HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: wiegand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert Wiegand)
Subject: Re: link between birds and lung cancer?
Reply-To: motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 15:20:02 GMT

twollnik@aud.alcatel.com writes:

>richman@reepicheep.gcn.uoknor.edu (Mike Richman) writes:

>>I recently heard the last part of a news story reporting some link
>>between having pet birds and developing lung cancer.  Does anyone have
>>more information on the study?  Is this some wacky chance correlation or
>>something more substantive?

>Well I have been monitoring this subject for a few days, and there doesn't
>seem to be anyone that is giving any great amount of detail on the subject.
>I am about to be the proud owner of a greenwing Macaw, and I am curious      
>about this topic also.

>Should I keep the bird cage immaculate, deordorized, feed them anything
>special.  What's the current information on this lung cancer issue.  Is
>it one of those things were a person had 45 birds for 30 years, and theu
>developed lung cancer.    

>IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE !!!!

First - there have been studies with results both ways (bird keeping
does / does not cause cancer) so don't take this as a proven fact.

Second - keeping a clean bird cage is a good idea anyway for the bird's
benifit. The bird droppings and dropped food is a good place for mold and
fungus to grow so regular cleaning is a good idea.

Personally, I'm not too worried.
From: chajek@qa1.WichitaKS.NCR.COM (chajek)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: PARSLEY
Keywords: PARSLEY
Date: 5 Nov 92 21:10:21 GMT
Reply-To: chajek@qa1.WichitaKS.NCR.COM ()
Organization: NCR Corporation, Wichita KS

OK, what's the REAL truth about parsley.  Several things I have read
in reputable books and magazines say parsley is OK.  Other things I
read say it is toxic to birds and can even kill your bird.  To be
safe, I haven't fed it to my birds, even though I grow it in abundance.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: rxb@vax  (Rachel Banko)
Subject: Traveling with birds
Nntp-Software: PC/TCP NNTP
Organization: FTP Software, Inc., Wakefield, MA
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1992 11:12:09

I know Mardel sells tablets to add to drinking water for times of
stress (new bird, traveling). I think it's similar to Gatorade or
Lucozade (sport drinks).
Mardel's line of antibiotics, etc. comes in flat white boxes with
yellow and blue stripes at your pet store.


Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: gerard@caliban.soest.hawaii.edu (Gerard Fryer)
Subject: Parrots and oral medicine
Organization: Scum Of the Earth and Senile Tenured
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 23:40:10 GMT

[Having just been guilty of perpetrating a giant Red Herring on
rec.pets.birds (my contribution to the discussion on Lethal Cookware),
I feel I must redeem myself and say something useful.]

My blue-fronted amazon, Lafitte, recently contacted some sort of bug
which left her listless and dragging.  Most readers know that any sort
of odd behaviour in a bird is something you have to take seriously
since sickness is something that they generally try to hide.  A stool
sample showed nothing unusual except an abundance of one benign
bacteria and an absolute dearth of any other kind (sorry, I can't
remember the names).  But that at least indicated some sort of gastric
disturbance, probably related to bacteria.  The vet prescribed a mild
antibiotic, to be given orally.  I was a bit alarmed at this as I once
had to go through a twice-a-day regimen giving oral antibiotics to a
reluctant parakeet.  Those dosings always ended with an indignant and
messy bird and a severely mauled hand.  I wasn't too keen on fighting
an amazon.

After a few messy attempts which didn't get much of the medicine into
Lafitte, I finally convinced her to eat medicine-laced oatmeal.  Mainly
because I can't stand most breakfast cereals I have taken to making
breakfast for myself by zapping old-fashioned rolled oats and water in
the microwave to make a  porridgey mush which isn't too bad if you add
something to give it flavor.  Lafitte always begs for some, and
especially seems to like it if it's still warm.  Using that as a medium
to deliver the medicine was easy.  She recovered completely in a few
days.

So here's my recommendation: get your parrot used to eating some
amorphous mush that you hide medicine in.  Then when you have a sick
bird, administering to it is easy.  Make sure that you flavor the stuff
in a variety of different ways so that the bird doesn't get used to a
single taste.  If ever your bird gets sick, you'll be glad you did
this.
-- 
Gerard Fryer  (g.fryer@soest.hawaii.edu)
School of Ocean & Earth Science & Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
From: NBRIGHAM@arizvm1.ccit.arizona.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Traveling with birds
Date: 9 Nov 92 19:19:35 GMT
Distribution: rec.pets.birds,local
Organization: University of Arizona

In article <921109111209@priip>
rxb@vax (Rachel Banko) writes:
 
>I know Mardel sells tablets to add to drinking water for times of
>stress (new bird, traveling). I think it's similar to Gatorade or
>Lucozade (sport drinks).
>Mardel's line of antibiotics, etc. comes in flat white boxes with
>yellow and blue stripes at your pet store.
 
