Sapphires progress

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Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

100% natural fruit juices are not bad in small quantities. It's the added sugar you want to avoid and apple cider which is fermented, not cooked, and contains pulp. Apple seeds do contain trace amounts of cyanide. A very very very small amount. While I wouldn't go and feed a handful of seeds to my birds, I also don't worry if I cut the apple too close to the core like some do. The riper the apple, the softer the seeds. So feed hard crisp apples and the seeds have no bearing on the fruit itself. A very wise person once told me..."nobody cores the apples for the birds in the wild, so why should I?"
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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electronegative
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by electronegative »

Skyes_crew wrote:A very wise person once told me..."nobody cores the apples for the birds in the wild, so why should I?"
No offense, but I'm not sure if I'm buying that. Nobody provides the birds in the wild with guaranteed food and shelter from the extreme cold/heat either, so why should I? Nobody takes the birds in the wild to the vet when they're acting weird, so why should I? We should try to duplicate as much of their natural environment as possible, but only when it's safe - I wouldn't feed my birds some roaches I found just because ringnecks in the wild might eat insects. I would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to stuff like that, but maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Also, did you say apple cider is fermented so shouldn't be given to our birds? I didn't know that! Apple cider tastes more like fresh apples than apple juice does, so I always thought cider was more natural.
Doodlebug
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Doodlebug »

InTheAir wrote:Mel, I think it's an age thing. Ellie and I are the youngest by about 50 years or so. :wink:
After reading the part in the thread about Parrot Clubs I went on Google to see if there are any in my area. And every one I have come across-which are few and far between, look populated by members who possibly may be as old as their elderly African Greys!! I scrolled through some of their photos of dinners that they've attended etc, and it looks as much fun as sticking your hand in a blender, which is a real pity because even though I'd get some fantastic knowledge from those guys, I'd want a bit of a grin at the same time to keep me interested in going.

I'm sure there must be other people around that have IRNs! All I know is that I've never met a person who has/had one, only Budgies/Tiels and the odd Grey.
Loo :)
MissK
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by MissK »

Too bad you're not here. I really like my bird club. We have some elderly members and some young members, including one really, really young one. :) I guess most of them are within a decade of my own age either way. They're just people, a slice of the population, though perhaps the "men under 50" segment is a little underrepresented..... If there is drama, I'm not seeing it. --Of course, I really don't go looking for drama. :lol:
-MissK
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

electronegative wrote:
Skyes_crew wrote:A very wise person once told me..."nobody cores the apples for the birds in the wild, so why should I?"
No offense, but I'm not sure if I'm buying that. Nobody provides the birds in the wild with guaranteed food and shelter from the extreme cold/heat either, so why should I? Nobody takes the birds in the wild to the vet when they're acting weird, so why should I? We should try to duplicate as much of their natural environment as possible, but only when it's safe - I wouldn't feed my birds some roaches I found just because ringnecks in the wild might eat insects. I would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to stuff like that, but maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Also, did you say apple cider is fermented so shouldn't be given to our birds? I didn't know that! Apple cider tastes more like fresh apples than apple juice does, so I always thought cider was more natural.

In the wild it's called natural order of selection. Im not trying to recreate wilderness conditions! I was only making a point that apple seeds that are not broken open have no bearing on the fruit. As I said, I wouldn't give apple seeds to my birds. Apple juice is pasteurized. Heated to a high temp to kill bacteria. Apple cider is not. That is why it must be refrigerated right off the bat and has a short shelf life. It's usually only produced in the season the apples were picked.
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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electronegative
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by electronegative »

Sorry, I wasn't accusing you. I just felt like "wild birds don't have ___ so my pet shouldn't either" isn't necessarily the right argument for doing or not doing something.

So, is apple cider safe for them to have or no?
Little Buttercup
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Little Buttercup »

Apple Cider in the drinking water of chickens and livestock is very good and they benefit alot from it. But for parrots! I really don't know. Maybe you should do a google search. Btw I just finish sip my cup of Apple cider drink. I love it with honey in. Most mornings I must have a cup.

Ash
electronegative
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by electronegative »

I'm not pulling anything up for apple cider, but maybe I'm just bad at searching! Lots of positive feedback on apple cider VINEGAR though.
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Post the question on Melikas thread about food, she will probably know.
I have heard of using Apple cider vinegar in water for parrots also, don't do it myself though.

