Darwinsmom

Poor baby! I cant bear the thought of toweling them. I always did Garth with a Dremmel and never had to towel him and I have started Darwin as well, once a week and few zips across the nail keeps them blunt and he doesnt even flinch. I do it as he stands on a perch and I just lift each toe for a second to do it, 2 minutes later we're all done.

I'm pretty certain she was clipped at the shop before coming home and chipped at the vet another time. Darwin had neither of these done, no trust issues, and he also lost a bit of weight and stopped eating as much for a few days, this apparently isnt uncommon in new babes, or even some older birds, when faced with significant change like a new home. As long as she's back to normal Sassy, I wouldnt worry too much about it. I'm sure she trusts you, she looks completely happy in her photos you've posted and its clear you love her very much and only have her best interests at heart.

Good news. I also mix baby food in with the formula to sneak the veggies in.

Its a pencil sharpener type thing to cut the straws into swirly ribbons like in my photo. They sell them on Amazon.com

Darwin was 520 grams at 16 weeks, he lost a bit in the first week he was home, less eating and more activity coming home, but has regained it pretty much. He was 517 yesterday at 18 weeks old. I think he's going to be a big boy.

Sooooo easy to make!! I bought 2 basic microphone stands. They are good and solid with 10 lb cast iron bases so they dont tip, added a perch to the top and voila...I can take them anywhere.

Darwin LOVES his straw toys. I make them with a whacky whirly to make them into strips, then bunch them together with a zip tie. I dont leave these in his cage, just in case, but he loves them. (pic attached) I only leave wooden and strong acrylic toys in his cage and check them daily. I've gone on a toy making kick, at the price of them, its far cheaper to buy the hardware parts (I only use stainless steel) and make my own. Green and white straws on the boing toy

Congrats, he's a cutie. Darwin (home 2 weeks now and 18 weeks old) also loves his toy hook. I just stand on a stool to reach him but since he's flighted usually asking him to "come fly" will get him down by himself. If he's being stubborn I just say "Ok, bye" and walk away and he realizes I left him alone and he sets off to find me...lol. Enjoy, its an interesting ride, I had forgotten how much fun it is to have a baby around, its been 20 years since the last time I did this.

Not really that handy, they were super easy to make. If you are on Facebook there is a group called the Parrots Workshop and they have lots of ideas and instructions for tons of stuff. The only real hard one was the rod in the middle of the boing, attaching the ends was harder not nothing horrific. Also, if it hasnt been listed here before, this booklet is excellent http://www.onafricanwings.com/Parrot%20Enrichment%20and%20Activity%20Book.pdf

Oh yes. I have about 100 toys all waiting to go into rotation, 6 swings, 2 boings, table top play stands, hanging javawood play stands, and two 100 liter rubbermaid tubs full of toy parts to make more toys or replace parts. Errr.....spoiled may be an understatement....lol This is one of his boing toys I made. It has a stainless rod running up the middle and I loaded it with toys and foraging blocks etc... And I made 2 out of 3 of these swings, the wooden triangle one and the PVC orb swing. And some of the foraging blocks we made for him. The holes are stuffed with walnuts, almonds and brazil nuts in the shell.

Ya I manged to avoid being pooped on for 2 whole weeks, he is pretty good but he ate breakfast and STILL hadnt gone, played on his cage top gym and STILL hadnt gone, when he flew over to me I thought "oh this isnt gong to end well" and 2 second later...BAM! lol lol

Hmm....Good thing he's cute too. This morning was a first, he pooped ALL over me! lol He's been eating oranges and sweet potatoes, bright orange poop all over! lol

Thanks, he's a real doll. Losing Zulu, specially the day before he was to come home, was devastating, but Darwin has made my world a better place.

Most of you know me as Zulus Mom. As you may have read, Zulu died the day before I was to pick him up and bring him home. The store did get necropsy results back and it seems he had a congenital kidney disease that would have ended in his passing, it was simply a matter of when. For obvious reasons, I couldnt bear to come here and see posts about him, or use that user name and I havent been around for a while. The powers that be were kind enough to change my name for me. I am now Darwins Mom. I was fortunate enough to find Darwin shortly after Zulu passed away. Darwin was hatched April 14th, 2012, so he is 18 weeks old. He was born at his breeders house, parent raised until 4 weeks and then hand raised. He is fully flighted, fully health tested (this was not negotiable) and DNA sexed male. He is also awesome. Intelligent, sweet, cuddly and inquisitive. He has made getting over the shock of losing Zulu that much more bearable. He has been home for 2 weeks now, and aside from a few hiccups that are to be expected with the move, he is doing very well. He's being abundance weaned, still likes his night time feed, and we'll continue that for as long as he wants it. He's been dong flight recalls since day 2, he picked "come fly" up REALLY well, now we need to work on "STAY" lol lol So, I think that brings us up to speed and explains the name change. I'll try to see if I can remember how to post pics. And some video...

