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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 7:42:55 GMT -5
I don't plan on getting one, of course.
I can still be interested, though.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 7:44:15 GMT -5
I don't remember what the name of the channel is but there is this youtube channel full off really cute videos of this bird called Mr Max
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 7:47:06 GMT -5
I don't remember what the name of the channel is but there is this youtube channel full off really cute videos of this bird called Mr Max I meant how you care for birds—domestic canaries in particular, I like them—but that's acceptable too. I'll remember to keep Mr. Max in mind.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 7:52:31 GMT -5
Oh.
uh I hear they're like kids im not good at this i just collect cute birb videos
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 8:00:20 GMT -5
Oh.uh I hear they're like kids im not good at this i just collect cute birb videos well i could just look at care sheets and stuff instead
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Post by Riverdapple on Oct 21, 2016 8:01:24 GMT -5
I can tell you some stuff!! Just about parakeets, though--that's what I have. Just a moment while I get typing!
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Post by Riverdapple on Oct 21, 2016 8:53:11 GMT -5
My laptop died three times while I was typing this, GAAAHHH okay here we go. SORRY IT'S SO LONG ㅠㅠ
I've had four parakeets - Flash and Apple were my older ones, but my family members accidentally let them outside two years ago ): - and my current ones are Pigeon and Blue Jay. (Yes, I name birds after birds. xD My other pets too: I have a rooster named Penguin and a gerbil named Owl.)
On the note of birds getting outside, by the way... The best way to avoid that obviously is to make sure they're in their cage whenever the door or window is open, but birds need to spend as little time cooped up in their cage as possible (and they should also have the biggest cage you can afford), but I know accidents happen. So the second best way to avoid this is to clip their wings. Look up a guide or tutorial for this - I was super nervous when I started clipping chickens' wings 7 years ago, but practice makes perfect I guess? - and as long as you're not cutting too close, it doesn't hurt them - it's just like getting toenails cut. (And you'll have to cut their toenails sometimes too.) Vets can also clippings, but I don't know how much it costs. Personally I don't clip wings anymore. My chickens are confined in a yard with a net ceiling, and now that I have young cats in my house, my parakeets need to be able to fly to safety if one of the cats sneaks into the room without me noticing. (Even though Blue can't fly at all. I don't know why. Maybe she's too fat? She starts flying up and then runs out of momentum and plops down on the floor. Not gonna lie, it looks really funny.)
So the first thing I gotta get out of the way of course is that birds are so needy and also pretty moody (especially when they're molting, I've noticed). Unless you or someone else can be there all day for your bird, you'll need more than one, and sometimes they don't exactly click. Pigeon adores Blue - he grew up in a pet store with a ton of other birds, so he's pretty shy with people (he will sit on my hand and sing to me, but gets nervous easily) but needs a lot of bird attention - but Blue is a spoiled rotten baby from a breeder (I don't buy from shops or breeders usually; Pigeon was a gift and Blue was a bit of a rescue case - it's a long story so I won't get into it right now) so she adores people but is not too social with other birds. So a lot of bickering goes on in my birdcage. I don't worry about them hurting each other - Pigeon will occasionally pull Blue's tail if he gets tired of being ignored - but it's not ideal. I would resolve it by getting new cagemates for the both of them and switching things up, but my dad won't allow any more birds in the house. Bleh. Well, I'm in college now anyway so I probably don't have time for 4+ birds. Maybe after I move out. But anyway, the moral of this story is that not all birds click, and you may end up needing to do a lot of searching to find birds that will get along peacefully. I've noticed that females tend to be particularly fussy and fierce. Worst case scenario, bad cagemates can kill each other, but just monitor their behavior carefully and you'll know what changes need to be made, if any.
Birds are messy, like super messy. They chew and tear apart everything they can get their little claws and beaks on. There are holes in the wallpaper in my house where they've perched too long without supervision. They eat a lot of the stuff they chew too, so watch out for toxic substances. When Blue was a baby she liked to eat graphite from pencils. I have no idea if that's toxic or not but she used to hop into the pencil basket while I wasn't looking and munch on pencils until her tongue turned black. (I don't have a clue why - they don't seem tasty to me) If you're going to have birds, they're going to make a mess of things fairly often. And on the subject of messes, actually, one nice thing about birds is that their cages won't smell. I mean, I don't have a very good sense of smell so maybe I just can't detect it, but my dad is way too sensitive to animal odors and he doesn't complain about a bad smell in the dining room, so it must be fine. That said, a bad animal smell usually reminds to me clean the cage, the lack of it in the birdcage makes me forget to clean it sometimes... whoops.
