new member 2 family [Archive]

Logan

03-06-2003, 10:47 PM

I worried a lot when I decided to adopt Milly. She was an orphan......her human ended up in a nursing home and she hadn't had any attention in a long time. My worries were unfounded. She and Roger did beautifully together (too beautifully a couple of times :o ) and they still do love each other a lot. They do not share a cage, most of the time, by their choice. But sometimes, they choose to end up in the same cage at bedtime and we let them stay together. But most nights, when I go in to put them up, they are separate, but their cages are side by side. I think it is sweet how each one sleeps as close to the side of the cage as possible so they can be near each other. :)

popcornbird

03-07-2003, 01:00 AM

Cockatiels get along very well with just a human also. They are very social birds and need interaction on daily bases. A LOT! LOL! I personally prefer to have two birds at a time so they can keep each other company when we are not at home. I don't know if Tiki will like the tiel right away, but she showed get used to her with time. Just don't put them in the same cage as they are of different species. Let then play together during playtime under supervision, especially during the first few months. Be careful in the beginning because Tiki might be jealous! :eek: Hopefully they'll get along well! Tikiya'smommy, try to get a handfed tiel if you are getting one, so it will be friendly, and hopefully, if Cheeko sees the new bird trusting you, he will trust you as well. We tamed Popcorn first when we got them. Muffin was a bit shy and very young (not even 3 months) but when she saw Popcorn being friendly, she decided all was safe and she became friendly too! Good luck both of you, and be sure to keep the birds safe from other pets!

Ps. $30 is EXTREMELY cheap for a tiel. Make sure you know of the breeder's sources, because sometimes a low price may not mean good. Be sure the birds are healthy, happy, active, and ask the breeder where she got their parents from. Its important to know when getting a bird. You don't want to support backyard breeders. If its indeed a good breeder, then what a price! :eek: I'd get 10 of them! They cost over $100 here! :eek:

Jessica12345

03-07-2003, 08:43 PM

so how did it go? anyone reply yet?

Jessica12345

03-08-2003, 11:24 AM

:confused: :confused:

primabella

03-08-2003, 11:30 AM

when we went to pick up our birds, we saw two 'tiels there. they were so cute, i really wanted one! there was this gray one that everytime i raised my arms, he would open his wings. it was so funny. lol...good luck to both of you...and i would also make sure this breeder knows what she is doing. only 30$ :eek:

Jessica12345

03-08-2003, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by primabella
when we went to pick up our birds, we saw two 'tiels there. they were so cute, i really wanted one! there was this gray one that everytime i raised my arms, he would open his wings. it was so funny. lol...good luck to both of you...and i would also make sure this breeder knows what she is doing. only 30$ :eek:

lol:D

i agree about the breeder... be careul:eek:

popcornbird

03-08-2003, 01:17 PM

Jessica12345

03-08-2003, 01:24 PM

the teils around here are ussually $60.... for like all of them. I dont buy them from the places that sell them like that because all their birds can get deiceses easy. the bird place i go to speicalizes in birds. They wont let you go in if you have been to another pet store, they handfeed all their birds, and they make you "get to know" your bird for one month before you can take him home. The prices may be higher but i feel extremely comfterble there.:)

popcornbird

03-08-2003, 01:34 PM

Most tiels here are $80-$150, depending on the color and where you get them. Some places sell them for $300! :eek: I'd rather pay triple the price to be on the safe side.

Jessica12345

03-08-2003, 01:44 PM

me2:)

tikeyas_mom

03-08-2003, 04:01 PM

I think the breeder is relyable because they have a big hufge room just for the birds to fly a round in :).. They are usually $60.00 @ petstores here .. @ total pet they are $160.00 :eek: I would never pay that much ..

Jessica12345

03-08-2003, 04:03 PM

actully $160 isnt bad for a bird..... :)

popcornbird

03-08-2003, 04:06 PM

If they have a room to fly in, they are most likely not tame but wild. :eek: $160 is not bad for a tiel. Birds cost in the thousands. You're not buying peanuts. You're buying a loving companion that will hopefully live and bring you joy for decades. Birds live long..............very long.

