because they were not educated about the commitment that bird care demands or because their lives and interests change. Many of the larger species can live 40-80 years and often outlive their caretakers. Other parrots are rescued from living in uncaring, neglectful, or abusive situations. Birds are Wild at Heart! Even when bred in captivity, parrots and other exotic birds are not domesticated animals; they are the native species of other countries, and all their inherent behavioral and physical needs (to fly and to flock, for example) remain intact. Like other exotic wild animals, captive parrots display natural instincts, needs, and behaviors—crucial for survival in their native habitats—that are not considered desirable “pet” qualities. The realities and difficulties of living with a parrot cause many unprepared caretakers to become disenchanted and seek to rid themselves of the responsibility of providing lifetime care. What Happens to Unwanted Captive Birds. Many unwanted birds become victims of neglect or abuse; they are banished to basements, passed from home to home, relinquished to shelters, abandoned or set free to fend for themselves, or euthanized. Others end up in breeding facilities that are little more than warehouses in which birds are held in barren cages for mass production. The lucky ones end up in shelters that carefully screen and educate potential adopters, or in sanctuaries where they can choose to enjoy the companionship of humans and live among other birds. Such quality shelters and sanctuaries are filling up fast! How You Can Help! Don’t Buy, Don’t Breed, ADOPT! You can help solve this problem by not breeding birds and by adopting a displaced bird rather than buying one from a pet store or breeder — but only if you are ready to make a lifetime care commitment. There are many birds in captivity who cannot be returned to the wild and need our care. Spreading the word about bird overpopulation and adoption to your fellow bird lovers will help thousands of displaced parrots find knowledgeable, well-prepared homes —or in special health or behavior cases, to be placed into sanctuaries to live out their lives on their own terms. A final word… Captive birds cannot be returned to the wild since they do not possess the learned skills necessary to survive; nor can they be set free to fend for themselves. We have an ethical responsibility to provide the best care possible for those living in captivity. Birds deserve the same efforts to promote public education, protective legislation, sheltering, and placement afforded to domestic pets and other wild animals. " http://www.birdadoption.org/problem.htm

Wonderful to watch your fid soaring thru the air. But how much more to watch them return to you when they could as easily chose to sail off on some greyt adventure. I can't help but think every time a fid recalls, they give us humble humans a gift.

The second part, most definitely. But not so much the other part. Phenix & Kura will both sit in a corner & have 10-15 min monologues which are all basically "NO" & Stop it & "Don't! Get out of there!" &the like. Anyone would think no one every said a nice word to them. But I've actually come think it reflects their mood at that moment because anyone who knows the spoiled little critters knows it certainly doesn't reflect their overall life style. Anyone who can't see the magnificent beauty of our green birds, large or small*, certainly doesn't deserve to live w/one, Ray. *Charm told me to put that in there ")

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Eggs *** except *** - don't use any bleach etc. Just vinegar - & before drying, spray w/straight vinegar & leave to air dry. If you want to make sure the germs are totally, absolutely, dead as a door nail, hard boil them. But, any thorough cooking should do the trick, assuming they're healthy.

Looks like there may be some technical difficulties. I'm not getting any pics w/the last post. But that pic of Isaac looked pretty good.

I was about a day away from sending a PM. Thank goodness everything sounds like it's coming right. That sounds awfully scary. Best wishes for a full & speedy recovery!

Definitely, what they all said. Most of our fids will have to live in an "unatural" state in so many other ways. So if you feel you can keep a safe environment, then I truly believe that denying them that most birdie of experiences is even sadder.

It's a legit worry for a lot of fids. But you raised by your definition a pretty mellow fellow. You know how to keep him from sweating the small stuff & so long as you don't make this all scary in your own head, you're both likely to do fine. I love that linked page. They're aware of something many retailers don't even want to think about. So big points to Centurion. What about a double wide? Starts out small & opens up to a very nice sized cage. Yes you could get a stainless cage. But it is nice to get to re-do the features every decade or two. They are finally making cages much more intelligently. Like I really adore my landing doors because a) I have dogs who can't stick their fat heads in & help themselves to everything in the cage & b) the fid is right there, eye level to interact with. Nice for leaving treats & good bribery to get reluctant fids to go home. And that's just the one feature. In the end, it's all a trade off.

Youngsters do tend to be more adaptable. At Bubba's age, it's a nice head start knowing there's no worries about the bar spacing issue, though. I think King's cages tend to have the nicest paint jobs & are very easily cleaned compared to many of the other manufacturers. But Ive also read that they have a higher lead content in their paint. Also, while almost everybody's cages are manufactured in China now, King's has been having problems w/the factories they do business with over the past couple of years. There have just generally been too many recalls overall "recently". So under the circumstances, I don't know if I'd trust their newer cages so much. You'd never be able to trace long term health problems back, they won't do anything even if you could AND there's no possibly adequate compensation for losing any fid. jmho Kura's is an A&E cage that looks just like the economy King's line. We got it second hand & have had if for 5ish yrs. It's got plenty of room for a low-key eclectus-type, is nice looking, cleans well & is holding up beautifully, so far. But it's only 36" x 28" & I don't know if there's a bigger model. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?143481-Show-Us-Your-Cage!/page13

She's just so beautiful! How long before she's full grown?

