Parrots and Other Pets in the Home . . .

[Pajarita]

I don't think clipping would make a bird more prone to have a heart attack although, of course, lack of exercise is always a factor with any cardio-vascular problem. But it definitely makes them more prone to getting respiratory infections!

[Pajarita]

Thank You, Wolf for your reply. I will be getting a Senegal in the Spring. I have 2 Dogs, 1 English Bulldog and 1 Pug. I really do not want to have to have the Senegal's wings clipped. I would like it to be fully flighted, as my 2 Gouldian Finches are in their cage. I guess with that being said, I would be more afraid of what the Senegal would do, then what my dogs would do. I would imagine I would need a table-top playpen for the parrot to keep it nearby, but if it's fully flighted, ya never know . . . . .

A clipped bird is a sitting duck for predators so, no, clipping doesn't make the bird safer, quite the contrary.

The breeds you have are not bird dogs so I think you will be OK. My senegals completely ignore the dogs while my larger birds will go after them -especially the cockatoos! As to play gym and the bird staying on it... well, I have to tell you that I don't see that happening with a Senegal, they always seem to want to be on one's shoulder. They do fly around (mine do, A LOT, they even go up and down the stairs as well as from one room to another) but they always come back to the shoulder.

[ParrotsForLife]

I don't think clipping would make a bird more prone to have a heart attack although, of course, lack of exercise is always a factor with any cardio-vascular problem. But it definitely makes them more prone to getting respiratory infections!

Just wondering because a Budgie I had died of a heart attack when my sister jumped next to him

[NJBirdMan]

When I had my Nanday Conure in 1990, he was clipped. I think that a lot of his behavioral problems was directly related to that. He was a real Screamer! He could burst your eardrums.
Because he could not fly, he could not follow me when I went into another room. It was frustrating to him. So, he Screamed!

I have a Veterinarian for my dogs who does not believe a Bird belongs in a cage or in captivity.
I love birds, but now see how not allowing a bird to fly can affect their behavior and health.

I have seen some members here with truly beautiful birds. Who could not want that beauty around them? But just like with dog ownership, having a companion bird requires work. There is so much to learn

So, my Questions are: When you bring your new bird (a Senegal) home, what do you do first? Put him in the cage? Keep him out of the cage? I guess I'm not sure (or I don't remember) what to do when I get him/her home. Is their a routine that I should have with the Senegal every day ?

How do all of you begin your day with your birds ?
When do you put your birds to bed ?
How much In-cage time, and how much Out-of-cage time do you provide ?

[Wolf]

Before I try to say much of anything in answer to your last questions could you tell me a bit about where you are planning on getting this bird. Things such as how old this bird is expected to be when you get it, will it be fully weaned or not? These things as well as other things will make a difference in the birds care as well as what type of routines you will need to establish. It also make a difference in how you approach the bird in the beginning and possibly how quickly it responds to you.

[ParrotsForLife]

My birds are out of the cage ALL day and only sleep in the cage on school nights, They would rather sleep out on their hanging area on the ceiling so basically they are never caged but of course this wouldn't work out for everybody.I just make sure they get at least 10 hours sleep but try to go for 12 and stick to our routine.

[liz]

First of all, the size of the dog means nothing. My aunt had a Chihuahua who was a killer. She was as bad as a cat when in the yard. She could jump on and kill any bird that got near her.

When Amy opened the door to her cage and let Bubba out the only thing that saved him was a kitten that pushed him in a corner and laid in front of him. That sensitive kitten saved the bird from all the dogs that were behind her. She continued to look out for them and would visit a couple times a day to check on them.

I had a Rottie mix that weighed 65 pounds. He was so sensitive that he cried when it was mating season for the Hermit Crabs. He would sit by the aquarium they were in and cried for me to stop them from fighting. My daughter had a pet white rat. One morning I found the Rottie whimpering beside her cage. When I looked closer I saw the rat had her hand through the cage begging him for food. He was trying to tell the rat that he could not give her anything alone.

