Monthly weigh in - May 2015

I've posted a few entries on the blog about the importance of weighing your parrots frequently. Although I've been doing so in a less frequent manner than in the past (I used to do daily), I still try to get to it once a week.

I keep a spreadsheet with all the data, and have it backed up, but thought it would be good to also use the blog to keep track. Unlike my spreadsheet, I'll keep these monthly post to show what the average weight for each bird was each month.

So without much more delay -

Average weight (in grams) for May 2015:
Piper - 55g
Shade - 117g
Joey - 128g
Petey - 138g
Zuri - 128g
Pixel - 122g
Léa - 318g

I also keep a table of the average weights for each bird per year:

Year	Piper	Shade	Joey	Petey	Zuri	Pixel	Léa
2009	54	111	124	128	112	-	-
2010	56	115	126	131	124	115	-
2011	59	117	127	131	130	121	303
2012	57	116	128	132	128	120	307
2013	57	116	127	136	128	120	313
2014	57	117	128	139	130	121	316
2015*	56	117	127	139	127	122	319

*For 2015, data from January to May is included.


Piper has lost a little weight these past few weigh ins, I'll probably keep an eye on that. He is still eating nicely and seem like himself. In fact, the vet would probably be happy with the small weigh loss and I'm fine with it, as long as it doesn't dip any lower too quickly.

The dive

Or, also known as, "No more pictures, please and thanks!"

Wet Zuri

Both relieved to be inside and done with the shower!

Wet Pixel

She looked thoroughly unimpressed the whole time and here is more photographic evidence.

Wet Léa

I did promise more wet bird pictures!

Why did you do this to me?

Peek-a-boo Petey

I love these photos! He looks so silly!

Wet Shade

A few more pictures of Shade from that last shower day.

Playful Joey

That poor swing is looking more and more sad and empty.

Quotes

"No!"

~Léa's response/reaction when she saw the Boy bringing in food bowls with breakfast into the birdroom this morning, before the birds got out of cage time. She knew it meant no time out of cage that early (we wanted to head to the Farmers' Market first thing and then let the birds out).

Piper

I've been toying with the idea of this particular blog post for most of the month of May. I was holding back hoping that we could find a few older pictures of Piper, of him as a baby to be exact, but no such luck.

Given that this will be be my 100th blog post this year, I thought it was fitting that this particular post be "the one", so I'm going ahead, even if it won't be how I originally envisioned it.

Although I can't remember the exact date, May marked the tenth anniversary since I first brought Piper home (the 17th stands out so it may have been on that day). Even though there was already two Lovebirds in the house, and possibly an African Grey or two as well, he was the first parrot that was entirely mine. All the other birds belonged to my parents.

I remember vividly going over to the breeder's with my mom, excited to see (and it was only to see and possibly play with) baby Lovebirds. But Piper had another idea. Both him and a clutch sibling were on the breeder when we entered that room and the moment he saw my mom and I, he flew to me, while his sibling remained on the breeder. He nestled himself under my hair just behind my ear and that was it - he chose me. I had been considering a green cheek conure from a local pet store at the time, if only to get the poor thing out of there, but I am very thankful that Piper did what he did that day, resulting in him coming home with me, as the more I learned about Lovebirds and conures, the more I knew that the former were much more a fit for my personality.

Brothers and sisters

As mentioned in an earlier post this week, we got to meet one of Joey and Pixel's siblings this past Sunday at the local Parrot Club meeting. This got me thinking once more about how nice it is to know of other people with parrots who are siblings to my guys.

Initially I thought I didn't know many, but, other than with Piper and Petey, I can say that I know at least one sibling residing with someone I know and I thought it would be fun to have them all listed in a post.

Wet and on the move

I'll step up!

I'll step up!

I'll be good too! I swear, no biting!

What?! You don't believe me?

Have I ever done such a thing? Look at how sweet I look!

When Léa is willing to step up so readily from that atom, beware. She may look sweet, but this is one of her signature moves that may lead to a finger bite!

(Also, hate how Blogger has tweaked the colours in this pictures! A bit too much toward blue and it appears that there is extra contrast to the versions I actually uploaded.)

Hard work

She takes her wood chipping very seriously!

OPC meeting - May 24, 2015

We attended the local Parrot Club meeting and, as always, I took a few pictures. It's been a few years since I brought my own birds, and this did not change last night. It allows me to have "a break", allows me to interact with the other birds more and it frees up my hands for pictures!

Highlight of last night? Well, you will see that I had a certain obsession with the two Derbyan Parakeets that were there (simply stunning birds) and with Joey and Pixel's (older) brother, Charlie!