Feather Fanciers In the Playground

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Was curious how many folks here have pet or raise birds?

When I was 11 I was given a chick to raise and from then on loved birds. Have raised everything from peacocks, guineafowl and geese to a pet parakeet and hummingbird (well, I tamed the latter anyways so it would perch on my finger).
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs366.snc3/23570_406805746795_611791795_5117155_5470667_n.jpg

Currently though just have an emu and a mated pair of doves.

[Lycan 01]

Good sir, I think I hate you now out of jealousy over your ability to tame hummingbirds. :smallamused:

[Shas aia Toriia]

You have an emu?
Where do you keep it? :smallconfused:

[The Vorpal Tribble]

You have an emu?
Where do you keep it? :smallconfused:
Yup, his name is Bandersnatch and keep him in my parent's fields. My place won't allow them. Had him about 8 years now, since a chick. Had two others I raised to adult hood, but Bander killed Jabberwock as a rival, but the female, Jubjub, had already bonded with him so she just kind of wasted away.

Emus ain't the nicest fellows.

[PersonMan]

Wait, the female who wasted away was Bandersnatch, but so was the other one? What?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Err, sorry, meant Jubjub wasted away.

[PersonMan]

Okay, that makes more sense. Thanks for clarifying.

I've never actually had a bird for a pet, so...

However, a bird once tried to eat my finger. Does that count?

[Mauve Shirt]

I have a pet African Grey named Cyrus!
His vocalization repertoire includes hello, buh-bye, yeah, good night, good boy, dog, and the names of my family members and my dog. Whenever we play cards, he will randomly start going "Four, five, six" over and over again. He'll imitate the door opening, and if he hears us laughing he'll imitate my father's laughter. And of course he emits random high-pitched whistles and squeaks.
If you've seen one African Grey, you've seen them all, but here is a pic from 2006. He really hasn't changed at all.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v54/21/9/1225020560/n1225020560_30080133_2303.jpg
And here's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6necr3OItjo) a video of him bopping around set to Rhapsody of Fire.

And I just spent a weekend at my roommate's place, here is a pic of her bird Birby. He's adorable, but he's absolutely evil.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs328.ash1/28547_1215905757517_1225020560_30926832_897123_n.j pg

[Serpentine]

HUMMINGBIRD! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

I've had three grey budgerigars.

Zif, I taught to wolf-whistle sort of (re-reow, hubba-hubba). He hung out, sat on my shoulder all the time, came to me, was generally friendly and lovely. Then he jumped into my porridge, got sick and died. :smallfrown:
Smokey I got as an adult from the breeders. He was a jerk. He bit and wasn't at all nice. Someone left his cage and the house door open, and he flew away.
Sneak was pretty nice. Not as nice as Zif, but he still hung out and stuff. He just randomly got sick - don't even know what was wrong - and, yeah, died.

Not sure I should be allowed to have birds :smallfrown: Though I'd really like a pet gallah...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

*grins at the parrot get down*

Yeah, birds are bad at just getting sick and giving up. They don't ever seem to fight. Now, there is one difference. There was this blue cochin bantam hen that I got as a chick for Christmas. Raised her in a wading pool in my room actually. Her and her sister would follow me around and come when I called.

I put them in a cage outside for awhile one day. A hawk came down to the cage while i was inside and tried to reach in. Little miss spitfire goes running at him and tried to attack it. The hawk grabs her neck and begins trying to shove her through the bars.

I'm running out during this and the hawk takes off. I reach in and she's bleeding pretty bad and can't stand up. For a month she can't do a thing, have to water her with an eyedropper and feed her gruel. She can move one side, but the other is paralyzed. It takes a couple months but she overcomes it and learns to walk, though can only hold one leg stiff so that she can put weight on it. Still would fall over when she got excited. Got to the point she could take care of herself though and lived several more years before getting killed when a tornado came through.

Was appropriately epic ending for her I think.

[Phase]

One bird, Golden Collared Macaw named Teddy. Died in 2005, still miss him. He was thirty five years old, if I recall correctly, and he was suffering from Gout, partial blindness, and general old age when he passed.

He apparently ripped out all his feathers and went berserk when my parents first brought me home from the hospital as a larva, but we grew close over time. I'm looking into getting an African Grey, as I miss having a Psitticaform companion.

