dole@clipper.ingr.com (Harry Dole) (06/18/91)
The following is submitted on behalf of a friend: Dear Birdnetters, I am logged in under my significant other's account. I sorely need your advice. I am currently TECHNICALLY birdless, but have put a deposit on a baby Eclectus which is due to come home the first week in July. Understandably, I am counting the days. I have wanted one for over 10 years. Meanwhile, I agreed to keep a Congo Gray, Buster (a.k.a. The Great Bustard), while his owners are away for two weeks. We don't know whether "he" is male or female. The owners don't know that I've started calling him The Great Bustard. The Bustard is up for adoption. He LOATHES the man who bought him, although the man is gentle and was hoping they'd become good friends. The man, who is well-loved by his other animals (horses, dogs, cats) and is anything but a wimp, worked diligently with the Bustard, but now is ready to throw in the (bloody) towel. He'd rather see the bird where it can be happy. He'd also rather keep all his fingers. I thought I was going to recommend that the bird be sexed and sold as breeding stock. He was wild-caught and is supposed to be 2 years old, and I expected the worst: a frightened and frighteningly snippy bird, malnourished from his seed-only diet. In the week that I've had him so far, he has shown great buddy potential. He eagerly eats from my hand, has nervously stayed on my hand for 15 or 20 minutes, lets me touch his feet, and has let me scratch his head (only once, but for half an hour). I've weathered 3 or 4 medium-hard bites, but nothing I can't pretend doesn't hurt. Generally he has been very gentle with his warning bites when I call his bluffs. We were both nervous when he wound up on my shoulder, but he has perched on my - ahem - bosom a couple of mornings when I was wearing my terrycloth robe. He easily could have run away, since his wings have grown out. If clipped, I think he'd be a pushover to hand-tame. I suspect he thinks he's an Amazon. He eats an amazing variety of fruit, some vegetables, cooked beans, whole-wheat bread, and only afterwards looks in his seed cup. He is not afraid of much, although he is disdainful of plenty. He is secure enough to make beautiful jungly sounds and repeat the couple of human words he knows many times a day, and is quite the acrobat in the morning. He prefers David Byrne and reggae music and Screaming Jay Hawkins to Mozart or Chopin, although he'll also softly sing along to classical music. But he hates Harry, my POSLQ of many years. He instantaneously hates our other male friends, but seems neutral toward women he doesn't know. We had decided on an Eclectus because they are somewhat less likely to arbitrarily bond to only one person (among other important considerations). Our last cockatiel loved Harry, but thought I was the antichrist, and this time we wanted to have a cuddly friend in common. Also, I have three dogs, four cats, a thriving brand-new business, and a very small house. I am not sure I have either the time or room to both tame the Bustard and properly socialize my new baby Eclectus. QUESTIONS: 1) If I do not keep the Bustard, what are the chances of finding a nurturing WOMAN to take him? Do you agree that this bird has both pet and breeding potential? I cannot believe that I am the only one he will respond favorably to, and I am not sure I will be able to provide the best home possible for him. But I'm getting so attached... 2) What is a fair price? I know the owner bought the bird for $500, plus toys and good cage and travel cage, etc., from a pet shop just over a year ago. 3) What are chances of a female Eclectus and a Congo Gray tolerating each other? Is there hope of comraderie and shared playtime? 4) How come there's never any mention of Eclectus on the net? (I've been quietly observing for some time.) 5) Can a Gray eat TOO MUCH apples, kiwi, strawberries, corn, etc., in proportion to seed? The Bustard is frisky and gives every other sign of good health, but his breastbone is too sharp. (A thorough veterinay exam and 45-day quarantine would be mandatory for both birds, which further limits my funds and my ability to give enough attention and socialization to either bird during their respective crucial periods). 6) What other information should I be seeking to make sure that the Bustard winds up in the environment that's best for him? 7) WHAT SHOULD I DO? Any advice will be most appreciated - although I expect all you Gray fans to tell me to keep the Bustard and forget about my Eclectus!. I apologize for sending such a long communication, but only a few days remain before the rightful owners return and I must declare my intentions toward this little guy. Please help!
bamford@cbnewsd.att.com (harold.e.bamford) (06/19/91)
In article <1991Jun18.063720.26518@clipper.ingr.com> dole@clipper.ingr.com (Harry Dole) writes: < description of African Grey Congo deleted > >QUESTIONS: >5) Can a Gray eat TOO MUCH apples, kiwi, strawberries, corn, etc., >in proportion to seed? The Bustard is frisky and gives every other >sign of good health, but his breastbone is too sharp. (A thorough >veterinay exam and 45-day quarantine would be mandatory for both >birds, which further limits my funds and my ability to give enough >attention and socialization to either bird during their respective >crucial periods). Given that NO seeds is the correct amount (IMHO), then the answer to the question is "no." I recommend pellets as a supplement to fruit, corn, etc, rather than seed. Conversion is touchy (harder on the owner than the bird, however) but once converted, birds often prefer pellets to seeds. I will not cover all the exceptions. As for The Bustard's breastbone being "too" sharp, be aware that Greys often have sharp breastbones. If he is eating well, behaves normally, has been examined/blessed by an AVIAN vet, then there is no problem. >7) WHAT SHOULD I DO? > >Any advice will be most appreciated - although I expect all you >Gray fans to tell me to keep the Bustard and forget about my Eclectus!. Keep The Bustard! Being passed from owner to owner isn't easy on a bird...
dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) (06/19/91)
My advice on parrots is to watch them in the wild. Spend the money that you might spend on buying one on a trip to Costa Rica, to watch the Scarlet Macaws and various Amazons at Carrara Biological Reserve; or to New Guinea to watch Eclectus parrots where they belong. If you have ever seen a flock of hundreds of Red-fronted Amazons flying 2-by-2 over the forests of Tamaulipas, then it is very unlikely that you would enjoy seeing them caged. And after you have made your trip, give future parrot purchase money to the Nature Conservency or other organizations working to preserve the rainforests.
ooblick@intercon.com (Mikki Barry) (06/19/91)
In article <1991Jun18.214215.1944@cbnewsd.att.com>, bamford@cbnewsd.att.com (harold.e.bamford) writes: > Given that NO seeds is the correct amount (IMHO), then the answer > to the question is "no." I recommend pellets as a supplement to > fruit, corn, etc, rather than seed. Conversion is touchy (harder > on the owner than the bird, however) but once converted, birds > often prefer pellets to seeds. I will not cover all the > exceptions. As for The Bustard's breastbone being "too" sharp, be > aware that Greys often have sharp breastbones. If he is eating > well, behaves normally, has been examined/blessed by an AVIAN vet, > then there is no problem. Now that is a pretty narrow minded attitude. 1) seeds are a part of a bird's natural diet. 2) there are absolutely no controls on the manufacture of pellets, therefore saying pellets per se are better than seeds per se is an attitude without factual basis. 3) nutritionally, NO ONE KNOWS the dietary requirements of psittacine species (with, perhaps the exception of cockatiels), therefore anyone who says pellets with supplements are better than seeds with supplements cannot back up that statement. 4) conversion from seeds to pellets, especially with wild caught birds, *MAY* cause extreme stress that manifests itself anywhere from mild illness to starvation. Given that this grey is on the thin side as it is, conversion may cause death. Also, NB: Grey oftentimes suffer from calcium depletion in disproportionate numbers. NEVER feed a grey spinach or kale. ALWAYS supplement any grey's diet with calcium supplements (i.e. vionate, nekton calcium supplements, etc). And be careful about the amount of vitamin D3 in the bird's diet as that also binds calcium. Mikki Barry