shanlung

:-) I went to that website as your extract was so fascinating that my puerile curiosity became fired up. I would not really dispute with the advise there to feed organic grown stuff etc etc until I came to the part where that site advocate commercial pellets be given to your birdie' date=' recommending Roudybush pellets and Harrison. Long time ago (which prompted my total switch over into mash) I came to this site http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/showthread.php/19865-Additives-in-Pellets which listed what company uses what so their pellets can have long shelf life. Roudybush used ethoxiquin and Harrison used salt [i'] Ethoxyquin: Is listed and identified as a harsh hazardous chemical by OSHA. It was originally used to preserve rubber. This is not allowed in human food and some feel it is not a chemical that they want in their bird food. The FDA has asked manufacturers for voluntary reduction in its use in pet foods and is in the process of deciding whether or not to ban the use of it altogether. Bird’s bodies can not get rid of it like a dog or cat and it then builds up and causes problems. Ethoxyquin promotes kidney carcinogenesis, significantly increases the incidence of stomach tumors, enhanced bladder carcinogenesis and urinary bladder carcinogenesis. Cancers of this type are the most lethal and fastest acting, the swiftest effects being seen among animals.[/i] Salt: Added as a preservative, salt can irritate the stomach lining, cause increased thirst and aggravate heart and kidney problems through fluid retention. Then when I went in further, to read that you must be demure and not scream when your birdie chomp on your flesh and grind their beak onto your bone. I think that is such a fallacy. I believe parrots are empaths. Your grinning through the agony of being bitten and pretending you are ok while you shoot off a blaze of mental agony is hypocritical and totally misleading to that poor parrot who will then think it all to be a game to repeat and repeat again and again. And a way to train unruly bird is to cut (ok ok that site said trim) their wings first. The point I want to make is that readers should never ever take everything as true because others say it. Do not ever take everything I said to be true either as I can be very wrong as well. Get all you can on any subject and topic. Think, think and think again. Then decide on the path that you want to walk as that well being, both physical and mental, of that birdie is in your hand and your hand alone. And on what you decide.

Shortly after I started with Tinkerbell my grey of Taiwan, I thought I knew everything of parrot and greys from magazines and books and Internet forums happily feeding her pellets and trying to 'educate' others to do likewise in sincere righteousness. That avocado poisonous and broad beans will kill the poor birdie together with lima beans and such stuff Then later on, as I climbed higher, to my horror, the horizon receded even further, and further. The more I learned, the more I realised I do not know. As for avocado, I do not know. I have lots of private correspondence with people all over the world. One of the top breeder wrote to me. And wild horses will not drag his name from me. He told me he feed his greys avocado, and he felt the tremendous breeding success he had with his greys and Zons was because of avocado (and lots of other food, he love Mike Manna Mash, from which Tink mash was based from) . He told me he never would dare to write in forum of avocado as he would be tarred and feathered so severely. My birdie lived in free flight at home, coming and going to me , to my drinks , to everywhere. Whatever I drink she wanted to drink. That go the same for many folks who allowed their birdies to be flighted and out of cage like me. I do not think we drown our birdie in coffee, cola or beer , stout and wine. Those by the way are bad for humans as well. One have the choice to live a life of monk or nun drinking water and eating only bread. Not much of a life, at least not a life I chose for myself. If I chose, I will be a Taoist monk who can eat, drink and make love, all if done in moderation. Talking about additives in wine and beer. The additives in commercial pellets are a lot more horrendous and in case of folks in general, fed to birdies on a daily basis. Unlike the wine/beer that my birdie had about 4 times over 2 years, and just a sip or two each time. How much additives could be in that 8 sips of wine/beer over a 2 year period? I gave her coffee after she pestered me. She declined coffee after once taking it. But she loved my orange/lemon juice which I shared with her, or rather I drank her leftovers in my cup. As for the poisonous broad beans, try to find the time to read Praise of procrastination and lima/navy beans That was my journey in finding out good and bad about beans. At the end I was no wiser and you be no wiser either after reading that journey. But I was floored by the declaration the first breeding of Hyacinth Macaw was credited to feeding them broad beans which I was told to be poisonous. Truth and facts are strange commodities. Much of that came from the shouting and repeating. Until it became fact and truth when the opposite might be more the case. Like the hoary declarations of height dominance , if you love your birdie their wings must be clipped , you must be Alpha over them or they become uppity , or even 2 to 3 years hormonal changes that make birdie want to bite you (read Understanding the mentality of your grey ) As said, I decided I rather be the student than the expert. There are enough people who want to be 'experts' . I rather be the student that can ask questions especially on truth and facts than to answer questions especially as I am no longer certain of anything and everything If the Emporer truly wear beautiful cloths, I want to see that with my eyes and not rely on what the experts telling me what to see and that I should see that because they are experts.

