I uncovered Mihah's cage the other day and discovered that she was fluffed out, her eyes were lazy, and her tail feathers were stained yellow. The most immediate thought to my brain was "She's sick".
So...I did what any normal bird lover would do. I got dressed and went to the store. I picked up a broad spectrum antibiotic from Petsmart and proceeded to make her a little hospital cage when I got home. The hospital cage is actually a really small hamster cage that I was going to sell on craigslist. Well....no one wanted it, so I kept it. Its a good thing, too! I put a clean piece of newspaper on the bottom, supplied the cage with a feeder and poured the antibiotics into the container for the water.
I also mixed some vitamin drops in with the food for some extra good stuff and added a perch.
I then transferred her to the cage. She seemed a little more active when I came back home, so maybe I was just over reacting. I'd rather be cautious though so into the hospital cage she went. She spent the next couple days in that cage with most of it covered to avoid stressing her out any. Today I lifted the blanket to check on her and she seemed bright and happy, so I put her back into her normal cage. The directions on the antibiotic says that if there are no results in 5 days, consult a doctor. She seems a lot better than when I found her the other day, so I'm assuming the antibiotics worked.
I'm keeping an eye on her just in case though.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
My Life Before
I used to be terrified of birds. And I admit that I still harbor some fear of the larger variety. As far as finches go...I'm not afraid of them. They're small. They're not very loud (except for the zebras) and when they bite, they hardly pinch at all.
I used to train horses. I was training by the time I was 14 and I later went to a professional equine college. I drove horse carriages, I rode dressage, jumping and western, I guided trail rides, I healed nasty, horrible wounds without a vet...I was a true equestrian. I had been stomped on, bitten, fell on, bucked off, smashed, thrown, dragged and charged. I played chicken with a stampeding horse with nothing but a small handwhip and came out the victor. I've had broken bones, stitches, concussions and sprains. I had a scare where the hospital actually thought I broke my neck. My friends called me fearless...except for one, who knew that when my jaw set in a certain way, I was actually scared. I'd stand up to a 1500lb animal without flinching...but when it came to birds, I was a coward.
My friend and I would go into the petstore and she would bravely stick her fingers into the bird cages and scratch on the birds. Everytime I tried, I always pulled my hand back very quickly...and thats like inviting a bird to bite. When I did manage to stick my fingers into the cage, I was always bitten...and so I figured birds weren't for me.
Except for those finches...I always wanted a finch...I just never actually got one.
Well, I was down in Georgia training foxhunting horses and polo ponies when my husband knocked me up.
There went my equestrian career.
I went from training and caring for 40-some horses...down to sitting around and being pregnant. I had interviews in several different states who wanted me as a trainer, and I had to cancel them all. For 9 months I got my horse fix by feeding my inlaw's horses everyday and when the baby was born, I did some on-off training at a friend's stable. I worked one horse western pleasure (gag) and another as a trail rider. I was also putting some reining moves on the trail rider since she showed potential.
The baby is now almost 2 and this year, I've hardly touched a horse at all. I feel empty and restless. I don't like looking at horses anymore because they just depress me. I figure that horses will never be entirely out of the picture for the rest of my life, but I do understand and realize that we have a family now, and that my daughter and family are top priority. The expense of a horse is just out of the question. Period.
So I got some finches. They were fun. I tossed seed at them everyday and watered them. Then I got more finches, and added to their diet. My confidence grew. I branched out and brought home a more expensive finch. I added to their diet. I bought cages online and brought home some more birds. By that time I was hooked.
I wake up every morning and instead of feeding horses, training them and tending to their injuries, I make salads and balanced diets for my birds, change their cage paper, clean their water and add vitamins and make sure they're all healthy and happy and singing. They reward me with singing all day and filling my house with the sounds you never hear in the city.
