Something to think about ...

[TexDot33]

We all know (or at the very least THINK we know) what we do well with for birds ... so here is a question, that could be a little embarrassing for all of us to answer, but we are all friends here and no one will pass judgment on anyone here (and I will personally issue violations for any and all inappropriate posts towards other members) so, here is the question:

What do you all think that you could be doing better for your fids? Weather it be
diet, training or whatever ... what do you think to yourself, "man, I should be doing more of this one thing ... "

For me, it's getting Hamlet and Mac out into natural sunlight more ... I would love to be able to get them into their Aviator Harnesses and get them outside more often ...
I know how important vitamin D is, and I try to supplement that into their diets ...

I really just want everyone to know that you are not alone when you think that you are not doing your best ... so, let's start a SUPPORT group ...

 

[Deanna]

Excellent thread, question and opportunity for support Tex-boy! Thank you.

I am lacking in the area of diet. I do not offer my fiddies what they need with fresh foods (veggies, fruit, beans, legumes, grains). I know this about myself, most definitely.

Pellets and treats (seed/nut/grain) are convenient ... I lack the discipline to offer regularly the fresh variety that they need.

 

[Chewy]

I'm also lacking in diet, becaue I thought my bird would never eat stuff that was good for him. Now that he's experimenting with stuff, I will tryh to give him good stuff too
And out of cage time for Eli and LittleFoot.

 

[Minzer84]

I'm do Iggy a GREAT disservice by not being deaf.

He needs more attention and more showers. The attention part is hard because of the constant screaming, and the showers are my own fault.

 

[Tracy842]

For me with Pepsi it would be more time out of her cage. Its difficult to make time to have her out and get her back in without toweling her. She is so afriad of towels so I try to avoid them. Once she is hand trained and learns step up she will be out all the time.

For Popsicle it would be what Tex said more time outside, but the weather hasn't been very cooperative this summer.

 

[TexDot33]

You know what really scares me about taking the boys outside - Mosquitoes, we have had a lot of Triple-E ) Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus ... I am really worried what these guys could do to my boys ... do any of you have these issues?

 

[meghanxx4]

I think for all my birds i should be giving them more of variety of different foods. I give them veggies and seed and pellets, but i mostly give them the same old veggies/fruits because i know they will eat it and like it. I think i should be giving them new things to try, as well as more protein and egg etc. I have to be honest here, i don't I've ever given my birds like chicken or egg before. I know it sounds bad, but I've always found it kind of weird. Because it's like us eating a monkey. Like they're eating their cousins almost. I think i'm going to try giving them some baked chicken and maybe some egg as well. I've been meaning to do it so long but just been so busy and putting it off.

Another thing i think my birds would benefit by is also having more natural sunlight. Though that's kind of hard for me to do since my mom is kind of paranoid, and she doesn't understand that when a birds wings are clipped they cant go to far. Also i use to be paranoid, but now i think I've put it aside. And i will try.. maybe sometime when my mom isn't home lol. I also made a carrier out of a cat kennel and i have an old budgie cage, so i could always just put them in there and take em' out.

For the budgies i think i should be really working on them getting socialized etc. I have tried quite hard, with especially Domino but Fresco, the one who needs the most work i think i need to work on him quite a bit. I've also neglected taking them out lately. Because they're not as tame and social as cockatiels. When school starts i'm going to really buckle down and start training again

 

[meghanxx4]

You know what really scares me about taking the boys outside - Mosquitoes, we have had a lot of Triple-E ) Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus ... I am really worried what these guys could do to my boys ... do any of you have these issues?

Ya we have mosquitoes and spiders and all sorts of bugs here. Though since i've never really taken out my guys i don't really know.

THOUGH i do know that they most likely at the least very dangerous.

I know of a woman who housed her B&G macaw outside and got bit by a spider and later died. It wasn't that old either, she had handfed from 2 weeks i think it was maybe a 6 months to a year old when it died.

So Be Careful. Though at least when you take them outside you will be with the so you can watch out for them.

I think i'm going to search this right now. hold on.

 

[TexDot33]

I am not so concerned with Spiders here as my climate does not warrant many poisonous spiders. There is one type (Brown Recluse Spider) but you have to be deep in the woods and rolling around on the forest floor to even worry about them.

It's really the mosquitoes that concern me ...

 

[Deanna]

You know what really scares me about taking the boys outside - Mosquitoes, we have had a lot of Triple-E ) Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus ... I am really worried what these guys could do to my boys ... do any of you have these issues?

Tex, we have a very bad problem with West Nile here ... horses, birds and people. It's definitely something to give consideration to.

 

[Minzer84]

I take Iggy out and don't really worry about it, been doing it since I've had him and never had a problem (I live near Tex, I guess I should worry about the same things he does). I also don't harness him or anything either, so I guess I can't say much...I'm always sitting right next to him, so I would probably notice if it was really buggy or if there were bugs bothering him. But if he's gonna get some terrible disease, I'll probably be getting the same thing...we'll go down together, it'll be good bonding. But at least we'll go down with a lot of Vit D!!!

