Conure Community Newsletter ~ 1^st Edition ~ September 2008

New Content

Photos

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Jack

Mandy

Scooby

Mica

Jay & Petey

Roberto, Abigail, and Sydney

Jack

BamBam

Mica

Izzi-Belle

Teeka

Baloo

Blaze

Tator

Izzi-Belle

Max

Zac

Blaze

Stories

Jack - Pulling at my heart strings

As a first time exotic bird owner, I had recently just purchased a Grey Pearl Cockatiel, and then went back a few days later to purchase another as a companion to the first; that's when I met Jack, a 4 month old sun conure, full of life, who pulled on my every heart-string. Read more

We Love Our Little Petey

I met my Blue Crown Conure, who is twelve years old, when we heard his owner admitted neglect for over a year. Read more

New Links

The Not-so-hidden Link between Diet and Behavior

Chloe gets a new cage

Last month, Ellen related the ongoing saga of Chloe and her new cage: “We bought Chloe a "Big Girl" cage, thinking to upgrade her living space with a large cage on wheels, like most of the other birdies have. I spent $$$ decorating it just so, thoughtfully arranging new perches and favorite toys, hung an old, familiar happy-hut for reassurance”.

“This weekend, we started "plopping" Chloe in her new Big cage. On Saturday I placed her inside, shut the door, and sat across the room reading the paper. I occasionally let her know she was being a "good girl" while she sat like a stone in the same position, quietly peeping her "sad little bird" peep. We did the same thing on Sunday afternoon, for about 2 hours. I left her alone, and later when I went to get her she was sitting in the center of the cage on a rope perch, exactly where I had left her. She is not exploring, eating, playing. I'm afraid that if we leave her there all day at this point she won't eat or drink.”

Update…08/28/08 – CHLOE WINS! Ellen reports, “She STILL HATES it. She refuses to eat from her new bowls. She will not move around the cage. She sits in one place and does her sad, pathetic peep, peep, peep, peep". After much discussion with Jim and friends, we decided that she is much happier in a small cage, she does not transition well, and there is no point in forcing her to change her situation when it wasn't her idea in the first place. I sold the big cage yesterday. I give up, Chloe - you win!”

Welcome to new and returning Conure Community members

Kate and Mr. Alberts (Jenday)

Lettie and Petey (Blue-crowned)

Paula Jean and Lucy & Ethel (Cinnamon green-cheeked sisters)

Lee and Hatch (Dusky-headed)

Cathy and Paulie (Blue-crowned)

Stephanie and Ziggy (Jenday)

Chris, Spirit (Nanday) and Soleil (Sun)

BirdTricks.com

Crimson babies hatch

Cindy M’s first clutch of crimson-bellied conures has hatched. The parents laid 5 eggs for their first clutch but only two survived. Cindy reports that “they are still too young to DNA, but will know more in the future. Just having so much feeding them. They are so alert, even at this young age. Their eyes are opening at 14 days and the biggest baby is now 15 days old and weighs 58 grams; the youngest is 13 days old and weighs 48 grams”.

Roo and his cell phone

Check out this hilarious link to Sly’s Roo playing with his cell phone. In the background you can hear Pingo, telling Roo "STOP" and when Roo ignores him...well, you'll see!

Bev taken by a green bundle of feathers

It appears that Oscar has been having a little fun with Bev. Bev reports, "So, yesterday afternoon, I glance towards Oscar and Felix's cages as I'm passing through the hallway, and I notice that Oscar is not on his favorite perch. Usually, this means he's on the other side eating, so I decide to sneak on over for a peek. He's not eating, but running around the bottom of the cage!!! What the heck?!? The second he spots me though, he scrambles back up to that same ol' perch, and looks all innocently at me...like I couldn't have possibly seen what was going on here.

So...was this actually a first-time thing for Oscar? Or did he not realize I was nearby and is actually doing more and playing more than I have realized?? Hmmm....maybe I need a hidden camera??"

Conure secretly a fish?

Check out this video of Joe and Carol’s “conure fish”, Quincy, demonstrating the missing link between fish and bird!