It gives me something to do...something to make me feel complete. I'm caring for animals who depend on me. I love it. Instead of frequenting equine forums, I'm chatting and making friends with avian people online. I'm building a relationship and volunteering at a bird rescue, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
I'm a little nervous about my lovebird. I'm very, very excited to get him/her and I feel I've done enough research to get me started...but its a bigger bird than the finches, and I'm worried if I'll win or fail at raising it. Thats always a constant worry of mine. My self esteem has always been low and its something that always has to be nurtured and fed. A lovebird is definitely the size I like, and the personality is something I'd prefer in a larger bird. I do want a clingy little love bug that will want nothing more than to be my best pal and I hope to raise it right. I've never raised one though...so I'm nervous. Luckily I have the internet and friends that will help out if I get stuck.
And because I haven't posted pictures recently...heres one of Native!
I used to train horses. I was training by the time I was 14 and I later went to a professional equine college. I drove horse carriages, I rode dressage, jumping and western, I guided trail rides, I healed nasty, horrible wounds without a vet...I was a true equestrian. I had been stomped on, bitten, fell on, bucked off, smashed, thrown, dragged and charged. I played chicken with a stampeding horse with nothing but a small handwhip and came out the victor. I've had broken bones, stitches, concussions and sprains. I had a scare where the hospital actually thought I broke my neck. My friends called me fearless...except for one, who knew that when my jaw set in a certain way, I was actually scared. I'd stand up to a 1500lb animal without flinching...but when it came to birds, I was a coward.
My friend and I would go into the petstore and she would bravely stick her fingers into the bird cages and scratch on the birds. Everytime I tried, I always pulled my hand back very quickly...and thats like inviting a bird to bite. When I did manage to stick my fingers into the cage, I was always bitten...and so I figured birds weren't for me.
Except for those finches...I always wanted a finch...I just never actually got one.
Well, I was down in Georgia training foxhunting horses and polo ponies when my husband knocked me up.
There went my equestrian career.
I went from training and caring for 40-some horses...down to sitting around and being pregnant. I had interviews in several different states who wanted me as a trainer, and I had to cancel them all. For 9 months I got my horse fix by feeding my inlaw's horses everyday and when the baby was born, I did some on-off training at a friend's stable. I worked one horse western pleasure (gag) and another as a trail rider. I was also putting some reining moves on the trail rider since she showed potential.
The baby is now almost 2 and this year, I've hardly touched a horse at all. I feel empty and restless. I don't like looking at horses anymore because they just depress me. I figure that horses will never be entirely out of the picture for the rest of my life, but I do understand and realize that we have a family now, and that my daughter and family are top priority. The expense of a horse is just out of the question. Period.
So I got some finches. They were fun. I tossed seed at them everyday and watered them. Then I got more finches, and added to their diet. My confidence grew. I branched out and brought home a more expensive finch. I added to their diet. I bought cages online and brought home some more birds. By that time I was hooked.
I wake up every morning and instead of feeding horses, training them and tending to their injuries, I make salads and balanced diets for my birds, change their cage paper, clean their water and add vitamins and make sure they're all healthy and happy and singing. They reward me with singing all day and filling my house with the sounds you never hear in the city.
It gives me something to do...something to make me feel complete. I'm caring for animals who depend on me. I love it. Instead of frequenting equine forums, I'm chatting and making friends with avian people online. I'm building a relationship and volunteering at a bird rescue, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
I'm a little nervous about my lovebird. I'm very, very excited to get him/her and I feel I've done enough research to get me started...but its a bigger bird than the finches, and I'm worried if I'll win or fail at raising it. Thats always a constant worry of mine. My self esteem has always been low and its something that always has to be nurtured and fed. A lovebird is definitely the size I like, and the personality is something I'd prefer in a larger bird. I do want a clingy little love bug that will want nothing more than to be my best pal and I hope to raise it right. I've never raised one though...so I'm nervous. Luckily I have the internet and friends that will help out if I get stuck.
And because I haven't posted pictures recently...heres one of Native!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Creation
"Does Creation have a sound? Who remembers? It was so long ago."
I just got done reading a blog which said that. It really makes me think and wonder.
I just got done reading a blog which said that. It really makes me think and wonder.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
A Little Too Easy
My husband commented last night that Mihah wanted to go in with the Doobie Brothers. Everytime she hears them, she responds with an eager "beep! beep!" and looks alert. I shook my head. I really have no idea how old Mihah is, but I don't suspect her to be breeding age and I don't want her to get hurt. She'll have to deal with being separated. No babies for Mihah yet, unless they're fosters from the cutthroats.