Morning with Harry & the decision// Sultan of Oman Palace// Tinkerbell Mash Batch 7 http://shanlung.livejournal.com/109957.html You can see explicitly what is Tinkerbell Mash, and how to make it step by step with love and care. The best food for your birdie and the cheapest as well.

Food for thought for anyone contemplating to allow birdie on shoulder. If birdie do not get off shoulder when asked, that birdie has no right to be on the shoulder. Certain line must be drawn in the sand and not to be crossed for good long term relationship. Or both birdie and you will pay the penalty, and that will not be good for either. Take care. And if you really do care, read Parrot on shoulder - being gentle Parrot on shoulder - being gentle Notwithstanding I wrote above in 2003, I still think what I wrote then hold true even now. and shanlung: Tinkerbell Legacy - - Rant 03 (a flighted parrot mentality) & Understanding the mind of your grey

shanlung: Chile // Riamfada free flights at the edge of Rub Al Khali If you have gone on into that URL above, then you would have read my dire warnings not to do what I have done. And you would have read the years that I aged and aged as Riamfada winged to a grey speck on the horizon and disappeared. Not once, not tiwce, but 3 times. Luckily she came back each time as if she was playing a huge joke on me. Also if you have followed my accounts, it was a series of tiny step by tiny step, with lots of observations followed by lots of deep thoughts. I thought about eagles and hawks, not just taking her in. From my earlier experiences with Tinkerbell and later with Riam, I knew her flight to be swift and evasive enough to survive. In above you can read of the fear I had that even with survival, she might be chased so far away that she might not have been able to know how return to me. I anguished over that in the next writing shanlung: Reflections on Riamfada at edge of the Empty Quarter and some rants . You might like to read that to see the measure that I adopted and if you take your parrot outdoors on harness, you might want to do what I have done in case Murphy comes knocking. I will be much more explict. FREE FLIGHT IS LIFE AND DEATH PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF UNLESS YOU DO KNOW. NEVER EVER FREE FLY WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE AS THIS CAN LEAD TO LOSS AND DEATH OF YOUR BIRD. I hope you do not mind my being hypocritical in doing what I warned all not to do. Unless you do have kitty and your kitty go for walk with you without leash up in mountains and the sea and will come to you through tidepools in the ocean when you called them like in the case of Dommie and me. shanlung: 9-11//Dommie final visit to ocean Ramadan 2010 & unsheduled Riamfada free flight//The Day Approaches Accept that I am different enough from most others to do what I have done, and I urge you all not to try to duplicate because you see those photos. Just like you will not do BASE jumping from edge of building and cliff because you see others do that. Or be a fire eater because you seen photos of that being done. A lot of knowledge and understanding is behind what I have done. I will be more explict as in another writing shanlung: Riamfada free flights in villa // And around neighbourhood I extract a portion below in italics from above that you and others might want to read. Riamfada free flights in villa more photos in flickr folder 'Riamfada free flights and around neighbourhood ' Riamfada free flights and around neighbourhood - a set on Flickr Please do not do what you see me do. FREE FLIGHT IS LIFE AND DEATH PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS YOURSELF UNLESS YOU DO KNOW. NEVER EVER FREE FLY WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE AS THIS CAN LEAD TO LOSS AND DEATH OF YOUR BIRD. I have been thinking. Of free flights with Riamfada. But the last few times when I thought of it, my dear wife screamed. She screamed and cried loud enough to frighten the wits out of me , or back into me , which ever way that you choose. A parrot truely need not do any freeflights. Allowing him/her to fly inside your home made safe for that will give 95% of all the benefits from flying. Allowing your parrot to fly in harness and leash, might add 4.9% more. But that being said, the sheer pleasure to you of taking your parrot outdoors with you and to fly cannot be imagined. If you have prepared yourself by first letting your parrot fly in semi free flight conditions (flying in big enclosed space eg gym or in big hall) , and then taking careful small steps outside in harness and short leash, that should be safe enough. Long distance harnessed flights should be after you and your parrot thoroughly trained together, flying your parrot in head winds, tail winds, cross winds, shifty wind conditions, from high to low, and low to high. Do not do free flights. That 0.1% benefit to your parrot is not worth the nightmare if things go wrong. You know Riamfada had been on deliberate free flights. Free flight is dangerous, extremely dangerous with any kind of parrot, and especially a grey. Free flight might add 0.1% to the benefits of flight to your parrot. But the adrenaline rush to you is immense. That comes from living dangerously, knowing Murphy might just turn up. I know with the coming departure, my mood might not be good. But I felt I could control that enough. I also thought back to Riamfada flights with me. She clearly shown she could think on her wings. The videos of her turning back to my wife when she could not first find me was heartening. And of her flying and turning back to the wall , and then heading to me was heartening as well. Pakistan again// more on mind & tofu // Dommie at Omer//kitties// Riamfada and 3 turns on dime shanlung: Pakistan again// more on mind & tofu // Dommie at Omer//kitties// Riamfada and 3 turns on dime Then that unscheduled free flight at the beach when that knot to that swivel joint unravelled and she did that glorious freeflight and returned to me had to be considered too. Her spooking got even more controlled in the villa, just a short flight away before returning to me. In the villa, Riamfada would so often fly to me uncalled, went back to her many perch to do her thing, and fly again to me. In all our walks in last couple of months, she never showed any desire to leave me. And if she decided on parroty jokes, how many more parroty jokes could she play on me. I decided I could accept her parroty jokes. And she knew our neighbourhood so well now from all the neighbourhood walks we had done. I decided to go on neighbourhood walks earlier today. I noticed the light faded too much by time we went out at 530pm. So today, we went out of the house at 5pm. Riam was harnessed and leashed as we went around the mulberry bush. Thoughts of free flight hit my mind. Hit it hard today 24 September. I decided my wife screamed too much. Before she opened her mouth to scream, I premptively told her to shut up. Got her to hold the rod/reel. I then took the leash off Riamfada's harness. I saw from corner of my eye my wife opened her mouth, as to scream. I told her screaming might well spook Riam, and to my satisfaction, saw her closing her mouth

