Sunday Comics




- posted by J-Birds @ 9:18 AM |

 
So Good To Hear From You

Got this email from Shauna today. Makes us feel so good that our birds are enjoying their new home. Let us hear from you!

"Hi ya'll. Just wanted to check in and let you know that Puddin and Maiya are the joys of our life. They are both adorable. Chuck has been working out of town so I am being both momma and daddy. HA!! Both of these babies are so spoiled. We love them dearly.

I was reading the archives in the blog and saw where in March a Carolyn from Mississippi was trying to get a new owner for her Congo. If ya'll ever have anyone that has another congo or eclectus they need to get rid of, let us know. Especially if they are some of ya'lls birds. These babies are so special. I know it was because of the start that ya'll gave them. They are really so well behaved. Chuck says they eat alot better than he does. HA!! He told me one day that I was always cooking something for them and he got a sandwich. HA!! They have great appetites!!!! Maiya loves fresh steamed spinach with carrots and summer squash. Puddin eats everything also. They both eat fruit and veggies really well. They are having eggs and broccoli this morning. I still offer formula and sometimes they will take it but mostly they play with the syringe. Got them both a boing and of course Puddin hangs upside down and swings on it and gets so excited over it. Maiya likes hers also but will crawl up on it to play with her other toys.

I know this is long but I get so excited over these babies. And Chuck is just mush when it comes to them. Talk to you later."

Shauna

- posted by J-Birds @ 7:20 PM |

 
Parraholic?

One of our parrots got liquored up last night and called us from the Bronx. Actually, his owner was tipping a few in a local watering hole and brought along his male Eclectus, Shuggie, as the designated walker.

Hugh called to introduce me to one of his friends that had fallen in love with Shuggie. Shuggie was being cool and munching on peanuts. I would much rather a parrot be out on the town with his owner than home alone in his cage. Apparently, Eclectus are a big hit in New York City bars.

We know quite a few parrots in New York City. I need to poll them to see if we need to form a chapter of Parraholics Anonymous up there.
- posted by J-Birds @ 8:45 PM |

 
Why?

I went to a man's house today to solve an air conditioning problem. This guy had given me a really hard time on the phone. Usually, once I convince them that I am concerned and I will stand behind my work, they calm down (some people think that rattling sabers is the way to get attention).

He told me that the front door was open and to just walk in. When I opened the door I could see his den down a hall. In his den was his wife, eighty years old, in a hospital bed with a respirator that breathed for her and a heart monitor and a full time attendant.

The hospital discharged her and gave her two weeks to live a year and a half ago. He doesn't want to let her go and has created his own little intensive care unit in his den. She doesn't respond.

To him, she is the same little girl he fell in love with sixty years ago.


- posted by J-Birds @ 9:23 PM |

 
Another Happy Landing

"Coby is doing fine today. She was a little nervous about the ride home but I kept my hand near her and she was better as long as she could see me.

We were also a little nervous last night after we put her in her cage but after several hours in her new cage and getting to know us she was doing OK. Then today she is like we knew her for a long time. She is swinging on her rope, playing with some of her toys and learning how to get around in her cage, she was very clumsy at first but today she is getting around fine.

We gave her the formula tonight but she ate about a cap full and didn't seem to want anymore so I made her some vegetables and she picked through that. We covered her last night and she found the high perch and was at home. She seemed to adapt well with the family and will go to anyone and wants to get out and be with us when we are near her. We all make a point to say something to her as we go by her cage and of course she is already begging for any of the food we are eating during meal time.

As you said she is a sweet bird and loves to be around people and seems to want to please those around her.

More later as we learn more about each other more."

Dean & Sue

- posted by J-Birds @ 6:04 AM |

 
Sunday Comics


- posted by J-Birds @ 11:11 AM |

 
For The Parrot That Has Everything

Parrot owners will spend any amount of money to keep their buddies happy. Just when you thought you had everything, the World Parrot Trust has just released an 80 minute film of parrots in a rainforest designed to make your pet feel at home. Read about it here.
- posted by J-Birds @ 10:25 PM |

 
Ce La Vie

We had thunder storms Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday a small tree fell very near Honey and Bunny's cage. I checked the eggs on Thursday morning and they were gone. Bunny may have broken them in a panic during the storm. Anyway, she disposed of them. She's back to her old self...hanging outside with Honey and giving me kisses through the wire. I'm sure she'll lay again before the Fall. I'll keep you posted.
- posted by J-Birds @ 8:54 PM |

 
The Artists We're Not

We have met many wonderful and talented people over the years. Some of them are artists. If you'd like to see their work you can find Joe (Giuseppi) at Glass Roses. Joe does exceptional work in glass from his studio in Idaho.

