Domnijoe - The Art Studio and Bird Herder's Residence

[Vampiric_Conure]

An update on Yvons - he's starting to want to explore the computer desk/drawing table! I think part of it is because I keep his peanut and almond containers on the desk, beside his cage, and he wants some. He watches them like a hawk.

Update on the 'Twins', Quasar, and Tailgate- I've caught them mating. No papers on the bottom of the cage, limited lights at night, and the only mushy food they get is their veggies. Quasar's been less nippy, too, much to my relief. I have no idea if they're M/M, F/F, or M/F, and if I don't get eggs, perfect.

The others are doing well, too. Vortex seems to enjoy her 'new' cage, even though it brings her down to hip level. She's got space to hide from the cats and whatnot, much to my relief. Charlie and Redshift are, well, cranky as they usually are.

 

[rheashard2]

Excellent. He's fitting in and that's great. Are you sure he's looking just for treats? Removing the covers from keyboards Nameliss finds very entertaining.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Are you going to sex them? What's your plan if they start laying?
I don't think length of day etc have much effect on hormonal behavior in many "household birds". My budgies mate and lay, mate and not lay, and just lay, year round regardless of bedtime and darkness. Happy healthy birds want to make more birds.

I have an appointment to get the implant Deslorelin on January 16. She laid 3 eggs in a week around Christmas and is about to lay more. I realize its risky to give a tiny bird anesthsia but is rather lose her that way than from chronic egglaying. I'm tired of having to be super diligent about keeping her isolated. It's not a good life for her.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Are you going to sex them? What's your plan if they start laying?
I don't think length of day etc have much effect on hormonal behavior in many "household birds". My budgies mate and lay, mate and not lay, and just lay, year round regardless of bedtime and darkness. Happy healthy birds want to make more birds.

I probably won't sex the conures, unless I have an urgent need to. If they start laying, I'm going to have to talk to a vet about other ways to control nesting behavior. I've had problems with a chronic egg layer in the past, so this won't be my first ride if problems arise.

My cockatiels were like that. They would lay no matter the season. My conures, in the past, have laid 2ce a year, both right around weather changes. So in the spring and in the fall. If Quasar and Tailgate just chew up their substrate and mate, I'll be relieved...I'd hate to separate them, as they are so bonded after a month. But if I have to, I'll have to

and Buree Tax:

 

[nkrbkr]

They’re very cute

 

[DonnaBudgie]

They look very happy to have each other. Which ones which?

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

They look very happy to have each other. Which ones which?

Tailgate has a LOT of red on them and they have very yellow shoulders. Their red covers most of their face, too . It's cute watching each of them zoom around their cage .

Here they are: Left is Tailgate, right is Quasar

 

[Geslina]

Domnijoe Pets and Art is the name of my art studio and former bird breeding escapade. I bred cockatiels for almost 20 years, with a few forays into Green Cheeks Conures. These days I'm still doing art but have since retired from the breeding hobby as it is 1)expensive, 2)I'm moving into a location that only allows 2 pets and no breeding allowed and 3) My conure pair turned out to be 2 hens, LOL!

In the 20 years I've had birds, I've had everything from cockatiels to budgies, three species of conure, quail, doves, Zebra Finches and a white capped pionus (and a partridge in a pear tree). Most of those were chicks. At my height of bird ownership I had 21 birds. Now I'm down to two - Redshift, my retired Cockatiel breeder cock, and Charlie, my rescue Peach Front Conure. I've had redshift since 2001-2 and Charlie I adopted from a woman who was dying in the hospital. He came to me at 21 years old! He was very much loved and I am trying to love him as much as his former owner did .

Wow, your cockatiel is how old?? A friend of a friend had one who just died at age 22. I didn’t know cockatiels could live that long.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Wow, your cockatiel is how old?? A friend of a friend had one who just died at age 22. I didn’t know cockatiels could live that long.

My current ex-breeder is 25 this summer. His mate died at 19 .

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Wow.... just thinking about the ages of my birds. The youngest by far is Tailgate at 8 months old. Then Quasar at a year and a bit, then Vortex, who turns 2 in March. Yvons will be 18, then the old farts will be **Drum Roll** 25 and 26 years old!