 
The important issue is to make sure that whatever you use, it replaces
electrolites (sp?). I drove with my Grey from Cape Cod (MA) to Tucson
and he survived better than I.
 
NICHOLAS A BRIGHAM                   ~      UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
NBRIGHAM@CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU            ~        TUCSON, ARIZONA
NBRIGHAM@ARIZVM1.CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU    ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ONE GOOD TURN GETS ALL THE BLANKETS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: jberry@brutus.ct.gmr.com (John Berry CT/90)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Budgie "flap attack"
Date: 12 Nov 92 12:45:38 GMT
Reply-To: jberry@brutus.ct.gmr.com (John Berry CT/90)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

I have been holding a daily "screetch-in" with my newly purchased amazon
(because I thought he was altogether TOO quiet). In the last few days he has 
been getting into the spirit of the thing (good thing as I'm losing my voice), 
and during the course of these sessions, he goes into that wing-flap routine 
almost constantly.  He also does the head-dipping motion. But it is also
clear from his direction of gaze that he is aware that it is me (not another
bird he can't see) that is screetching back at him.  From that, I have drawn 
the conclusion that it is an indication of excitment. I have not seen him go
through this at any other time.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: richman@reepicheep.gcn.uoknor.edu (Mike Richman)
Subject: link between birds and lung cancer?
Originator: usenet@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 20:43:03 GMT
Reply-To: richman@reepicheep.gcn.uoknor.edu (Mike Richman)
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
Followup-To: rec.pets.birds

I recently heard the last part of a news story reporting some link
between having pet birds and developing lung cancer.  Does anyone have
more information on the study?  Is this some wacky chance correlation or
something more substantive?
-- 
Mike Richman                        !CIMMS/The University of Oklahoma
richman@reepicheep.gcn.uoknor.edu   !100 East Boyd, Room 1110
405-325-3460 (office) 325-7614 (fax)!Norman, OK  73019-0628  USA
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: whisnant@iastate.edu (Kerry L Whisnant)
Subject: Budgie "flap attack"
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 18:52:44 GMT

A friend of mine has three budgies, and they all have a strange behavior
that we call a "flap attack", where they furiously flap their wings while
hanging on to their perch. They seem very agitated and sometimes emit
squawking noises at the same time. The whole episode lasts for maybe
5 to 15 seconds, and then they seem perfectly normal. It happens fairly
regularly, at least once a day for each of them, and usually they're
inside their cage when it happens.

We've been specualting that they're just exercising their wings, since
they're clipped and don't get to fly (although they do try to fly
sometimes when they're outside the cage). Either that or they all have
a case of bird epilepsy :-)

Does anybody know what this means? It must be common since all three
birds do it regularly.
-- 
Kerry Whisnant                  High Energy Physics Group
whisnant@iastate.edu            Department of Physics and Astronomy
whisnant@alisuvax.bitnet        Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011
From: jberry@brutus.ct.gmr.com (John Berry CT/90)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Lethal cookware?
Date: 6 Nov 92 12:45:33 GMT
To: motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net


I'd like to thank everyone for all the responses I received on this.
The consensus was that I should ditch the pots, which is what I'm going
to do.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: traveling with your bird.
From: NBRIGHAM@arizvm1.ccit.arizona.edu
Date: Mon, 09 Nov 92 21:09:27 MST
Distribution: rec.pets.birds,local
Organization: University of Arizona

In article <wiegand.721324786@lido16>
wiegand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert Wiegand) writes:
 
