I was looking thru a bunch of old books and stuff on birds for a article written on eggs. under the bed I found old trapper keeper labeled Bird information. in one of those folder I found something that I wrote many years ago, when I was breeding and selling Budgies. boy oh boy, was I ever naïve in those days. this was give to anybody that bought a baby budgie from me. what I know now and what I knew then are 2 different worlds
this is what I wrote: including all my spelling and grammar errors on old typewriter that was my grandma's. no computers in those days. I am still shaking my head and wondering how my birds survive as long as they did.
Old paper I wrote when I was selling Budgies
1. Keeping your birds Healthy?
My best idea for healthy parakeets is this: Plenty of rest, vitamin- enriched foods, both seeds and soft foods. Clean cages and equipment. Lots of love and good common sense.
2. Keeping bird’s cages and bird room clean?
I use a fine fine mister for my keets baths. Parakeets aren’t much on bathing. For my cages and equipment cleaniness , Once a week, I wash all food & water dishes, toys and equipment, in 1 cup of household bleach, hot water in the bath tub; full and stiff brush. Soak everything for about ½ hour, to let the water cool some, scrub everything with a stiff brush. Rinse everything under hot running water. Dry either in the sunshine or with hot hair dryer. Water bottles can be a problem to wash, try using baby bottle brush.
3. Providing good toys/ entertainment?
Parakeets enjoy rawhide piece attached to the cage with clip style clothespin. My keets enjoy their free flight time. I try to provide them with toys outside of their cages. TinkerToys make fine playpen and should be changed often.
4.Providing good cages and equipment?
My cages are older, but much sturdier then a lot of the newer models. For perches, I use both tree branches and perches bought from retail pet stores. I prefer apple(no chemicals please), birch, willow and elm branches. I have never had foot problems in any of my birds. I prefer water bottles over dishes, because they are cleaner, (no more wet cage bottems or wet perches). One thing more , I would be lost with out my perch brush. They do better jod then sandpaper.
5. Feeding well?
I use vitamin- enriched seeds, that I add vitamin powder too. For soft food, I use frozen corn, rice baby cereal, apples with lemon juice, carrots, cooked brown rice, frozen green beans, hard cooked egg yolk. I like alfalfa cubes, my birds enjoy shredding the blocks, I figure that they high in protein, and good source of greens.
6. Locating a veterinarian?
I found my vet through a bird club in my area. I had good chance to visit with him, before I ever needed to use his services. He is a knowledgeable, caring man. He explains medical terms in common every day language. He loves his work and all types of birds.
7. Traveling with birds?
I have moved a few times with my feathered buddies. Each time, I’ve gotten birdie boxes from my retail pet store. I’ve packed them into paper towel lined boxes. Then into cooler that well ventilated. They are the last things out of the house & the first thing into the new place. I use bottled water from the old house, until they are use to their new water supply. I watch them for few days for signs of stress. I clip their wings until they are use to their new home. They go to Grandma’s house for overnights, if I am going to be gone for a few days. Grandma has a instruction sheet with the vet’s phone number and phone number where I can reached. I also get birdy sitter, theses people either own birds themselves or have owned birds.
8. Training?
Lots of love, time and understanding. I start with young birds, about 6 to 8 weeks old. I clip their wings, I use my bathtub, with shower curtain closed, a beach towel on the bottem of the tub and timer. I set the timer for 10minutes and get into the tub with trainee. I have ladder, bizzy ball for cat toy and squeaky toy. I talk softly, soothingly and slowly. I call them by their name and squeak the toy behind my back. They are so curious about that noise they can’t see. They walk up my legs to see me. After 10 minutes, the timer goes off, session #1 is over. I do 2 session a day and increase the time by 5 minutes per week until we have reach 2- 20minute a day. I never work with my birds if I am tired, cranky, or having bad day. They sense my grumpy feelings and react to them, My bird are finger tame, understand the word no and most of all they are happy, loving pets.
9. Any other helpful hints?
After hand feeding clutch of 7 rejected babies I found some pretty helpful hints for hand feeding.
1. Use egg poacher for keeping the food warm, if you are with out a microwave.
2. Make a form of bib out of old washcloths. This baby from getting food on it’s skin and pinfeathers.
3. Use plastic eyedroppers found at your local pharmacies. They are cheap & throwaway able after a few feedings.
4. I use a aquarium thermometer for keeping track of the temperature in the box.
5. I bought hulled millet at the health food store, for the weaning process. I ground it at first in the blender, coursing the grind until I had whole seeds.
6. Using a long handled infant feeding spoon to feed with the last 2 ½ weeks of hand feeding.
7. Keeping track of feeding in a cash book found at any dime store. In this book I kept track of the following; time of feeding, weighing the baby before feeding, amount eaten, type of formula, number of feedings, condition of the baby, signs of illness.
8. For temporary housing I use the following: an 8 pack cardboard pack from soda bottles; minus the handle, a heating pad, paper napkins and doll blanket. Line the bottem of the holes with paper napkins, put the box on top of the heating pad and cover with the doll blanket. This a cheap method for housing until you can get some form of a incubator.
