Sunday September 17, 2006

The big question, to flight or not to flight?

Petey the Sun Conure flying
Petey is able to fly pretty well now, but his ability to fly is a double edged sword. On one hand he gets quite a bit more exercise and seems very happy. But on the other, he can get in to more trouble than before. Although he only flies between people and his perches, even that can be a nuisance as he does not like to be left behind. Even if you just want to sit on the couch a few feet from his perch without him for a moment. Then there are the obvious arguments against flighted birds. They can have fatal accidents with windows, fans, or other hazards. They can also get loose and lost, although this can happen even with clipped birds too. Some people report that birds also become less social and more independent. Petey does not seem to be any less social or independent than before, in fact other than flying back to the people he is used to when handed off to a stranger, he is more social now that he can fly back to us. I guess the big question has not been answered yet.


Comments:
Pete : Glad to see Petey back! Fantastic pictures. Quetzal says, "Hello".

Monday September 04, 2006

Happy Hut

Petey the Sun Conure in his Happy Hut
Over the summer Petey has been getting used to his Happy Hut Hideaway. For about a week he ignored it. After that week he started sleeping in it after dark until his cage was covered. Lately he can be found sleeping in it when he wakes up in the morning. There have been reports of birds getting snagged in the threads. Just like other objects in the bird's environment, they should be regularly checked and have loose threads removed. Many birds prefer having Happy Huts that match their predominant color.


Comments:
stewie bird : Stewie bird LOVES his Happy Hut. Our vet said that it's probably not a great idea to leave it in his cage all the time because it makes conures get nesty and territorial... but I couldn't imagine taking it away from him; it's his little happy place.