Sarasota

Sometimes, when I'm not running late in the morning (hardly ever!) I put the cameras right up to, almost inside, the cage. When he was a babe, I'd actually put in Sondhi's cage for a perfect view. Now that he's an old guy and loves to chew...no way. Maybe this week I'll put it in the toucan cage!!

At the moment, I'm doing it the easy way. I have my computer aimed at the cages and it connected to a free UStream account. I also have two Foscam cameras that I am going to set up this weekend (I had workers at my house and didn't want them knowing they were on camera). UStream is great - most of the time - but it also means random people can tune in. You can check it out: Stream Videos p.s. Yes, that's my motormouth toucan yelling in the background and my dog on the coffee table. When Mom is away...they go wild!

I do - watching them right now.

I had the same thought, CLB. There are a lot of quarantine laws, etc. when it comes to exotic pets. Even on domestic flights they require a health certificate (in California its 72 hours, I think...at least it was a few years ago).

I got super excited for a sec. Einstein is quite the celebrity in my house. We watch her videos all the time!

I buy the untreated pine. I think some people use balsa, but I never have.

Drat that vet office! I guess we'll have to stay on pins and needles a bit longer.

Dave, is she yours???????

Maybe she is still a little stressed from her first vet visit. It's a lot for a little gal!

Love 'dem budgies!!!

I babysat my friend's guinea pig when she went on vacation. It made a couple of different sounds. Here's a video example (not mine, just found it on YouTube): Sondhi makes about two of those noises.

I'll see if I can get a video of it. It's very different from what TeriG described. It starts with a head bob, then he fluffs his feathers and bobs and the eyes pin. That means I'm way too close and I need to back off. He's amazingly hand friendly with me - we shared a banana this morning - just no touch.

Ray is right. Not to worry. 8 grams is normal fluctuation. 8 grams is probably the weight of one poop! I try to weigh my guys in the morning, right after the morning poop to get a good reading. Don't fret over 8 grams.

Lucky birds!!

My job is pretty demanding...so I don't get the opportunity to travel much. Lucky for me, my brother gets only really well with the aracaris. Unfortunately, the parrots are terrified of him. Years ago I had a Mobile Groomer come to the house - and he VERY heavy handed with the birds. Another major learning experience for me. Poor Sondhi has been affected ever since. My brother happens to have the same haircut, body shape, etc. as the groomer. Before the groomer, Sondhi was fine with my brother. After, he panics and throws himself around the cage when he sees him. Poor Burt is afraid of everyone and everything. 25+ years living in a hoarding situation will do that to a bird (and before that, the wild). From all appearances, he had zero socialization. I suspect that's how the sanctuary knew he was "my" bird. When I met him he came right up to me and started eating nuts out of my hand. True love.

I do my best to time my dinner with the birds' dinner so they are caged - but in full sight of me while I eat. It encourages them to eat out of their own bowls. Occasionally, I'll let Sondhi sit on my arm and I'll give him some Grape Nuts off the spoon - but that is a very special treat for good behavior. 98% of the time - in the cage while people eat. I think the fussing, stress level and trying to get the bird to stop is too much drama for everyone (including the bird). Trust me, you'll feel awful the first few times....and then you'll appreciate eating in peace!

Yay! Always better to have the vet check them out and give them the thumbs up! What a relief. And nice to know she's doing well.

Think of it this way: right now you both speak different languages. It will take some time to figure out what each other is saying. You mentioned him "dancing." If you mean bobbing his head up and down with fluffed feathers...that may be him telling you to back up a bit. That's what my 31 year old TAG does if I'm too close. He'll also let out a long, single whistle. It took a few weeks for me to learn that. Now, if he starts to bob, I take a step back and he stops. Rather than trying to pet him (and he may have pin feathers coming in on the head too), experiment with finding out what his favorite treats are - then hold them back from regular feedings. If it's a bit of apple, an almond, etc. - make sure you and your husband hand feed it. Soon he will associate you with the special treats. There will be time for pets and cuddles later once he learns he can trust everyone. 21 years with someone else is a long time. He's probably confused and a little scared. Give him lots of love! As for the bath, first see if he reacts poorly to the spray bottle. If so, offer him a bowl of water at the bottom of his cage. Some birds prefer to bathe in a dish. My birds come outside and enjoy the mister setting on the garden hose when it's not too hot or cold.

Virgil sounds like he is adjusting well. The tail feathers look fine to me - it looks like he may have a couple of new ones. I suspect he rubbed them against the cage bars, or toys. My toucans will get a little frayed looking when they do that. He probably also just needs a good drenching. Mine get the drench at least once a week, plus regular sprays. It's hard to tell, but the stretch might be him coming down for a quick head rub. Everything sounds fantastic!

Awww...that was so sweet.

Perfect description. Never heard of that one before. I just might have to steal it.

Dave is right. You need to get a vet ASAP.

The cage is "homemade." The netting is standard garden/bird netting. One of the good things about toucans is they don't chew. The bad news is that it's impossible to clean. The best way to deal with it is simply to change it every so often (take apart the panels, re-net, etc.) Not the best design, but the size of the cage makes up for it! Newspaper has to be changed daily. Twice a day if I have the energy! Otherwise, there is danger of the poop getting moldy. Since there's no grating on the cage and the birds hop around on the floor - must be kept clean! The toucans do bathe once a day - twice a day for the female. It's a LOT of chopping. The most I can get away with is chopping the night before - never more than a day. Oddly enough, the wallls are pretty easy to clean. A little water/vinegar spray and it comes right off. And the floors are wood laminate. The walls behind the cage are wood paneling (hello, 1950s!) so they wipe pretty well too. I have to admit. I do worry a bit when I see new aracari owners online, first time bird owners. The babies are MUCH different than older birds as far as behavior and eating habits. They seem too good to be true at first, snuggling and purring (yes, they purr!). BUT, they are for really diehard bird keepers. They are a huge commitment. When hormones kick it, it's not unusal to have an aracari that will do face flying and eyeball removal duty. I had a roommate with a collard aracari that was determined to kill everyone that was near his owner/mate.

I haven't noticed him imitating my laugh...my sneeze, my cough. When he gets a really good flight going on in the house he'll yell "WOW!!!" which is hysterical. My TAG kept saying all weekend "I gotta use the doggie door." Huh? Cracked me up.

Good idea. Still, losing weight as they wean can be fairly typical...so don't panic. But a vet is always the best bet if you are concerned!