Vankarhi's blog

What are Alexandrines like as pets?

Tue, 08 Nov 2005 01:51:55 -0500

I have posted this in the "asiatic" secion (I do not know how to spell or pronounce the scientic name for them), but just in case no one reads it I thought I might try here as well.

I am considering another bird to add to my "flock". I was considering a male ekkie until my galah died. Then thought about another cockatoo. so I am tossing between a sulfer crested (which I have owned before) a rose breasted 'too (my girl passed away just over 2 months ago) a major mitchell, a male ekkie or an alexandrine.

I forgot to say

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:23:29 -0500

I also forgot to say that my beloved galah (rosebreasted 'too) passed away on 27/08/05. I was devastated when I found out. I was at a dog trial when one of my older kids rang me to tell me. I think she had a massive heart attack from what the kids tell me.

Just stopped by to show what Skye is doing now

Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:18:58 -0500

I just thought I would pop in to show that I have let Skye's wing grow out and she can now fly. I have not been here for quite some time, but maybe some of you might remember me from the past. I have owned many parrots in a 30 something year period and all were clipped. I was too scared to not have Skye clipped so I did clip her. But now she can and does fly in the house. Mainly just to people, but she is flying just the same. I am also a member of "birdclick" where I have learned how to train some pretty neat tricks with her. I take her almost everywhere with us, even to volleyball comps and to dog obedience trials. She is always harnessed now she can fly, or in her travel cage. But I wanted to teach her to fly to me on command just in case she did get out, I hope I would have a better chance of getting her back if I found her in a tree or something.

Just an update

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 03:31:52 -0400

Went away for 4 days to Brisbane for the state finals junior volleyball championships. Took Skye with us and left Bo with friends who love to have her. The husband would love a bird but his wife doesn't like them, so babysitting Bo is the best he gets. Firstly Skye was a very good girl. She was in a travel cage only in the car and spent the rest of the time on/in her playpen. Lots of people around cheering for their kids teams including me and we went to a lot of shops and a market. we kept her in her carry box while in the shops but I had her on my shoulder while walking around the markets and a huge plant nursery. All the people who stopped to look at her and ask what type of bird she was. Of the hundreds of people and I mean hundreds who saw her over the 4 days only one knew that she orignates from Papua New Guinea, he just did not know what her breed name was. Rhianna took her and her team mates all patted her and some even braved it and held her. Our volleyball girls are now the junior state champions of Queensland while our Senior girls are the Senior state champions. The senior state finals were held in Toowoomba in August and our coach put the juniors in for the experience and they actually came third, while the seniors came 1st. Our volleyball girls are very good. Now they go the nationals in melbourne in December. The seniors have come second all the time, maybe this year will be the first time they get gold and hopefully our juniors as well. It is unusual for a country team/school to do so well compared to the city teams, but our girls train very hard 9 times a week and we have 12 girls in America on volleyball scholarships with a couple more going over at the end of this year. That is enough bragging about my family now. I will finish dinner now.

Back again

Mon, 11 Oct 2004 00:21:23 -0400

Boy things change in a few days. I have not logged on for a couple of days and this site has changed. It has taken me forever to log in as I apparently forgot my password. Don't know how I did that, but anyway I eventually managed to get back on line. Not much else to say. Oh yes Skye let me scratch her around her beak the other day. She did not realise it until she realised she was enjoying it. Was quite funny actually.

For Graestone and anybody else with a feather plucker

Thu, 07 Oct 2004 01:32:49 -0400

I did not know how to tell a particular person something, so I am putting it out for all to read (could be helpful for anyone) but I have read and seen about Ruby and was thinking of her when I read this. So hear goes. I realise you probably have already explored all avenues for a cure for Ruby but thought I would post this anyway - just in case you have not come across this one. I am reading a book at the moment for the second time. I borrowed it from the library then decided to buy it. Anyway it is called My Parrot My Friend by Bonnie Munroe Doane and Thomas Qualkinbush. They have some case studies with some remedies and cures. In it they name something called "Annedda" or pycnogenol. It seemed to have helped in some cases of feather pluckers. Also I read that vitamin B can or lack of it can cause problems which may lead to feather plucking as well. Hope I have been helpful and not the opposite.

Skye talking

Tue, 05 Oct 2004 17:55:25 -0400

Nate told me that the file I sent could not be opened. My husband told me I had not saved it properly. So anyway I managed to save it properly (I hope). I sent it in separate files so they were smaller to download as the original file was 80MB and I got that down to 5.5MB.

Video of Skye talking

Sat, 02 Oct 2004 07:39:23 -0400

Just to let anybody who is interested know that I managed to post a short video of Skye talking or attempting to talk. I am surprised myself what I think I heard her say. There was more stuff as I left the recorder going for about 20 mins, but obviously only put in the most obvious ones. This is mainly for those with Eclectus to show that they can talk, but I would love for all to look and listen. Remember I have only had her for 3 weeks when this was taped. I am really impressed, but some might say that I am easily pleased and have a good imagination. See what you all think.

Just discovered

Thu, 30 Sep 2004 22:41:42 -0400

I just discovered that if I click on forum or journals or photos I get to see everybodies not just mine or whoever I choose to look at. Pretty clever heh. Yeah I know I am Australian and a country person as well and maybe a bit sloooow.