Abigail falls for sun conure

During the month of August, Sue babysat a sun conure, Sydney, for whom Abigail the green-cheeked conure fell hard. Sue says, “It is ironic to me that Abigail and Georgi (green cheek conure) did not get along but she is totally taken with Sydney, a sun conure! Go figure!”

Deb R’s visitor

Chance the Bengal cat

Chance the Bengal cat spent two weeks at the “kitty spa” being pampered by Deb who was also responsible for giving him daily injections. At the conclusion of Chance’s visit, Deb had this to say: “Chance's mom and dad just picked him up and are heading home to Altoona. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to get home to see his brothers after two weeks away at the kitty spa.

I managed to get all his injections done without mishap and he didn't have any health issues while in my care so I can heave a big sigh of relief now. I see Tristan is very, very carefully entering the spare room because he is certain that strange cat must still be in there somewhere. Kiki is hanging back waiting for the fur to start flying... LOL...”

Clean bill of health for Limon

Kit reported that Limon, Kit’s daughter’s foundling budgie, received a clean bill of health on her latest vet visit, with her new beak growth clean. Hurray!

New Additions

Paco, Blue-fronted Amazon, Jackie M

Stanley & Stella

Peach-faced lovebirds,being fostered by Denise

Wrigley, red-bellied parrot, Cherie

Special Days

August

08/14 – Picaro’s Hatchday, Angelika & Roland

08/15 – Chili Pepper’s 12^th Hatchday, Heather & James

September

9/22 – Blaze’s Hatchday, Jackie M

9/22 –Felix & Oscar’s Adoption Day, Bev

9/26 – Phoebe’s 2^nd Hatchday, Heather & James

9/29 – TJ’s Adoption Day, Jennifer

9/30 – Chloe’s Hatchday, Ellen & Jim

Other Events

8/8 – Happy Birthday to Linda P, 50 years young!

8/19 - Congrats to Sadenna and her husband on the birth of Andrew Thomas. Andrew weighed in at 6 lbs, 6 oz and measured 20 inches long.

8/21 – Happy Birthday to Janet, Chloe’s “Grandma”

8/25 – Congrats to “Arizona” Stacey on the purchase of her new home with a gorgeous bird room!

Congrats to Gail’s son on passing his California nursing exam.

9/03 – Happy Birthday to Amy

Maisie/Budgie up for Scotland’s PetChamp

Be sure to vote for Gemma’s green-cheeked conure, Maisie (aka Budgie), in the PetChamp competition. Winners to be announced September 26^th.

News from the Avian World

UCSF researchers identify virus behind mysterious parrot disease

Save the Yacolt Quakers

In Memoriam

On 8/12/08, Cathy’s green-cheeked conure, Gabriel, left for Rainbow Bridge at the age of 11 years. Fly free, little Gabriel; you will be missed.

Jennifer’s John Denver fan

Jennifer’s little TJ is a John Denver fan. Jennifer related the following story about how she discovered TJ’s latest preference in music: “I was so tired all I could do was lie there in bed a while ago. Teejees had been burrowing under the covers and attacking my hand while lying on his back.

I had public television on, waiting to find out what would appear after the pledge drive break. Well, John Denver showed up singing “Sunshine On My Shoulder” and TJ came running out from under the covers peeping with joy! He was fluttering to get closer to the telly, so I held him up. And there he sat singing along with the song. Never got tired of it either. I'll take that to me it's our song now. How much more literal could you get than "sunshine on my shoulder"??? That's TJ alright.

He loved the next song too, but I already can't think of what it was. It was Annie's Song. I only remember this guy from my childhood on the Muppets Christmas album. I guess I need to go get some of his music for TJ.

TJ also LOVES Jack Johnson, so between these two I think it definitely has to do with guitar music. But meanwhile, he also loves watching ballet.”

New species of conure

This is known as the Sleepy-Eyed, Flat-Headed Conure. Very rare, except at Ms Mello’s house.

Strange additive in the hay

Deb R reports that she believes there is a strange additive in the bunny hay these days..

If I didn’t have parrots

Adapted by Kit

I could walk around the house barefoot in safety.

All flat surfaces, clothing, furniture, and cars would be free of feathers and dust.

When the doorbell or phone rings, it wouldn't sound like a jungle.

