tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33692338291922025142024-03-18T21:20:17.890-07:00Almost Angels AviaryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-74095139482955879812015-11-14T15:46:00.000-08:002015-11-14T15:46:33.585-08:00Fresh air and sunshine! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lately, the weather here as been gorgeous! I am a big proponent of getting our birds outside as much as possible. The cages on the back deck and outdoor aviary (built by my talented husband ♥) are utilized almost every day. Our birds enjoy their time outdoors immensely. It gives them a chance to disconnect from humans and just be birds for a while. When I look out the window to check on them, I see them ruffling their feathers in the cool breeze, napping, preening, playing with their toys and snacking on healthy foods. They watch the hummingbirds, squawk at hawks and crows in the distance, and interact with each other in a flock dynamic. My two pet quakers get along well enough that they can share an outdoor space together. My other pet birds do not get along so well, so they each have their own space when they go out. But even in separate enclosures, they interact with each other as one unit, a "flock". If one bird sees something and gives a warning call, all the birds react accordingly.When I am bringing them out one by one in the morning, none of the birds will begin to eat their breakfast until all the usual flock members have arrived. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunlight is very important for our birds physical health. Birds have a uropygial or "preen gland" </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">above the base of their tail. This gland secretes a special oil that produces vitamin d when exposed to sunlight. As the bird preens the oil over it's feathers, it ingests some of this oil which converts to vitamin d3 by the birds liver and kidneys. This vitamin is best known for it's role in aiding the body to absorb calcium. Some people use full spectrum bulbs for this reason. Vitamin d is also one of the vitamins included in pelleted foods. This is good, but I feel natural sunshine, not only promotes physical health, but emotional health as well. Who doesn't feel better when they get out of the house and spend some time outdoors for a while?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bird harnesses are also a great way to get your bird outdoors. Our pet caique, Sukha LOVES her harness! When she sees me with it, she gets very excited because she knows we are going to be doing something together. She can barely contain herself while I am placing it on her. The harness has allowed me to do more activities with her because I know she is safe. She goes out with me every afternoon to help me with the outside chores. She goes with me to the feed store when I buy supplies. She "helps" me bring the garbage cans to the curb and check the mail. My husband and I recently went to a friend's barbeque, and Sukha came along with us! She loves all the attention she receives when she goes places! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">For my other birds who don't wear a harness, I use a small lightweight cage to put them in so they can be a part of outdoor activities as well. They also accompany me to the feed store this way. My amazon puts on quite the show of singing, burping and laughing when she meets new people. As the people start laughing at her antics, she gets wound up and can sometimes act unpredictably. The travel cage allows people to interact with her in a safe manner while she's "doing her thing".</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our young birds start to go outside at a young age. First I bring their familiar weaning cages outside. Then as they become more confident, they spend time in the larger outdoor cages on the deck. After that, they spend several hours a day in the walk-in flight aviary. Exposing young birds to being outside adds another dimension to their life experience. They fly, climb, chew on bark, feel the elements and are exposed to different sights and sounds. They love it! </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have seen some very creative ways that people have come up with to provide their birds some outdoor time. There is even a facebook group dedicated to helping it's members with outdoor enclosure ideas. The group is called Home Aviary Design. The people are very supportive. You can check it out here: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">https://www.facebook.com/groups/homeaviarydesign/</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">If your bird has not been outside before, take things slow and keep it positive. Most learn to enjoy it after they've been out a few times. </span></span><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-14267537655417475512015-04-24T14:19:00.000-07:002015-04-24T14:19:08.988-07:00The great wing trimming debate<img class="UMSRatingIcon" id="ums_img_tooltip" /><br />
I receive calls occasionally from customers who tell me they do not want their babies wings trimmed. When I ask why, I usually get one of two reasons: These people have had a poor experience in the past with one of their birds receiving a botched (too short) wing trim. The second is that some feel trimming the bird's wings is unnatural and they want the bird to have free reign of the house (which to me, is not a good idea). <br />
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I find it interesting that people have such black and white opinions on this subject. There is a third option however. The<u> moderate/conservative wing trim</u>, which is what we do here for our birds. I'll touch on that later. <br />
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Our policy is to allow all our babies full flight until we see they are confident and skilled in their flying and landing abilities. This is so important for their physical and mental development. An interesting thing I have noticed is weaning confidence goes hand in hand with flying confidence. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisW162Yyd1V-EypJoRNLu2qiXa_MXlRRmrqpIRLzJxDuAAVriPZhbo0vrr1Tetjqu6PJjS5hIYZ8jZnZEU_6AGOfoV3dbZkvlCHpSkx77cLAN2g4jBSGHyl77veqD_f52sNWPANFr551I/s1600/070111fWM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisW162Yyd1V-EypJoRNLu2qiXa_MXlRRmrqpIRLzJxDuAAVriPZhbo0vrr1Tetjqu6PJjS5hIYZ8jZnZEU_6AGOfoV3dbZkvlCHpSkx77cLAN2g4jBSGHyl77veqD_f52sNWPANFr551I/s1600/070111fWM.jpg" height="196" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green cheek conure making a safe, controlled landing with <br />moderately clipped wings.<br /></td></tr>
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Around here, things can get pretty interesting when the babies are fledging! Kitchen chores are done with babies hanging out on top of my head, on my shoulders and hanging by one foot off the front of my shirt (laugh). Ceiling fans are off, doors closed, and careful attention must be paid to where the babies are at all times. Small birds, such as parrotlets can get lost in an instant! I remember one of my parrotlets went missing during playtime. I was feeding another baby and looked away for just a moment. I frantically looked for that baby for about an hour. I finally looked up and saw the little one perched on a chandelier!<br />
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This phase is a lot of fun for me. I like to teach a little bit of flight recall training (indoors of course). It's great exercise for the babies and so natural for them at this stage. A few repetitions of them flying to me and they are ready to settle down and play with the toys on their play area or get something to eat. I take pictures of the babies flying for my customers which they enjoy as well. <br />
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They also get to practice their flight skills in our outdoor "day" aviaries. Interestingly enough, after a few minutes of play out there too, they tend to settle down and just hang out.<br />
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Once they are flying well, I take just a little bit off the first four flight feathers on the first trim. Just a LITTLE BIT. In fact, the babies don't even notice and continue to fly as if they were still flighted. After a day or two, I trim just a little bit more and evaluate how they get around. My motto is you can always trim more off, but you can't put it back on!! So moderation and observation is the key when trimming feathers. After about the third trim, the babies again, are still getting around very well. BUT my moderate trim still allows for very good horizontal flight and balanced landings, while limiting the HEIGHT that the babies can reach when flying. This keeps them out of the ceiling fans and off the top of the curtain rods. It also slows them down to a more controlled speed while they are learning to navigate in their new homes.<br />
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Sometimes, the babies will build up some muscle strength after a few weeks in their new home and the owner's tell me the flights had to be trimmed just a little bit more (when this occurs, it is usually with the lighter bodied birds such as green cheek conures or parrotlets). To me, this is fine. It tells me that I trimmed the wings appropriate for the bird's age and physical condition while it was here. <br />
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My customers tell me they love my wing trimming method. Their birds are very social, flying to them, confident enough to explore the new play areas, etc. A recent customer, who purchased a jardines from me, really took some convincing when I told him I was going to trim his baby's wings. But when they came and got their baby, the wife remarked at how well their baby was able to fly and that it did so in such a controlled manner. Veterinarians have also complimented the wing trims on my babies when they are brought in for their well bird exams.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young caique in full flight with moderately trimmed wings<br /></td></tr>
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For most households, I do recommend a bird's wings be trimmed. But this is a personal choice. Wing trims do not last forever. Should an owner decide he/she wants their bird free flighted, they can let the wings grow out after their birds molt and see how it goes. About 99% of my customers who have done this, after a short time, do decide to have the wings moderately trimmed again. But a few of my customers have kept their birds fully flighted very successfully using positive training techniques.<br />
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Trimming the wings helps behaviorally with some birds as well. I have one customer, who when their parrotlet is fully flighted, he claims the whole house as his territory and becomes hard to manage. Once the wings are trimmed, he settles back down to his usual, social personality. I had another customer tell me one of his birds took a disliking to the youngest child in the family, and if out, would fly and attack the child! Slowing this bird down with a wing trim would be the first step in getting back some control to establish more acceptable behavior.<br />
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A proper, very moderate wing trim like I mentioned above, has worked very well for us for 18 years and our customers tell us it works for them as well. As far as the argument that trimming a bird's wings is not "natural", one must remember that our home environment is not natural for birds. So I take this argument with a grain of salt. How many windows, walls and ceiling fans does a wild parrot need to avoid while flying at full speed in the jungle?<br />
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When I trim a bird's wings, the purpose is to SLOW DOWN the bird's flight and limit the HEIGHT that the bird can reach, NOT prevent flight entirely. Some people who are against clipping at all make the analogy that clipping a bird's wings is like cutting off a human's legs. I see it more like putting a parachute on a dragster to enable it to slow it down in a safe, controlled manner.<br />
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The safety and well being of our babies as they go into their new homes is our number one priority. We have found our moderate wing trimming technique allows our babies to acclimate safely in their new homes, while still having some (but not all) of their flight capabilities. After the bird is in your home for a few months and begins it's first molt, it is up to you to make the decision about what is best for you and your bird.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-61575354510818504712014-09-17T07:53:00.001-07:002014-09-17T07:53:47.601-07:00The proper way to introduce birds<br />
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I recently saw a post on a message board where a bird suffered serious injuries because the owner, to introduce a new bird to his existing pet, put the new bird's cage inside the other bird's cage. The existing bird had free reign of his space, while the new bird was in the cage. This is not the proper way to introduce birds to each other! <br />
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Many people are under the misconception that as long as the new bird is in a cage, or if they are seperated by a divider, they are safe from harm. This is not true. Birds WILL fight through cage bars!<br />