 

[Redballoon]

We just got every horse in the country in lock down over "Horse flu". Hasn't happened before. I have had to cancel Skippahs horse riding lessons for the whole week.

 

[Flyte]

I need to be more patient with them. With the way I've been feeling lately.. sick & depressed, it's very easy to get annoyed with a screaming bird. The bird is usually only screaming because they wanna play with mom and mom isn't playing like normal. Or grandma is feeding them cause the stairs aren't doable.
It's been especially difficult in the mornings. I have a lot of trouble sleeping. Many times I am falling asleep when everyone else is starting the day. Since coming home I have been getting to bed earlier, which is good, but sleeping later.. I need sleep to heal, obviously.
Madison yells for me round 5:30 - 6:00 am. I can usually bring her a snack and they quiet down.. but talk to each other quietly.
Tyler is downstairs in my room and always responds to any noises the other birds make. He either whistles very loudly or makes the noise of a hammer hitting a nail. Not exactly what you wanna hear when your trying to sleep. I usually end up yelling at him which only makes it worse. He doesn't understand, he's talking to his family.
The two of us have really been fighting lately though, he makes certain noises when I've asked him to quiet down because he knows I hate them, and if he gets in trouble he throws stuff at me! I had noodles all over my bed this afternoon! It's difficult to deal with such a smart little guy.
So I'm gonna try and be more patient with them. Maybe have breakfast prepared so when they get me up early I can heat it quickly and have a few more hours of rest. Going to try and think of some new way to handle Tyler when he gets in a snit, and me when I get in one

I bring my birds outside when I can, I've never used a harness with them, they always seemed a bit scary to me. I'm glad they work good for you guys, though.
I haven't really ever worried about mosquitoes. We dump any standing water to try and keep them from spawning here.

 

[pheobus]

That's a good point you are bringing up Tex and it hurts a little...Everyone for him/herself...

Well since I got Phoebus, the two little ones are getting much less attention...My rosella doesn't mind at all, since all she wants from me is her food, I feel that over the 8 years I have her she doesn't want to bond with people, or maybe just me...My tiel on the other hand is a birdy that demands attention, she likes to be petted, handled and she will kiss my lips when I just provide them...:07:
Now, I will post here an other issue, not irrelevant...I am planning to rehome her(Perla the tiel)...A very good friend of mine, I would call her best friend, the one that takes good care of my fids when I'm away is really in love with her and Perla loves her too(I think she picked her coz otherwise she doesn't like many people)...Her life with me has been unfair lately, Phoebus has bigger and more demands since he is a large one and a rescue, so I think that in her new home she will get all the attention she missed in mine lately, my love has always been there for her though...
For my amazon I think what I am doing wrong is having a cage for his size and not bigger, since I see that all of you guys provide your fids with the biggest cages...A harness is on my future list and I don't know...maybe some more...You put me into a lot of thinking right now(just got home from work..)

 

[Peta]

Brilliant Thread.

With me its training, I should be doing more. When the kids are in school we have training here at least 3 times a day, since they have been off its been once a day. I wish I could say it was only in the holidays but I've been getting so sidetracked with watching them play that a lot of the training has been forgotten about. I still do the first one in the morning and always will, think that is now a part of my normal day.

I'm now gonna get really tough on myself to make sure that I do continue with their training. Thanks Tex for making us think about this.

 

[Peta]

I have just remembered something else that I have let slip and that is sprouting my own beans and all my guys love them so much. I think I'm gonna have to write a list of the things that I need to be doing for my fids that I have let slip.

 

[NicoleN]

Mine would be working on Potty Training. I want them to be potty trained, but I think it's kind of a daunting and frankly, boring, task. I just imagine myself sitting around waiting for them to poop and then saying something like 'poop' or 'good bird' when they do it. When the weather is cold I wouldn't mind b/c I hate being outside then, but right now I just can't stand being indoors.

 

[Keupi]

For me, I'm a little too hands on regarding Keupi and his interactions with others. He's a solo fid and I have a tendency to 'rescue' him rather than let him interact with other people. My nerves make him and others nervous.

Another thing I'm working on to correct is that he's too dependent on me. Prior to last year he would play quietly when I was/wasn't in the room. Now, he sometimes goes into a panic when I leave the room or don't pick him up whenever I'm in the room. We're working on this, but I must admit, not with any consistency .

 

[pheobus]

Another thing I'm working on to correct is that he's too dependent on me. Prior to last year he would play quietly when I was/wasn't in the room. Now, he sometimes goes into a panic when I leave the room or don't pick him up whenever I'm in the room. We're working on this, but I must admit, not with any consistency .

I face that same issue as well!Can you please let me know how you are working on that?

 

[nzchickadee]

Training. Being small, Pete gets away with too much, because the afteraffects arent so bad. Just because shes a budgie, I think she does well to be tame, but we could do so much better.