Caesar The Fastest Budgie Alive

This is Caesar! He is one quick little buzzing bee! He loves to fly but I'm so afraid he will get into trouble in a new environment (my home).

One way to allow him out-of-cage time is to let him come out at night. He can come out and fly around my bedroom and I can turn off the lights and catch him. If the room is darkened, he is less active.

But what about during the day? He has a very small cage (as seen in this photo) and he is an energetic little bird.

I decided the safest way to allow flight was to put him, cage and all, into the large Exotic Enclosure in my living room. I open his cage door and leave him there. He wasn't sure at first, but soon came out like a bullet.

He flew around and around beautifully and when he got tired, he returned to his cage. Home sweet home. I patiently waited and he climbed down and went inside. Voila!

Kitty Nanny Too

In this house, there are birds as well as cats. Everyone enjoys a visit from the parrot nanny. I turn on the TVs, open the windows, and talk to the animals.

Cammie, shown here, loves to sit on the sill and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. He is an indoor cat but gets to commune with the outdoors via a leash or open screened window.

I love brushing the cats and listening to their purring motors. After all, life isn't just about the birds!

I'm never too busy to sit and let the critters climb all over me. You can be sure the cats and the birds are in different areas of the house!

Feather Picking

Feather Picking is the most guilt ridden behavior encountered when caring for a parrot. Why do they do it? What am I doing wrong? How can I stop it?

For PJ, when feathers issued got out of control, a collar seemed to be a good solution. She is happy and active and it doesn't seem to inhibit her in any way. When removed, however, she goes to town on her feathers.

For Jasper, the little naked Senagal, a collar would probably send him over the edge. African birds seem much more opposed to having anything touch their bodies. Jasper is also a happy little bird and eats well and plays hard at chewing up everything in his path. Unfortunately, this includes his feathers.

Ginger, the collarless goffins shown above, is in the very beginning stages of feather picking. It may be a temporary affliction due to changes in her environment. If it continues, perhaps a collar is in order. However, every case is different and the first step is covert observation. Without her noticing that you notice...when does she do it? Is it diet related? Have they tried omitting corn, wheat, seeds? Does she require more moisture with added showers and a good air cleaner?

The collar for PJ is working well. But before going there... try everything else. And, make sure the quality of life is your most important priority. A fully feathered but miserable bird is not the goal. A happy bird, feathered or not, is preferred.

The Littlest Camper

This is Caesar, a sweet little boy budgie. I have missed the happy chatter of a budgie and must sadly report that Jasper, my previous little budgie guest has passed away. He was quite old and had ailments that required medications and special care. I miss him terribly.

Caesar has brought back the active happy chatter that only a budgie can provide. They even chatter in their sleep which is so endearing.

Budgies are one of the truly ADD birds and they happily go from one toy to another in their hourly rounds. Here you can see Caesar looking out the window. He pays special attention to his beloved mirror and rings his bell if things get too quiet.

Their Own Vacation Time

I have these four guests currently enjoying their vacation at the Parrot Nanny Club Med. Each gets their turn at the huge Exotic Enclosure, the hanging rope gym, and the outside cages.

Each has its particular concerns and requirements.

Jasper, the feather- challenged Senagal, gets a full spectrum light, Venta Air Washer, and extra mistings. I can never guarantee the outcome for a feather picker while they're here, but at least I know all the right environmental and emotional conditions have been met. I'm not the "mom" but I am the "nanny".

Solo and Felix are shown here in the large enclosure (at separate times, of course). The beauty of this large living room cage is that the bar spacing allows for any size bird to enjoy it.

Simon, the amazon, as in previous posts, has most enjoyed the outdoor misting showers and the TV programs. His wonderful vocalizations will be much missed when he goes home.

All of these parrots are extremely happy birds.

Music That The Parrots Love

Something really great happened this morning. I turned on the local PBS station looking for Sesame Street or some kid show. They were airing a special all about John Denver that was filmed in 1975.

The songs were surprisingly well received. Simon (see photo left) started singing along! He obviously enjoyed John Denver very much! Then Buster and Chauncey started to chime in and even "dance" a little.

We had our own little hoedown!

A Stationary Macaw

One macaw is glued to the wire. The other two are relaxing and enjoying the beautiful day. Romeo is the scared little boy who doesn't quite know what is going on. He wouldn't move around to perch, eat, or drink.

