I'm baaaaack! Sorry for the absence--life again intruded into my other
plans. The niece who was over in Africa living with her fiance' appeared
on our doorstep without warning a week before Easter, and I've been busy
with family stuff ever since! Funny how the reappearance of someone you
love whom you haven't seen in a year re-organizes your priorities...
Anyway, I'm really sorry to have been away so long. On the birdy front
at home here, the gang is all fine. I STILL have two young jenday males
who need permanent homes--anybody within driving distance of Detroit, MI
is welcome to drop me a netmail or e-mail about the boys! My jenday pair
would like to go to nest again, but I won't let them until these boys
are out of here--no room for any more cages or brooders right now!!!
I lost my mind yesterday, and added another cockatiel to my aging flock.
An ex-co-worker had to give up a 'tiel he'd had for over 5 years. Since
I knew "Sly" had been an only bird his whole life, the odds of his
having a disease are smaller. So I took him to my father's house for
quarantine. Sly is a very nicely marked pied who talks! (None of my OWN
cockatiels talk!). He says "Pretty birdy", "pretty boy" and "whatcha
doin'?", and he also wolf whistles very well.
His only toy for the past 5+ years has been a copper cowbell(!). This is
sad, IMO. He'll have new toys as soon as I can get some from my friend
who makes bird toys. He's been on a seed-only diet, which will also
change as soon as I can manage it. He was free-flighted, and would fly
to anybody who picked up his beloved bell. We had to clip him for his
own protection during quarantine, but once he's here in the big flight
cage, in the double-protected bird room, I'll probably let his wings
grow back again. He pets his own head with that bell--very cute, but
also rather sad to watch. He'd rather be petted with the bell than with
fingers...
I hope he adapts to other cockatiels OK--I have a widowed hen who'd
probably like him. We go to the vet as soon as possible, and if he
passes his physical exam, after a reasonable quarantine period, he'll
come back here and get introduced to the flock.
Anyway, I'm back again--who's left out here to talk to???
--moderator, Fidonet Parrot echo,
--Kathy Johnson
 * SLMR 2.1a * Diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
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