Search found 88 matches

by BigChicken
Fri May 07, 2010 7:35 am
Forum: IRNs Behavior & Taming
Topic: IRN disposition?
Replies: 7
Views: 1585

Re: IRN disposition?

It's great that your researching the breeds personalities, most people I think don't understand that parrots have more personality than any dog or other pet I can think of! Can you say that a cat has a sense of humor? I don't think so, but parrots? You bet! I think that you can't be afraid of a litt...
by BigChicken
Fri May 07, 2010 7:10 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: Cheap toys for ringnecks
Replies: 4
Views: 3837

Re: Cheap toys for ringnecks

Try a small wicker basket hung from the top of the cage, fill it with a bunch of small chew toys of whatever, all of our parrots love to toss things and just watch them fall, you know, that sideways head look! Just be sure the basket does not have a painted finish, safe for chewing. Our IRN's favori...
by BigChicken
Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:31 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: parrot jug...
Replies: 1
Views: 1285

parrot jug...

BigChicken here (AKA Dan) just wanted to say hi. I haven’t posted much lately, but I’ve been stopping in just about every day to keep up on what’s going on. I love this place! Just wanted to share a jug I made that I think you’ll like. It’s my parrot jug. http://parrotpotter.4t.com/facejugs.html Scr...
by BigChicken
Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:18 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: Tipping the Water?
Replies: 3
Views: 1638

One of our birds loves to dump his food dish. He works at it for hours until he succeeds. It becomes a game for them sometimes. Try a bigger and heavier bowl, he’ll try for a while, then give up when it’s not fun, just exhausting. In the meanwhile he’ll get some exorcize!
Dan
by BigChicken
Sun May 11, 2008 2:08 am
Forum: IRN Diet & Housing
Topic: Creative ideas?
Replies: 60
Views: 44710

no paper rolls!

I love all of the creative ideas, great cage pictures too. I only have one negative thing to mention, and I hesitated because of all of the good creative vibes going on in this post but… The paper towel and TP rolls are a no no. The glue used to make them contains zinc, very bad for birdies. I use t...
by BigChicken
Mon Feb 25, 2008 3:27 am
Forum: IRNs Behavior & Taming
Topic: Why did Paulie bite my hand
Replies: 2
Views: 1153

Our Norma Jean always steps up after pulling in my finger to her, I think most IRN’s do. Did you pull away a little when Paulie grabbed hold? I know if I do that with Norma she holds tighter.
by BigChicken
Sun Feb 10, 2008 5:17 am
Forum: Introduce Yourself!
Topic: Hello
Replies: 6
Views: 2106

TC, I have no doubt that almost any IRN can be tamed, weather or not they can all be hand tame, is another question! Some just do not like being touched. That doesn’t mean that they are not tame. It also doesn’t mean that they can’t be enjoyed as a loved member of your family. You have a good attitu...
by BigChicken
Sun Feb 10, 2008 4:48 am
Forum: Introduce Yourself!
Topic: hi all
Replies: 5
Views: 1856

Antonia l, welcome! You have found the right place for IRN information, not to mention the best place to share IRN stories. IRN’s have the most unusual personalities of any bire I have ever known! (I am vegan also)
BigChicken AKA Dan
by BigChicken
Mon Jan 28, 2008 7:12 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: parrot painting..
Replies: 2
Views: 1497

Thank you! Just wanted to post an offer; Besides having a portrait painted of your parrot for a donation, you can get any or all of the ones I have done so far. You are all welcome to copy and print any of these "paintings for PEAC" although they are compressed and low resolution. If you w...
by BigChicken
Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:47 pm
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: parrot painting..
Replies: 2
Views: 1497

parrot painting..

One more, well you know….
Image
by BigChicken
Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:41 pm
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: Charley's portrait...
Replies: 3
Views: 1684

Thanks Donna. Here is the second Charley.
Image
by BigChicken
Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:34 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: Charley's portrait...
Replies: 3
Views: 1684

Charley's portrait...

I finished painting another “Painting for PEAC” for Jackie, a woman that found out about the portraits and has generously donated for a second one, and may want a third! I’ve raise over $240 so far, with several other people who are interested, and it all got started on this forum! Now on to Charley...
by BigChicken
Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:29 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: Five more "Paintings for PEAC"
Replies: 3
Views: 1523

A BIG thank you!

I just wanted to thank all of you again for you help in getting the ball rolling! I have two more paintings to do this week, and three or four more people who are right now taking pictures for portraits of their birds to benefit PEAC.
This forum (and all of you) are the best!
Dan
by BigChicken
Wed Jan 09, 2008 6:00 am
Forum: Introduce Yourself!
Topic: Hi Everyone
Replies: 6
Views: 1925

Welcome!

