Hi from SoCal!

Hi everyone! I'm Julie...
I've been reading here for a while now as a guest, looking to join a good parrot forum again. THIS forum really felt comfortable to me and I like the vibe here. Today I saw some posts that I wanted to chime in on, so I thought I should finally sign up!

My love for birds started "accidentally" in the early 90's... I walked into a pet store to get some fish food, and walked out with a beautiful male Gouldian Finch and a not so cheap cage. Prior to then I had never seen one and I absolutely HAD TO have him! (I'm not sure I even remembered to get the fish food at that point). Soon I had a beautiful collection of normal and mutation Gouldians. More and more cages filled the house. I was living with my dad at the time... Good thing he was cool with it LOL!
After I had to give the finches a new home (to someone with an aviary), I got my first "parrot". Not having been familiar with birds other than finches, I sought out the first species that came to mind... a cockatiel ...then next, I got a baby Red Bellied parrot who will be turning 20 this year!! Several other parrots followed over the years, but since I'm not writing a book... I'll stop here:52: Listed above are the special boys I now have. I just got my first Budgies a year ago, so they weren't starter birds for me, I'm still learning about Budgies! They're so different from parrots in many ways, so I know I will have questions on the Budgie forum

Looking forward to chatting with all of you!

Hi Julie and welcome! I joined this forum back in Nov., and I have to agree - it is a very comfortable place to be. I have met so many awesome people here and I know you will too
A Zebra finch started it for me...my hubby calls him the gateway bird
I would love to see pics of your boys!!

Welcome to the forum Julie!!!!

Welcome! Glad to have you. Lovely story!

Re: Hi from SoCal! (Robin pic)

Thank you for the welcome! it's always fun to see others' birds, so here they are for those who asked

I'm trying to upload 3 pics in the same post, but it's not working out I'm on an iPad, don't know if that's anything to do with it or if I'm just doing something stupid... :30: anyway, if it's the later, I apologize for posting 3 separate posts :52:
First is Robin - male Red Bellied. My beloved baby I've had for 19 years :07:

**I hope the separate posts of the pics are not TOO obnoxious!! Any pic posting tips appreciated

Re: Hi from SoCal! (Raven pic)

Here is Raven - male Bronze Winged Pionus

Re: Hi from SoCal! (Pix & Twigs pics)

Here are my Budgie boys... Pix (white), Twigs (yellow/blue).

Very handsome birds! How old is Raven?

Thanks! He's only 5 mo. I had another beautiful Bronze Winged hen in 2005. RIP at one year. Long story, but vet thought she had gotten PDD from the nest. Bird store acquired her from an unscrupulous "breeder". And I was even disease paranoid back then... Even more so now! just had to get another one. I personally couldn't live without a Bronze Winged Pionus!

That's sad, but I'm glad you found another one to love. How is his personality compared to your red belly?

Hi Welcome Julie! Your really going to like it here, nice bunch of people. I'm in San Diego. I have a Senegal named Rio, and a Parrotlet named Kiwi. Love looking at the pictures of your birds. Thanks for posting them.

thekarens said:

That's sad, but I'm glad you found another one to love. How is his personality compared to your red belly?

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Different. Typical Pi I think though Raven is curious and clever, he's much more reserved than a Red Bellied.
I have a question for you too... Is your Senegal anything like my Red Bellied? I've always heard similarities between these two Poicephalus in particular. Robin loves to cuddle, is very extroverted and not shy in front of company (like I read about RBs and it's true with Robin), he can be feisty especially during the breeding season (end of year). Though outgoing like a conure, he's less stubborn than most other parrot species. I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but I think he's finally mellowing a little with age. He does still bite hard occasionally, but not usually Pit Bull hard like he used to is your Sennie male or female?

SoCalWendy said:

Hi Welcome Julie! Your really going to like it here, nice bunch of people. I'm in San Diego. I have a Senegal named Rio, and a Parrotlet named Kiwi. Love looking at the pictures of your birds. Thanks for posting them.

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It does seem like a really nice group here. That's why I joined THIS forum
I love San Diego I usually take an hour or so drive down there to visit some of San Diego's great bird stores during the summer. For some reason, SD has so many more bird stores, and even breeders than here in OC. It's worth the drive. MUCH cheaper retail prices on products too.

My sennie is DNA female. She's more reserved than what I've read the red bellys are. She will step up for anyone, but they have to do it with confidence otherwise she'll bite.

She always wants done snuggle time and scritches at some point during the day, but she also has her moments that I call "pinchy parrot." During those moments I just let her be.

She's also a fair talker. I've read the red bellys are pretty playful. She's not that playful. She likes things she can chew through. Oh and she's also a very quiet parrot. She makes contact calls occasionally, but not often.

I've been looking at a red belly at a rescue. If he's still available in about a month I plan on applying.

Sammie sounds like a nice girl From what I've heard and read about Senegals or Red Bellied pets, there seems to be a difference between male and female. It seems like the females are typically not as aggressive as the males, though I'm sure it can vary a bit between individuals.
As far as playful? Robin isn't the kind of guy that you see rolling on his back the way I hear that some do. Although at any given time he has more toys than he needs in his cage, he usually only likes one or two that he could literally sit and chew on for hours. I think he'd be just as happy if he only had plastic chains, and these hard plastic mini pacifiers. Every now and then he will branch out and to my surprise play with his other toys. He also does love shreddable toys.

Robin has a fair repertoire of words or phrases, but out of the ones he knows, he only usually says a couple different things. Mumbled "I love you", "what are you doing?" He also says his name a lot and hi. Says I love you when he wants attention, says "hey!!" if you touch him how he doesn't like, so he uses some words appropriately. He prefers to imitate sounds over talking. Other than that, I guess he's quiet like all Poi's are compared to other species, but probably more vocal than your Sammie.

Best wishes on the rescue. Oh... and mature male RBs bite VERY hard!! Big beak for the size of body and an attitude to match especially when hormonal