It is that time of year again. Thanksgiving is almost here and the stores have already begun decorating for Christmas. Where has this year gone? I enjoy this time of year. The festive decorations, great food and time with family. I think people tend to be a little nicer around this time of year too. The holidays are not stress free however. Last minute shopping, holiday preparations and travel can take it's toll.
During this time of year, you may need to give your bird some extra activities to keep him busy while you are busy. Foraging toys are great as well as easy to tear up items. My yellow nape amazon LOVES pinecones. This time of year I do some of my own foraging to gather pine cones for her. I make sure they are clean when I get them and then bake them in the oven at 225 for about 30 minutes. Then I turn off the oven, leaving the pine cones in until the oven cools. Attach a screw eye, hang with a quick link and you're done! There are also some sites online that sell pinecones if you don't have any in your area.
Toys do not have to cost a lot. Just google "homemade bird toys" and you will get pages and pages of ideas. I myself use both homemade and store bought toys. When I am short on time, the store bought toys come in handy. Plus there are some really neat designs out there now!
Another toy that is a favorite with my flock are the "pinata" toys by Planet Pleasures. They are inexpensive and I have yet to find a bird that doesn't love them. For added entertainment, you can stuff small treats in them.
If you are having a large party, I usually recommend moving the birds to another room. If your bird is social, you can bring him out for a while to meet everybody. Then put him back in the other room with his favorite treats and maybe a radio or television on. Parties can be exhausting and stressful for birds. Even social birds can get overstimulated with all the activity. Moving your bird to another room will also keep him safely away from poking fingers and unhealthy food and drinks that guests might give him while your back is turned.
Birds On The Way:
We have two pairs of parrotlets on eggs which should begin hatching this week. We also have a pair of senegals on eggs which are due to hatch around the end of this month. My pineapple green cheeks and blue quakers have been spending time in their nestboxes, so I expect to see some eggs soon from them.
I post all updates on eggs/babies on my website http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/
Monday, November 22, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Starting Back Up
I have been enjoying my "break" lately. I have one black headed caique that is almost weaned and will be going home in a couple of weeks (she is sold). I also have a sweet white bellie caique that is weaned and ready to go to a loving home. No middle of the night feedings, no brooders to clean, etc. - I can't believe all the free time I have right now LOL!
But the birds have started back up and I will be busy again soon with the fall breeding season. My new hahn's macaw pair are on eggs (very exciting!) as well as my meyers pair. My parrotlets have been breeding and hanging out in their nestboxes and I saw an egg in the senegal's nestbox yesterday. For more information on the status of babies/eggs, etc. visit my website at http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/ I update my pages frequently to keep my information current.
But the birds have started back up and I will be busy again soon with the fall breeding season. My new hahn's macaw pair are on eggs (very exciting!) as well as my meyers pair. My parrotlets have been breeding and hanging out in their nestboxes and I saw an egg in the senegal's nestbox yesterday. For more information on the status of babies/eggs, etc. visit my website at http://www.almostangelsaviary.com/ I update my pages frequently to keep my information current.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
The Dollar Store
The natural wreaths will make nice swings for my smaller birds in the outdoor cages as well as great tear up fun for my yellow nape amazon.
The rope dog toys will make great rope swings for my smaller birds after a few minor adjustments.
The plastic clothespins are great for securing sheets onto cages and make great chip clips too!
I go through a ton a hand towels here. I put them on the back of the kitchen chairs to protect them from the birds, use them in the weaning cages as "bed" for young birds, basic cleaning, etc.
On other shopping trips, I can find inexpensive stuffed animals to put in my brooders for my babies to snuggle with (especially after Easter), inexpensive baby toys, plastic storage containers, natural wicker baskets (another great chew toy), etc.
So next time you go to the dollar store, open your eyes a little bit and see what treasures you can find that your feathered friend might enjoy! Always keep safety in mind though. A good general rule is if you wouldn't give it to a two year old human, chances are it would not be suitable for your bird.
Happy shopping!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Birds Available
I'm not sure what is going on, but things have been pretty slow lately. We have some wonderful birds available (and on sale) ready to go home now:
Senegal parrot. A real sweetie! Loves to come out to cuddle and will also entertain himself with his toys. Senegals are wonderful pet birds. They are not loud, learn to talk and mimic sound effects very well and are easy to care for. $395
Blue Quakers. A talking bird at a great price! I love the blue quakers with their soft wedgewood blue feathers. Gorgeous! I have three weaned youngsters that are ready to go home now. Very sweet. I have them on sale for $295, they normally sell for $350.