Then thinking about Vortex as a service animal instead of Yvons.... I have to stick train her/target train her. Gotta put her in her usual cage (she's in the play cage) and train her to step up again. I've fallen out of practice with her. Now I know where her training is gonna go, I can start at the basics . I find Yvons is a lot more nervous as a service animal. Plus I can't get him to step up. I can coax him into moving place to place with treats, but I need someone who's ... not hands on, but less bitey and predictable. He likes being an emotional support animal anyway, LOL!

Speaking of Yvons - caught him trying to shred my notebook paper in my binder:

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

I got tired of offering metal water dishes for dogs and trying to spray water on Yvons. Today, I filled up one of his food bowls with water. I figured even if he only got his head wet, he'd be good. He dipped into it like a conure. Pure unadulterated glory.

Point taken, Yvons.

Because Mosquito.. errr... Quasar bites so frequently (and HARD at times), I might have to get another cage and sell the one he and Tailgate are currently in. I'd like a cage with outer food door access. I like this one, but... yeah. Tailgate is cool. Quasar.... thank GOD he doesn't have teeth!

Will try to post a video, later, of Yvons bathing in his water dish, LOL

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

As I promised... Yvons bathing!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I think he needs a bigger bathtub!

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Another first today for Yvons! He not only climbed to the computer desk to grab some roasted peanuts (shelled), but he also climbed the empty cage with the playstand on it to explore a bit!

Yvons on the spare cage:

And Yvons was exploring the computer desk before I tossed some of the boxes on the bottom of the cage.

 

[rheashard2]

Yeah!!! He's expanding his territory and interests. Good job getting his trusting his environment.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

So he's officially at home in your apartment! Now, it's all "Mine, Mine, Mine!", so hide your important stuff or else.
He's such a lucky bird to have a loving forever home.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

Yvons was a little freaked out by the empty cage today, so I put some peanuts in his bowl on the empty cage. While I was busy typing, he wandered up and started picking through the contents.. What a lovely boy!!

And I need to make a new Amazon order for a bathing bowl that he will fit into. I have a large bowl that I put on the bottom of his cage, but he avoids it like it's infectious. Maybe a clip-on one will work better. He clearly haaates the spray bottle, too. Sigh. Parrots.

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

So the Chicken coop is bust. Selling it. It's not made for flying creatures smaller than a crow. Sure, Vortex loves the room, but she - out of the 6 birds- is the only one who will use it. Frequently. I'm better off getting a horizontal cage made for parrots. I need a new one anyway, because my little Mosquito (err, Quasar... sorry) is a HARD CORE nipper (I've NEVER had a GCC who nips as frequently or as often as he does. Oy!). I'd like to be able to service his and Tailgate's cage without being eaten alive.

PLus, if I'm to vent further, it's a bear to clean. I have a questionable back, too, so I prefer a higher cage. Tried looking for a table for it, but nothing is BIG enough :O . As I said, Vortex loves it, but.... naaaa. I thought it was a good idea and it didn't pan out. Oh well

More recent picof the monstrosity:

 

[rheashard2]

So the Chicken coop is bust. Selling it. It's not made for flying creatures smaller than a crow. Sure, Vortex loves the room, but she - out of the 6 birds- is the only one who will use it. Frequently. I'm better off getting a horizontal cage made for parrots. I need a new one anyway, because my little Mosquito (err, Quasar... sorry) is a HARD CORE nipper (I've NEVER had a GCC who nips as frequently or as often as he does. Oy!). I'd like to be able to service his and Tailgate's cage without being eaten alive.

PLus, if I'm to vent further, it's a bear to clean. I have a questionable back, too, so I prefer a higher cage. Tried looking for a table for it, but nothing is BIG enough :O . As I said, Vortex loves it, but.... naaaa. I thought it was a good idea and it didn't pan out. Oh well

More recent picof the monstrosity:

View attachment 83821

This is a suggestion. Could it be your birds don't like it because positioning is low? Your birds fly. So being on the floor may make them feel insecure. If cage is sound consider putting it on something.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I agree. Put it on a table.