In another thread here, I find it frightening the way people in white coat, using their mythical authority as people that know promote commercial bird food. From seed mix to pellet diet conversion http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?191616-seed-mix-to-pellet-diet-conversion/page2 Up to recent time, and even now, companies have/had been using the additives in their birdie (and kitty) pellets to promote long shelf life. In any vet office, you will probably find a huge section of their front office selling those birdie/kitty/doggie pellets , or promoting that directly in hard sell like above , or indirectly on their display shelves . Some companies might even have stopped using those additives, using other kind of additives that they claim are safer. Just how safe I do not wish to discuss. To me, that they used such additives in their birdie pellets in the past make it difficult for me to dare to trust them even into the future not to talk about the present now. Should Madoff get a Presidential pardon and out of jail and set up a Madoff Bank in future, will you put your money again in Madoff Bank? Again your choice to do so. Or your choice to see in above how Tinkerbell Mash is made and think of doing similar stuff for your birdie or kitty or doggie.

:-) I wrote for all folks who might like to give a rare rare occasional sip of their beer (or stout), or coffee, or cola to their birdie and who might be intimitated by well meaning folks on a politically correct course. Happiness is life. Not a morally or politically correct course that only promise you a better future life instead of having a good life now.

How to eat chicken bone 101 Former card carrying Vegan finally graduated to be a carnivour and bonievour Riamfada - Overnight with her to Turtle Watching at Raz Al Jinz http://shanlung.livejournal.com/102845.html