Romeo recently got loose and flew away from his home. He must have been quite frightened to have this much anxiety about being outside again. He was luckily found by his owners and quickly retrieved, however, I think it scared Romeo to have this adventure.

The two macaws relaxing in the big green cage are Oro and Azul. They are a boisterous and active pair when they are in the house. When they go outside, they just relax and kick back. I was hoping their calm demeanor would rub off on Romeo.

Romeo remained on edge so I decided to bring him in. He was eager to get back to a cage of normal proportion and eat, drink, and rest. Going outside is too scary for Romeo. I will continue to expose him to brief periods of outdoor time to help him gain his confidence.

One would think that a parrot would enjoy the freedom of the skies....not so. I think the world is a very scary place for our much loved and spoiled parrots. Please protect your birds from accidently escaping the safety of the home.

Lucy Makes Mat Soup

Lucy, my scarlet, has decided that she likes to take pieces of the rolled mat toy that hangs in her cage and make "tea". She delicately shreds the mat and soaks the debris in her water dish. I'm not so sure this is a good idea. Are these mats sprayed with something to prevent insect infestation during shipment? Who knows for sure? The mat makes a great foraging toy and she always loved pulling various items out of its nooks and crannies. But now? I don't think so Lucy!

The Joy Of Mist

When the parrots are happy...I am happy. Therefore, I have to bore you with more wet parrot photos! I have a lot of guests at the moment so they have to be rotated to the outdoor cages. While they are outside, I have a chance to clean their cages and sweep their floors.

This is Odie, the umbrella, who absolutely loves getting wet!

Lucy, my scarlet, can't seem to get wet enough! And now, Sierra, my boarding Blue and Gold, is a wet freak too!

The Welcoming Committee

I have quite the welcoming committee here at my home. First Ben, my Blue Crown Conure, sounds a ear splitting welcome call to all who enter through the front door. He really is quiet most of the time!

Then, if you're lucky, Chauncey will enlighten you with his repetoire of "How are YOU?" "How ARE you?" "HOW are YOU?"

If you answer him, you will be invited to sing The Itsy Bitsy Spider song. This involves much animation and dancing on everybody's part.

Here, Claudia (Munchie's Mom), is singing with the peanut gallery. Chauncey loves it but Buster and Lulli also got into the dancing. Ben? He just watches and waits to say his famous "hello" and give his kissing sounds.

Bursting into song is a great way to detour a noisy group. Claudia is never afraid of taking part in the act! Parrots really know how to have fun.

Foot Toy Box

Each parrot in my flock has a collecting station for the many foot toys and toy parts that they love to hold, chew, and drop. Here you can see Sierra's which is a Smart Crock fastened to the side of her cage. As I clean the cage, I pick up the miscellaneous pieces and put them back into the bowl.

Of course, some of them are pooped on and need to cycle through the dishwasher. I found that the dishwasher area was inundated with various blocks of wood and beads etc. I found these nice little bins at the dollar department at Target. I now keep one on the kitchen counter to collect the parts and pieces after they are clean. Then I take the full bin to the cages and bring an empty one back.

This system has worked well for me. Every piece of wood or knot of rope makes for an interesting item to play with. Don't throw them away. Make your parrot a "toy box" to hold them!

Lulli Big Fuzzy Blue and Gold

This is Lulli. He is a big boy who is dearly loved by his mom and dad. He has feather issues...

But he also has loads of personality! When I am having trouble with him in the noise level department, I just start singing and dancing. He immediately stops yelling and starts dancing.

He loves to sway and swing back and forth. He also loves to spend time outside in the big cage. He can bite (can't they all?) and I can now safely take him out to the cages without having to worry about him getting away from me.

When a macaw raises his wings and lowers his head, he is "blowing kisses" to you. This posture shows me that Lulli is very happy!

He's happy that he gets a wonderful vacation while his mom and dad have their own vacation!

Flocking Tiels

Currently I have a lot of boarding cockatiels to add to my own flock. The guest tiels seem to enjoy the company of others. Here you can see most of them out for some socialization time on the playgyms in their room. Bubbus, Munchkin, Echo, Sam, Katie, Georgia, and Buffy!

I leave my older tiels, BJ and Lacy, in their cage as they seem to want the peace and solitude of their own environment. "Let the youngsters get out for the fun and games."

