HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: L670899@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Subject: Playing Matchmaker with Budgerigars
Organization: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 92 00:29:41 GMT

I need some advice from someone who has experience with budgies.

I have had a female budgie for 3 years now who is quite tame, but
has a tendency to be a little rough (biting).  A week ago I got her
a male friend at a reputable pet shop along with a slightly larger cage
than the one currently inhabited by my female, as I knew that
just putting him in Georgie's cage might be a bad idea.  Every
day I take Georgie into the spare bedroom where we keep the new male
(Bent) for now and they look at each other and talk and nibble at each
other's beaks and appear to get along quite nicely.  However, if I make a
move to put Georgie in Bent's cage she nearly has a cow, and not
wanting to 'ruffle her feathers' so to speak, I relent.  What is a good
way to get budgies to cohabitate? Did I wait too long to get Georgie a
friend?  Am I not giving them enough time?  I realize that some of these
questions may be on a FAQ, if so could someone send me a copy?

Many thanks in advance to any help/suggestions I may receive.

John
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: excited@med.unc.edu (Wally German)
Subject: Cockatiel Mating Help!!
Originator: excited@index
Organization: UNC-CH School of Medicine
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 18:23:38 GMT

I have placed a pet cockatiel into a breeding situation.  My question
has to do with his attempts to "communicate" with me when I am near
the flight pens.

He will physically get off the eggs to come out to "visit".  Will he
harm the eggs by doing this?  Will he gradually stop this habit?  Am
I concerned for no reason at all?

Please someone out there *HELP*!!!!
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: dunne@rtsg.mot.com (Jim Dunne)
Subject: Re: Death of my pet
Organization: Motorola Inc., Cellular Infrastructure Group
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 15:32:25 GMT

In article <1992Jul22.175358.14628@oakhill.sps.mot.com> hawk@oakhill.sps.mot.com (George Hawkins) writes:
>How do I deal with his 2 Buddies [double
>yellows who are very lethargic without him]. I'm having a hard
>time but things are worse for my other two pets.

    Wow, that seems unusual.  They must have been quite friendly
    towards each other.

    I'd say change their routine.  Move their cage(s) to a different
    location, take them outside more (clipped of course!), build a new
    play perch or pen for them.  Try and spend more time with them,
    teach them some new phrases or tricks.  My double yellowhead was
    extremely outgoing, even clinging, but he never had a bird buddy.
    You should have heard him shriek as we walked out the door, leaving
    him at the babysitter's with all those big and strange birds!

    What are their names, and what fun things can they do?


        Jim Dunne       Motorola Cellular	dunne@rtsg.mot.com
From: rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: tiel's nails
Date: 24 Jul 1992 17:01:34 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

In article <1992Jul24.165921.19971@pony.Ingres.COM> sergio@Ingres.COM (Sergio L Aponte) writes:
>
>	I would like some more info on this, if possible...
>
>	On several issues.
>
>	1) On a less tame bird, what techniques are there to holding. As
>	much as I try, holding the bird is hard, holding the leg is harder,
>	holding the toe so that I won't cut it is next to impossible, and
>	that is Guchi, the tame one...
>
Sounds like a 2-people job, to me.  You might have the vet or pet store
peole show you how to do the job first, if you are unsure--only be sure
the vet/pet store person knows what he/she is doing!  Have one person
hold the bird, head btwn 1st 2 fingers, while the other clips.

>	2) After cutting, it seemed for about a couple of weeks he/she couldn't
>	hold on to anything, and keep sliding of my shoulder, etc... I noticed
>	it was directly related to the nails. Does this produce strees on the
>	bird? Is there a way to help the bird out so he/she won't feel
>	defenseless?
>
Are you cutting too much nail off?  THey shouls not have trouble with their
grips.

An alternative to nail clipping might be one of the new concrete perches,
shaped to file nails.  It shouldn't be the bird's main perch but a secondary
one, and I think with regular use it would keep nails in line.  I have never
clipped nails for our lovebirds and they don't seem to grow forever--I think
climbing on the wire sides of their cage keeps the nails trim.

Ruth


Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: wood-smithc@vaxb.gbus.virginia.edu (Chrissi Wood-Smith)
Subject: White Front Amazon Clubs?
Summary: Is there a club out there for Spectacled Amazons?
Keywords: Spectacled, Amazon
Organization: Darden Center, University of Virginia
Distribution: ALL
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 17:31:43 GMT

	I was wondering if anyone knows of a spectacled amazon club?  I 
have a two year old male that is an absolute doll.  I'd like to find out 
more about the species and get with some other owners!!!

