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H110Hawk posted:You people and your fancy "multi-colored" pellets. Ours are all twig brown and uniform. We often eat some Kashi GoLean for breakfast which has "fiber twigs" in it. Mindo really wants some, but we sit there and hand feed him from a bowl of his pellets which makes him happy. Occasionally one winds up in the human bowl. There is no way to extricate it, and the bowl is empty when we're finished. On the other hand, we get to toss out the butternut squash, or honey dew melon, or sweet potato, or whatever else is Mindo's least favorite fruit of the day, which he has refused to eat from his bowl.
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Feb 26, 2014 17:05
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Chili posted:Someone isn't using the Zupreem fruit blend. This! It's funny because Scuttle eats the bananas first, so his bowl is mostly orange/red/green, and Ritz eats everything BUT the bananas, so his bowl is always full of yellow. Birds.
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Feb 26, 2014 17:53
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Inko learnt to kiss on command  There's been more progress with him, but not lots. He'll happily step up on to bare arms without much issue, and I discovered that he'll step up on to gloved hands seemingly without a care-but bare hands are the devil. He really doesn't like them, and when I offered him a seed to step up on to a finger, he made worried noises and reached over it to get the seed (didn't think he could stretch that far). He then bit-and held on of course-on the second attempt. I wonder what bad experiences he had to hate hands so much? Though scritches through the cage bars are fine, and are getting more acceptable when outside the cage too.
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Feb 26, 2014 19:18
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Chili posted:Someone isn't using the Zupreem fruit blend. Ship them to me, please, as Petula only eats the yellow bananas. Everything else ends up in a ten foot radius around the cage.
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Feb 26, 2014 19:37
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Battle Pigeon posted:Zupreem isn't available here. I'm not sure what your situation is, but you can get Zupreem in giant bulk bags through https://www.mysafebirdstore.com I've found that to be the most cost efficient way of getting them for Bubbles and Kima. Even if you had international shipping on top, ordering in bulk may offset some of that cost. Knightmare posted:Ship them to me, please, as Petula only eats the yellow bananas. Everything else ends up in a ten foot radius around the cage. And yeah, we really do need to set up some kind of exchange program. The problem is, every month there's a new "in color", last month, all they ate were the yellows and this month the yellows must be poisonous or something 
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Feb 26, 2014 20:49
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chthonic bell posted:Okay, we've pretty much settled on getting a budgie or a pair of budgies, unless we find a conure breeder out of the blue. If a conure is what you want, wait and try and find a breeder. Budgies and conures are very different birds, though obviously there's always exceptions, and every bird is an individual. But VERY generally speaking, budgies are super fun little guys who will run around and play with toys and chirp and whistle. SO CUTE. SO SWEET. However conures are SUPER AFFECTIONATE. I've lived with about a dozen cats over the course of my life, and only one has come as close to being as affectionate as the conures I know. A lot of people call them "velcro birds", with very good reason. The downside of this is that they can be a little harder to deal with than budgies, as they are likely to be interested in spending time with you above all else. A budgie is likely to be more interested in other budgies or playing with toys. Ask yourself what you're looking for in a companion bird. Birdies can live a long time, so it's important you and your little friend/s suit each-other. Or do what my friend did and have budgies AND conures!
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Feb 26, 2014 21:34
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Really, I'd be okay with both kinds of birds! I wouldn't mind an affectionate velcro bird or one that's more interested in playing and interacting with other birds than bothering me for scritches and sitting on my shoulder. (As long as the budgies still like me, of course.  )I fully expect I'll be getting more birds in the future, though, unless it turns out I'm deathly allergic to feathers or something.