In addition, loose birds should NEVER be allowed to climb on another cage while there is a bird inside. Birds are very territorial about their space and there is a good chance the bird inside the cage will bite toes, legs, or cause other serious injury to the "intruder" crawling around on their cage.<br />
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Here is what I recommend to introduce a new bird:<br />
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(1) Quarantine: The new bird should be taken to the vet for a health check and quarantined for a minimum of 30 days. Not only does this protect your existing bird(s) should a health issue arise, it also slowly acclimates the new bird to the environment with minimal stress to his immune system. <br />
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(2) The new bird should be housed in a seperate cage in the same room as the existing bird. How close the new bird should be put to the existing bird's cage depends on the comfort level of the birds. Some birds may need to be kept on opposite sides of the room for weeks or even months, to get used to each other. <br />
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(3) Gradually move the cages closer together paying attention to both birds' body language. Be sure neither bird is scared or uncomfortable.<br />
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(4) When cages are placed side by side, they should be no closer than 3 inches apart. This way the birds can get a good look at each other, but there is enough space between them to avoid physical contact between the cage bars. Some cockatoos can reach quite far outside the cage (laugh) so keep that in mind as well!<br />
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(5) Once you see the birds are comfortable with each other and sitting near each other in their seperate cages, you can introduce them in a NEUTRAL area. A neutral area is an area that neither bird has a claim to. For example, you can take the birds into a spare bedroom and let them play on the bed while you supervise. Or put them on a new play area that neither bird has been on before. Watch carefully for signs of aggression. Pinning eyes, raised feathers, lowered head, slightly open beak and slow movements (stalking) are signs of trouble. Have a towel in your hand so you can quickly remove a bird from a bad situation if needed. It is so important that all introductions be positive. If one bird scares or injures the other, the relationship often cannot be repaired after that.<br />
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(6) After you see the birds are getting along in a neutral area, you can introduce them to each other in their normal environment. All interactions should be supervised closely. Again, have that towel ready just in case! <br />
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(7) If you plan on housing the birds in the same cage, It is best to have a new, larger cage that neither bird has been in. Short supervised interactions in the new cage should be done at first, with both birds then going back into their own cages until you know they are truly friends and able to be trusted with each other. The cage should be large enough to house two birds comfortably. Two birds in a cramped cage is trouble waiting to happen.<br />
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For the majority of pet birds, I recommend they be housed in seperate cages. This reduces the tendency for them to form a mate bond once the birds mature (even different species can form a mate bond). This also allows the owner to handle each bird seperately and have a relationship with each bird. This is especially important with two birds of the same species. There are some exceptions to this rule, as nothing is absolute with birds. But in general, this is a good guideline to follow.<br />
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Some birds just do not get along and will never be able to share the same space. Or they may get along on a neutral play area but become aggressive once inside a cage. My yellow nape despises other birds (particularly smaller species) and would cause serious injury if I allowed her contact with another bird. In fact, if I am holding another bird, I have to put that bird down out of sight, wait a few minutes then go pick up my amazon. Otherwise she will bite me!<br />
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One also needs to take account the size and behavioral differences between species. An amazon could do serious damage to small conure. Caiques and lories, tend to be aggressive towards smaller birds and should not be trusted unsupervised (some cannot be trusted at all with other birds). They also tend to be more high energy, and their play habits are diffferent. A quaker or grey for example, would not appreciate the high energy antics of a caique trying to jump on them and wrestle! <br />
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I hope the above tips were helpful and will possibly prevent injuries in the future. There are many other things to consider when introducing birds that are beyond the scope of this article. Should you need additional advice, you may contact me at <a href="mailto:parrots4us@sbcglobal.net">parrots4us@sbcglobal.net</a> and we can set up a consultation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-38315302981259967562014-08-02T12:00:00.000-07:002014-08-02T12:11:20.415-07:00Money saving tips for bird owners<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We
are all feeling the crunch of the economy nowadays. We want to do the best we
can for our feathered family members, but need to watch our pocketbooks as
well. Here are a few tips I have learned over the years that have been
beneficial to both my birds and my budget:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Incorporate fresh foods in your bird’s diet.
Not only are fresh foods healthy for your bird (and you too), but economical as
well. If you enjoy being outdoors, think about planting a garden. My husband
has a wonderful garden that provides seasonal fresh foods all year long for us
and the birds. At the market, purchase fruits and vegetables in season to take
advantage of lower prices. Summer foods that are in season now for example are
corn on the cob, cantelope, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, peaches,
nectarines, figs, okra, papaya, mango and watermelon. When preparing meals for
your family, put aside a few healthy items and incorporate them into your
bird’s meals. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2.
Defrosted frozen vegetables are a nice addition to the diet and usually run
about 99 cents per pound. We also use defrosted blueberries here which our
birds love! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3.
Learn to sprout. Serving live, fresh, growing food is one of the best things
you can do for your bird. We use a simple wide mouth canning jar with a screen
lid and purchase items from the bulk bins of Whole Foods. Pre-mixed sprouting
blends are expensive to buy and have shipped. Make your own for a fraction of the cost. Some
items you can sprout are hard winter wheat berries, mung beans, lentils,
buckwheat groats, hulled sunflower, whole dried green and yellow peas, and
safflower. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">4.
Don’t fall for the hype. There always seems to be some new super food or
supplement out there that claims to cure everything. Or someone with lots of
seemingly good information, but at a closer look what they are really doing is
providing slanted information to sell their products. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep your money in your pocket, be careful of
what you read and really think before you buy. This also goes for following
advice from online message groups which can be dangerous or make your bird
sick. If you have a question regarding your bird’s care, it’s best to ask a
qualified avian professional such as an experienced breeder or avian vet. Common
sense also goes a long way. If you would not feed an item to a young child, it is
probably not good for your bird.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">5.
Utilize your husband! If your husband is handy with tools, you can save a lot
of money!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have him cut toy parts from
untreated lumber or safe natural branches, drill some holes and you have a bird toy for a fraction of
the cost of store bought. I don’t bother with coloring wood pieces. If I want
to add some color, I add some plastic beads or recycled parts from other toys (see
number 6). I've also seen some wonderful homemade play areas that were built for a fraction of the cost of storebought. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">6.
Recycle parts from old toys. Keep those chains, quick links, beads, wood
pieces, etc. and use them to make new toys or to add interesting elements to
homemade toys. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">7.
Stretch your toy budget by getting creative and making your own toys from
common household items. Straws, paper cups, coffee filters and small cardboard
boxes can make inexpensive, fun bird toys. Visit your local craft store for
unpainted popsicle sticks, natural wicker wreaths and baskets, wood pieces,
plastic beads, etc. There are lots of ideas for inexpensive, homemade bird toys
online.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">8.
Check out thrift stores. I purchase sheets to cover cages for a fraction of the
cost of new at a local thrift store. Some people have also told me they found
good deals on bird appropriate baby toys at these places. Just be sure to
sterilize these types of items well before giving them to your bird and be sure
they are safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">9.
Measure your bird’s food! This technique is used by professional bird trainers
and is an effective way to manage your bird’s eating habits. Overfeeding your
bird leads to wasted food (and money) and selective eating. Seed diets got a
bad rap because of this. Bird owners were feeding their birds a big bowl of
seed every day, and the birds would only eat one or two of the items from the
mix, which led to malnutrition. Now, I want to make it clear I am not saying to
starve your bird!! Slowly start cutting down on the amounts offered and take
note of how much your bird ACTUALLY EATS. For example, my Meyers parrot used to
be very wasteful with her pellets. When I started offering just enough to cover
the bottom of her dish instead of filling the bowl, she stopped wasting them.
She always has pellets available, just a lesser amount. When I started
measuring the seed portion of my parrotlet’s diet (he gets about a teaspoon a
day of a high quality mix), I found he not only ate the entire mix, but started
eating his pellets and fresh foods as well, resulting in him CONSUMING a more
well rounded diet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">10.
Buy some bird skewers!! Oh my gosh, I love my bird skewers! I hang fruit and
vegetables on them, and use them as a base to hang homemade toys or to build a new toy from recycled toy parts. These really
cut down on food waste since your bird cannot pick up a chunk of food and then
drop it through the grate. Some foods that your bird may not touch in his dish,
become a fun item to check out when hung on a skewer!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">11.
If your bird seems “off” get him checked out by a vet. Although you are probably
thinking how does spending money at the vet’s office save me money? Bringing
your bird in at the first sign of a problem, will save you big in the long run.
If a bird is just showing signs of illness, usually this can be taken care
quite easily if addressed right away. Perhaps it is a bacterial or respiratory
infection starting up or maybe a simple yeast infection. For the cost of an
office visit and some medication, you can get a potential problem knocked out
right away. This is much less expensive than waiting and then having to bring
your bird to an emergency vet clinic in the middle of the night. Or having your
bird become so ill that he has to spend several days recovering at the vet’s
office: Cha-ching!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">12.
Check out your local feed store. The feed stores near me carry quality bird
food at very reasonable prices. They also special order food for me. If I tell
them it is an item that I buy on a regular basis, they will stock it so they
have it in the store when I need it. If you are feeding multiple birds and want
to buy food in bulk bags, this is definitely an avenue you should check out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">13.
Make arrangements for bird sitting BEFORE you need it! If you know you are
going to be traveling, start looking NOW for someone to take care of your bird.
I cannot tell you how many last minute phone calls I get around Christmas time
from people needing to find a place to board their birds. The best and least
expensive option is to have a trusted neighbor, friend or family member either
come to your home every day or keep the bird at their home while you’re away. If
they have pets too, maybe you can work out an arrangement to swap petsitting
services for each other at no cost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">14.
