Guess who's coming home today.

[Turquoise]

I don't know if it would work for Ruthie since she is mature & hasn't had a stable home for long, but I started my boys out when they first got home with the treat system to get them back to their aviary. I have a treat bowl which is really the one I keep their shelled nut meats in for them & they know what it holds. I found out real quick that their most favorite treat is pistachios. So when I was ready to put them up I would allow them to pick a pistachio out of the bowl if they stepped up off the play perch onto my arm. Those two boys of mine will do almost anything to get to pick their own pistachio out. It's kinda like watching a small child get excited over a new toy. That is Roscoe would step up for his treat. I would push Angel's play perch to his door & he would climb back inside. He would then get his nut treat.

Just thought I'd share how I have gotten mine to cooperate. Now my ekkie doesn't like to be picked up unless she tries to fly off her play perch & lands on the floor. She won't take a nut out of the bowl, so I drop a few into her nut cup in her cage & the food glutton she is makes her curious as to what new item I have given her & she goes inside to check it out. LOL

 

[JerseyWendy]

Thanks so much for the update, Steve! I love how you always add the most awesome pictures.

Ruthie is making herself at home REALLY quickly.

Boy you've been a busy "beaver" cutting up all that wood. Looks like my house, lol.

Did JMarie make sure and wear gloves when she colored the blocks? I remember my "smurf look" when I colored my first batch, and the color didn't come off my skin so easy.

Oh, and Ripley (for the VERY first time) was in full attack mode with my husband last night. It was after we had finished our cuddle session, and I had just put him in his cage. Alex (hubby) walked over and started talking to Ripley. He fluffed up like a chicken, wings out, feathers standing straight up, and lunged like a mad man. Alex thought he was bluffing and proceeded to put his hand in there. NOT a good idea. :54:

 

[blackhawk007]

Here are some cage photos. These are constantly evolving based on what they seem to like or dislike. They really seem to enjoy the climbing space so far. I made sure that they always have plenty of places to spread their wings too. I also pulled each rope really tight to prevent any type of slack that i could. The visual issue with the acrylic is still a problem, just waiting for more supplies to arrive in the mail. For right now I have rope "branches" on both sides and the painters tape to help deter them from trying to fly through it.

Tekas side

 

[Jtbirds]

Beautiful macaw I love rubies. My dad was about to adopt one from the rescue we work with because she really loved him, but our greenwing goes crazy over red girls so it wouldn't have been fare. I love your cage setup it looks amazing and the bird is so beautiful. May I ask where you got the natural sisal that is untreated I found a lot of untreated cotton ropes but prefer the sisal.

 

[plax]

Very nice cage arrangement, Steve! I'm so glad things are working out with Ruthie

 

[blackhawk007]

May I ask where you got the natural sisal that is untreated I found a lot of untreated cotton ropes but prefer the sisal.

Thanks! You can find all the rope you need here. https://www.knotandrope.com/Store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=3

 

[blackhawk007]

Very nice cage arrangement, Steve! I'm so glad things are working out with Ruthie

Thanks Tony. I don't think we will ever be done adding to or changing the cages around. There are just too many options. We were at a bird show today and picked up a ton of stuff. Its time to get busy again.

 

[blackhawk007]

Thanks so much for the update, Steve! I love how you always add the most awesome pictures.

Ruthie is making herself at home REALLY quickly.

Boy you've been a busy "beaver" cutting up all that wood. Looks like my house, lol.

Did JMarie make sure and wear gloves when she colored the blocks? I remember my "smurf look" when I colored my first batch, and the color didn't come off my skin so easy.

Oh, and Ripley (for the VERY first time) was in full attack mode with my husband last night. It was after we had finished our cuddle session, and I had just put him in his cage. Alex (hubby) walked over and started talking to Ripley. He fluffed up like a chicken, wings out, feathers standing straight up, and lunged like a mad man. Alex thought he was bluffing and proceeded to put his hand in there. NOT a good idea. :54:

She does in fact have rainbow fingers. I told her to wear gloves. I hope Alex's hand is ok. I know better that to test them like that.

 

[JMarie]

Hahahaha! I found that the red dye actually takes to my fingers more than the blue or green... So I'm less rainbow and more Friday the 13th. I did wear gloves the second try though. If anyone has tips on dying wood I'm all ears! My colors seem muted. The second batch is a bit better, but I have some more wood left that I'm hoping to get more vibrant.

 

[JerseyWendy]

JMarie, what dye did you use?

I use this one:

I mix the dye with 3-4 parts of pure rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will evaporate and it dries up really quickly.

 

[blackhawk007]

JMarie, what dye did you use?

I think all she used was food coloring. That may explain why then came out a bit faded. Where do we get our hands on that dye that you use?

 

[JerseyWendy]

JMarie, what dye did you use?

I think all she used was food coloring. That may explain why then came out a bit faded. Where do we get our hands on that dye that you use?

Right here:

VitaCritter ~ Bird Toy Colourant

 

[Jtbirds]

Well I have also learnt a trick from a toy maker that is very popular, she uses isopropyl alcohol and food coloring and let's it sit in that. Then pulls the wood out for 24 hours to dry because the isopropyl will evaporate after 24 hours. This makes the food coloring sink it and makes her toys very vibrant.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Well I have also learnt a trick from a toy maker that is very popular, she uses isopropyl alcohol and food coloring and let's it sit in that. Then pulls the wood out for 24 hours to dry because the isopropyl will evaporate after 24 hours. This makes the food coloring sink it and makes her toys very vibrant.

Only problem with soaking wood is that wood will float. I've tried this MANY MANY times. At one point I had a container filled with food color and filled it to the brim with wood, so that at least some pieces were completely submerged. After a week I removed the wood and the results were ok.

As for the isopropyl, yes, I use that as well, as stated in my previous post.

 

[Jtbirds]

O sorry Wendy I didn't quite look through all of them lol. Kinda just put my two sense in.