|
Look who I got to play with today!  His name is Mosby and he is just the sweetest. Lenswork fucked around with this message at 04:54 on Apr 11, 2014 |
#
¿
Apr 11, 2014 04:52
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 18, 2024 04:24 |
|
|
Mosby is 10 and just hitting puberty. His owner needed a break so he is visiting the sanctuary for a little while. He had never met a man before he came to the sanctuary. I think I was automatically a safe person to cuddle with just because I'm a woman and there was a man visiting the room at the same time.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 11, 2014 20:22
|
|
|
I live with birds and cats together. The advice I'm about to give it's completely anecdotal and you will always be the best judge of what is safe. With that said, this is my experience. The key is really in whether or not your bird acts like prey. Both my birds are clipped and do not fly around the house. Neither bird reacts when a cat gets in their face. In fact, the birds often bite the cats and get extremely jealous if everyone is trying to cuddle at night at once. The first few weeks were interesting, watching the cats size up the birds and figure out what was up. The cats seem to have come to the conclusion that the birds are strange cat-like creatures that are not to be messed with, but not so scary that everyone doesn't still try to fit in my lap at the same time. I supervise them together at all times, but I'm relaxed about it these days. It helps that my birds are just big enough to avoid tripping the cats' prey drive without provocation. Edit: essentially beaten to the punch in a much more concise fashion!
|
|
#
¿
Apr 14, 2014 06:19
|
|
|
Parrots name their babies! Science has proven our birds are every bit as smart as we know they are. http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2014/04/15/300136332/can-it-be-parrots-name-their-children-and-those-names-like-ours-stick-for-life Watch the video embedded in the article about parrotlets, it is amazing!
|
|
#
¿
Apr 16, 2014 06:33
|
|
|
You have a beautiful hybrid yellow naped/yellow fronted Amazon! They are a popular hybrid, renowned for their taking ability, which out sounds like she is representing well.
|
|
#
¿
Apr 28, 2014 01:33
|
|
|
I love all these pics of birds outside. They look so happy! Zippy is also hates grass- she prefers the cold, industrial feeling of steel in her claws.  That's a hard working bird right there.
|
|
#
¿
May 6, 2014 21:53
|
|
|
One of these things is not like the others....
|
|
#
¿
May 19, 2014 00:05
|
|
|
Sociopastry posted:Apparantly Tokyo has a thing for homemade bread. She won't do it with store bought bread, but when I bake bread she'll snatch it right out of my hand if she's not confined to her cage. If she is confined to her cage, she'll act abused and whine until there is no bread for her to steal. I have a similar problem. My bird is also easily abused by not sharing when kneading dough (or mixing cookies...) But sometimes, just sometimes, I let her score big-time:  (The mess under the bread is tzatziki)
|
|
#
¿
May 31, 2014 20:04
|
|
|
Sociopastry posted:I'm a bad bird owner. I had Tokyo on my shoulder while Iwas doing the dishes after dinner tonight, and she suddenly flew off and landed right in the sink full of water. Her head went under and fished her out as soon as I could grab her. She choked up a lot of water and bubbles. I called the emergency vet because it's late at night here and they said to just keep an eye on her and make sure she's breathing okay. She started screeching not long after that, so I figure she's fine, but it still scared the living daylights out of me. I think tonight's gonna be an all nighter while I stay up and watch her. I'm just terrified that she didn't get all the water out and she'll die. Advice? Comfort? I have literally fallen into a river with my bird. She is alive and well. On a scale of bad bird owners, you are magnitudes below where I land.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 10, 2014 05:00
|
|
|
Pura vida amigos.  
