Pchela

Willow says thanks for all of the sympathy! :lol: She seems to be doing alright. She hasn't talked since then but she is still loving and sweet as ever. It's clear her beak is bothering her... she keeps running her tongue over it but I don't know if it hurts or just feels weird like when you get a new filling at the dentist ya know? Anyway, she got hand fed some oatmeal today just in case the seeds and nuts are too hard for her poor, tender beak. (she's not spoiled at all) The Red Belly is named Nicholas. He seems to be nervous but he lets me give him scratches and sits on my shoulder. He's so calm. I wonder if that's really his personality. Time will tell!

My Timneh, Willow, has a crooked beak which has steadily gotten worse so we finally went to the vet yesterday. Poor baby had to be toweled and have her beak drilled in order to correct the problem before it could become scissor beak. Her eyes were so wide and scared, I cried watching her. The good news is that the vet thinks that we can have it corrected completely with one or two more drillings. I hope that is the case. It was awful having to have her go through that though. She's fine now though a bit quiet today and she keeps running her tongue over her beak... I'm sure it feels weird. On another note, I brought home a Red Belly who was in need of a home 3 days ago. Does anybody have experience with these guys? He seems to be adjusting okay... he already told me he loves me so that's something right?

Oh we're having fun! Now I'm trying to think of things I want to teach her to say! Of course I know that she won't say anything that I want her to. She'll probably pick up all of the bad stuff my husband yells when he's playing video games instead. I was totally prepared for her to not talk because I know not all of them do and it's not a good reason to get a bird, but I am pleased that she is talking! Is that wrong?

Willow is my TAG's name. It's the character from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and also there are two great songs "Willow Weep for Me" and "Little Willow" that I can sing to her! Also is the name of the slender, graceful wood tree.

After much waiting on my part, Willow has finally decided to talk! Today she has said, "What are you doing Pippin?" and "Good girl" very clearly! I'm so excited! This is the beginning right? How long till I'm wishing she'd shut up? (Pippin is my Senegal)

What area are you in?

Okay. So basically what you're saying is I should leave all of the feathers alone! Got it. I can do that. Thanks.

Okay, I have at home right now a baby Grey that I am hand feeding for work. He's adorable! He is covered in pin feathers. At this young age, is it okay for me to help preen him? He looks so uncomfortable. I know it's okay when they are older but I don't know about babies. Thanks.

Thank you so much Dave! I knew I could count on you for sound advice. Looks like we'll have a little TAG with half of a tail until they come in on their own.

Hi, I have a question for the experts! Willow broke half of her tail feather off when I first got her. It's been about 7 months now. She recently grew in a new tail feather but the others have not come in. I looked and there are still half feathers in her tail. They broke off and have stayed at their half broken state. Somebody told me I need to pull them in order for the new ones to grow. Is this true? I don't want to hurt her and I don't want to damage the folacle. Thanks.

Here is my list from when I was trying to name my baby. Hope it helps! (some are character names from shows I love) Gandalf – the Grey Floyd - Grey Haired Aderyn – a bird Circe (KeerKay) – Latin form of Kirke meaning bird. Sorceress who changed Odysseus’s men into hogs. Riordan- bard, minstrel Bard- Minstrel, singer, poet --- Killed Smaug Gwaihir – wind lord Ithilien – Moonland Pellenor – fenced land Rune- Secret lore Lennon Nicodemus – people’s victory Ambrosios - Sir Didymus’s mount (means immortal) Adelei – Noble kind. (Adelei Niska) Early (Jubal Early) Simon – To hear, to be heard Atherton Wing Jude Desmond Edison (Maxwell Edison) Quinn – (Glenn Quinn played Doyle) Doyle – Dark Stranger Kieron – Little dark one Declan – full of goodness Teague - a poet or philosopher (a wise poet) Tierney – implies lord of the household Bellamy - handsome friend Mortimer- deaths apprentice (means dead sea) Errol – a swamp dragon in Discworld Bela – as in Lugosi Esme – esteemed or loved Flynn – red haired one Ibis- large bird Teagun – little poet Tegwen – beautiful and blessed Rory – Red Ruler Sputnik – little traveler Jasper – Red or reddish brown gemstone Darcy – dark Dooley – dark hero Kerwin – little dark one Grimsley – dark meadow Tynan- dark, dusty Atticus – from Athens Artemis – Goddess of moon and hunt

Willow is named for a favorite character of ours from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I had several names picked out but I ended up picking that one because there are also several cool songs with the name in them that I can sing to her.

OP is surely joking!

I think it's pretty clear that the OP was being sarcastic about the hitting of the cat... There's not much you can do other than making sure the two are not alone together. You can't make the cats instincts disappear unfortunately.

I actually prefer that grate off. I change the papers every day sometimes twice and my gray likes to forage around on the bottom. She doesn't step in poo any more than she would on the grate which always had poo on it. She can also go get food she dropped. I could see it being a problem if the papers weren't changed regularly though. It also gives her that much more space to live in.

LOL at bluekiwi and her little devil bird! You would not believe how much these babies have grown in the past 4 days! I'll try to post another pic later!

NP! I know that a lot of tampering goes on with crossbreeding etc and I don't think it's right. We had a beautiful hybrid macaw not long ago in the shop and she just seemed a bit slow in the mental department... I'd guess because of crossbreeding and all that in order to get her pretty color. It's just not cool.

Fisher, From what I can tell they aren't hybrids. The colors are natural mutations that occur in nature. I've been researching it because I don't think that playing with genes is right either. Same goes for the red factor Greys btw.

From what I could find they are a mutation of the green cheek. They're really pretty when feathered. Here's a link with a picture of what they'll look like. http://avesint.com/ysc.html

I've got some baby conures for the weekend... they being fed every four hours and are so ugly they're cute! http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y207/pchela/?action=view&current=MVI_0021.flv

thanks! I will have to call! Thanks for doing the legwork guys.

I have a great breeder in Austin Texas but he ships. I got my Timneh from him and she's amazing. Very well socialized and healthy. I don't know if shipping is the best way to get a bird though. I was able to visit mine every weekend as she was weaning so finding one in Seattle would probably be best.

Can I sign up to be on board with the mass order? I'd love to get some for my birds.<br><br>Post edited by: Pchela, at: 2009/02/17 04:00

hk955 wrote: LMAO! I like this plan! I shall put Operation Grey Escape via Black or White Van into effect immediately!

Well, I let him hang out on my shoulder most of the day today and at the end of the day he actually let me scratch his neck for a long time! That is a first! Anyway, there is a regular customer that is interested and would be a great home so I'm hoping maybe that family will take him... if I know he's in a good home I'll be okay. Even though I fell in love with him a little more today...