In case anyone is interested, I started introducing Sapphire to the aviator harness. She slips her head through the loop. We do need to work on lifting wings before it will go on any further. I think Dave and Nila demonstrating helped.
I am also teaching her that if she stays on the perch while I am getting treats out of the container (instead of diving in head first) she will get more treats. It seems to be working, when Dave got some treats out for Nila, sapphire flew to the perch and stayed!
She also doesn't mind being grabbed and picked up, as long as she can grip something with her feet. She's so pushy that it is almost a natural response to grab her or push her, and she doesn't react to it at all, she just pushes back. :lol:
ellieelectrons
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by ellieelectrons »

InTheAir wrote:I think Dave and Nila demonstrating helped
I'm picturing Dave trying to get into the aviator harness to show Sapphire how it's done! :)
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

:lol:
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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Redzone
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Redzone »

Seeing as Claire is so good at making costumes etc, maybe she should make me a full sized one & some wings so I can model behaviour better?
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

OMG!!! stop lol. I'm dying here :lol: :lol: :lol:
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

:lol: I'll have to make a really big harness too! Dave has trouble getting his head through the loop in the extra small one!
MissK
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by MissK »

You may run into trouble when it comes time to model the take-off. Has Claire got any friends with a canon?
-MissK
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

I've got a friend with a flying trapeze rig. .. Would that be close enough?

We kidnapped Janey and Charlie again. Nila couldn't be happier! I did offer to swap Charlie for Sapphire, but Ellie declined on the grounds that one temperamental female bird is enough. Nila was very disappointed.
Dave is trying to teach him to say "my girlfriend is a b..ch".
When she saw Janey she decided to put her angel face on and keep her nose clean.
MissK
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by MissK »

Guess those play dates will have to be a regular thing. If you put out some human treats and Ellie and Mr. Ellie bring a bottle of wine, could be even better. :mrgreen:
-MissK
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

:lol:
Human treats are a bit problematic with so many birds, if you aren't watching them very carefully, at least 3 birds appear on the table. Probably would be 4 when the Ellies are here, as Janey has almost plucked up the courage to come near us without them. Sapphire is the funniest, she doesn't like any processed human food, she just wants to be involved and in the middle of the plate!
:lol:
Little Buttercup
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Little Buttercup »

electronegative wrote:I'm not pulling anything up for apple cider, but maybe I'm just bad at searching! Lots of positive feedback on apple cider VINEGAR though.
Electro, try googling 'Is apple cider vinegar safe for parrots'.

Ash
electronegative
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by electronegative »

Little Buttercup wrote:
electronegative wrote:I'm not pulling anything up for apple cider, but maybe I'm just bad at searching! Lots of positive feedback on apple cider VINEGAR though.
Electro, try googling 'Is apple cider vinegar safe for parrots'.

Ash
I'm not looking for whether ACV is safe, I'm looking for whether apple cider itself is safe. When I search for just "is apple cider safe for parrots" I get a bunch of stuff on the vinegar. I tried "is apple cider safe for parrots -vinegar" so it deliberately omits results with the word vinegar but even then I didn't find anything conclusive.
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Get your own thread guys! This is a thread about praising my awesome bird :mrgreen:
Any more post that aren't about how cool my birds are and I'll tell Nila and he'll disapprove at you :evil:
Btw alcohol is not considered safe for parrots.
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

The little blue chicken gave me a bit of a fright today.
She was trying to do a swoop-dive manoeuvre between a play stand and a corner of the wall and made contact with the wall. I didn't see what happened exactly. She didn't stop flying, but looked a bit dazed and held her beak open when she landed.
I bundled her into her cage and she started to fall asleep straight away, on one foot with much beak grinding. Checked her eyes and she kept blinking sleepily! called the vet and was told that there's a good chance she's fine, but to call back soon if I am still concerned and they will squeeze her in.
She woke up (well really, she didn't get to sleep with Dave and I peering into her eyes and assessing her wing position), ate and is now preening.

I think she may be fine, should I take her in just to be sure?
MissK
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by MissK »

If she's not fine, what can they do for her, besides tell you she's not fine?
-MissK
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Well. ... Good point. She's actually completely back to normal, bouncing around and all. I wonder if she had winded herself from her knock or maybe just given herself a fright.
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

How nice, our birdies have made up a game together! They sit at opposite ends of the room, so they can't see the other and mimic each other's shrieks. Sapphire only seems to be able to master horrible screechy sounds, so doesn't answer when Nila uses human words.
Hopefully it is a step towards getting on. .. it better be worth the ear pain! :wink:
MissK
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by MissK »

Kind of like when I'm in the kitchen and Rocky's in the living room and we call back and forth? Sounds sweet! :twisted:
-MissK
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Sapphire is on her first family (or flockily) holiday. We look like a travelling pet shop, each of them have a travel cage for in the car and a bigger cage to stay in. Plus all the foraging toys, a smallish perch on a chair and a heap of other toys.

She did very well on the 4 hour car trip, we only let her out of her cage when we stopped for dinner. She flew around the car and was a general hazard so she spent the rest of the trip in her travel cage. Nila and I slept the rest of the way.