Welcome! Is this your first IRN? If so I can tell you what I have learned in the past two months having recently adopted our first IRN, if I had to sum them up in one word it would be independent! Some of those nips may just be a way of her testing you and her boundaries in her new flock. Good luck ...
by BigChicken
Tue Jan 08, 2008 4:02 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: Five more "Paintings for PEAC"
Replies: 3
Views: 1523

Thanks Melika. It’s really been fun doing them. I’ve done about 18 water color paintings all together (counting the reptile paintings I did a few years ago) and I really feel comfortable painting now. I can see a style developing in my art. I like bold pencil lines, something I tried to avoid when I...
by BigChicken
Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:26 am
Forum: IRNs Behavior & Taming
Topic: hi guys, i find out something...
Replies: 6
Views: 1699

Leo, I used that technique with my first bird, Elmer. He was a smart little parakeet that I got from my aunt and uncle when I was around 10. They were tired of him; I don’t think he got much attention. For me he was my best little buddy, eager to please. I used a tooth pick that he liked to chew on ...
by BigChicken
Sun Dec 30, 2007 11:47 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: Five more "Paintings for PEAC"
Replies: 3
Views: 1523

Five more "Paintings for PEAC"

I’ve completed five (make that 6 now) more “Paintings for PEAC” in between grilling and family this week for one of the members of the Pittsburgh Chapter of PEAC. The PEAC newsletter should be arriving soon hopefully followed by more requests for portraits to benefit PEAC. You can see them here; htt...
by BigChicken
Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:06 am
Forum: Introduce Yourself!
Topic: Hi everybody
Replies: 13
Views: 3488

bob

Welcome! How about Bob, Bobbie, or bobbete?
by BigChicken
Tue Dec 04, 2007 4:00 am
Forum: IRN Diet & Housing
Topic: minimum daily requirements for vitamins and minerals
Replies: 5
Views: 1947

Good stuff

All good stuff to read, Thanks Donna.
by BigChicken
Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:53 am
Forum: IRN Diet & Housing
Topic: minimum daily requirements for vitamins and minerals
Replies: 5
Views: 1947

minimum daily requirements for vitamins and minerals

I wanted to post this here; hopefully someone knows where I can find what I’m looking for. I’m wanted to know what, if any recommendations were out there for minimum daily requirements for vitamins and minerals for birds, specifically small parrots. The only doses I can find are for vitamin suppleme...
by BigChicken
Mon Dec 03, 2007 5:34 am
Forum: Share Your Flock With The Family
Topic: Help, there’s a bird on my butt!
Replies: 4
Views: 3068

Mmmmm...

See how his neck is stretched, he does that when he likes what he’s eating to show his approval. He also does that when he is pretending to like something for my benefit. If I offer him something he hates, he pretends to nibble and then stretches his neck up and bugs out his eyes and makes a noise l...
by BigChicken
Sun Dec 02, 2007 8:36 am
Forum: Share Your Flock With The Family
Topic: Help, there’s a bird on my butt!
Replies: 4
Views: 3068

Help, there’s a bird on my butt!

Little Lucky (brown throat conure) is one fireball in a little package. He is always doing something amusing. He moves so fast it’s hard to get a good picture of his antics so I take tons of shots and weed through them to get a few good ones. One of the things he likes to do almost every day is to g...
by BigChicken
Sat Dec 01, 2007 6:46 am
Forum: Breeding IRNs
Topic: FEATHER PICKING??? update
Replies: 14
Views: 4757

I have read many articles on feather plucking; our miniature Macaw Mickey was bald when we got her. We changed her diet and gave her much more attention and she recovered. Since your post I have been doing more reading on the subject. I have noticed that most of the avian veterinarian written articl...
by BigChicken
Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:12 am
Forum: Introduce Yourself!
Topic: hi everyone
Replies: 3
Views: 1290

Whip that new tail!

Welcome! It always freaks me out when I hear of a tail being cut off rather than getting a larger cage…especially an IRN with that beautiful long tail. She will be so happy when she can give that new tail a whip! I am so glad someone is going to care for her now with a larger cage. As for the flight...
by BigChicken
Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:33 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: She hates baths
Replies: 14
Views: 3708

bath time...