Take advantage of websites that offer free shipping. If they have minimum order
requirements to qualify for free shipping, plan your orders accordingly. Dr.
Foster & Smith offers free shipping on orders of $49 or more. My Safe Bird
Store is another great site. They always have some kind of sale going on and
free shipping on orders totaling $100 or more. I refer all of my customers to
these two sites for bird supplies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">15.
Love and attention goes a long way to keeping your bird happy and healthy. Take
your bird to the shower with you. Bring him with you to ride in the car when
you run errands. Let him hang out with you while you unload the dishwasher or
fold clothes. Bring him outside (either in a safe travel cage or teach him to
wear a harness) and let him get some fresh air and sunshine. Teach him some fun
tricks. Turn on a movie and just relax and cuddle your bird for a while. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I
have to say, the longest lived, healthiest, most well adjusted birds I have met
did not have owners with lots of money. They did not get high priced special
organic foods or have the most expensive toys. They did not live in custom,
stainless steel cages. Their owners did not obsess over their care. These birds
instead were basically treated like family members. They were fed a simple diet
comprising mostly of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy “people food”, a little
bit of quality seed mix and maybe some pellets. Some birds got a vitamin
supplement sprinkled over their fresh foods or in their water once or twice a
week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they needed to go to the vet, they
went. Nothing special there. But their owners loved them dearly and spent lots
of time with them. I think that counts for a lot in regards to our bird’s well
being and is something we sometimes forget about in this age of information
(more on this in a future article). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Love
and common sense doesn’t cost a thing </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-31365877275714710462014-05-16T10:57:00.000-07:002016-04-05T06:18:02.769-07:00The importance of a good avian vetJust yesterday, I had a medical emergency with one of my birds. I had a green cheek conure, that after laying an usually large clutch of eggs, had one last egg inside her that she could not pass. This is commonly called "egg bound" and birds can die from this if the egg is not passed. The little hen looked exhausted, I knew she needed help. I am very fortunate to live close to my avian vet. I called and told them the problem and let them know I was on the way. The receptionist at the front desk told me they would be ready for me when I got there. They got my bird right in. Since I noticed the bird's distress right away, and did not wait to bring her in, the bird was strong enough to handle the trip to the vet, and the egg extraction procedure. After spending the night, she is now back home with me safe and sound, and is feeling much better. Needless to say, she will be receiving a nice long rest, so we won't be having any new clutches of green cheeks for a good while.<br />
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She did have some eggs in the nest, which are in the incubator (including the egg that was extracted at the vet's). So we will see what happens!<br />
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So many people, wait until they have an emergency before finding an avian vet for their bird. Well, if you have an emergency, and you are trying to locate an avian vet, you are losing precious time. It is so important to have your name on file with a vet BEFORE something happens. You will have a much easier time getting your bird in if you are a client on file. Even if your bird is healthy, I recommend that my customers bring their birds in occasionally for a well bird check-up or even a grooming, so they have an established relationship with their vet. During such appointments, a vet can detect any potential health issues which have a good chance of being corrected if addressed early on. <br />
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Unfortunately, I see all too often on the internet chat boards, people will post that their bird is ill, has a chronic problem, or got injured, and they are asking for medical advice from the group. I always get upset when I see this. Birds lose condition very quickly when they have a health issue. Don't wait for advice, don't try some crazy home remedy, get your bird in to a qualified avian vet ASAP. The earlier you get your bird in, the better chance it will have to recover. A bird that has been sick for a few days, may not have the energy reserves left to handle the stress of a vet visit and medical procedure. <br />
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Vet visits are expensive, particularly emergencies. I recommend that bird owners put money aside in an emergency fund just for their birds. Put a little bit in each week. I recommend a reserve of a minimum of $500, $1,000 is even better. You don't want to be in a position of not being able to bring your bird to the vet in a crisis situation because you can't afford it. <br />
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There are more and more avian vets available, particularly in and near the larger cities. There is most likely one or more in your area, or within an hour's drive. On my website, I have a link where you can find an avian vet. The link is located near the middle of the page: <a href="http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/info.htm">http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/info.htm</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-55959438733087816782014-03-15T17:24:00.001-07:002014-03-15T17:24:05.108-07:00No quick fixesI have received quite a few calls lately from people who have purchased parrots from less than reputable sources that want quick fix behaviorial advice. When I ask them why they are not contacting the person they purchased the bird from, I am told the person who sold them the bird either will not return their calls, or basically told them it's your problem now. First and foremost I want to say that is so important to purchase a bird from a reputable, knowledgeable person. Either a quality bird store, or a highly recommended breeder is the best way to go. Both of these sources will offer expert advice, a health guarantee and will be available to help you after the sale. Both of these sources also care about their reputation and want to be sure that their customers are satisfied with their purchase. <br />
Customers who purchase my birds, are offered free support for the lifetime of their bird. They are welcome to contact me anytime with questions. I feel it is important that my customers know they can call me for knowledgeable advice if they need it, and not have to resort to going online to a free "chat board" where the advice is usually questionable at best. As the breeder, I have a lot of insight regarding my babies as I know their genetics, early history and worked with the customer very closely during the sale process. This background information is helpful when a question arises. <br />
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Unfortunately, I do not have this sort of information on birds that I did not raise. To help someone with a bird I am not familiar with, I have to ask many questions, look at pictures (or go to the home if necessary), find out if the bird has seen a vet, etc., etc. It is not enough to tell me "I bought a green bird from some guy two weeks ago and now he is biting me". It would be extremely irresponsible for me to give advice without obtaining as much background information as possible. Yet, people think I can just rattle off a quick fix and all will be better. Well, when trying to change a behavior, it just doesn't work like that. <br />
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Some people are not interested if I cannot offer a quick fix solution immediately. They are also not interested in doing any type of work on the relationship, and/or don't want to pay for a consultation. This saddens me as with just a little bit of work and some time, the relationship could probably be improved substantially. But in retrospect, if these people had purchased a bird from a quality source in the first place, from a seller who takes the time to educate their customers (which may have meant spending a few dollars more), they would not be having these issues in the first place.<br />
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If price is your only consideration when shopping for a feathered companion who has the potential to live with you for 20-40 years, then you will get what you pay for. Cheap equals low quality and low service, no matter what you buy. Quality always costs a little more, because more time, quality materials, workmanship and effort has gone into the final product. Quality also lasts. A well bred, healthy bird raised by a knowledgeable, caring professional will have the head start it needs to be a successful companion for many years. <br />
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If you do need help, it's better to address the problem sooner rather than later. Habits become more and more entrenched over time. People are often amazed what a few conversations over the phone or a couple of training sessions can accomplish if an issue is addressed quickly.<br />
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I had a woman call me several years ago who was given an eclectus parrot. She was not familiar with this species and wanted to learn how to take care of this bird correctly. The bird came to her in terrible shape from a poor diet and inappropriate caging. After one consultation, she called me about a week later and told me how much better her eclectus was doing. She wrapped his perches (which were too big for his feet) with vetwrap so he could grip better and changed his diet to what I recommended. She said he was moving around better, playing more and loving his new diet which included lots of healthy, fresh foods. She was able to handle him easily and they were becoming fast friends. She even sent me pictures so I could see the improvements for myself. Here is an example of how just a little bit of education and effort can make a big difference! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-4645687345101388782014-02-14T16:54:00.000-08:002014-02-14T17:02:58.351-08:00Birds in the Media: Blue & Gold Macaw on "The Millers"<div class="text_exposed_root text_exposed" id="id_52fe46a2d63051766925303">