Jessica12345

03-08-2003, 04:13 PM

well said:D

tikeyas_mom

03-08-2003, 04:21 PM

I know I am buying a companion not peanuts!!??!!Um anyways I rather buy a bird for $30.00 then 160$$

Jessica12345

03-08-2003, 05:23 PM

i would agree if you put it that way but MAKE SURE its a wonderful breeder and the tiels are very friendly and healthy. ok?:)

tikeyas_mom

03-08-2003, 06:45 PM

ok :)

popcornbird

03-08-2003, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
I know I am buying a companion not peanuts!!??!!Um anyways I rather buy a bird for $30.00 then 160$$

I would too, but the problem is most breeders that sell for such a low price aren't selling healthy birds. Make sure you take the bird to the vet for a complete check up if you choose to buy it from the "cheap" breeder, so you know for sure if its really healthy. Take the bird to the vet before paying the breeder. Normally a cheap breeder is not a "good" breeder, but I'm not sure about your area. $30 is almost parakeet price. :rolleyes:

tikeyas_mom

03-08-2003, 08:34 PM

$30.00 FOR A BUDGY?? omg I dont know what you r thinking man. I got mine for $10.00 .. geeze I wouldent even have my budgy if they charged that much for 1.. :eek:

Jessica12345

03-08-2003, 09:19 PM

$10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG THATS SO CHEEP! is she tame? is your cockatiel tame? maybe you will get my point... lol
sorry;)

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 01:07 AM

$10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG THATS SO CHEEP! is she tame? is your cockatiel tame? maybe you will get my point... lol

"she"?? My Budgy is a male and I am working on getting him tame. He sits on my finger and lets me give him kisses and he also lets me pet his back and chest gently.

$10.00 is not cheep for a budgy here, That price seem good to me :D.

I never bought me cockatiel I had him gaven to me by a gurl who didnt like him anylonger. He is remotly tame, he sits on your hand and goes on your hand . He hisses and bites though.

And no I dont get your poin because it isnt sufficant toward my post @ all ....

CathyBogart

03-09-2003, 02:04 AM

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
I know I am buying a companion not peanuts!!??!!Um anyways I rather buy a bird for $30.00 then 160$$

I understand that, but it would likely be less expensive in the long run to get an expensive healthy bird than a cheap sickly bird that would cost a fortune in vet bills.

I can't believe how much "I would never pay that much" I'm hearing here. If it's the animal you really want, then any price is worth it. When I get a customer at work and the first concern they have is "how much?", I lose several notches of confidence in them as vet owners.

If your $10 Budgie needed to go to the vet, woule doy pay $40 for an exam and then more depending on what was wrong?

It is so sad when people call and tell me "Oh, it's JUST a [hamster, parakeet, rat, etc], I don't want to pay a bunch of money to take it to the vet if I can get a new one for $5! When you get a pet, you are taking responsibility for a LIFE! The animal didn't choose to be with you, you made the choice for him/her, and because of thet they deserve the best you can give them.

I'm sick to death of irresponsible pet owners who think that an inexpensive animal's life isn't worth as much as an expensive one's.

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 01:54 PM

I'm sick to death of irresponsible pet owners who think that an inexpensive animal's life isn't worth as much as an expensive one's.

That was uncalled for .. Whro r u to say I am an irresponsible owner? You dont know me.:rolleyes:

Jessica12345

03-09-2003, 02:39 PM

wow.... all the fights seem to happen in tikeyas threads. uh oh... :(

SO. HOW DID IT GO? did u see a tiel yet?:confused:

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 03:40 PM

my mom said I have to wait to get another tiel and another budgy untill I get the job I went in for. :)

popcornbird

03-09-2003, 03:44 PM

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
$30.00 FOR A BUDGY?? omg I dont know what you r thinking man. I got mine for $10.00 .. geeze I wouldent even have my budgy if they charged that much for 1.. :eek:

I said its "almost" as much as the price for a budgie. I've seen budgies for $30, but they are most commonly sold for between $15-$30 depending on the color. Blue and green budgies can cost as little as $15. A white budgie, or a multi-colored one can cost $20-$30. An english budgie is normally sold for $50 +. They look EXACTLY like a normal budgie but they are larger (almost the size of a tiel).

