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Slinky Weasel posted:
Ivan(icus) is a wonderful name and I approve! Just make sure he's every bit as spoiled as my hawkhead is and we are cool.
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Jan 27, 2013 10:10
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| # ? May 17, 2024 23:53 |
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I bought my birds their new cage today. It's a little smaller smaller than the one I wanted (it's 32" x 26" as opposed to 36" x 28") , but when I went to the vendor, the one I wanted had a typo on their website - the bar spacing was an inch which is way too big for a cockatiel. I knew it would be big, but now that it's assembled, it's enormous. I wish it was a little longer since my tiels always prefer the top of the cage and aren't huge climbers unless it's a necessity, but there's a lot of space to spread their wings. Hopefully the stupid jerks don't find a way to kill themselves in it. Maybe I'm setting my sights a little high   (It's sparse right now until I let them get accustomed to it) WorldWarWonderful fucked around with this message at 16:39 on Jan 27, 2013 |
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Jan 27, 2013 13:20
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   The new bird is just barely 2 months old and seriously loves being upside down and cuddling and hasn't been loud and oh my god.
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Jan 27, 2013 22:33
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Awwww, all these baby birds looking so fluffy and cute! I'll just go back to cleaning up big, old, hormonal bird poo (oh god it smells when it's wet...) Has anyone else here tried crushed walnut shell for the bottoms of cages? I just put some in today and the bird is scared of it, but I think it looks pretty classy. I'm hoping it'll be less smelly than paper towels.
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Jan 27, 2013 22:37
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Maybe if she's scared of it she'll stop laying!
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Jan 27, 2013 23:02
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She hasn't been laying thankfully- she's just really horny. I'm hoping we can make it through spring egg-free, which isn't impossible as her previous owner said she has never layed. The poop is unfortunately just part of what birds do at this time of year. The large flight at the sanctuary smells just vile, like the worst wet-dog, when the floor has water on it right now and we can't open the windows because it's so cold.
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Jan 27, 2013 23:50
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Uh oh. Someone thinks she's a mommy.
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Jan 28, 2013 00:02
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Amaya posted:Uh oh. Someone thinks she's a mommy. I am so jealous of you right now you wouldn't even believe it.  Why couldn't my bird be sweet and loving and well behaved towards the other like your perfect
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Jan 28, 2013 01:09
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Battle Pigeon posted:I am so jealous of you right now you wouldn't even believe it. Yeah me too  Ozzy and my other two really DO NOT like each other and Ozzy always gets super bitchy when I want to snuggle with Nugget. Stupid birds, if you were friends you could both get twice as much snuggle time 
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Jan 28, 2013 02:53
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Rufous has bitten Leeloo's toes like five different times since we got her. Each time she makes this horrible "REEEEEEEEEE" and I feel like a monster cause it's my bird that's the toe biting rear end in a top hat.
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Jan 28, 2013 03:22
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Tasty_Crayon posted:Rufous has bitten Leeloo's toes like five different times since we got her. Each time she makes this horrible "REEEEEEEEEE Speaking of toes, this happened today: (see below, not blood)  We got Ritz this foraging box that's filled with wooden shapes, squares, circles etc. So today, I went to give him his dinner and OMG YOUR FOOT IS BLEEDING!!! OMG YOUR FACE IS BLEEDING WHY IS THERE BLOOD ON YOUR BEAK. Looked over at this other foraging box in his cage OMG THERES BLOOD ON THAT TOO! Look into his water dish, there's a bright red wooden bead, complete with red water. So, now he's got flamin' hot cheeto foot, lipstick, and to top it all off, he somehow got blackberry all over the top of his head. And he took a bath before all this happened. I swear, this bird is 99%  and 1% sun conure.  Also, since he refuses to do it on camera, here's a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WF0iL2Utgs Double edit: Congrats on the new baby Amaya and Zomo. We're also jealous, because we played with a GCC for like 45 minutes last night, and we really want one Ritz is a handfull enough though.
Frozen Pizza Party fucked around with this message at 03:59 on Jan 28, 2013 |
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Jan 28, 2013 03:55
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Zomodok posted:
Dat ruffle is everything right with birds. But on the second count, I would warn you that 2 months is waaaaaaaay different than 2 years.
