Baby Broccoli

[LaManuka]

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Been keeping an eye on little man’s chest feathers, because apparently if I don’t have other things to occupy myself with, I catastrophize about their health. I think this may however just be a very unflattering angle for him. It seems like the same couple spots have little grey floofs, but I don’t notice him grooming those areas particularly, and I know he definitely plays with his toys when I’m not in the room - he’s been digging toys out of his “toy box” I made out of paper in his cage and leaving them on the bottom.

He can also fly in his cage, which is cool. Really glad I got the biggest size I could fit. He likes to zoom from the bottom up to the top perches; I’ve never seen a bird fully utilize the horizontal space like he does.

Here’s another shot of him mid-fluff:
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As you can see, when he fluffs and resettles his feathers he looks fine.

I finally scanned and submitted my painting for the competition! There are so many amazing entries, so I don’t expect much, but it was really fun to give it a shot.

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That's a gorgeous portrait, @ravvlet, I absolutely love it! Is there somewhere I can sign up to vote for it?

 

[ravvlet]

That's a gorgeous portrait, @ravvlet, I absolutely love it! Is there somewhere I can sign up to vote for it?

There’s a “vote” function on the website for some reason, but it’s a juried contest, so they have their own team of judges sadly. Mines nowhere near the best one; the entries are amazing!

On other news I caved and emailed the vet about Brocc’s chest feathers. I am sure it’s nothing and it’s just *anxiety*, but I figure I might as well ask and hope his doc tells me everything is ok so I don’t have to worry so much. I got a real unflattering photo of his chest today, and found that he’s got little pin feathers in there, so maybe he is just molting. He’s pretty young and if I recall correctly they have some kind of baby molt right?

You can see the little pin feather in there! I petted his chest a bit and messed up the feathers before this photo; it’s not normally this messy.

 

[ravvlet]

Oh yeah, little man is molting. He’s been bothered today and didn’t want as many pets - but when I finally got him to let me his neck is all pinfeathers beneath!

He’s having a good time with his foot toys though:

 

[ravvlet]

Today I was informed I am no longer allowed to do separate out time- and also; that Broccoli very much enjoys shortbread cookies, to the point that he would eat crumbs I did not realize I’d gotten on my shirt!

Went to put little man’s bath in his cage for him while Kirby is out and he marched out the door like he pays rent. He’s been sitting on my shoulder grooming my ears (and cleaning embarrassing crumbs I guess haha) and Kirby doesn’t seem bothered - his cage door is open but he won’t even come out - he’s content to watch Count Brocco harass me I guess.m

I have a long dowel and I’m right next to the boys, and I always step in before they can get close to each other, so we will see how it goes!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

View attachment 53838

Been keeping an eye on little man’s chest feathers, because apparently if I don’t have other things to occupy myself with, I catastrophize about their health. I think this may however just be a very unflattering angle for him. It seems like the same couple spots have little grey floofs, but I don’t notice him grooming those areas particularly, and I know he definitely plays with his toys when I’m not in the room - he’s been digging toys out of his “toy box” I made out of paper in his cage and leaving them on the bottom.

He can also fly in his cage, which is cool. Really glad I got the biggest size I could fit. He likes to zoom from the bottom up to the top perches; I’ve never seen a bird fully utilize the horizontal space like he does.

Here’s another shot of him mid-fluff:
View attachment 53839

As you can see, when he fluffs and resettles his feathers he looks fine.

I finally scanned and submitted my painting for the competition! There are so many amazing entries, so I don’t expect much, but it was really fun to give it a shot.

View attachment 53840

I zoomed in on Broccoli's photos and he has lots of pin feathers on his his face, and lff breast,ghduu7u7

Today I was informed I am no longer allowed to do separate out time- and also; that Broccoli very much enjoys shortbread cookies, to the point that he would eat crumbs I did not realize I’d gotten on my shirt!