Native, the gouldian, is doing rather well. He's on one of the best diets I've ever supplied and its made me boost the other's diet as well. I just really want to help him through his molt as best I can and get him to look pretty again. He grooms himself often...more often than a male should, in my opinion ;)
Last night I made the plunge and asked my husband (again) if I could have a lovebird. I kind of have to do this because if I just ask once and he waves it off, then he sees it as something that doesn't mean much to me and forgets about it. If I bring it up a few times, he'll know its something I have my heart on. He knows I've been putting job applications in like crazy and putting forth the effort to find a job, but I feared even that wasn't enough.
You see, I normally don't ask him before I do something. If I do, I usually get a hefty "no". I usually go out and do it, that way its done and he can't tell me no. He just sighs and rolls with what I've done. How do you think I ended up with 7 finches? It wasn't because I asked! And he's totally fine with the finches. He even talks to them and whistles and beeps with them. But if I would have asked if I could have them, he would have said "no". So I usually don't ask. I know my limit and I know when I'm near it and I know not to cross it and become overwhelmed. When I do ask, and for some reason he doesn't say "no", he'll respond "You're gonna do it anyways, so go ahead". haha, he knows me.
But anyways, a lovebird is a big commitment and I wanted his approval for it. It'll be like bringing in another puppy, or having another kid. They aren't like finches where you can feed them and leave them alone. They require a lot of attention and a proper diet. I knew he'd brush off the question easily and try to forget about it, but I insisted and last night I made a proposal. If he got me a lovebird, I'd do him a favor.
Its a secret favor, you're not allowed to know it!
But he jumped on board with it and I got the "go" to pick out my lovebird! I simply can't wait! Convincing him was so much easier than I anticipated, too. I really didn't want to get one as something he would just tolerate. I wanted him to be on the same side as I was...and he is. I knew a lovebird wasn't too much to ask for!
I've been thinking about names since last night. I'll have to write them all down and see which one fits the lovebird when he/she comes. It'll probably have to be able to fit both genders as I'll probably not know if its a male or a female.
So excited!
Native, the gouldian, is doing rather well. He's on one of the best diets I've ever supplied and its made me boost the other's diet as well. I just really want to help him through his molt as best I can and get him to look pretty again. He grooms himself often...more often than a male should, in my opinion ;)
Last night I made the plunge and asked my husband (again) if I could have a lovebird. I kind of have to do this because if I just ask once and he waves it off, then he sees it as something that doesn't mean much to me and forgets about it. If I bring it up a few times, he'll know its something I have my heart on. He knows I've been putting job applications in like crazy and putting forth the effort to find a job, but I feared even that wasn't enough.
You see, I normally don't ask him before I do something. If I do, I usually get a hefty "no". I usually go out and do it, that way its done and he can't tell me no. He just sighs and rolls with what I've done. How do you think I ended up with 7 finches? It wasn't because I asked! And he's totally fine with the finches. He even talks to them and whistles and beeps with them. But if I would have asked if I could have them, he would have said "no". So I usually don't ask. I know my limit and I know when I'm near it and I know not to cross it and become overwhelmed. When I do ask, and for some reason he doesn't say "no", he'll respond "You're gonna do it anyways, so go ahead". haha, he knows me.
But anyways, a lovebird is a big commitment and I wanted his approval for it. It'll be like bringing in another puppy, or having another kid. They aren't like finches where you can feed them and leave them alone. They require a lot of attention and a proper diet. I knew he'd brush off the question easily and try to forget about it, but I insisted and last night I made a proposal. If he got me a lovebird, I'd do him a favor.
Its a secret favor, you're not allowed to know it!
But he jumped on board with it and I got the "go" to pick out my lovebird! I simply can't wait! Convincing him was so much easier than I anticipated, too. I really didn't want to get one as something he would just tolerate. I wanted him to be on the same side as I was...and he is. I knew a lovebird wasn't too much to ask for!
