New Parri Coming?

[spensergirl]

Remember when I told you all that I was kind of "looking but not touching" (as someone else had said) at Amazons since Chilli passed away. Well, my friend sent me this ad and I told her I was not going to call it yet, but she said, just contact the people and you will know if it is right. I contacted the woman and she was trying to find a home for her blue front amazon (like Chilli) because she loved birds and had another Amazon and thought they would be friends and keep each other company when she worked, but the one she needs a home for HATES the other one and it is hard for her to split her time with them when they can't be out at the same time. We talked awhile and she let me talk to the bird on the phone and it said "WHAT"? to me, when I said hi to it.. Plus the bird it hates was honking in the background and the bird that needs the home did not honk with it, it just started talking/mumbling like it was irritated at the other bird. So it is not a loud and or screechy bird. I am possibly going to go meet her this weekend. She said she is very sweet, even with children but just hates her other bird.

I was wondering if you all might help me out with something. The woman said the bird eats a blend of parrot food she gets from a bird person at the flea market. That scares me to death, but the bird does not seem to have any ill effects and I am not saying that it can't be an avian person at a flea market, just makes me uneasy (about the food). However, I don't want to change it too fast and make her stressed or sick. I want to change her to Zupreem or something similar, (with fresh veggies and fruits which she does already eat) so that is good, but how to I do the conversion without upsetting her or making her sick? They are going to give me some of her food just so there does not have to be an instant change but how slow should I do it?

I am hopeful, yet terrified and also happy but sad all at once. Hopeful, to have a parrot to love again, terrified at all the things that can go wrong with birds (or at least did with Chilli) and a bit sad as I know it is NOT Chilli nor do I expect her to be, but I still am mourning Chilli.

Any input would be helpful about the food thing...or anything else/hints you might have.

The woman is keeping the cage so I feel bad that she also has to have a cage change but I do have a cage that Chilli was never in that I kept at a friends for hurricane evacuations and never had to use it since I got it anyway, so I can use that cage and there won't be any germs in it.. Still, it will be a new cage.
The woman also said she never covers either bird at night as they do not like it and shred their covers. I thought you had to cover birds at night? I don't want to do anything to upset her, hoewver or have her shred her cover and get threads stuck in her throat, etc.

Thanks for any input.

[Tom Lawless]

I don't cover my guys at all. With their playtops and all the ropes connected to their cages it would be next to impossible to cover them over. I know many in the same situation as me.

From what I've heard about Amazons and their appetites, I bet the new Amazon will switch over to the food you want pretty quick. When I converted my little Dave over to pellets I mixed them with the seed and gradually, when I noticed he would eat the pellets, I started increasing the ratio of pellets to seed until there was no seed left. He does get a little seed in a treat cup now and then but the pellets are what are always available (I also found by eating a pellet in front of him he got a lot more interested in having one himself).

This new bird won't be Chili but what he will do is fill the emptiness in the house with a new presence that will make it fun to be around again.

Good luck. Keep us posted as things progress. I think you two might need each other.

[spensergirl]

Thanks so much. I will try that and keep you posted! I appreciate all the help everyone here has been and has given.

[becca623]

Do let us know how the meeting goes. Maybe this is just what you need.
I don't cover my birds at night. It scares Blossom and irritates Echo.

[spensergirl]

What type of water do you all use? Bottled? Distilled? Tap? We have copper pipes in our buliding, so I was leary to use tap, used distilled for Chilli but have heard that is not good either. Is bottled better, like Spring water or something? I guess that is a confusing topic, at times?

[searcherangel]

Im a new parrot mom but read on here how to do as tom suggested and it worked great my grey and little hans are eatting pellets like there is no tomorrow .

[charlieandmom]

I don't cover my birds at night. Sometimes my BFA will sleep perched on her cage door at night. I have a room for the birds so I just shut the door when everyone is ready for bed. You shouldn't have a problem switching over to pellets.

[magdalena]

Yeah looking but not touching became looking AND touching and 3 weeks later LOOK we have a new grey. :D I use regular tap water but we have a really tasty well, I'd use bottled otherwise. Food switching shouldn't be too hard, it depends on the bird and if it is adaptable, same with cage switching, I actually prefer switching cages when I get a new bird so they understand everything in their life is new and look to you for support. I cover sleep cages but I think I am in the minority with using them at all.

[SisterBlue]

Sounds like this was meant to be. :) Please keep us posted.

As for your questions, I don't cover my birds either, never have...they get the water that comes through the filter on my fridge...and they all eat different combinations of food, LOL. My G2 loves Paradise Blend (PARADISE ULTIMATE BLEND - BIRD PARADISE BLENDS by Bird Paradise - it's expensive but I am so impressed with this stuff!) and also eats Zupreem, and lots of veggies and fruits, sprouts, rice, etc. My Hahns loves the Paradise Blend too, and all veggies/fruits, but wouldn't eat a sprout or a Zupreem pellet if his feathered butt depended on it. My Sun eats a combo of Paradise, Zupreem, and some seed, plus tons of veggies and sprouts. The tiels are on a combo of Zupreem and seed, plush fresh stuff. I guess my long an drawn out point is, try everything, lots of healthy choices, and you'll figure out what he likes best.

Good luck!

-SB

[spensergirl]

Well, it did not work out. The parrot hated me on sight, but yet if my friend (who does not even really want or like birds that much) went up to it, it would act all bashful and show her it's feathers and coo to her.. LOL
I know parrots are like that, they can either like you or hate you on sight and if they hate you, they usually do not change. So, I was ok with that.
I am hoping the people will keep it as they are having a hard time giving it up and just feel they don't have enough time for both when they can't be out together, but it had a wonderful home with a perch outside by the lake and is out of the cage with the other they just can't put them on the ground together but if they are on separate play stands they are ok. Plus the parrot looked at the woman with such love in it's eyes (the woman who owns it). She said she might try to keep them both. I hope so. I told her the cage is way too small to use if someone buys her that is not going to let her out all the time like they do...it is way small for a parrot.