	Thanks
		Chrissi Wood-Smith
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: FB.MXP@forsythe.stanford.edu (Michelle Pallas)
Subject: Rope Toys
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 16:47:36 GMT

In article <1992Jul20.154534.15038@morrow.stanford.edu> you write:
>From: FB.MXP@forsythe.stanford.edu (Michelle Pallas)
>Subject: Rope Toys
>Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992 15:45:34 GMT

>I have finches, but several weekends of camping out at the local
>avian vets (they average about one emergency an hour - not good for
>scheduling appointments) has made me nervous about all the posts
>asking about rope/string/yarn for bird toys.

I am concerned as well.  I wonder about those new "perches" made of
rope that have been advertised so much.  It seems the bird could
easily fray the rope and hang a nail.  I do not ever allow my amazon
or cockatiel to use these materials at all!

Has any one heard anything more about this issue?
-----------------------------------------

Chrissi - I think this was intended to be a reply to the newsgroup
rather than to me directly, so I've posted it.  I tried to reply to
you via email but it bounced.

Michelle
From: bgt@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (barbara.tongue)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Birdie Stores (was Re: Travel)
Date: 23 Jul 92 10:43:55 GMT
Distribution: ne
Organization: AT&T

In article <1992Jul23.001358.2352@cbnewsl.cb.att.com> ed@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (edward.m.hummel) writes:
>hi!
>
>i just got my new goffin a few weeks ago.  (s)he (we're not sure
>whether it's a she or a he yet, but i named him/her fred) is adorable!
>fred comes when you call him and loves to be pet.

i remember you posting about places to buy birdies...where did you
end up purchasing your cockatoo?  how were the facilities?  would
you recommend the place?

thanx,

-- 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%   The Speaking Tongue, AT&T   %%  C Code.  C Code Run.  Run, Code, RUN! %%
%%       bgt@homxc.att.com       %%           PLEASE!!!!                   %%
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
From: rdmiller@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Ruth D Miller)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: taking budgies outdoors ???
Date: 28 Jul 1992 11:02:23 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

In article <2104@bigfoot.first.gmd.de> wolf@prosun.first.gmd.de (Wolfgang Koehler) writes:
>Maybe this is a stupid question.
>
>I wonder if it is possible to take our budgie outdoors on my sholder.
>I think it is possible for bigger parakeets, why not for budgies.
>
>She is very tame and immediatly comes on my sholder, when I call her.
>
>Of course, I would not take any risk to let her fly away...
>
Not a stupid question at all!  I didn't know 'til we found a good bird vet that
birds need sunlight, like humans do, to make vitamins and in their case
absorb calcium.  The frequencies they need (UV) are filtered by glass and
plastic, so all birds should go outside when possible.  (IF not possible
a full-spectrum light is a good investment).  BUT--if your bird is not
clipped and you take her outside free (no cage) you ask for trouble.  Outside
is a new, strange place, nothing looks familiar--if the bird is frightened
and takes off you likely won't see her again.  If you don't want to clip
her wings I'd suggest you take her outside in a cage--you can both get a
suntan together!

Note for caretakers of larger parrots--I've been to a place called Rode,
in southwest England, where there is a large bird garden.  The macaws in this
garden are allowed to roam free, all are flighted.  The caretakers say that
it takes some time for the birds to learn where home is, and not all of them
do (some must be kept caged) but those that do will even come home when
scared off the property by loud airplanes or such.  _And_, these birds live
outside all winter! ('Course, it doesn't snow in southern England, but there
are a few nights below freezing.)  The ROde people don't do this with other
species, though.

Ruth

Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: crocker@adobe.com (Kim Crocker)
Subject: Finch Questions
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 14:07:17 GMT

Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: grecoj@ecf.toronto.edu (GRECO Gianfranco)
Subject: white fronted amazon sought
Organization: University of Toronto, Engineering Computing Facility
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 09:54:24 GMT


I have a spectacled hen that is about three years old now.  I am looking for
a mate for her and it seems that these kinds of birds are hard to find in
the Toronto ( Ontario ) area.  Can't understand why, they are so LOVEABLE!!
 
Anyways, if someone could give me a hand it would be much appreciated!!