[Haruki-kun]

Feather Fancier, never had a feathered friend. How does this make me feel?

:smallfrown:

[golentan]

I've had parakeets for a decade now.

Sadly, they've been dropping like flies the past month. Now, only the menfolk remain, all the females having passed on (one to a tumor, and the other to simple age).

Also, Cockatoos love me on sight. All cockatoos. To the point where it can get embarrassing in pet shops. They settle in on my shoulder and begin grooming my hair, making out with my neck, and cooing in a manner that has made witnesses blush. I have had people tell me to get a room.

[Froogleyboy]

I absolutely love birds! It first started when I got a feather legged bantam **** that I named Foghorn. I loved him oh-so-much, but ,after five years, he died of unknown circumstances :smallfrown: but I've had a bunch of chickens since then. I had a duck once. At the moment, I have a guinea hen (I named her Madam :smallbiggrin: ) that is in love with my step-dads Road Island Red rooster, and two homing pigeons

[golentan]

I absolutely love birds! It first started when I got a feather legged bantam **** that I named Foghorn. I loved him oh-so-much, but ,after five years, he died of unknown circumstances :smallfrown: but I've had a bunch of chickens since then. I had a duck once. At the moment, I have a guinea hen (I named her Madam :smallbiggrin: ) that is in love with my step-dads Road Island Red rooster, and two homing pigeons

As in Foghorn Leghorn? Ah Say Ah Say Ah Say, that is an Un-uusual name to be givin' a Bantam. Understandin' as we do the distinct-shun of appearances between your basic Bantam and our dear Mistuh Leghorn.

[Froogleyboy]

As in Foghorn Leghorn? Ah Say Ah Say Ah Say, that is an Un-uusual name to be givin' a Bantam. Understandin' as we do the distinct-shun of appearances between your basic Bantam and our dear Mistuh Leghorn.

I was five. Give me a break :smallyuk:

[Mystic Muse]

Good sir, I think I hate you now out of jealousy over your ability to tame hummingbirds. :smallamused:

Same here.


I've had parakeets for a decade now.

Sadly, they've been dropping like flies the past month. Now, only the menfolk remain, all the females having passed on (one to a tumor, and the other to simple age).

Also, Cockatoos love me on sight. All cockatoos. To the point where it can get embarrassing in pet shops. They settle in on my shoulder and begin grooming my hair, making out with my neck, and cooing in a manner that has made witnesses blush. I have had people tell me to get a room.

This made me laugh.

I have a cockatiel in my house but she hates me and most other people. She's been pulling her feathers out so she can't fly very well which is odd.

[golentan]

This made me laugh.

I have a cockatiel in my house but she hates me and most other people. She's been pulling her feathers out so she can't fly very well which is odd.

Sadly, not a joke.

If your cockatiel hates people, and she doesn't have a companion bird of her own, she's probably lonely and stressed, and coping by feather plucking.

Read the article here, and see if you can do something. (http://www.2ndchance.info/selfpluck.htm) Plucking can get nasty (while it's titled Parrots, Cockatiels have similar problems).

[Mystic Muse]

Sadly, not a joke.

If your cockatiel hates people, and she doesn't have a companion bird of her own, she's probably lonely and stressed, and coping by feather plucking.

Read the article here, and see if you can do something. (http://www.2ndchance.info/selfpluck.htm) Plucking can get nasty (while it's titled Parrots, Cockatiels have similar problems).

Wow. I might show that to my family tomorrow.

EDITL might have to is what I should say. I may accidentally forget.

[golentan]

Yeah. It sounds like it's probably stress: My Keet did something similar when she lost her mate and wasn't feeling sociable towards any bipeds without wings. Social contact is nice for birds. So you probably don't have to worry about disease (though malnutrition may be a factor, if you're not getting the right food mixes: Cockatiel blends are readily available if you're just buying generic birdseed, as are some pellet foods. Plus, I've never had birds grow less happy/healthy when given a little fresh fruit or veggies).

But regardless, it can be... bad. Serious to life threatening injury bad. Though by that stage it's very clear something is very, very wrong.

