Feathers

Hi Ally, I have the same cage that you have. I found that the roof was a pain as it was wasted space and you couldn't hang toys etc. I removed the roof and covered the top in bird mesh and it was great. You can comfortably fit 6 - 8 birds in that space. It is better to cut the perches so they run front to back instead of side to side. Putting those perches and natural branches (safe wood like eucalyptus or peppermint) on either side up the top allowed the birds rom to fly from side to side. This is what it looked like after I removed the roof. Feathers.

Yay Kaz, How very excitement!! Feathers.

Little one, you'll be needing a tour guide .... [puts up hand for the job] Libby, it seems pretty much beyond doubt. Everyone seems to jump to the conclusion that Tricia used to give elephant rides because it seems she has been here for so long, but most people come up with 50's and early 60's. Tricia only came to the zoo in 1963. I'd still love to see the photo though, if she tracks it down. Jimmy, I really don't know where it comes from. I have all these issues that I am so passionate about, but I had never thought of myself as being so 'political' until recently. It seems it doesn't take much to trigger a 'speech' Feathers.

Oh Chryso, I LOVE Jurong. I have been there quite a few times and loved every visit Oh, and having another cheap place to stay in Singapore wouldn't be a bad thing Please don't stop raving about South Africa. I'd love to hear more about it. And who wouldn't be excited. I have been doing so much reading about eco-tourism. I just wish I had thought of volunteering in these sorts of programs before I ended up in a wheelchair. Mind you my life was so non stop back then that I would never have found the time. Feathers.

Hi again, well she was definitely an adult when you bought her. It seems most likely that she is a 1999 bred bird. Sometimes they end up in petshops when breeders no longer want them. Liv, how do you know that the age is incorrect. What is on the band? It looks like he is wearing a gold ring, which were issued in 1994, 2000 and 2006. It would be strange that a breeder would put a 1994 ring on a bird that was bred in 2004. Feathers.

Hi Libby, that would help! If she can tell us how old she was. Feathers.

looks like millet is the firm favourite!!! Feathers.

Hi there, absolutely no doubt that he is a boy, a very beautiful boy. Feathers

Hi Abi, it sounds like he had a stroke. My sympathy to you, but at least he is now free from pain. *hugz* Feathers.

Kaz, How adorable! picture one: "Mum, is it nice out there? picture Two: Looks up at mum and awaits an answer picture three: [thinks] "maybe I should just sneak out and check for myself" I am a sucker for photos with a chick looking out a nestbox hole. Feathers.

Hey, thats looks fantastic... give them a day or two and they will be on it all the time. Feathers.

Happy Anniversary Petie!!! And wow, what a surprise.. they are going to love it!!! How very exciting! Feathers.

Hi Gen, If he only started the behaviour along with his moult, I would put it down to hormones! A scared budgie may let you touch him whilst being frightened out of his skin, but they certainly wouldn't turn their head to let you get to those hard to reach places while you are scratching their head. They do close their eyes 'in ecstacy' when you hit just the right spot! Keep working with him, using the tips from Elly's taming FAQ's and I am sure he will settle down again. You may have to give him a clip (if you don't know how to do this, please get a vet to show you) while he re-learns that you aren't a threat and you will get your playful Bluey back before you know it. Clipping them means that he wil have to rely on you to get up to his favourite places as his flight will be limited. In the meantime, Bluey might have to start getting 'budgie time out' when he is naughty and bites you too hard. A firm "NO" and then back into his cage to sit and think about it for a while! My inside feathered friend went through the same thing at the beginning of the year, but you'd never know it now, as he loves to play with me again. Time, love and patience. Feathers.

Hi Chrissie, after all that you and Percy have been through together I am sure that iti wil be nice to finally have some answers. It certainly sounds like this vet is more 'on the ball'. *hugz to you and Percy* Feathers.

Hi there, Well done for making a post :hap: We love pictures of pretty birds here, as you know. They are all such pretty birds and seem quite happy all together. Vets will tell you that you should quarantine a bird for 60 days. We usually advise at least 30 as any illness will usually show in that time. So, please keep an eye on them for things such as pooey butts etc as stress can bring out hidden illnesses during periods of stress (which included adding a new member to the flock). Now that you have made one thread, please feel free to make another whenever you like :hap: Feathers.

Hi Kristy, As far as bird politics go, we humans worry about it more than the birds do... They really don't care if their cage mate is male or female! In that size cage 6 - 8 can comfortably live. At a stretch, and if you give them out of cage time, 10. You just need to make sure there is plenty of perching room and enough seed trays to ensure they aren't fighting over who gets to eat and when. Feathers

Hi Chryso, don't start writing this in a book, then we would miss out. Just copy your posts and print it out to glue in a book :hap: We ARE more important than your memories after all :hap: Then in 10 years time you could write a comedic book on looking up a horses backside as a vet in the making. We would all buy it. We love your posts :excl: I felt bit crappy in the nasopharynx myself yesterday. I thought Jacquie had given me her cold, but it seems okay today. So hopefully not. Rest up, Chryso.. things have been a bit hectic, so enjoy your hiatus, however short it may be. Feathers.

