larrabee@decwrl.UUCP (11/25/86)
I have a blue-headed parrot (Pionus Menstrus) that I am very fond of. My family has had birds all of my life, but my current bird is the first hand raised bird that I have been totally responsible for. There are a few things that I am curious about: Why does my bird fall off her perch when she sleeps? (Ker-thunk!) Why are avacados supposed to be so bad for them? Why is my bird always terrified when I take her outside? (Usually on the way to or from the car--she goes to work with me.) I sometimes give her some of the cranberry or orange juice I am drinking and she likes it--is this bad for her? I chose my bird because she is of such a quiet species--she almost never screeches (perfect for life in a small apartment). The book says that her species does not produce "good talkers." Does this mean she is something like a cockateil--will whistle but rarely learn words (unless the object of more determined study than I usually think of as reasonable)? My bird is only 5 months old and has the sweetest personality in the world. Some of the Amazons we have had seemed to go through some sort of drastic hormone change when they got older and get more aggressive--I am worried that my bird's personality will change for the worse as she grows older. Also, will she develope more of an interest in her image in the mirror? She is totally uninterested in birds or her own image now. Is there anyone else out there who has a blue-headed parrot who would like to write me about the differences and similarities between our birds? I would love to hear from you. -- Tracy Larrabee tracy@sushi.stanford.edu decwrl!larrabee
chuq@sun.UUCP (11/25/86)
> I have a blue-headed parrot (Pionus Menstrus) that I am very fond of. My > family has had birds all of my life, but my current bird is the first hand > raised bird that I have been totally responsible for. There are a few > things that I am curious about: Yes, you're not alone! I'm a proud owner of a pair of (generic) conures (probably Cherry head conures, but the vet isn't exactly sure -- when you have a red and green conure, identification is sometimes a moot point) > Why does my bird fall off her perch when she sleeps? (Ker-thunk!) Possibly because the diameter of the perch is too large for it to grasp. If that isn't the problem, you may have a physical problem you'll want a vet to look at. Birds lock their feet when they sleep, as long as they can get a good grip. > Why are avacados supposed to be so bad for them? VERY high saturated fat content -- much worse than sunflower seeds. Avocados are rather bad for people, too... > Why is my bird always terrified when I take her outside? (Usually on the > way to or from the car--she goes to work with me.) In a cage or out? If she was raised indoors, it could just be that the wide open spaces are scary. Try covering or partially covering the cage for a while, and taking her out for walks --- acclimate her to the outside. If all YOU knew was a living room, wouldn't outside be a scary idea? > I sometimes give her some of the cranberry or orange juice I am drinking > and she likes it--is this bad for her? If it is unsweetened, it should be okay. Both are high in C, something a parrot can use. You want to avoid sweetened drinks. > I chose my bird because she is of such a quiet species--she almost never > screeches (perfect for life in a small apartment). The book says that her > species does not produce "good talkers." Does this mean she is something > like a cockateil--will whistle but rarely learn words (unless the object > of more determined study than I usually think of as reasonable)? It depends on the bird. Chances are all it will do is chortle and mutter. It may surprise you, though -- keep at it and see if there are any results. > My bird is only 5 months old and has the sweetest personality in the > world. Some of the Amazons we have had seemed to go through some sort of > drastic hormone change when they got older and get more aggressive--I am > worried that my bird's personality will change for the worse as she grows > older. Also, will she develope more of an interest in her image in the > mirror? She is totally uninterested in birds or her own image now. When she reaches maturity, there may be some change, but a lot of the change is seasonal, not permanent. It doesn't always happen, either. The mirror might be detrimental. If she has bonded to you (as it sounds like she has) the mirror is only a distraction, and could interfere with the talking and the bonding process. If you're her buddy, she doesn't need the mirror buddy. Birds are great! Enjoy! chuq -- Chuq Von Rospach chuq%plaid@sun.COM Delphi: CHUQ {decwrl,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo}!sun!plaid!chuq The azure sun beat down upon my face, fluffly white clouds skittered their way across the scintilating sky, and this moment could have been nominated for perfection if it wasn't for that giant leech attached to my thigh.