I have found playing with the water with my fingers gets some of our guys going, the glass of water trick works for others, and some like to bathe when they see a slow stream if water into my cupped hands. I can’t believe you posted that Julie, all of our birds start to bathe as soon as the vacuum c...
by BigChicken
Mon Nov 26, 2007 5:24 am
Forum: Breeding IRNs
Topic: FEATHER PICKING??? update
Replies: 14
Views: 4757

Nil, check out this site; m This part caught my eye; "New Developments: The March, 2005 issue of Veterinary Practice News mentions studies on self-plucking in birds that responded to suplementation with 5-hydroxytriptophan or 5-HTP. This ammino acid derivative of tryptophan is important in the ...
by BigChicken
Sun Nov 25, 2007 7:58 am
Forum: Breeding IRNs
Topic: FEATHER PICKING??? update
Replies: 14
Views: 4757

florescent bulbs

I was using Zoomed florescent bulbs until recently when I found out about the possible dangers. I have read so much about the different types of bulbs over the years from when we kept iguanas. Many claim that birds can benefit from them, and I don’t doubt it, but depending who you listen to, there i...
by BigChicken
Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:34 am
Forum: Breeding IRNs
Topic: FEATHER PICKING??? update
Replies: 14
Views: 4757

lighting

Nil, you mentioned adding special bird lighting, just wanted to make sure that it is not a florescent bulb. All florescent bulbs actually go on and off with the frequency of home electricity, 60 cycles per second. Humans can’t see this, but birds have a much greater speed form the time their eyes se...
by BigChicken
Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:02 am
Forum: Breeding IRNs
Topic: FEATHER PICKING??? update
Replies: 14
Views: 4757

Nil I was wondering about bathing, have you noticed more or less? Personally I would try to isolate Bebis so you can observe and treat more easily. I would also remove any water that is shared by the other birds just for bathing just to be safe. Use a spray bottle for now instead. Once isolated a co...
by BigChicken
Fri Nov 23, 2007 6:08 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: Cooking Bags
Replies: 3
Views: 1629

Black Friday

Thanks for that link. Black Friday in Pittsburgh. No traffic as I drove to work at 4 AM this morning because all of the morons, er, um.. I mean festive shoppers were already at the malls. Just heard there was a fight at one of the toy stores over a X-box, and a 20 car pile up on the way to another. ...
by BigChicken
Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:57 am
Forum: Introduce Yourself!
Topic: G'day from Australia
Replies: 8
Views: 2297

Hi and welcome! I’m glad Bobbie has someone willing to give him a chance. IRN’s are very intelligent and personable little creatures. Like most parrots, they quickly become board if not given a chance to socialize. If you give just a little effort with patience and persistence you will be rewarded m...
by BigChicken
Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:36 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: Could really use some advice
Replies: 7
Views: 2512

Our IRN went through the same thing when we got her. Maybe Artie is still not sure of his place in your flock. It takes a while, there is a lot for them to learn and adjust to. As already said, you need to be persistent, but be careful not to stress by being too aggressive with each encounter. I thi...
by BigChicken
Sun Nov 11, 2007 9:15 am
Forum: Introduce Yourself!
Topic: Hello from Florida
Replies: 10
Views: 3084

Welcome!

Welcome and congratulations on the new adoption! As for diet, do a search on this forum to get that information. You may have to deal with a stubborn bird and slowly introduce a proper diet, although coming from a breeder, she may already be OK. I suggest you ask the breeder what she has been feedin...
by BigChicken
Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:52 am
Forum: IRN Video Forum
Topic: Norma Jean's progress...
Replies: 5
Views: 2803

Norma Jean's progress...

Norma Jean is our latest adoption. She is a beautiful Indian ring neck parrot. With each of our adoptions, a have tried to make them feel like part of the flock by encouraging them to make contact calls along with the rest with human language and whatever sounds that they make. Here are some videos ...
by BigChicken
Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:33 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: informal "contest" to help parrot adoptions
Replies: 7
Views: 2615

Big thank you to all, just wanted to post here that the winner’s paintings are at; http://indianringneck.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=5049
by BigChicken
Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:06 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: dah...what?...
Replies: 10
Views: 2434

WOW

You are welcome, and WOW, you are fast! I just posted, and you responded before my keys were even cold. YOU ARE ON THE BALL! :lol:
by BigChicken
Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:37 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: dah...what?...
Replies: 10
Views: 2434

solution?