Thanks in advance.
From: hawk@oakhill.sps.mot.com (George Hawkins)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Death of my pet
Date: 22 Jul 92 17:53:58 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Motorola Inc., Austin Tx.

In article <1992Jul21.181200.14277@oakhill.sps.mot.com> hawk@oakhill.sps.mot.com (George Hawkins) writes:
>

Well, I just lost a good friend [cookie] an orange winged
parrot who I owned for 13 years. He had cancer of the intestine.

I have two questions. 

How do I deal with his 2 Buddies [double
yellows who are very lethargic without him]. I'm having a hard
time but things are worse for my other two pets.

Anyone out there lost a parrot to cancer?


---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
George Hawkins                    Internet: hawk@otis.sps.mot.com
Motorola Inc.                     UUCP: cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!otis!hawk
6501 William Cannon Drive West    Phone (512) 891-4543 
Austin Texas 78735-8598           FAX   (512) 891-2947
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: dowzycki@andromeda.rutgers.edu (Ken Dowzycki)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: How to Tame Parakeets?
Keywords: Parakeerts, tame
Date: 24 Jul 92 14:39:31 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

derich@netcom.com (Scott A. Steinbrink) writes:

>SI'm the proud owner of 4 parakeets - only ONE of them will let me pet her,
>or perch on my finger -- the other three just flies away -- Sometimes I had
>to catch three when it's time for them to go to bed -- I even tried taking
>one by one to the bathroom and try handtaming them - it doesn't work.

   Unfortunately,  my experiences with parakeets is that trying to
tame a single bird is near impossible with others around.  The books
that I have read have stated that they are more interested in each
other than in humans.  The one bird that I finger tamed completely
"digressed" when I introduced other birds into the household.
From: mmorgan@ky31.ecn.purdue.edu (Mark T Morgan)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Amazon wary of my hands.
Keywords: amazon hands
Date: 24 Jul 92 17:42:55 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <BrvEzE.H5G@watserv1.waterloo.edu> mike@crg4.waterloo.edu (Mike Aksmanovic) writes:
>Hi,
>
>I've had a double-yellow headed amazon (1 yr. old now) for 5 months.
>She has almost no fear of my face and will let me kiss her or rub my
>nose against her (almost) anywhere on her body. My hands are another
>matter though. It takes quite some coaxing sometimes to get her into
>the 'mood' to let me touch/scratch her. Could anyone shed some light
>on the apparent discrepancy in behaviour and how I could get her to
>trust my hands more?
>

My wife recently attended the Midwest Avian Research Expo in
Lexington Ky.  One of the speakers was Sally Blanchard, an avian
social behavior specialist (she also writes for Bird Talk
Magazine).  

She says that the bird perceives your face and head as its mate.
When it sits on your shoulder, it thinks you (your head) and it
are sitting on a walking tree.  So it doesn't associate your
hands with what it thinks is its mate.  

Her, Sally Blanchards, recommendations were as follows:

To help solve this problem, you first stop allowing the
bird to sit on your shoulder.  (I'm assuming this is how it gets
close to your face). 

When you sit with your bird, put him on your knee to keep eye
contact.  Then you need to establish dominance over your bird
with the UP and DOWN commands.  (Whenever you pickup your bird
always say UP, and DOWN when putting him down.  Teaching your
bird this is more easily done in a room unfamiliar to the bird.
So that you are the most familiar thing.)  This establishes you 
as the dominant mate and should help you in controlling your bird.
This also gets the bird to associate your hands as part of its mate.

Sally's column in Bird Talk magazine discusses these types of
behavioral problems often.  I would suggest consulting her as an
expert.

I have a Goffin, 4yrs old, that has the same symptoms.  However,
I can't even pick the bird up to try any of Sally's
recommendations.  I hope you have better luck.


Good Luck,  

Mark Morgan
From: hawk@oakhill.sps.mot.com (George Hawkins)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: Death of my pet
Date: 27 Jul 92 14:13:33 GMT
Organization: Motorola Inc., Austin Tx.

To all of you who have lost a pet, I'd like to 
share this message from my bird vet in San Antonio
who sent a rose with this wonderful poem:



A butterfly lights beside us
   like a sunbeam...
And for a brief moment
   its glory and beauty
   belong to our world.
But then it flies on again,
   and though we wish
   it could have stayed...
We feel so lucky to have seen it!

And it is with a beloved pet...
Our loved, indulged favorite
   for so short a time...
But how lucky we are to have had
   this little creature...
Whom we have loved so well...
Who gave us so much love and joy
   and asked so little in return...
For even this fleeting time!