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">I'm not normally a fan of network tv sitcoms, but the other night, the show "The Millers" aired a re-run episode with a blue and gold macaw in it. The episode name was "Giving the Bird". Obviously this is main stream media, so the bird care information was not exactly 100% correct to say the least, but it was better than what I normally see on tv. The bird's cage was a decent size (although there <span class="text_exposed_show">were no toys in it which I would have liked to have seen, and just one perch). The bird also had a minor plucking issue which I thought was interesting. I wonder if this bird maybe was a pet that belonged to one of the staff members of the show? </span></span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">The premise of the episode was that the mother gave the bird to a neighbor many years ago, as she felt the children were not responsible enough to handle it's care. She told the kids that it flew out the window. The kids, now adults, were reunited with the bird while trick-or-treating at the neighbor's home (this was a Halloween episode). They blamed the mother for lying to them about the bird, claimed they loved it and told the mother she was wrong to do what she did. Not to be proven wrong, the mother proceeded to bring the bird back. She told the kids "here is your bird, here is a list of foods and recipes that the bird likes, and have fun as these birds can live up to 60 years". </span></span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">And here is when the fun started....</span></span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">The part that made me laugh was when they were complaining about how much work it was to take care of the bird. One character was standing over a pot in the kitchen saying she had to cook "special noodles" for the bird every day (Crazy Corn perhaps?) and if they weren't cooked exactly right, the bird would throw the food out of the cage and get diarrhea. They mentioned how expensive it was to take this bird to the exotic vet and they had to give him eyedrops which cost $200/bottle. They complained that they had to constantly clean around the bird's cage. Then the bird remembered being back in his old home and started repeating the insults the ex-wife used to tell the husband (laugh). There's more, but those were some of the highlights. </span></span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">In all, yes this show was pretty silly. But the one thing I liked about the episode, was how it showed the viewers that it takes EFFORT and COMMITMENT to take on the care of a bird. A few comments made during the show such as the mother saying "honestly who would give a child a parrot as a pet!", and her mentioning the long potential lifespan were woven into the storyline. Another part showed an empty cage of which it was explained that one of the characters brought the bird upstairs with her to spend time with it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">Although not perfect, this was a pleasant change from what we normally see in mainstream media; a bird in a small cramped cage eating birdseed. I thought it was funny, because as bird owners we don't see the care of our birds as work. But non-bird people look at us and all we do for our birds and think we are crazy! Obviously one of the writers knew someone who owned a bird and incorporated his view of the bird's care routine, and an educational message about responsibility into the episode. I got a nice chuckle from it. </span></span></div>
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="text_exposed_show">The bird did end up back with the neighbor woman at the end of the episode, so it ended well :-)</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-26371489616451144562012-12-09T12:10:00.000-08:002012-12-09T12:10:24.098-08:00Higgins Inca Bean Salad Review: UpdateThis morning, I mixed the cooked Higgins Inca Bean Salad in with my veggie mix. <br />
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For the babies in the nursery this morning, I mixed it approximately 50/50 with my veggie mix:<br />
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The babies seemed to eat it okay:<br />
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For my pet and aviary birds, who are used to a chopped veggie mix and not so much cooked foods, I went heavier on the veggies. I like the way this mix turned out:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_XubXLqarc5qhpeh1AY4dpD6omMbBd3a6JNRmDu_xo0RsXvL6jO_6IjsXOcOLedqpkKi4GeklcQe8FannJ-L5cLVvPa7jvZAWCvRwhAnsMIGx69iT5tnerJ9idUa-fbOJVKlVSHggtw/s1600/HigginsInca3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_XubXLqarc5qhpeh1AY4dpD6omMbBd3a6JNRmDu_xo0RsXvL6jO_6IjsXOcOLedqpkKi4GeklcQe8FannJ-L5cLVvPa7jvZAWCvRwhAnsMIGx69iT5tnerJ9idUa-fbOJVKlVSHggtw/s320/HigginsInca3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The pet and aviary birds ate this mix very well. Since my birds are used to a chopped mix, adding the Higgins did not change the appearance of it very much. All in all, just as I mentioned in my last post, this mix makes a nice healthy addition to my regular chopped veggie mix. I feel it makes a nutritious, base for a "mash" recipe or could be served alone if you have a bird that enjoys cooked foods. The nice thing about it is it all the ingredients are pre-mixed and it is quick to prepare. This mix can also be frozen in portions to thaw out for future meals. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-12173812345708404732012-12-08T17:33:00.000-08:002012-12-08T17:33:27.777-08:00Higgins Wordly Cuisine Review: Inca Bean SaladMy poor neglected blog LOL! Time passes quickly here at the aviary! Our facebook page is active, with new people joining every day! We welcome you to be part of it as well. Just to go our site at <a href="http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/">www.almostangelsaviary.com</a> and click on the Facebook link. See you there!<br />
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Higgins Worldly Cuisine Inca Bean Salad Review:<br />
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I'm always looking for nutritious foods that our birds will enjoy and that are easy for our customers to prepare once they bring their new babies home. I saw the new Higgins Worldy Cuisine cook and serve mixes and thought I'd give them a try. I purchased three flavors: Inca Bean Salad, Passage to India and Mundo Brazil. This review is for the Inca Bean Salad.<br />
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Here is the ingredient list: Quinoa, Pearled Barley, Carrot Granules, Pre-Cooked Black Beans, Pre-Cooked Sweet Corn, Pre-Cooked Lentils, Dried Celery, Pre-Cooked Garbanzo Beans, Pre-Cooked Navy Beans, Dried Parsley, Pre-Cooked Pinto Beans, Potato Dices, Pre-Cooked Red Kidney Beans, Dehydrated Sweet Pepper, Rosemary, Tomato Flakes, Dried Kelp, and Vegetable Broth.<br />
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Here's a picture of the dry mix: <br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwXSNuvvJJXFL3PFSIDwLW-UGUpynjII71Smt1FOyHSYY-CCrLqWdaT4-RvdYXGllgm8SLD_vkOBvNjvPz-VnxZPZzhzDUn6U-7Vm4o-jp2iyB-yHNq3npgt27t_61A2YhMwkUDpW8k8/s1600/HigginsInca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwXSNuvvJJXFL3PFSIDwLW-UGUpynjII71Smt1FOyHSYY-CCrLqWdaT4-RvdYXGllgm8SLD_vkOBvNjvPz-VnxZPZzhzDUn6U-7Vm4o-jp2iyB-yHNq3npgt27t_61A2YhMwkUDpW8k8/s200/HigginsInca.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Higgins Inca Bean Salad Dry</td></tr>
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It was easy to prepare. I just followed the package directions. The veggies and beans are freeze dried so it cooked quickly. No need to soak beans overnight! It was ready in about 10 minutes.<br />
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Here's what it looked like after it was cooked:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnEKXUWc1aGBF10bDpLx066ixRowV-RYMhmDlmCtapbgFuRekHp3N4Zrr4ZWJfVzCZpyv5PYg8XpY0N5c-JiLnREAiNqbPuByWkjg50w0nnH36si_dk249s3FBwDdBTEtFci47gwyuBI/s1600/HigginsInca2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnEKXUWc1aGBF10bDpLx066ixRowV-RYMhmDlmCtapbgFuRekHp3N4Zrr4ZWJfVzCZpyv5PYg8XpY0N5c-JiLnREAiNqbPuByWkjg50w0nnH36si_dk249s3FBwDdBTEtFci47gwyuBI/s200/HigginsInca2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Higgins Inca Bean Salad Cooked</td></tr>
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My taste testers were Cricket (meyers parrot) and some babies in the nursery: 2 jardines and a black headed caique. <br />
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I fed this mix in the afternoon, which is not their normal time for soft foods (I feed my veggie mix in the morning), but what the heck, I wanted to see if they liked it.<br />
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Cricket ate a little bit, but overall did not act too impressed. The caique nibbled on some as well. The jardines (the youngest birds in this group) ate the most and seemed to enjoy it. <br />
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For my birds, I think rather than serving it as is, it would make a nice bean/grain base to which other items could be added (for example defrosted frozen and freshly chopped vegetables, etc.) It is a "wet" mix so it should not be left in the cage for more than a few hours. <br />
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I'm going to add this to my veggie mix tomorrow morning. I'll let everyone know how it goes.<br />
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Overall, I would give this product a thumbs up. <br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-63099478919097945892012-08-01T19:51:00.000-07:002012-08-01T19:51:47.425-07:00Cool Playstand!One of my customers, who recently purchased a blue quaker parrot from me sent me photos of a great playstand he made for his new feathered family member. Anyone who has purchased a bird from me knows I emphasize using rope perches and wrapping slippery perches/play areas with vetwrap and/or sissel to give young birds good grip. Young birds on slippery perches will slip and fall, destroying their confidence. This lack of confidence causes a young bird to not move around the cage like it should and can even cause stress related behaviors such as screaming and feather plucking. <br />
I was so impressed with this stand, I wanted to share it with others. :-)<br />
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Jerry told me the following about the stand he made: "It was made from 1/2" PVC pipe. It is 41" tall by 20" wide. Wrapped in natural sisal
rope and vet wrap. This includes swing, perch, sisal rope ladder, and a treat
dish. The whole project excluding the toys cost approx. $35. Savings based on
internet price is about $100!!!!!" <br />
<br />If anyone is interested, it was constructed with about 15ft of the 1/2"
<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1343874088_0">PVC pipe</span>. 4 - 45 degree elbows,
8 - 1/2" PVC caps, 6 - T <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1343874088_1">PVC
fittings</span>, 5 - 90 degree elbows, 1 cross fitting, 1 1/4" PVC cap, pack of
<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1343874088_2">sisal rope</span>, 2 rolls of vet
wrap." <br />