|
|
#
¿
Jun 27, 2014 02:34
|
|
|
Kenshin posted:!!!! I honestly don't think I can. There is a tight schedule here every day, I barely have time to keep up with figuring out what I need to do. Besides, the best moments are impossible to capture- like holding a bowl of carao and sunflower seeds in one hand while reaching inbetween a dozen wild macaws with the other hand in an attempt to feed the greedy critters lunch. It's 5am, I have get up and cut fruit now.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 27, 2014 12:48
|
|
|
Kenshin posted:
I don't know where the wild macaws get their clay. Even the captive birds in the breeding aviaries get wild food we havest from the jungle. The captive birds receive a rice and bean mix in the morning with a clay substitute and other ingredients to aid digestion.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 27, 2014 20:58
|
|
|
Yucca is a daily part of the diet here at the Ara Project. I promise, the birds are alive and healthy.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 3, 2014 19:49
|
|
|
Wizard of Smart posted:I got to meet Alexis and Auri today You're in Seattle? It's a shame I'm out of the country, I would have said hi myself!
|
|
#
¿
Jul 30, 2014 16:29
|
|
|
Kasonic posted:I have a green-cheeked conure, Bibi, and aside from her usual insanity I've got two issues I'm boggled on. Yes, yes birds are weird. I can't speak much for the hammock, but when it comes to purple things, you took training way, way too quickly. If she is that terrified of the exercise ball, you have to start about ten steps behind where you started. If the sight of it is enough to scare her, start with basic clicker training. Leave the ball in her sight for a few seconds, then click, and remove the ball from the line of sight. Just having the ball leave her sight is a reward in itself. Don't start with more than 3-5 repetitions in a session. Once she can stand the sight of the ball, move it a little closer, just before she becomes scared of it. Then click and remove the ball. Get closer over time. The time for foods based treats is when she can be physically next to the ball, and you see her calm down. Once you see her physically calm down, click and treat. Take it slow, but push her limits just enough that she makes progress.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 31, 2014 22:09
|
|
|
Kenshin posted:Guild Wars 2 is better with Ha! I'm not.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 7, 2014 23:22
|
|
and a parrot on your shoulder.
|
I know we mostly talk about pet birds here, but I am headed home from two months of living and working with macaws in the jungle and wanted to share a few pictures of the birds at the ARA Project down in Costa Rica. While it was featured in the documentary Parrot Confidential, the location of the project has since moved to Punta Islita in the Guanecaste region.  The entire flock of wild macaws decided the fruit on the beach almond tree outside the volunteers' house was ripe at the same time.  The Great Green Macaw (ara ambiguus) was my favorite. It is not a Military Macaw (ara militaris)! The flights and aviaries full of these birds were the most fun, as well as some of the most intelligent and difficult parrots I've ever interacted with. I only wish I had the time to go to Manzanillo out in the Limon region to work with the wild and pre-release ambiguus out there.    I have many more pictures, but they are all on my real camera at this moment, all I have is my cell phone while traveling! Lenswork fucked around with this message at 14:16 on Aug 8, 2014 |
|
#
¿
Aug 8, 2014 14:14
|
|
|
Wizard of Smart posted:I'm back in SeaTac for a week again and already miss my birdies. I just crawled out of the jungle, so if you are in Seattle and want to hang out and meet either my cycling parrot or my ancient parrot pm Kenshin for my contact info (I don't have pm's).
|
|
#
¿
Aug 12, 2014 04:43
|
|
|
Battle Pigeon posted:
No  we forgot in the rush of all the people coming and going, and the haze of wine and stories. I encourage anyone in Seattle to come visit!
|
|
#
¿
Aug 14, 2014 18:11
|
|
|
Condiv posted:I finally got my birds and I love them already. How cute! Congrats on your adorable new flock! I use cat litter, but it is a specialty, all natural brand. These days I use a kind made from green tea. It is anti bacterial and resists molding, so daily scooping keeps my cages looking nice, smell free, and bird safe. Typical cat litter is very dangerous, and should not be used! Other types, like corn cob, are prone to mold and dangerous spores, the same kinds you can get from moldy peanuts. (I used to use this, not any more!) Stick to walnut shell or green tea and you will be fine. If you don't have access to those, regular paper is the way to go. Budgie poops are so cute compared to the large birds anyway. Litter might only get you so far.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 21, 2014 15:37
|
|
|
Amazons.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 16, 2014 01:48
|
|
|
I recently bought one of these for my bird, and I couldn't be happier! http://www.celltei.com/pakobird.html It is super light weight, and since my bird is non-destructive and fits in the standard small size, I was able to buy the cheapest model. I highly recommend this to anyone who lives an active life with birds. I can cycle everywhere with Zippy now, and even take her into places I couldn't before! You can buckle the pack in like a car seat, and it makes a great overnight container for long trips. My bird took to it right away. I can finally retire my clunky, old, plastic, Hannibal Lecter-style traveling box!
