My new bird arrives tomorrow!

[jriley]

I get to go pick up our new Tucuman Amazon hen at the airport tomorrow morning bright and early! I'm cautiously excited because I know I won't be able to handle her much, if at all (she's an import breeder bird), but I'm so hoping eventually she and Tucci will bond and make a great pair. I'm also really excited because on the way home I get to pick up three big parrot cages some guy on our local Craigslist has for sale cheap (all 3 for $100!!!). I'm going to use them for outdoor housing in the rose garden so the fids can go out every day instead of just on weekends when I'm up to schlepping everyone's cage out through the house.

Once I get everyone and everything set up, I might just break down and finally post pictures of the gang. I love my digital camera until it's time to actually download pictures (yuck! what a pain!). Can somebody tell me how to put pictures on my posts like everyone else on here does?

Julie Riley

[BobbieSD]

You bet. Download your pics into a file on your computer. When you post a message, page down below, to see the "Manage Attachments". Select "Browse" in the pop up window. Select your pics, then hit upload and close the window when complete. It will show when you post your message. (At least this is how I do it.) Looking forward to pics!

[Conure & Macaw Mom]

Congrats on your new baby & cages, what a deal! Crystal

[raddaughter]

Congrats on the new addition! Can't wait to see pics! That is such a great deal on those cages, wish there were more like that!

[jriley]

Thanks everyone. I will try to do pictures tomorrow, though I don't know if I'd show them to anyone other than you guys. We picked up our new girl very early this morning and I have to say she is the homeliest Amazon I've ever seen LOL. Her head is completely bald! I was told she was plucked by her former mate (who died two years ago-still hasn't grown back!). She also lost several toetips to burns from a fire that went through S. CA years ago. I almost fell over when I saw her, even though I knew what to expect. I was so worried when I let her out of her carrier into her cage because I wasn't sure if she'd be able to climb around with those poor mutilated toes. She seems to cope pretty well, though, and has settled in pretty good for a first day after a long flight. She is amazingly calm for a wild-caught breeder bird and will eat/drink from my hand. I haven't tried to get her out of the cage yet. I guess they forgot to clip her wings for me, so I don't dare take her out until I'm ready to subject her to being held for clipping. I figure she deserves to rest a day or two before going through that. Tucci doesn't seem to know what to think. He keeps looking at her and I swear he's trying to figure out if this bald thing is a bird or not LOL.

Julie Riley

[raddaughter]

Actually, most wild caught birds, if properly socialized, can do very well in captivity. However, we were going to adopt a CAG who was 25 and was wild caught. He had been plucking for three years since this woman (who was a 'rescuer') got him. His cage seemed too small for my preference of what a bird like that should have and didn't have very many toys. Diet was poor and the area was dirty. Looking back, I am almost sure he plucked out of boredom. After all, wild caught birds do things all day long, not just sit in a cage. Be sure to provide all of your birds with lots of mental stimulation (i.e foraging toys, things to chew, etc...)

It sure sounds like this girl has had it pretty bad so far... I am glad she has found you, a permanant home where she will be loved and treasured!

[jriley]

Luckily, it looks like there was no way that she could have plucked herself. She is in perfect feather except her entire head. The breeder I bought her from said she looks like a harpy eagle, and that sounds like a good description to me. It is so pathetic when she fluffs her neck feathers, almost like she has a ruff LOL. Since her mate died two years ago and she hasn't been caged with another bird since that time, it seems pretty unlikely they'll grow back. I didn't realize plucking could result in permanent feather loss.

Please don't misunderstand and think of her as a rescue. I bought her from Aves International and everyone I talk to says that Gail, the owner, is great with her birds. Gail told me that they had a terrible wildfire some years back and that they weren't able to evacuate all the birds in time. She said that, while the fire didn't actually burn the buildings, the heat from the fire was so intense that many of the birds lost toes due to burns from the heat of the wire in their cages. That must have been heartbreaking for her to go through as a bird lover. I'm absolutely amazed at the care her birds get, particularly given the size of her operation. All the birds get a sprouted seed mix, chopped vegetables and fruit, and a very limited amount of seeds. I only hope I can live up to her standards! I'm still learning to use fresh foods efficiently and have been relying on pellets to back me up nutritionally. This girl has never been on pellets, which means I have to be good with the fresh foods, so I'm hoping it will force me to get everyone on better diets.

Tucuman Amazons aren't easy to find, particularly females, so I was grateful that Gail was willing to sell me this one once I decided to let Tucci go back to a breeding situation. I think both of them will be happier to have a companion again (both lost their mates), even if they end up not producing. I just couldn't stand to see Tucci so desperate for love (he kept trying to seduce our Quaker), so I'm hoping they bond at some point.

Julie Riley