Baby Broccoli

[ravvlet]

Visited the new baby today at the store and put in an order for a DNA test to determine his or her sex. She’s still being handfed but is only on one feed a day, and isn’t very enthusiastic about it, so they think she’ll be done by July sometime!

I drew a sticker to put on her cage label in the meantime.

She is still a baby baby, so she steps up and when she flies off just does so to land on my head, haha. She also lets me gently hold her to my chest when it’s time to go back to her cage. We hung out for about 45 mins and she was happy to sit on my shoulder and play with foot toys and chew wooden blocks.

I forgot how sweet baby parrots are, goodness gracious!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

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Visited the new baby today at the store and put in an order for a DNA test to determine his or her sex. She’s still being handfed but is only on one feed a day, and isn’t very enthusiastic about it, so they think she’ll be done by July sometime!

I drew a sticker to put on her cage label in the meantime.

She is still a baby baby, so she steps up and when she flies off just does so to land on my head, haha. She also lets me gently hold her to my chest when it’s time to go back to her cage. We hung out for about 45 mins and she was happy to sit on my shoulder and play with foot toys and chew wooden blocks.

I forgot how sweet baby parrots are, goodness gracious!

Nothing is sweeter than a baby parrot! I still call Rocky "Baby Bird" at seven months old and those were her first words!

If Broccoli is rejecting hand feedings and flying she will be weaned and ready to go home with you very soon.

 

[LaManuka]

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Visited the new baby today at the store and put in an order for a DNA test to determine his or her sex. She’s still being handfed but is only on one feed a day, and isn’t very enthusiastic about it, so they think she’ll be done by July sometime!

I drew a sticker to put on her cage label in the meantime.

She is still a baby baby, so she steps up and when she flies off just does so to land on my head, haha. She also lets me gently hold her to my chest when it’s time to go back to her cage. We hung out for about 45 mins and she was happy to sit on my shoulder and play with foot toys and chew wooden blocks.

I forgot how sweet baby parrots are, goodness gracious!

Oh. My. GOODNESS!!!!! She is absolutely GORGEOUS!!! 😍 Congrats, @ravvlet!! And how lucky is that beautiful baby that she gets to go home with you?! 💖

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

All I can say is wow!


Love the name and the cage label you created.

Are you in the cage?

 

[ravvlet]

All I can say is wow!


Love the name and the cage label you created.

Are you in the cage?

They have a walk in aviary to do visits! They require that you visit with the bird at least two times before taking them home so they’re more comfortable with you. I have visited at least four of their birds at this point before we decided on Broccoli, haha, and I’ve hung out with her at least 5-6 times, five of those before we decided to buy her! We started looking for a smaller bird in mid April and I took my time to make sure we would get the right fit. I’m still nervous but I am also excited.

 

[saxguy64]

Awwww, Broccoli is adorable, and quite confident looking perched there on you! Love the sticker too!

 

[onamom]

Awwww I'm in love with her already!!! That second photo of her is just She's SO pretty!

The cage sticker you drew is awesome!!

They have a walk in aviary to do visits!

Nice!!! I wish my local bird store had something like this. If they would my Ona would never have been bit by a larger bird as a baby

I bet you are so excited for her to come home!

 

[ravvlet]

Awwww I'm in love with her already!!! That second photo of her is just She's SO pretty!

The cage sticker you drew is awesome!!


Nice!!! I wish my local bird store had something like this. If they would my Ona would never have been bit by a larger bird as a baby

I bet you are so excited for her to come home!

Oh no! Yeah, I will say they do sometimes have issues like that (Lua’s toe healed fine, but she landed on Gromble the quaker’s cage and got a nasty toe bite when she escaped whilst being transported to or from the aviary). Fortunately Broccoli is ridiculously compliant; I had her sitting on my finger today to bring her to the aviary and she stayed until we got to the door, then flew up onto my head to wait for me to open it. All the employees have remarked that she’s really really sweet, trainable, and interested in people.

I think as much as I wanted to rescue another bird that at this time with both our kids starting school and other life stuff happening that she’s going to be a really great fit - and maybe in a few more years when things are stable and the kids are older, we can start fostering birds (I think I am a two bird limit person, LOL). I’d love to be able to give temporary homes to birdies who need to be exposed to being out of cage, seeing kids and other pets, and other stuff that will help them find a forever home - I just don’t want to keep them forever, lol.

 

[ravvlet]

So, I’ve been doing a lot of research on the natural range of parrots, as we wanted to pick a species whose natural range overlapped that of Kirby’s - I’m not sure if it matters in parrots, but I used to keep aquariums and maintaining biodiversity while also keeping same-range species of plants and fish tended to result in a more harmonious existence for everyone.

I am really interested to see how Kirby and Broccoli interact long term, because they do share some not insignificant range overlap - and of course, our understanding of their range in the wild is very limited, as they are both Amazonian species, and we have limited data!

Both species are considered “least concern”, as they prefer open areas that are semi-wooded, such as the edge of forest or agricultural properties like coffee plantations. Both species nest in tree cavities (the amazons chew out their own, whilst the dusky conures tend to “borrow” abandoned woodpecker nests or arboreal termite nests).

Additionally there is some recent observational data for Orange Wing Amazons that may explain why Kirby is so readily accepting of other bird species - in the feral parrot populations in Florida, orange wings have been recorded successfully hybridizing with maximillian pionus, and attempting to breed and join the flocks of quaker parakeets, including participating in their nesting behavior! I think they are just a very naturally adaptable species. This is extra cool because Dusky Conures have also been known to join the flocks of other conure species if a large group of their own species is not available.

 

[Terry57]

Oh my gosh, I don't think that Broccoli could be any more adorable!
I'm so thrilled for you, and I think that she or he is going to be a perfect fit in your family. What a lucky bird to have been chosen by you
That sticker is incredible, you are so talented!

