Conference 7.286::pet_birds

    Hi,
    
       I really like the name Sydney especially for a cockatoo, and if
    it turns out to be a male thats no problem.
            
    
                                     Mike and Sampson
    

    Jim,
    
    Congratulations! 
    
    I have decided that my next large bird is going
    to be an Umbrella Cockatoo They look like wonderful pets! 
    I just found one at Basic Bird but they want $1,600.00 and 
    I cant afford that boy what a love she was, when I walked into
    the store she jumped on me, put her head under my chin and said
    hello. 
    I talked to a couple of breders in my bird club and they 
    said I can get one for around $1,100.00 "sigh"  Oh well someday.

    Congratulations again!
    Donna

    	I walked into a little shop and the owner was holding a 
    	white ball of fluff... it turned out that she was holding
    	an Umbrella Cockatoo.  I had never seen one before and she
    	was SOOOOOOoooo SWEET!  She loved to be held in your arms like a 
    	baby.  In fact, that was her name... Baby.  It did fit her.  When
    	the woman put Baby back on her cage-shelf.. Baby walked over to 
    	her cage, climbed on the side of the cage, then extended one foot
    	out toward the woman and waved her foot (trying to reach the 
    	woman).  The woman told me that was Baby's way of asking to be 
    	held again.  She also told me that if Baby had her way, she would
    	be held all day.
    
    	I know I fell for her...

    Jim, ANOTHER bird baby, WOW!
    
    I heard that a little bird (D.K.) told you I'll be up in your neck
    of the world next week.  Let's talk names.....
    
    Of course I am the LAST person I would ask to help name a bird.
    After all.....KoKo, Rico, Taco, Bubba, Phoebe?????  And two cats
    one named Gnocchi and one called Tina!  Highly unimaginative!
    
    See ya next week.
    
    Pat

    Regarding note .3 this is exactly what this bird did when I saw her at
    the pet store.  She climbed up the front of the cage and put her foot
    through the cage bars.  I gave her my hand and she reached out with her
    other foot.  She was literally perched on my hand through the bars.  I
    fell in love at that point.  I went back a few weeks later to visit her
    and got an opportunity to hold her.  She snuggled up to me like a baby 
    and stayed there.  It was difficult to put her down.  Needless to say
    she went home with me the following day.  
    
    Regards,
    
    Jim Buccieri

    Wow, 10 birds!  I've lost track. Exactly what kinds of birds do you
    have Jim?  Do you have a bird room or are they situated all around the
    house?  
    
    I've always thought that "Angel" would be a nice name for a cockatoo.
    
    Congratulations on your new addition!
    
    
    Jeanne
    

    Hi Jeanne,
    
    Well, here is the list .........
    
    I have three budgies, Hans VonKeet, Blueberry & Sunshine.
    
    I purchased Hans and he is one of the most tame keets that I have ever
    seen.  We were going to eventually get a second budgie and name him
    Franz.  Blueberry and Sunshine were adopted from a family living in the
    projects of Boston.  They were living in a small Woolworth's 5&10 cage
    eating Hartz supermarket seed.  They are now on L&M Vitatvittles as all
    my birds are and they now live in a spacious Hoei cage.  
    
    I have two cockatiels, Stevie is a normal grey and was named after
    Stevie Wonder because of the way he moves his head when he sings and
    we also have a hand fed Lutino Cockatiel that we call EBUZZ.  If you
    recall EBUZZ was the dog in one of those Sci-Fi movies, Aliens or
    something.  
    
    Then we have Flash, he is a ten year old Orange Wing Amazon.  Tame by
    imported Amazon standards he came to us after having a few owners, one
    of whom had him on a teather leash.  Bad new for tropical birds.
    
    I have two Yellow Collared Mini-Macaws.  Astro and Co-Co.  Sweethearts
    for birds.  They are very tame and comical.  Astro is the baby, he is 
    two and Co-Co is around 8 years old.  Co-Co was adopted and is blind in 
    one eye.
    
    Then we have Alphie, he is a Lesser Sulpher Crested Cockatoo.  He
    belongs to a friend of the family and is a semi-permanent boarder.
    He has quite a vocabulary and is somewhere around 13 years old.
    
    And last but not least the baby of the brood, old what's her name.
    She is a nine month old Umbrella Cockatoo.  I like Angel and I am
    also considering Sydney as a name.  I'll let you all know.
    
    I once had all of these birds in the living and dining room area.  I
    was becoming very unpopular with the other human residents of the
    house.  My step children prefer quiet birds.  So I arranged a bird 
    room and have all but Co-Co and my new Umbrella in there.  They have
    full spectrum light and seem quite content.  I have a visiting perch
    in the living room and I bring them up at different times.  
    
    It's a lot of work bu I can see that it is a wonderful feeling to feel
    needed and responsible for these feathered friends.  They get the best
    of everything that I can afford.  I wish that I was as healthy.  I hope
    this answers you questions.
    
    Peace
    
    Jim Buccieri   

    re .7
    
    Sounds like a great family, Jim.  Such a variety!  By the way, what
    have you named your new member?
    
    Also, what is a full spectrum light?  My birds go outside almost every
    day so they get plenty of real sunshine, but maybe I should also get
    one of these full spectrum lights for the times they do need to stay
    indoors.  This is a rare occurance, maybe 30 days per year are to nasty
    for the birds to be placed outside.  Also where does one purchase this
    type of light?  
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    
    Jeanne
    

    Re: .8
    
    Hi again,
    
    Well we decided on Angel.  That was a great suggestion!
    
    The full spectrum light is easily obtained.  Basically all it is, is
    a flourecent tube that gives all of the frequencies of light.  I
    purchased a conventional flourecent fixture from the hardware store,
    removed the standard bulbs and replaced them with the full spectrum
    tubes.  I purchased the tubes at the local pet store.  It will usually
    be a store that deals with birds.  There were expensive, about $30.00
    per tube (this is the four foot variety).  You are lucky to be in a
    climate where you can take advantage of natural light for a good
    portion of the year.  We up here in New England don't have this luxury.
    There is also a common condition that affects people call Winter
    Depression and many people that have this problem will sit in front
    of a large light box loaded with these full spectrum lamps.  The body 
    responds to this as if it were sunshine.  All I know is that it keeps 
    my birds looking good during the short winter days.  If your local pet
    shop does not carry them then write to some of the distributers that 
    advertise in Bird Talk.
    
    Good Luck
    
    Jim Buccieri

    FYI, Vitalites is one brand of full spectrum light.  Beware of
    look-alikes and plant lights, they are good too but not exactly
    the same.  Read the fine print.  Jim, I have seen Vitalites for
    as much as $18 for 48 inch ones, but never $30!!!!  Sorry you
    had to pay so much. But they are worth it, whatever the cost.
    
    Linda