Cockatiels flock in large numbers in the wild. However, I find that when they are allowed socialization time here, they pretty much don't know how to act. Each takes a place somewhere on the apparatus and manuevering is done with someone backing away while another changes location. They are quite respectful of each other. The "guys" seem to like being high up and the hens are happy near the millet sprays!

Oppps! My son, Paul, walked by the window and the alert went out! Some stay put and others take flight! All ends up well and they are all accounted for! Frequent nose counts are in order! What fun for them and for me!

Part of the fun of staying here is to get to experience other birds!

Buster Update

Buster is growing his chest feathers again! I have ups and downs with my Buster Boy but I love the ups. His chest was all fluffy down just a few weeks ago. Now, those scalloped feathers are appearing. I know that many of you experience the same frustrations.

Have I done anything new? Not really. He has the best environment possible. A very busy cage with loads of things to do. A full spectrum light, plus lots of outdoor time during nice weather. Good food, lots of showers, etc. I have been adding pro-biotics to his cooked grains lately but I do not consider it the miracle cure for feather picking. In fact, I quite expect these scallops to dissappear at any time.

What makes him do it? Who knows. Anxiety? Boredom? Hormones? I know that his feather challenges make me feel guilty. What am I missing?

One thing that puzzles me immeasurably is that some greys that are kept in tiny cages and not fed what I would consider a great diet usually look beautiful. But I'll keep trying to solve this behavioral problem. Buster is a happy bird and has a wonderful life. I just keep plugging away at possible ways to improve his feathers.

Safety Net For All

The netting project is completed. The entire upper bird patio is now protected with the netting. I originally purchased it to protect the birds from making a get-away when I take them out or bring them in from the large outdoor cages.

However, the netting also makes the whole area hawk proof. Therefore, I could take the cockatiels out to the flight cage and let them enjoy a sunny day outside!

I would normally be very afraid that their flapping and vocalizations would bring down the bird-eating hawks to investigate. But with the netting, I know they are safe.

Bubbus, Echo, and Sam spent the afternoon outside today. With "mom's permission", I will put all the cockatiels out soon. They certainly enjoyed it!

Sierra Update

Sierra is getting lots of loving around here. Her mom and dad are entrusting her care to me while they are overseas. She is a youngster and still has a puppy-like quality.

Here you can see Shelley giving Sierra the kind of attention that she loves. Sierra will stand on her head and climb under the covers and allow "man-handling" to her delight.

She is picking up some vocabulary and will hopefully not be too loud for her parents. She seems to enjoy making noise. Macaws are generally quiet until they aren't. When they sound off....look out. The decibels can get quite high.

Paul is back working on the netting over the outside cage patio and I had to promise not to put the macaws out to watch him. Macaws are wonderful companions but not so wonderful as work supervisors!

A Safety Net Encloses The Bird Yard

Lucy is watching as Paul installs the netting to prevent escapes and hawk approaches. She blasted him a few times as only a macaw can do and he quit for the day soon afterwards. Darn!

I have many outdoor cages and the parrots love spending time outside on nice days. I have been limited to only taking birds outside that I could easily hold on to. I hold their feet and take them in and out.

I am happy to report that now I am netting in the entire area to prevent escapes. After a visit to the Feathered Nest Aviary, I was impressed with the netting installed over their patio. What a great idea!

I checked out http://www.americannetting.com/ and ordered it! My son, Paul, is shown here installing it.

I will now be able to take birds out that are stick trained or reluctant to let me hold their feet. If you enjoy sitting out on your patio or deck but are afraid to expose your bird to the risk, consider this cheap alternative for safety.

Teddie Yellow Sided Greencheek Conure

This is Teddie! He is a very active little guy. He has come to stay for a few days and insists on flying down to the floor whenever I turn my back. I am extremely cautious when he is out because the most comnon injury to small birds is being stepped on!

He should be trained to stay where he is put but this is no easy task. Just picking him up to return him to the original site is reward enough for him to continue to "go to ground".

The best method to teach a bird to stay is to teach him to come on command. Once you teach the basic "come here" command, the next step is the "stay put" command. Parrots thrive on the positive reinforcement of learning a behavior. But it takes a lot of teaching time and a lot of patience. Frequent short "lessons" are the best. That, and understanding how what you do enforces every behavior, good and bad.