Sarasota

We have tons of wild parrots in Southern California....but I've never seen one come up to the window. Just awesome!

I'm in love! And her orb is fantastic! Did you buy, or make? I made one and it's not nearly as good!!

It was 112 Degrees F at my house last weekend. I wanted to eat my own head off!!!

LOL! Here's a little trick we use in avian rehab when birds won't poop. Take a Q-tip or cotton ball (sometimes it's easier to direct with a Q-Tip), soak it in mineral oil and gently move it around the cloaca in a circular motion. When it touches the skin, the mineral oil warms and (for whatever reason) it stimulates the bird to poop. Granted, I've never used the trick on a hookbill, but if the bird will allow it - it can't hurt to try!

Good to see you! I have never seen pecans like that...come to think of it, I think I've only seen them wrapped in plastic bags in the market. California girl, you know, all I get are orange trees.

I hate to keep harping on this....but if I'm annoying enough, it might get through. It does NOT have to be like this. Here's an example of a young grey learning to have his feet touched (in prep for trimming): And a macaw who formerly had aversive experiences with grooming now accepting the dremel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ly1eKiVNCs Please note the difference in bird body language. Both Barbara and Lara are excellent trainers. I was also taught the same technique by Steve Martin at Natural Encounters. A bad grooming experience can last a lifetime for a sensitive bird like a Grey. If the parrot community starts accepting the heavy handed treatment as the "norm," we take a huge step back in learning how to deal with parrot behavior, etc. OK. I'll try to be silent on the subject now since I've annoyed everyone enough already...but this kind of thing hits me pretty hard.

Oh man! Sondheim really dislikes headbands. I wonder what it is? He's not thrilled with my glasses, prefers contacts - but wants nothing to do with me if I have a headband on. The toucans...if I take out a tape measure they lose their minds.

Hmmmm. That was my big fear - the weight would throw off the bird's balance. Let's see what happens with Dave's birds. I wonder if it will be any different on an older, heavier bird?

I don't think you'll have a problem at all. After all, we give dogs new names when they come home from the shelter, etc. I had to keep Burt, Burt. Well, he loves his name and says it all the time. Plus, it's cute.

Yeah! The first flight is the best! I think I actually cried the first time Sondheim flew. And just watch over the next few weeks as Rosie perfects her landings. It's quite amazing.

I'm working on a bird room too. That looks great! p.s. Is that a little ledge at the top?? That's where my birds would go. You might need a stepladder!

Oh I wish you had a camera for that one!

You mean, everyone doesn't have a birdie cam? I certainly do! With both birds - young and old - I found that I had to actually "train" them to accept some toys. At times, the toy will sit untouched and when I move it to a new location the cage, they play with it. Usually, I act absolutely fascinated with the toy...and the bird suddenly is interested. If they show extreme fear, I don't force it. If they are mildly cautious, I will use a clicker and give treats for touching it, playing with it/chewing until they realize it's a good thing.

My understanding is that they have the same issues as Teflon under high heat and wear and tear (chipped pots and pans giving off gas, into food, etc.) I did a quick search on the Internet and found that both PTFE and PFOA are listed on the Toxic Substance Control Act. Under controlled circumstances they might be fine, but stainless steel cookware is probably your best bet. In any event, they've got killer deals on some stainless sets at big stores like Costco.

I caught my contractor tossing several 2X4s of untreated wood. I told him it was tons of parrot toys...so now he puts the "warped" pieces aside for me. I don't know of any places in the UK, but there are some great online stores: http://www.pine4parrots.co.uk/Pages/Toymakingparts.aspx

Drat! I almost took a picture this morning and then forgot. Tomorrow, promise!

It's so good for Burt. He has a strange fear of hand tools. If he sees a hammer or screwdriver, he panics. Now he's been seeing them for weeks, and the workers are very friendly with the birds, but keep a respectable distance. I think he's finally connected that hand tools are necessarily scary things.

Don't tempt me. On the pigeon boards, poop is discussed constantly. With photos. Poop is huge!

Welcome! I absolutely can't wait to see photos. I was in Hertfordshire years ago....such a beautiful place.

Nice! I'm glad you are having a better day. When things snowball.....it's so very hard. Hugs!

Here's a cute story. I'm having some construction done at my house, and last Friday I noticed the smoke alarm was disconnected. I had my suspicions, but waited to speak to the contractor this morning. The workers were worried because the smoke alarm kept going off. They tested the battery, looked for any carbon monoxide problems - all looked OK. Finally, they simply disconnected it. A few minutes later...it went off again. It was my TAG, Burt, imitating the alarm. The contractor told me that Burt constantly mimics the house alarm, power tools, the sound of a hammer, etc. They whistle to him all day and are shocked when he whistles back the exact same tune. That's my boy!

All I can say is...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

I feel ya! My TAG is fully flighted and he's 30. He flies great....landing, not so good.

Walter, what a wonderful name. Welcome to the boards!