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Feb 26, 2014 21:39
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Chili posted:I'm not sure what your situation is, but you can get Zupreem in giant bulk bags through https://www.mysafebirdstore.com I've found that to be the most cost efficient way of getting them for Bubbles and Kima. Even if you had international shipping on top, ordering in bulk may offset some of that cost. I just looked; shipping for one bag of Zupreem Fruit Blend Medium/Large 2# is $30. A Zupreem Fruit Blend Medium/Large 35# Bag is $178. Waaaaay out of price range. Thanks though, there's so much awesome stuff on that site. Darth Hanbidge posted:If a conure is what you want, wait and try and find a breeder. Budgies and conures are very different birds, though obviously there's always exceptions, and every bird is an individual. But VERY generally speaking, budgies are super fun little guys who will run around and play with toys and chirp and whistle. SO CUTE. SO SWEET. However conures are SUPER AFFECTIONATE. Tell Ohtori and Inko that 
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Feb 26, 2014 21:53
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chthonic bell, if you think your German skills are hampering your search for a conure, I could try to help! I'm German myself (albeit living abroad) and I remember there were conures for sale in Germany (when I was considering to get a conure for my mum). Here's a small list for example. Many are a bit further away, but I can probably find closer ones to you. Otherwise you could contact a local breeder association ("Vogelzüchterverein") and ask if they know anyone that is breeding/selling conures? I also found a list of breeders here (pick "Grünwangenrotschwanzsittiche" for GCCs), although it seems a bit outdated. Found another list, someone is selling a red bellied conure in NRW and there's a couple more if you want to browse through. I've got to go to work now, but let me know if you need more help! plasmoduck fucked around with this message at 01:45 on Feb 27, 2014 |
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Feb 26, 2014 22:41
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Battle Pigeon posted:I just looked; shipping for one bag of Zupreem Fruit Blend Medium/Large 2# is $30. A Zupreem Fruit Blend Medium/Large 35# Bag is $178. Waaaaay out of price range. Thanks though, there's so much awesome stuff on that site. Yikes, nevermind. I always order a bumper crop of poo poo for my tiels about once every 3 months so I can buy enough to qualify for free shipping, but I'm guessing that's just a domestic deal.
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Feb 26, 2014 23:13
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chthonic bell posted:(As long as the budgies still like me, of course. I'm sure they will. There's lots of ways birds can show you they like you other than asking for scritches. Chuffy learns my whistles, then uses them when he wants my attention. Also he climbs up my face and tries to get behind my glasses. Sometimes he will decide I need grooming, and get stroppy if I dare try and move him away. Recently he's even been letting me deal with his pin feathers for him. God only knows how your birds will choose to express their affections for you. The cutest thing he does is shuffle up into the corner closest to where I sit and fluff up when he's tired.
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Feb 26, 2014 23:30
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plasmoduck posted:(pick "Grünwangenrotschwanzsittiche" for GCCs) Holy moly that is quite the word! I love German. 
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Feb 26, 2014 23:47
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My budgie was not a very cuddly bird and he didn't let me scratch his head very often but he liked to take naps on my shoulder, typically sidled right up with my neck.
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Feb 26, 2014 23:56
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LITERALLY A BIRD posted:Holy moly that is quite the word! I love German. Green-cheeked, red-tailed parakeet. Germans really like their nouns to be just a single word.
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Feb 27, 2014 00:05
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Schwanz is also a colloquialism for dick.
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Feb 27, 2014 01:12
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Bird Crazies: Betcha Can't Adopt Just One
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Feb 27, 2014 01:37
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Kenshin posted:Bird Crazies: Betcha Can't Adopt Just One That's repetitious. 
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Feb 27, 2014 02:28
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Gah I have developed an awful lump on my leg.
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Feb 27, 2014 04:59
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Bung Harmer posted:Gah I have developed an awful lump on my leg. D'aww. I'm real excited, I'm going back to school for a few years after a few years in the workforce, when I get out I should be (financially and otherwise) stable enough to get an African grey. I've been dreaming about owning one for years but it's never been feasible. Pashtu the elder-tiel is super nice but african greys are what drew me to parrots in the first place. That said I didn't expect to love budgies so much, so I'm hoping I'll get a relatively mild mannered grey who won't mind having small pesky friends someday.
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Feb 27, 2014 06:28
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SaNChEzZ posted:This! It's funny because Scuttle eats the bananas first, so his bowl is mostly orange/red/green, and Ritz eats everything BUT the bananas, so his bowl is always full of yellow. Birds. I never came across a bird that would single out the purple zupreem before until I met Jade. I came across a turd that was aubergine and panicked until I checked her dish to see what color was missing. Leeloo likes the orange.