My last helpful hint is this: Remember that each bird, no matter what the species it is, it is an individual. They have their own little quirks and a lot of personality. They require lots of attention, patience and of course love. If you take the time to buy a good bird, take the time to read about it’s species and take the time to love the bird.
Laurie
My address and phone number
this is what I wrote: including all my spelling and grammar errors on old typewriter that was my grandma's. no computers in those days. I am still shaking my head and wondering how my birds survive as long as they did.
Old paper I wrote when I was selling Budgies
1. Keeping your birds Healthy?
My best idea for healthy parakeets is this: Plenty of rest, vitamin- enriched foods, both seeds and soft foods. Clean cages and equipment. Lots of love and good common sense.
2. Keeping bird’s cages and bird room clean?
I use a fine fine mister for my keets baths. Parakeets aren’t much on bathing. For my cages and equipment cleaniness , Once a week, I wash all food & water dishes, toys and equipment, in 1 cup of household bleach, hot water in the bath tub; full and stiff brush. Soak everything for about ½ hour, to let the water cool some, scrub everything with a stiff brush. Rinse everything under hot running water. Dry either in the sunshine or with hot hair dryer. Water bottles can be a problem to wash, try using baby bottle brush.
3. Providing good toys/ entertainment?
Parakeets enjoy rawhide piece attached to the cage with clip style clothespin. My keets enjoy their free flight time. I try to provide them with toys outside of their cages. TinkerToys make fine playpen and should be changed often.
4.Providing good cages and equipment?
My cages are older, but much sturdier then a lot of the newer models. For perches, I use both tree branches and perches bought from retail pet stores. I prefer apple(no chemicals please), birch, willow and elm branches. I have never had foot problems in any of my birds. I prefer water bottles over dishes, because they are cleaner, (no more wet cage bottems or wet perches). One thing more , I would be lost with out my perch brush. They do better jod then sandpaper.
5. Feeding well?
I use vitamin- enriched seeds, that I add vitamin powder too. For soft food, I use frozen corn, rice baby cereal, apples with lemon juice, carrots, cooked brown rice, frozen green beans, hard cooked egg yolk. I like alfalfa cubes, my birds enjoy shredding the blocks, I figure that they high in protein, and good source of greens.
6. Locating a veterinarian?
I found my vet through a bird club in my area. I had good chance to visit with him, before I ever needed to use his services. He is a knowledgeable, caring man. He explains medical terms in common every day language. He loves his work and all types of birds.
7. Traveling with birds?
I have moved a few times with my feathered buddies. Each time, I’ve gotten birdie boxes from my retail pet store. I’ve packed them into paper towel lined boxes. Then into cooler that well ventilated. They are the last things out of the house & the first thing into the new place. I use bottled water from the old house, until they are use to their new water supply. I watch them for few days for signs of stress. I clip their wings until they are use to their new home. They go to Grandma’s house for overnights, if I am going to be gone for a few days. Grandma has a instruction sheet with the vet’s phone number and phone number where I can reached. I also get birdy sitter, theses people either own birds themselves or have owned birds.
8. Training?
Lots of love, time and understanding. I start with young birds, about 6 to 8 weeks old. I clip their wings, I use my bathtub, with shower curtain closed, a beach towel on the bottem of the tub and timer. I set the timer for 10minutes and get into the tub with trainee. I have ladder, bizzy ball for cat toy and squeaky toy. I talk softly, soothingly and slowly. I call them by their name and squeak the toy behind my back. They are so curious about that noise they can’t see. They walk up my legs to see me. After 10 minutes, the timer goes off, session #1 is over. I do 2 session a day and increase the time by 5 minutes per week until we have reach 2- 20minute a day. I never work with my birds if I am tired, cranky, or having bad day. They sense my grumpy feelings and react to them, My bird are finger tame, understand the word no and most of all they are happy, loving pets.
9. Any other helpful hints?
After hand feeding clutch of 7 rejected babies I found some pretty helpful hints for hand feeding.
1. Use egg poacher for keeping the food warm, if you are with out a microwave.
2. Make a form of bib out of old washcloths. This baby from getting food on it’s skin and pinfeathers.
3. Use plastic eyedroppers found at your local pharmacies. They are cheap & throwaway able after a few feedings.
4. I use a aquarium thermometer for keeping track of the temperature in the box.
5. I bought hulled millet at the health food store, for the weaning process. I ground it at first in the blender, coursing the grind until I had whole seeds.
6. Using a long handled infant feeding spoon to feed with the last 2 ½ weeks of hand feeding.
7. Keeping track of feeding in a cash book found at any dime store. In this book I kept track of the following; time of feeding, weighing the baby before feeding, amount eaten, type of formula, number of feedings, condition of the baby, signs of illness.
8. For temporary housing I use the following: an 8 pack cardboard pack from soda bottles; minus the handle, a heating pad, paper napkins and doll blanket. Line the bottem of the holes with paper napkins, put the box on top of the heating pad and cover with the doll blanket. This a cheap method for housing until you can get some form of a incubator.
My last helpful hint is this: Remember that each bird, no matter what the species it is, it is an individual. They have their own little quirks and a lot of personality. They require lots of attention, patience and of course love. If you take the time to buy a good bird, take the time to read about it’s species and take the time to love the bird.
Laurie
My address and phone number