[Mystic Muse]

We've been feeding her a cockatiel mix. There are also these little balls of seed treats we sometimes give her.

Anything else we can do besides buying another cockatiel? My family isn't really going to go for that.

[golentan]

We've been feeding her a cockatiel mix. There are also these little balls of seed treats we sometimes give her.

Anything else we can do besides buying another cockatiel? My family isn't really going to go for that.

Acclimate her to contact by taking her out daily. When she has had enough and really is trying to get back to her space, take her there. If she bites you, stay calm, don't raise your voice, and don't jerk away. Speak soothing words, sing at her. Reward good behavior with praise and maybe treats.

She'll start to accept you, and then you can spend more time with her. When she feels engaged with someone, she may ease up.

[Froogleyboy]

Acclimate her to contact by taking her out daily. When she has had enough and really is trying to get back to her space, take her there. If she bites you, stay calm, don't raise your voice, and don't jerk away. Speak soothing words, sing at her. Reward good behavior with praise and maybe treats.

She'll start to accept you, and then you can spend more time with her. When she feels engaged with someone, she may ease up.

This.

It may take a while, but it'll be worth it.

[Mystic Muse]

Well, I'd really like it if she didn't hate me so much.

I'll start on that tomorrow.

[Phae Nymna]

I've never had any experience with birds as house animals, but I can say I would love to have a Rose-Breasted Galah or two.

They're soooooo cute.

[Serpentine]

..."rose-breasted galah"? :smallconfused: You show me a galah that ain't "rose", and I'll show you a parrot that ain't a galah.

...this is along the lines of a "duck-billed platypus", isn't it :smallyuk:

[Phae Nymna]

Well, I wasn't sure what to call them...

The Galah (pronounced /ɡəˈlɑː/), Eolophus roseicapilla, also known as the Rose-breasted Cockatoo, Galah Cockatoo, Roseate Cockatoo or Pink and Grey, is one of the most common and widespread cockatoos, and it can be found in open country in almost all parts of mainland Australia. (Wikipedia)

I am neither Australian nor am I well versed in birds, so please forgive my mistake. But they're sooooo CUUUUUUUUTE.

[Serpentine]

Galahs are cockatoos that are pink and grey. There is no other galah. And yeah, they're buffoons :smallbiggrin: Sometimes you see 'em hanging upside down from a phone wire, just because.
I brought one home the other day, actually. Came across it as I was walking home from work. It was just lying on the grass. It barely even looked up when I picked it up. I took it home and called WIRES. The woman told me not to touch it (uh-oh...), and that she'd call someone to pick it up to put it down. Seems there's a particular bird disease going around - transmissable to humans - and once it gets to that point, there's nothing you can do for it. When I went to check on it a few minutes later, it was already dead :smallfrown:

[Fostire]

I have a pet African Grey named Cyrus!
His vocalization repertoire includes hello, buh-bye, yeah, good night, good boy, dog, and the names of my family members and my dog. Whenever we play cards, he will randomly start going "Four, five, six" over and over again. He'll imitate the door opening, and if he hears us laughing he'll imitate my father's laughter. And of course he emits random high-pitched whistles and squeaks.
If you've seen one African Grey, you've seen them all, but here is a pic from 2006. He really hasn't changed at all.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v54/21/9/1225020560/n1225020560_30080133_2303.jpg
And here's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6necr3OItjo) a video of him bopping around set to Rhapsody of Fire.
<3
African Grey's are awesome. I want one!

This is my feathered friend: http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q224/LordRod/Loro2-1.jpg
He went missing a couple of years ago though.

[Mystic Muse]

I think Barn owls (Most owls really) and pink cockatoos look awesome.

[Froogleyboy]

Now, How, my good Tribble, did you train a hummingbird

[pinwiz]

Vorpal Tribble, can we get a picture of your emu?

[Mystic Muse]

Now, How, my good Tribble, did you train a hummingbird

Because he is just that awesome.

[PanNarrans]

My gran breeds African Greys, so I grew up helping to tame the chicks. I still live with my family, though, so a couple of budgies in the aviary is all I'm allowed. Definitely getting a parrot when I move out come September.

[Mystic Muse]

What kind of parrot?

[KoboldRevenge]

ever had a crow?

[Froogleyboy]

ever had a crow?