Birds will need a varied diet just like people. Blue is weirdly obsessed with seeds. She eats birdseed every day, so I don't know why she finds it so exciting when I offer her more seeds. Weirdo. Usually when I offer her anything else, she just tears it up for fun. Except oatmeal. Every time I eat oatmeal she'll just sit calmly and nibble on a few plain old boiled oats, perfectly content. (One really weird thing she does is that whenever I give her a basil leaf to eat, she tears up most of it and then tucks the scraps into her feathers. Like... birdy shampoo. I don't know why she does it. But she loooooooves basil leaves for this reason.) Birdies will like just about any fruit or vegetable, though they'll have personal preferences. My birds refuse to eat any red leaves. They're scared of them. They also won't eat anything squishy except the occasional tiny bite of banana (and Blue Jay's oatmeal obsession). Some plants are only good in small amounts (like grap`es and melon, because of high sugar content, and lettuce, because it lacks nutritional value) and some plants are flat-out toxic (I believe green onions fall into this category). Other plants are super good foods (kale and celery are favorites for my birds, and the previously mentioned basil leaves - all three are quite healthy, last I knew). And obviously artificial foods like candy are a no-go for any pet, but everyone knows that. Granted, different birds will need slightly different diets, so just do some quick searches for whichever type of bird you want, and if you're unsure whether or not something's safe, google it.
That's all I can think of off the top of my head? I gotta go to class soon so I'll think about it later. Again sorry this ended up so long!!
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Post by Riverdapple on Oct 21, 2016 9:05:20 GMT -5
That looks fine! That's about the size of the cage I have. It'll work for two birds, as long as they get time out of their cage. (They don't need to be out of their cage constantly, just enough time for them to stretch their wings and legs and satisfy their curiosity and need for exploration.) Oh! Another note about cages is it's best to include perches of varying sizes so their feet don't get cramped. Blue likes to sit on the floor of her cage and chew the newspaper in the litter tray so she doesn't spend all her cage time on a perch anyway, and cramped feet is usually only an issue for neglected birds anyway, but I thought it would be worth noting~
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 9:07:52 GMT -5
That looks fine! That's about the size of the cage I have. It'll work for two birds, as long as they get time out of their cage. (They don't need to be out of their cage constantly, just enough time for them to stretch their wings and legs and satisfy their curiosity and need for exploration.) Oh! Another note about cages is it's best to include perches of varying sizes so their feet don't get cramped. Blue likes to sit on the floor of her cage and chew the newspaper in the litter tray so she doesn't spend all her cage time on a perch anyway, and cramped feet is usually only an issue for neglected birds anyway, but I thought it would be worth noting~ I had a bird once when I was six (I'll tell you more about that later), and she had 2 perches, but both had abysmal texture and 1 was really low to the bottom of the cage. That was kind of cruel, wasn't it? No stimulation for the bird. Anywho, do tree branches work propped up in the cage? Sterilized and freed of all that natural goop, of course. That's obviously a must.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 9:10:00 GMT -5
I also think the transparent walls are really cool. It's a shame there isn't an even bigger option for cockatoos and other larger birds. And I'd be letting the bird out, of course. I have two dogs right now, one of whom is outright crazy and would not hesitate to eat a bird, so I can't have one right now. One can dream, though.
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Post by Saint Ambrosef on Oct 21, 2016 9:42:16 GMT -5
So my brother has had five birds. The first three were paralets: Skip flew into the walls and broke his neck, Lola managed to fly outside and wouldn't come back, and Rio died mysteriously (during one of my other brother's house parties-- we think someone might have fed him alcohol or something). Then he got a Quaker, which are actually native to where we live (Texas). Sometimes I can hear them flocking in the trees. They're called quakers because the species will mysteriously shiver for seemingly no reason for all--got the quakes. We named my brother's bird Oatie after the oatmeal brand. Oatie is by far my brother's longest-lasting bird, still alive at about 10 years (they usually live 15-20) About six years back, some people on the street found a little blue budgie on the curb outside my neighbor's house. Knowing that we had bird care stuff, they gave him to us, and we spent awhile trying to see if he belonged to anyone. We ended up keeping him with the name Peepers-- he made lovely chirps, and we kept hoping he would teach Oatie something other than squawking (more like the opposite, sigh). However, Oatie was VERY territorial, so we had them in separate cages, and Peepers never quite got over his fear of humans.