Jessica12345

03-09-2003, 03:45 PM

OMG! i love ur sig popcornbird! awww!:D

primabella

03-09-2003, 03:46 PM

i paid rocket around 12$ and sky was 16$ (because she is a different breed) sky's breed of bird would usually go for 24$ and i'm not sure about rocket.

the reason i think we paid so cheap was because we went to a pet store that was closing (they were changing location or something) and they were selling everything kinda on sale. i guess it all depends.

my mom said I have to wait to get another tiel and another budgy untill I get the job I went in for.

i'm sorry, i don't understand what you mean :confused:

popcornbird - your new sig is beautiful! do you think that once i get my new roll of film developped, you can make me one? :D

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 04:01 PM

WHY dont you understand what I mean??

Ill say it again in different words then ...

My mom said I am not allowed to get another bird intill I get a job. I went in for a interview yesterday. I hope I get the job so I can buy 2 more birds.

better??? :D..

I am gunna get a Budgy :

http://www.dwbr14699.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bapied.jpg

The one I have allready is Blue/Grey and black(Spanky). I want the next budgy I get to look simalar to this one above. Price $10.00 from Total Pet.

I am gunna get a Cockatiel:

http://www.bird-zerk.com/pictures/cockatiel.jpg

A grey one. A female If I can but I dont really care :D .. Price $30.00 from breeder. I have a yellow cockatiel allready name(Cheeko)

And I also want to get a Betta (male) With 5 gallon Aquarium .. :)

http://www.petco.com/holiday/images/ball_fish_tank.gif

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/ceciliaxchen/betta.jpg

popcornbird

03-09-2003, 04:05 PM

Thanks Jess and Primabella! I'd love to make you one Primabella! Just PM me the pics you want in the sig when you develope them. :)

popcornbird

03-09-2003, 04:24 PM

Tikeya'smom, since you seem to be SO concerned about the price, even more than the bird, I would suggest you don't get a bird right now. You have two that need to be worked with and tamed. Work with them first, spend time with them, give them the devotion they need to gain trust in you and your family. I pet bird that fears its human family is a miserable one. Your birds should not fear you. They live with you. They should trust you. Help them gain that trust before going out to get new ones.

You mentioned you cannot afford a tiel at the "normal" price, so you're going to get the $30 one. I ask you, if you cannot afford to buy a tiel, how are you going to afford the vet trips, food, and health care needed with every added pet? When you get a pet, it comes with a bag full of responsibility. The price of the bird itself is not the only price to pay. You will be paying for your bird for years and decades to come, so its a big responsibility. Its not $30 and that's the end of it. Spend time with the birds you already have, and when you are older, have a job and money of your own, and also have the time and patience to spend with a feathered friend, THEN get a bird. We don't want what happened to your rabbit to happen to a new bird. :( Juat my two cents. If you can't afford for a bird, don't get it. Personally, my parents pay for everything that has to do with my birds (vet trips, toys, food, treats, accessories, everything). I only pay sometimes, but I'm not forced to, as in, if I don't pay, I'm not getting it. (I do it with my own choice.)

Jessica12345

03-09-2003, 04:31 PM

THANK YOU popcornbird.. thats a releif. tykia... PLEASE listen and think this over thoughroly (sp?) thank you:(

Jessica12345

03-09-2003, 04:36 PM

BTW... This is NOT to make you mad. its for the sake of the bird:(

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 04:42 PM

We don't want what happened to your rabbit to happen to a new bird. posted by popcornbird.

Excuse me?? My dog is not going to get my birds. I have had Cheeko for like 3 years He hasnt died yet has he?:mad:? So dont bring my rabbit into this. I am getting a bird for $30.00 from a breeder. What is sooooo bad about that? :rolleyes:..I still cant even believe you brought my Angel bunny into this post, about A cockatiel that I wanted advise on what color I should get. I said Allready that my mom wont let me get any more pets intill I get that JOB I APPLIED FOR>> CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT>?? Geeze. . :rolleyes:

As for me being concerned about the price over the bird, I am not even concerned at all. I know ppl that can give me a bird for cheep. And they are happy and healthy birds. Popcornbird you sound like you are more worried over nothing.. :confused:

You mentioned you cannot afford a tiel at the "normal" price, so you're going to get the $30 one. I ask you, if you cannot afford to buy a tiel, how are you going to afford the vet trips, food, and health care needed with every added pet? posted by popcornbird

