birdhouse

The expiration date on PBS' website is November 13, 2017. Going to try to keep bumping this thread occasionally to keep it visible. Maybe by encouraging people to watch, there will be a few less sad stories & a few more happy endings. Hope so, anyway.

We've had an extreme infestation of inch worms this spring. They're everywhere. Literally piles of them. Nasty! Apparently the birds prefer to forage for them on the roof. Easier pickin' than in the trees, I guess. Off & on from dawn til dusk, just all of a sudden you can hear them running around like crazy, trying to flip shingles, messing around in the gutters, etc. Maybe a big, ominous shadow or two passes over the sky light. I do get where you're coming from. It can be a little disturbing.

I loved watching them even before I got addicted to birds in general. I have always felt like you could just see their little wheels turning! Fascinating.

Discovering the range of a fid's sense of humor & their ability to deliver on cue, whenever it suits them of course, was the most surprising thing for me. And that was before Phenix started to laugh. People who don't speak the same mother tongue can have a hard time communicating a punch line. But here's this totally different species that gets it. Really gets it! It still leaves me a little in awe sometimes.

I still have/use the picture I asked for permission to keep for my desktop. She won't be forgotten any time soon. She had fans all over the world who will always smile whenever they think of her.

I'm so sorry. This is just wrong on so many levels & very sad.

Our local PBS station re-ran this the other night & will have it on their website for a little while, anyway. Thought I'd post the link for anyone who hasn't already seen it. "From the wilds of Costa Rica to suburban America, a lovable, quirky cast of parrots will reveal their unforgettable tales and the bittersweet world they share with humans. Nature explores the difficulties of raising parrots." EDIT - the originally ref'd server apparently opted to purge this much earlier than was announced. But I 've found another listing that as of this posting, says it will be available until Nov 2017. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/parrot-confidential-parrot-confidential/8496/

And isn't it awesome that Miss G has officially got an international fan base who are that kind of invested in her? W/all this love, how can she fail to thrive eventually (n grey time, of course)?

We never use the words "step up" because Phenix came pre-conditioned to bite on (that) command. Eventually it was just easier for everyone to get the same training until finally, we even stopped using it for the rest of the flock. Even the vet(s) know better. Phenix also came w/a mortal fear of sticks or perches which has not really diminished very much in all this time. So I have a thick old terrycloth robe sleeve, (which I very rarely have to use I just realized) that's my fall back. I left a piece of the body of the robe attached when I cut it. So, if I need to, I can wrap or cover the fid because this sorry little innovation doubles as my go-to for nail trims & medication, as well. I think it sounds like you got sick of butting heads w/Dorian & found a compromise like you said. I also think no matter how far our relationships progress, compromise, creativity, negotiation & sharing the upside of the power curve is pretty much the only way to make it work w/most of our parrots, but especially the rescues. I also think that Dorian is also proof of your good work as a parront. So, stop second guessing yourself (... until next time ")

For real!!! Hats off (feathers, too) to GreycieMae!

I've been reading about a couple of field studies that seem to support the idea that several males "court" a female & feed her while she's on the nest. But where they were able to do DNA testing, each hen's chicks all had the same Daddy from year to year. So, if the breeding male is lost, the family still has a realistic chance of survival w/all those "uncles" to keep Mom fed. Really super slick by survival standards!

Phenix has that toy & likes it so much I got more caps from Amazon. His has 6 in it now. He was emptying it w/in a day or 2 of going into his cage. BUT, it sat on the table where all new things get introduced for a couple of weeks. During that time I would pick it up & play w/it. Then, eventually, I "let" him move the thingies thru the bars. So he actually already knew how, just needed to be brave enough to interact w/it inside his cage. Cups get changed according to the type of food & the temperature. Wild birds will eat fruit that has been rotting on the ground, in the heat for days. But they've built up an immune system that can tolerate it. They also have parents who taught them how to forage safely. Neither of which is the case w/our babies. My fids have had 2 crop infections in about 20 years. But it left me a little paranoids & I generally don't leave anything for the fids that I wouldn't let the humans eat.

Every so often, the new feathers are coming thru & the old feathers don't come out on their own. So they get a little help & it's no big deal. Where it comes to preening, I'd say remain casual unless it's really obvious that there's a cause for concern because our fids pick up on our stress & it can make its own problems. My guys usually lose more tail feathers later in the season. So, since it's fall for you, I would think you could start to see some nice bright new tail feathers any time, hopefully.