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This was a family project. Jerry and his 9 year old son built the stand, and his wife helped wrap it in sisal and vetwrap. That's a lot of wrapping LOL! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hJ_Endd13qUiVe-iwyYqzfU77mlcYsuFmCl9X_cjQUWjpwIJuJdd5Pvz1wKLPuh0yxKJLv09JFS3qdouEP_Ec01U-3le6uBGd0Valus3OzhAxloV6I3MHKSkGMxuNs2VfBtJ6nUqngg/s1600/playstand2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hJ_Endd13qUiVe-iwyYqzfU77mlcYsuFmCl9X_cjQUWjpwIJuJdd5Pvz1wKLPuh0yxKJLv09JFS3qdouEP_Ec01U-3le6uBGd0Valus3OzhAxloV6I3MHKSkGMxuNs2VfBtJ6nUqngg/s320/playstand2.jpg" width="174" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quaker parrot "Fisher" enjoying his new playstand. His owner, Jerry did a tremendous job! Note how Jerry wrapped all the surfaces with both vetwrap and sissel rope so his baby could climb and play without slipping.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BoUaXyGWMxQUlIkOJlBORHJY2emKgwlsEExpDb8hh8Npf8mO_9mgUI4_B2VGLgsfjisyPTPg6OAFJMEIOIml0tpy7OXSWaIjKEa6H6xjk3yN6OQz1YeOP742kzqDg7Mp_uRvr0Doa1Y/s1600/playstand5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BoUaXyGWMxQUlIkOJlBORHJY2emKgwlsEExpDb8hh8Npf8mO_9mgUI4_B2VGLgsfjisyPTPg6OAFJMEIOIml0tpy7OXSWaIjKEa6H6xjk3yN6OQz1YeOP742kzqDg7Mp_uRvr0Doa1Y/s320/playstand5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A food cup allows Fisher to grab a snack when he gets hungry.</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KE6HyaUf-1k8VZd0sngTzL9cG5ul6CgBtYRshNxWdv_f20d-5he4svWRS7h9c7r-An3-tq_fU8w0JuJg7DK_943jQiI5yyKFrWE1JmhDO2waJdunVftWnnlFQy2tdtK1oSUoMa1dUaE/s1600/playstand2a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KE6HyaUf-1k8VZd0sngTzL9cG5ul6CgBtYRshNxWdv_f20d-5he4svWRS7h9c7r-An3-tq_fU8w0JuJg7DK_943jQiI5yyKFrWE1JmhDO2waJdunVftWnnlFQy2tdtK1oSUoMa1dUaE/s320/playstand2a.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the surfaces wrapped, Fisher can climb and play anywhere on his stand. Look at how he is playing with this toy while perching at an angle. This baby has plenty of confidence due to the grippable surfaces.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3cS-pY9xEJvpu7Y_IrKY8LUULmUMSOGPn_9t3meaYVrWdqTWYXhCbRNk6WGTjz4mzskYWT21NW5jf3euZFx7kq3wC4IuXHHfrziVPxW9VGM3L2IAvLLrBRGdLyxnRQU9wpsVFntNgWQ/s1600/playstand3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3cS-pY9xEJvpu7Y_IrKY8LUULmUMSOGPn_9t3meaYVrWdqTWYXhCbRNk6WGTjz4mzskYWT21NW5jf3euZFx7kq3wC4IuXHHfrziVPxW9VGM3L2IAvLLrBRGdLyxnRQU9wpsVFntNgWQ/s320/playstand3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sissel rope ladder adds a fun dimension to this already great play area!</td></tr>
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Today, I was driving and saw a green slider turtle in the road. I have a soft spot for turtles. I think they are so cute! I just hate when I see them trying to cross busy streets. Most get injured or killed. I think it must be terrifying for these peaceful slow creatures to have to cross hot pavement with cars whizzing by and over them. If at all possible, I will stop and help them across the street or will pick them up and relocate them to a safe area where there are other turtles.<br />
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The turtle I was helping today unfortunately had been injured. There was blood. I saw a laceration on his front foot, and he had a serious eye injury. Otherwise, the shell and the rest of his body looked okay. I thought with some medical attention he could probably be fixed up and released. This was a job for a wildlife rehabber. Time to make a drive to the TWRC. <br />
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TWRC stands for Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coahilition. These hardworking state certified volunteers (you must be certified to take in wildlife - owning a native animal/bird is illegal) nurse injured wildlife back to health with the optimum goal of re-releasing them. Most people although well intentioned, do not have the expertise to this properly. Please, for the animal's sake, if you find injured wildlife bring it to the experts! <br />
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I had not been to their new location. It is really nice! Much bigger than the old location. They have a really neat reception area where a few of their permanent wildlife residents are kept. I got to see a wild squirrel up close as well as several reptiles and even owls! The staff is friendly and helpful. <br />
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Since it is run by volunteers they have limited operating hours. I suggest if you find an injured animal or bird, give them a call before driving over. Their phone message gives you instructions in what to do with the animal until you can get it some help.<br />
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Their new location is at 10801 Hammerly. It is right off I-10/Beltway 8 North. I am in Richmond (West of Houston past Katy) and I was there and back in an hour. I think most people in the Houston area could get there in about 30 minutes or less. <br />
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The TWRC is funded solely by donations, which are tax deductible. If you bring an animal/bird there for help, please give them a donation to help with the cost of it's care if you are able. Any amount you can spare will be graciously accepted. You can also donate online through their website! Again, any amount will help to keep this fine organization running. You never know when you might need them!<br />
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They also have youth and educational outreach programs available. See their website for more information: <a href="http://www.twrc-houston.org/"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">http://www.twrc-houston.org/</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-7370138903354440362012-02-29T18:10:00.001-08:002012-02-29T18:12:03.065-08:00An easy way to prepare sweet potato for your birdEveryone knows that cooked sweet potato is very nutritious for parrots. I found it to be kind of pain to prepare though. I would steam them in the microwave and one part would get too mushy while another section would hardly be cooked. And peeling the skin from the cooked flesh was messy.<br />
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I found a way to cook sweet potatoes in the microwave and they come out great! Super easy too. <br />
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1. Wash the sweet potatoes well (I scrub them with soap and water and rinse well). Then peel.<br />
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2. Dice the potatoes to the size your birds prefer. I dice mine to about 1/4 of an inch or so. Similar in size to the diced carrots in the frozen veggie mixes, maybe just slightly larger. <br />
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3. Place the diced potatoes in a microwave safe dish and spread them evenly. Do not add any water. Cover <u>loosely</u> with a lid to allow the build-up of steam while cooking. Do not "snap on" the lid. You don't want the dish to explode! Again no need to add water. The water content naturally contained in the sweet potato will provide just enough steam for cooking.<br />
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4. Cook in the microwave on high heat for about 2-3 minutes per potato. I suggest you check it after two minutes and then cook more as needed. You want the dices cooked "al dente" not overdone.<br />
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5. Once cooked allow them to cool and serve. Place leftovers in the fridge. I add these dices to my veggie recipes for added nutrition. Weaning babies especially love the soft texture and mild sweetness. <br />
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I think this would probably work with pumpkins too. I'll have to try this when the fall pumpkins arrive!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-91214141059597393372012-02-21T18:33:00.000-08:002012-02-21T18:33:29.075-08:00Product Review: Oven Fresh BitesI was given a sample of Caitec's Oven Fresh Bites while shopping the vendors at Parrot Festival. I got the medium size which is a nice foot holding, nugget size for small to medium birds (conures, caiques, senegals up to amazons and african greys). When I opened the package, it smelled really nice. Sort of like oatmeal cookies. The ingredient list is impressive with lots of natural ingredients balanced with vitamins and minerals. There are no artificial colors or flavors. I gave some nuggets to my following birds for testing: Jewel (just weaned hahns mini-macaw), Tutti (yellow naped amazon), Baby Blue (blue quaker), Cricket (meyers parrot) and a few green cheeks that were in the process of weaning. <br />
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Every single bird loved the pellets. I was quite surprised Tutti liked them as she does not care for pellets and it is a struggle to get her to eat her share of them. And I wasn't sure my young hahns macaw would have the dexterity to hold and eat the nuggets, but she managed just fine. The texture of the nuggets are crunchy, but not as hard/compressed as other popular pellet brands. I was able to break them in pieces fairly easily.<br />
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They are a little more expensive than some of the other popular brands, but given the high quality ingredients, I can understand why. Even so, I feel they would be well within the budget of most pet bird owners. They are nutritionally complete so they can be fed as a base diet or as a nutritious treat.<br />
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I definitely plan on ordering another bag to have on hand here. My birds eat these pellets as treats and enjoy munching on them in the evening when we all have our "snack" together. My meyers parrot gives me the "flashing" eyes when she sees me coming with the bag! <br />
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All in all, I would give a thumbs up to these pellets. Give them a try!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-66688920843647256702012-01-23T12:28:00.000-08:002012-01-23T12:56:11.460-08:00A Classic is Back! Parrots Treasure Bird ToysFor those of you that have been into parrots for a few years (smile), you may remember Parrots Treasure. One of the original bird toy manufacturers and certainly one of the first (if not THE first) to introduce the concept of foraging; they use natural wood, vegetable tanned leather and pine nuts in their unique toys. These toys are a hit with all parrots. Birds just can't resist working to get at that little pine nut! These toys are also loved by greys or shy birds that may be intimidated by brightly colored toys and/or with rescue birds that are learning about toys. <br />
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They have a wide assortment of adorable designs - hanging and foot toys. All with a generous allotment of pine nuts embedded in the wood. Each toy is handmade to the highest quality standards. What I also like about them is that they are just the right texture. The wood is soft enough to make your bird feel like he is making some progress - but not so soft that the toy will be on the floor of the cage in an hour. These toys are very safe and can be used inside the cage as well as on any play areas. There are no dangerous components that your bird will get hung up on and no zinc parts to worry about.<br />
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I have a friend with a yellow collared macaw that just loves the fun pops. Fun pops are a foot toy with a "rattle" on the handle. Whenever she starts to get loud, my friend gives her one of these and that keeps her busy for a while! I also like the "all leather toy". Birds love to sink their beaks into all those leather knots and/or work to get them untied.<br />
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They are very knowledgeable. If you are not sure what to order, just let them know what type of bird you have, and they will be happy to recommend appropriate toys. <br />
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Check out their website at <a href="http://www.parrotstreasure.com/">www.parrotstreasure.com</a> and tell them Christine from Almost Angels Aviary sent you!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-39219883988010205782011-12-18T14:44:00.000-08:002011-12-18T14:44:55.137-08:00Parrot Festival is coming up!To those who don't know, Parrot Festival is a conference held every January in Houston. It is put on by the National Parrot Rescue and Preservation Foundation (NPRPF) which is a bird rescue and education organization. The conference features a wide array of speakers discussing different topics regarding parrots. There are always a lot of great vendors there showcasing new and interesting bird toys, artwork, clothing, bird food, perches and much more! If there is a product for birds or their people, you will see it at Parrot Festival (laugh). <br />