>tburgess@us.oracle.com (Tia Servantes-Burgess) writes:
>
>
>
>
>>Hi,
>
>
>>I think this question was raised before...so forgive me for asking again.
>
>>I have a goffin cockatoo that has only traveled a few hours like when she
>>goes to the vet.  She seems to be pretty happy...I have her in a small cat
>>carrier and she holds onto the door and looks out and talks to us.
>
>>But soon I will be moving and it will be a 2 to 3 day trip....I am not sure
>>how to do this....her cage is too big to take out and put together when we
>>make stops....
>
>>Should I feed her at night when we stop and settle down...how often should I
>>try to give her water....
>
>You should feed her more often than once a day - you could probibly
>give her stuff to munch on in the car that wouldn't make too much
>of a mess. You can also provide "wet" fruit like grapes to cut down
>the amout of water she needs. But I would still suggest stopping a few
>times a day to let her eat and drink while the car's not moving.
>
STUFF DELETED
 
I drove my Grey in a cat carrier from Cape Cod to Tucson. I gave him
the electrolite additives (mention previously) and grapes and a little
citrus along with a small amount of his regular food when we were in the car
but when we stopped, I gave him his regular diet. I kept him in the carrier the
whole time and he (as I have said previously) survived better than I. It was
a five day trip and he sang, chirped,talked and screamed his way accross the
U.S.. I reccomend NOT taking your bird in and out of too many cages as this m
might add to its' stress. Keep the drafts to a minimum and you'll both do well.
Good Luck.
 
NICHOLAS A BRIGHAM                   ~      UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
NBRIGHAM@CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU            ~        TUCSON, ARIZONA
NBRIGHAM@ARIZVM1.CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU    ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ONE GOOD TURN GETS ALL THE BLANKETS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Bird genetics (more Dec. BirdTalk)
From: snella@icbr.ufl.edu
Date: 10 Nov 92 15:57:09 -0500
Organization: ICBR

In article <1992Nov9.180601.7315@ericsson.se>, dsnhv@dsnsun.ericsson.se (Henk Vriens) writes:
> In article 2302 of rec.pets.birds Liz Snella (snella@icbr.ufl.edu) writes:
> 
>>	In the December issue of BirdTalk there is an article about 
>>breeding blue Quakers.  In it they talk about the results of some 
>>crosses and say that the following results are what would be expected.  
>>I don't understand why these are the expected results.
>>
>>	 Blue X Green = 100% Green/Blue
>>
>>	 Blue X Green/Blue = 75% Blue and 25% Green/Blue
>>
>>	 Green/Blue X Green/Blue = 50% Blue, 25% Green/Blue and 25% Green
>>
>>Can someone with more experience in bird genetics explain this to me?
> 
> That's correct.
> Since green dominates blue, all birds from blue x green inherit the
> blue factor from the parent but will NOT show it.
> Because both parents in the other pairs have the blue factor, both pairs
> can produce blue young, but only to a certain percentage.
> 
> Think of the chromosome PAIRS (yep two of each) and draw a little scheme
> for each pair.
> 
> 
>          |       Blue |       Blue
>   -------+------------+------------
>    Green | Green/Blue | Green/Blue
>   -------+------------+------------
>    Green | Green/Blue | Green/Blue 
>       
> 
>          |       Blue |       Blue
>   -------+------------+------------
>    Green | Green/Blue | Green/Blue
>   -------+------------+------------
>    Blue  |       Blue |       Blue
> 
> 
>          | Green      |       Blue
>   -------+------------+------------
>    Green | Green      | Green/Blue
>   -------+------------+------------
>    Blue  | Green/Blue |       Blue
> 
> 
> I've been thinking for a while to write some articles on bird genetics,
> and perhaps this is a good way to start if someone is willing to correct
> spelling errors in names/terms etc.
> 
> 
> Henk Vriens
> Ericsson Data Services
> Rijen, The Netherlands

Thanks to Henk Vriens for replying to my post, but I should probably clarify my
request.  I understand the process of independent assortment.  What I don't
understand is the frequencies of the progeny.  For example, from the second
cross (which is a standard backcross if I remember correctly), I would expect a 
50:50 Blue:Green/blue ratio in the progeny rather than the 75:25 in the 
article.  If you could explain the 75:25 Blue:Green/blue ratio to me I would be
most grateful.  I've asked a PhD in genetics about it and he couldn't explain
it to me.  I've got some experience with genetics myself and the numbers just 
don't correspond to a simple recessive autosomal trait.
  
Thanks again,

Liz Snella
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: wiegand@rtsg.mot.com (Robert Wiegand)
Subject: Re: mirrors and budgies
Reply-To: motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 16:28:15 GMT

astro@silver.lcs.mit.edu (Phillip Vyp'ev-Zakusim) writes:

>My budgie loves sitting in front of mirrors, in fact that's his favorite
>thing to do.  I was wondering if there was something I could do to make him
>lose his habit (other than hiding all the mirrors in the house).  Is this
>normal behavior?

