Goings on

Isn't this baby gorgeous! This is one of our turquoise/pineapple green cheek conure babies. They are almost weaned and will be ready to go home soon! We also have sweet pineapple green cheek conures available. Green cheek conures make wonderful pets. They are cuddly, playful and not loud. They are also great family birds as they are very social and will interact with multiple people. One of our favorites!

We also have five parrotlet babies in the nest. We got a variety of colors from this pair in their last clutch so we are excited to see what hatches out this time!

Sprouting for birds: Well, I am back on my sprouting kick LOL! Birds love fresh sprouts and they are so easy to prepare. They are a powerhouse of nutrition and closely resemble the natural diet our birds would eat in the wild. There are many pre-mixed sprout mixes you can buy, but you can make your own mix very inexpensively. The mix I am using now is black oil sunflower, safflower, wheat berries (hard winter wheat berries are better to sprout than soft wheat berries), mung beans, whole (unhulled) millet and whole oats.

I use the sprouting jar method. It is easy to make your own sprout jars. I use a mason jar and a piece of needlepoint canvas cut it to fit the mouth of the jar. The holes are the perfect size to allow proper draining while keeping the contents of the jar contained.

I rinse my seeds well and then soak them overnight. The next morning, I drain and rinse them well. Then during the day I rinse them maybe twice. I allow them to sprout on the counter for one day and then put them in the fridge. I found this prevents spoiling in our humid Texas weather. Rinse the sprouts and allow them to drain thoroughly before feeding. I use up sprouts within two to three days.

I make one "universal" sprout mix for my birds. Everybody from the parrotlets to my amazon eats the same mix. I find it is easier that way. Weaning babies also receive the same mix and relish their sprouts! There are a lot of good articles on the net regarding sprouting. Carolyn Swicegood (a well respected eclectus breeder) in particular has lots of information on the subject of sprouting for birds.

Busy, busy, busy!!

We are earning our birdseed here at the aviary LOL! I just pulled five pineapple green cheek conures from the nest for handfeeding along with three lineolated parakeets. All the linnies are reserved at this time. We have another clutch of pineapple green cheeks which I will be pulling any day now as well as two senegal babies! My blue quakers are in the nestbox so I expect they will be laying eggs soon.

Check my website at http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/ for current updates on our babies here at the aviary.

Upon closer inspection the other day, I noticed the tail feathers and wing feathers on two of my pineapple babies were a different color than the others. Turns out they are pineapple/turquoise mutations! Both the parents are visual pineapples, but obviously there is some turquoise in their background. Absolutely gorgeous!

Wild Baby Birds:

This time of year I get phone calls from people who have found a baby bird and do not know what to do with it. Wild baby birds need frequent feedings all day long (every two hours from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM). They also need to be introduced slowly to the wild (called a "soft release") the correct way to ensure it's survival. There is more to it than just feeding the bird and then turning it loose! Please do not attempt to care for wild baby birds yourself. Most people do not have the time or knowledge to do it correctly. Remember, it is the bird that will suffer from incorrect care. Here are two places you can contact if you need to relinquish a wild baby bird (and/or any other wild animals such as baby squirrels, raccoons, etc.)

Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition: (TWRC):   http://www.twrc-houston.org/

Texas Parks & Wildlife: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/rehab/list/

*Your local vet may also be able to refer you to a wildlife rehabber in your area.

Aviary Update & Stick Training

We are very excited here at Almost Angels Aviary! One of our pineapple green cheek pairs is in the process of hatching their first clutch! So far they are great parents, feeding their babies and being very protective. Especially the male who comes after my hand like a bolt of lightning when I reach in the cage to change food bowls! So far, looks like there are four babies in the nest! Our other pair of pineapple green cheek conures are on eggs also which are due to start hatching very soon. This will be their first clutch. We'll keep our fingers crossed! If you have never seen the "pineapple" mutation of green cheek conures you are missing out! They are gorgeous with yellow, red, green and maroon colors. If you love the bright colors of the sun conures, but can't handle their loud calls, a pineapple green cheek conure may be the bird for you.