My grannie keeps crows, they keep hawks away from our pigeons

[Maximum Zersk]

I used to have some pet chickens.

Died or ran away.

I also had some Turkeys.

Died or ran away.

Then I had some Guinea Fowls.

Ran away, I believe, with one still left.

Seeing a pattern here?

And some Peacocks.

Surprisingly, still there.

[Serpentine]

I really, really, really, really want a pet crow. And galah. But more crow.

[KoboldRevenge]

or any uh... peinguins?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Vorpal Tribble, can we get a picture of your emu?
Nets been down, but in the meantime went out to get some pics for just this request:


http://i49.tinypic.com/2qs5lqu.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/5dmlpc.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/2zf1na0.jpg
http://i48.tinypic.com/24gn6rs.jpg



Because he is just that awesome.
What he said :smallamused:

[Froogleyboy]

Have you ever tried to ride said emu?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Have you ever tried to ride said emu?
They're not strong or thick-bodied like ostriches. He doesn't weigh but maybe 100 lbs and they're not very strong.

Emus are the wusses of the ratites.

[Froogleyboy]

They're not strong or thick-bodied like ostriches. He doesn't weigh but maybe 100 lbs and they're not very strong.

Emus are the wusses of the ratites.

Oh, yeah, I was thinking of ostriches. sorry

[Serpentine]

EMUS are the wusses?! :smallconfused: Have you seen kiwis?

Hey, you have red dirt. It's no Red Centre, but still.
Fun story: during my school trip to central Australia, I put some vivid red dirt in with a letter to a friend of mine, just cuz it was neat. When it got there, his parents freaked out, thinking it was... anthrax :smallconfused:

[Froogleyboy]

EMUS are the wusses?! :smallconfused: Have you seen kiwis?

Hey, you have red dirt. It's no Red Centre, but still.
Fun story: during my school trip to central Australia, I put some vivid red dirt in with a letter to a friend of mine, just cuz it was neat. When it got there, his parents freaked out, thinking it was... anthrax :smallconfused:
But kiwis are friggen awesome!!!1one!
EDIT: But Rheas are my fave :)

[The Vorpal Tribble]

EMUS are the wusses?! :smallconfused: Have you seen kiwis?
Are those ratites?

*wikis*

Huh. Never thought about that. Makes sense.


Hey, you have red dirt. It's no Red Centre, but still.
No, it's not dirt. Georgia is famous for not having dirt. We have red clay :smallsigh:


Fun story: during my school trip to central Australia, I put some vivid red dirt in with a letter to a friend of mine, just cuz it was neat. When it got there, his parents freaked out, thinking it was... anthrax :smallconfused:
HA!


But kiwis are friggen awesome!!!1one!
Yes, that!

[The Succubus]

Although having never owned a birdie myself, I do have a soft spot for them. My favourite features prominently in Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams. The kakapo is a large football covered in green feathers and exudes an aura that makes it almost impossible to stop yourself hugging one. Sadly it is an endangered species but populations are slowly beginning to rise.

Can't link images from my phone - have a look on Google and go "aaawwwwwwwww".

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Can't link images from my phone - have a look on Google and go "aaawwwwwwwww".
My sister shared this with me a few weeks back. Takes a few double you's off the awwwww :smallamused:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vfsHYiKY

[The Succubus]

Sirocco is actually a gay man trapped in the body of a parrot with a huge ass, thanks to the nature of imprinting. Perhaps we should send him in the direction of the LGBTPitP thread for advice.

[Gerbelplecian]

http://survivalfarm.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/barredrock.jpg
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/12029_pumpkinpup_australorp_hen.jpg
I can't actually upload pics, but these are what my two lovely hens look like.
The australorp (her name is Ivy) is broody now, it's so funny!:smallbiggrin:
She sits in her egg box (which has no eggs in it) all fluffed up, and makes this adorable croaking noise. :smallsmile:

[Mauve Shirt]

I was once attacked by an emu in Germany. They are crazy.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I was once attacked by an emu in Germany. They are crazy.
An actual emu attacked you? What did it do exactly?

[Mystic Muse]

I was once attacked by an emu in Germany. They are crazy.

:smalleek: You didn't get hurt did you?

