Boris' Slave

I just looked for any additional pictures of #6 and don't have any showing his markings - not much to see anyway as they are very pale, can also see just a tiny bit of purple in the cheek patches. This lot are my strongest and also noisiest budgies. All are very robust.

ah! The brown markings on his wings fooled me into thinking cinnamon. I was going to ask if he could be lacewing and spangle at the same time but realised not visually.

Yes, she is still eating and her poops are okay. Pictures are up in Budgie Photo section.

I know a few, can you confirm them please and tell me the ones I don't know? Thanks. I was in the process of transferring them from the treatment cage into spare cages and took most photo's whilst transferring them to save time as it was super hot! That is why I am "manhandling" all the birds. 1. Gray & White Dominant Pied Hen 2. Yellow & Green Recessive Pied Male - and Boris' Daddy! 3. Albino Hen - got blue leg ring on 4. Sky Blue Cinnamon Spangle cock? 5. Normal Gray Cock 6. White Lacewing Cock (his markings are very light) 7. Normal Violet Cock (coloured spots are purple) 8. Normal Olive Hen? 9. Yellow & Green Dominant Pied Cock 10. Cinnamon Olive Hen? 11. Yellow & Green Dominant Pied Cock How did I go?

I haven't been able to get any Mouting Aid yet. I am going to the produce store tomorrow for seed and will check to see if they have any. Otherwise, will Spark help her?

I met Dr Nat and Phil (sorry about the mix up!) last Saturday and checked out her breeding birds. Have to say they were magnificent looking birds - the best I've seen. I am just sorry I wasn't better company Nat. The heat was exhausting and the humidity on the day took what energy I had left. I promise if you invite me round agian when the days are cooler, I will be far more interesting! (I was still recovering from a nasty fall I'd had the week before where I was left lying on the floor for 5 hours before I was rescued). I really liked your setup, the airflow through would be good when the breezes blow. All your birds were bright (brighter than me LOL) and extremely healthy and they were all happily chatting away. I just love the way everything fit in. Well done! All birds arrived home to their new digs in tip top shape and settled into their quarantine cage without incident. Here they are only minutes after being put into quarantine: Please remind me, why did you suggest cinnamon pairings and what colours to put over these ones? I'll start another post showing my other budgies.

My baby is in such a miserable state. The bottom of the cage is full of feathers. She won't talk, she won't sing, she won't play - my baby is in a full moult! :rofl: In her entire life she has not moulted like this. No one and nothing can cheer her up. I am used to her spying at me from under the cover in the early morning before I uncover her. I am used to her excitement when I come home - she normally won't let me past without playing with her. She especially loves to give the appearance that she is going to savage my fingers only to turn it into a light nibble/preening greeting to my fingers. Here she is giving me the evil eye for daring to show her to her subjects in such a shocking state: Her royal highness does get an itchy butt every now and again:

Boris looks terrible! She is completely miserable and doesn't want to play with me at all - this is very unusual for her. She won't even talk to me. Despite her giving me the evil eye I took a couple of pictures of her which I will post up before too long.

a hard test but well worth the effort. I knew you wouldn't be disappointed in this one.

With number 28 all of us had been thinking of something to do with the Holy Bible. As it turned out it had nothing to do with the Bible at all but with chromosome pairs . . . A tip we found useful was that it appears to have been written by someone from South Africa especially with regards to the number of Provinces in South Africa and the cricket, football (soccer) and rugby questions. Also a few religious type questions. I hope this tip helps some of you who are stuck . . .

oh! *slaps forhead* I can't believe I didn't do that! I don't actually keep any on hand though. Any alternatives I could give her? Must remember to rejoin the Vetafarm Club, I let it lapse.

This one had us completely bamboozled for ages: 28. 23 P of C in the H B

It took 9 hours for mother, myself and a mate via msn to get the lot out. Poor mother and I were so hyped up we couldn't get to sleep after we'd completed it!

Poor Boris lowers herself into the mating position. No matter how many times I patiently explain to her that not only am I the wrong species, I am also the wrong sex. Sam just thinks she is playing and tries to knock her off whatever she's standing on when she does it to him. Boris has never moulted this heavily before, more Boris feathers than any other bird. I hope my baby gets over it soon!