Anywho...the number one suggestion I have for birds is to swap out their cages. Every couple of weeks or so, you should re-arrange the toys, perches, etc in their cage. It helps keep them stimulated. Rotate different toys in and out. Birds who are too bored will often start plucking themselves for entertainment, so don't let them get that far. Be prepared for the noise. All birds chrip a lot. From my experience, birds have a very wide range of personalities, even more so than dogs or cats imo. They're extremely close to humans in that regard; they develop traits for seemingly no reason. A bird might hate you because the way you smell. Meanwhile, another bird might adore you for it. Before adopting a bird, check them for a trial to see if they're compatible with you. Birds are nosy. Half the time, they want a bite of what you're eating. They can eat a really wide range of fruits, vegetables, and grains, so offering them a taste of whatever you're munching on is fine (I do this with my rabbit as well). High-sugar fruits are like candy to them-- they're very good for their diet, but only a little at a time. If you can, giving them freshly sprouted seeds is great for them too! Some birds will be content to just sit on your hear or shoulder for hours. That's perfectly fine, just don't forget they're sitting there and walk outside (that's how we lost Lola).
Birds are high-maintenance. They both need and want a variety of attention, so be prepared for the work that goes with them.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 9:58:40 GMT -5
Question: Can you really feed birds dandelion?
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Post by ☆starLightCuriosity on Oct 21, 2016 11:30:33 GMT -5
I don't remember what the name of the channel is but there is this youtube channel full off really cute videos of this bird called Mr Max Are you referring to angeleyedboidan? The channel has a LOT of videos featuring a cockatoo named Max : P
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 12:26:19 GMT -5
some1 beat me to writing a page of info );
if anything wasn't covered tho hmu. i have 3 parrots (:
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 12:27:40 GMT -5
Question: Can you really feed birds dandelion? Also, my tree branch question. ⬆️
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Post by Saint Ambrosef on Oct 21, 2016 13:54:04 GMT -5
Question: Can you really feed birds dandelion? Also, my tree branch question. ⬆️ I've never done it. Do you mean the seeds or the flower/leaves?
Yeah, tree branches work fine! Long as you make sure they're stably propped up, so the bird's weight won't cause it to fall over.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 14:19:28 GMT -5
Question: Can you really feed birds dandelion? Also, my tree branch question. ⬆️ Tree branches need to be baked before they are safe for birds. Baking them strips them of potentially harmful bacteria and insects. Stripping the bark is optional, but generally encouraged. Certain trees are toxic to birds, so do your research first. You can also clean the branches with a solution of 10% bleach, 90% water. Power washing and stuff is also an option, though usually power washing is combined with the bleach method. Dandelions can be eaten by birds, yes, as long as there haven't been fertilizers, pesticides, or urine in the area. So if you have dogs that use the bathroom around there, don't feed it to your other pets ); As far as I know, the complete plant - including roots - may be offered.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 14:48:57 GMT -5
Also, my tree branch question. ⬆️ Tree branches need to be baked before they are safe for birds. Baking them strips them of potentially harmful bacteria and insects. Stripping the bark is optional, but generally encouraged. Certain trees are toxic to birds, so do your research first. You can also clean the branches with a solution of 10% bleach, 90% water. Power washing and stuff is also an option, though usually power washing is combined with the bleach method. Dandelions can be eaten by birds, yes, as long as there haven't been fertilizers, pesticides, or urine in the area. So if you have dogs that use the bathroom around there, don't feed it to your other pets ); As far as I know, the complete plant - including roots - may be offered. Thank you! I knew I'd read about branches somewhere.
P.S. I know all about blood feathers and egg binding and stuff, thus no citation is needed there.
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sɪʟᴠᴇʀᴏᴡʟ ☾
rood yelling meanie
be cunning and full of tricks
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Post by sɪʟᴠᴇʀᴏᴡʟ ☾ on Oct 21, 2016 16:28:18 GMT -5
•♕• i dunno how to care for birds but i really want diamond doves (or a crow, although thatd have to wait until i have my life together) in the future! •♔•
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 17:41:24 GMT -5
•♕• i dunno how to care for birds but i really want diamond doves (or a crow, although thatd have to wait until i have my life together) in the future! •♔• I suggest trying another bird before taking on a crow—or a raven, for that matter. Owls and toucans are out of the question completely, obviously—they're really mean anyway.