Do try to relax a bit. In natural life, animals love alcohol, at least fermented fruits with alcohol in it. I used to catch butterflies in the forest long long long time ago. In the process, I used fermenting pineapples as lure. Not too successful as the monkeys around caught a sniff and came to demonished those fermenting pineapples. Look at this video on wild animals being tipsy after gorging on fermenting fruits in the wild. I am not a member of any society, just a simple layman who love animals and not harm or allow harm to them or at least, those with me. I very seldom drink as that is not my choice for altering my state of mind. Now and then when I drink , Tinkerbell, and now Riamfada take a sip from me. And after that, I was the wobbly one as can be seen in the photo below. From Free flights at Edge of Rub Al Khali Revisited http://shanlung.livejournal.com/112689.html A bit of alcohol will not harm them or humans. Too much of anything will harm everything. A bit of alcohol hurt them a lot less than the pellets and additives in the pellets that so many folks feed their parrots. See Hand of Clod //3 hour and day old Mash // Outdoor hide&seek recalls http://shanlung.livejournal.com/115814.html Go have a drink and relax. It will be a very strange world if you, or anyone else can agree with all that I do. Such a world cannot be a good world. In my blog on neighbourhood walks, during the sidr fruiting season, Riam showed clear preference for the over-ripe and fermenting sidr fruits. They smell so strongly of alcohol. Riam eating and loving fermenting sidr fruit. She allowed one only each time She loved that fermenting guava that smelled so strongly of alcohol On my part, over the last two years, I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have a glass. The couple of times when Riam joined me and took a sip of beer, or wine above was not anything I felt bad over. Saying things are in print do not cut ice with me. Especially as to who said that, and what is his/her qualification. There are too many people with a myopic vision who are in print. I recalled in my early years almost all articles screaming away that the wings must be cut. And those laughable articles in books and magazines claiming about 'Height Dominance' and the need to assert and impose yourself as the Alpha at the birdie. Two hundred years ago, parrot expert proclaimed in articles that greys do not need to drink and water is fatal to them. Try to laugh at that photo and what I wrote in the manner it was intended. The outside world is rife with intolerance and people who believe their vision is the one true vision and prepared to kill and maim innocents together with those that disagree. If we live in a more tolerant world and have less of the 'holier than thou' attitude, it will be a far better world for all. A huge number of experts, scientists and vets and pet shops asserted commercial pellets is the best food for you parrot notwithstanding the additives added for convenience and shelf life. Ethoxyquin , originally used to preserve rubber , BHT/BHA , petroleum products , Propylene Glycol, de-icing fluid for airplanes, are better for the health of the birdie? If you do not mind, I have an aversion to 'experts' who think because they are 'expert', a layman like me should kowtow to them and take whatever they chose to say as truth enshrined in stone. If so, Tinkerbell the flying grey of Taiwan and Riamfada in Oman would never have existed. Do those 'experts' also say cats are afraid of water? Grin Or should I trot out more photos of Dommie coming into the ocean and tidepools at my cue? I do not think the body will distinguish alcohol from wine or beer at 8% as against the alcohol in fermenting fruits. If alcohol is truly that deadly, no parrots in the wild should remain alive as they all love fermented fruits that you accept is acceptable. Or those 'experts' rather conveniently ignore all that to write the way they chose to write. Or get tarred and feathered if they write otherwise. You know I have flighted bird. But have you ever seen me here , in my blog, or anywhere else with unkind words for people with clipped birds? I think it is better to remain student and not be an expert the way all 'experts' be. Their learning process stopped long time ago and my own learning just started. By the way, I must add I am not advocating to people to give beer or wine or fermented fruits to their parrots. Best is not to give them any of those stuff on daily or even weekly basis. I just cannot accept the harm of an occasional sip about twice a year will make them keel over when they go gaga over fermented fruits at all times. Go walk your path in peace. From Mentality of parrot // Soya beans// Feather Plucking //Alcohol http://shanlung.livejournal.com/118404.html

Beer! flying is thirsty - Gimme a Heineken http://shanlung.livejournal.com/102845.html Since I am thirstier, she got only a miserly sip now and then, and once or twice a year. I kept the beer locked up in secure steel safe at home as she could not be trusted. I would hate to get back home and find all my beer quaffed by her.

Further variation on that mash batch 7. I believe the mash can remain good for the entire day. At least in Riamfada's room kept at 24-25C. Read the report done on 11 & 14 June 2010 and you decide for yourself. Month of soccer // Cyclone Phet & Riamfada neighbourhood hide & seek // Mash eating http://shanlung.livejournal.com/115514.html Hand of Clod //3 hour and day old Mash // Outdoor hide&seek recalls http://shanlung.livejournal.com/115814.html See also the making of Tinkerbell mash batch 8 with changes and further improvement on batch 7 Iceland and Goldman // Jebel Akhdar // Tinkerbell mash batch 8 http://shanlung.livejournal.com/114545.html see the making of Tinkerbell Mash Batch 9 with changes and further improvement on batch 8 Pakistan//mind of parrot//Tinkerbell Mash Batch 9//Riamfada pulling up cup//Villa walkabout http://shanlung.livejournal.com/119016.html and kitty mash as well Pakistan//Tinkerbell Kitty Mash//Dommie at the beach Ramadhan 2010 //Villa walkabout 2 http://shanlung.livejournal.com/119237.html Warmest regards Shanlung 山 龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9/

Very nice to see the change in mindsets to return back the gift of flight to birdies. From the horrendous times I have had when I started with Tinkerbell ten years back or so where tar and feathers were the treatment for me and others who allowed their birdies to fly. Where so many innuendoes were hurled that I did not love her as all who truly love their birdie will clip and clip the wings, with explicit details how to cut the feathers and how to hold the scissors, almost down to the make of the scissors. Warmest regards Shanlung http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9/

