--------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: D5Y00000 Date: 05/28/96 From: JOHN PUMMILL Time: 12:47pm \/To: BARBARA HOWELL (Read 4 times) Subj: Buster We still have Buster. We are still dealing with him. He still is not fond of his daddy. Rowdy, the B&G has been a dream through all of this. Stopped hearing from you and was not sure what had happened, hope all is well. --- FMail 0.94 * Origin: WANTED: Muzzle For Blue Crown Conure... YAAAK YAAAK (1:123/30) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: D5Y00001 Date: 05/28/96 From: SUE HATHAWAY Time: 09:57am \/To: PETE HOPPING (Read 4 times) Subj: Re: Cutenesses PH> I just watched the PBS show "Nature" segment on Parrots again, for the PH> third time. There's an African Grey (I think...) in there making the PH> "passing gas" sound. Hmmm...I wear hearing-aids and at times they make PH> feedback squeals. I hope my parrot doesn't pick that up (when I get my PH> parrot, that is...) as it tends to drive people batty...and I'd have PH> trouble knowing if it was me or the parrot squealing. :) Yeah, that was what he was doing all right! Anything embarrass- ing, gross or naughty, they seem to pick up right away! But this dang guy will NOT say "I love you" for anything! He does do an annoying series of household sounds though... the smoke alarm (which he always does when the oven's on for some reason... Mom's a rotten cook?) He does a car alarm, microwave beep, computer error beep, bicycle tire pump (that one really sends your nerve endings into orbit!), etc. PH> Lots of "for sale" ads in the local paper again from people trying to PH> get rid of various parrots. One ad has a moluccan 'too and cage for PH> $500. Makes me wonder what's wrong with the 'too, or what's wrong with PH> the owners. Hmmm, that doesn't sound good at all... i've seen Moluccans as high as $3,000 around here. The cage alone would be $500. Maybe they found out he has a terminal illness or something. Cockatoos are cuddly darlings, but they can also be pretty destructive and de- manding of attention. Hopefully that was all that was wrong with that poor critter. PH> BTW did you see the CBS news story on Ebola last week where they said PH> that some researchers in SC theorize that Ebola cycles through birds? Yipes, no, i didn't! There was an article in National Geographic a couple years ago about the influenza virus... part of its cycle it passes through domestic animals like pigs and chickens. Which is why so many of the new strains come from Asia... the poorer rural people there have a habit of letting their farm animals in their houses for the night and they are in close contact with them, passing those mutated viruses around. Not to worry about a parrot though... most of them are domestic raised (like mine for instance). So i don't have to worry about him having contact with an Ebola-carrying wild bird from Africa. Sue --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: Slings & Arrows BBS - St. Louis, Mo. - (1:100/205.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: D5Y00002 Date: 05/28/96 From: SUE HATHAWAY Time: 10:00am \/To: SUE TURO (Read 4 times) Subj: Re: Strange Behavior ST> Well if there is a way to stop her...no one seems to know what ST> it is...;) The theory is that the two male tiel that occupy the ST> cage next to her are setting her off...I did think of moving ST> her cage to the other side of the room...but some how I don't ST> think that would make a difference...they all play together...I ST> let them all out at the same time...and have my coffee table and ST> a tv cart next to it with toys for them to play on...heheh ST> livingroom taken over by the birds...;) The hours of enjoyment ST> they give me is worth the mess they make...;) Yep, they are worth all the mess! (Stuff you wouldn't put up with from your human kids... like slinging food!) Heh heh. ST> is very very protective of her cage and I have to wear a glove ST> to change her water dish and food...she bites and holds on for ST> dear life...but when I take her eggs away she mellows out and ST> after a few days she is playing again..like the little love she ST> was in the beginning...;) This very little bird has been one ST> big learning experience...;) ST> I'm sorry I rattled on...but every day is something new...;) 'Sokay! Like none of the rest of us ever do that when rhapsodizing about our birdies! She sounds adorable... too bad there isn't some way to let her have a mate and real chicks, but she'd still be your pet too. Sue --- GEcho 1.00 * Origin: Slings & Arrows BBS - St. Louis, Mo. - (1:100/205.