Rescued 8 year old Maximillian Pionus

[Pajarita]

No, it couldn't have been a fungal infection, Wolf, sounds like chlamydiosis to me so, please, be careful with her AND the other birds, watch them like a hawk for symptoms because chlamydiosis repeats as it's shed by birds that have been sick and got better not only re-infecting themselves but also other birds (it's the aerosolized poop that does it). You should do a round of doxy for everybody every two years as prevention as the USDA recommends for aviaries that had been affected by it (this is what I do).

But, Wolf, although poor Mimi's life would be considered abuse by us, it's not in the bird world... Lots and lots of people keep their parrots in cages and don't interact with them or allow them to interact with other birds. It's still a very common practice, unfortunately.

[flyingsowm]

Pajarita, I am not sure if you saw my post or not but I have had a bird in the house since '98. Read the post when you have a chance (3 posts back?). But you are right in that it is very busy and I am done bringing in more birds. No regrets in bringing Elmo here though!

[Pajarita]

Yes, sorry for not replying to it directly. I read the post but having birds that are no longer there doesn't signify in the flock dynamics or the amount of time you and any new bird need in order to completely adjust and settle down to a comfortable routine - which was the point I was trying to make. Young birds are always easy, it's when they have been sexually mature for a couple of years that you can say to yourself: "OK, now I know the bird". Same thing with adult birds that are rehomed, you need to wait a couple of years before you can say that the flock is 'in sync' -that was the point I was trying to make. Experience is good but, in all honesty, unless you've had a significant number of birds of the same species for a number of years, the usual experience that most parrot owners have is limited to their own bird as an individual - and then, only if the person has learned to read the bird correctly, which, it might surprise you to find out that, in my personal opinion, this is not commonly the case.

There were birds in my house since before I was born and I handfed parrots when I was ten years old (my grandmother was a bird lover) so, if I went by that, I could say that I have 50 years of experience with parrots but I don't. Not really. I also had a rescue with an average of 240 birds under my sole care for 6 years and one would think that this is pretty good experience, right? But even I cannot wing it with new birds... I take my time and don't take a new one until I have the flock dynamics back to a good even level - and, sometimes, this means finding one a new home because no matter how long I wait and observe and tweak and adjust things to make them work, they don't.

[flyingsowm]

Ok I understand. I did not go out looking for this pionus and it was great with two pionuses, 2 parrotlets, and two budgies. The parrot expert who clipped Storm's nails told me that a pionus from a hoarder urgently needed a home, and I was her first choice because she had been to our home and seen how are birds are with us and that we love pionus.The other possible home was 6 hours away and they were not interested. He is our last addition and I am glad he seems to be settling in well. It will be very slow but is so worth it long term. I just put is old rusty 15 inch cage out on the curb. Yay!

[Wolf]

I hear you on that and I thank you for taking him in. I took in birds that I wasn't really ready for Partly because of my lack of knowledge about them and partly because I cared so much for them that I wanted them to have better than what they had before. I never even considered how I was going to manage it, just that they were in need and I could help. The budgies were accepted for another couple but the birds were too much for them so again I took them in. Kiki showed up and started all of this and I went after Kookooloo because I knew that she would not have survived with these same people that had treated Kiki so poorly. Keeta was the one bird that although she needed a home would probably been fine without me, but I wanted her and agreed to give her a companion who is Rajah and is my newest and last addition. At least at this point in time. Any way enough about my birds.
I am glad to hear that you got him a new cage, can you tell how he likes it? Of course, it may be too early. It sounds to me as though he is trying to get along and is doing well.

[flyingsowm]

We have similar stories! People showed up at our door one day with a flighted budgie found at the park. It was a year ago and frost was nearing. Next the big box petstore here contacted me to because they had an unsellable budgie with a deformed wing. Violet and Joey are both flighted and are best buds.
Our family was on the cover of a magazine lately and it centered around our pets and plants. After that came out in August, Tookie, Storm and Elmo came into our lives and I think a lot of it had to do with the article. It was a blessing because Tookie and Jellybean are best buds and Tookie was still nuzzling me today and singing Happy Birthday . He wanted me to kiss Jellybean too. Jellybean loves all the attention! He is such a sweet parrotlet baby.

Indigo, Storm and Elmo are the big pi boys who eat with us and talk with us throughout the day. Elmo loves the new cage because he actually has toys,- leather, leafy branches and wood to chew one. He circled in it the first day upside down on top of the cage ina. Neurotic way because thst is probably what he did a lot on his previous tiny box. He is still scared of his shadow but is really coming around. He still lunges sometimes when I walk by the cage (especially in the late evening) but I try to keep my distance at thise times. At least he is coming in and out freely and is not cagebound like he was in the first house when he wa depressed and plucking and in the second where he was caged in. The pi cages are only closed at night here or if we go out.

[Wolf]

Mimi does the upside down circling of her cage quite a bit. Sometimes it appears to be a psychotic break and at other times it seems that it is something that she actually enjoys. She has her cage open as long as she is awake and it is due to her being cage bound, because she isn't going to leave that cage. I have dogs and cats sharing the same living space so her cage is closed if I can't be there to preside over the interactions.
I have not been able to talk to anyone else that has a bird that acts the way that Mimi does to compare notes with. The circumstances that have caused them to act the way they do is unfortunate, but it may be helpful for us to be able to learn from each other and these two birds to better help them to heal from the causes of this behavior, or at least I hope so.

[Pajarita]

Ok I understand. I did not go out looking for this pionus and it was great with two pionuses, 2 parrotlets, and two budgies. The parrot expert who clipped Storm's nails told me that a pionus from a hoarder urgently needed a home, and I was her first choice because she had been to our home and seen how are birds are with us and that we love pionus.The other possible home was 6 hours away and they were not interested. He is our last addition and I am glad he seems to be settling in well. It will be very slow but is so worth it long term. I just put is old rusty 15 inch cage out on the curb. Yay!

Yes, sometimes, we can't say no -nobody better than me to understand this! One very important thing you have going for you is that all three birds that came last and too close together are all pies because having birds that belong to the same family makes the transition from been an only bird to one of several easier on them. Let's hope it all works out and, if you need any help, we are here to give it to you as best we can.

[flyingsowm]

Wolf - Mimi and Elmo sound similar. It is nice ti have someone to compare notes with. I am rereading Russ Shade's Practical Pionus book which is full of good info on the genus. Right now Elmo is begging for treats from hand but it is a fine balance . He loves his veggies but I want him to eat his pellets too. The hand treats have to be big enough to allow distance (like an almond) but then it is tok bug for a treat. What would you suggest? A wonderful pionus owner from another province I know suggests letting him have a bite of millet from the end of a sprig. I feel bad taking it away after offering it. What do you think?

Pajarita - you misread. The latest bird arrivals are described in my last post. The last three birds were Tookie (parrotlet), Storm (pionus) and Elmo (pionus). Indigo (pionus) has been here for almost 4 years.

[Wolf]

Have you tried slivered almonds? They are cut the length of the almond so they are about as long as a whole almond but much smaller.
Right now the only way that Mimi will take a treat is from the flat of the hand. She is not very consistent yet on going for the almond so she only gets a couple of them at a time. If it is held in the fingers she refuses it especially if it is not an almond or if it is an almond she goes for the fingers instead of the nut. She has only been taking treats for a few days now, but it has taken nearly two years to reach this point with her.