|
|
#
¿
Sep 25, 2014 01:49
|
|
|
Does anybody else ever feel like you're playing some lighter version of single parenting with their parrot/s? Maybe it's the way my bird literally screams like a child when she is upset or wants attention, or laughs along with people despite being unable to understand jokes. It just gets to feeling that way sometimes. Sure, unlike a child I can shut my bird in a cage while I'm gone and she gets by fine (plus, the state is not going to arrest me). There are other, less dark comparisons I could make, but she is so much happier when I do not have to care for her alone. Even when I spent every moment at home and full weekends with the bird, she screams a lot if I walk away and is more difficult to manage or entertain for the first few hours I spend with her each day. I love her, work with her every day, and wouldn't trade her for any of the concessions I make living with her. These are just general truths involved with caring for her. I am living with a number of people of other people right now who lack bird experience, but love animals and have been eager to learn. After teaching them her routine and how to work with her safely, I've left them all to forge their own relations with each other. It's going great. The bird is calm when I come home. She is more curious about her environment, and it is easier to modify and redirect her behavior. I can leave her alone, and she is more interested in toys and problem solving. She is even practicing new sounds! The larger the community I build for my bird the happier she is, and it doesn't hurt that I can count on her food and bedtime schedule being kept regular without my being there 24/7. She tolerates everyone, and even really likes a couple new people in record speed- weeks, not months of knowing them. They all get a kick out of knowing her too. I would never elevate the status of caring for a bird to that of caring for a child, but the longer I live with Zippy the more I believe I could never do this right if I was alone.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 9, 2014 04:43
|
|
|
Happy Halloween! 
|
|
#
¿
Oct 20, 2014 00:45
|
|
|
Wizard of Smart posted:
A documentary other than parrot confidential? I wonder which one it was, and which people and locations were involved. I definitely have some questions about that.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 22, 2014 21:15
|
|
|
It is November 3rd! Happy Zippy-versary to me and my best friend. Here's to two years with the creature whom I can't imagine life without. Whom I haul everywhere, sometimes against her will, but would prefer the coldest backpack ride to being left behind. To the bird who wins hearts everywhere, and is infinitely more popular than I am when we go out, here's to more quality years together.  Thank you for your advice in the beginning bird crazies, and still listening to my random thoughts two whole years later! (She and I shared a carrot muffin for breakfast)
|
|
#
¿
Nov 3, 2014 19:27
|
|
|
Battle Pigeon posted:He learnt that one a long time ago, it was listed! It was basically "poke him in the side under the wing, both sides at once" and he naturally lifts his wings. Combine with treat+voice command, he quickly picked it up. And the gesture of pointing your fingers at him works too, so you can make hand guns and go HANDS UP and he'll eagle for you. If you have anything ball-like you can teach Ohtori to balance on it. I have a super cheap lacrosse ball I can get zippy to attempt standing on. It started as teaching her to kick a ball on cue, but watching her climb up, fall off, and shout "Good Bird!" was too cute. Birds invent their own tricks sometimes. Fetching coins is a pretty easy prop trick to teach, too. We're working on catching balls of tissue out of the air right now- so there, two free "props" for instant entertainment.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 20, 2014 03:18
|
|
|
I'm very sorry for your loss, it was good that you could be with her.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 15, 2015 06:06
|
|
|
I'm so sorry to hear about your bird. He lived and passed on surrounded by love. You did a great thing by honoring and caring for his life, don't feel guilty. This thread has been a bit sad lately. In honor of all our feathered friends, those with us and not, I'd like to share something a bit lighthearted. It's my friend's birthday, so I made her a big cake in the style of her littlest bird- Hulk 
|
|
#
¿
