Staring at Birds - Socialization

I've been lucky over the years.  Every employer I've ever had has been okay with me bringing babies to work for handfeeding.  I've always had office jobs.  Co-workers and clients get a kick out of seeing the babies being fed and developing.  The babies get super socialized through the daily car rides and meeting all the new people.  

So, take your bird out and about with you when you can!  Don't forget to clip, harness and have a carrier when you do.

Staring at Birds - Talking

Pet Peeve - Someone gets a bird and then complains it doesn't talk.
DON'T GET A BIRD JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT A PET THAT TALKS!!  GET A FRIEND!!  GET A LIFE!!
Talking is a BONUS!!  Even if it's a species known for excellent talking skills such as an African Grey, there's NO guarantee it will ever learn to talk in human!  I had a friend with an African Grey.  In 40+ years it NEVER spoke a single word.
You don't REALLY "love birds", if you want to get rid of it simply because it doesn't speak.

Staring at Birds - TOYS!!

My friend Margaret's new bird toy store offering FREE SHIPPING in March:
http://www.luckybirdtoyscompany.com/

Join Parrot Paradise Forum to receive an additional 10% in Margaret's bird store:
http://www.parrotparadiseforum.com/

Staring at Birds - Thrifty Fun 2

Yesterday's thrift store haul for $2:

Remember - you don't need to go broke to keep your birds entertained and swimming in new toys!

Staring at Birds - They have Names?!

More info:  Parrotlet Chicks Learn Their Calls From Mom and Dad

Staring at Birds - Finches & Bourkes

Tame finches love scritches!!

Staring at Birds - Cockatiels

Definitive proof that cockatiels WILL eat fresh foods:

Eric's little messy face after his breakfast of carrots, broccoli, apple, celery, cauliflower, and sprouts.

Remember - Birds are suspicious little creatures.  Repetition is they key to getting them onto a healthy, assorted diet.  After seeing the food item enough times they WILL try it. . . after they figure out you're not trying to poison them.

Happy Birday!!

Drake Laurence just turned one!

Staring at Birds - Bourke Parakeets

THE cutest baby parrots in the world:

Who doesn't love PINK?!

Bird Thought - Handfeeding Revisited

So, I just got another handfed baby bird yesterday that's not really all that tame.  The baby's only four months old and very skitterish, handshy and bites.

The person I got it from handfed it, let it out of the cage every couple of days, but otherwise didn't play with it or socialize it.  She couldn't figure out why it's not tame because she handfed it.

To all of you who either are breeding or handfeeding babies - Please remember IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST HANDFEEDING TO HAVE A GOOD PET PARROT!!!

Please read:  Handfed does NOT = Tame and The "S" Word

Staring at Birds - "New" Playstand

My husband, the bestest husband EVER made this for me:

 No, I do not own a normal vacuum.

 

Bird Thought - What I feed

I feed a quality seed base with pellets free fed to some pairs.  Pellets are my "vitamin supplement".  Some pairs don't get pellets (or get limited amounts of pellets) as pellets have been linked to health problems in some birds such a eclectus and mutation parrotlets.

I also feed the following "mash" every day.  In addition to the "mash", seed, and pellets I feed as treats and enrichment whatever interesting thing happens to be at the store at the time - grapes, cantaloupes, strawberries, cactus pads, etc.  Try your ethnic food store for some REALLY interesting fresh produce.

This "mash" is what I feed my birds.  If you only have one or a few pet birds, this is probably too time consuming and a hassle to deal with.  With only a few birds it would work better for you to integrate the bird diet into your routine:  Integrate him into YOUR lifestyle

Small Birds:
(Finches, Bourke Parakeets, Cockatiels, Parrotlets, White-Winged Parakeets)

 

Broccoli

 

Carrots

 

Apples

  

Cook Mix - Raw

 

Cook Mix - After Cooking

  

Cook Mix

 

Sprouts

How to sprout: Sprouting

 

Sprouts

  

Complete and ready to feed.

