|
|
Post by aaron on Jan 30, 2015 11:30:50 GMT -5
What do you guys leave on for your birds when you leave them at home? Right now I have a blu-ray of national parks that I loop all day, but I want to vary it a bit more. Anybody have any suggestions?
I want to be sensitive to putting material on that might suddenly scare her, and I don't have cable either so leaving it on a normal TV station is not an option.
|
|
|
|
Post by easttex on Jan 30, 2015 13:38:54 GMT -5
My birds spend very little time alone, and so I don't put anything on for them. Years ago I would run Animal Planet for my dog and lovebird, but found there was too much alarming programming, for me if not for them. How about just playing the radio? With mine, I think audio is more interesting for a longer period than video.
|
|
|
|
Post by julianna on Jan 30, 2015 13:44:07 GMT -5
Sorry.... I leave the TV on for Oscar on the Discovery channel. He gets to hear the animal noises... lol
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Jan 30, 2015 14:36:41 GMT -5
My birds spend very little time alone, and so I don't put anything on for them. Years ago I would run Animal Planet for my dog and lovebird, but found there was too much alarming programming, for me if not for them. How about just playing the radio? With mine, I think audio is more interesting for a longer period than video. Typically I just leave music on for her, but I have been told that video is more stimulating so I was trying to do more of that... Interesting to hear that audio is more interesting for your birds... Maybe I will stick to music. |
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Jan 30, 2015 15:58:41 GMT -5
Mine have each other for entertainment so I don't leave anything on for them. I pull Ringo's curtains back so she can watch "birdie TV" but she spends most of her time staring at Trixie and banging her toys around while she practices talking.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jan 30, 2015 19:27:37 GMT -5
I leave on Nick Jr for Mr P, he likes to hear the cartoon voices. He doesnt really watch the tv, but he does like the noise
|
|
|
|
Post by Jan and Shah on Jan 30, 2015 21:00:48 GMT -5
I leave the radio on for Shah plus he has to "supervise" the cockatiels when I am not at home.
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Jan 30, 2015 21:23:14 GMT -5
Interesting! So it seems that for the most part, either everyone only puts on audio, or thinks their birds mostly only care about the audio! That is a surprise to me, as I keep getting told by the people that run the bird store down the street from our place that parrots benefit from more than aural stimulation when left alone and that I should really do more than leave music on. Honestly though, I feel like anyone running a retail operation with parrots may give advice of questionable wisdom. I couldn't do it, personally, even though I do like these people-- the idea of selling parrots to people I don't really know is just too ethically and emotionally complicated for me.
But I digress... I do feel like Cupcake watches TV when we are watching but it does usually seem to bore her. Perhaps it is too artificial for birds. She seems to like shows where people are acting really happy though...
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Jan 30, 2015 23:17:52 GMT -5
Ralph rarely notices anything that's on television, except for a few commercials and one local news reporter who sometimes wears a bright orange blouse (she gets the Quaker alarm call  ). I always leave music on for Ralph, either "easy listening," light jazz/standards or classical. That's what he likes best. |
|
|
|
Post by biteybird on Jan 31, 2015 0:42:39 GMT -5
Compared to all of your FIDS, Bonnie is really deprived. She languishes in her prison until we get home from work, with no TV and no radio . Usually a couple of shoelaces in her cage keeps her occupied (we think). We might get investigated by RSPCP (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Parrots). |
|
|
|
Post by easttex on Jan 31, 2015 3:44:29 GMT -5
Interesting! So it seems that for the most part, either everyone only puts on audio, or thinks their birds mostly only care about the audio! That is a surprise to me, as I keep getting told by the people that run the bird store down the street from our place that parrots benefit from more than aural stimulation when left alone and that I should really do more than leave music on. Both of my birds can see out a window during the day, and I think that gives them some visual stimulation. I don't think they really "get" TV. |
|
|
|
Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jan 31, 2015 10:07:32 GMT -5
I should add (and this was discussed on another thread) that Mr P also loves to hear screaming women in horror flicks or tv shows. He laughs this cackling, evil laugh, when he hears women scream. What does that say about him, I wonder?
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Jan 31, 2015 12:54:02 GMT -5
I do wish Cupcake could see out the window better during the day... She is within view of our sliding glass back door, but about 15 feet away. It gets too cold and drafty during the winter for her to be situated close to windows.
Sometimes I feel like she "gets" TV to some degree at least. She will sit there and appear to be watching it for minutes at a time, but I'm not sure she likes it, even if she is entertained with it at times... She often seems to get grumpy when the TV turns on. But maybe that is because we are suddenly watching it instead of paying attention to her.
|
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Jan 31, 2015 20:37:20 GMT -5
I watch videos with mine and last night we watched The Princess Bride and nobody cared in the least. Clyde continued to preen my eyebrows and Benjy flirted with my thumb and the tiel boys kept tearing up paper.
|
|
|
|
Post by biteybird on Jan 31, 2015 21:55:47 GMT -5
Siobhan, apparently your FIDS don't like 'family' movies...maybe you should try sci-fi/horror instead. As Sharyn and I have discovered, ones with screaming women are the best! If I ever left the TV on for Bonnie I'd definitely choose disaster movies or predatory creature movies over romance any day.  I guess you'll know if the tiels like it, if they stop their paper-tearing (?).  |
|
). I always leave music on for Ralph, either "easy listening," light jazz/standards or classical. That's what he likes best. 
I guess you'll know if the tiels like it, if they stop their paper-tearing (?). 