Cage Redemption

In October of 2021, I posted about losing many birds to rodents in two cages. I couldn’t figure out how the rats were getting in the two flight cages. I clipped the doors closed and there were no holes or other ways for them to get in. Or so I thought. I did know that the doors on the safety room side had sliding doors set into them, and that was the most likely way the rats got in.

Fall In Love With Budgerigars

The most popular small parrot for pet lovers in the world is a Budgerigar! A what, you say? You probably call them parakeets, but while all budgies are parakeets, not all parakeets are budgies. From Bush Heritage in Australian, “You may know them as ‘Budgies’, but do you know that the common name is derived from a Gamilaraay Aboriginal language name ‘Betcherrygah’, which is thought to mean ‘good food’? It’s unknown whether this means that the bird itself is good eating, or whether their seed-seeking migrations led Gamilaraay to places of rainfall and abundant food.”

Out in the Cold

I’d really like to move almost all of my birds to outside aviaries and flight cages. Several things need to happen before I can do that. I need to get the outside rodents under control. I lost another male cape dove chick to rats and I’m very frustrated about that. Also, I need to have more cages with excellent set ups for safety. And finally, I have to be rady to do it when the weather is right.

Special Needs Birds and Their Care

If you open your home to birds, especially parrots, who have some condition that makes them less desirable as a pet, you come to understand the drive of the life force, the ability to survive that makes Special Needs creatures so endearing. These birds become easy to write about because of the positive energy they embody.

Why Amazon Parrots are Green

Over the holidays, I bird sat some chicks that were being hand fed a couple times per day. Five were lovebirds, two were sun conures, and one was a male Eclectus parrot. The last is such a beautiful bird to have around at Christmas. His feathers glow a deep green with a touch of red at his wing edges.

Egg Sounds

Most people think of eggs as just ovoid shells filled with yummy. The only sound they make is when the shell is cracked over a cake mix or frying pan. But that’s where most people are wrong.

Road Trip!

In a day or two, I’ll be going north with a friend to our favorite bird store, Magnolia Bird Farm in Corona. I’ve never been to their Anaheim store, so someday I will plan on that. In the meantime, I am looking forward to zipping up to the place I call the Disneyland for Bird Lovers. http://www.magnoliabirdfarms.com/aboutus.html

Watching the Wilds

With aviaries and cages in my back yard, I have always been blessed with wild birds in the trees and bushes. We even get hummingbirds when the citrus trees and jacaranda tree bloom. Not sure if they are just getting braver or if the increased supply is just too much to resist.

Apple Cider Vinegar

In my kitchen, I have two Brita pitchers that I use to fill up the drinking water tubes and dishes for all my birds. The Brita pitchers are easy to use, and we also have a water bottle style filter system that holds much more water but dispenses it slowly. So we keep that for human consumption. And even with data showing the filters don’t do a whole lot for the water, I still feel better doing this rather than not. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/08/19/are-water-filters-bs.html

http://doesitreallywork.org/brita-review/

The Great Outdoors

As I have often stated in this blog, my dream is to get most of my birds outside. Even if I am not breeding those birds, outside is better for them than inside. Especially since we live in California. No tornadoes or hurricanes, just earthquakes, and wildfires, which threaten inside and out equally.