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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

526.0. "Finally Making Progress!!!" by DELNI::D_LANE () Wed Apr 03 1991 09:17

    
    I had the most wonderful experience this morning with my birds.  Today
    I misted my birds and they enjoyed it! They actually responded.  I had
    misted them before about once every other week, I'd go in and mist them
    with very warm water.  I never actually got them soaked..I'd just spray
    them a couple of times. They would just look at me like "here she comes
    again with that damn water bottle, oh no!"  
    
    Today, I decided I'd get them a little wet, cuz they've been getting a
    little dusty. Well, I pumped the spray about 7 times and then Ava (my
    gray cockatiel that doesn't really like people) started to really get
    into it.  He scrunched down on the perch of his playpen above the cage
    and spread his wings and just kept leaning into the spray!!!!  I'm so
    excited!  This is the first positive response this bird has given me in
    the 6 months I've had them!  I can't believe it.  I think I loved it
    more than the bird did, cuz I called my mom in to watch!  I just kept
    spraying and spraying and he was flapping his wings and just loving it! 
    I guess I'm just stunned that he responded with anything other than his
    normal screaching scream.  Garkon (my lutino cockatiel who shares his
    cage) didn't seem to get into it as much.  She just walked around the
    cage and let me spray her but didn't get into it as much as Ava did.  I
    guess I just expected that Garkon would respond someday before Ava did.
    I'm so happy and suprised!
    
    I blow dried the both of them and they got into that too.  I dried of
    Bandit (my Nanday - who didn't see impressed with the misting) with the
    blow dryer and he didn't like that at all, so I towel dried him which
    he tolerated much better.  He also wasn't as wet as Ava was.  I brought
    the playpen out into the kitchen, wiped it all down and then blow dried
    the cockatiels.  They both seemed to love that.  Ava made these happy
    little chirping sounds and they both just leaned into it and let me
    dry them.  They looked so pretty when I was done!  I didn't dare towel
    dry them cuz that would have ruined everything for Ava.  He ** HATES **
    towels.  Just hates them.  As a matter of fact, he started screaching
    when he saw me drying off Bandit with one, so I'm glad they seemed to
    enjoy the blow dryer.  I even thought Ava was going to fall asleep on
    the perch for a minute there!
    
    Garkon did make her own progress this am too.  I reached into the cage
    to encourage them to come out, and usually I have to chase them around
    the cage and eventually chase them out with my hand.  Today I reached in
    and Garkon was on the swing.  She loves the swing.  Well, she stepped
    right on to my finger, like nothing!  Usually she'd jump over my finger
    and try to get away from me.  I can't believe it.
    
    I actually think I'm finally making progress and that there is hope
    that these 2 birds will finally come around and maybe even like me a
    little. Before I just thanked God for Bandit cuz he just makes me feel
    like he appreciates most of my efforts to be a good bird mommy and give
    him a safe, nutritious, loving home.
    
    I hope this is a beginning of lots of fun!  Thanks for letting me share
    this with all of you!
    
    Donna
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
526.1Keep up the good work...ISLNDS::SOBEKWed Apr 03 1991 10:3549
    Congratulations, Donna! I'm so glad to hear that you are making
    such great progress. It must be exciting to see them start to respond
    to you. 
    
    Your experience is especially encouraging to me since I just
    "inherited" a cockatiel this past Sunday. Sammy was well loved
    and at one time hand-tame to his former 'owner' ..but other folks
    in the house didn't care for him and he ended up being teased by
    waving hands, screamed at ..and covered most of the time. As a result
    Sammy becomes agressive when he sees hands coming near him and hisses,
    screeches and lunges when I cover him at night.  I suspect his reaction
    is a little more than just the usual adjustment expected when going
    to a new home.
    
    Since this is my first experience with a larger bird (okay, okay
    ..so Sammy isn't exactly a Macaw  ...but he is alot bigger than
    Harry and Sally Finch. :^) ) .. I'll be learning as I go. Sammy
    has already begun to respond to our whistling and talking to him
    so I am hopeful that he will eventually come to trust us. We'll
    give him all the time he needs. Sammy did some talking in his former
    home, but so far the only thing he has said for us is "here kitty,
    kitty, kitty"!   I think he likes to live dangerously. :^)
    
    I haven't tried the water mist on Sammy yet as I wanted to give
    him a chance to settle in. This will be something new for him so
    I am curious to see how he will respond.
    
    Sammy came with a  15x15x29 cage that seems a little cramped for
    him so I am scouting around to see what I can come up with that
    seems more appropriate. If anyone has any suggestions or advice
    I would be glad to hear from you. 
    
    Harry and Sally Finch are doing well ...and busy, busy, busy with
    their babies. The youngsters will probably be ready to come out
    of their nest pretty soon. Lots of exciting things happening in
    a house that had no pet birds until recently. We didn't know what
    we were missing! :^)
    
    We visited Sea World in Salem, NH on Saturday and were intrigued
    by a pair of little green-cheeked Conures.  So the want list grows
    ..I'd like a Sun and a Green-cheeked Conure and Bob is admiring
    the Golden Conure and the Hyacinth Macaw. ..and we both want Bourke's
    parrakeets. Good thing our pocketbook is keeping us under control
    if our good sense isn't! :^)
    
    Please keep us informed of your progress. Sounds like things are
     going great!
    
    Linda
526.2GREEN CHEEKS ARE 'NEAT'DECLNE::TOWLEWed Apr 03 1991 12:2911
    Linda,
    
    	I bought a green cheek from Birds of Paradise in Plaistow, N.H.,
    which isn't too far from Salem.  It is just off Rt. 125, just to the
    right of Cumberland Farms store heading north towards Kingston.  It was
    a hand-raised bird and a real sweet heart.  We named him Lil' Bugger
    because he is so animated.  He flies around the house at break-neck
    speeds and buzzes you.  I think he was $125.00, but I'm not really
    certain.  The store usually has quite a few exotics also, but I haven't
    been there for 1-1/2 years, because I relocated to Georgia back in
    1989.  Take a look-see for yourself!
526.3Keep up the great work!CSOA1::DIRRMANWed Apr 03 1991 13:0715
    
    Donna,
    
    	Congrats! It is so exciting when you see some progress. We have
    	5 teils - They are sooo individual and soo much fun. I have two
    	that I aquired that were older and not used to people. They have
    	been a lot of fun - patience is the key with teils - and never
    	give up - 'cause sooner or later they will come around! My other
    	three I got at a very early age - so I can do almost anything with
    	them.
    
    			Good Luck and Hang in there!
    
    
    				Dora
526.4Showering frequencyEICMFG::BURKEJim Burke, @UFCThu Apr 11 1991 05:466
    re .0
    
    I thought that 'tiels required spraying every other day (even daily).
    We do.
    
    Jim
526.5DELNI::D_LANEThu Apr 11 1991 14:5916
    
    Hi,
    
    I was told to try misting them daily, but I just don't feel right doing
    it when it's so cold out.  Lately the weather's been beautiful, so I've
    doing it more frequently, but when it's freezing I'm afraid they'll
    catch cold, and I don't have time to blow dry the birds every morning. 
    Besides, sometimes they've looked like they haven't enjoyed the misting
    at all!  Maybe I'll try to do it more often with the good weather
    coming.  
    
    I must say that I notice that they look so much prettier when they have
    been misted and dried off and they spend so much more time preening
    then too.
    
    Donna