                   Dr. Vice


---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
George Hawkins                    Internet: hawk@otis.sps.mot.com
Motorola Inc.                     UUCP: cs.utexas.edu!oakhill!otis!hawk
6501 William Cannon Drive West    Phone (512) 891-4543 
Austin Texas 78735-8598           FAX   (512) 891-2947
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: U40348@uicvm.uic.edu (Jay Lorenzana)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Found injured bird--need help!!
Date: 31 Jul 92 06:27:36 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago

Well, there was bird on my mom's car last night and I thought it was
really weird, but when I came home 3 hours later it was still there.
I thought there was something wrong with him and took a really good look.
It was all wet (because it was raining), so I decided to get him off
the car (because my mom would knock him off in the morning).

I took a blanket and trapped him under it, then proceded to put him in
a shoe box.  As of now he is drying off and cramped in a shoe box.  He
has blood on his head and is sleeping.  He probably got hit by a car
or something.

What should I do? (Assuming he lives throught the accident and stress)

Thanks for any help.

-Jay
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: cs902060@ariel.yorku.ca (GEOFFREY E DIAS)
Subject: Re: Cockatiel
Keywords: squaker
Organization: York University, Toronto, Canada
Distribution: ALL
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 04:00:31 GMT

In article <wood-smithc.6.0@vaxb.gbus.virginia.edu> wood-smithc@vaxb.gbus.virginia.edu (Chrissi Wood-Smith) writes:
>	HELP!
>
>	Can anyone provide me any suggestions as how to silence by adorable 
>cockatiel.  I hand fed him for his last few weeks before weaning.  He was 
>three years old December 24 of this past year.  He is spoiled, I must admit, 
>but he is driving me nuts.  If I don't take him immediately when I get home 
>he squaks and won't shut up.  My amazon has even taken to telling Dante (the 
>cockatiel) to "SHUT UP, DANTE!" on a regular basis.
>
>	Generally, if I verbally reprimand him he is quiet for awhile... but 
>then...Punishment is a covered cage for 15 minutes.  The problem is 
>partially that he gets so excited about things (like crumpling paper in the 
>kitchen).  When I am home he is loose on his play pen (he is clipped). 
>
>	Any suggestions as to how to handle the bird would be appreciated.  
>My boyfriend is ready to disown Dante.
>	
>	Thanks Chrissi


	Fortunately for me, my tiel doesn't squawk. He only uses about 14 or 15
different songs and whistles, each one to indicate his mood. He has a 
distinctive high-pitched call whistle which says "I'm here" and "Let me out!"

The problem is that he hasn't stopped doing this in the past 8 years. There's
nothing I could do to shut him up, save covering him, or letting him out of the
cage for a while. He's also quiet in a darkened room.
From: gordy@endor.uucp (Robert Gordy)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: How to Tame Parakeets?
Keywords: Parakeerts, tame
Date: 31 Jul 92 14:51:14 GMT
Organization: Aiken Computation Lab, Harvard University

In article <Jul.24.10.39.29.1992.6864@andromeda.rutgers.edu> dowzycki@andromeda.rutgers.edu (Ken Dowzycki) writes:
>derich@netcom.com (Scott A. Steinbrink) writes:
>
>>SI'm the proud owner of 4 parakeets - only ONE of them will let me pet her,
>>or perch on my finger -- the other three just flies away -- Sometimes I had
>>to catch three when it's time for them to go to bed -- I even tried taking
>>one by one to the bathroom and try handtaming them - it doesn't work.
>
>   Unfortunately,  my experiences with parakeets is that trying to
>tame a single bird is near impossible with others around.  The books
>that I have read have stated that they are more interested in each
>other than in humans.  The one bird that I finger tamed completely
>"digressed" when I introduced other birds into the household.

I'm happy to say that I've had a very good experience "training" my
two parakeets.  We bought our first keet when he was about 6 weeks
old and we liked him so much that four months later we bought a
second 8 week old bird.  

When we got the first bird, it took him about a month to get used to
his new owners.  I was going to Grad school at the time so I was
able to spend a good portion of the day at home with him.  After a
month or so, he would jump onto your finger if you put it near the
cage.  We had his wings clipped so he spent most of his time in his
cage.

When we got the second one, he too was a bit nervous around people
for a while.  But, after seeing his companion hanging around with 
us, he decided to get in on the act too.  Now that both birds can
fly, they both regularly fly over to me while I watch TV.  