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Feb 27, 2014 06:46
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Tasty_Crayon posted:I never came across a bird that would single out the purple zupreem before until I met Jade. I came across a turd that was aubergine and panicked until I checked her dish to see what color was missing. Leeloo likes the orange. Ha! We had one of those with scuttle this week. Thought his cloaca exploded or something but then realized that he had eaten every single beet out of his dinner bowl.  it was his first time trying beets and they're like crack for the little guy apparently.
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Feb 27, 2014 06:57
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chthonic bell posted:Except all the information on budgie diets I can find online is super contradictory. Feed them seeds. No, feed them pellets. No, feed them both and add grit. No, grit is actually harmful, don't give them grit. Definitely no grit, the idea of parrots needing grit is an outdated notion and could impact their crop. I have a single budgie, she does well with me working during the day (we give her plenty of toys and I have her out whenever I'm home, so long as I'm not cooking or eating hot things). Super sweet bird. I've tried and tried to get her to eat pellets but she absolutely refuses.  She loves the heck out of vegetables, though, especially anything green.
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Feb 27, 2014 08:34
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvdzBBCvOyU Budgies are possibly the best parrot in existance.
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Feb 27, 2014 09:04
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plasmoduck posted:chthonic bell, if you think your German skills are hampering your search for a conure, I could try to help! I'm German myself (albeit living abroad) and I remember there were conures for sale in Germany (when I was considering to get a conure for my mum). Here's a small list for example. Many are a bit further away, but I can probably find closer ones to you. Otherwise you could contact a local breeder association ("Vogelzüchterverein") and ask if they know anyone that is breeding/selling conures? I also found a list of breeders here (pick "Grünwangenrotschwanzsittiche" for GCCs), although it seems a bit outdated. Oh, thank you so much! My mother-in-law is helping me with the bird search, so I'll pass on the proper terminology to her.  I'll hit you up if we need more help.
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Feb 27, 2014 11:41
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https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/maggock/parrots-of-the-world-playing-cards These are pretty cute.
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Feb 27, 2014 15:08
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Carfax Report posted:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/maggock/parrots-of-the-world-playing-cards These are pretty cute. There's a Blue-throated conure! I already liked this artist for years but she just got another +1 for that.
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Feb 27, 2014 15:26
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I wanted that deck of cards, until i saw the genus Amazona has no representation whatsoever. Boooooooooo
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Feb 27, 2014 20:49
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They may have conures, but they have no Boops.
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Feb 27, 2014 20:57
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Agent355 posted:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvdzBBCvOyU Oh my old budgie used to do that. She was obsessed with it. Now I have a parrot who follows me into the shower instead.
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Feb 27, 2014 21:23
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artichoke posted:Oh my old budgie used to do that. She was obsessed with it. Now I have a parrot who follows me into the shower instead. Is it ok for the bird to go directly under the shower stream? My cockatiel likes going in the shower but I don't want to put the stream directly on her and end up splashing water onto her instead.
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Feb 27, 2014 21:40
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I've posted a little about her before, but our elderly, totally untamed (at time of adoption) budgie Miss Lady allowed me to snuggle her cheek and chin late last night She's really sweet in her own way - she has a special voice she uses when she wants me to give her a piece of cheese and she actually seems to get a bit excited when she sees me in the morning. I talk to her a lot but since she's old and set in her ways I don't do much in the way of hand-taming. She does preen my fingers for me if in turn preen her plastic budgie friend but last night was a major step forward in that she allowed me to fuzzle her feathers a little tiny bit.
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Feb 27, 2014 21:47
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Carfax Report posted:Is it ok for the bird to go directly under the shower stream? My cockatiel likes going in the shower but I don't want to put the stream directly on her and end up splashing water onto her instead. You know that birds usually live outside, right? Where they get rained on? (Yes, just soak that potato.)
