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Post by siobhan on Apr 22, 2016 11:16:43 GMT -5
It gets pretty cold in winter here, too, but the wood floors stay warm enough, Jan. The Birdcage is in a converted breezeway so it has a concrete floor with linoleum on top of it and it gets chilly in there, but I have an oil-filled electric radiator in that room in the winter and it stays comfortable that way.
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Post by cnyguy on Apr 22, 2016 21:19:36 GMT -5
Here's a picture of Scooter:  |
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Post by Angela on Apr 22, 2016 21:34:22 GMT -5
She's gorgeous Gary!
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Post by aaron on Apr 23, 2016 12:01:59 GMT -5
Hi Scooter!!
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Post by cnyguy on Apr 23, 2016 19:55:36 GMT -5
She is a pretty parrot, though, as I said, her feather condition is none of the best. With improvements in her diet, her feathers should look better in time. If I can get her to take a bath or accept a misting, it will help too. She was a little less jittery today, and has begun making the same clicking sound Ralph and I use for contact calling, so maybe she's feeling a little more at home.  I've started adding some apple cider vinegar to her water, and I think she'll benefit from that too. |
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Post by easttex on Apr 24, 2016 13:56:09 GMT -5
I've always thought the greys were beautiful birds, even before Allie. Not as colorful as some parrots, but I love the scallops on the head and neck feathers. One of the things they have a tendency to, in addition to hypocalcemia, is vitamin A deficiency. That can show up in poor feathers.
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Post by cnyguy on Apr 24, 2016 19:56:13 GMT -5
I have a list of foods with a good Vitamin A content, and many of them are things that Ralph already eats and I'm adding them to Scooter's diet too. She's beginning to be more willing to at least try some of the new foods. We're making some progress with improving her diet. I couldn't let the vacuuming go any longer, so this morning, I brought out my canister vacuum and showed it to Scooter. She wasn't at all afraid, and made some funny noises while I was running the vacuum-- lots of odd beeps and squeaks.  Unfortunately, she wasn't motivated by the sound of the vacuum to take a bath. I have a nest of mourning doves on my balcony, on top of the wall-mounted air conditioner (the past two years, there were robins nesting there). Every once in a while, they'll let out a hooo and Scooter has started to do a precise imitation of the doves. |
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Post by julianna on Apr 25, 2016 17:59:04 GMT -5
That picture is awesome..
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Post by cnyguy on Apr 25, 2016 20:49:57 GMT -5
Scooter speaks! Today, she said "Hi, Scooter!" in her owner's voice, and later said "It's OK" in my voice. I've said that to her a few times when she's been scared by something (like the roll of paper towels or my Boston rocker). She tolerated a light mist spraying today too-- barely enough to get her wet, but it's a step in the right direction. Even with such a minor misting, her feathers look a bit better. I'm expecting to hear a QP squawk from her any time now. |
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Post by Caseysmom on Apr 25, 2016 21:11:59 GMT -5
Scooter sounds like she is relaxing and getting used to you! It will be funny to hear her squawk along with Ralph!
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Post by julianna on Apr 26, 2016 12:58:57 GMT -5
Jan... back to the flooring... yes the wood does get cold however, use small throw rugs for your walking area. Or.. you can have the floors installed with heating beneath them. I wish I had done that when I put the wood floors in my living room. Living by the lake here ... and with our winters... the floors can get really cold... no matter how much heat I turn on.
Scooter is beautiful.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Apr 26, 2016 16:20:39 GMT -5
Thanks Julianna. Unfortunately underfloor heating is wildly expensive in Australia. However, I am wondering if some sort of sheeting can be installed under the floorboards to cut out the draughts. I will speak to the builder and see what he says.
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Post by cnyguy on May 2, 2016 20:20:50 GMT -5
Scooter is gradually getting to feel more at home here. Today, I heard a Quaker squawk come from a place where there was no Quaker. I've invited her to come out of her cage, but she still isn't ready for that, and isn't interested in scritches yet, but she enjoys having me sit near her cage and talk with her. She's becoming more adventurous about trying new foods too. |
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Post by biteybird on May 3, 2016 2:51:15 GMT -5
That's great! I sense many more Scooter stories on the way. |
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Post by cnyguy on May 3, 2016 20:11:44 GMT -5
That's great! I sense many more Scooter stories on the way. Undoubtedly. This is a new experience for me, having two parrots and having a CAG, and I expect Scooter will be making lots of strange new sounds and speaking some new words. And I anticipate gradual progress with improving her diet and feather condition, so naturally I'll have to tell about it. And here on the Forum, nobody is likely to say "Enough about the parrots already." as sometimes happens in the outside world.  |
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I've started adding some apple cider vinegar to her water, and I think she'll benefit from that too. 
Unfortunately, she wasn't motivated by the sound of the vacuum to take a bath. 