I hope you all feel better soon. Nothing worse than feeling bad especially when you don't know what is wrong. I am sure that your doctor will do his or her upmost to fix you up post haste! Did you mention to the doctor you kept birds? When I was sick back in 2007 my GP had to write in the referral to the hospital that I kept birds and to check for psittacosis. Glad I didn't have that!

Well I gave her a bath today and mum had her wrapped in a towel on her lap along with Sam who also had one. After half hour Boris came over to me and I wrapped her up in my shirt and while she was laying there I was massaging her head and felt a mass of pin feathers! So that confirms it Elly - you are correct, Boris is in a moult. Her poor head, I had to be very careful with the massage as I accidentally knocked one and she whined so I took more care. We had the air conditioning on after the birds were dry and she (and Sam) slept alot. I opened her cage about 3.30pm and she came out and Sam annoyed the heck out of her (as usual). She was flying around but didn't have as much puff as usual and was relatively easy to catch and she voluntarily hopped into her cage. So, heat, humidity, being in season and a heavy moult - no wonder she isn't feeling 100%

I don't know - wish I did. Boris hatched on 1st June 2005 so that's why I typed her age like that. Perhaps a bit too much information. A good friend of mine, her budgie just died in the past couple of days and he was 12 years old. So I guess they do last quite some time but as for converting their years to equal our own? I do not know if there is a study into that. Certainly would be interesting to know.

This is very difficult and very addictive. http://intelligence-test.net/part1/

Well, I don't know exactly she isn't well. I feel she is okay but my parents are worried about her. Today was 34 degree's celcius and around 80 percent humidity. Mum brought her and Sam inside around lunchtime and while Sam came out to play and drive mum crazy, apparently Boris stayed in her cage. This is unusual for her. The past couple of months she has not been cleaning herself very well either which results in me having to bath her every couple of weeks. Later this afternoon she was sitting fluffed up - this was what my father said. When I got home from work tonight Boris was as boisterous as always and play biting and singing to me like she always does. I have tomorrow off from work so will keep a close eye on her and if I think she isn't well I shall take her to the vet. Not the vet I don't like but another that I used to take my lorikeet to. He's not an avian vet but he always knew what to do with my lorikeet. I always - even if a bit absent mindedly - check her poop every day and it is normal and firm. Occasionally, usually on hot days - it does go a little green but goes back to it's normal colour when it cools. I just had a thought as I was about to hit Post - Boris is in season right now and has been biting and clawing at the cage bars between her and Sam. Pity Sam is a peach face and doesn't seem to understand what her advances mean (he prefers his dumbbell toy to mate with). First thing tomorrow though (around 11am when warm) - she gets a bath! I am sure my parents' fears are unfounded as I know that bird better than any other bird I've ever had. However, to keep my parents' mind at ease, I will keep a close watch on her. Boris is 3 years 7.75 months old.

oh my goodness! if that isn't one of the easiest preparations to make I don't know what is! I can pinch some of my fathers lemon juice out of the fridge. Thank you Karen, that is a good recipe - will do that on the grass parrot cage next. Now the babies have all fledged it's safe to clean.

That is a cute little bub!

I have been using vinegar with a bicarb mix for many years without problems. It was only recently when I had some questions about avian ailments when I was told ammonia kills germs even in dried poop. Then, I came on here tonight and read through the sickness section - truth be told I forget where on this forum I saw it - and it also says something about ammonia. So, I have 2 reliable sources stating ammonia is good - but I can't find it. That is why I was asking about bleach, I asked Mummy Bernadette and she was unable to help.

Beautiful bird.

I have only recently started using bleach to clean my cages as I am allergic to it. I have been told to use it to kill any dangerous microbes that may still be in existence in the birds' poop even when dried - this is any that is missed during regular cleaning. Is there a time limit that I should observe before returning the birds to their cage? I could not find it on the bottle, is bleach and ammonia the same? I originally looked for ammonia in the shop and they did not have any which is why I bought bleach. The amount of bleach used was approximately 100ml per litre of water - is that strong enough? too strong?

LOL my sister did the same thing with Noah when he was 2. He refused to sleep in it instead slept with mum & dad. Don't know if he still does, he's 4 and a half now.