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Jan 28, 2013 04:26
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So do you guys have some ideas for homemade stuff to put in an outdoor cage? I have got a whole bunch of branches and stuff, and the toys from his last cage, but there is just so much more space to fill.
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Jan 28, 2013 04:46
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Eejit posted:Dat ruffle is everything right with birds. Duh!  Newbird is my third baby. Finn and Marceline we got at 6 months old and are two and a half and two now. I'm just excited about how hand friendly she is, Marci I got from a petco and was handled badly so she's skittish around hands. Don't be jealous of how they're getting along, if it makes you feel better Finn doesn't like newbird very much. Somehow we've just been lucky. And patient I guess. I honestly just a bird on either end of the top of the recliner with me behind it and let them approach each other. If one lunges or postures or hisses I lightning quick my hand between them and scoop the aggressive bird, tell it no and no bite and then put it at the opposite end again. Repeat over and over again until birds love each other. I know a lot of people like to just let their birds sort it out but I was afraid of Marci losing toes and went the "NOW KISS" route in my nervous panic haha. Newbird is settled in its cage with its new toys (WHICH IT ACTUALLY PLAYED WITH. UNLIKE SOME SPOILED BIRDS I HAVE.) and is sleeping peacefully now. So excited. SO HAPPY
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Jan 28, 2013 04:47
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Frogmanv2 posted:So do you guys have some ideas for homemade stuff to put in an outdoor cage? I have got a whole bunch of branches and stuff, and the toys from his last cage, but there is just so much more space to fill. Do you have something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Bird-Creations-2-Inch-52-Inch/dp/B00061UX2I/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1359348784&sr=8-4&keywords=bird+rope+toy Birds love that sorta thing. They'll swing, hang, growl, and have all sorts of fun with it.
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Jan 28, 2013 05:53
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Gonna post a picture of my friend's hawkhead here, because drat he is a handsome bird.  Also Sunny has discovered the joys of climbing into peoples' shirts. It would be fine except he keeps biting me.  EDIT: Oh my god Cheeky has started finding his voice! He's making little EEE? EEE? EEE? sounds at me whenever I whistle at him aaaag he's so adorable.
Deadly Chlorine fucked around with this message at 12:37 on Jan 28, 2013 |
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Jan 28, 2013 12:20
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Does anyone clip/file their bird's nails on their own? I get tired of having to wait to file their nails because I can't do it alone (one person to hold bird in place, one to file nails). They wiggle out of towels. Ohtori is being gradually habituated to having his nails touched with the file while he's just perching so one day I could just do them that way, but that will never happen with Steve. He's not very nice to hold right now because while his nails aren't long, they're needle sharp, and cut the skin.Pip pip pip posted:Yeah me too They could even... preen each other! Woah.
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Jan 28, 2013 14:20
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We clip our birds at home. I can do Ozzy by myself now because he pretty much goes limp now when I wrap him in a towel. He used to be a little poo poo about it, but I guess he realized it ends faster if he cooperates. Nugget basically acts like we are trying to torture and murder her when we clip her nails. It's STILL a two person job after 5 years and she often wiggles free. I think cockatiels just don't like to be manhandled the way other parrots seem to. My vet says she is very well-behaved about being handled for being a cockatiel so I assume they are usually worse.
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Jan 28, 2013 14:36
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My mom found a pretty good method. She uses a laundry basket like this.  She'll put the bird in the basket and of course he'll start to climb out. When his toes are exposed on the outside she can grab the toe just enough to trim the nail. Of course it's done gently. It's actually funny watching the bird realize he's been duped.
