Michael M. shares information about Kula’s new lighting,

Hey guys,

Well, it only took a decade or so but my latest move to the Olympic Peninsula and 4 or 5 day stretches of dismal grayness made me seriously consider the daylight bulbs you’ve been telling me about.

So I ordered a couple and installed 1 kinda at the end of her main perch.

She is out all day in an amalgamation of hanging toys, puzzles, branches, food, water in front of a big picture window.

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Sandi H. is interested in Superb Parrots,

The superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii) above, also known as Barraband’s parrot, Barraband’s parakeet, or green leek parrot

I’m thinking of getting such a bird. Please give me the pros and cons.

I at present have 3 rainbow Lorikeets. Love, love, love them.

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Anita J. is seeking added protein possibilities,

May I feed my Noble Macaw, Cockatiel, and Sun Conure any 100% Fish treats?

Like the soft sealed packs of Salmon and Tuna for cats.

Need some different proteins for birds recently moved from S Florida to Central PA.

Added the heated perches and heated panels to sides of cages added to their timed Sunlamp in their room.

Noble (a picker) needs some incentive to eat more.

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We have had numerous requests for help from Lisa regarding her troubles with her 2 Conures one of which is a Biting Conure.

We have suggested lighting to help control hormones, more toys, cage placement, and more which has helped somewhat, but it seems the problem continues and is getting worse over time.

We have decided to ask our readers to chime in here and give her some suggestions or solutions that have worked for them.

Please reply below this Blog post and she will see them. (more…)

Melinda T.  was wondering about her yellow nape amazon.

He is 39 years old. I had him from a chick. He has stopped talking. He just does a word here and there. He used to sing nursery rhythm and everything else Why would he stop. I had him checked out everything is good. The one vet said he said all he wanted to say and he’s done talking. What are your thoughts about this?

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Denise Mc. asks about lighting for her GCC.

I have sweetie (green-cheek) in the front window & around Christmas, I move the cage to a different location & he is not happy. I heard it’s not good for a bird to be in the window at all. I would like to move him & how can I make it less stressful for sweetie. Merry Christmas 🎄!

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Kiki St. H. asks about Millicinth macaw care,

Hi!

We adopted a Millicinth macaw, Tupi, about a year ago following her owner’s death. She was previously used as a show bird doing tricks and greeting crowds. To keep her working she was kept hungry, fed dog biscuits every other day along with vitamin supplementation, and then clicker-trained using sunflower seeds. She was transported in a small metal box and housed without proper light or perching in a cage too small to turn around.

Her vet visit when she first came to live with us revealed she had at some point broken both a wing and a leg on her left side which had not been treated and so healed wrong, and her right leg is developing arthritis as she uses it to compensate.

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Barbara K. has a biting lovebird,

Hi- I bought a hand-fed female lovebird from a respectable breeder. She was hatched in January 2021. She still bites my fingers very hard. She lands on my head, shoulders, lap but doesn’t want my hand near her. I have her in the main living area with 2 cockatoos and a macaw. She enjoys visiting my cockatiel, but when she lands on the big parrots’ cages I say no!

I walk there quickly and hope she will fly off the cage.

If she doesn’t fly I catch her in my hands.

So I think that could be why she’s afraid of my hands.

Is it better to keep her in the same room as my other birds, which include finches besides the parrots and cockatiel?

Or in my bedroom where I wouldn’t have the worry of the big bird cages, but I’m not in there as much as the living area.

It could be temporary, while I work on her learning to come onto my hand?

Or is it true female lovebirds are more biting no matter where they are, compared to males?

Thanks much. 

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Nancy M. is concerned about her young budgie,

Hello, a few months ago you helped me with a question about my parakeet with a feather cyst.

I now have another young parakeet since August who is unable to fly and seldom chirps or makes a sound. It appears to be a male. 

He can fly from the cage to the floor but is unable to obtain enough height to fly more than a few inches above the floor. His flight feathers have not grown.

He spends most of the day sitting on a lower shelf on the cart we keep the cage on.

He is able to climb very well and seems to be content and does engage with our other male parakeet while in and out of the cage.

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Denise M. wants to know why her conure won’t eat pellets,

Love your publication! I want to inquire about feeding. I feed sweetie bird conure food as well as apples, raspberries sugar snap peas, and grapes. He will not eat pellets. I hope he is getting enough vitamins without pellets. Thank you

Dear Denise

We can relate. Pellets do provide a diet that is complete with vitamins, but if they don’t eat them, what can you do?

If your bird does eat more pellets than other offerings, seeds, nuts, etc then you don’t have to be concerned about added vitamins.

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