Another greyt example about never giving up, no matter how long it takes! You done goood!!! You too, Dorian. lol

Kura's a Solomon Island Eclectus I rescued at about a year old. She's 9'ish now. I've never had a bond w/any other bird like the one we made on the day we met. Female eclectus are generally supposed to be a real handful. But she certainly doesn't know that. Kura's usually totally laid back. Loves to travel because she loves to just sit & watch the world go by. Generally easy to please. Rarely has a problem w/things like new toys, etc. Normally, she's a quiet bird, although she certainly can talk & also let out w/the occasional jungle call. Unlike Phenix who started talking in my voice, Kura's always had her own. Sweet, almost shy, w/just a hint of a completely inexplicable drawl. No idea how that happened having been hatched & raised in New England & since she didn't learn to talk until after we got her home. She seduces everyone who meets her. Even Phenix, which never happened before. Of course I'm pretty selective. But she will pretty much go to whoever I let handle her & has never remotely threatened anyone. Loves To Eat! Does not leave the dish until it's empty. Ekkies are prone to internalize fat. But she can't be left go hungry for extended periods, either. So she gets lots of little, light feedings which seems to to be fine by her. She's at least part hobbit; 'breakfast, second breakfast, elvens'ies, tea, dinner, supper...' lol Unfortunately, she is a little hormonal. For just about 3 weeks, she will act like a cross between a teen w/PMS & a 3 yo w/an earache. That's admittedly a little rough to be around. Over the winter she strips out her feathers & has been known to lay a few pair of rather large white eggs. But eventually, one day, she'll come lay her face against mine & quietly bliss out for for as long as she's allowed. Just from her stillness, I know for this year at least, it's over & I get my sweet girl is back.

Aaaww, Lisa, that's just the sweetest! Bet you'll light up whenever you think of it for a long, long time. So happy for you. Re sweet potatoes: I use them in mash mostly. Once in a while I steam them when to feed alone. I wash them. Cut skins & all into planks or medallions. Then put into a covered microwave something until they soften. I have a steamer, but I've used corning ware or even a covered soup cup. For no other reason than variety, I cook the pieces less & serve cooled or I cook them more for warm & mashed. They might get a pinch of cinnamon too.

...you asked for it! lol http://www.greyforums.net/forums/faq.php?faq=vb3_user_profile#faq_vb3_reputation http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?199731-Reputation

Sounds like the beginning of a greyt love affair. Awesome!!

Wicked cuteness!! I really hate to be a buzz kill & all. But I nearly lost Phenix early on because he had an extremely aggressive infection in his crop. It started on Christmas day, no less. I'm very lucky Tufts Vet Med Hosp is (sorta) nearby or he'd never have made it. I thought I was kissing him goodbye that day. I literally cried all the way back. Anyway, a week in the hospital, 1 month between a fish tank in the bathroom & the vet's office & he finally (almost) got back to normal. They'd basically thrown everything they had at it . But they admitted they never really could figure out what he'd actually had. Until about a month later when I saw him helping himself to the dogs' water bowl. ding ding ding The light bulb popped on over my head & I called the vet. I got a "hell yes!" in the form of a very long & scary list of the germs etc that I'll spare everyone. But it wouldn't actually be exaggeration to suggest posting a sign saying, "Toxic! Keep out!" over the water bowl. Lesson learned & hopefully sharing it will spare anyone else the same kind of fun & excitement.

Okay, whew! I got a little paranoid when I realized I hadn't actually typed what I meant to. I hate it when that happens. lol So the next time I think I feel bad about my fids missing out by not being a cohesive group, all I need to do is picture your group ganging up on you. Got it! lol Are your bruises very colorful today?

How spectacular would it have been to have been w/the crew that filmed that?

was snorting coffee during the last video http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/02/price-is-right-model-car_n_6996482.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Now it's a new day & I may be reading that last post in a new way. I'm hoping it didn't come out wrong because it wasn't meant to be in any way derogatory. In my mind all of those types of "happily ever afters" are misfits from the Island of Misfit Toys. All uniquely special because of what they've been thru & how they've ended up. Maybe I should have said so? Sorry if it didn't come out that way. Sunny and Honey are literally picture perfect there btw.

The colors, the props & costume detail working w/the natural back grounds are amazing, aren't they? There's more great "moments" on that site, too.

Nice, nice job!! That is a beautiful stand.