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: D5Y00003 Date: 05/29/96 From: GEORGE DESTAFFAN Time: 08:17am \/To: KATHY JOHNSON (Read 4 times) Subj: Questions Hi Kathy, Sent you a net-mail message awhile back, was wondering if you received it? It probably was a week and half ago. thanks, george --- Maximus 2.01wb * Origin: Phoenix High School BBS - Phoenix, New York (1:2608/20) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: D5Z00000 Date: 05/28/96 From: PETE HOPPING Time: 10:58pm \/To: ANITA TRICHEL (Read 3 times) Subj: acrylic cages -=> Quoting Anita Trichel to Kathy Johnson <=- AT> Hi Kathy AT> People will make the mistake of cleaning their acrylic cage with paper AT> towels and this is a no no. Paper towels often contain impurities that AT> will scratch the plexiglass. Also lava rocks and any other abrasive AT> toys will add to this, however there are a few products that will AT> remove light scratches but not deep gouges. Mr Chauvin can recommend AT> the name brand to use.The oldest acrylic cage I have is about 4 years AT> old and has a few minor scratches but these can be removed. Like you I AT> also do not like anything that takes away from the beauty of the bird. AT> Mr Chauvin has some much older cages than we have and they look great. AT> It's mainly how people clean them. AT> I also feel that by using acrylic cages you can sanitize the bird's AT> environment better than that of the wire cages. The Macaw cage is made AT> of Lexan which is much stronger than acrylic. If you have any AT> questions please drop a line or you can call the Chauvins (pronounced AT> like show vans) at 504 876-7966 after 5pm CST. I had been wondering if those cages were worth getting. It sounds like they are! What do you use to clean the cages with if you do not use paper towels? ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 --- WILDMAIL!/WC v4.12 * Origin: Glen Burnie Windows BBS, Md. (410)969-1914 (1:261/1165.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: D5^00000 Date: 05/30/96 From: FRAN WARWICK Time: 06:45am \/To: GEORGE DESTAFFAN (Read 3 times) Subj: Questions George, Are you the one that asked me about Juno...I lost the address so I couldn't get the info to you. Fran ... --- PPoint 1.92 * Origin: Wings Over Texas - Elgin, Texas (1:382/92.5) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: DA100000 Date: 05/30/96 From: SUE TURO Time: 10:13am \/To: SUE HATHAWAY (Read 3 times) Subj: Re: Strange Behavior -=> Quoting Sue Hathaway to Sue Turo <=- ST> a tv cart next to it with toys for them to play on...heheh ST> livingroom taken over by the birds...;) The hours of enjoyment ST> they give me is worth the mess they make...;) SH> Yep, they are worth all the mess! (Stuff you wouldn't put SH> up with from your human kids... like slinging food!) Heh heh. OOoh...I like my birdie kids so much better than my human kids...don't miss the human kids at all..;) My Scooby Doo (first male tiel) just loves to clean off my dining room table...loves to pick something up and walk to the edge and drop it on the floor then turns around to see if I'm going to pick it up...;) ST> was in the beginning...;) This very little bird has been one ST> big learning experience...;) ST> I'm sorry I rattled on...but every day is something new...;) SH> 'Sokay! Like none of the rest of us ever do that when SH> rhapsodizing about our birdies! She sounds adorable... SH> too bad there isn't some way to let her have a mate and real SH> chicks, but she'd still be your pet too. Well hopefully very soon she will have a mate...I'm sending a check out tomorrow for another lovebird...a breeder I've got to know on IRC is going to ship one to me...hopefully it will be a male and she will like him...;) I can't help it...it hurts to watch her go through this...so she will be getting a chance to have real eggs...in about a month or so...;) They will have seperate cages...and I have a breeding cage to put them in that will be neutral territory....;) ... Sue, Scooby Doo, Cry Baby, GT (witchypoo), Romeo and Juilet...;) --- Blue Wave/Opus v2.12 [NR] * Origin: The BULLET Inn-V.34-Pittsburgh, PA (412) 264-3175 (1:129/112.0) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: DA100001 Date: 05/28/96 From: KATHY JOHNSON Time: 08:52pm \/To: PETE HOPPING (Read 3 times) Subj: cheap birds PH>that we were familiar with from other breeders whom we knew had good PH>strong bloodlines. We bred for confirmation and also for personality, PH>to improve our own stock. PH>Seems to me an ethical bird breeder would do the same things we used to PH>do with the dogs. Exactly. If