Well I'm glad this isnt a banned topic here. Like on the other place. I join you guys in that emotion.

Imagine my shock after buying a pet shop in the late 80's and realizing what REALLY goes on with animals within about 3 months.

How many animals do you think I DIDNT sell to different dopes lol....or GAVE away because the bird fell in love. Or just didnt "order" very many to sell because I didnt have the heart for it.

Instead I ended up doing ALOT of boarding and rehoming and it was very satisfying.

I estimate I lost about $100,000 during the decade or so that I had that store at least. And didnt draw a huge salary. Oh well, live and learn, right? It was fun though, too in some ways.

[quote=Freedomoflight;40902]Cindy- I got Higgins because he was aggressive, period. He was known human aggressive, and when I got him, his wings were clipped. He did have a conure housemate in his former home, but I don't have a glimmer of an idea of how that dynamic worked out. I do know, however, that he is extremely bird aggressive. He has attacked my amazon, unprovoked, on several occasions, where my amazon was simply eating on the playstand, and Higgins lunged from the back of the couch to go for the amazons throat. Luckily, my amazon is a big chicken and no harm was done to either bird. I know I cannot trust him out with any bird, so the caiques always get seperate out of cage time. But, he will get out and jump on the others birds cages and try to get at them through the cage bars.
/QUOTE]

Freedomoflight, Well at least I can feel it's not completely the bratty Parrotlets fault, then! I was afraid they were getting him riled up.

And yeah, I can understand why he picks them too because they ACT big! And they are probably mouthing off to him and we cant even tell!

I hope it all works out with time. It's hard to have alot of bird dynamics together. But the Parrotlets couldnt be happier than they are when they're together so that's really great it's working out. And they have NO interest or need to be with the others. Just you of course for awhile every day, and out of their cage supervised in "their room" and they're happy. With a huge food banquet and shredding toys lol.

Harley was never fledged. She, having never learned to fly, was purchased clipped by the breeder. We personally didn't like the style of the clip as it wasn't very attractive. We let it grow out, and then kinda forgot about it. Harley got out and flew across the street and onto the neigbor's roof. I was not at home (I was on the back of a horse and having a panick attack). After that, we clipper her. She hasn't been re clipped for quite a while now.

We don't know if Echo was fledged or not. His wings are in the prrcess of growing out and I will leave him fully flighted. It could go either way for me. We clip for safety, not just because it's easier to not have to worry about them. I think that as long as the clip is comportable and allows the bird to glide enough, it is ok.

I am debating on keeping Bella clipped or not. The size factor of my house and right now things will be getting busy as we redo things to help sell it once it's ready. If the new house has more room for her I'll let her wings grow out and give that gal'some flight.

Thats where my statement comes from. I quite often find myself conflicted about it as well. To the point even that as much as it would kill me to see any of my fids fly off, a deep inner voice will still be yelling "fly baby fly!!" Anybody know what I mean?

I also want to say as a humble man (you believe that right?) a lot of my intensity about this topic is due to you flighty people... you know who you are!! ... are making a very good point and it contradicts that which I learned as a new bird owner.

Jim you're a sweet guy and your birds are SO lucky to have found you. Especially Cricket LOL. Four inch King of the house.

I have that voice too. I watch Piper every single day first thing in the morning and last thing at night fit herself on the little one inch space where you lock the windows...and press her face up against the window.

Like a dog. There are actual smear marks like a dog drooling.

She watches every leaf and speck of dust flying around out there. She talks to herself and moves her head back and forth like she's hypnotized watching.

(she's the one who is the super-zoom recall bullet flier who can fly down 9 feet off the entertainment center, bank herself sideways, fly under the dining room table and out the other side and zoom back UP the 9 feet....all within seconds)

Toby on the other hand is a big dork and only interested in what food is in the dish and getting on top of my head

When I see Piper like that I'm thinking "What the hell are we doing here"....then luckily almost like reading my mind she decides to go eat or play or groom Toby and my guilt goes away. Till the next time....

When I was outdoor with Tinkerbell, I preferred to play with her on recalls so that would be second nature to her. But here is a shot of her flying away from me to my wife taking the photos. Not the nicest photo but I treasured all of them nonetheless.

Tink would not respond to wife recall cues even if she waved the treat box in obvious undisguised bribery positioning herself between Tink and me when I do recalls.

Tink would fly to her if I asked her to do that. Or Tink got annoyed with me and if she in that mood and I perversely call Tink, Tink would equally perversely flew to my wife instead of to me.

In apartment there were 10 named perches/places eg, tower, ring, cage, perch, Zorro cage (top of ferret Zorro cage) etc etc. Part of our daily routine was that I named the places and Tink would fly there in that order as a game. Unless she was annoyed, in which case she would deliberately flew to those perches not named instead of those named. Thoughts of wringing her neck occasionally crept into my head.



Here is another of Tink not flying to me yet. She was flying in a big circle above me before I call for her to break out to return to me.

Welcome to ParrotChatter. You have a very special bird that I have followed for for a long time! Thank you for sharing your pictures with us.

I followed you around for some time earlier even if you did not know it then.

I used to place Tink photos in Webshot and saw your photos there. Can hardly miss yours as your photos have some of the hightest hits ever.

Glad to finally touch base with you here and say hi to you

Welcome to PC Shanlung, pleasure to meet you and lovely photos too.