I could sit on the couch any way I wanted, without taking into consideration how much space several feathered bodies would need to be comfortable and not fight.

I would not have strange presents under my Christmas tree - bird swings, wooden bead mobiles, leather strips of plastic buttons, seeds, and treats nor would I have to explain to people why I wrap them.

I would have money and no guilt to go on a real vacation.

I would not be on a first-name basis with my bird vet, as I put her yet unborn grand kids through college.

The most used words in my vocabulary would not be: step-up, sit, no-beak, come, take-a-dump, and quiet.

My house would not look like a day care center, plastic beads everywhere.

My pockets would not contain things like bird pellets, sections of clean paper towel, and wadded up used ones, the contents of which are better left undescribed.

I would not have as many feathers on the floor as on the birds.

I would not have to have two wardrobes of shirts - bird shirts and dress shirts, and I would not have colorful green decorations on my shoulders and back, at least a couple of times every day.

I would not look strangely at people who think having ONE parrot ties them down too much and is too messy and noisy.

I'd look forward to spring instead of dreading those hormonal weeks of the year and possible egg laying events.

I would not have to answer the question "Why do you have so many birds?" from people who do not have the joy in their lives of knowing they are loved unreservedly by
someone as close to an angel as they will ever get.

If I didn't have parrots ...................How empty my life would be.

Looking for ideas and submissions for future newsletters

Here are some ideas for future newsletter, courtesy of Anne Watkins (thanks, Anne!). If you would like to contribute to any of these suggestions, or have other great idea, send us an email.

Feature a favorite recipe in each issue.

Column of favorite cleaning or training tips, things to make living with a conure easier, etc.

Behavior-related tips for dealing with a difficult conure, a biting conure, a stubborn conure who turns up its beak at foods it should be eating, etc.

Dealing with noise issues.

Photography tips-some of the folks on the board are wonderful photogs!

Columns by guest conures. (Think Zoe's journal or TJ's school experiences, for instance.)

Introducing conures to other birds or pets.

Brag board where folks can submit their conure's latest cool stuff: new words, step up, tricks, etc.

What’s your conure’s favorite music?

Thanks to Lol for asking this question on the board!

“Our birdies have been liking soundscapes on a cable station. They just click away in the morning after they have been fed and played with. They sit in front of their lights (we call it their "Sun") and they just are so mellow, which if you knew Quincy they is saying a lot.” – Joe, Carol, Cuddles & Quincy

“Emmy, my GCC, is my music lover. She likes it loud and with a good heavy beat, mostly 70s songs and (go figure) show tunes, especially from Cats. She will bob her head and sing along. My tiel Willie will dance at his whim with or without music and Pepper, my sun, just looks at em like...huh?” – Denise & 3 fids

“Detre is the only one who reacts to music; loud and with a good beat. he dances == bobs his head, stamps his foot, clicks and sometimes turns around. He is only doing it to get my attention!” – Diane

“I've only seen Loki dance to one song, and it is this totally stupid song that Tracy and the boys like. I haven't noticed the others even care. We all have different tastes here, so there is a lot of different kinds of music played. And during the day there is a lot of Penny & Pals and other kids music played.

What I do know is that Loki does not like trumpet music. Or maybe just Cody's trumpet music, lol!” – Bev

Chloe really only likes the "Good Girl" song that I sing to her - it's ALL about Chloe being a good good girl, she Loves to bob her head and "sing"along - and once she got really agitated during a Mozart CD – Ellen

“My Goffin likes oom-pa-pa stuff. She'll jump around on the back of the sofa dancing, jumping....it's so cute and funny. Pebbles, my conure isn't really into anything but preening and kissing me.” -
Gloria

“Mica is the only one of my guys that seems to pay much attention to music. He likes it fast and loud - big surprise for a conure, right? If he really likes it, he'll dance, too. All three birds do get quiet and mellow if I play slow instrumentals, though. Now, when Little Bird, the goldfinch, was alive he would sing along to just about any type of music. He liked it all.” – Deb R

“My birds love Elvis, Prince and anything with drums in it because that is what mommy listens to all the time so I guess they have no choice but to love it.” – Linda P