White bellied caique. I absolutely LOVE this boy! He is dna'd and super sweet! He's a little shy around new people at first, but warms up quickly and turns into a snuggle bug. Loves to be held on his back and cuddled. Somebody please come get this boy before I keep him for myself LOL!! I also have him on sale for $695, regular price for white bellied caiques are $800. A real deal on this angel.
Outdoor Cages:
I've written before about outdoor cages. I use mine all the time, especially lately because the weather has been so lovely. Equipped with toys, my birds will play for hours in them. My young birds especially enjoy their time outside. There they can see the hummingbirds, wild birds flying by, hear the dogs barking, etc. All this stimulation drains some of that juvenile energy and they come in relaxed and ready for a nap! On really nice days, I will give my birds a shower and put them outside to play and dry off. Caiques especially love this!
Senegal parrot. A real sweetie! Loves to come out to cuddle and will also entertain himself with his toys. Senegals are wonderful pet birds. They are not loud, learn to talk and mimic sound effects very well and are easy to care for. $395
Blue Quakers. A talking bird at a great price! I love the blue quakers with their soft wedgewood blue feathers. Gorgeous! I have three weaned youngsters that are ready to go home now. Very sweet. I have them on sale for $295, they normally sell for $350.
White bellied caique. I absolutely LOVE this boy! He is dna'd and super sweet! He's a little shy around new people at first, but warms up quickly and turns into a snuggle bug. Loves to be held on his back and cuddled. Somebody please come get this boy before I keep him for myself LOL!! I also have him on sale for $695, regular price for white bellied caiques are $800. A real deal on this angel.
Outdoor Cages:
I've written before about outdoor cages. I use mine all the time, especially lately because the weather has been so lovely. Equipped with toys, my birds will play for hours in them. My young birds especially enjoy their time outside. There they can see the hummingbirds, wild birds flying by, hear the dogs barking, etc. All this stimulation drains some of that juvenile energy and they come in relaxed and ready for a nap! On really nice days, I will give my birds a shower and put them outside to play and dry off. Caiques especially love this!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Losing A Pet
My father had to put his beloved blue heeler dog to sleep yesterday morning. She had been fighting various health issues for a while, but ultimately it was a blood clot (stroke) that ended her life. Chloe was a wonderful dog. Sweet, smart, kind, loyal. My husband and I used to take care of her when my father and stepmom would go on trips. We always enjoyed keeping her and made a point to spoil her as much as we could while she was here! We had many good times with her. We will all miss her very much.
To many of us, losing one of our pets is almost like losing a child. We form very close spiritual connections with our animals. Whether it's a parrotlet, a cat or a great dane, the heartbreak we feel when they pass on is indescribable. They fill our hearts with so much joy and love while they are in our lives. When they leave us, it literally feels like a piece of your own spirit left with them. Everybody is different. It can take weeks to months before we begin to feel "whole" again.
People who are not animal lovers do not understand. They say, "why don't you just go get another ____ (bird, dog, cat, etc.)." I find it best not to waste my time talking to these people about the loss. They simply do not understand. Family and friends are wonderful for support. There are also some wonderful online chat groups that are very supportive while you are mourning the loss of your pet.
My two favorite poems I read during these times are "rainbow bridge" and "lend me a bird". You can google them to read them for yourself. I also send these two poems to family and friends who have lost a pet.
I think one of the reasons we grieve when a pet dies is that we feel our time with them was cut short. We are grieving not only the loss of the pet, but the loss of "what might have been" - the additional time we expected to have with them. Remember the good times you had with your pet. Celebrate the relationship that you had with them. You can express this in many ways. Maybe write a poem or write a biography of your pet's life. If you are artistic you can paint or write a song. Maybe frame your favorite picture of him/her and hang it in a special place. There are even online sites where you can "light" a virtual candle in your pet's honor.
Life is unpredictable. Every moment is precious. Spend some quality time with your pets every day. Reflect on the joy they bring into your life. No matter how busy you are, you can always take a minute to give them a cuddle and look them in the eye and tell them you love them.
I believe this is excellent advice to follow for the humans in our lives as well!
To many of us, losing one of our pets is almost like losing a child. We form very close spiritual connections with our animals. Whether it's a parrotlet, a cat or a great dane, the heartbreak we feel when they pass on is indescribable. They fill our hearts with so much joy and love while they are in our lives. When they leave us, it literally feels like a piece of your own spirit left with them. Everybody is different. It can take weeks to months before we begin to feel "whole" again.