We also have a pair of senegals of eggs and a pair of linnies on eggs. I expect the linnies to begin hatching very soon! Our box is back up on our black headed caique pair and my girl just couldn't wait to jump right in LOL! So we will probably have some black headed caique eggs in a few weeks.

For current updates on eggs/babies visit our website at http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/ .

Stick Training:

I always recommend to people that they "stick train" their birds. By stick training, I mean that your bird is trained to step up on a stick or dowel. And I don't just recommend this for big birds. Smaller birds such as lovebirds, parrotlets, lineolated parakeets and cockatiels should be stick trained also.

It is easy to do. Start by obtaining a suitable perch or dowel rod suitable for your bird's size. Your bird should be able to grip the perch comfortably. Vetwrap in a neutral color can be used to wrap the perch to make a more grippable surface if needed.

Introduce your bird to the perch slowly letting him/her get used to it. Another idea is to use a perch that is currently in your bird's cage or the same type. That will make things go quicker. Once he is used to the perch, ask him to step up on the stick for a second and then put him back down. Or you can alternate stepping up on your hand and the stick. However he is most comfortable. Then practice having your bird step up on the stick from various locations: the top of his cage, off his playstand, from inside the cage, etc.

Once he is reliably stepping up on the stick, use it regularly to keep your bird in the habit of stepping onto it.

Stick training has many benefits. If your bird is mature, you will notice it's behavior may change for a few weeks around Spring and Fall. This is the breeding season for many parrot species. Since we do not nueter/spay our birds, their reproductive systems are fully functional. Environmental triggers signal the hormones to kick in for breeding! Some birds are louder and more aggressive during this time. If you are not paying attention to your bird's body language, you may receive a painful nip or bite.

Some birds such as macaws, cockatoos, caiques and amazons can become very dominant and assert themselves by biting. It's not only the large birds though. I've seen some very aggressive lovebirds and parrotlets!

If your bird is stick trained, when he gets naughty, you can simply have him step up onto the stick instead of offering your hand. This keeps you from getting bitten which in turn keeps you in control of your bird. It's also a great way for other people to handle your bird if necessary. What if you are out of town and your bird gets out of the cage? Not everyone is comfortable handling birds and your bird may not want somebody else picking it up. Your pet sitter could easily ask your bird to step up on his familiar stick to put him back in his cage. No drama for either the parrot nor the pet sitter.

The above is just one scenario. There are many other instances where stick training can be beneficial. Birds that are afraid of hands, cagebound, or aggressive around their cage for example, often will happily step up on a stick to come out.

I consider stick training to be the equivalent of basic obedience training for dogs. You may not always use it, but if you need it, you're glad it's there.

Spring is here!

Finally! After a cold, rainy winter we are enjoying the sunshine and warm days! I've been out riding the horses and my pet birds are having a ball playing in their outdoor cages. Life is good!

The aviary has been a buzz with activity. I took down most of my nestboxes for a while to give me and the birds a break. Well they are back up and my pairs have been busy! Right now I have lineolated parakeets on eggs, three pairs of green cheeks on eggs, a pair of senegals on eggs and my blue quakers have been spending a lot of time in the nestbox! I have some more nestboxes to put back up, but I think I'll wait LOL!!

Be sure to check my website for updates on babies that are available http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/ . I keep my information current so check back often!

People often ask me if I ship. Yes I do! I prefer to use Continental Airlines as the birds are hand carried on and off the plane and transported in a climate controlled area. The birds handle being shipped very well and acclimate quickly to their new homes and owners.

Reminder:  Now is the time to get those flight feathers trimmed on your bird. With the nice weather, we often leave our windows open and turn our ceiling fans on. And remember, small birds such as budgies, cockatiels, small conures, etc. can usually still fly very well even with trimmed wings. If you take your bird outside, please have it in a safe travel cage or teach it to wear a harness.