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Their speaker list is always impressive. Avian vets, breeders, behaviorists, professional trainers, conservationists and nutritionists are featured. I suggest you attend all the talks, even if you think the subject does not apply to you. I guarantee you will learn something from every single speaker.<br />
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For the social butterflies, on Friday night they have a casual meet and greet where you can mingle with the speakers and other attendees. On Saturday night they have a dinner/galah and silent and live auction which features unique items donated by vendors and attendees. It is a lot of fun. All the proceeds go to the NPRPF.<br />
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In the midst of all this is a Texas sized raffle featuring tons of great stuff! <br />
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The conference this year is January 20-22 at the Doubletree Hotel near the Houston Intercontinental Airport. Rooms are still available, but it is good to get your reservation early as they fill up fast. For more information go to <a href="http://www.parrotfestival.org/festivalinfo.html">http://www.parrotfestival.org/festivalinfo.html</a> and click on the "Parrot Festival" tab. A pop up menu will appear with information options.<br />
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Hope to see you there!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-28435292986200978672011-12-07T13:39:00.000-08:002011-12-07T13:52:01.726-08:00Holiday Travel What to do with Birdie?Around this time of year I get a lot of inquiries about what to do with pet birds when their owners are traveling over the holidays. In general, I feel it is best for the bird to remain in the home. Arrange to have a trusted neighbor or friend come over once or twice a day to check on and take care of your feathered friend. Leaving the bird in it's home environment is the least stressful option. <br />
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Don't have a friend or neighbor that is available? Having a pet sitter come in is the next best option. Don't know anyone? Ask your pet owning friends/neighbors for a referral. There is usually a responsible teenager in the area offering pet sitting services this time of year as they are trying to earn a few extra dollars during their holiday break. Or look up pet sitters in the yellow pages. Professional pet sitters are usually booked this time of year, so you will need to reserve them early.<br />
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Another place to find a pet sitter is your vet's office. Call them and see if they have someone they recommend. Some of the vet tech's pet sit on the side for extra cash. <br />
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A trusted friend who is familiar with birds may be able to keep your bird at their home for a few days while you are away. I find this option works better with the smaller birds, as they are more portable.<br />
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The last option is to board your bird at a facility. Most avian vets offer boarding services as well as some bird stores. This is my least favorite option as you are exposing your bird to other strange birds which is a big health risk. On the plus side, you know your bird is being looked after by competant caretakers while you are away. If you are going to board, check out the facility carefully.<br />
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If you are going to leave your bird at home, have the petsitter play a radio during the day to keep your bird company. Plug in a nightlight so your bird can see if something frightens him during the night. Provide him with his favorite toys and food while you are away. Foraging toys and the Planet Pleasures "Pinata" toys will keep your bird busy during the day. Inspect your bird's toys/perches carefully and remove any (such as cotton rope toys or ring type toys) that could entangle your bird while he is not being supervised. Also inspect all the quick links in the cage and be sure they are closed and fastened securely. Door latches should be checked to be sure they close securely.<br />
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With some pre-planning, you and your bird can both have a worry free holiday travel season!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-60462517033976257672011-11-16T10:36:00.000-08:002011-11-16T10:37:19.270-08:00Zupreem Lory Nectar DiscontinuedFor those of you who have lories and feed Zupreem Lory Nectar, I wanted to let you know this product is being discontinued by the manufacturer. I suggest you buy an extra bag while it is still in stock. Then you can mix the Zupreem and the new brand of nectar you will be using together to slowly transition your lory to the new brand. Lories can be very particular about their nectar (whether you feed it dry or wet). A slow transition is much better than just switching brands and hoping your lory will eat it.<br />
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A good alternative for Zupreem that is well accepted by lories is Avico Lory Life (this company has been making lory diets for years. They are one of the first companies to produce a commercially available lory diet). You can buy this product at Avico Cuttlebone Plus. Here is their website: <a href="http://www.avicoproducts.com/">http://www.avicoproducts.com/</a> I think their fruit gel product looks pretty interesting too. I plan on ordering some in the future to see how my lories like it! Avico products are very popular with professional lory breeders and zoos around the country.<br />
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Two other brands of lory powders that are available are Roudybush and Goldenfeast. I personally have not tried the Roudybush brand. Would love to hear opinions from readers who use it. Munchkin (my pet red flanked lory) did not care much for the Goldenfeast brand. But he can be fussy (laugh). <br />
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Hope this helps all you lory owners out there!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-6822668761427020832011-09-06T12:10:00.000-07:002011-09-06T12:10:54.215-07:00Good places to shop online!Many of us shop the internet for our parrot supplies. Most local stores just don't have what we need and the prices tend to be more competitive online. Unfortunately as with everything else these days, shipping has increased substantially. Many times, the cost of shipping is equal to or exceeds the cost of the order itself!<br />
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There are a few good sites that have a good selection of bird supplies as well as free shipping if you meet their minimum order amount. I recommend that you stock up when placing your order to avoid paying shipping on smaller, more frequent orders. <br />
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Here are three sites to check out:<br />
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Dr. Fosters & Smith: <a href="http://www.drsfostersmith.com/">http://www.drsfostersmith.com/</a> This is the site I refer my customers to when they are purchasing supplies for their new bird. They have a great selection of bird supplies (and other animal supplies as well) and offer free shipping if your order is over $49! Their prices are excellent and they always seem to have something new. I highly recommend you sign up for their mail catalogs!<br />
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Pet Solutions: <a href="http://www.petsolutions.com/storefront/bird/cbird-p1.html">http://www.petsolutions.com/storefront/bird/cbird-p1.html</a> This site has some really good prices on their larger bags of food which when you factor in free shipping is a good deal. They also have a nice selection of products. I've always received my orders very quickly from them.<br />
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That Pet Place: <a href="http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/cat/expand/243/category.web">http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/cat/expand/243/category.web</a> They usually run free shipping specials so you have to be on the lookout. Sign up on their email list and they will send you a notification when they have a sale. Right now, they are offering free shipping on orders over $49. Again a nice selection of products for all your pets, not just birds.<br />
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If you know of some other parrot supply sites that have good prices and competitive shipping rates let me know.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-76891813129569409382011-09-03T14:05:00.000-07:002011-09-03T14:05:28.983-07:00Product ReviewWell, in my previous blog I mentioned that I ordered Mango Control Spray to see if it worked as a replacement for Camicide. It is a "natural" formulation with the following ingredients: ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Sodium lauryl sulfate 1.50%, cinnamon oil .50%, cedar oil .20%, clove oil .20%, other ingredients (water, citric acid, bentonite) 97.60%. <br />
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I tried this product on a few different types of bugs - ants, two roaches and some sort of beetle. Unfortunately this product did not work on any of them. I soaked the bugs with this stuff and they basically walked right out of it. :-( <br />
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A spray or two with Camicide knocked them out right away.<br />
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This product smells nice when you spray it, but in my experience was not effective at all. I was so disappointed in this product that I just threw it away.<br />
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Luckily, I was able to obtain a few more bottles of Camicide. I do not need to use very much, so my supply should last me a while. Hopefully, by the time I run out it will be back on the market.<br />
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Meanwhile, if I see another product that shows some promise, I'll be sure and let everyone know!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-43425058034940565252011-07-21T15:27:00.000-07:002019-09-24T09:55:56.365-07:00What's the deal with Camicide?Camicide has been a bird owner's best friend for years. An insecticide that is safe to use around birds AND effective, it is the number one selling insecticide in the bird industry. I personally LOVE this stuff because it works! Being in Texas, controlling insects is a constant battle. Spraying insecticides around the outside of our home is not a problem, but inside we have to be very careful. Anyone who lives here knows Texas bugs are immune to just about everything. You can practically bathe them in natural "herbal" insecticide products and they walk away unscathed! A spray or two with Camicide knocks them out cold.<br />