She seems fairly relaxed about being in a new house. She started exploring straight away. She really impressed us by going for a fly this morning and then doing a really slow lap of the house to choose an appropriate landing spot. Nila tends to race around trying to find landing spots, consequently does a few laps of a new space and a few aborted landings before finding one.

She has explored the high window ledges already and eaten some mosquitos. She tried to eat a moth, but it got away. Then she fell off the window ledge trying to get it :lol:

She also let my mum and her friend feed her grapes and sat next to mums friend at dinner.

Nila is having a great time, he quickly worked out where my mum keeps the fruit bowl! :mrgreen:
Redzone
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Redzone »

Nila had so many grapes tonight I think he's gonna turn into one!
AlphaWolf
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by AlphaWolf »

:lol: :lol: OMG, i can't stop laughing!
"Live with parrots and you learn to panic"

AlphaWolf
MissK
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by MissK »

Sounds great!
-MissK
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Redzone wrote:Nila had so many grapes tonight I think he's gonna turn into one!
He's already the right colour!

Well, Nila is just like me on a holiday- gets up way earlier than normal. I tried to ignore his little morning squeak that means "uncover my cage, I'm awake" and it turned into a loud morning squeak! He immediately started talking up a storm and woke up Sapphire too. They are going to be tired little monsters this afternoon!
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

We are very proud of how well Sapphire coped with our little holiday! The drive home was fine, she spent most of it playing with a toy in her travel cage.
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

What did your birdies get for Christmas?
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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MissK
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by MissK »

My birdies got millet (canary), millet (canary), a bell and a ball (budgie x 4), and a rattle and a ball (Rocky). Puppy heads got kisses and extra snuggles. I got train stuff (Woooo!) and tea stuff, as well as the obligatory socks and amaryllis kit. Also some ornaments - can't have too many!
-MissK
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Train stuff?
Our birds got Christmas presents a few weeks ago. They got a soccer set and a new pool table. I did get Nila a drum, but I forgot where I hid it so he hasn't been given it yet.
They just ate heaps of yummy food.
They do have a present from Ellie and Janey and Charlie that they will unwrap when they wake up this morning!
They gave j&c a play tree that looks abit like a pirate playground.
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

MissK loves her trains :D

I would love to see the pirate tree...I bet that looks awesome.

A drum...hmmmm...I think I would keep that hidden, there's enough noise in my house lol. I loved watching sapphire play with the soccer set. She's so cute :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

As soon as Ellie gets a jolly Roger for the tree we should ask her to post some pics.

I have to get the pool table out again, she is pretty keen on it. I hid it because she tried to eat it.

Wow, we have just had a change in birdy dynamics. Nila launched himself at Sapphires back while she was playing! She flew off and he went after her eventually she settled on a curtain rail and he started approaching her with heart wings. They chased each other around for a while than Nila started regurgitating for her and she responded in kind! They interacted for about 20 minutes. They now seem to be at war, zooming around going for each other and growling, so they are having some quality time in their cages to cool down.

Maybe progress?
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

lol...sounds like juvenile hormones :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Yes, but they actually interacted without fighting! And sat next to each other without Sapphire going for Nila!
MissK
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by MissK »

You must be so proud! I wish I could have seen it.
-MissK
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Unfortunately I didn't get a good video, but maybe they will get on again one day....

What kind of trains?
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

I'm sure you'll have many more times from now on that they get along. Sounds like they're finally getting used to each other :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

We just need Nila to have more grumpy days :wink:
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

Is he ever grumpy??? Seems like he's always so laid back and happy.
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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AlphaWolf
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by AlphaWolf »

Lol, I really want Nila now, do you think we could swap. I could get you a camel for free. :D
"Live with parrots and you learn to panic"

AlphaWolf
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

Ooooh...I want a camel :D
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

The Camel is tempting, but I'm not sure it would fit in Nilas cage. ...
Sapphire's favourite toy this week is a plush reindeer, maybe she'd like a camel as well.
Skyes_crew
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by Skyes_crew »

I have a stuffed camel from Chris's last deployment...wanna trade :wink:
I am owned by my birds...and I wouldn't have it any other way :D

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AlphaWolf
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by AlphaWolf »

I can try to get a bonsai camel :lol: If you trade with a stuffed wolf, I need to educate Aero about how epic wolves are. :D
"Live with parrots and you learn to panic"

AlphaWolf
InTheAir
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Re: Sapphires progress

Post by InTheAir »

Skyes_crew wrote:I have a stuffed camel from Chris's last deployment...wanna trade :wink:
For the reindeer? Sure! One of the eyes has been chewed a wee bit though.
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