Went to put little man’s bath in his cage for him while Kirby is out and he marched out the door like he pays rent. He’s been sitting on my shoulder grooming my ears (and cleaning embarrassing crumbs I guess haha) and Kirby doesn’t seem bothered - his cage door is open but he won’t even come out - he’s content to watch Count Brocco harass me I guess.m

I have a long dowel and I’m right next to the boys, and I always step in before they can get close to each other, so we will see how it goes!

You have shortbread crumbs in your ears?

 

[ravvlet]

I zoomed in on Broccoli's photos and he has lots of pin feathers on his his face, and lff breast,ghduu7u7

You have shortbread crumbs in your ears?

Apparently!!

Little man had to go back in his cage for the rest of Kirby’s out time - he got bored and started PULLING on Kirby’s tail feathers while I was petting Kirby. I swear, conures have more sass than sense!

 

[onamom]

I swear, conures have more sass than sense!

Now that is true Ona is a genius but when she is sassy mode…. all sense goes out the window!

 

[ravvlet]

Now that is true Ona is a genius but when she is sassy mode…. all sense goes out the window!

He was so good at first, I thought we were in the clear! Then he got bored and decided to see what would happen if he just got all up in Kirby’s business! Our cockatiel never did this, haha. It’s all fine because I have the time to let them have separate out of cage time, but goodness gracious. Little man could have so much more free time if he didn’t have to be a goofy little goblin, haha.

 

[ravvlet]

My slightly deranged and rambling email to the vet hasn’t gotten a reply (don’t worry; for better or worse they’re used to me), and I found lots of cute little feathers that were definitely not chest feathers, so I think it’s safe to say my little man is having his first molt. I am googling to see if that means he’s a little older than I initially assumed, or if even baby parrots have a fall molt.

I committed the crime of dyeing my hair blue again and he wants so badly to climb in and chew it, but while I washed it thoroughly twice after, I don’t feel good about letting him mess with it until it’s been a week.

 

[ravvlet]

“Mom I’m itchy I’m ITCHY EVERYWHERE please wrestle do not stop DO NOT STOP ONLY PETS”.

 

[LaManuka]

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“Mom I’m itchy I’m ITCHY EVERYWHERE please wrestle do not stop DO NOT STOP ONLY PETS”.

Awwwwwwwwww, just have a look at him!! He's such a photogenic little guy, isn't he?!

 

[ravvlet]

Awwwwwwwwww, just have a look at him!! He's such a photogenic little guy, isn't he?!

He knows he’s cute!

 

[LaManuka]

He knows he’s cute!

Yeah, I know another handsome little rooster just like that Mine's probably a bit more of an egomaniac than Broccoli is though!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

He knows he’s cute!

He's how old? 5 months? Maybe he's just growing additional feathers to fill out his plumage rather than going into his first molt. Maybe the first molt for Duskies begins at about five months. I highly doubt he's older than you were told. He was still on hand feedings at least once a day when you met him. Did they give you his Hatch Day?

 

[ravvlet]

He's how old? 5 months? Maybe he's just growing additional feathers to fill out his plumage rather than going into his first molt. Maybe the first molt for Duskies begins at about five months. I highly doubt he's older than you were told. He was still on hand feedings at least once a day when you met him. Did they give you his Hatch Day?

I never could get his hatch day! And yeah he was on once a day feedings. He’s losing feathers though, so he’s definitely molting - they both are. Kirby has pinfeathers like crazy and my little mini vac is working overtime getting the feathery bits and bobs they’re dropping.

 

[ravvlet]

Ugh. Today is the day. I am declaring war against the phorid flies. Or whatever they are. I suspect they came in through the patio door when I’d leave it open to let in fresh air, and they stayed because parrots are goofy and throw their food, and whilst I do a pretty good job cleaning I’m not perfect. What can I say? Bell pepper skins think they’re freakin’ wallpaper if my birds manage to get just the right angle and hit the wall instead of the shower curtain.

