Arctic Greetings!

[happylove]

Well, I better introduce myself so you don't think I'm a troll.;)

My name is Esther. I was referred to your site by lilmama, so you all can blame her if I get weird on you, lol. J/K I have found your site to be very friendly and informative.

I have lived in the Interior of AK since Feb. 1999, and before that CA, Bay Area since a kid.

My bird experiences besides enjoying the opportunity to listen to them outdoors:

We had a cool bird named crayon when I was a wee lad. It died because my parents couldn't afford to feed it well, and we were dumb, and didn't know how to care for it. I don't know where my brother got it from, but it didn't have enough to eat or stimulation I'm sure.:( There were 8 of us kids & including mom & dad makes 10.

My 2nd bird experience was some close friends of ours let us hang out with there conure in my early adult years. We watched him a few nights while they were out of town. We just changed his food/water, and left him in the cage. They came and picked him up. When we'd visit they would have all sorts of toys for him, and he'd fly free around their house, sit on their shoulder, or walk on the kitchen table.

This being our third bird experience, while we have 3 kids (a son & two daughters), and 8 goldfish, we're doing better. We have had two budgies. The first blue budgie named Happy, we've had for 4 winters, and the yellow budgie named Love we've had for 3 winters. We enjoy them both and have had a special love for Happy since we first got her. A neighbor lost the partner when she moved, and couldn't care for Happy anymore and let us have him. We felt sorry for him, and took him in & just spoiled him like crazy. When he started to get bored, at the vet's suggestion we got him a partner (Joy). We can remember that day like it was yesterday. How excited Happy was to have a friend like her. At the time, we thought Happy was a boy, as that is what the owner told us. So we've called her a him this whole time. We did not know either of their sex for sure, until today thanks to your helpful thread in the budgie forum. At times they've irritated us with their squawks, but for the most part they've been good together. They get showers, and go out when the weather is warm in a cage. We clip their wings for safety. We give them fresh fruits and veggies when we can along with pellets & seed regularly. They listen to the command 'up' & that's about it. There was one year where happy copied the tone to our microwave and would sing it to us. They like it when we sing to them, play classical music, or run the vacuum. Happy liked to sit on our lap and watch tv, or watch the christmas lights when he was younger. When we got Love he didn't want to sit with us as much, but would like to go out and find a perch to sit with Love. Happy would sit on our shoulder, and sing to us. Eat from our hand. Love doesn't do any of this. If Love flies out of the cage, she might let you pick him up. They hate it when we grab them out of the cage for a shower until they're in it. I guess we've taken a liking to happy because she's allowed us to do alot with her, whereas Love wants us to leave him alone.

Anyhow, happy dropped 4 eggs to the bottom of the flight cage yesterday or the night before. We've been slacking off with them, so I don't know if she did that out of anger.:( Coming to your site we have learned we can do better for the birds, and provide a more meaningful life for them. You've inspired me to give their room a bird make-over. So that's my goal for this week, and purchase more toys/ladders.

Thanks for all the helpful info. It has been a God-send. :)

I'm a wife of 18 years, homeschool our three kids, and work part-time. I'll try to be here when I can. Thanks for having me. :)

[Kevin]

Welcome to the Board... Seems we have quite a few alaskans coming on board lately... Glad to see word spreading all over the world.

[happylove]

Thank you.

Maybe when I figure out the member's map, I can find them all and see if I know any of them.

[Baby5566]

Welcome Esther!!! What part of the Bay Area are you from? That's where I live! How'd you like the Alaskan weather when you first moved up there from California?

It's so funny, my sister inlaw is named Esther, she's my husband half sister. She now lives here in the Bay Area near us but her father is Native Alaskan Inuit. Pretty cool how similar people are.

Liz

[Tiki]

Welcome Esther! Nice to see more Alaskans! Our own Dayna has a pet store in Juneau, I am sure she will log on pretty soon.

[Machelle]

Welcome Esther!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TooLover]

Welcome to the board!

[Dayna]

Welcome! Tiki is right, I own a pet store in Juneau.


Though sadly you are FAR away from me! LOL

[happylove]

Thank you!

Hi Liz,

I was born and raised in the SF area. We lived in SSF for 11 years, then I moved to Pacifica when I married. We lived across Linda Mar beach. The beach is what I miss most aside from the fog, lol. When we arrived the temp was -20, and my son fell face first in the snow. Since we didn't have snow much in CA, we're still enjoying it. The dark is hard to get over the longest part of winter, but we're getting used to it.

We drove through Denali Park one year, and we just love it up here. The wilderness areas and wildlife are exciting to see.

[happylove]

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