I cannot afford $160.00 but I can afford $30.00 :D..
Sorry to say this but. Cheeko has never even been to the vet . I dont see anything wronge with him. ???:confused: ??? . I buy food it is really cheep its like 2 bucks for each box of birdie food (both budgy and cackatiel) .. I will have the money to take a bird to the vet if it is really sick, because I'll have a JOB>> like I mentioned 3 times allready. You are lucky your parent/s pay for everything. I am not spoiled like that sorry. I have to pay for my own animals and supplies. My mom bought the food this week and she bought the cage .. .. :cool: Thats her choice :)

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 04:44 PM

ps there is nothing to think over ?? :confused:

Jessica12345

03-09-2003, 04:50 PM

if im not mistaken didnt your dog bite your birds also?? those are just some things we want you to be careful of!

about cheeko:
even if you dont SEE anything wrong with him it doesnt mean that there IS nothing wrong with him. You should always bring a bird (and other pets) to the vet!

:( :( :( :(

even when we could afford tiki, her cage, her vet bills, and extra money for those emergensies we still had to think a lot before getting her! a bird needs a lot of attention and care!:(

popcornbird

03-09-2003, 04:56 PM

I did not mean the rabbit thing as an offense. Just that you should be taking care of you other pets (which I know you do) instead of adding new ones when you can't afford it.

I am VERY concerned to hear that your birds have been eating $2 seeds throughout their life. :( Do you think a human would be recieving the proper amount of nutrition just by eating bread? Birds need vitamins. They need veggies. They need variety in their diet. :( This is the reason so many birds get ill and die at a young age. Because of improper diets. Only seed diets can cause tumors and liver disease. Their bodies cannot function properly if they are not getting the nutrition needed by their organs and blood. Only seeds is a wrong diet for birds. In the wild, birds feed of berries, veggies, seeds, and a variety of different foods. This is wrong, and I know that a $2 seed cannot have added vitamins and nutrients either because the ones with added nutrition are expensive. I buy my birds' seed (5 lb bag) for $9, and feed them vegetables, rice, egg, cereals, and other foods as well. They eat veggies EVERY day. I have no clue why you get so offended when we offer you advice. Obviously, we are speaking from experience and our personal knowledge and want to help you. I'm sorry, but your birds are not getting the nutrition they need. :( Go read any bird website. They ALL say only seed diets are bad. "sigh"

And if you do not see anything wrong with your birds, as a bird mom, you should know that birds are masters in disguise (non trusting ones in particular). They don't show any signs of illness until its too late. I'm not saying your bird is sick, but he should have at least been to the vet when you just got him. Are you prepared to take your birds to the vet, if God forbid, something ever happens? I sure hope so. :(

Jessica12345

03-09-2003, 05:02 PM

uh oh!:( :( I didnt even see the part where it said he was on a seed diet??!!:( like popcornbird said, a bird ABSILOUTLY MUST HAVE a seed diet!

If you actully brought him to the vet she would have pointed this out to you. THAT is why you need to bring your bird to the vet.:( So your vet can let you know about the proper care.:( :mad:

CathyBogart

03-09-2003, 05:23 PM

Popcornbird is right. Any new pet coming in to a household deseves a vet check. ALL of my pets see a vet for a checkup either annually (reptiles) or biannually (rodents), and my dog and cat see the vet about three times a year. (Well, my dog is very accident prone, but that's a different story.....)

It's just a good idea to get things checked out. Most pets do their very best to disguise any signs of illness. Because of this, often people don't notice that their pet is sick until the illness is very far along.

You say the bird you have now has never been to the vet. Fine. What if he DID get sick and need veterinary care? Would you be able to provide for him? If he were sick or injured and needed $300 of treatment could you provide it? Would you?

CathyBogart

03-09-2003, 05:29 PM

Popcornbird is also right about their diet. I don't know what kind of seed mix you are giving them, so I'm going to assume it's good stuff. A seed mix should NOT be their only food. Our birds at work all get a plate of fresh fruits and veggies every day or every other day. The birds really appreciate it, and it's good for them!

(Not to mention that few things are more adorable then a budgie who has managed to smear his entire front with berry juice!)

Another note on my last post: My grandfather has had a Red-Lored Amazon, Archie, for the pasy twenty years. For years, Archie never saw a vet. One night, a raccoon got into his house and injured the bird very badly. My grandfather rushed Archie to the emergency clinic, where he eventually had to have a wing amputated.