Phenix did that for many, many years. He still just might on a bad day. But mostly, it's a comparably half-hearted lunge, now. I honestly don't think he could help himself. Those were the times I actually felt like he meant it when he apologized. It took him a very long time to get over what had become a reflex to strike out. But it was the way he lived for so long. So, I couldn't ever really hold it against him, you know? Just don't tell him I said that! Once I knew he felt "bad" after one of these episodes, I started to milk them for all it was worth. And I think it actually helped because he got to where he'd go out of his way to make up & be charming. After silently suffering like a zillion flesh wounds, it was a relief just to be able to sulk a little & have him "validate" my pain, for want of a better way to put it.

Oh, that's pretty!! They all charge a fortune but it's so hard to find people who do the job w/minimal drama & on time! Someone please tell me why that is...? On a much happoer note - it goes w/o saying that Kane is going to be a handful! She's going to have the very best of everything growing up & she will always have the world by the tail. Pat's hopelessly devoted & you're just barely able to be the adult when it matters. And, she's got an entire flock to learn all the very worst habits from. I cannot wait til Princess Kane leaves the nursery to start her long & happy reign of seduction & mayhem!

Around here we call it well trained - not paranoid. ") Even w/as little as you've posted I think you managed to say everything I'd need to enthusiastically encourage you to go for the aviary. You've raised this well adjusted fid & have m/t enough familiarity to negotiate this change by the sound of it. If you don't act like it's major drama, then Bubba might just go right along. It might help if you build the thing in front of him. Maybe in stages, if that's possible? Then, I'd try putting him into his travel cage & sitting in the empty aviary w/him while you spend some quiet &/or quality time & just see how it goes. It would be a shame to miss this opportunity because Bubba might need coaxing to adjust. Also, though, 1" bar spacing is doable but a tad large for a Grey to live with. Small tweak might help if you arrange an extra bunch of natural perching & a boing or two (there's certainly room lol) to enable him to climb w/o using the bars as much as he might otherwise. Otherwise... can't wait to see the pics & expecting you'll be making a post in the "Welcome & Introduction" Forum soon...??? :cool:

Need my fix!!!!! It told me to sign into my Google acct - even though I already was

Kura's the only one who ever snuggled against my cheek like that. I'm undone every time. So I can just imagine how you felt under the circumstances!! I could see the glorious Miss G on all the links, now. What strange iris reaction. They should have been pinning like crazy under the circumstances. Not like that's important at the moment or anything. lol Just struck me is all. A-ny-way you must be over the moon. I'm so very glad for you two. Hope there's tons more vids just like it in your future!! PS - it's good to see a post from you, Dan. So are you back & better than ever now?

No, neither can I. But that macaw's a beauty, isn't (s)he!?!

Putting Phenix' cage behind the sofa was a great thing for us for many reasons. As much as he enjoyed feeding them, for instance, he also decided it was greyt fun to pull the dog's tails whenever they were in reach. Eventually he would graduate to where he'd actually, deliberately get down onto the floor to torment them. Sometimes, even going so far as to steal toys & treats right out from under them. He has no idea how very, very lucky he is that they were all such wonderful & patient dogs!! Once the couch existed as a neutral or buffer zone, though, they usually heard or maybe smelled him coming before he could commit whatever fiendish mischief he might have had churning around in that diabolical little mind of his. lol

Glad you're back & feeling better. Hope both of those things last. Also like that pic, a lot. Would love to see the whole stand. But the best part is the relaxed & happy body language. ")

It's important to say that we're none of us vets or qualified as professionals. We're basing our *opinions* on your small amount of info & our own personal experiences & views. Since you haven't told us what exactly your vet's rationale was, or what he's given you for medicine, or spray, we're not qualified to weigh in on how good, bad or replaceable your vet is. What I've learned from my own past experience is that it's a very tricky combination of chemicals & medications w/fids. It's really easy to make bad matters worse or more complicated. If Alex shows other symptoms besides plucking, that's one thing. Otherwise, jmho, there's a raft of other options to try first. If Alex were to need something calming, then it seems to me like changing his environment should come first. Some fids like a place to hide & do better if there cage is up against a wall, away from direct sight out any busy window & even partially covered. A little soothing music can be surprisingly effective. And a more pro active solution could include some chamomile buds which seems to have a similar effect to us having a single relaxing glass of wine. You can give buds directly, just in his bowl. They can be used in a tea which you can both let him have the thrill off drinking hot or cold from a cup &/or put into a bottle for a soothing spray. Also, these are a few threads about Elvenking's issues w/Issac. Lots of parronts contributed & covered pretty near everything. So I thought they might make a good crash course. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/sho...ight=elvenking http://www.greyforums.net/forums/sho...ight=elvenking http://www.greyforums.net/forums/sho...ight=elvenking

http://www.birdsnways.com/articles/amazonyn.htm Thought instead of just bumping this thread once a month, I'd try posting a story. This month's is "just" a "happily ever after" I found in my internet travels. Please, feel free to add a (happy or sad) story if you'd like.