Parrot News

Parrot Health and Happiness
Written by: Korey Santor, Jan Santor, & Kimberly Santor

THE PATAGONIAN (BURROWING) CONURE IS OUR BIRD OF THE MONTH:

This wonderful parrot comes in three convenient sizes. While the Greater Patagonian measures 18 inches in length the next most commonly found, Lesser Patagonian is the most popular, only growing to about 12-14 inches. Their average lifespan is 12 - 25 years. The 3rd subspecies is not commonly raised in captivity. These playful, talking, interactive and intelligent birds, bond tightly to their human slaves. They love toys, toys, toys (especially wood chew toys) and a nice roomy cage. A 24" by 24" by 36" cage will do, but bigger works well, too. A variety of perches are good exercise for the Lesser Patagonian's feet, and make sure the food dishes are not directly below a perch, so the food and water is not soiled. Why do you need to make special accommodations for their feet, you ask. THEY ARE THE BIG FOOT OF THE PARROT WORLD. The Patagonian Conure has the largest feet in proportion to their body size of any other parrot. Why? - Because they burrow in cliffs and dirt for their nests, in the wild. They are far from drab and their colors considered quite striking because their colors are in "splashes" rather than in a rigid pattern. They do not get their adult plumage until they are about a year old. Their diet should consist of pellets (a few fortified seeds may be offered) and fresh fruits, vegetables and eggs. Regular bathing and or misting is a must for these birds, because they love to bath and play in a shallow dish or water. Like most Conures, they often suffer from Vitamin K deficiency so vitamin supplements with Vitamin K or a Vitamin K fortified pellet is recommended. The one drawback of owning one of these loving birds, that they are conures and can be Very Loud. Anybody who has ever owned a Conure will tell you that the Greater Patagonian is NOT a good apartment bird, because, when excited, conures let out what is fondly referred to as the Conure Nuclear Alert (CNA). The larger the bird, the louder the squawk. Patagonians are not prone to diseases except for Pacheco's virus and should be vaccinated against it. If you are planning to make a Patagonian Parrot a member of your family, talk with Kim or Korey about the perfect cage and toys for them.

THIS MONTH, I WANT YOU TO MEET...........ABBY-CADABRA - A FAMILY PATAGONIAN!!!!!!!

conure Abby

ABBY'S STORY: One day, a few months ago, Dee was approached by a co-worker who said that she was moving and couldn't take her two budgies and a rare "African" parrot that she had gotten at a flea market - would Dee take them. The woman did not know what kind of bird the bigger one was, but; Dee knew by the description that it sure didn't come from Africa and was probably a Conure of some sort. The woman told her that the bird was loud and she often had to hit her or sprinkle marijuana on her food to keep her quiet. Dee talked with her husband and immediately said they would take the birds. She picked up the three birds and her folks adopted the two budgies, Dee and her husband kept Abby. Abby didn't really have a name when she came to them, so Dee and Chester asked for help from Chester's chat list. Nothing seemed to fit this wonderful, fearful, playful, new light in their lives until one day, out of the blue, the formerly abused Patagonian Conure yelled ABRACADABRA!!! Dee, knew that was a perfect name, because like magic she appeared in their lives - of course, she is dubbed Abby. Here is Abby's story "In her own words":

"It's me Abby. Mom was talking to Janice, my old mom...Janice told mom that her ex-boyfriend bought me from some druggies for $200. They didn't have enuff monies to get some stuff they wanted so they sold me to this guy who gave me to Janice. Janice said I was in a little tiny cage and looked a mess. My feathers were really yucky. my cage hadn't been cleaned in months. My food and water bowls were so yucky she threw them out. Janice kind of rescued me for them. mom said she is my 4th home...it could be more. she not sure. Janice had given me to a boyfwends mom, I live with her for a year then she got sick and couldn't keep me no more so I want back to Janice. Janice said I was so mad and tried to beak her...I would also poop at her threw the cage bars. I didn't want to go back. that other lady loved me so. I be sad she had to send me back. Mom know's that Janice had me for 6 years...she's not sure if she's counting the year I spent with that lady. Mom said I be older the 6 but thems not sure how old I be...she said for all she knows I could be 20 or more years and I'm not telling. mom said the more she gets to know about my old life the sadder she be for me. she said I had a ruff life and she can tell cause I get really nervous if mom raises her hand fast...I think she is going to hit me and I eeder cower or get ready to beak. Some times when I get loud mom will come check on me and I wills start shacking really hard. Mom tells me it be ok. But I'm not sure, I remember, I just don't tell...Oh, I also tell every one to "shut up" when the get to loud..and I no like it if any one fights...I yell and yell. I try to stop the fighting..not that it goes on much. It only happen once. I jump off my cage yell "and what and what" at mom and dad. I put my wingers up and down when I be saying it and bobbing my head. Mom and dad couldn't stop laffing at me. them said I be so funny. I wasn't trying to be funny.... I was being tuff and stopping the fight. so silly thems be."

