T stands, mirrors, and tv vs. radio?

[ziggybird]

Tukki (my new Meyers) and I have been doing really well. She steps up great, her anxiety (which initially sent me into panic mode) is getting less and less, I think she is trusting me more, and she is eating better every day.


Just had a few general questions for everyone:

She has a play gym that she LOVES, but I would also like to get her a T stand. Does anyone know of one that would be good for my meyers? Everything I found online looks like it might be too big for her. Or is that not a problem?

Also Tukki discovered one of my mirrors last night . What are your opinions on putting mirrors in the cage? Good idea or bad idea?

Also yesterday when I was at work I left the radio on for her, but her cage does face the tv, and I was thinking I would leave it on her her while I was away today. Would that be better so she has something to watch? Would that be too much stimulus and not as soothing as just music?

Would love your thoughts!

 

[LoryLover]

That's great that Tukki is getting more comfortable with you and eating well. Less stress for the both of you, huh!

As to radio/tv... I leave the radio on for my lory. I plugged it into a timer so that it turns off a couple times a day to give her some quiet/nap time. But she will anticipate a song that will come on the radio and sing along with it. So she really does listen to the radio. Her cage also has a view to a window so she can watch the activity outdoors... I don't want her to get visually bored.

I don't think I'd want to leave a tv on all day, every day... it would wear out quick. Plus, she never watches tv anyway.

 

[crimson]

I often thought the same thing, should I leave the t.v on for my birds or not?

you are right we tend to think they will get bored with silence. Now I'm leaving the radio on instead, change the channels every so often.
I've heard it's not recommended to put a mirror in a birds cage as it leads to dominance and territorial issues.
I have a Senegal and have toyed with the idea of a t-stand. they are expensive but he prefers his perch which is attached to the outside of his cage. He has plenty of toys and other birds to watch as well.
I would keep looking for one that suits your bird, he'll probably love it.

 

[Zuzu]

With our sennie when we leave i put on the radio, some nice soft listening music, not elevator crap lol, he could care less bout TV unless with us and were watching like animal planet or something and birds come on. His cage is near a window and when its summer the window open all day and he'll cheep and talk to the other birds he sees or hears. If we wanna put him upstairs in his cage before we go to bed sometimes we'll put on one of those moving pictures with sound, our is a waterfall/river scene with the water sound and birds chirping, at times we can hear him loudly mimcking the sound. As for mirrors we have just the normal one in both his cages, at times he'll grab the bell at the bottom of it, eye pin the mirror and start calling himself a very "pretty bird, look at that pretty pretty bird". Now if he's on our shoulder and we go in the bathroom and he sees himself in the medicine cabinet or the shower doors mirror he'll lunge at it or hiss, like he's unhappy another bird is on us lol. So as for TV, radio or mirror basically every bird is different, just like people.

 

[ziggybird]

Thanks so much for all the advice!

Her cage has a view of the window which is great (even though the view is my building court yard... not super exciting but better than nothing!). I decided to do the radio instead of the tv. I don't want to burn the tv out, and sometime commercials flash images super fast and she does not like that at all!

Anyone have any stands that they are a fan of for smaller birds?

 

[LoveMyParrots]

Just a remainder that don't put Tukki's cage too close to the window, it can stress the parrot. The reason for that is because parrots are prey animal, if they don't have any corner or place to hind, the parrot will feel unsafe, and is less likely to rest during the day, which is bad for their health. So have a corner that is facing the wall where they can't see what's going out side.

With radio or TV, I usually put the radio on for my parrots, not the TV. Unless animal planet is on, or anything that is relate to parrot.

And I did heard that putting a mirror in the cage is not a good idea, but I've had done that with my cockatiels before and had no problem. But cockatiel usually don't have the same behavior and hormonal issues than other parrot can have. So I'm not too sure about mirror in my alexandrine parakeet's cage.

As with T stand, I've found the rope perch are really good. I usually use a really long one and attach to my parrot cage, and it works great! Chair backs can also work but its pretty slippery, so you can rap it in vet tape or something like that.

 

[LoveMyParrots]

And and, you can make your own PVC T-stand! It's cheaper and easy to use.

 

[KevinT]

We bought a table top "Dragonwood Bird Training T-Stand" through Amazon. I believe we got the medium size. It is used by both our Senegal and our African Grey.

We wanted something portable that we could easily move from troom to room.

Quality is ok. The top of the T is slanted a bit more than I would prefer, but the brds don't care. (How many trees have perfectly horizontal branches?)

I plan to remove the eyelet screwed into the end of the perch, because the Grey tries to chew it and I'm afraid he'll hurt himself. I don't know what purpose that part is supposed to serve, anyway. I don't want to hang anything from the end of the perch.

Building a T-Stand out of PVC would seem to be a simple and inexpensive solution. That's what I said when I bought the PVC pipe and fittings a couple years ago...the parts are stil waiting for me to get around to it.

 

[ziggybird]

My mom surprised me with this (she found it for a lot less):

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Super-Pet-Care-T-Stand-Medium/dp/B0018CG3U0/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1360647448&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=parrot+stand]Amazon.com: Super Pet EZ Care Pet Bird T-Stand, Medium: Pet Supplies[/ame]

It has shallow bowls which are perfect for my little Tukki and is really nice quality and it doesn't look too bad either!.

Eventually I'll upgrade and get either a java or manzanita tree for her, but they are a bit out of my price range for the moment and the stand and her gym seem to work for now. I'm hoping to find one at a decent price on craigslist!

I knew i would never get around to making the pvc stand either! lol