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Jan 28, 2013 14:56
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Try wrapping them up a little tighter in the towel? My aunt clips her tiel's nails herself and while she's not the best bird owner she seems to have a good technique. She basically makes a bird burrito and gently tucks his head into the towel too. She folds the end up over his head then wraps in the sides. That way it's dark and he calms down instantly. This is a really aggressive and grumpy grandpa tiel by the way. Might be something to try out? Also, I need advice. I know quakers are prone to cage aggression and I think Finn's getting there. He's fine with his own actual cage but the day cage we have in the living room just for a food/water/perch source he's starting to get weird about. He chases Marceline around it and will pull on her tail feathers if he catches up to her. He gives her no problem while she's eating and doesn't outright try to lunge or bite her, but I'm afraid it might get to that stage. Should I scold him for chasing her around the cage or only when he actually catches her? Again, he's not hurting her he just pulls a little too hard on her tail really. I don't want it to escalate though or have him do the same to newbird who is HILARIOUSLY bad at climbing a cage right now. Added bonus of happy family pic:  (Don't be fooled. Marci has to be between Finn and newbird or else he pulls at her feathers)
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Jan 28, 2013 16:18
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Amaya posted:Try wrapping them up a little tighter in the towel? My aunt clips her tiel's nails herself and while she's not the best bird owner she seems to have a good technique. She basically makes a bird burrito and gently tucks his head into the towel too. She folds the end up over his head then wraps in the sides. That way it's dark and he calms down instantly. This is a really aggressive and grumpy grandpa tiel by the way. Might be something to try out? I'm just worried about restricting their breathing, pressing on the air sacs on their body, if I try to wrap them up tighter. We stopped using towels because they seemed to be panting hard afterwards, but it didn't seem like overheating was the cause.
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Jan 28, 2013 17:35
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Battle Pigeon posted:I'm just worried about restricting their breathing, pressing on the air sacs on their body, if I try to wrap them up tighter. We stopped using towels because they seemed to be panting hard afterwards, but it didn't seem like overheating was the cause. Could just be scared shitless?
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Jan 28, 2013 18:36
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Ohtori definitely isn't, he just gets furious if anything. Without the towel, he's fine. Steve, maybe. If anyone has links/descriptions of an effective bird burrito I'd be happy to try it out again so I can file their nails by myself.
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Jan 28, 2013 18:41
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Battle Pigeon posted:Ohtori definitely isn't, he just gets furious if anything. Without the towel, he's fine. Steve, maybe. If anyone has links/descriptions of an effective bird burrito I'd be happy to try it out again so I can file their nails by myself. Maybe they're just panting from exertion?
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Jan 28, 2013 19:49
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Nail clipping takes me like..a minute, its so simple for my birds anyway...the tiels can be done with a paper towel as a burrito (I realized pichus teeerrrified of it so I use darker things like a bandana) or a wash cloth. Doesnt matter which way I put it over them, on their back of belly, I just wrap em up- hold the body down with my left hand restraining and I also pull one leg up/hold the toes, then clip with my main hand.
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Jan 28, 2013 23:24
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The panting is just a normal sign of stress. I mean, you'd be stressed out if you were wrapped in a giant towel by a creature a hundred times your size, even if you trusted that creature and tried not to struggle, right? The only time to worry is if they are still panting ten minutes later, I think.
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Jan 28, 2013 23:52
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Pile of Kittens posted:The panting is just a normal sign of stress. I mean, you'd be stressed out if you were wrapped in a giant towel by a creature a hundred times your size, even if you trusted that creature and tried not to struggle, right? The only time to worry is if they are still panting ten minutes later, I think. This is more or less what I was told. My cockatiels pant after a huge stress, like getting their wings clipped, or after a night fright, and I was told if it continues for a long period of time - say, eight to ten minutes - then it warrants concern. Mine tend to calm down pretty quickly unless it's something really huge like the earthquake we had a little after midnight.
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Jan 29, 2013 00:07
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They were panting for longer than normal, that's why we stopped using the towels in the first place. Without them, Steve stops panting almost straight away and Ohtori isn't bothered at all.
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Jan 29, 2013 00:15
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In other news, the bird is now in my shirt.  SOON
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Jan 29, 2013 00:29
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Ah, to own a bird that both fits in your shirt and that wouldn't give the world's worst titty twister.
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Jan 29, 2013 00:58
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Oh, she does, but I was wearing BOOB ARMOR (a bra) so I wasn't worried.
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Jan 29, 2013 01:22
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Bras don't work, I would know.  Having a bird in your shirt (when they're not biting you) is great though, they're so warm and fluffy. :3
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Jan 29, 2013 07:38
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Ohtori learnt "eagle" the other day-spreading wings out on command-but the best part is that for each trick, he's taught it using both a word and an action, and he responds to either. As the Eagle action is pointing both index fingers at him, I can also tell him HANDS UP and point my fingers at him, or point and say LOOKIN' GOOD, and he'll still spread his wings. I also taught him to touch the end of a target stick when told "touch", and he'll follow it around the room or even pounce on it in midair. What was surprising though was that he seems to understand what "touch" actually means, rather than just associating it with the target stick, because he'll also do it if you point/wiggle your finger and tell him to touch something. What trick should we work on next? I'm going to work on "roll over" but that will probably take a while, same with pooing on command.
