Petey Blog

The last palm leaf toy was obviously too small, even though it lasted pretty long, but we had to step it up a notch with the Spiked Pinata by Planet Pleasures, a large one to be exact. After seeing the enjoyment that Petey got out of the little Octopus Pinata, I decided that this would please him even more. It might look big for small bird like a Conure, but he is determined to destroy this thing. Maybe he will stop chewing on my sweatshirt's zipper, oh wait, he broke that zipper already.

Comments:
blueyes : Holy crap that's big. I guess it might take him 3 weeks to destroy this one.
YummY! : Nifty. And, it appears that birds and rats go through toys equally quickly.
Beth : Awww seeing Petey makes me miss my rats even more! I think I spent more money on those two critters than I have on anyone or any animal in my life- I became resourceful, though. They loved to rip apart maxi-pads and tampons.
Albert : Write any question to my mail

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.

Petey often exercises his wings inside his cage. It is very important to have a cage large enough that allows birds to fully extend their wings for exercise. Clipped birds should flap their wings rigorously at least a few times per day in order to maintain their muscles properly. Improperly clipped or weak wings can cause the bird serious injury or death should they fall. The wings should be clipped evenly or the bird will be out of balance. Too aggressive of a clipping will cause the bird to drop like a rock. Whether or not to clip your bird's wings is highly dependent on the environment they live in.

Comments:
Gidget : I had a sun conure. They are great birds, loud, but sweet

Petey has found one more food that he will get excited for, Lafeber Tropical Fruit Nutri-Berries. The bag explains it can be used as a complete diet for your bird, but Petey has just been eating them in addition to his regular diet. He not only likes the papaya, pineapple, mango and bananas in the food, but he really seems to like the berry shape. At first all he was interested in was breaking them apart; however, he quickly he realized what he was dropping. The description says the shape minimizes wasted food, and claims that 96% of it is eaten. Maybe it just takes some practice because Petey does drop quite a bit of it as he breaks it apart. He has gotten noticeably better at eating them in the past week though.

Comments:
Jade : Petey looks like a Sun Conure...is he? I had one a long time ago. Best pet I've ever had! I'm trying to talk current hubby into getting me another one (the last one died a horrible death and it's taken me 10 years to get over it!)! First time here, I am sure you can tell! Good luck in the battle! :-) I'm off to explore more! I adore Petey!
Carina : Just wanted to say, that Petey is soooo cute!! I have a couple of red-rumped parakeets, but they are afraid of hands and rather shy at all, but also cute. :-)
stewie bird : I think the 96% eaten thing is a marketing ploy. Stewie drops at least a third of his NutriBerries (probably because he knows there's tons more where those came from. spoiled little bird)

Some visitors have asked if Petey's wings are clipped. Yes his wings were clipped before he came home. Most people agree that clipping a bird's wings is necessary. It is noninvasive. When done right the bird should not be able to gain altitude, but also should not sink like a rock. If the wings are clipped incorrectly, the bird can injure itself if it falls from a height. Even birds with clipped wings can gain altitude if the winds are sufficient, therefore just because a bird's wings are clipped doesn't make it safe to take your bird outside. A leash or Feather Tether Bird Harness is highly recommended if you take your bird outside. If Petey will not use the Feather Tether, then clipping his wings will be mandatory. So far progressing with the harness has been slow. In the photo, Petey is playing chewing on the Cal Sea Yum Bird Toys I mentioned before. Lately he has begun to chew on the rubber, before he would just crunch up the calcium wafers.

Comments:
YummY! : Do you clip his wings yourself, or do you get a vet to do it?
The Creep : You blog about a stupid bird, how fucking pathetic.
Anji : What lovely photos. The information is interesting too.
jill : i don't think blogging about a bird is pathetic, especially if you've ever owned a parrot you would know how much they mean to their owners and how most of them have way more personality than some humans I know. Documenting parrot antics is quite funny. anyways it's better than your lame site. BTW petey is adorable. I have a 2 yr old girl named sunny, she is a crackup. I just love them.

Petey is now a year old, but he is still a baby. In the photo, Petey is working his beak on an 8 in 1 UltraCare(TM) Mineral Treat, hopefully it will help trim his beak. So far the calcium wafer toys seem to work best on his beak though. Also while at the store picked up a feather tether, or basically a leash, expect to see progress (or lack of) in the next couple posts.

Comments:
Mike : I hate peety.

Petey enjoys water quite a bit, if he isn't given an opportunity to take a formal bath, he just hops in one of his water bowls. More water ends up outside his cage than on him though. Currently, I use Ultra Care Bird Bath Spray from Eight in One on him and it seems to work pretty well, definitely better than water alone.

Comments:
Alejandro : Did you cut his wings? :?
mike : petey is probably the coolest bird ever, if they dont like it talk to chas he will want to box them
anlempert : awww such a cutie pie

Petey's favorite treat is definitely banana chips. Most people are surprised when they see Petey using his feet to hold his food. As you can see in the video he also tries to dip the chip in one of his water bowls, but it is empty. Usually he does not dip the banana chips, but he likes to dip certain colors of Zupreem Fruit Blend for Parrots and Conures in his water before eating them. I've noticed he dips the yellow and green ones the most. Sometimes I wonder how he came up with the idea to dip the pellets in his water bowl on the other side of the cage.

Comments:
Aden : Petey is so very cute, I really love birds. I have had quite a few in my life.
Tickles_Tapeworm : Juella likes to dip her pellets in the water too. I just don't understand why she doesn't dunk them longer. :)

You can see Petey's maxillary beak tip has an issue. Overall playing with toys seems to have improved the condition of his beak without any other action being required yet. Petey crunches up a lot of Cal Sea Yum Bird Toys, and loves to demolish Cuttlebones.