If you haven't seen your avian vet in a while, schedule a grooming appointment with him or her. I often recommend people do this even if they know how to groom their bird themselves. It's a good way to get some face time with your vet and update your bird's records. Having a good relationship with your avian vet is very important. Don't wait until you have an emergency. Plus, I found that even though you are just bringing your bird in for a grooming, the vet will take the opportunity to give your bird a physical examination and talk with you about it's care while you are there. It is money well spent.

What happened to the bird?

A good friend of mine called me the other day crying. Her beloved parrotlet had died very suddenly. He literally was okay one minute and dead the next. I too was heartbroken when I heard the news. I had handfed this little parrotlet from a tiny baby. He was so sweet and personable, the pick of the clutch so to speak. He loved little cheek rubs and liked to cuddle under long hair. He was the perfect bird for my friend and her family.

She named him "Guacamole" after my parrotlet "Avocado". We are good friends, so I go over there frequently. Always checking in on Guacamole and bringing him a little treat or a toy. My friend loved her little bird and doted on him beak and foot. She gave him fresh veggies every day and baked special treats for him. His gorgeous color and generous size was a testament to his excellent care.

When she had called me, we went over everything I could think of that could be the cause of his death. He wasn't acting sick, his weight was good, etc. No scented candles, cleaning products, pesticides, teflon, etc. The days have been nice here so neither the air conditioner nor heater were on. She told me that before he died, her neighbor across the street had lit a rather large pile of brush in his front yard. Then the wind changed and quite a bit of smoke blew into their house before she had the chance to close the windows. Could this be the problem?

I was discussing this with another friend of mine, retired lineolated parakeet breeder Cynthia Williams. Cynthia is very knowledgeable about plants and such. When I mentioned the above, she told me that toxic plants when burned can emit toxins in the smoke. She told me a story about a man that was allergic to poison sumac. He cleaned out his yard and had a big pile of the stuff. He lit the pile and after accidently inhaling some of the smoke, died. Cynthia said "...and this was a human, as you know, birds are much more sensitive to toxins than we are. Remember the canaries in the coal mines?". She told me to ask my friend if she knew what her neighbor had on the burn pile.

It turns out, among other things, her neighbor had cut back his oleander bushes. She told me the bushes ran all down the side of his property. He had a bunch. They were completely cut down and he was burning them. Oleander is very toxic.  

We don't know for sure if this was the cause of death, but given the circumstances there is a good chance that it was. Her neighbor wasn't malicious. We live in the country and clearing the property of dead plants, tree trimmings, etc. and then burning them is a normal occurence. This was just a freak accident.  But you can bet, my friend is going to have a chat with her neighbor to educate him about burning toxic plants in such close proximity to his neighbors.

Most of us know the standard toxins that can hurt our birds: scented candles, febreze, cleaning products, overheated non-stick cookware, etc. But this was a new one to me. By sharing Guacamole's story, maybe this will prevent a similar tragedy from happening to someone else's beloved pet.

Easy, Healthy Food Tips

Go to the internet and google in "feeding parrots" and all sorts of information will come up. It can be overwhelming to new parrot owners who want to feed their bird a healthy diet but are short on time. For many of you who have just one or two birds, these tips will be especially helpful:

1. I like to prepare a grain and veggie mix for my birds. But I certainly don't have time to cook it up every day. So I make a large amount and freeze it in tupperware containers. The day before I am going to feed the mix, I let it thaw on the counter for a few hours. When it is almost thawed out, I place it in the refrigerator. When I am ready to feed it, I just slightly warm it in the microwave, stir and serve. At this time, I may add some fresh veggies to the mix or not, depending on what I have available. Some people freeze portions in ice cube trays, others use sandwich baggies (squeeze the air out before freezing). It all depends on the size of the servings you need. Food in the fridge should be fed within 2 days.

2. If you only have one bird, it may be more economical to buy pre-mixed cook n' serve grain mixes. My favorites are Crazy Corn (Polly Pasta and Kung Fu Yum flavors are favorites here) and Volkman's 15 Minute Soak N Serve. And just as above, you can cook larger portions and freeze the extras.