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Jan 29, 2013 16:44
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Teach him to shake hands! I'm going to post a video later today of Finn doing it. We say 'Nice to meet you!' and point our finger at him in a particular way and he reaches out his foot and puts it on your finger. So cute. This was just from repetition... we were lazy on treats haha. (Ps record and post videos nowww)
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Jan 29, 2013 21:34
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Amaya posted:Teach him to shake hands! I'm going to post a video later today of Finn doing it. We say 'Nice to meet you!' and point our finger at him in a particular way and he reaches out his foot and puts it on your finger. So cute. This was just from repetition... we were lazy on treats haha. He knows that one too! For tricks, he knows: Wave (sort of-he grabs his beak with his foot for this), Turn Around (spin), Shake, Touch (target stick, and general), Come Here (only if my partner asks him), and now Eagle. He responds to various other things as well, like asking if he wants a nut, or Leave It. I haven't tried to get videos yet but got photos of him putting his wings up, looking through them now-could post one or two of those if they seem interesting enough?
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Jan 29, 2013 22:34
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 Since I don't want a heap of young felines to probate me for a single-emoticon reply I'll add that we always need more Ohtori photos.
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Jan 29, 2013 23:21
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It's cool, I'm taking a break from modly duties while I wait for my stupid wisdom teeth sockets to stop hurting. If I'm in pain or on opiates (or both, like right now) I really can't make good decisions. I'm already taking chances with allowing myself to post... I already pissed someone off at my co-work space by having zero filters. I love how alien she looks when she's totally soaked. She doesn't do anything on command, but I haven't broken out the clicker yet, so it's a combination of her stubbornness with our laziness. I mean, she won't even do something on command if she was already going to do it... we tell her the command, and she just stops and stares at us, hoping for pets. Jerk.
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Jan 30, 2013 00:12
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I'm on oxycodin after falling down the stairs and breaking my everything, so I don't trust myself with letting my birds out to snuggle. I'm worried Zoe will wiggle under the bed and refuse to come out and I'll hurt myself worse trying to reach her. Everyone keeps making sad little warking noises behind me. I've been thinking a lot lately about getting a tattoo that would represent the love I have for my flock of idiots. Anyone have their own bird-based tattoos or ideas?
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Jan 30, 2013 00:48
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It was hard to take a photo when he had his wings stretched right out, but here. If they're too big or people generally prefer links for lots of photos, let me know. I love his single little red feather on the inside of his right wing. Also, we didn't notice the poop in the third one until the camera was away    Reward for putting up with humans making him do stupid things.    Official Bizness posted:I've been thinking a lot lately about getting a tattoo that would represent the love I have for my flock of idiots. Anyone have their own bird-based tattoos or ideas? I've thought for years about a bird/phoenix tattoo but have never been able to come up with an idea that wasn't painfully unoriginal, or would be something that I'd still like after a while. Even trying to decide placement is hard. Have you come up with anything so far? Battle Pigeon fucked around with this message at 01:18 on Jan 30, 2013 |
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Jan 30, 2013 01:14
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| # ? May 17, 2024 23:53 |
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Ah! I have a bird tattoo! It's not quite finished, the pinion feathers need filling out with black, but most of the rest is done. ... Jesus Christ my hair looks poo poo from the back since it grew out. I really need to shave it into a Mohican again. drat. Also, I worked in a tattoo studio for a good while doing piercings, designs, and a few tattoos myself. I have loads of experience designing tattoos. None of that 'Pick it from a book' bullshit either, I mean custom, describe to me what you want and I draw it. I can also offer some basic tattoo advice. No seriously I love talking tattoos. Here was an idea (NOT A FINAL) for a bird arm shield I was making for myself. Lots of elements of this are wonky because it was just a doodle but the idea is still something I want to work with: 
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Jan 30, 2013 01:40
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