I have been meaning to do some research on whether people actually rode Tricia or not. When someone mentioned that to a keeper last time I was at the zoo he said that Tricia was never ridden. It was the elephant before her. Now I always thought it was Tricia too. As for the diabetic Orang... yes, he is still here. He, Hsing Hsing, has the most expressive, beautiful face. I adore him. He quite happily puts his arm out every morning to let the keepers take a blood sample. He has fathered most of the Orangutans that we currently have in the zoo, so to introduce more genetic material we recently got "Dinar". He has fathered the last two orangs born here, but both are boys!! The zoo has put him in with another couple of females, but as yet.. nothing. Speaking of Orangutans, we as a family have always loved them and my eldest daughter's boyfriend adopted one in her name as a christmas present. She, a little girl called Vanessa, is in Borneo, but on the Indonesian part, not in Sarawak where I was in January. Now we are trying to support them, as a family, and helping to reduce their main threat which is habitat loss due to palm oil plantations. SO if you like orangutans and don't want to see them only in zoos in the near future (they estimate it will only take 7 years to wipe them out in the wild through poaching and habitat loss) please avoid any products that have palm oil. Palm oil is used for cooking KFC, in many chocolate products such as major brands of chocolate (chocolate has other issues such as 60% of worldwide cocoa being farmed by 5 -6 year old children, including some trafficked children - so don't started me on that!) Nabisco golden oreos, Newman’s Own Organics Alphabet Cookies and champion chip cookies a lot of Arnotts biscuits and many many more products. As the US and other countries push to rid products of trans fats they are increasingly replacing those fats with palm oil instead. Many times just listing "vegatable oil". A lot of "health food" products use palm oil. The problem is palm oil is only produced in Malaysia and Indonesia. Palm oil use is tipped to at least double by 2020. To increase production they tear down and burn forrests. The Sumatran tiger, Sumatran rhinoceros, Asian elephant, Orangutans, banteng (a wild ox), barking deer, giant flying squirrel, proboscis monkey, gibbons, langurs, and clouded leopard are all under tremendous threat, and many species face the possibility of imminent extinction. :hap: If you are interested... read this article: CRUEL OIL [steps down off box... again] :hap: You people really shouldn't stir up my political side :hap: Feathers.

Hi Andrea, Just curious, when you bought her in 2004 who did you buy her from and how old did you think she was? Was she sold as a baby? Were you actually given any idea of how old she might be? Feathers.

Hi Missy, Fantastic picture, Missy, and great commentary. You've really shown their character. I have the same type of ring toys, and others, with long fringes hanging off them. I trimmed all of mine down after one of my birds got caught up in it. I only noticed as he was in the same position two days in a row. Thank goodness I did as he didn't give me any indication that he was in any kind of stress. During that time other budgies must have been feeding him, again, thank goodness. Anyway, since then I always trim off those fringes. I also use skipping ropes and $2.00 dogs toys a lot. Feathers.

Hi there, there is no need to 'suppliment' them unless Dad isn't feeding them. As long as you check their crops are full, they will be fine. You can help out by having soft food and millet around. This will help Dad to feed them and will also help the babies out when they start trying to feed themselves. In any softfood mix added vitamins or calcium would help them to grow up healthy and strong. Feathers.

Hi Derricka, from the photos above your baby definitely looks like a male. The older they get the easier it is to sex them. Maybe Millie should be renamed Miles? :hap: Can you get some close-ups of the cere in natural light (no flash) as then we can be certain. How old is he? They are normally ready to be removed at 6 - 7 weeks of age. As Kaz said, as long as he can crack the seed for himself and is eating normally he can be removed. The earlier your daughter starts working with him the better. Even if he hasn't left the nest yet you or your daughter could sit and play with him for 15-20 mins at a time, several times a day. Just make sure you are in a budgie safe place and he cannot escape. You just never know when he is going to REALLY test those little wings out! Hope this helps, Feathers.

Hi Sereptilia, welcome to the BBC forum. You are going to find spending time, with your absolutely beautiful budgie Janus, and training Janus so rewarding. I am sorry that you previous bird passed away. Jimmy, well goodness gracious, haven't you come a long way. Jumping in and replying before anyone else, confident AND correct with your information.... Are you sure you don't already have a budgie and you are just tricking us :hap: Way to go!! Feathers.

Aww Vicky, ain't budgie luv just grand!! :hap: George sure does the 'crazy eye' thing when chatting up to Balki. NickNack, very funny :hap: Feathers.

Hi Kristy, Libby and Dave have already answered your questions. I'd just like to point out that you should feel free to ask as many questions as you'd like and you should never feel like you have to apologise for it. If we don't ask, we don't learn :hap: Feathers.