Plus; the hydroponic planter… I love that dang thing, but something’s gone funky with it this time - it got slimy and weird, which has never happened before. I’ve been wiping it down and around the plants but today I’m going to gut it and scrub it out with dish soap and then let it completely dry. The last few times I’ve run it from fresh it never got slimy build up, so I’m not sure what happened. I’ll hit the water pump with hot water to be safe.

Last night though there were two of these little morons insisting on flying in front of my computer screen and driving me mad! Ugh.

My partner has already cleaned out all the P traps in the sinks and the overflow drainage, although the only rooms we have seen them in thus far are the bird room and adjacent downstairs bathroom. I’m gonna hit the tub drain with enzymatic cleaner to clear out anything they might be eating off of in there too.

I hate these things. They make me feel gross and like my house is gross, and they are absurdly stubborn and persistent. I keep my bird room clean and I deep clean those cages monthly as well as wipe them down at night, and it’s so irritating to still have this issue. ARGH!!!

Sorry for the venting, but there is seriously nothing I hate more than these stupid flies.

 

[ravvlet]

Whew, good news! I don’t think it’s the house plants (although I did get small nontoxic sticky things to put in their pots to be certain). Once the herbs in the hydroponic planter mature it gets difficult to see each individual divot where the plants are sprouting from - in this case, one or two had died off, and because there were no roots in the medium it stayed soggy and provided a sweet spot for the flies to lay eggs. I was wiping around the outsides of the planter but not between the plants, as I’d usually just harvest the tops of the plants when making chop but otherwise leave them alone.

I dismantled it, composted the plants and medium, scrubbed everything down in hot water and dish soap, and am letting it all dry overnight.

It started raining so tomorrow I’ll take a look at the ficus and spider plants’ soil and see if there’s anything in them, and maybe change the top layer of soil out just in case.

On top of that, my spider plant has a billion babies who have started developing little roots and are probably ready to be propagated! Eventually I’d love to have them hanging all over the house. I love me some low effort house plant.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Whew, good news! I don’t think it’s the house plants (although I did get small nontoxic sticky things to put in their pots to be certain). Once the herbs in the hydroponic planter mature it gets difficult to see each individual divot where the plants are sprouting from - in this case, one or two had died off, and because there were no roots in the medium it stayed soggy and provided a sweet spot for the flies to lay eggs. I was wiping around the outsides of the planter but not between the plants, as I’d usually just harvest the tops of the plants when making chop but otherwise leave them alone.

I dismantled it, composted the plants and medium, scrubbed everything down in hot water and dish soap, and am letting it all dry overnight.

It started raining so tomorrow I’ll take a look at the ficus and spider plants’ soil and see if there’s anything in them, and maybe change the top layer of soil out just in case.

On top of that, my spider plant has a billion babies who have started developing little roots and are probably ready to be propagated! Eventually I’d love to have them hanging all over the house. I love me some low effort house plant.

Have you called in a professional exterminator to identify the source of the problem? Might be worth it if your own efforts prove ineffective.

 

[ravvlet]

Have you called in a professional exterminator to identify the source of the problem? Might be worth it if your own efforts prove ineffective.

No, I really am only seeing one or two here and there, and they’re a very common issue here with the wet climate and warm summers. The bathroom had a couple dead ones near the tub drain, so I’ll clean that out really well next.

These type of flies are not disease vectors and are mostly just annoying. I haven’t seen one since I took the hydroponic garden out of the room to clean it. The patio door in here is wonderful for letting in fresh air or keeping tabs on the kids while they play outside, but it does sometimes let bugs in.

 

[ravvlet]

Argh, argh ARGH. Well, Little Man MUST be going through puberty, because he is being an @#(hole! Pardon my language, but I just had to peel him off Kirby's cage twice in a row, because - get this - HE was biting KIRBY'S toes!!!

I swear to Christmas little guy. You're cute but you're turning into a terror!

Any advice appreciated. Hoping he loses interest in this new game of his. For now I'll just keep shooing him off Kirby's cage; it's officially a No Fly Zone.