Conference 7.286::pet_birds

564.0. "Taco is HOME!" by TOOHOT::SREMILLARD () Mon Jun 10 1991 19:32

	Well, I FINALLY got Taco home.  Thanks so much to Jeanne Defranco
	for the info on the breeders in our area!!

	Taco is a 8 week old Lutino Cockatiel. I really get a kick out of 
	him - he is such a character!!

	June 1st I took him home (I picked him up at 8am) and he was
	really shy.  I put his food dishes at the bottom of his cage so 
	he would find them easily.  He stayed there for most of the day and 
	I just kept an eye on him - but for the most part left him alone. 
	I called the breeder that evening because I was worried that Taco
	was not drinking (but he did start to eat a bit).

	Sunday, he started to chirp a little and was eating much better.  I 
	still worried if he was drinking at all - because I had not seen 
	him.  But by 10am I saw him drink and I know I felt better (whew)!!
	
	Also, he was overcoming his shyness... I was able to teach him
	"up" and he would climb on my hand with no problems.  He just 
	loves my rings and really pulls at them - I am surprized at the 
	strength of this little bugger!

	Ok.. by Monday - it was TACO THE TERROR!!  I opened his cage to 
	feed him in the morning and I just turned around and he flew out
	the cage door!  He was so funny... he landed on the floor and
	scuddled about - with his litttle head strung out and his back humped 
	with his wings open alittle.  I would call him - he would stop, 
	look at me then head in the other direction.  Poor Benji, my dog.. 
	she kept looking at him then at me like "What the heck is this?"  
	Benji doesn't scare Taco a bit.

	I caught Taco then put him on the playpen at the top of his cage.
	Right away he started to attack his toys and the perches.  He loves
	playing with things.  You know what his favorite toy is?  It was
	VERY EXPENSIVE... I had to SEARCH MANY stores for it... HA!!  It is
	a shoelace with Cherrios Cereal strung on it!  He doesn't eat them
	(yet) but loves to play, attack, and hang on it.

	He seems to be right-handed (?) as he likes to touch things with his
	right foot and beak.  

	He is real good about eating.  I put veggies and fruit in his dish
	and he trys everything.  He isn't eating them with as much gusto
	as the seeds - but he does have SOME.  Taco seems to eat more of the 
	fruit then the veggies.  Maybe I sould grind up the veggies? 

	I remove them before we leave for work and I replace them with his 
	seeds.  I feed him a combo of Pretty Bird pellets, Topper's and 
	Nutri-Berries by Lafeber's.  (Altho, I don't think that he has actually
	tried the Nutri-Berries yet.)  The breeder also gave me some Millet
	but told me to feed that only as a treat once a week or that would 
	be all that he would eat.  

	Taco has his wings (both) clipped - but still gets around well.  His
	flight range seems to be 25-30 feet.  I am usually warned before he 
	takes flight as he will give a big chirp before turning into a space 
	invader.  I do worry about his flights.  He had one really hard fall 
	on the floor (after smashing into a cabinet!).  Will he ever make the 
	connection that his wings are clipped and slow down on the flying?  I 
	know, I know he is a BIRD but I really worry about how clumsey he is 
	and the clipped wings just add to it all.

	I give him spray baths in the morning on his playpen.  I get the 
	impression that he is not too crazy about it - but he seems to be
	getting better.  Now he does not try to fly off.  After he is wet - he
	spends some time grooming himself.  His tail feathers are still kind
	of dirty.  (Boy, do they get beat with all the climbing he does too!)
	While at the breeder's he was in a plastic shoe box with his 
	nest-mates and his tail got dirty then.  Should I try to clean his 
	tail - or will it clean over time by his grooming?     

	Also, I have no experience with a bird... 
	
	- Is it normal for the lower chest feathers to kinda split apart to
	  see skin?  Once in awhile I see this.
	
	- Under the wings - is it normal for the feathers to be kinda sparce?
	  (Just a small spot - (like his arm pit) but I see it when he flies 
	  or stretches.

	- Do birds groom their feet?  He spends alot of time with his feet
	  in his mouth... (like me! ;^}) He seems be playing with them.  His
	  feet look fine.. no rough skin or anything..

	- Does anyone know how to tell the sex of a Lutino?  The breeder
	  told me that another breeder showed her the following:  You
	  look under the wing and you can see some darker yellow spots. IF
	  the spots end before they run into the body of the bird, then it
	  is a male.  IF the spots go all the way to the body - female.

	For those of you that know the sex of your birds... can you please
	check this and let me know if this is just bunk or not?  I would
	really appreciate it.

	Oh, according to this test, Taco is a male.  We checked all of
	his nest-mates and they all were the same... heh-heh-heh.. So I
	wouldn't know!

	I have had him for a whole week now and he is so much fun.  When he
	spends time with me he now makes little baby chirping noises.. it
	is SO cute..  He only does this when he wants to be picked up - he
	is training me well.... GOD! does he have my number or what??!!

	I have wanted a bird since I wuz a young'un... and FINALLY now that
	I am a old'un I gots one!  My hubby still calls Taco SQUAB tho...
	(sigh...)  (But I know he gets a kick out of him too..)
	
	Susan

    
    
    SQUAB??? That is so hysterical. My fiance calls my 2 'tiels & my Nanday
    Conure SQUAB too! I know he loves them too...especially when he calls
    himself "Daddy"!
    
    I have a Lutino and a Grey Cockatiel.  I never heard about the sex test
    so I don't know how true it is....I'd be interested to hear what others
    have to say too.
    
    Well, congrats and good luck!
    
    Donna

    I am new to "notes" but I heard about pet birds.
    
    I am so happy for you on Taco...I own two Cockatiels..one is a Lutino.
    They both are males and very good roommates..play, pet and once in
    awhile have little "tiffs".
    
    Last night I purchased a 7 month old Conure..needed a home and is such
    a baby.  We shall see..my husband will probably move out as my
    collection is mounding.
    
    I just wanted to wish you well with Taco  and enjoyed reading my first
    pet note file..
    
    Caralyn
    
    

    someone correct me if they think I'm wrong......
    
    
    
    	But I was told by an old bird type friend that Lutino cockatiels
    ONLY came in males!
    
    chet

    This is not true.  I have a female cockatiel that had a lutino mother.
    I believe that if you breed certain colors that you may only get lutino
    males or females from the clutch, but that is all part of cockatiel
    genetics which I am a novice at.   I'm sure that we have some
    knowledgable cockatiel breeders who could possibly shed some light
    on this subject.
    
    Regards,
    Denise

    We have a female Lutino and a Pearl male who have mated.
    My wife checked out the genetics (ie. xx/y,...), and I remember her
    saying something like: any male offspring from these two (Ollie &
    Susie), when mated with another Lutino, would produce Lutino females
    [or something like that].
    If anybody is keen, let me know and I'll get her (the wife) to dig out
    the chromosomatic (?!) info.
    
    Jim