I've been thinking about names since last night. I'll have to write them all down and see which one fits the lovebird when he/she comes. It'll probably have to be able to fit both genders as I'll probably not know if its a male or a female.
So excited!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Taking A Short Break
I'm taking a short break from the never-ending list of house chores to write a small update.
The birds have all been doing just fine, of course. I've added egg food to their diet. Some of them take to it right away, and some of them couldn't care less. I still can't get anyone to eat mealworms, so I'm not sure if I should continue to buy it.
I've decided to name my male gouldian Native. I dunno...I couldn't come up with a name for him and the word just seemed to fit right in. Native and Target are still in quarantine and probably will be for a little while longer. I don't suspect that they're ill since they came from a trusted source, but its better to be safe than sorry. My husband will be happy to hear that after quarantine I can then break the cages down to only 3 in active use. I'll put Target in with Bullseye and Decoy, and Native will keep Mihah company. She's been alone and separated up in my bedroom since the male zebras pick on her. I did get her a little nest hut though and she couldn't be happier with it.
That'll take things down to only 3 cages instead of 5, and it'll make my husband a whole lot happier.
I've been eyeing lovebirds for a while and while at the fair...I think I was just hooked. Someone came into the fair with a little lovebird on a harness and she was just as sweet as can be. I would love a bird that I could interact with on an everyday basis, and finches just don't seem to appreciate that sort of attention. I'm really not interested in those large parrots though...I like the small, compact versions. It seems as though a lovebird is the way to go.
A woman came recommended for lovebirds and she'll be at next month's bird fair. She breeds the rarer colors and so her prices are near $100. Honestly, I'm not sure if I want to binge for that, but we'll see when the right one comes along. The woman I got Mihah from breeds lovebirds as well and sells them for $30. I'm kind of torn as to where I should get a lovebird from. I want one who is already handtame and loveable, color comes second. I probably won't be getting one for a bit anyways...my husband says I need a job before I can bring one home.
I can agree with that. I'm bored here and I'd like a part time job to supplement my bird obsession, and it wouldn't feel right to bring home a more demanding, expensive bird without a job to supply for it...and of course, pamper it. I've put in applications to several different places so we'll see who will bite.
Ah well...I should probably get back to the house work. You'd think that my husband would be nice enough to do the dishes once a month or something.
No such luck at all.
The birds have all been doing just fine, of course. I've added egg food to their diet. Some of them take to it right away, and some of them couldn't care less. I still can't get anyone to eat mealworms, so I'm not sure if I should continue to buy it.
I've decided to name my male gouldian Native. I dunno...I couldn't come up with a name for him and the word just seemed to fit right in. Native and Target are still in quarantine and probably will be for a little while longer. I don't suspect that they're ill since they came from a trusted source, but its better to be safe than sorry. My husband will be happy to hear that after quarantine I can then break the cages down to only 3 in active use. I'll put Target in with Bullseye and Decoy, and Native will keep Mihah company. She's been alone and separated up in my bedroom since the male zebras pick on her. I did get her a little nest hut though and she couldn't be happier with it.
That'll take things down to only 3 cages instead of 5, and it'll make my husband a whole lot happier.
I've been eyeing lovebirds for a while and while at the fair...I think I was just hooked. Someone came into the fair with a little lovebird on a harness and she was just as sweet as can be. I would love a bird that I could interact with on an everyday basis, and finches just don't seem to appreciate that sort of attention. I'm really not interested in those large parrots though...I like the small, compact versions. It seems as though a lovebird is the way to go.
A woman came recommended for lovebirds and she'll be at next month's bird fair. She breeds the rarer colors and so her prices are near $100. Honestly, I'm not sure if I want to binge for that, but we'll see when the right one comes along. The woman I got Mihah from breeds lovebirds as well and sells them for $30. I'm kind of torn as to where I should get a lovebird from. I want one who is already handtame and loveable, color comes second. I probably won't be getting one for a bit anyways...my husband says I need a job before I can bring one home.
I can agree with that. I'm bored here and I'd like a part time job to supplement my bird obsession, and it wouldn't feel right to bring home a more demanding, expensive bird without a job to supply for it...and of course, pamper it. I've put in applications to several different places so we'll see who will bite.