Large Birds:
(African Greys, Eclectus, Rosellas, Conures, Indian Ringnecks) 

 

Broccoli - Coarse Chopped

  

Carrots - Coarse Chopped

  

Apples - Coarse Chopped

 

Cooked Mix

  

Cooked Mix

  

Fruit Cocktail - No Sugar Added

**This is occasionally used.  The eclectus like it. 

 

Sprouts

How to Sprout: Sprouting

  

Sprouts

 

Complete and Ready to Feed

Staring at Birds - Indian Ringneck FAQ

Some questions I've received regarding Indian Ringnecks:

1.  Is it male or female? Unknown. DNA sexing is an additional $25.  Males do not get their rings until about two years of age.  Prior to that time if you want to know the sex it needs to be DNA or surgically sexed.

2.  How old he would be at the time he's ready for his new home?  Average weaning age is apprx. 10-12 weeks.  I don't force wean so the wean date is an estimate and can be about 2 weeks in either direction.

3.  How long is their expected lifespan?  Apprx. 25 years

4.  Any special requirements in terms of care of such a young bird, special food, for how long, long term diet plan/health/happiness -etc. 

No special requirement for a young bird.  It will be fully weaned and eating on its own before it goes home.  Birds should be fed a varied diet.  I have some information and links on feeding at my blog:  http://staringatbirdsandgoats.blogspot.com/2011/04/bird-thought-there-are-no-human-pellets.html

5.  You mentoned that he's very tame.... would he adapt to the attention of both my husband and me, or do they tend to bond with just one perferred person? 

All parrots may tend to favor a special person.  If raised well and you continue to socialize and not let it overbond to one person, everyone in the family should be able to handle the bird.  My experience has been that if a bird will only be with one person, that bird was encouraged by the human to be that way.

6.  Does he squak loudly and what are his normal range of noises/chatter?
Noise is a personal consideration.  Ringnecks are known to be one of the "quieter" types of birds.  But I don't know what your tolerance for noise is.  Birds vocalize every single day.  Some info on noise:
http://staringatbirdsandgoats.blogspot.com/2011/01/bird-tip-teach-independence-to-reduce.html

7.  Is he good about staying quiet through the night? 

Most birds don't vocalize after dark unless you're keeping them up.

8.  Do you cover his cage at night? 

No.  That needs to be your decision and preference.  I've never covered any of my birds. 

9.  You mentioned that you take him on outings, can you elaborate? 

I take my babies on car rides and errands for socialization purposes. 

10.  Does he always stay close to you and not fly off (are his wings clipped?)

Prior to clipping babies are taken out in carriers to observe the world.  After clipping they travel in carriers and then get to come out to look around.  Being tame, they don't usually try to get away from people and are very calm. 

11.  When at home, do you let him roam free outside the cage? 

I have playstands all over.  Birds are out several hours a day.  Some days they stay in their cages so they're used to being both out and locked up.

12.  Is he affectionate?  

More about ringnecks: http://staringatbirdsandgoats.blogspot.com/p/staring-at-birds-indian-ringneck.html

13.  Is he potentially a talker?  

IRNs can be very good mimics.  But don't get a bird expecting it to talk.  Some never do.

14. That's very cool that you are a certified aviculturist.  How long have you been working with birds?   

I've been keeping them as a hobby for over 20 years.

15. Are Indian Ringnecks a good choice as a pet bird?
 Depends on your personality.  I don't know you so I can't comment on whether it's a good pet for you.

16.  Why you chose to breed this type of bird?
Primarily for the colors they come in.  Also, they're "low maintenance" as far as birds go, so I like the balance of their independence with the "needier" types of birds I keep.  I've kept a lot of different types of birds over the years.  Each has their own qualities that recommend them.

Available - More Indian Ringneck Babies

Albino baby Indian Ringneck hatched 3/27/2011.  Just weaned and ready to bond to a new home.  Handfeeding now: green and grey green (olive) babies anticipated to be ready for new homes mid July.  Taking deposits now.  All babies are super well socialized to dogs, cats, goats, horses, strangers, kids, car rides; and all include new cage, food, and vet check.
Please contact me for details.  E-mail: Roz   Phone:  (619) 708-0663

 

Albino

 

Albino

 

Green

 

Green

 

Grey Green (Olive)

 

Grey Green (Olive)

Bird Tip - Foraging to Reduce Behavior Problems

Bird Tip - Check it out, Dog!