The way I managed to get them this friendly was to hand feed them
lettuce whenever I could.  It's the only vegetable they both really
love so instead of just dropping it in their snack dish, I would place
it on my hand and get them to eat it while standing on my hand.
After a month or so of this, they got real used to me.  Now they're
both pretty fond of "shoulder rides" and pearching on my glasses (of
course then I can't watch TV with a couple of bird vents covering
my eyes!).

Well, I hope this story gives a little hope.  All I can say is that
you'll need a lot of patience.

Rob
From: Debbie.Kesling@bird.com (Debbie Kesling)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: BIRDIES OF A DIFFERENT COLOR
Date: 21 Jul 92 05:47:19 GMT


 

 > neat
 > color pattern - orange speckles in the top dark green crown 
 > tiptoeing
 > into the yellow collar).
 > 
 > anyone see other such birdies?

Sounds like a POSSIBLE lysine deficiency to me???
 * Origin: Bird Info Network Gateway 303-423-9775 (1:104/234)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
From: theresa@cmatter.physics.indiana.edu (Theresa Vaughan)
Subject: Re: taking budgies outdoors ???
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 92 15:32:07 GMT

In article <2104@bigfoot.first.gmd.de> wolf@prosun.first.gmd.de (Wolfgang Koehler) writes:
>Maybe this is a stupid question.
>
>I wonder if it is possible to take our budgie outdoors on my sholder.
>I think it is possible for bigger parakeets, why not for budgies.
>
>She is very tame and immediatly comes on my sholder, when I call her.
>
>Of course, I would not take any risk to let her fly away...
>
>wolf
>

          DON'T DO IT!

    Birds that are perfectly content to sit on your shoulder in the
house will either:
 
   1) Completely forget you exist once exposed to the wonders of 
the great outdoors, and fly away.

                             or

   2) Be completely frightened by the wonders of the great outdoors,
get scared, and fly away.

    Generally people who take larger birds outdoors on their shoulders
have clipped their wings. I am not sure if clipping the wings on
a parakeet is advisable, since many small birds need use of their
wings for sufficient exercise. I don't think it's worth the risk.

(by the way, I think you are the person I offered to send cockteil/
cockatoo pictures to- I am going to send  you this months issue
of a great bird magazine called BirdTalk, as soon as I  am done 
with it. It will have the pictures you want, and lots of other
great things besides...)

                                         -Theresa
From: nmr1248@venus.lerc.nasa.gov (NANCY RABEL (KC4IYD))
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Re: New 'Tiel
Date: 30 Jul 92 14:43:00 GMT
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Jul29.170055.1962@unislc.uucp>, chris@unislc.uucp (Chris DelPre
te) writes...
>dbwebe@bb1t.monsanto.com writes:
>: enough (at close range) she makes this noise which can best be described
>: as static (?). 
> 
>My bet is this is beak grinding.  Tiels do this when they are tired.  At night,
>when she is settling down, you will hear her making a crunch crunch sound.  If
>it is the same sound you are talking about, it means she is tired.  All tiels
>do it.  (When I first heard it, I thought something was wrong with my guy!!)
> 
So that's what that noise is. My tiel does that, and like yours she only 
does it at night. In fact, its ususally after I've covered her cage. I can
hear her when I'm in bed. At first I thought maybe she was dreaming. :) 
Hey, there's an idea, do birds dream?

>                          _   /|
>Chris DelPrete Delaney    \'o.O'
>chris@unislc              =(___)=
>                             U

  Nancy Rabel				nmr1248@venus.lerc.nasa.gov 
  Space Station Freedom                 --... ...--   -.. . KC4IYD
  NASA - Lewis Research Center          stamp collector, SF addict
From: mmorgan@ky31.ecn.purdue.edu (Mark T Morgan)
Newsgroups: rec.pets.birds
Subject: Favorite Veggies ?
Date: 30 Jul 92 16:28:12 GMT
Distribution: rec.pets.birds
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

I'd like to here what experiences people have had feeding
vegetables to Macaws & Cockatoos.  My wife keeps buying a lot of
vegetables that I don't even like.  She says "they're for the
birds."  I'm always telling her they aren't even eating them.
They just throw them out of their dish.  

What vegetables have people found their birds eat and don't eat?
And, do you feed them raw or cooked, warm or cold ?
It seems like a waste of money to me.

Mark Morgan