Jan 18, 2015 04:24
|
|
|
Reik posted:Hey guys, one of my friend's birds is in the hospital right now. He has a green cheek conure named Ginger and and african grey named Rachel. They normally don't let them on each other's cages but Ginger got her beak in to Rachel's cage and a good chunk of it got bitten off. She seems to be recovering from the blood loss and I want to get her something for when she gets back from the vet but I don't know what birds like (I have cats.) It looks like she's going to be limited to eating only mushy food if she isn't oral syringe fed, so if I got her anything food-related I'd need to be able to mush it up or put it in a syringe worse-case. Is there anything you guys can think of that I could get her? I'd really appreciate it. Did someone say beak-less bird?! Meet Primo, who lives at Zazu's house:  Primo was a precocious little Orange-Winged Amazon. Until the day he wandered into a glue and gold macaw's cage. Now he has half a beak. He recovered well enough. The poor guy hates hands and cannot preen himself, so his feathers are rugged. He has his own stand, and aside from looking like he suffers from phantom beak syndrome, is eating just fine on his own after getting some anti-inflammatory drugs and pain meds semi-regularly. Primo gets a mix of coconut water, pureed baby/toddler fruits and veggies, and low-iron baby cereal mixed into a paste made fresh every day. He really likes it, and gets by using his lower beak to scoop food and his tongue to move the paste down to his crop. He will need regular beak trimmings for the rest of his life. Zippy is straight up jealous of his setup when she goes to visit him- birds are really selfish children at heart.  The only bird my little coward can boss around.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 6, 2015 07:42
|
|
|
I'm leaving for 6 weeks and have to say goodbye to the bird today. I'm gonna miss her stupid, screamy, fluff-butt like crazy. I have a few days at home without her, and I've never been home without a bird for over 2 1/2 years.  
|
|
#
¿
Mar 21, 2015 18:54
|
|
|
LITERALLY A BIRD posted:I just noticed tonight that AMadeus has been plucking tailfeathers while in his sleep cage because of the way my boyfriend treats him. What in the world is your boyfriend doing to your bird? I don't how you want to handle it, but even though birds can be jerks, I know where my priorities would lie.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 22, 2015 01:57
|
|
|
Hey all. Long time no talk. My sweet amazon Zippy recently passed in a tragic accident, and it's been a hard adjustment to life without her. I have two favors to ask. 1. Ideas for preserving feathers? I've contacted a lot of companies about getting some set in acrylic as attractive and not over the top display mementos, but the only company willing to try was in england. Her feathers were a bit too big for jewelry.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 4, 2017 00:55
|
|
|
2. I'm in no place personally or professionally to consider another bird, and have my own ethical struggles with the idea. However, Zippy had a lot of friends, and one in particular who cared for her often is really missing the companionship. I don't think many people are suited to care for birds, but this person has shown themselves to be a great caretaker for years. My time is limited, and I want to help them get on the right start with a new friend in the next two months. If anyone is in the western half of Washington State and knows a decently chill, well tempered (doesn't have to be perfect), adult bird who needs a new home and an active lifestyle please contact me. I'm looking for Amazon size on up- this person has LOTS of time and money to care for a large bird. Thank you
|
|
#
¿
Feb 4, 2017 00:56
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 18, 2024 04:24 |
|
|
I'm sorry for your loss, learnincurve. Birds carve their own special places in our hearts and it hurts when they aren't there anymore. I absolutely understand why you donated the cage. btw thread, meet Holly.  She is a 12 or 13 year old Yellow-naped Amazon. She isn't my bird, but she lives in my house, I make her food, and I am helping to train her. So she's like, 30% my bird for now. She plucks, but it's a habit I hope she will give up as she adjusts to her new lifestyle. She already joins in on long walks around the city and is really quite loving for only having been in her new home for a few weeks. 
|
|
#
¿
Mar 20, 2017 06:35
|
|