Regression in newly weaned birds is not uncommon, stress can cause it. I had the same problem with Darwin, a few days after I brought him home. I believe he is close in age to your girl, he was born April 14th 2012. I brought him home on one feeding in the evening, as he still wanted it and the breeder believes in letting them wean on their own. Darwin is flighted and all the change, plus the tremendous amount of exercise he was getting from trying out his new wings caused him to lose weight. We added a feeding in the morning, nothing huge, just enough to stimulate his appetite, kept him a little more quiet for a few days (a few more naps, a little less activity), and added a huge variety of soft foods. He's still down from the time I brought him home, but not much, but he's eating again and holding steady with his weight. Personally I think he was chubby when I brought him home and he's lost the bit they do around fledging time. Some times he eats his offered formula, sometimes he dickers with it and prefer his "chop" and beans/lentils, I leave it up to him but I always offer lots and lots of options, He also has pellets, all the healthy nuts he wants right now and I put fruit and veggies on his kabob. He has food anywhere he looks. It took him about a week to get back eating like a horse.

I waited to post this because I cant bear to use this account with this name any more. Its been a few weeks now but Zulu passed away the day before I was to bring him home from the pet store. He was bleeding and collapsed, they couldnt save him. The necropsy results are finally back from the vet. Zulu died of a congenital kidney defect. There was nothing anyone could have done to see it coming or to fix it, but now we know. Rest in Peace my dear, sweet little one, you were not here long, but you were very loved. Zulu March 18, 2012 - August 2, 2012.

Jayd, this "pet peeves" thread was absolutely started as whining about others. And I for one will NOT back down on my beliefs just to appease some stranger on the internet, ever. What that poster wants to do to a baby bird is wrong. I feel that way, professionals I spoke to feel that way, and lots of other members feel that way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying what they were thinking about doing is cruel and inhumane, because it is. Talon, I was speaking in general of people who sit back and watch bad thing happen without ever saying a word because they think someone else will do it.

Neither does standing back silently when someone is doing something blatantly wrong, cruel or inhumane. We as humans seem to think we can justify almost anything we do, even if it is at the expense of a child, another person, or a helpless animal. I'm the one that doesn't sit by and watch a man on the street beat his dog with a leash because it wouldnt sit when it was told to. I take the leash and dog away and call 911, I didnt even think twice about it. I'm the one that wont sit idly by while you beat your kid, or say something mindbogglingly damaging to them. I WILL say something to you in public if you speak degradingly to your wife, g/f, or elderly parent. I earned my law degree to go out in this world and help people, to seek justice for the victims, to help right a wrong, no matter how small and I WILL speak up when I see something terrible being done. It will be blunt and to the point, I dont fart sunshine, rainbows and puppies. I dont agree with Dave's delivery but I absolutely agree with his sentiment. His concern was for the bird, and nothing more and I have total respect for that . We can, for the most part ,look after ourselves and stand up for ourselves, but who is going to stand up for the innocent and the weak if the rest of us are too timid to say anything for fear of offending the perpetrator or upsetting the apple cart? Maybe it is because of my education/training, or maybe it is because I have worked for years with less than desirable people, but I have a whole lot more respect for the ones who stand up for the innocent, no matter how they do it so long as the intent was good, than I do for those who are too cowardly to do the right thing. Given that this thread was started as a self serving, whining post to complain about others, one might want to think twice about who you're b*tching about and why you think you have the right to do so to begin with. And that's just my opinion. If it's too blunt, too bad.

It was AWFUL!! I was so upset and so angry at my ex for taking him outside. Every time I read about a lost bird my heart breaks and it takes me right back to those days I thought Garth was gone forever. I plan to keep Zulu flighted, but I have to tell you the thought of accidental escape out an open door just terrifies me.

Oh my god, I am soooo sorry, the poor, poor boy!! Any news? Did you get to the vet today?

I have 4 dogs, 3 of them large, and 14 cats. I am not the crazy cat lady, honest, I show and breed them and thats the only reason for so many. However, the kitties are all downstairs and the dogs are crated or outside if the bird is loose. That said, my cats were scared of my grey and never once attempted to go near him. Hopefully it will be the same with the new baby but given the separation, I dont see them ever meeting.

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Great pics! I think I need to make one of those!

Outof curiosity, I put in a call to a acquaintance (I did her divorce for her a few years back) who is a vet, her partner is an avian vet and is responsible not only for pet bird practice but has a large breeder base and is the head avian vet for the metropolitain zoo. I asked him about changing a bird to a nocturnal schedule ad he said, and I quote "I doubt you could do it, and even if you could, what idiot would attempt such a foolish thing?" His words, not mine. He said, in a nutshell, you'd find yourself with an aggressive, stressed out bird who would ultimately get sick and he laughed when I told him someone thought since humans could change their sleep patterns/circadium rhythms, that birds could too.