No new photo's today-thought I'd give you a rest

Thu, 30 Sep 2004 08:20:31 -0400

Well I bet you guys are breathing a sigh of relief, that digital camera freak has not posted any photo's today. I was starting to worry myself. I guess, the novelty is starting to wear off. Thank goodness. Well Skye said "good girl" today. Rhianna and I both looked at each other and said did you hear that? It is just amazing how fast she is learning. I am so impressed with her. She is the smartest bird in the world - ok I have exaggerated a little bit. Maybe the smartest bird in my household. I take her into the shower with me and she probably does not like it too much, but I guess one day she might. It can be a bit dangerous in the shower too with a bird let me tell you (ha ha). No clothes for those sharp claws to hang on to. Oh well that is it for now. Oh Bo is fine too, nothing new to report on her.

More about Skye

Sun, 26 Sep 2004 23:04:50 -0400

Well while I was posting more photo's (I am a digital camera freak at the moment)on ff, Skye started wolf whistling. It was very loud and she is still doing it. I also ran upstairs earlier because I thought my toddler was hurt and screaming. Guess who it was!!! She is sitting in her cage at the moment going through her repitore of things. She laughs and screams and tries to copy almost everything she hears. She is just a card. I let her sit on my shoulder regularly now and she actually preens my ear. She has not bitten me in almost two weeks now (I have had her two and half weeks now). I have succommed to my own fears and probably lack of knowledge in this area, but I have clipped her wing. I did read heaps of books this last two weeks plus some of the articles on ff, plus I have been researching different parrots for about 18 months. Depending on which book and author you choose to read, depends on what opinion they have. The main thing is she is a much loved and cherished pet and part of our family now as is Bo. We took Skye out with us on Sunday and I think she really enjoyed the different people and places. I would say I am an Eclectus Slave.

New camera

Wed, 22 Sep 2004 18:35:30 -0400

I have been busy taking heaps of photos. I bought my husband a digital camera for his birthday early this month and he let me have Skye for my birthday just after his. Our birthdays are only days apart. So the novelty of taking photo's has not worn off yet. Plus learning to navigate feather forum is pretty exciting as well. I was looking for an old photo of one of the kids dressed as a pirate with Bo on their shoulder as the real parrot, but came across some others I thought were cute or just of interest, but did not find the one I was looking for. Hopefully the thrill of the digital camera and my new bird and this site will wear off eventually. I will then get more house work done instead. I am having trouble loading a photo of the cockatiel I have at the moment, I will check it out and keep trying.

Wanted to come out

Tue, 21 Sep 2004 04:49:04 -0400

Skye actually wanted to come out and be with us today. It was a nice feeling. She came to the cage door when I came over to her cage. I put some more food in there for her and then realised she wanted out. I had her on my shoulder for a while, but had to put her on her cage when I was preparing dinner. She flew to one of the kids, then one of the others put her on their shoulder, then I had her on mine while on the computer before. I can see big changes. I suppose I just get impatient every now and then.

Just some info

Sun, 19 Sep 2004 00:35:31 -0400

My son came over yesterday and played with Skye again (3rd time this week). He really likes her, but can't afford an eclectus so he is going to get an Alexandrine. I was going to get an Alex, but decided I really wanted an Ekkie, so my hubby (lovely man he is) said go ahead and get her if that is what you really want. So I did. She has been spending time on my shoulders and yesterday my eldest sons as well. I bought her some new toys today. So I put a couple different ones in Bo's cage and some new ones in Skye's cage as well. I tried to put a rope perch in Bo's cage but she almost had a heart attack. I think she thought it was a colourful snake or something. I have never seen her like it before. She almost flipped out. I don't think she likes change. So I put her old branch (stick) back and she is happy again. I put the harness around Skye's neck for a couple of minutes today. Yesterday I couldn't do that, so I will keep trying and gradually she will get used to it. She will learn to love it once she associates it with going outside with us. We have a carry box that I converted for her to use and we plan on taking her a lot of places with us. Bo already comes camping with us, so she is used to travelling. One of our daughters plays elite volleyball (she is at high school) and we go away a lot for that and her school team are the "Sharks" and their catch cry is "lets go sharkies lets go" and guess who will be taught to say the catch cry-yes that's right "Skye".

A family member for 1 week

Fri, 17 Sep 2004 08:17:39 -0400

Well Skye has really settled in. She loves to eat her food. I say "Breaky" each morning as I give her her breakfast of fruit and veges and seed. She makes all sorts of noises while eating, just a kid at a dessert bar. She has not bitten me in a couple of days. She accepts me touching her all over. I can touch her back, belly, neck, head and under her wings. I am saying "good morning" when I get up in the mornings, and "good night" when going to bed and "see ya" when leaving and "I am back, did you miss me" when I get back from where ever. Hopefully she will start copying these things soon. I am going to try putting the harness on her probably next week and then we will go outside and look at the big wide world. We plan on taking her places with us. We take Bo camping with us, but I really trust Bo. Bo is so gentle and generally does not try to fly away (wings are usually clipped). Has escaped on about 6 occasions, but luckily got her back each time.