Wishes Wants to be Wet

This is Wishes. She is a young red fronted macaw and has been a bit noisy while staying at my home. I am trying to figure out her needs.

She has a rather incessant call so I'm thinking she is either not used to being in her cage a lot or she is missing Bubbles, the little Hahn's macaw that is currently in my "small bird room".

Yesterday, even though it was very hot, I put all the macaws outdoors in the large flight cages and sprayed them down with the shower nozzle. Wishes was in heaven! She could not get enough! This did the trick, at least for a little while! When I brought her back inside, she was content and quiet. Ahhhh.

Today I will do this again, however, I may bring Bubbles down to be next to her as well.

Whatever it takes!

This is Twinkie! He shares his home with many parrots, and many doves...and many dogs! Twinkie is a delight. Not just because he doesn't bite! But he amuses himself by sitting on top of my head while I change out his papers and cups. Must be a good vantage point??? Doves aren't my typical client but this one captured my heart.

A Flock of Four Talkers

All four of these beautiful parrots are from one family flock.
Bubbles is the sweetest little Hahn's macaw. He talks up a storm! I love it when I serve the breakfasts and he chatters, "Yummy, yummy! Eat your breakfast!"
The lovely Red Fronted Macaw seen above is also very sweet. She is named Wishes and she is also a good talker. As she matures she will become ablazened with a bronzy orange sheen.
The most amazing talker in this group is Jabber. Such a fitting name for this little amazon because Jabber talks almost all the time. Such a fun bird.

However, then there's Merlin. He is quite shy and becomes upset with any activity near his cage. He's not so sure of these new surroundings! Merlin needs encouragement and reassurance to ease his mind and allow him to relax.

A Pin Feather Massage

Mary Long stopped by the other day. She takes get joy from torturing my birds...just kidding. She is not afraid to take on some pretty beaky characters in my house. She has been known to whisk away Ben, my Blue Crown Conure, to put him in a rather snitty trance getting his neck feathers "popped". Here she has a hold of Chauncey, my Slender Billed Cockatoo, to give him the same treatment. We both marvel at how solid Chauncey is. He is one hefty bird. His beak is intimidating but basically harmless. (Don't tell Chauncey that!) His biggest threat is when he suddenly lunges at your face. That could possibly be dangerous, however, he hasn't harmed anyone yet. He entertained us both with his Stevie Wonder impersonation while we sang and his exorsist head twisting antics. Quite the animated funny guy!

Kilgore's back and he's having the time of his life! This is the wonderfully unique Congo African Grey who actually lived in Africa before moving to the USA after traveling to many new places.

Kilgore is small and very dark with a bright red tail. He is quite the character. He is spending time in the big Exotic Enclosure playing on the ropes as if they were vines. His regular cage is next to the television and he intently watches cartoons and beeps and whistles and makes sound effects as he happily watches his favorite shows. Clifford the Big Red Dog and Barney are definitely enjoyed. He seems to pout when I turn the channel to political coverage. I love having Kilgore here. So does Buster. Buster seems to love saying the name "Kilgore..." It's one of his favorite words!

Buster's Progress Or Lack of It

Caught in the act! I had taken Buster out to sit on the dining room chair to receive his medicine for the feather picking. While my back was turned, he decided to check out my son's Breakfast Jack that was tantilizingly close!

He got a little bite and thoroughly enjoyed joining Paul for breakfast! As you can see, the Halperiodol medication (which was working beautifully) has stopped showing the good results. All of a sudden, Buster clipped all of his feathers again. He seems to like the fuzzy look. Now I must decide if we should continue the meds or just "let it be". I know many of you are dealing with the same problem. There are no sure answers. Just patience and continued attempts to resolve the issue.

Handsome Rambo

This is Rambo. He is a 23 year old, very sweet and handsome, Blue and Gold Macaw.
Rambo is here to find a new home. His parents gave him 23 years of love and a lot of good solid training. Life has gotten to be a little overwhelming for them and the decision was made to downsize the flock. Many of us start out loving parrots and end up getting too many. (I know I have!) Making this type of decision is not easy. I applaud this family for hiring me to find Rambo a quality home. Interviewing, educating, and supporting likely candidates can be heart wrenching. They have given Rambo a beautiful beginning. Now I will find a home for Rambo. He is entertaining and well adjusted. A large macaw is not for everybody. But, believe me, they are endearing, playful, and love to be cuddled. Typically, they are quiet until they let out a loud call. Not commonly a good apartment tenant, although I do know some that exist quite well like that. Depends on the bird, and the neighbors!

Active Play

I recently snapped some photos of Tango playing contentedly on his indoor perch. He has found his own way of exercising and he thoroughly enjoys hanging upside down. It must feel good on his legs.


Tango is still looking for a good home. If you would like to meet this clown of a bird, contact me!

Tragic Accidents

Accidents happen. We try to provide a safe environment for our birds but we cannot be certain of its safety.
A very good friend of mine just experienced the horrible discovery of her beloved yellow collar macaw strangled in her sleeping tent. She had even purchased a replacement because she kept a close eye on its condition and was prepared to replace it when it became shredded.

When birds are active, we need to take extra care. Long strings, loops of any kind, and shredded material can get wrapped around your bird's neck or leg easily. Then, while struggling, your bird can become exhausted and die. This can happen to anyone.

Please take a moment now to really look at your bird's set up. Are there any looped strings, chains, or wires in the cage? Is the cage cover stringy or shredded? Does your bird have a "happy hut"? We don't think our birds would get hung up in a loop, but it happens. Learn a lesson from this tragedy. Don't become complacent about your bird's environment.