I think I have found the solution to the problem several people have been having logging in, and staying logged on in the IRN forum, as well as a problem some have going to my adoptedparrot forum. In the help forum for forumer users I found a thread about people who have been getting a “404 error, d...
by BigChicken
Mon Oct 22, 2007 5:33 am
Forum: IRNs Behavior & Taming
Topic: IRN question on aggression
Replies: 10
Views: 2881

Everardor, I have a similar aggression problem between two of my birds that have hated each other since together in the same room for two years now. One of the birds is my little brown throat conure, the other a Sun. The little brown throat is “in love” with our new arrival IRN. After only three day...
by BigChicken
Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:01 am
Forum: IRNs Behavior & Taming
Topic: IRN question on aggression
Replies: 10
Views: 2881

bullie birdie

How old is your IRN, How long have all of the birds been together, and has there always been aggression?
by BigChicken
Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:17 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: informal "contest" to help parrot adoptions
Replies: 7
Views: 2615

coming to a close...

Thanks so much for the PICS! I received quite a few beautiful shots. I have made a change in my little informal contest. (I can do that, it’s my contest!) Rather than doing a carving or sculpture and a single painting, I have decided to paint several of the PICS. I paint several of the components of...
by BigChicken
Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:50 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: Removing a wing
Replies: 6
Views: 2341

Avian Vet...

I agree Nil, I would definitely go back to the vet, or better yet, find another AVIAN vet if possible. Of course I don’t know anything about your vet, but I would defiantly be questioning the wait and see method! As for removing the ring, no question, if a qualified vet said it was necessary, I woul...
by BigChicken
Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:37 pm
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: baby sun
Replies: 5
Views: 1704

Donna, Trust me, I would NEVER buy any animal. I Believe in animal adoptions. I was just making a joke. I thought it was so cute, but not for one second did I actually consider buying it! My wife and I have been fighting the pet trade for a long time. As for birds, I am also against the breeding of ...
by BigChicken
Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:31 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: baby sun
Replies: 5
Views: 1704

baby sun

Stopped at the hardware store, then the pet supply store, I needed parts for a play gym. I’ll share some PICs of this later, I came up with some great ideas, you got to see this thing. Any way, while at the pet store, of course, we had to see the birds first. They have a baby sun conure, just weaned...
by BigChicken
Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:54 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: new food
Replies: 1
Views: 864

poop

Not to worry, new foods often cause that reaction. To avoid this, introduce new foods slowly. Hold off a while on the new stuff, keep an eye on the poop, and paper towels close by! What kind of peppers? Hot peppers often cause this reaction the first time with birds, and all of the time with me! I’m...
by BigChicken
Sun Oct 14, 2007 6:40 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: PIC Contest WINNERS!
Replies: 7
Views: 3038

PIC Contest WINNERS!

Contest WINNERS! These are the “winners” of my little unofficial PIC contest to benefit the Pittsburgh chapter of PEAC, Parrot Education and Adoption Center. I finished the last one yesterday and got up early this morning to get them all scanned and posted. I am grateful to all who sent in all of th...
by BigChicken
Sun Oct 14, 2007 4:07 am
Forum: IRN Diet & Housing
Topic: cookie bird treat recipe
Replies: 6
Views: 1904

ccooooikkkieeee....

They are kind of chewy, a little dry by human standards. I just freeze the whole batch leaving out one or two. They are just a treat because of the high fruit content, so one cookie is good for maybe three IRNs for about two days. I don't serve them every day. I think they would probably keep for on...
by BigChicken
Sun Oct 14, 2007 3:37 am
Forum: IRN Lounge
Topic: informal "contest" to help parrot adoptions
Replies: 7
Views: 2615

UPDATE

Already got several nice PICs! I wanted to mention, please send them as attachments in separate emails, if you send a bunch together, they get compressed and loose definition. Also, full body shots are best, action shots are good as well, as long as they are not too blurry. Don't worry about the bac...
by BigChicken
Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:47 am
Forum: Miscellaneous Comments/Questions
Topic: dah...what?...
Replies: 10
Views: 2434

I ant no stinken’ puter expert

It hasn’t happened to me lately. I’ve been using the links in the pages, rather than my browser’s back button. Don’t know if that made the difference or not. Maybe it’s the amount of traffic? I ant no stinken’ puter expert neither!
by BigChicken
Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:38 am
Forum: IRN Diet & Housing
Topic: dairy free
Replies: 32
Views: 11198

At least by giving veg then seed later, they arent going to starve. I wanted to say that I also reduced the amount of seed I put in their dish. By keeping track of how much they leave at the end of the avarage day, and giving them just a little more than I think the'll eat, They are less likely to h...
by BigChicken
Fri Oct 12, 2007 7:05 am
Forum: IRN Diet & Housing
Topic: dairy free
Replies: 32
Views: 11198

Give this a try. I feed all of my birds early, before they are even active in the morning. I give them their veggies first. When they wake up, they go straight to their food dishes. Good stuff being their only choice, they eat at least a little of what is there. My wife gives them their seed and pel...