3. Sprouts are super easy to prepare and are one of the most nutritious foods you can feed your birds. I like to go to Whole Foods and buy grains and beans from the bulk bins to sprout. There are also online stores where you can order sprouts pre-mixed. China Prairie http://www.chinaprairie.com/ has some great sprout mixes. If you google in "sprouting for parrots" lots of information will come up on the subject as well as instructions as to how to sprout safely.

4. If you are preparing healthy vegetables for your family, put some aside for your bird before cooking it. Birds don't need the salt, butter, sauces, etc. I do this a lot. My pet birds are shameless beggers!

5. Birdie bread is another excellent way to get good food into your bird. There are tons of recipes on the net. I really like Mommas Birdie Bread. It's a dry mix you prepare like a cornbread mix. It is made from healthy ingredients and comes in a variety of flavors. Chopped veggies (I like chopped carrots or yellow squash), or a small jar of baby food can be added to the mix for extra nutrition. Birdie breads can also be frozen in portions for future meals.

6. A good pelleted base diet will go a long way to keeping your bird healthy. Pellets have protein, minerals and vitamins in every bite. Our babies here are weaned to a pelleted base diet so they develop healthy eating habits right from the start. If your bird is on a seed based diet, it's nutritional needs are probably not being met. Ask your vet or other qualified bird professional about how you can improve your bird's diet.

Losing Friends

I apologize for not posting! I will make more effort to keep my blog up to date!

One of my dear friends, Anna Tipps lost her battle with cancer about a month ago. She was one of those special people that when you meet them, they change your life. She was naturally an open, giving person. One of those rare people that will help you because it warms their heart to do so. Not because they have an agenda or they feel you will "owe" them if they do.

I first met Anna at a party a few years back. Being animal lovers, we hit it off immediately. Anna was a busy mother of four small children, so we would get together when we could (our husbands are friends too). She was into "raw food" which is just as it sounds. Preparing natural vegetarian foods without cooking to preserve the enzymes, vitamins and minerals that are often destroyed in the cooking process. Of course, any meat she prepared was cooked accordingly. If you are thinking just salads and veggie platters think again! She was a true gourmet and could prepare raw foods in ways you could not imagine. One night, we had lasagna which was amazing. My favorites were always the desserts. Since my husband and I will eat almost anything (LOL) and were open to the raw food thing, she would try new recipes with us. It was a lot of fun.

When I told her I was going into business for myself, we discussed a website. I had some ideas, but hiring a website designer was cost prohibitive. She volunteered to help put a site together for me - a daunting task! I would go over to her house a few times a week and we would work countless hours putting together the site, shopping cart, etc. If you have never put together a website before, you have no idea how much work goes into one! I was so thankful she was willing to help me. Here she was, a mother of four children taking time away from her family to help me, and asked for nothing in return. I would do a few small favors here and there for her, but nothing compares to what she did for me.

We became close friends during the time we worked so many hours together. The more time I spent with her, the more I saw what an amazing person she really was. People naturally gravitated to her. The phone seemed to ring all the time! And what a great Mom! Patient, loving and kind. She was the kind of mom everyone wished for.

When my business model changed to more breeding and less focus on supplies, etc. I needed an image change. I decided to scrap the first website completely and start over with a different concept. Anna didn't blink an eye and designed a new website for me. That is the website I have up today - Almost Angels Aviary.

She not only designed my site, but taught me how to work on it myself! A lifesaver since I am constantly updating information. With all the changes I make, I can only imagine what it would cost me if I had to hire somebody every time I needed to make a change. Whenever I think of the saying "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime" I think of Anna.

I remember our last conversation. Anna had just gotten back from Mexico. She went to a conventional/holistic cancer treatment center there. She felt good and was excited about the things she learned and the people she met there. As it goes with people who have cancer, her focus was more on recovering from treatments, healing herself and spending time with her family. So we didn't get to visit as much as we used to. It was wonderful to talk to her. We chatted for a long time.

I still have her email address in my contacts. Kind of silly, I know. I just can't seem to bring myself to delete it. Whenever I work on my website or receive a compliment on it, I think of Anna.

Anna, thank you so much for being my friend and being you.... and for teaching me how to fish.