one is breeding for show stock, then the breeder should BUY from other show people, preferably retired champs or offspring thereof (unfortunately, there is no pedigree registry system for show birds, so you have to take the breeder/seller's word for such things right now). If one is breeding for pet quality stock, then the breeder should look for good health, and good personality in the parent birds. Price REALLY shouldn't enter into the issue at all. I realize that some people can't afford to spend big bucks on buying birds. But I have always believed, and will continue to do so, that if you can't afford to get the good stuff to start out, you most likely can't afford to give it good care later on, and thus, you probably shouldn't have it to begin with. Harsh perhaps, but it's my opinion. PH>It doesn't surprise me that a person would breed "cheap" birds, and it PH>makes me wonder if this lady knows anything about heredity, breed PH>standards, and genetics. In the case of the local person I referred to, she has NO clue about any of the above topics. She cares about the bottom line--what she can make off the birds. Puppy-mill mentality, all the way, unfortunately. I'd LOVE to see the health department shut her down (she has over 140 birds just in her *living room*, stacked to the ceiling of a standard bungalow-sized house). --Kathy * SLMR 2.1a * Truck Pulls: for people who don't understand WWF. --- Silver Xpress Mail System * Origin: bloom county bbs * Parrots HQ * (313)582-0888 (1:2410/400) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: DA100002 Date: 05/28/96 From: KATHY JOHNSON Time: 09:00pm \/To: JERRY RUDOFF (Read 3 times) Subj: cheap birds JR>-> much there. She has over 100 birds, mostly tiels, and I don't think JR>-> she paid over $10 for the most expensive one of the lot. Her babies JR>I know of several people like this... JR>It was their way of being a do gooder and at the same time acquiring JR>birds at little to no cost. They soon learned that this is not JR>necessarily a cheap hobby and it was at this time their motivation began JR>to change. They saw an opportunity to breed and sell, not knowing or JR>really caring about what was involved. For the most part, they do JR>community breeding and if I had to guess, would imagine that the great JR>majority of people who fall into this category have their birds house in JR>deplorable conditions. With the exception of the "do gooder" part, you've described the woman I was referring to. I have not personally seen her cages, but co-workers have been to visit her and said it was filthy, too many birds per cage, not enough perches/dishes/food, etc. Based on what SHE has told me (she used to call me regularly for advice way back when she only had 3 birds!), she feeds ONLY substandard seed mix to "keep costs down". I feel awful for her birds! JR>If we as a society continue to provide these JR>types with a means of creating a demand, they will continue to exist as JR>does all the other negative situations in our respective communities. JR>As a society, we create the demand, they just fill it... Between the uncaring pet stores who only want to buy CHEAP birds so they can make a higher profit, and people who don't understand the difference between quality birds and 'puppy-mill' birds, it's going to be a tough battle to fight. It's not so much supply/demand as it is education of the public. People need to learn to ask questions-- like WHERE did the pet-store bird they're considering come from, was it hand-fed, is it vaccinated, etc. If the potential buyers were more well-informed about the product (birds), then the low-quality breeders wouldn't be able to sell junk birds to the stores or directly to the buyers. --Kathy * SLMR 2.1a * Behavioral psychology--pulling habits out of rats. --- Silver Xpress Mail System * Origin: bloom county bbs * Parrots HQ * (313)582-0888 (1:2410/400) --------------- FIDO MESSAGE AREA==> TOPIC: 225 PARROTS Ref: DA100003 Date: 05/28/96 From: KATHY JOHNSON Time: 09:02pm \/To: ANITA TRICHEL (Read 3 times) Subj: acrylic cages AT>I also feel that by using acrylic cages you can sanitize the bird's AT>environment better than that of the wire cages. The Macaw cage is made of AT>Lexan which is much stronger than acrylic. Wow--Lexan IS tough stuff! I'm impressed! What DO you use to wash acrylic cages to disinfect them? I'm sure that some strong disinfectants could harm the surface. --Kathy * SLMR 2.1a * Sorry, people on welfare don't NEED cable TV!!!!!!!!! --- Silver Xpress Mail System * Origin: bloom county bbs * Parrots HQ * (313)582-0888 (1:2410/400)