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Now the problem. Camicide is nowhere to be found at the moment. I think I bought the last gallon in existence a few weeks ago from a poultry supplier. I paid a pretty penny for it too. What's the deal?<br />
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There is a worldwide shortage of pyrethrin, the active ingredient in Camicide. Pyrethrin is a natural insecticide made from the Chrysanthemum flower. Kenya is the primary supplier of pyrethrin and problems in that country have affected the global supply. Actually there have been problems with the supply on and off for about four years now. This is why in the past, Camicide would be temporarily unavailable only to come back on the market a few months later. This year, the shortage is really bad. Many companies that produce horse fly sprays, etc. have gone to using alternative substitutions to pyrethrin to meet customer demand for pest control. Unfortunately for bird people, our options are limited. <br />
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Some people confuse Pyrethrin and Permethrin which is a fatal mistake. Permethrin is a synthetic insecticide which is not safe to use around birds (nor cats). <br />
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I have recently ordered Mango Control spray to see if that would work as a viable alternative to Camicide. I read online that it contained pyrethrum (pyrethrin). I ordered it, thinking it might work similar to Camicide. I admit, I was wondering how they had this stuff in light of the shortgage, but went ahead and ordered it. <br />
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But when I received it, the ingredients read as follows: ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Sodium lauryl sulfate 1.50%, cinnamon oil .50%, cedar oil .20%, clove oil .20%, other ingredients (water, citric acid, bentonite) 97.60%. So it looks like they changed their formulation to a "natural" product in light of the pyrethrin shortgage. Retail sellers and distributors of this product really need to change their information to reflect this. I was very disappointed when I read the label.<br />
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The product smells nice, kind of minty. I haven't had the chance to use it yet, but as soon as I do, I will write a review on this product and let you know whether or not it worked for me. <br />
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Meanwhile, if you know where there is some Camicide let me know!<br />
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Update: Camicide is no longer being produced. Comments have been closed for this post.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-26475228257346987682011-07-19T13:08:00.000-07:002016-04-05T06:23:11.112-07:00Saying Goodbye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusdKBQwVQydgSUiutjOXlpoOFFiM__9GRRIPNK7d2DxhcpeSPHo0CN0yv4VsLWOhiKve2IAN5RgpIP01wfgFiZis-2W4CLFsKZbHeahqo5jkpPNCB4TTsdAq_0wN3CCL06wNdieAOfpo/s1600/Walker71011c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197px" m="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusdKBQwVQydgSUiutjOXlpoOFFiM__9GRRIPNK7d2DxhcpeSPHo0CN0yv4VsLWOhiKve2IAN5RgpIP01wfgFiZis-2W4CLFsKZbHeahqo5jkpPNCB4TTsdAq_0wN3CCL06wNdieAOfpo/s200/Walker71011c.jpg" true="" width="200px" /></a></div>
Our beloved dog of a little over 15 years had to be put to rest last week. He had developed some serious health issues due to old age and then, cancer. Although it broke our hearts it was time to say goodbye. He was absolutely the best dog one could have. I remember when we got him like it was yesterday. my husband had lost his previous dog (due to old age) and mentioned to a friend of his he would like to have a german shorthair pointer. Next thing we knew, a puppy (about eight weeks old) was waiting for us at the airport. My husband's friend flew him to us from out of state. <br />
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He was gorgeous, a white body with a brown head. Very unusual markings for this breed. And of course full of energy as these dogs are known for. He was also a natural pointer. He would freeze in place and point and look just like the dogs in those hunting pictures. One funny story we remember was when he was a puppy. He was in the living room and froze "on point" intently pointing at something on the carpet. When we looked closer, it was a fly! That just cracked us up.<br />
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We spent a lot of time with him, teaching him all the skills a hunting dog needs. It took about two years to completely train him. He also learned all the basic good dog manners and obedience commands. Just to tease my husband, I taught his "hunting dog" some cute tricks like roll over, sit pretty (sit up on his haunches), shake hands, etc.<br />
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We had a park near our house and we would take him there twice a day to let him loose so he could run. He was trained by then, so we had no qualms about letting him off leash. It was a sight to see watching those long legs stretch out and run! He LOVED it! People driving by would stop to watch him. He was beautiful.<br />
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He was very friendly to people and dogs alike. He also loved kids. Everyone in the neighborhood knew and loved Walker. He had many human and dog friends.<br />
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He gradually slowed down over the years as we all do. About two years ago, his hips got bad. With the help from good joint supplements and my vet, we did a good job keeping him comfortable. Then a few months ago, I started noticing blood drops here and there on the floor. I could not figure out where they were coming from. I would check all the dogs, and nothing. Then, one day he had a full out nosebleed. Mystery solved. <br />
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Unfortunately, it was cancer. Over the next few months he was put on medication to keep him comfortable and control the nose bleeds. We were very careful with the meds, only giving what was absolutely needed. The cancer moved very quickly. When his health began to deteriorate, our vet let us know we were on borrowed time.<br />
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I took him in to have the vet check him again as overall, he was not doing well. He was also very weak in the hind end and started falling more. When he would fall, I would prop him back up on his feet, give him a hug and tell him he was the best dog in the world. I loved him so much.<br />
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The vet took one look at him and then looked at me. Anyone who has been through this knows "the look". It was time. He has put to rest while I stroked his head and let him know we loved him. It was so peaceful and dignified.<br />
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Our vet, and his staff, were so compassionate throughout our dog's final months. I am fortunate to have had such a wonderful vet clinic to work with. <br />
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I wrote this blog because I know many of you have been through this before and understand. He was not "just a dog", he was a part of our family. Our animals have such a profound impact on our lives. They give us so much love, that when they pass on, they leave a hole the size of the grand canyon in our hearts. It's the inevitable price we pay when we share our lives with these amazing creatures. Is it worth the pain? You betcha.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-45756857832239670922011-06-02T11:59:00.000-07:002016-04-05T06:24:28.245-07:00Li'l Girl Laid An Egg!It is the height of breeding season and apparently my pet quaker, Li'l Girl wanted to get in on the act! She had been acting "breedy" lately which is normal for her this time of year. During this time for about two-three weeks or so, her hormones get the best of her and she gets very moody and territorial around her cage. Li'l Girl and I have a system to communicate during her hormonal time. I ask her if she wants to come out. If she nods her head yes, and lifts her foot that means yes. If she puffs up and lowers her head, that means no. If she says no, I just leave her be.<br />
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Well imagine my surprise when one morning I found an egg at the bottom of her cage! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeRqSwEZ_D7FjCDyU6Wd15QI4XjGyIZj-ZGvvvYAuEmnKoplLGQ1IWJJ6dBq_YgTZ7YYV1s5vUmgTEWdEKLi4c_HA8JqyRrHWyE5MGTDnYTheAJHNzVUgcKC8Xwl-tY2jlmW1Z7LPLhk/s1600/EggLG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="127px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXeRqSwEZ_D7FjCDyU6Wd15QI4XjGyIZj-ZGvvvYAuEmnKoplLGQ1IWJJ6dBq_YgTZ7YYV1s5vUmgTEWdEKLi4c_HA8JqyRrHWyE5MGTDnYTheAJHNzVUgcKC8Xwl-tY2jlmW1Z7LPLhk/s200/EggLG.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Li'l Girl's Egg</td></tr>
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I laughed when I saw this and started calling her my little green chicken. She had no interest whatsoever in her egg and came right out of the cage. Here she is, being her little "rug-rat" self. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGLUc9bhXOwlbir7Ye_MPRz0COOcWiqZ2EXnLyubdq6B8xU7iFX3-EeOVbx5jVJiKn-zvgxxu9XCGEk4rn37gf4TjpeOUv_MqE4snGk0ouHvUFJj46tvPYL1NZif7aF1VcDJLg7vq0Ps/s1600/Lilgirl511A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFGLUc9bhXOwlbir7Ye_MPRz0COOcWiqZ2EXnLyubdq6B8xU7iFX3-EeOVbx5jVJiKn-zvgxxu9XCGEk4rn37gf4TjpeOUv_MqE4snGk0ouHvUFJj46tvPYL1NZif7aF1VcDJLg7vq0Ps/s200/Lilgirl511A.jpg" t8="true" width="200px" /></a></div>
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I left the egg in there for a couple of days. She just pushed it aside and that was that. She did not lay any more eggs. I wanted to post this because I get a lot of calls from people telling me their bird has laid an egg and they automatically think they should get a mate for it.<br />
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If your beloved pet lays an egg, understand this is just a biological function. Your bird is not pining for a mate, nor is it dreaming of starting a family. Environmental conditions were such that stimulated her to lay an egg. Let her go through her cycle, then remove the eggs and you will have your pet back again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-30175281783837150722011-05-13T17:26:00.000-07:002011-05-13T17:29:36.675-07:00Sprouting For Birds - Let's Do It!In my last blog, I showed you how to make your own sprouting jars. This blog, we are actually going to sprout! We are going to start off using three simple, easy to sprout ingredients: Mung beans, whole lentils and hulled (no shell) sunflower seeds. Two notes here: 1. Be sure the lentils are WHOLE and not split. Split lentils will not sprout. Just plain whole green lentils will do fine. 2. And be sure the hulled sunflower seeds are RAW. That means natural. NOT dry roasted and NO salt. <br />
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Here is a picture of the dry mix before sprouting. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCJuedImsz6GDSzi-zSsYL3FocISwUXaG89nx-ziJL5wAXdwGBdCphzCu__dj740wCkxDtbwDuarzwlcNali3JpjflM6A3lZ8vF3Qt4nxgl861X1XTG4pi8og0ev5DpyUIyu4A2jkUNk/s1600/Drymix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCJuedImsz6GDSzi-zSsYL3FocISwUXaG89nx-ziJL5wAXdwGBdCphzCu__dj740wCkxDtbwDuarzwlcNali3JpjflM6A3lZ8vF3Qt4nxgl861X1XTG4pi8og0ev5DpyUIyu4A2jkUNk/s200/Drymix.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><br />