While talking to the vet, my grandfather learned that he had been feeding his bird the TOTALLY wrong diet!! Archie now eats a healthy parrot mix, pellets, and lots of fresh food. I always thought he looked healthy before, but I wish I had before/after pics to show you!!! He seems to glow now, his feathers look so good!! Even without his wing, he seems happier than before. He also goes in for biannual checkups now.

popcornbird

03-09-2003, 05:31 PM

Hey, wait! When he got bit by the dog, you didn't take him to the vet?!? :eek: He could've died as dog saliva is poisonous to birds!!! PLEASE buy a book on cockatiels! Its important for every bird owner! If your bird licked the part where the dog bit him, he would definitely have died! Thank God you got lucky! :(

Jessica12345

03-09-2003, 05:44 PM

OMG OMG popcornbird i didnt think of that! im glad he is ok!:mad: :mad: :( i can beleive you didnt take him to the vet!:mad:

primabella

03-09-2003, 07:04 PM

wait, wait...about the food thing..i feed my birds a seed mix. i'm going to write the ingrediants and please tell me if i need anything more:

ingrediants: white millet, oat groats, red millet, canary grass seed, flax seed, sesame seed, rape seed, niger seed, ground corn, soybean meal, ground wheat, calcium carbonate, pork meat and bone meal, dehydrated apple, dehydrated orange peal,dehydrated carrot, anise seed, soybean hulls, plus additional vitamin and mineral supplements.

we also feed them spray millet and sometimes those seeds with honey treats. am i missing anything?

and tikeyas_mom - please don't get upset because i didn't understand your post. i wasn't aware you had applied for a job, so i was confused what you were talking about. try to relax :D:D

popcornbird, i'll send you in the pics when i can. thanks :D

aly

03-09-2003, 07:18 PM

So whenever I finally get some birds, if my Reecie tries to lick them (he loves everything), they might die?

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 07:37 PM

I am VERY concerned to hear that your birds have been eating $2 seeds throughout their life. Do you think a human would be recieving the proper amount of nutrition just by eating bread? Birds need vitamins. They need veggies. They need variety in their diet.

I give my birds apple, seed mix, mellet sprey. Thats it. They dont like the apple. I have tryed to give them lettus and veggies and losta fruits but they dont like it.. :( it isnt my fault they dont like it, is it?

:eek:

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 07:38 PM

oh ya and thoughs honey treat things on a stick I got 1 for budgies and 1 for Cockatiels.

budgielove

03-09-2003, 07:52 PM

I really don't mean to be rude tikeya but that's a bad diet and yeah it's your fault. its not that they don't like them they just don't know its edible its your job to get them to eat the fruitss and veggies using methods and patience. eventually with time they will try the fruits and veggies but you have to get them to that stage. also how cheap can you be? and will you in fact ever take them to a vet if they get injured? and primabella is that all you feed them?

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 08:03 PM

posted by budgielove:
I really don't mean to be rude tikeya but that's a bad diet and yeah it's your fault. its not that they don't like them they just don't know its edible its your job to get them to eat the fruitss and veggies using methods and patience. eventually with time they will try the fruits and veggies but you have to get them to that stage. also how cheap can you be? and will you in fact ever take them to a vet if they get injured? and primabella is that all you feed them?

How is it my fault my birds dont like the fruits are veggies they wont touch it they just look at it. I give them fresh fruits every day they never eat it. :eek:

How can I get them to know it is edible, shuve it there face? Geeze :rolleyes: I cant do a thing to get them to like it or eat it.

What do you mean how cheep can I be? Cheeko got bitten by a dog like 4 years ago. I was humm how old, 12 . He was my moms bird then it was up to her to do what she wanted. Now Cheeko is mine and he is better his wing is healed.

