These are the Jokes, Folks

While making the rounds to clean and refill water bowls and tubes for my flock, I sometimes try to go too fast, and spill water on the floor. I alert my husband with, “Careful, I puddled in the kitchen.” To which he has often replied, “Next time you will make it to the bathroom.”

A Different Way to Lose a Lovebird

Ask anyone familiar with Agapornis roseicollis and you will hear that the best pet lovebird is a single lovebird. As soon as you put two lovies together, you will be pushed out, even if the first lovie is closely bonded to you.

Happiness is a Nursery Full of Baby Parrots

I came to birds late in my life, so I don’t feel comfortable with hand raising and keeping parrots that will outlive me. Cockatiels and budgies and finches are no problem right now, though the day will come when I will not be breeding any longer. So I am thrilled to have this chance to care for five young parrots for a week.

Zoo Parrots

I have a birthday in September, and so with my wonderful husband, went off to visit the San Diego Zoo. I am a zoo nut. I love both that park and what used to be the Wild Animal Park, now the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. I do not love being around herds of senseless people in the heat, but that’s a small price to pay for animals, animals, everywhere animals!

Summer Goes Out in a Blaze

In Southern California, the end of August and beginning of September are often the hottest days of the year. Today the temp got up to 101 degrees f by 1:00 PM. Inside, it stayed a sultry 94. Looks like a thunderstorm is heading in and the rain is bringing the temp down a bit. As I write this, the sun should be setting in another couple hours, so there’s a chance things will cool off tonight enough for me to sleep.

Maynard vs. Shoes

Maynard is a 27 year old Amazon double-yellow-headed parrot. He’s relatively smart, affectionate to me, and entertaining when we have company. He learns quickly what I don’t want for him to do, and does it repetitively until I find a way to prevent him doing it. Did I mention he learns quickly?

Communication is Key

Perhaps you only have one companion bird. You may know every squeek, squawk, and word your bird makes, and know exactly what is meant by it. Hungry, happy, tired, bored, wants attention, all those moods are communicated easily.

China Birds

One of my walking friends is Chinese. She travels a lot and hikes almost every week. She asked me if I knew what kind of birds were kept as pets in China. She often reads about gentlemen taking their caged bird along to the tea house where they would spend the day, reading, talking, and drinking tea. I realized I know a good deal about birds in Africa, South America, Australia, North America, India, and some parts of Asia. But almost nothing about birds in China.