1. Put your sprout mix in your sprouting jar. Only fill the jar 1/2 with the mix (As the mix soaks up water, it doubles in volume). Then fill the jar with water and let the mix soak for approximately 8-12 hours. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K6lWfHa92-_82N13HA_DwMkR1gJod_nVQ7sXoCTCSn0uO8sbOzTPDaNAD6EeeuU1V9zFDOf7kRejBGOdwEHxiqfCOspdS8aTQ2oMi-VpQa0vCu_oNMuHbnpPMTv4zm5x6X_7HGCEp84/s1600/Soak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1K6lWfHa92-_82N13HA_DwMkR1gJod_nVQ7sXoCTCSn0uO8sbOzTPDaNAD6EeeuU1V9zFDOf7kRejBGOdwEHxiqfCOspdS8aTQ2oMi-VpQa0vCu_oNMuHbnpPMTv4zm5x6X_7HGCEp84/s200/Soak.jpg" width="181px" /></a></div><br />
2. After soaking, drain the water. Rinse the mix three or four times by filling the jar with water, swishing the mix around gently, and then draining. Rinse until the water draining out of the jar runs clear.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfq4d5xc-MEcGKbupXTlsgsnESvfL2FGM5vh-NIMAA64LFllUpEEiUwLVBoVREQsWjJAdeIevAwDpFa9ubhs3Nq3aoX1wl2ElxVQMXm2fEiSUAMA-iIIDSGl12wKaLr41SoiUhBT2dtk/s1600/Rinse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfq4d5xc-MEcGKbupXTlsgsnESvfL2FGM5vh-NIMAA64LFllUpEEiUwLVBoVREQsWjJAdeIevAwDpFa9ubhs3Nq3aoX1wl2ElxVQMXm2fEiSUAMA-iIIDSGl12wKaLr41SoiUhBT2dtk/s200/Rinse.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><br />
3. Put the jar on a counter away from direct sunlight for about 10-12 hours. Rinse the sprouts twice during this time. This particular mix is fast sprouting and you will see begin to see growth after the soaking phase. NOTE: If you are worried about spoilage you can place the jar in the refrigerator instead of leaving it on the counter. This mix will sprout in the fridge too, just a little more slowly.<br />
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5. The mix is now ready to feed! ALWAYS rinse your sprouts and drain them thoroughly before feeding. Store remaining sprouts in the refrigerator and use them up within two days. This particular mix is great for people too! They make a great tasting, healthy addition to salads or your favorite stir fry dish.<br />
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Below are two examples of how we incorporated these sprouts into our bird's veggie mix. Doesn't this look yummy?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HSDa9C-RROtbM-V4txmAz9EF67aEO4QvZyli3Lc-wdtXJs25bq2X83p_MAuGJkwljbNBr8TTXovDqNCXTFS6M2oBSqSX2i0KL5_vopyzgKaNYmu0uc1_y1voYbX99n6hfhimrOO2eqo/s1600/SproutVeg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HSDa9C-RROtbM-V4txmAz9EF67aEO4QvZyli3Lc-wdtXJs25bq2X83p_MAuGJkwljbNBr8TTXovDqNCXTFS6M2oBSqSX2i0KL5_vopyzgKaNYmu0uc1_y1voYbX99n6hfhimrOO2eqo/s200/SproutVeg1.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhyphenhyphen2ulykkXPtnKh_iqeB3JPSTb85SziO4cu2sQo-brAA4GxNhnwoz5r2w5u2CdbMBfZEQXM4YQ7mLyxbvA22ukK31R5MHHAVvyD23v_A8dhxDxqzIpQYMJC3rzjd-aKKmrj-hPTLvEWI/s1600/SproutVeg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhyphenhyphen2ulykkXPtnKh_iqeB3JPSTb85SziO4cu2sQo-brAA4GxNhnwoz5r2w5u2CdbMBfZEQXM4YQ7mLyxbvA22ukK31R5MHHAVvyD23v_A8dhxDxqzIpQYMJC3rzjd-aKKmrj-hPTLvEWI/s200/SproutVeg2.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><br />
Sprouting is so good for your birds (and you too). And frankly, a lot easier than chopping a bunch of veggies every day. Once you begin, you will wonder why you did not try it sooner! When I began sprouting for my birds years ago, I noticed many benefits: healthy weights, better feather condition, bright eyes, smoother skin on their feet, well formed droppings, etc. Sprouting is also a great way to introduce "seed addicts" to a healthier diet. <br />
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I would love to hear about your sprouting experiences! And if you have any questions, feel free to contact me through my website: <a href="http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/">http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-35780743672086416712011-04-26T14:10:00.000-07:002011-04-26T14:20:06.233-07:00Make Your Own Sprout Jars<div style="text-align: left;">Well as I promised, this blog will show you a super easy way to make your own sprouting jars for cheap! All you need is a wide mouth mason jar and some needlepoint screen. Both of these items can be found at your local Walmart. The jars will be found in the canning supplies section and the needlepoint screen can be found in the craft section:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">First here are some samples of wide mouth jars that would work depending on the number of birds you are sprouting for:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSU6FrZMR5VVmvCcqx_l5FEYQu74h9lS4kk9Cyx6M7L5dAa1SXt4-PHgxa4NXxLcfG_4bfzRapbMdSP_lyacHC3hnX2olii9aGRm2FN2LHtfTB_euxVzXm0UBXqHZTDv-FQOWUC2DScbg/s1600/Jars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSU6FrZMR5VVmvCcqx_l5FEYQu74h9lS4kk9Cyx6M7L5dAa1SXt4-PHgxa4NXxLcfG_4bfzRapbMdSP_lyacHC3hnX2olii9aGRm2FN2LHtfTB_euxVzXm0UBXqHZTDv-FQOWUC2DScbg/s200/Jars.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, take the inside of the lid and trace an outline on the needlepoint screen: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjtEj7rWNTcz1B_J_d7Xaew80H9sjeQCyHqMjSrLCLuiVq34u_ceX6Us75kXSkZYNNoYhFCA8VzigVW5lBfKyWnbNUhn_HMJFToDQjZNLc1M2wKRNcUZqwqehxkrUmS-d9ZS-NlYb8_0/s1600/Lid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjtEj7rWNTcz1B_J_d7Xaew80H9sjeQCyHqMjSrLCLuiVq34u_ceX6Us75kXSkZYNNoYhFCA8VzigVW5lBfKyWnbNUhn_HMJFToDQjZNLc1M2wKRNcUZqwqehxkrUmS-d9ZS-NlYb8_0/s200/Lid.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Cut the screen along the trace outline:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8wN-nEXZVKr3fWg5gjq8nucbq1gCVX-wUM2z4BGvibbhYkQYywW3oZ1rOI__ivqIxKHTsP5sY2cm1gD64jq4N6f6PN7_VnXfnfoMz7qIiow8sRbBT5YZ-J-TyYUUDYTNi9ymiIQnpDc/s1600/Cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw8wN-nEXZVKr3fWg5gjq8nucbq1gCVX-wUM2z4BGvibbhYkQYywW3oZ1rOI__ivqIxKHTsP5sY2cm1gD64jq4N6f6PN7_VnXfnfoMz7qIiow8sRbBT5YZ-J-TyYUUDYTNi9ymiIQnpDc/s200/Cut.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Fit the screen inside the jar lid:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA0duOcRXd9Es94-kyUwyyIRJZfxz1vfbicr9VTMk-lPNLxvJ6YsRq00Dm_uhlmYm3S-mUc6zwELuMf0JtHBnwBpe503URICz156r8PqoGFDjdq_aZXKFgMC4ZLMF-tP-zfpzJAaE0lk/s1600/Fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA0duOcRXd9Es94-kyUwyyIRJZfxz1vfbicr9VTMk-lPNLxvJ6YsRq00Dm_uhlmYm3S-mUc6zwELuMf0JtHBnwBpe503URICz156r8PqoGFDjdq_aZXKFgMC4ZLMF-tP-zfpzJAaE0lk/s200/Fit.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Screw the lid on top of the jar and you now have a sprouting jar!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKgKpxVpp0cO10e_zOo7caHt2WKTkMP5-BD06LJxzfusBX_p9JG-Zo4YZHmwVKynjedWcAYwdcYTh90GzGNYiz0jYm-Q7QYe4ueajZrTWyofTAIerHSC_ACfJ-TW9whJH_qrnyXsqyDs/s1600/Finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196px" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKgKpxVpp0cO10e_zOo7caHt2WKTkMP5-BD06LJxzfusBX_p9JG-Zo4YZHmwVKynjedWcAYwdcYTh90GzGNYiz0jYm-Q7QYe4ueajZrTWyofTAIerHSC_ACfJ-TW9whJH_qrnyXsqyDs/s200/Finish.jpg" width="200px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I have found my "homemade" sprouting jars work better than the store bought lids. The holes are a nice size. They accomodate most beans and seeds well and drain easily. I also wash these in the dishwasher (top rack only) to disinfect them between sproutings. <br />
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In an upcoming blog, I will show you how to start sprouting for your birds using a few simple ingredients.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3369233829192202514.post-57128554606767120032011-03-29T16:16:00.000-07:002011-03-29T16:21:06.131-07:00Tidbits of InformationI was shopping at Walmart the other day and found a package of pre-diced butternut squash in a package all ready to go! I mix some with my baby bird's veggie mix and they love it! This is a really convenient way to add some orange veggies to your bird's meals without a lot of trouble. The package looks like this (see picture below) and can be found in the pre-packaged salad section:<br />
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People are getting busier and busier these days and with the economy the way it is, we are all looking for easy, economical ways to feed our birds a healthy diet. I tell my customers one way to do this is to set aside some veggies or other healthy food items when you are preparing a meal for your family. Then you can add those items to your bird's next meal. <br />
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I enjoy sprouting for my birds as they are natural and nutritious, but many of the pre-mixed sprout mixes online are very expensive (I've seen them as high as $20 per pound). Add in shipping costs, which have risen significally and you can spend a chunk of change on sprouts! I make my own sprout mix from a few simple items that I can find locally. This mix is a fraction of the cost of the online mixes and the birds love them! <br />
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I start with a basic wild bird mix. Warning: Not all wild bird mixes are the same. I use Wild Bird Chow Premium Picnic (see the picture below). It is a mix for cardinals. It is a clean mix consisting only of black oil sunflower, safflower, millet and a few peanuts. I usually pick out the peanuts. There are no vitamins added. Some people use a clean dove mix, others have had success with a good quality pigeon seed mix. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxw1s2O9t_g86GORgvUOHDh6ft_LsKJec1EnWUYxowHwhZhXxcLEVzsvAi2_fYoMscb6YMDaOaoMDOek2M0cTD_mpae9fAUM7u0PSFYQL08HCKJwGKJXhFTJ3qvtPhT6U6qhrGZZMxZ90/s1600/wildseed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxw1s2O9t_g86GORgvUOHDh6ft_LsKJec1EnWUYxowHwhZhXxcLEVzsvAi2_fYoMscb6YMDaOaoMDOek2M0cTD_mpae9fAUM7u0PSFYQL08HCKJwGKJXhFTJ3qvtPhT6U6qhrGZZMxZ90/s200/wildseed.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><br />
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To this mix, I add hard winter wheat berries (available at most health food stores in the bulk bins for about $1.99 lb), mung beans, and sometimes I add hulled sunflower (natural - no salt), and hulled natural pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas). <br />
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Below is a picture of what this mix looks like in 24 hours. This is just the basic mix of the cardinal seed, hard winter wheat berries and mung beans. You can see everything is sprouting nicely. This is the time to feed it to your birds. Don't let the tails get too long. I usually feed my sprouts within 2 days and store them in the refrigerator to keep them from spoiling. It is important to rinse them thoroughly before each feeding to be sure they are nice and clean.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YPJLCA5FF-n_3kNmxOzsa0gcyn3lQBw3f8bjeQpa5BPv9TtTyxdo9KEQInP02V4bhOOVOkOyeL24oZtp3e15FmO0MVSCoMFyx7Swqv4BByifhHzFuUMfMi5Y_z40H5q3ckMDjcd3K9s/s1600/sprouts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2YPJLCA5FF-n_3kNmxOzsa0gcyn3lQBw3f8bjeQpa5BPv9TtTyxdo9KEQInP02V4bhOOVOkOyeL24oZtp3e15FmO0MVSCoMFyx7Swqv4BByifhHzFuUMfMi5Y_z40H5q3ckMDjcd3K9s/s200/sprouts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
So there you go! Two tips that not only will save you some time, but are economical as well! In my upcoming blog, I will show you how to make your own sprouting jars from materials you can get at any Walmart.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0