Abby-Cadabra
Dee & the feathered zoo
Chester P Featherbutt----I want more attention, give it to me NOW!!
Abby-cadabra---Where's my box? I want a box, to play in
Lucky Von Beakermiester----I'm a girl birdie, didn't tell any 1 for 6 years
Cuddles Le Munchkin----...I was here first! I'm the boss bird. the queen

Dee Dube has been a long time bird slave and internet presence on the various Quaker and Love Bird Groups. Her heart bird, Mr. Chester P. Featherbutt (nicknamed Chessy) is a very smart and sentient Quaker. Dee would often make posts to the lists "In Chester's own words", as she perceived them to be through his body language, expressions and just knowing what her bird might be thinking. Her humor and personification of Chester became so popular that when Blogging became the rage, she decided to give Chessy his own blog. Yahoo has since removed that feature and Chester is now "making his statements on Facebook and his very own e-mail list, where birdies converse, vicariously through their human parronts. It may sound silly, but; it is creative, fun and some great information about domestic birds is passed through the beaks of these little feathered ones. Yes, the humans are allowed to post and converse as well. Check it out, you will be surprised. You can always unsubscribe if you find it is not your "thing". Just click on this link to go to the home page: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/chestersparrottalk/

Egg Binding and Chronic Egg Laying-Part 2

Chronic egg laying and becoming pregnant without a male can happen to any parrot but is more common among smaller birds such as budgies, lovebirds and cockatiels. So, what are Chronic Egg Laying and Egg Binding?
Chronic egg laying often occurs without a bird mate present and out of their regular breeding season. Chronic egg laying is the laying of large clutches of eggs or continually laying clutches. The problem is such egg production depletes the nutrients from your hen. This continued laying drains the hen of calcium and protein, the calcium in the bones is drained to use for shell production and the bones become brittle.
Egg Binding is also caused by low calcium levels. Because a lot of calcium is needed to create the shell, the whole body becomes drained of calcium. The uterine also requires calcium to stimulate the contractions needed to pass the egg. When those levels are low the hen is at high risk of egg binding. Also, when Chronic egg laying produces eggs with no shell or the shells are deformed, chances of egg binding will increase. The inability to quickly pass an egg could lead the death of the hen. Do not hesitate to take your hen to your avian vet for assistance.
As you can see prevention of excessive laying and egg binding are important to your hen's well being. There are two ways to prevent danger to your hen. The first is controlling the environment of your bird so they don't cycle into breeding season. Second, is to maintain a healthy and nutritious lifestyle for the hen so as to decrease the likelihood of egg binding. It is a balance of these to controls that will lead to a long and fulfilling life for your hen.
Next month we will discuss how to use these controls of environment and nutrition to decrease egg laying and egg binding.

Molly

MOLLY'S MUNCHIES:

WRITTEN BY MOLLY B. QUAKER TO TEMPT THE TASTE BUDS OF BIRDIES EVERYWHERE.

Molly has been teaching her skin mommy to cook birdie yummies for 11 years now.

Dis be Molly b. Quaker an I am here to tell all my birdie fwiends dat it is Fall time and PUNKIN TIME. Punkins are gud, gud, eatin and gud, gud, fer ya too. Hear's what your skin parront needs ta due ta make dem yummy fer yer tummy:

WRITE OUTTA DA PUNKIN PATCH:

1. Count da numbers of birbies in ure fwok.
2. Hab ure skin parront go get a fwesh Punkin, eiber fwom a Punkin patch or de store tingy dat is big enuff fer all ob you birbies.
3. Hab dem bweak da stem tingy off and wash da Punkin weal gud under da fawcet, den dwy it off wib a cween towl.
4. Da next ting ta due is ta get a biggy nife an cut da Punkin in enuff pieces for eberybirdie. (ALL BIRBIES GOTTA KEEP WAY AWAY FROM DA NIFE CAUSE IT IS EVIL AN CUD HURT OR KILL BIRBIES).
5. Way sum newspapers down on da table, ure house top or pway stand an den put ure piece of Punkin wib da seeds still in dar, an put you near it to piggy out on.

ALL BIRBIES REMEMBER DA TALES OUT RULE - NO POOPY ON DA PUNKIN - YUCKY!!!!!!!!

I will bees back wib more gud stuff for ure skin fambly to make fer ewe in da next issue ob da Caged Bird Courier. (Molly b. Quaker)

Quaker Parrot

QPS is a registered 501(c)3 non profit organization for by Quaker Parakeet owners, breeders and conservationists committed to promoting national interest and understanding of Quakers.

We would love to feature your bird in our next newsletter!

If you would like your bird featured just Contact Us with your birds story and a photo.
Sincerely, Kimberly Santor
Bird Cages Galore