This is normal and the only way to stop it is to hide the mirrors.

>Also, when I come into the room where the bird is, it always spreads its
>wings... Is this a sign of some sort or just something random?  Thank you.

Most likely its just stretching. Its been sitting still for a while so
it stretches to get ready for whatever you are going to do.

By the way - try putting a few carriage returns in you messages.
Keep each line under 80 characters.

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Wiegand - Motorola Inc.
motcid!wiegand@uunet.uu.net            uunet!motcid!wiegand
Disclamer: I didn't do it - I was somewhere else at the time.
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: jverde@bart.inescn.pt (Isidro Vila Verde)
Subject: Pets Birds Magazine
Organization: INESC-Porto, Portugal
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 16:57:08 GMT

Can anyone send me order forms or address of good 
magazines about parrots and finchs.

Thanks in advance
jverde@bart.inescn.pt

Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: lind@ll.mit.edu (Tom Lind)
Subject: Re: Birdie Beak Bonking
Followup-To: rec.pets.birds
Organization: MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 16:42:57 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.122034.883@cbnewsh.cb.att.com>,
bgt@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (barbara.tongue) wrote:
 
> as i was sitting here at my computer desk (with chains around the
> <ESC> key, btw), my yellowCollared macaw Angus decided to enact
> the old "let's see how impervious the world is to my beak" trick.
> he started bonking his beak against the food dish, the computer
> screen, the desk sides, etc., all along looking at me and chanting
> his war cry <hello!><hello!>.
> anyone else's birdie enjoy pretending the world
> is a nail and the beak a hammer?  :-)

Yes... our red-shouldered macaw, Mr Chips, does this beak-banging thing.  I
don't know if it is a sign of aggression or what, but it sure can be funny.
 Chips always seems to know what is hard enough to make some noise when he
does this - like coffee cups, salt shakers, or as Barbara says, the sides
of anything large and solid.   He also, on occassion, likes to sweep his
beak from side to side on a table top or a perch or my hand.  Again, it
seems like some sort of display, but we haven't figured out just what
triggers it yet.
																														Regards,      Tom...
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: feathers@eskimo.celestial.com (Cheryl Owen)
Subject: Re: strange tiel
Organization: =>ESKIMO NORTH (206) 367-3837 SEATTLE, WA.<=
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 22:06:45 GMT


It's actually not that unusual for birds to sit on (to them) egglike
objects.  Lots of parrot species will do this upon occasion.  One of
our local breeders got a bunch of free filberts one Christmas, and he
gave them to his birds.  All of the pairs of jendays promptly
disappeared inside their nest boxes.  When they hadn't reappeared for a
few days, Mac went to check on them, and found that all the jendays had
brought the filberts into their nest boxes and were broodding them.  He
told them they were nuts and removed the filberts from the box, and
guess what?  Three weeks later most of those pairs of jendays were
sitting on eggs!  They recycled the way parrots often will three weeks
after you remove their eggs.  Weird, huh?  :)
From: jberry@brutus.ct.gmr.com (John Berry CT/90)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: questions on getting a parrot
Date: 10 Nov 92 13:07:41 GMT
Reply-To: jberry@brutus.ct.gmr.com (John Berry CT/90)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation

I just went through what you're going through now. About a month ago, 
almost on a whim, I went out and purchased an amazon parrot. 

Probably the first thing you should know is that $200 for anything larger 
than a cockateil is probably unrealistic (I paid almost that for the cage).
My amazon cost me $600, and he was an imported bird (I didn't understand 
how IMPORTANT that was at the time!).  I probably should have spent the
additional $300 and gotten a domestic hand-raised bird.  The reason being 
that the imported bird is much shyer of humans. My bird is just now beginning 
to show some trust in me. So my advice is to spend the extra money for the
hand-raised bird (my next one will be).

As for pooping on everything. I haven't found that to be a problem at all.
First, you generally get a parrots wings clipped, so they don't fly much. 
And second, they (mine, at least) spends most of his time on a "playpen",
which has a debris tray underneath. They do tend to spray peanut shavings
around, however, so have a good hand-vac handy.