:mad:

primabella

03-09-2003, 08:04 PM

budgielover - welcome :) and yeah, honestly i don't know what else i can feed them. i'm not very knowledgable on birds :o:o (well, what they eat, anyway)

tikeyas_mom

03-09-2003, 08:07 PM

Join the club.

budgielove

03-09-2003, 08:08 PM

well primabella feeding them just seeds will shorten their lifespan by half. i can write a looong reply about feeding but i have a whole section on my site www.geocities.com/budgielover4ever on feeding so if you could just go there it should tell you all you know and tykea that site also has a good conversion method for fruits and veggiues that you shoudl try. hope everythnig goes well.

popcornbird

03-09-2003, 11:04 PM

Budgielove has good information about budgie nutrition on her site. The same diet applies to cockatiels. Read her site and try to introduce your birds to veggies. Its important for their health. My birds just recently started eating pellets, but they HATE it. I'm still working with them. They eat it, but I can tell by the look on their face that its NOT yummy. They prefer veggies. :) LOL

tikeyas_mom

03-10-2003, 12:04 AM

I read her site and ya I think I am gunna put fruits and veggies in their cages from now on. I put plums, approcots (sp?), apple, carrot, lettus, cheese all cut up into bite size bits. They wont go near it. How do I train them to eat it? I tryed putting it in front of there mouths but Cheeko just hisses and trys to bite my fingers and then Cheeko flys away or falls to the bottom of his cage :(.. Spanks did take a little bit of the approcote but then flew away. :(..

aly

03-10-2003, 12:43 AM

Can someone point me to some information on the dog saliva being poisonous to birds?

I can only find info that cat saliva is poisonous to them.
Okay, nevermind. I found some stuff. I didn't know about that. Now I really won't get a bird untilI have a house and they can have their OWN room away from my dogs and cats.

wolf_Q

03-10-2003, 12:56 AM

I give them fresh fruits every day they never eat it.

I read her site and ya I think I am gunna put fruits and veggies in their cages from now on.

:confused:

popcornbird

03-10-2003, 12:58 AM

Its not exactly "poisonous" but the saliva of cats and dogs contains much more bacteria than that in the mouth of a bird. If that bacteria is swallowed by the bird (if a dog or cat licks a bird and the bird preens the same spot after) the bird can get seriously ill, and even die. Human saliva also has more bacteria than that of a bird, but not as much as a dog or cat. That's why it is always advised to never allow your bird to eat from your mouth or from a spot you took a bite from. Also, its important to take precaution when you kiss your bird or your bird kisses you, because you shouldn't let your saliva get into the bird's mouth. :) it CAN make them sick, so its best to be on the safe side. When you get your bird Aly, I recommend that you keep it away from your other pets, especially the cat. You can never trust a cat with a bird. If you want the bird to socialize with the dog, only do that after teaching your dog to be gentle with birds and how to react to them. When you let your bird meet the dog, do so under complete supervision, and don't let the dog lick him/her. :) My neighbor has two parakeets and one dog. He taught the dog to be nice to the birds, not to lick them, etc. His dog is VERY well behaved and he never even bothered the birds, but they still keep them in seperate rooms when they cannot keep an eye on them. Jessica has a bird and two dogs so you might want to ask her for suggestions. :) My teacher also has a dog and a lovebird. The dog has come to love the bird so much that he would never harm it in any way. In fact, my teacher told me the one day she heard her dog barking and calling her from the yard. She went out and a little sparrow was stuck in the bushes and couldn't get out. Well, he wanted his mommy to save the little birdie, and he didn't touch her or harm her in ANY way! What a good dog! I'm sure you can teach your pup how to react, but its best to supervise them when they are in the same room at all times. Good luck! I would recommend waiting in getting a bird until it can have its own safe room. :)

popcornbird

03-10-2003, 01:45 AM

Aly, Tikeyasmom, Primabella, and other bird owners or future bird owners. Please read this article.

