Re-Introduction for Sierra

At long last, Sierra's mom and dad have returned from overseas! I have been caring for their baby during that time.

They both came to visit the evening that they arrived and it was amazing to watch as Sierra's memory was awakened.

We tried to go slow because the initial contact had to be without any stress or anxiety. Sierra was unsure of what was going on. Did she remember? Yes, I feel she did. Was it confusing? Yes, I'm sure it was.

The good thing is that mom and dad will stay in this area and visit her for a few days before taking her back to Anchorage Alaska.

In this photo, I showed Linda the tuck-in routine where we say our goodnights through the "window" in the sheet and get our kisses. It's an important part of Sierra's day.

Ben Senagal Quiet Time

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I actually had an epiphany the other day. I almost always have a TV or radio on as I trudge through the never ending bird chores around here. The noise level in the house can escalate at times. I wear my TV headset or my ipod in order to hear the preferred noise. My amazement came when I had turned off all the peripheral noise and just kept the house quiet. The birds got quiet too! I don't know why that surprised me, but it did. I suppose they compete with the TV and radio.

I won't stop watching TV or listening to the radio, but it was a nice calm afternoon for a change.

The Senagal in this photo, Benny, is a new guest. He is quite old by his dad's best guess. Benny is mellow and talkative. He enjoyed the quiet afternoon as well. As an only child, he wasn't quite sure what to make of all the other birds!

Pin Feathers On The Neck

If a parrot doesn't have a companion bird, the pin feathers on the head and neck can get very uncomfortable. Imagine having little spikes on your neck! Two birds have a way of grooming each other that cannot easily be duplicated.

Ben, my blue crown conure, has been a loner bird all of his life. He usually wants nothing to do with the grooming process. I wrap him lovingly in a towel and proceed to pinch the keratin off of those spikey feathers.

When Kiku was visiting, I was so pleased to see that he took on the challenge happily. I'm sorry, Kiku, that Ben had no idea that he was supposed to reciprocate! He's a taker, not a giver. Maybe next time!

Holiday Treat

If you have access to clean unsticky pine cones, consider it an opportunity to create a fun foraging toy for your parrot.

Insert various treats between the segments. You can use seeds and nuts as in this photo, or, miscellaneous toy parts and pieces of wood, paper, and cardboard.

The main concern is how to hang it. You do not want to create a hazard with a large loop to strangle your bird.

Be creative, but be safe!

Better Than A Mirror!

I always love seeing how my own parrots benefit from the flow of guests that come through this house.

Ben, is my 30 year old Blue Crown Conure who is rather limited in his movement and social skills. He is "my crotchety old man" who is always the welcoming din whenever someone arrives at my front door.

This week, Kiku, a much younger and very outgoing Blue Crown Conure, is visiting. I have a rather complex hanging apparatus in the small bird room and placed Ben on the Atom and Kiku up higher on the manzanita gym. Kiku came down to hang out next to Ben. You should have seen Ben's expression! There was a realization that he was looking into the eyes of a like companion. Ben spent many of his years as an only bird with a mirror and a bell. Imagine having "one of your own" next to you and speaking your language. What a thrill.

Colorful Birds Like Colorful Food

The jury is still out on whether or not to serve the colored pellets...many are adamant that the food coloring is not healthy for birds. A recent conversation with Dr. Brian Speer was a different take on the issue. He suggested that by serving the varied colored pellets you are actually creating a foraging situation since many birds go for one color and shape over another. I must admit that my cockatiels enjoy the Fruity ZuPreem and the banana shaped yellow pellets are the last to be chosen. Therefore, they "forage" for the others. Interesting concept.

However, our birds see vividly in color and detail so my point of this post is to talk about the way to present a lovely colorful breakfast. When you shop for produce, think of the colors and textures. I am attempting to limit the sugar content for my birds so I am concentrating on more vegetables and less fruits. Serving apples, grapes, and bananas may be favored but it's just not that good for our birds. It may take some getting used to, but eventually they begin to explore their new cuisine. I also serve my Psittacine Cuisine daily which is a concoction of many cooked grains. The serving of breakfast is the highlight of the day around here! So, make it pretty!

Bubbus Finds True Love

Bubbus always comes completely unglued when Claudia comes over. Is it her blond hair? Is it her endearing sweet concerned voice? Whatever it is...Bubbus is truly mesmerized in her presence.

When Claudia has his attention, he speaks sweet nothings to her as if he is courting her. Claudia's own little cockatiel, Munchkin, probably won't want to share her attentions, but she is willing to work with Bubb to get him used to stepping onto her finger. Right now, he is easily handled by using a stick as he seems afraid of a hand. She has had great success by hiding her hand inside a sleeve and coaxing him aboard. I think the secret here is the fact that he adores her!

Cleaning Day...What Stress!

I have relented to the fact that I cannot get this whole house clean at any one time. I now have a wonderful couple that comes in once a month to tackle the chore. I have finally found someone who uses my products and respects the birds. Although, I remove the birds and they blast through the mess. I love it!

However, keeping all the parrots happy and quiet with all the turmoil is a real challenge. I put the macaws in the outdoor cages but that soon loses its appeal and they begin to make a lot of noise. So I start to rotate them inside to the ropes. I try to stay out of the way of the cleaning team but also cater to the needs of all the parrots.

This photo is of Bob in the back and Romeo in the front. With four Blue and Golds in residence...I am careful to know who is who! Molly, my own girl, is a puff-a-lump because of her "blown air sac". Sierra is a wild and crazy child who is as outgoing as they come. Bob is a stoic and mellow old dude. Romeo is a bit timid with me but sees all the others and cooperates nicely. You will notice that I differentiate the macaws by personality, not markings.

On cleaning days Buster and Chauncey get rolled outside through their sliding glass door. The cockatiels also get rolled out in the cages to enjoy the beautiful fall day. It's very disruptive to our otherwise slower routine and once the cleaning team leaves...I am exhausted! But the house shines! The parrots work quickly to return this place to its comfortable state of bird debris.

Most Intelligent Bird?

Gary Bogue, our local wildlife/pet columnist, asked the question in his morning column. What are the five most intelligent and five least intelligent birds?

I immediately emailed him with my input. If you would like to respond to this question, you can email Gary Bogue at the Contra Costa Times.

garybug@infionline.net

Of course we all know that parrots are the most intelligent of birds....but which ones? I submitted Chauncey, my slender bill. Also Buster, my grey.

What signifies intelligence? Communication? Problem solving? Interactions with those around them?

Their high intelligence is precisely what makes sharing your home with a parrot challenging and exasperating! Highly worth it, don't you think?

Gary printed my letter in the Wednesday Column! Check out the Contra Costa Times Gary Bogue Column.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Where did this past week go? I try to post to this blog every day or two but, not surprisingly, the days get away from me.

When caring for so many charismatic parrots, I find myself in a constant state of managing their happiness.

I awaken to the urgent need to get breakfast served. From then on, it's change out the waters and the papers and rotate the population to various places in and out of the house for a change of scenery.

In this photo, Bubbus has spied the container of wheatgrass put out for the flock of tiels while they hang out on the rope gyms. He was hilarious in his attempt to get to the grass without flying. Come on, Bubbus, you have wings! Perhaps it felt good to stretch his legs!