If you are going to 'soak & cook', why not do it all by yourself with the best stuff that you can get. Look into this for explicit details & photos how to do it and you decide if this is much better than what you can hope to get from anyone else. http://shanlung.livejournal.com/109957.html

Try to take the effort to understand the mind of your grey as in the thread in training section below. http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?190599-Understanding-the-mentality-of-your-grey You then will find you do not not fear or blame the 2s or the 3s or the 4s or whatever. Neither do you need to fear chomping on you and your fingers. And you will get into a lot more fun with your birdie too. Warmest regards Shanlung 山龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

Angkor Wat & stuff// Wife to say hi to Domdom and Riamfada// Search & recovery of your lost birdie http://shanlung.livejournal.com/124143.html My wife wrote a couple days ago from Muscat that Dommie and Riamfada were doing very well. Warmest regards Shanlung 山 龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

My thoughts and 2cents worth. On birdtricks.com and bozos http://shanlung.livejournal.com/91826.html

Final handover http://shanlung.livejournal.com/122016.html Warmest regards Shanlung 山 龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

Riamfada last few neighbourhood walks //Riamfada at home on perches// Dommie last neighbourhood walk http://shanlung.livejournal.com/121502.html Paw prints in the sand http://shanlung.livejournal.com/121818.html Warmest regards Shanlung 山 龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

Birdhouse and friends Free flight is extremely dangerous. I hope I do not sound too hypocritical in urging you all not to do what I do. Allowing your birdie to fly freely at home made safe for that is more than good enough. Read my last account, and be frightened, very frightened of doing free flight. Riamfada free flights in villa // And around neighbourhood http://shanlung.livejournal.com/121070.html Riamfada freeflight hide&seek // When I am with her, am I with her? // Handing over sequence http://shanlung.livejournal.com/121091.html Warmest regards Shanlung 山龍

A slice of the Artic//Riamfada again around neighbourhood // Riamfada cage// round the mulberry bush http://shanlung.livejournal.com/120612.html Riamfada free flights in villa // And around neighbourhood http://shanlung.livejournal.com/121070.html Warmest regards Shanlung 山 龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

Here is more, while I am still here. Riamfada around neighbourhood // Mrs Jabri harnessing Riamfada // Riamfada as perch maker http://shanlung.livejournal.com/120555.html Warmest regards Shanlung 山 龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

rcmotorgirl, That grey is lucky to have found you. Bear in mind he got a bad convulated past to seek search protection in his cage. Through no fault of him, you might yet have to pay the price of his earlier mishandling Show him slowly, that life is different with you. And in time, you will feel so lucky that you have him to share life with. Friends Last few bitter sweet days with my creatures of Oman. Jebel Shams -Mountain of Sun // Jabreen Castle // Change of flight plan http://shanlung.livejournal.com/120065.html Warmest regards Shanlung 山龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

Birdnut, Do not worry about being laid back. I am about the most laid back guy. I will be more worried if you are those gung-ho train train train fanatic. As if training is all there is to life. Life consist of smelling roses too. In my form , are those neighbourhood walks. Some of the best stuff Riam did for me were stuff I never trained her in. Meanwhile, hope you enjoy this. Riamfada flying into home//Neighbourhood hide&seek http://shanlung.livejournal.com/119717.html 9-11//Dommie final visit to ocean Ramadan 2010 & unsheduled Riamfada free flight//The Day Approaches http://shanlung.livejournal.com/119935.html Warmest regards Shanlung 山 龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

I hate to say it, BUT I told you so. Birds might be borned to fly. But flying is not easy, especially the landing. How many birds got clipped during those first few days when they still were trying to understand the muscles , the control of feathers, and the landings. I extract from one of my old writings More thoughts on wing clipping http://shanlung.livejournal.com/66579.html If you see a human toddler trying to walk and falling down, will you have fear for his/her safety and not ever let him discover balance and walk? Will you have him/her crawl for the rest of their life because you are afraid to see them fall? This is same as your choice for your bird. Warmest regards Shanlung 山 龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9

The grey know so well if others are not normal. I wished I wrote more that time when Tinkerbell and I was at this very special school. Tink was so gentle with all of them, almost as if she had compassion. http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9/1aspecialschool.htm'>http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9/1aspecialschool.htm http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9/tinkspschool2.htm Warmest regards Shanlung 山龍 http://www.geocities.com/shanlung9