Chit chat with us.  This is a new forum so please participate and check back frequently!
Parrot Lovers Paradise

My friend Margaret's site:  My Budgies

Bird Tip - More Independence

Yeah - I'm big on the a lot of out-of-cage time to avoid/eliminate behavior problems. Unfortunately, a lot of people take that to mean the bird needs to be glued to your body which makes problems worse.

Ducky's cage is pretty much open 24/7 with a play stand in front. We do regularly lock him in and do stuff around him when his door's closed so he can practice not screaming while locked up and watching us go about our business. I do this with babies I raise too. They learn that just because I'm in the room they don't necessarily get out and they don't necessarily get attention at the moment. I've been on the phone with people wanting a conure and they're not convinced I have any because I don't have any noise in the background.

So, practice Independence Sessions by locking your bird in its cage several times a week while you go about your business.  In order for this to be successful, your bird's needs must be met first - Exercise or have your bird out for awhile before doing any Independence Sessions.  Put super duper goodies in the cage so cage time and Independence Sessions are things they look forward to.
Also practice this:  Teach Independence

Bird Tip - Do NOT Fall for the Jedi Mind Tricks!

Have you seen "Finding Nemo" - The seagulls going Mine! Mine! Mine! tell the story how birds think.
Your time is Mine.
Your food is Mine.
Your attention is Mine.
Your affection is Mine.
Your house is Mine to explore and destroy.
Your money is Mine and you will spend it all on more and better toys for ME.
Your undying gratitude is Mine for allowing you to be Mine.
You have to set a time when your baby can come out and play, and a time when it cannot.
If you do not set this time line and keep to it the sweet wittel birdy will use every trick it can to get you to capitulate and surrender your body and soul to the exclusive 365/24/7 slave service. And no, you do not get the 366 day on Leap Year off either.
My thanks to Les from the Conure Community Chat for the foregoing explanation of how a bird thinks: Conure Community

So, you see, birds are self-centered, self-absorbed little creatures that will use Jedi Mind Tricks on you to get what's rightly theirs.  And the Force is strong in them.  Remember to resist their Jedi Mind Tricks by teaching Independence, Socializing, teaching him biting is not appropriate, keeping him off your shoulder unless invited, not stimulating him sexually, and teaching him his cage is his room.

Bird Thought - Don't take your "common" bird for granted.

I always thought sun conures were one of the rats of the avian world.  I mean, they're so common . . . aren't they?

I just learned yesterday that the sun conure is common in US aviculture, but upgraded to endangered status in 2008 in the wild.
Endangered Species List - Sun Conures: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/142601/0
Estimated Wild Population

And the cape parrot is uncommon in US aviculture, but not considered endangered in the wild.
Endangered Species List - Cape Parrot:  http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/142531/0
Estimated Wild Population

Makes me curious to search other species that we think of as "common" and how common they truly are in the wild.

Just soze y'all know - wild caught parrots have not been legally imported into the United States since 1992.  So, don't feel bad about getting a sun conure!  Cherish your little baby for the special creature it is. US captive breeding does not negatively impact the wild population.  I feel privileged to be breeding the endangered sun conure.

Learn something new every day.

Bird Tip - Join Me!

Learn more about birds.  Join me in taking this course:

Fundamentals of Aviculture   Level II, Intermediate Aviculture

Fundamentals of Aviculture is written for: pet bird owners, bird breeders, veterinarians and their staff, zoo employees, bird-related commercial establishments and everyone associated with birds. The course provides a foundation for the emerging science of aviculture. The Fundamentals of Aviculture, Level 1, must be completed before enrollment in Level 2. The Level 2 course, Intermediate Aviculture, is presented in 15 chapters covering conservation, avian genetics, color mutations, nesting, courtship, incubation, hand-rearing, basic microbiology, disease, emergency care, enrichment and much more.

Visit the Fundamentals of Aviculture for more information.

Status of the Organization: The American Federation of Aviculture, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit Corporation, established in 1974. Supporters: Development of Fundamentals of Aviculture is made possible by a grant from Pet Care Trust, and by funding and other support from the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, and the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M University.

Enroll today to take Intermediate Aviculture at the introductory rate of $75.

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