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Feb 27, 2014 22:15
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Anyone else's bird gone crazy with the joys of spring in the last few days? Pookie has gone from a normal and calm bird to I WANT TO DIG HOLES AND HIDE IN SMALL PLACES -crazy. She has so far tried to stuff herself into: a drawer that is mostly closed, the printer, the space beside the stove, a cupboard and lastly into the 1cm high space underneath the dresser. The last is especially funny - she stuffs her face into the tiny gap and scrapes against the floor with her foot to dig an imaginary hole. edit: Bung Harmer posted:Gah I have developed an awful lump on my leg. Ah, I have one of these every evening! Pookah fucked around with this message at 23:00 on Feb 27, 2014 |
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Feb 27, 2014 22:28
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I don't know if this is related but BOTH my birds have been much more vocal lately. Sunday night we were watching TV and both birds were putting on one hell of a show yelling, singing, whistling, barking, everything you don't want them to do when you're trying to watch TV. If we turned the volume up, they would increase their volume. If we paused the show, they instantly shut up until we unpaused it. Birdie conspiracy? You decide.
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Feb 27, 2014 22:57
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Pookah posted:Anyone else's bird gone crazy with the joys of spring in the last few days? I dunno if it's just my special little tard, but cockatoos seem to like burrowing at all times. Teeka is never not ripping up the paper on the bottom of his cage and building a little hut. Even if it's just enough to cover half his dumb head, it seems to satisfy him. He is, however, sprouting feathers like nobody's business. The dude's head is seriously like 33% new growth, he's a little white hedgehog
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Feb 27, 2014 23:25
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None of our ground-floor kitchen cabinets are safe anymore. Pearl is now able to open them all and wedge herself in, no matter what obstruction is in the front of the cabinet. One time I opened one up and she fell out because she was leveraging herself up a paper bag by supporting her weight on the door. I've found her on top of the garbage container, behind a container of oatmeal (chewed through, of course), and by a growing hole in the bottom of one of the cupboards*. There's nothing dangerous in there anymore, and I go to get her out pretty much as soon as she flies off... but I think we're going to have to install child safety locks. I mean, seriously, one time I put the garbage bin in front of the doors and she pulled it over. *This part did not get started under my watch, just saying.
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Feb 27, 2014 23:43
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Our only defence against the burrowing parrot is The Scary Brush - seriously that thing is amazing; Pookie is still genuinely nervous of it even though it has been around and visible for pretty much her whole life. It lurks within her favorite chewing location on the dresser and is so mystically powerful that I only have to say "I'm going to get the scary brush" to make her give up whatever crime she's currently committing and fly off to a safe location.
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Feb 27, 2014 23:50
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Carfax Report posted:Is it ok for the bird to go directly under the shower stream? My cockatiel likes going in the shower but I don't want to put the stream directly on her and end up splashing water onto her instead. I assume so. I let him go where he wants, and he prefers to circle my feet once, stand near them where he gets soaked, and then he retreats to the corner where he potatoes up. I have put him back out after he's wet but he comes right back and knocks his beak on the glass until I let him back in.
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Feb 27, 2014 23:58
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Pookah posted:Our only defence against the burrowing parrot is The Scary Brush - seriously that thing is amazing; Pookie is still genuinely nervous of it even though it has been around and visible for pretty much her whole life. It lurks within her favorite chewing location on the dresser and is so mystically powerful that I only have to say "I'm going to get the scary brush" to make her give up whatever crime she's currently committing and fly off to a safe location. Your Scary Brush stories in the thread inspired me and I created the Scary Stick. It's a dowel perch identical to one that's sometimes in Oliver's cage but he hates it for some reason so now when he's being a little butt about going to bed at night I say "Do I need to get the Scary Stick?" and he stops biting and looks at me while slowly stepping up to go in his cage.
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Feb 28, 2014 00:27
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Tadhg Dall posted:Your Scary Brush stories in the thread inspired me and I created the Scary Stick. It's a dowel perch identical to one that's sometimes in Oliver's cage but he hates it for some reason so now when he's being a little butt about going to bed at night I say "Do I need to get the Scary Stick?" and he stops biting and looks at me while slowly stepping up to go in his cage. Awesome. In my experience it is important to reinforce the fact that The Scary Item is an equal opportunities frightener - you must be seen to be frightened of it on occasions too. I sometimes sneak up on TSB only to be chased away by its ineffable powers, on those occasions, me and Pookie run away to be scared together at the other end of the room.
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Feb 28, 2014 01:09
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