Shannon Lange is a wonderful artist in New York City. Her work is displayed in galleries along the east coast. You can visit her at Shannon Lange.com

I'll let you guess how we met them. If you have any communication with them please let them know that we referred you to them.
- posted by J-Birds @ 8:37 AM |

 
The Twilight Zone

Debra and I both sing to the birds often. A few months ago, Debra started dancing up to Odi's cage singing a modified version of the old Mitch Rider tune, "I love you Odi, Oh, Oh, Odi. Oooh I love you Odi, Oh, Oh, Odi." She would snap her fingers and bob her head.

After a while Odi would fluff up his feathers, bob his head from side to side, and raise one foot in a pretend snap and make the snapping sound with his voice. This routine is repeated several times a day and has been a great source of entertainment for our friends and guests.

Last weekend I was in the kitchen and I hear Olivia singing in her best gravely voice, "Odi, Oh, Oh, Odi...Odi, Oh, Oh, Odi" and making a snapping sound. Odi was on the top of his cage, fluffed up, foot pretending to snap, and bobbing his head from side to side.

Rod Serling, eat your heart out.
- posted by J-Birds @ 6:38 PM |

 
Honeybun Update

On Saturday, both eggs were dark under the light except for a small air pocket on the fat end. This is normal for fertile eggs. The embryo and associated vein mass is blocking the light. With a stronger light I might have seen the tiny embryo moving. So far, so good.
- posted by J-Birds @ 6:39 PM |

 
Been There

- posted by J-Birds @ 9:28 AM |

 
Think Like A Parrot - Diet

If you could observe a parrot in the wild for a year you would have a pretty good idea of the types and quantites of food the bird eats. Are nuts available year round? Probably not. Are fresh fruits? Maybe, but different fruits would be available at different times of the year. If you research the climate and vegetation of the country your bird is from you might develop a better insight into the proper diet for your bird than the pet food companies that make "one size fits all" pellets and seed mixes. If you decide to research this topic, write us and let us share information with our readers.
- posted by J-Birds @ 5:51 PM |

 
Piaget

Piaget was a father in England in the early 1900's. He spent the first several years of his newborn baby's life observing and documenting everything the child did. He was not an expert in child development but he was meticulous in documenting the development of his own child. This attention to detail seemed to be the thing to do in England at the time (i.e.:Darwin). His observations and theories of the cognitive development of children are now taught in every university around the world.

Now the bird tie-in...

You know more than you think about the cognitive abilities of your parrot. Your day to day interactions with your bird are unique and insightful. Each of you has a wealth of knowlege about the cognitive development of parrots. Some people wish to portray themselves as experts (and they well may be) but each of you is the ultimate expert on your pet. More thoughts on this later...

- posted by J-Birds @ 8:47 PM |

 
Four Days?

God. No posts in four days. Can you tell that it's air conditioning season? Actually, for those of you who don't know it, I own a heating and air conditioning company in New Orleans, LA. Birds are a nice distraction from the day to day pressures of work. You have to have something in your life to keep you grounded (see Jen Sorensen) in a previous blog. I'll try to post more often. Maybe some more photos. Have a great day.
- posted by J-Birds @ 8:36 PM |

 
Meet Prophet



4 years old and going strong.
- posted by J-Birds @ 3:10 PM |

 

- posted by J-Birds @ 8:31 AM |

 
Honeybun X 2

I got to candle Bunny's two eggs on Friday and was surprised to find that they both appear to be fertile. At one week, a fertile egg glows red as blood vessels spread throughout the egg. Wish we could take credit but they did it all themselves. This does not mean that they will hatch. If they do, it doesn't mean that Bunny will feed them. Stay tuned.
- posted by J-Birds @ 10:35 AM |

 
Days of Creation

:On the first day of creation, God created the parrot.
:On the second day, God created man to serve the parrot.
:On the third day, God created all the vegetables and nuts of the earth to serve as potential food for the parrot.
:On the fourth day, God created honest toil so that man could labor for the good of the parrot.
:On the fifth day, God created cables and ropes so that the parrot could chew through them.
:On the sixth day, God created veterinary science to keep the parrot healthy and the man broke.
:On the seventh day, God tried to rest, but He had to clean the parrot cages...

Thanks to the Long Island Parrot Society

- posted by J-Birds @ 10:27 PM |

 
Live From Jimmy Long

Just dropping by to say hello. Persia and I are absolutely wonderful!

I am a principal of a juvenile justice program here in Texas. I work with juveniles who are in trouble, and I attempt to give them another chance at life and happiness.

Today we had a parrot rescue group come to our school to present a program. They brought several birds and allowed the kids to hold and play with them after a very meaningful presentation. There were kids in this group who had not smiled in weeks. The touch and the mutual giving of bird and child brought many smiles upon the faces of the kids, and I saw tenderness and beautiful spirits both from creature and child.

The presenter told of the sad stories of each of the delicate birds. One beautiful Ducorp's Cockatoo had been kept in a very small dog kennel. It had probably been tossed into a wall or onto a floor and this greatly not only effected its physical stature but also it loving spirit.

She spoke of birds that once belonged to loving owners who finally just abandoned them when the "newness" had worn off. With the lack of love, poor nutrition, and little care, God's creatures had been mistreated.

The birds were introduced to the students one by one, and the kids knew of the pains these birds had suffered, because the hardships were much like their own.

I guess I am writing to say if you plan to bring a parrot into your life, please, please understand the time and love you must invest in the relationship between bird and man. I have discovered that one of the greatest joys in life is to love and be loved by these delicate, sensitive, and beautiful creatures.

If you have a child in your life or if you know of a child in trouble, realize that they too are sensitive and delicate. They need your time and love.

What a joyous experience I had today at my job. What a new and wonderful lesson I have learned!


My best to you and all your feathered friends!

Jimmy

PS. The head psychologist in my school is putting together a curriculum using birds with kids as therapy!


- posted by J-Birds @ 9:15 AM |

 
Village Parrots

As you may have gathered from previous entries -- Debra and I love New York. We started going up at least once a year in the early 90's. We don't do a lot of sightseeing; never been to the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty. We do a lot of theatre. Five shows in a typical four day trip.

Every morning, as Debra sleeps, I slip out of the room to watch the city wake up and to enjoy a different deli. Something about a bagel and the New York Times and the smell of the city that makes you feel a part of it all. I always bring breakfast back and Debra starts her day with breakfast in bed.

We like to explore and the subway starts our journeys. We used to visit pet shops or rather, parrot shops. We have been to Urban Bird, which has since closed, and Parrots n Pups on Christopher Street in the village. We have not been to 33rd and Bird or Birdcamp yet but we plan on visiting the next time we're in town. But I digress....

I thought at one point that it would be nice to establish a relationship with a shop that would sell our birds in the city. We would handraise them and ship them for immediate delivery to their new owners. I called Holly at Parrots n Pups and explained our plan. She was cool to the idea but said that the next time we were in town to stop by and we'd get to know each other.

Three weeks later, Rachael, Jon Russo (an actor friend of ours) and I walked into the shop. The clerk was very attentive until we told her why we were there. At that time she "iced" us and basically showed us the door. Said something about not buying birds from out of town and was very rude. Holly wasn't there at the time.

Being a resourceful person...I got home and created the website, Village Parrots. I focused this site on Manhattan and specifically Soho and Greenwich Village. Since then my anger has been replaced with a truly wonderful set of friends in the city. Jim Murphy was one of our first customers and has since bought another bird. Hugh Choi got a Vos last year and we talk at least once a month. Hugh's friend Shannon has a parrot on order and is expecting delivery in a couple of months.

There are many, many others. Jon has since moved to Paris. Hugh is annoyed at us for boycotting the city due to the smoking ban. We'll most probably return to NYC soon. It'll be nice to meet everyone face to face and swap bird stories.

- posted by J-Birds @ 8:08 PM |

 
Honeybun?

Ducorp's update. They seem to really be getting into this parenthood thing. After three days of acting like they didn't know what to do, she rarely leaves the nestbox. He's in there alot unless there's fresh food on the outside.

Debra has named them Honey and Bunny...her creative juices were really flowing that day. I'm not sure which is which but I guess it doesn't matter. Maybe more later...Craig
- posted by J-Birds @ 7:33 PM |

 
Emergency First Aid

The new online addition of ParrotChronicles is out and has a good article on Parrot First Aid. You should check it out. The worst thing you can do in case of an injury is to panic. Rather, be prepared with the basic items of first aid (Styptic powder comes to mind) and know what you have to do to stabilize your bird before you bring it to a vet.
- posted by J-Birds @ 8:42 PM |

 
Comments?

OK you guys. I know you're out there because you often tell me you read the blog. I added comments at the bottom of each entry for your input. Just click on the Comments Please link and follow the instructions. Without your participation I may as well write this blog in a notebook...Craig
- posted by J-Birds @ 2:38 PM |

 
Goodness of Today

We too often think of problems when we think of what happened today. I had a great day. The weather was beautiful. It was 50 degrees when I went outside to feed the breeders.

The Ducorps layed two eggs over the weekend...their first eggs, ever. She's not doing a great job of sitting on them but it's understandable since this is all new to her. I'm trying to stay away from the backyard. She comes out of the nest box every time I'm outside and stays away from the eggs far too long.

These eggs will most probably not hatch. It's just the nature of young pairs that it takes a couple of clutches to get it right. The good news is that they layed in the first place.

We are beginning to think about a Summer vacation. We usually take a break from the action in mid-Summer. Maybe a short cruise. New Orleans has four or five ships that home port here. We've worked hard this Spring and our daughter will be home for the Summer to handle the feeding chores.

Maybe the theatre in Toronto. We are boycotting NYC because of their smoking ban in bars and restaurants. Standing on principle may allow us to explore some exciting new locations until New York finds out and changes the law.

We'll talk more about this later...stay tuned...vacation suggestions are always welcome...Craig
- posted by J-Birds @ 8:28 PM |

 
Thoughts On Technology

I was fortunate to be there when the Radio Shack TRS-80 ("Trash 80") computer was supplanted by the IBM PS-1. I have touched the first computer, the ENIAC. I watched the developments in technology as a Director of Data Processing in the early 70's. It amazes me to reflect on the advancements in technology in my short life.

Today, my wife called me on my cell phone in our kitchen from our home phone in our bedroom. It was a very thought provoking moment. At dinner tonight, our son was text messaging our daughter at college from his cell phone.

Tonight we blog and think about purchasing a "memory Pen" to plug into our "USB" port for data storage instead of using a floppy drive. Tomorrow, that same memory pen will plug into a digital camera and store our photos. This is exciting and unsettling.

Seems were losing something. Jen Sorensen writes a cartoon called Slowpokes. She defines a slowpoke in her website. Maybe she has it right. Maybe we need to control the pace of our lives. Maybe pets and gardening and socializing with friends and the joy of family are ways to keep grounded...keep from being swept away by technology....Craig
- posted by J-Birds @ 9:15 PM |

 
How To Buy A Parrot

We have a website that attracts several phone calls and emails a day from people interested in getting a parrot. Most of these are first time bird owners who have researched on the internet until they feel brave enough to talk to a "breeder".

Although they know a little about parrots from their readings, they know very little about the parrot marketplace and this creates quite a few mis-steps. I often assume that they have already read the Buying Tips page on our website and the Pricing page, which is not a pricing page but, rather, a page about how parrots are valued.

The typical bird buyer wants a bird to be available whenever they are ready to buy one. This is not often the case. Buyers buy year-round; parrots breed once a year on average. Some buyers fail to consider that the parrot will live 40+ years and the responsibility to care for it will be theirs for a lifetime.

We try to assist a buyer in deciding whether a parrot is the pet for them; whether now is the right time; and which type of parrot would best suit their lifestyle. Often, we don't have the right bird for them and we refer them to friends that might.

- posted by J-Birds @ 5:40 PM |