Picky eater? Never give up!

I have to say that one of the most annoying thing that happens as a parrot owner is the amount of waste parrots can do, specially when they are picky eaters.

While I do have a little garbage disposal who will eat just about anything (Shade), I also have some birds that are less than enthusiastic about the diet of fresh foods as well as cooked goodies.

Zuri was, for a long time, the pickiest eater. I do offer a little seed to my birds as well as pellets and he'd stick to mostly that. He often ignored most of the fresh food offered as well as the cooked mashes. But other than keep offering the food to him, there wasn't much else to do.

Well it seems that the near 3 years of persistence when it came to giving him food he wouldn't touch has payed off. These last few weeks I've been very impressed with Zuri - he's eating just about anything offered at dinner time with much gusto! In fact, lately he's often cleared out his bowl with little to be found on the ground of his cage. Is it the influence of Shade, who's cage is next to his that made a difference, I don't know.

One thing is clear - never give up on those picky eaters!! Keep offering fresh food and one day they might surprise you!

One month!

It's been one month, day for day, since Léa came home.

Somehow, it went by fast yet, doesn't feel like it's been a month. It's weird.

We are progressing with her introduction to the flock, albeit it being at a slow pace. She's in the same room as the other birds but so far, time out of the cage is still done separate - either she's in a different room with the Boy or I while the other is with the rest of the flock (which is normally in the morning and the first hour after we get back from work) or she waits in her cage while the others come out and later on she comes out while the others go in (which is generally the after diner routine during the week).

She's gotten more assertive, is definitively more comfortable with her surroundings and with the Boy and I. She is starting to test boundaries but is being taught what she can and cannot do. She's picking stuff up pretty quickly.

She's started to put on weight as well, since her arrival, she's been up by about 10g. It was a slow progression but that is fine. We are now constantly slightly above the 300g mark which is good.

I think she's growing attached to us - in the morning, when she's out with the Boy and I go say hi after putting the others back in their cage she always seems happy to see me. In the afternoon, while out alone with me she often "throws" herself in my arms for cuddle sessions. She's also quite obsessed with being on the Boy when he does the dishes in the evening, that seems to be their thing. She wants to be with us, it's cute. Yet, she's still quite capable of entertaining herself with toys when she needs to.

I've also slowly been introducing her to laying on her back in my hand and we are making progress on that front. I'm also getting her used to me manipulating her all over, including lifting her wings and holding them up, something birds don't seem all that comfortable with. She's using her beak a lot to test things, but she's good about how much pressure she applies (after I did a lot of "gentle" sessions with her).

All in all, I'm quite happy with her progression!

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Such a silly face!


Beautiful!

It's Pixel's hatchday!

She turns 7 today!

7 years old and I've only had her for a little over a year.

She's an adorable little bird - those "peek-a-boo" are endearing (even if repetitive at times) and she's recently taken to meowing like a cat, to the point where the Boy wonders sometimes who's actually making the sound (Pixel or our cat, Zelly..)

Here's to many more years together, Pixel!

A few pictures (of course!)





She does start yawning a lot when I take her picture - should I take this personally?







Finally, enough yawning it's time to sleep...and she looks rather dignified!

Evening Chatter

No footage - only sound.
I was filming from outside the birdroom as the birds will clam up if they see the camera.
There aren't any actual human words spoken - just the regular noises they make.
This is typical evening chatter.

Two times you will hear me - once doing what Pixel did and once saying "Jojo" after Joey does.
Piper sounds louder as well as he flew out to me in the hall early on.

Rollin' Petey

He has started doing this these past few weeks whenever I enter the birdroom.
Passing frustration onto the ball - but hey, better it be the ball than with me.

He doesn't do this for the Boy - instead he just sits there saying "Hi Petey" until the Boy acknowledges him.

Danita's "Wiener Wrap" foot toys get two talons up!

One from Léa...









..and one from Joey!

(he has a crazy/focused look going on in the first two pictures)




Happy Joey!


Such a fun toy, can't let it go, even when preening!

I'm watching you...

The phone is ringing..

...the Joey phone that is.

When we first got him, he did the phone ringing noise a lot, the it stopped, then he started again only to stop once more.But he's been doing it on-off for 10 minutes earlier this evening.

Funny how things come and go.

On that note, I don't mind the phone sound as it doesn't sound like any of our phones, more likely the phone of his old owner. He also used to do a Tarzan scream and I'm happy he got that one out of his repertoire..(I feel like I should go knock on some wood now..)

Someone got into the beads..

I had them out since I was planning on making foot toys while watching TV later.

Note to self

Next time you want to give Léa a kiss on the beak as you are letting her out in the evening right after she has taken a nap, check her beak first. It might save you from getting a slightly drooly kiss.

(Note: Capes are known to drool, this is perfectly normal.)

Avian Organics Order

I got it earlier this week and just got around to taking pictures!

I ordered when there was the buy 4, get one free sale.

What I ordered:



-Bolivian Blast
-Avian Vitality Sprouts
-Aztec Crunch



-Parrot Paella
-Andean Ambrosia
-Organic Blueberry Powder



-Pineapple Pudding
-Mayan Gourmet Mash (free item)
-Mango Medley (free item and a favorite of Léa)
-Quick Serve (a favorite of everyone except Léa who still is unsure about it)

The whittle bird..

..with the BIG personality and he's so darn cute!

Sometimes you have to be self sufficient

Pixel scratching her own head this morning - I was surrounded by others so she just took matters into her own foot.

I told you, she really likes her head being scratched

It's a bit long, but I couldn't find where to cut it and most importantly, what to cut. I just find her adorable!

If you want to skip ahead at some point, I suggest still watching the last 45 seconds.

Someone likes cheek rubs!

(ok I know this one is more head than cheek rub)




..and my absolute favorite out of them all!

Léa is 4 months old today!

She's already four months old! And to think I remember like yesterday being told that there was eggs!

Of course, this is the first time she got a month older here, all previous monthly celebrations were at the breeder's, so it makes this one a little more special.

She's definitively getting more comfortable in the living room, tonight she was all over the place. However, when I took her out first thing this afternoon we had to stay in the bedroom - she wanted to be on her Wingdow and I didn't feel like moving it. The large is definitively better for her, she tried going on the medium and hasn't liked how less spacious it was.

Obviously I took pictures! I'm thinking a montage of all of these pictures taken on the 14th of the month leading to her first birthday might be something I'll do.

Most of these could figure in a series about how she always has something in her beak...

With a pistachio.


With a piece of wooden bead.


With a pumpkin seed.


Oh look at that, just standing!


Her tongue was all over the Java stand - obviously this branch was too large for her beak...


...but this one wasn't.


And just because I find this one funny!


There's a few other pictures that made my heart melt a little..but they deserve their own post.