I also love how you waited until you found a bird who fits with you. I think you've chosen well, my friend, and so did Broccoli

Gosh I can't wait until she's/he's home with you!

 

[wrench13]

A beautiful and perky baby! SHe is going to be a great addition to your flock Ravvlet!

 

[ravvlet]

Filed away another hour visit with Broccoli today and got a start on the baby bird proofing, aratinga style. Those blue things on the wall (they’ll be behind a shower curtain to deter curious birdies) are polyester fiber acoustic panels! I’ve been told dusky screams can be shrill and the floor here is tile, so I am doing what I can to take the edge off in case she has a screamy moment.

The blue cage is going to a new home - it’s too small for a conure of Broccoli’s size! Thankfully I know someone who needs a smaller cage and will be delivering it to them in a week or so. In the mean time, the 32inx20in cage we are upgrading to gets here Tuesday!

 

[LaManuka]

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Filed away another hour visit with Broccoli today and got a start on the baby bird proofing, aratinga style. Those blue things on the wall (they’ll be behind a shower curtain to deter curious birdies) are polyester fiber acoustic panels! I’ve been told dusky screams can be shrill and the floor here is tile, so I am doing what I can to take the edge off in case she has a screamy moment.

The blue cage is going to a new home - it’s too small for a conure of Broccoli’s size! Thankfully I know someone who needs a smaller cage and will be delivering it to them in a week or so. In the mean time, the 32inx20in cage we are upgrading to gets here Tuesday!

I can't help but smile at every pic I see of baby Broccoli, she is just absolutely gorgeous!! 😍 😍 😍

 

[onamom]

I'm jealous! (Don't tell Ona.) I miss those baby visitation days and Broccoli is so adorable!

Looks like some good preparations!

 

[ravvlet]

I'm jealous! (Don't tell Ona.) I miss those baby visitation days and Broccoli is so adorable!

Looks like some good preparations!

She chews everything she can get to - my shirt, my fingers (gently, I’ve been trying to work on stepping up and the word “gentle” since she likes to fly to me so much when we are in the aviary together), so I am going to organize my cables in my office, cover the ones I can’t tuck away, and tuck the rest away that I can, as well as put outlet covers on the outlets in use that she can reach.

After that I’ve got to figure out if and how to block off parts of the closet I removed the doors on and converted into a craft area for the kids. There’s some shelving behind a curtain and a storage area under the stairs as well as the alcove where our hot water heater is.

I think for those I am just going to buy those mesh door kits and cut them down to size - for the shelving I am going to hope she doesn’t go behind the curtain, and if it becomes a problem maybe I can put everything up there in bins with lids.

 

[onamom]

She chews everything she can get to - my shirt, my fingers (gently, I’ve been trying to work on stepping up and the word “gentle” since she likes to fly to me so much when we are in the aviary together), so I am going to organize my cables in my office, cover the ones I can’t tuck away, and tuck the rest away that I can, as well as put outlet covers on the outlets in use that she can reach.

After that I’ve got to figure out if and how to block off parts of the closet I removed the doors on and converted into a craft area for the kids. There’s some shelving behind a curtain and a storage area under the stairs as well as the alcove where our hot water heater is.

I think for those I am just going to buy those mesh door kits and cut them down to size - for the shelving I am going to hope she doesn’t go behind the curtain, and if it becomes a problem maybe I can put everything up there in bins with lids.

You’ve got your work cut out for you! It will all be worth it when she’s home. Let me know how cutting down those magnetic screens goes. I still like mine and that could be useful for future reference. I’m also curious to know if the cord protectors work. I’ve thought about getting them to deter Ona away from the laptop chargers.

I will say I don’t miss the baby chewing phase 😄 It sounds like you’re off to a great start already though. Those are the same things I did with Ona to teach her and it paid off in the end!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

She chews everything she can get to - my shirt, my fingers (gently, I’ve been trying to work on stepping up and the word “gentle” since she likes to fly to me so much when we are in the aviary together), so I am going to organize my cables in my office, cover the ones I can’t tuck away, and tuck the rest away that I can, as well as put outlet covers on the outlets in use that she can reach.

After that I’ve got to figure out if and how to block off parts of the closet I removed the doors on and converted into a craft area for the kids. There’s some shelving behind a curtain and a storage area under the stairs as well as the alcove where our hot water heater is.

I think for those I am just going to buy those mesh door kits and cut them down to size - for the shelving I am going to hope she doesn’t go behind the curtain, and if it becomes a problem maybe I can put everything up there in bins with lids.

It sounds like when a first time parent brings their new (wingless) baby home from the hospital!

 

[ravvlet]

It sounds like when a first time parent brings their new (wingless) baby home from the hospital!

Many of the outlet covers and other stuff are leftover from when we baby proofed when the youngest started crawling!!

 

[ravvlet]

You’ve got your work cut out for you! It will all be worth it when she’s home. Let me know how cutting down those magnetic screens goes. I still like mine and that could be useful for future reference. I’m also curious to know if the cord protectors work. I’ve thought about getting them to deter Ona away from the laptop chargers.

I will say I don’t miss the baby chewing phase 😄 It sounds like you’re off to a great start already though. Those are the same things I did with Ona to teach her and it paid off in the end!

The clear cable protectors were recommended to me by a Quaker owner! I figure if it can hold up to a Quaker it should hold up to a same size conure.

 

[wrench13]

Oh, just what we need around here - another one of those crummy, uber cute Conures, hoggin' up all the PotM contests! An I foresee Broccoli garnering a few wins in the near future. All you 'keet and IRN owners - new sheriff in town, an his name is Broccoli!