I purchased my bird from a dealer who specialzes in birds. They had several
books in stock with titles like "How to care for your Amazon Parrot" and
"Taming and Training of Amazon Parrots". Similar titles exist for all the
other types of birds.  These books are in the $8-9 range. Through this 
newgroup I became acquinted with a periodical called "Bird-Talk", which is
a gold mine of "parrot psychology" type information. Believe me, you'll 
need this - these critters are a whole lot smarter than you might think.
They have real observable personalities. I've tried to outsmart my amazon 
in a couple of situations into doing what I wanted. I discovered that it
only works for a few days. He catches on! 

You should probably consider buying one of these books first, it will 
answer a lot of your questions (like that parrots can live as long as
a century in captivity!!).

One last thing I just discovered through this newsgroup. When teflon (ie.
non-stick cookware) is overheated, it releases a gas which is highly toxic
to birds. I have stopped using my non-stick cookware, and plan to replace it
in the near future.

Good luck.
-jb 
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: brekshyn@shearson.com (Bohdan Rekshynskyj)
Subject: Re: Birdie Beak Bonking
Reply-To: brekshyn@shearson.com
Organization: Ordinatio
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 20:24:28 GMT

In article PN28616@LL.MIT.EDU, lind@ll.mit.edu (Tom Lind) writes:
>Yes... our red-shouldered macaw, Mr Chips, does this beak-banging thing.  I
>don't know if it is a sign of aggression or what, but it sure can be funny.
> Chips always seems to know what is hard enough to make some noise when he
>does this - like coffee cups, salt shakers, or as Barbara says, the sides
>of anything large and solid.   He also, on occassion, likes to sweep his
>beak from side to side on a table top or a perch or my hand.  Again, it
>seems like some sort of display, but we haven't figured out just what
>triggers it yet.
>																														Regards,      Tom...



It seems to me that when a bird sweeps his beak side to side against an object,
he may be "cleaning" or "trimming" his beak.  I have a red-vented cockatoo
who'll rub his beak from side to side on his perch, or fly to my bed.  He'll
then perch on the railing and rub his beak to and fro.


					Bohdan


=====================================================================
 
Bohdan Peter Rekshynskyj
 
Consultant                     
 
Compuserve:  72576.1754@compuserve.com


                              
All promulgations are my own.  No corporate entity has authorization
to represent me.
 
Imprimatur.						Nihil obstat.
 
=====================================================================
From: hanson@ucs.indiana.edu (Fred D. Hanson)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: boarding versus travel?
Date: 6 Nov 92 15:50:39 GMT
Article-I.D.: ucs.hanson.5.721065039
Organization: Indiana University

In article <1992Nov5.213753.27960@nsisrv.gsfc.nasa.gov> oday@lobster.gsfc.nasa.gov  (Orin Day) writes:
>From: oday@lobster.gsfc.nasa.gov  (Orin Day)
>Subject: Re: boarding versus travel?
>Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1992 21:37:53 GMT
>In article <1dc2l1INNfd8@matt.ksu.ksu.edu> rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D  
>Miller) writes:
>
>> So, if your bird is tame and bonded to you, best take him/her along for
>> the holidays.  If it is not, and can ge caged, go ahead and take it if
>> you can't get a birdsitter.  And have no fear of birds not traveling well!
>
>Wasn't there a Cockatoo motion sickness thread a few months back??
>
>Though my birds travel just fine by car, neither is a cockatoo...
>
>Orin
>

Yes, some cockatoos (and perhaps other birds?) do have a problem with this
but mine travelled 3 hours by car after I purchased her without getting sick.
She has been in the car for short rides since then and seems to enjoy it but
will attempt to destroy the upholstery if allowed to roam free.

Fred                  hanson@ucs.indiana.edu
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: L670899@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Subject: Conure Advice
Organization: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 92 16:59:14 GMT

This weekend, I will be getting what sounds like a Mitred Conure from a
coworker.  Her dad got the bird about 7 years ago, and the bird  bonded to
him.  Unfortunately, he passed away 2 years ago and the bird was left in the
care of her mother.  Her mother was very frightened of the bird, and sensing
this, started lunging at her when she gave it food and water.  At any rate,
this is getting to be too much for her, so she is giving it away.

Currently I have 3 happy, healthy budgies, and am pretty well versed on their
care.  What do I need to know about a conure?  I am aware of the benefit of
pelleted diets for parrots, any no-nos as far as what fruits to feed him?
Any advice I receive will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
John
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds