MBS, symptoms progression treatments?

Flboy

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2014
12,598
4,101
Greater Orlando area, Florida
Parrots
JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
Have been studying this phenomenon/illness/ and what not.

This is how it seems to start:


I do not think he is a carrier of MBS, but have started to form a hypothesis, water may be a trigger! They love baths-why? Well after enough soaks, you wake up to:


Now the MBS starts to take hold. You now have a responsibility to not only socialize them, but make sure they don't become separatists by integration:


You then get hit by, 'Oh my God, that bird is special and needs me!':


Then that wetting thing again! But notice, they are gaining the upper hand and are conspiring against you:


Then, oh honey, can we remodel the living room?


Oh, and now your garage:


If you find yourself here, take notes, this is an ongoing study! Remember, above all, it is a slippery slope!
 
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JerseyWendy

New member
Jul 20, 2012
20,995
24
ROFLMAO!

Well I can confidently and honestly say that NO more for me! No more vacancies in this house, not ever. 4 was the magic number for me. :D
 

Lullx

New member
Mar 6, 2015
299
1
Central New York
Parrots
Nephele - Baby CAG | Genevieve & Phaedrus - Green Cheeks | Lucy - Lutino Cockatiel | Ludo, Zero & Anzu - Budgerigars
My name is Britt, and I suffer from MBS.
(Hello Britt)

For me, it started innocently enough with a budgie. Then I decided my budgie needed a friend, so I got a second budgie. Then I saw my third budgie in the store and she actually walked right up to me and perched on my hand for half an hour. I like to think I was taken hostage and blackmailed into giving her a loving home.

My mother, the enabler that she is, set me up with a breeder to get a baby cockatiel. Then we went on an innocent adventure to an exotic pet shop that hand raises baby birds, and was again held hostage by the cutest little green cheek baby I'd ever seen. A few weeks later, I was taking her home (still the best impulse buy ever).
A few months later, a friend contacted me to tell me that her aunt needed to get rid of her birds. So conure #2 came into my home.

Now, fully accepting my condition, I have decided to get a congo african grey.

I am not ashamed. Though I'm happy to say that my MBS is going into remission now. I no longer twitch quite so much when I walk by the birds in the pet store. I only stop and stare longingly at them for about ten minutes now, as opposed to having to be peeled away after half an hour.

Though I do worry that MBS is contagious. My previously-healthy partner has been talking about wanting to get a Princess of Wales parrot. He sees nothing wrong with me owning seven birds.
I've told him that if he isn't careful, in 15 years' time he's going to own at least 3 parrots himself, culminating in us getting a pair of macaws together and becoming that weird bird couple.
 

veimar

New member
Feb 5, 2014
1,150
4
Chicago, IL
Parrots
gcc Parry; lovebird Coco; 3 budgies (Tesla, Franky and Cesar); cockatiel Murzik, red rump parakeet girl Onyx
Hahahaah! I thought you were posting about some bird disease, and it took me a moment to realize what that's all about.. LOL :D
No, I don't think there is a real cure except the strong will to follow common sense. :)
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Just remember, once you get that conure, you're half way to macaw addiction...

All it takes is giving in to the temptation of "just one little bird" that one time, and the next thing you know you're addicted!
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
My name is Britt, and I suffer from MBS.
(Hello Britt)

Now, fully accepting my condition, I have decided to get a congo african grey.

I am not ashamed. Though I'm happy to say that my MBS is going into remission now. I no longer twitch quite so much when I walk by the birds in the pet store. I only stop and stare longingly at them for about ten minutes now, as opposed to having to be peeled away after half an hour.

Nah... typical addict denial.

You've got your "new bird fix" and you're still feeling the effects of that.

Once that starts wearing off, you'll start twitching again... just like the rest of us.

I played with this new bird down at [insert location here]

I think I'll go back and see him again tomorrow. [Twitch! Twitch!]

Can that pair of big macs be really all that far behind?!

Only seven?! :D
 
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Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
ROFLMAO!

Well I can confidently and honestly say that NO more for me! No more vacancies in this house, not ever. 4 was the magic number for me. :D

Hey, I am truly in remission. I'm down to five from 11, and despite temporarily taking in that lost CAG, I haven't taken in any Fosters in five years...

And I really like my flock the way it is. I've gone from "What's one more?" To "One more would be one too many..."

(Probably. Unless my numbers hit... then maybe... )

No! I'm in remission! I've licked this thing! That's my story and I'm sticking to it...
 
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Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
I propose shock treatments:

1. One month of cleaning the abandoned screaming cockatoo cages down at the rescue, (or until your ears begin visibly bleeding, which ever comes first);

2. When you're done cleaning cages, you get to teach the macaws that haven't been let out of their cages or handled in ten years, to step up and accept scritchies;

3. When you're done with that, you get to stick train the hormonal amazons...

4. At the end of the month, when you're done with all that, you get to ride along on one of the "We've got an elderly hoarder whose been keeping 350 large parrots in her basement" calls... we need someone with bird handling experience to come get them!"

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'RE CURED!!!

And those (insert your number here, unless you are that elderly hoarder) birds of yours suddenly seem so quiet and well behaved. And it's peaceful!

:D
 
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Agapornis

New member
Oct 25, 2012
478
1
California
Parrots
Turquoise GCC - Fiji - Hatch Date: 8/14/12 and Yellow Sided GCC - Sundance - Hatch Date: 4/12/13
Hahaha! This is a hilarious topic. I already feel like we're the weird bird couple, and we only have 2 little GCCs. Every time we go somewhere with our Birdy Back Pack, we get comments and stares.

SO TRUE, even though I am happy (for now!) with just 2, I am always thinking what I would want next...a Pionus? a Crimson Bellied Conure???? Or just go ahead and get the dang macaw?!? Time will tell!

I'm lucky there are no exotic bird stores around here, I would be in trouble!
 

Minimaker

New member
Jul 29, 2014
540
0
Illinois
Parrots
GW Macaw-Sailor, Goffins Cockatoo Mako, GC Conure-Tazzy, Turquoise Conure Yuki, Budgies-Percy, Annabeth, Elsa
Oh my gosh, I didn't realize I had it. It snuck right up on me! I have been in the MBS denial stage. It started with a pair of budgies my daughter insisted on buying and used her lawn-mowing money to purchase. Somehow I was lured into the dark world of pet stores, looking for treats and toys for the little cuties. Whilst in there a lone conure caught my eye, begging me for attention in his tiny dingy cage. It was clear from his dance moves he was pleading for help and a new home. By now the obsession had taken hold and still I couldn't see it. Then came the unquenchable desire for a really big bird, in came the macaw. While shopping for her in one of those questionable pet stores I came across a sickly thin little albino budgie who NEEDED me. How could I say no to that face? She would die without me (actually I think that was true). So home she came (and is doing really well now I might add). And now I hang my head in shame. I do have MBS. I must face it now. The next step is to get help. Or a blue and gold macaw. Whichever comes first ;) And then I swear I will stop. I will. I really really will.
 
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Agapornis

New member
Oct 25, 2012
478
1
California
Parrots
Turquoise GCC - Fiji - Hatch Date: 8/14/12 and Yellow Sided GCC - Sundance - Hatch Date: 4/12/13
LMAO @ Birdman!!!! that would do it for me!
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
LMAO @ Birdman!!!! that would do it for me!

It ultimately did it for me, it just took a lot longer than a month.

Half a decade or so?!
 

Allee

Well-known member
Oct 27, 2013
16,852
Media
2
212
Texas
Parrots
U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Great idea for a thread, I'm still grinning! Okay, I'm ROFLMAO! The photos and captions are hilarious!

I'm so proud of you folks who are in remission. If you feel yourself slipping down that notoriously slippery slope, there's nothing like a vaccination from a U2 to stop the symptoms of MBS, at least it worked for me. Six is my magic number.
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Oh my gosh, I didn't realize I had it. It snuck right up on me! I have been in the MBS denial stage.

:D Strangers give your kids "found" baby birds, and say "take this home to your mother, she'll know what to do"... AND YOU DIDN'T KNOW?!" :D

I'M JUST SAYIN'.... :D The warning signs were there!!!
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Great idea for a thread, I'm still grinning! Okay, I'm ROFLMAO! The photos and captions are hilarious!

I'm so proud of you folks who are in remission. If you feel yourself slipping down that notoriously slippery slope, there's nothing like a vaccination from a U2 to stop the symptoms of MBS, at least it worked for me. Six is my magic number.

My daughter wants another too, and a hy, and a BTM...
 

Birdman666

Well-known member
Sep 18, 2013
9,904
258
San Antonio, TX
Parrots
Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
By the way, flyboy, how exactly do you define the term "studying..."

Observing those of us on the board afficted by the disease?! Or is it by looking around your own living room?! :D
 
OP
Flboy

Flboy

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2014
12,598
4,101
Greater Orlando area, Florida
Parrots
JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #19
By the way, flyboy, how exactly do you define the term "studying..."

Observing those of us on the board afficted by the disease?! Or is it by looking around your own living room?! :D

Following the board, and seeing the look of exhaustion on the faces of so many YouTube vids!
My JoJo lives with me, and Bongo lives with the wife. Still not quite far enough away:D
 

thekarens

New member
Sep 29, 2013
4,022
3
ROFLMAO!

Well I can confidently and honestly say that NO more for me! No more vacancies in this house, not ever. 4 was the magic number for me. :D


LMAO Wendy! I thought you said, No more VACATIONS, not vacancies.... You can see where my mind goes. My wife and I are taking separate vacations for that exact reason. We have too many critters to afford a pet sitter.
 

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