People who are not animal lovers do not understand. They say, "why don't you just go get another ____ (bird, dog, cat, etc.)." I find it best not to waste my time talking to these people about the loss. They simply do not understand. Family and friends are wonderful for support. There are also some wonderful online chat groups that are very supportive while you are mourning the loss of your pet.
My two favorite poems I read during these times are "rainbow bridge" and "lend me a bird". You can google them to read them for yourself. I also send these two poems to family and friends who have lost a pet.
I think one of the reasons we grieve when a pet dies is that we feel our time with them was cut short. We are grieving not only the loss of the pet, but the loss of "what might have been" - the additional time we expected to have with them. Remember the good times you had with your pet. Celebrate the relationship that you had with them. You can express this in many ways. Maybe write a poem or write a biography of your pet's life. If you are artistic you can paint or write a song. Maybe frame your favorite picture of him/her and hang it in a special place. There are even online sites where you can "light" a virtual candle in your pet's honor.
Life is unpredictable. Every moment is precious. Spend some quality time with your pets every day. Reflect on the joy they bring into your life. No matter how busy you are, you can always take a minute to give them a cuddle and look them in the eye and tell them you love them.
I believe this is excellent advice to follow for the humans in our lives as well!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Conure Update & Hummingbirds!
Our green cheek conure has been adopted! He will be going to a wonderful family in a few days when his brand new cage comes in! Thank you Mary and Richard!
Hummingbirds:
It is hummingbird season! We always have a lot here as we have hummingbird friendly flowers in our backyard and fresh nectar in our feeders. I just love watching them buzz around! They remind me of garden fairies.
People see all the hummingbirds in our yard and want to know what I feed them. I use an easy homemade mixture. One part white sugar to four parts water. Bring the water to a boil, then stir in the sugar allowing it to dissolve completely. Remove from heat, let it cool and serve! Extra amounts can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.
The advantage of homemade nectar over the storebought "instant nectars" is that by boiling the water, you kill all the bacteria that causes the nectar to sour. Especially in our Texas heat, the instant nectars tend to ferment very quickly (within two days or so). My homemade nectar lasts until I need to refill the feeders. Which right now is about every three days LOL! During the peak hummingbird season in the past, I have gone through 60 ounces of nectar per day!
The homemade nectars are also much more economical. You can't get much cheaper than white sugar and water! And only use white sugar. Do not use brown sugar, artificial sweetners, etc.
And be sure to keep your feeders clean. Mold can grow on and in the feeders which can cause beak infections in those little hummers. I use a bleach and water solution to clean. Then I rinse with a vinegar/water solution to remove any traces of bleach, followed by a clean water rinse. This leaves my feeders sparkling clean!
Once the hummingbirds know you have good food in your feeders, they will return year after year.
Hummingbirds:
It is hummingbird season! We always have a lot here as we have hummingbird friendly flowers in our backyard and fresh nectar in our feeders. I just love watching them buzz around! They remind me of garden fairies.
People see all the hummingbirds in our yard and want to know what I feed them. I use an easy homemade mixture. One part white sugar to four parts water. Bring the water to a boil, then stir in the sugar allowing it to dissolve completely. Remove from heat, let it cool and serve! Extra amounts can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.
The advantage of homemade nectar over the storebought "instant nectars" is that by boiling the water, you kill all the bacteria that causes the nectar to sour. Especially in our Texas heat, the instant nectars tend to ferment very quickly (within two days or so). My homemade nectar lasts until I need to refill the feeders. Which right now is about every three days LOL! During the peak hummingbird season in the past, I have gone through 60 ounces of nectar per day!
The homemade nectars are also much more economical. You can't get much cheaper than white sugar and water! And only use white sugar. Do not use brown sugar, artificial sweetners, etc.
And be sure to keep your feeders clean. Mold can grow on and in the feeders which can cause beak infections in those little hummers. I use a bleach and water solution to clean. Then I rinse with a vinegar/water solution to remove any traces of bleach, followed by a clean water rinse. This leaves my feeders sparkling clean!
Once the hummingbirds know you have good food in your feeders, they will return year after year.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Beak Appetit is back in business!
I just heard from the grapevine that Beak Appetit is back in business! Beak Appetit is a line of nutritious cook and serve food that you prepare for your birds. It comes in a variety of flavors that birds love! As soon as my distributor begins stocking this product again, I will put it back on the site. Meanwhile, you can order it directly at http://www.beakappetit.com/
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