I got a chick on chick day at the co op. It was impulse but she gave me joy. She was so little that I put her in a cage and box beside a night light bulb. She was alone until Rachel's boxer befriended it. She would visit Chick Chick multiple times a day and whimper for her to come out of the box. She would sit at the cage and let the chick peck her on the nose. (The other dogs did not like the greeting Chick Chick had with Haley). I don't know how the chick knew it but she would go outside when the dogs did. I think she thought she was a dog.

When Rambo moved in the others knew he was going to be part of the family. He did not have a cage but lived on the dining room table for a while. He knew the difference between his critter family and a different critter. While Momma and I were out my aunt heard someone cry for help.
Rambo was yelling "HELP HELP HURRY HURRY PUT HIM OUT". It was the neughbors cat that came throught the pet door and Rambo knew he was not family. While Aunt Betty was running around the table trying to get the cat, Rambo was yelling "CATCH HIM AND PUT HIM OUT".
After that the dogs knew not to allow visiting critter in the house.
While Rambo was walking on the floor Rachel's dumb boxer puppy followed him too close. Rambo did the "big scarey bird" thing but it did not work. Myrtle attacked him from above and scared him off.

When Rachel moved out one of her times, she left an iguana in the house. Since I did not like him in a room and board I opened the door and he came out. For a while there were many parades. When the iguana walked through the house all the other critters would follow trying to figure out what it was but never touched him.

I don't have to train my critters. The older ones teach the others how it is. I found Chloe the Chihuahua trying to teach Myrtle the pet door and how it works. I stopped her and Myrtle was too scared without flight that she did not pay attention.

All I have to do is to put the new one on the floor with the others. They would come and check it out then add it to the family.

Well I rattled on. What I am saying that in my house the size of the critter mean nothing.

[Pajarita]

Liz, I wasn't referring to the size of the dogs (bulldogs might be short but they are compactly solid and heavy dogs), I was talking about the breeds. Pugs are so laidback that they were the only small breed we would adopt out to people with small children and bulldogs are not what one would call 'active' dogs - their difficulty breathing and lack of internal mechanism to regulate their temperature prevents them from running around so they have been bred to be couch potatoes.

Wolf, I would also like to find out more details about the bird Patrick is getting because the answers to his questions depend on the age, of course, but I am thinking it will be a baby and I doubt it will be really weaned, although I am sure that the breeder will tell Patrick that it is!

Patrick, the birds that live in the human areas start their day when the sky is barely beginning to get any light and end it with the sunset. Depending on the season, they stay out from 4 or 5 (winter) to 7 hours a day (summer). I wish I could keep them out all day long but I have a lot of young cats and they need to come out, too.

The

[NJBirdMan]

Pajarita, This will be the first time I will be acquiring a Parrot at such a young age. I'm not experienced in this whole process. I just know I am first on the waiting list for the Senegal 'babies'.
The Bird Store owner indicated that the Nest boxes don't go up until Mid-November. I don't know when the eggs will be laid, or what the entire process is once they are laid and how long that takes. I assume it will take 12-weeks to Wean the babies. So I am figuring that I will not have my new Senegal before May 2017.

[ParrotsForLife]

Pajarita, This will be the first time I will be acquiring a Parrot at such a young age. I'm not experienced in this whole process. I just know I am first on the waiting list for the Senegal 'babies'.
The Bird Store owner indicated that the Nest boxes don't go up until Mid-November. I don't know when the eggs will be laid, or what the entire process is once they are laid and how long that takes. I assume it will take 12-weeks to Wean the babies. So I am figuring that I will not have my new Senegal before May 2017.

It is a long process and weaning can take 8-12 weeks usually longer than 8 weeks and some babies will even want to be hand fed again when they go to their new homes, At least you will have lots of time to research and prepare for your new baby.