http://www.theaviary.com/s1295-21.shtml

Aly, it tells about the dog/cat salvia thing too, that's why I recommend you read it. :) Also, Tikeya'smom, you shouldn't give the birds veggies in their seed bowl. Personally I give my birds veggies on the kitchen counter (we have a very large kitchen so the counter I let them eat on is FAR from the oven and other kitchen dangers, and they are there only under supervision). If your birds are not tame and cannot be fed outside, everyday, remove theit seed bowls from the cage, and put broccoli in a plate in their cage. (Leave the broccoli in their cage for two hours and then return the seed bowls in their cage and take the veggie plate out, as it can spoil after a few hours.) I'm saying broccoli, because the top is kind of seed-like, so its usually the first veggie birds will try. Fruit is not a big neccessity for tiels and keets. They should get small amounts every now and then, but they NEED veggies, and that should be part of their daily diet. Only leave the veggies in the cage for two hours and then return the seeds and take the veggies out. You don't want to starve the birds by leaving something they are not familiar with in the cage all day. I ate broccoli with my birds in the first session and made a big deal out of it, constantly saying MMMMMMMMMMMM and smacking my lips like its really something yummy. (That made them associate mmmm with food, and now whenever I say that, they go and start eating! :eek: ) They may not eat it for the first few days/weeks, but hopefully they will try it eventually. Once they get used to broccoli, put peas in the plate. Peas and broccolu are my birds' favorite. They also love romano lettuce and cauliflower, and they eat carrots as well. One veggie you should NEVER give your bird is avacado. That veggie is deadly for birds. Good luck!

aly

03-10-2003, 02:11 AM

Yeah thats why I said I would wait. I would *NEVER* let my cat around the birds even though I don't think she'd hurt them. I dont want to take that chance.

My dogs are wonderful with animals. I can trust them with my newborn foster kittens when I have them (*always* supervised). Reece has been "mother" to at least 30 baby kittens! So I don't have to teach my dogs to behave around other animals because they already do.

I am very paranoid and cautious though so I'm not going to let them around the bird(s). I just couldn't take the chance that Reece might lick the bird. (Lolly would just run away from them like she does to kittens and other small animals that chase her)

tikeyas_mom

03-10-2003, 10:06 AM

I dont put the fruits and veggies in the seed bowl I put it in a seperate bowl think thats metal and hangs on the side of their cage. I give my birds rapple everyday, but I never gave them veggies and plum and crud intill yesterday.

tikeyas_mom

03-10-2003, 10:57 AM

Cockatiel Food Suggestions:

Dark green vegetables like broccoli, kale, spinach, dandelion greens, collard greens, mustard greens.
Vegetables high in carotene, such as sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, red peppers.
Other vegetables: turnips, green beans, peas, corn, tomatoes, legumes (like chick peas and kidney beans), hot peppers.
Fruits (no pits or cores, please): apples, grapes, bananas, oranges, melons, apricots, peaches, plums, oranges, tangerines, pomegranates, watermelon, kiwi.
Table food: cheese, eggs, pasta, rice, potatoes, wheat bread.

Are these good to feed your birds?? Thanks :confused:

popcornbird

03-10-2003, 11:49 AM

Yup they're good. :) Your birds will give you a hard time with the fruits, so give them the veggies first. The only fruits my birds will eat are grapes and apples. They take veggies with much more ease.

tikeyas_mom

03-10-2003, 12:38 PM

Doyour birds just take the veggies out of your hand?? I have the fruits and veggies all mied up in a bowl hanging on the side of there cage. They dont really care for it.I am planning on getting a pick of Spanky today because he finally is brave enough to go on my finger :D **<<--- YAY!!! So now both of mybords sit on my finger. Spanky lets mye give him kisses on the bach and on the head. I love em soo much. :) ... Cheeko sits on my finger but he doesnt let me touch him :( oh well he is still a cutie pie :)

popcornbird

03-10-2003, 12:49 PM

I put them on the counter, put a plate, fill it with veggies, and they come running. :) They won't eat veggies inside their cage. They believe its an "out of the cage" food and seeds and pellets are "inside" foods! LOL. When I introduced veggies to them, I would be holding two pieces of broccoli. I would take a bite out of mine, say mmmmm and act like its really yummy, then give them the other broccoli. They didn't try at first, but they eventually decided to take a bite and have loved it ever since. Try not to mix veggies at the beginning. Only start with one, so they don't have too many things to suspect. Its best to start with broccoli because most birds find it the most tempting. Maybe you can put them on a table or something and put some in a plate in front of them. :) My birds love to snatch peas out of my hand! Its so cute! LOL

Good luck! Glad to here your parakeet started coming on your finger. That's a good sign. Just continue to work with them, and lessen their cage time everyday, so they get to experience their freedom in the house. My birds are like practically never in the cage. They have certain "resorts" where they always go and sit outside of the cage. They only go in when they feel like it, and their door is always open when we are at home. Now that your parakeet started coming on your finger, I hope we can see a pic of him. :)