Ah well...I should probably get back to the house work. You'd think that my husband would be nice enough to do the dishes once a month or something.
No such luck at all.
Monday, January 24, 2011
I Stand Corrected
The gouldian is actually an SFYellow male, not a female, and he is going through a molt. He'll probably never be bred as I adopted him as a rescue and I'm really kind of against breeding rescue animals. He's certainly a pretty little thing though, and I'm grateful to have him!
Name coming soon!
Name coming soon!
Success!
The bird fair was so much fun. I spent most of the day helping sell raffle tickets for our rescue group and chatting with members I've never met before. I also got a first glance at the birds I'd be adopting and they were beautiful! One yellow canary hen, a gouldian hen and the mystery orange cheeked finch?...was a zebra! haha! How funny.
One of our member's mother's canaries passed away that morning, so I let her go home with the canary I had adopted. It felt right and I know she'd care for her just as well, if not better than I would have. So right now I have my gouldian hen and a new zebra male. I also swung by to pick up my cutthroat hen. I was a little apprehensive because when I walked by the booth, all the finches (a mixture of canaries, zebras, societies and one cutthroat) were in one flight cage, and some of the finches were a bit bald...plus a canary. I pulled a member aside to view the flight cage with me and she said that the breeder was pretty reputable and that they were probably picked on during their time together in the cage. She's never heard a bad thing about the breeder though.
I also heard him sell some of the birds, saying "They're all for sale except the cutthroat" haha, he was holding her just for me like promised. I paid for her and learned that a few people wanted to buy her, but he held onto her until I showed up. Good man.
Her head is a little flatter than I'd like, but if she's healthy then she's worth her price. She's of breeding age so I plan on putting JD Barbados with her after her quarantine. I decided to name her Reed.
As for the gouldian hen, I haven't chosen a name for her yet. She appears to have either been picked on, or she's beginning a molt. She had been housed with the canary and the zebra for a year and I know zebras can be aggressive. I think I saw the zebra pick on her a little last night. Anyways, they'll be in quarantine together and after that, I'll put her in with Mihah and toss the zebra in with Bullseye and Decoy. I named him Target so he'd fit right in!
I'll be boiling some egg today to feed some eggfood, and I'll offer them some mealworms. The member I got them from said that they loved mealworms. My guys refuse to touch it, so at least I don't have to waste them!
Heres the gouldain hen and Target
And Reed, my new cutthroat hen
One of our member's mother's canaries passed away that morning, so I let her go home with the canary I had adopted. It felt right and I know she'd care for her just as well, if not better than I would have. So right now I have my gouldian hen and a new zebra male. I also swung by to pick up my cutthroat hen. I was a little apprehensive because when I walked by the booth, all the finches (a mixture of canaries, zebras, societies and one cutthroat) were in one flight cage, and some of the finches were a bit bald...plus a canary. I pulled a member aside to view the flight cage with me and she said that the breeder was pretty reputable and that they were probably picked on during their time together in the cage. She's never heard a bad thing about the breeder though.
I also heard him sell some of the birds, saying "They're all for sale except the cutthroat" haha, he was holding her just for me like promised. I paid for her and learned that a few people wanted to buy her, but he held onto her until I showed up. Good man.
Her head is a little flatter than I'd like, but if she's healthy then she's worth her price. She's of breeding age so I plan on putting JD Barbados with her after her quarantine. I decided to name her Reed.
As for the gouldian hen, I haven't chosen a name for her yet. She appears to have either been picked on, or she's beginning a molt. She had been housed with the canary and the zebra for a year and I know zebras can be aggressive. I think I saw the zebra pick on her a little last night. Anyways, they'll be in quarantine together and after that, I'll put her in with Mihah and toss the zebra in with Bullseye and Decoy. I named him Target so he'd fit right in!
I'll be boiling some egg today to feed some eggfood, and I'll offer them some mealworms. The member I got them from said that they loved mealworms. My guys refuse to touch it, so at least I don't have to waste them!
Heres the gouldain hen and Target
And Reed, my new cutthroat hen
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