If you want a crow—which you obviously do—option one is having a "free-ranging" crow. In this circumstance, you would gain a wild crow's trust—after somehow attracting or luring him—and he would probably return later. This would require tons of effort, though, obviously, and you probably couldn't touch the crow or anything, only talk to him and feed him.
Option two is that you could have a crow in a really large outdoor aviary—after somehow acquiring said crow, of course, and heaven knows how. Thieves are definitely something to consider, though.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 17:46:27 GMT -5
I'm sure you already knew everything I just told you, but I was just making sure.
Crows are truly amazing birds, though. I'm guessing you know how they "mob" and "sunbathe" and stuff?
Oh, and they don't actually hoard shiny objects. That's apparently a myth. coyot.es/thecorvidblog/2013/10/29/crows-and-shiny-objects/
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Post by Riverdapple on Oct 21, 2016 17:55:54 GMT -5
Oh yeah, that was the other thing I was going to mention. Noise level. I've been told that parakeets are some of the quieter parrots? Mine are quite loud so I can only imagine other birds, haha. They scream sometimes but that's usually only when they need something - attention, usually. Pigeon sings all the time, which is really nice, and sometimes Blue joins in and it's my favorite sound, them singing together. Both my parakeets make really different sounds. Pigeon chirps like your average songbird except for this quiet little cooing noise he makes when he flies onto on my shoulder and stares at me like a socially awkward kid. Blue Jay instead makes spitting and kiss noises, and makes this creaking noise when she's sleepy. She also imitates chuckling. It's the cutest thing I've ever heard.
Another thing is food dishes. I have three food dishes for my two birds because Blue is pretty territorial about her birdseed and likes to chase Pigeon away sometimes. Usually she only scares him away once or twice before getting bored and returning to her meal, and Pigeon goes to eat in another dish. They don't have feeding times - birds should be left with dishes full so they can eat whenever - but they seem to insist on eating at the same time. Birdy see, birdy do.
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sɪʟᴠᴇʀᴏᴡʟ ☾
rood yelling meanie
be cunning and full of tricks
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Post by sɪʟᴠᴇʀᴏᴡʟ ☾ on Oct 22, 2016 19:25:08 GMT -5
•♕• i dunno how to care for birds but i really want diamond doves (or a crow, although thatd have to wait until i have my life together) in the future! •♔• I suggest trying another bird before taking on a crow—or a raven, for that matter. Owls and toucans are out of the question completely, obviously—they're really mean anyway.
If you want a crow—which you obviously do—option one is having a "free-ranging" crow. In this circumstance, you would gain a wild crow's trust—after somehow attracting or luring him—and he would probably return later. This would require tons of effort, though, obviously, and you probably couldn't touch the crow or anything, only talk to him and feed him.
Option two is that you could have a crow in a really large outdoor aviary—after somehow acquiring said crow, of course, and heaven knows how. Thieves are definitely something to consider, though.•♕• well, yeah. ive done my research. and i wouldnt get a crow until like, 10 years from now, when i have like a house and stuff, and time to devote to keeping a pet like that. but who knows? i might not even get one. and i would get an african crow, like these or thesei do want diamond doves though, hopefully soon. •♔•
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2016 22:45:33 GMT -5
I suggest trying another bird before taking on a crow—or a raven, for that matter. Owls and toucans are out of the question completely, obviously—they're really mean anyway.
If you want a crow—which you obviously do—option one is having a "free-ranging" crow. In this circumstance, you would gain a wild crow's trust—after somehow attracting or luring him—and he would probably return later. This would require tons of effort, though, obviously, and you probably couldn't touch the crow or anything, only talk to him and feed him.
Option two is that you could have a crow in a really large outdoor aviary—after somehow acquiring said crow, of course, and heaven knows how. Thieves are definitely something to consider, though. •♕• well, yeah. ive done my research. and i wouldnt get a crow until like, 10 years from now, when i have like a house and stuff, and time to devote to keeping a pet like that. but who knows? i might not even get one. and i would get an african crow, like these or thesei do want diamond doves though, hopefully soon. •♔• Pied/African crows are beautiful birds.
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sɪʟᴠᴇʀᴏᴡʟ ☾
rood yelling meanie
be cunning and full of tricks
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Post by sɪʟᴠᴇʀᴏᴡʟ ☾ on Oct 23, 2016 13:39:38 GMT -5
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