[Serpentine]

I accidentally fed an emu a golf ball, once... Got my deposit back, though, cuz technically it wasn't off the property :smallamused:

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Sammy the Dove
http://i47.tinypic.com/zkhlk7.jpg



I accidentally fed an emu a golf ball, once... Got my deposit back, though, cuz technically it wasn't off the property :smallamused:
Nice :smallamused:


The australorp (her name is Ivy) is broody now, it's so funny!
Oh yeah, broody birds are always good for a laugh.

[TheThan]

My sister shared this with me a few weeks back. Takes a few double you's off the awwwww :smallamused:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T1vfsHYiKY

that is hilarious. he took it pretty well though.


My grandparents had a Cockatiel named Scruffy, for years and years, probably close to 20 years or so before he finally gave up the ghost.

My uncle had a parrot, that one was mean though, he’d bite you if you got to close (about the only thing he wouldn’t bite was my uncle). You ever see a bird antagonize a cat? Yeah that one did.

Anyway the parrot had an interesting problem, one day he just stopped talking. So my uncle took him to the vet, and nothing was wrong so after a while he decided to give him to the zoo. As soon as the zookeepers put him in the aviary cage thingy, the darn bird started talking and squawking and such. I guess he must have just been lonely. I can’t think of the darn birds name though. I think he was a blue and yellow macaw, it’s been a long while since last I saw the bird.

But I’ve personally never had a pet bird. Though I do have family that used to raise chickens, don’t think they are doing it anymore though.

[onthetown]

No, it's not dirt. Georgia is famous for not having dirt. We have red clay :smallsigh:


I actually thought you were here on PEI for a minute. We've got red clay, as well.

I've been begging my mom for a bird for years, but she doesn't want any more animals in the house (I have a lot of pets already). If my boyfriend doesn't mind, I want to get a little songbird or something when we move out this year.

However, I'll be taking my cat and all my other creatures, so I'm not sure if it would work out. My friend had a budgie that was killed by her cats working together to open the cage and catch it. :smallamused: One of them jumped up to where the cage was hanging and broke the hook it was on to pull it down, the budgie flew out, and the other two cats were waiting in the corners of the room to herd it to the third one. She didn't think anything of the cats being in the corners until she heard the crash and saw them round it up to eat it.

[Serpentine]

A birdy sort of observation: Anytime someone needs a weird bird, they use an Australian one. For example: in at least one old Tarzan movie, they use a kookaburra call. Same for Wizard of Oz - when they go into the haunted forest, you hear a weird "hgooo-yah" noise. That's a kookaburra.
Finally, just then, I saw a dead magpie hanging in the spider's web in Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.

What's with that?

edit: Unrelated, OH MY GOD I JUST FOUND A TICK ON ME.
edit again: Okay, good news: It's probably not a tick.
Bad news: it appears to be a FRICKING LOUSE. ARGH!

[Autopsibiofeeder]

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/408/img3737r.th.jpg (http://img155.imageshack.us/i/img3737r.jpg/)

Brutus and Gaius, my two love-birds :). They were, I think, 7 weeks old on this pic.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Well, the two doves I originally got for my sister's wedding laid their first eggs, and now I have two of the ugliest little creatures you've ever seen. I literally thought for a moment one of the doves had managed to rip itself open and entrails were coming out. Talk about ugly ducklings and swans...

Named the first one Junebug as the day it hatched the 'swarm' (as its known in these parts) arrived for their yearly visit (think locusts, but shiny green beetles instead) and the other hatched the next day and is like seriously twitchy, so named it Jitterbug.

June and Jitter for short.

Now, for those of you who don't know about doves/pigeons, both mom and dad produce 'crop milk', a sort of fatty whitish syrup to feet the babies. To get it to them however, the baby has to reach down it's throat until the parent gags it up. So I keep looking down to see what looks like the dove swallowing its babies whole.


http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/408/img3737r.th.jpg (http://img155.imageshack.us/i/img3737r.jpg/)

Brutus and Gaius, my two love-birds :). They were, I think, 7 weeks old on this pic.
Cute :smallbiggrin:

[Serpentine]

Heh. Our equivalent is called Christmas beetles, for similarly obvious reasons :smalltongue: