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I need some help

Nikelbirds

Moving in
Joined
7/15/21
Messages
5
Real Name
Brittany
Ermmmmmm, so I came here in regards to my two birds (who are both in my introduction post if you wanna see them

Not sure if this is the right place to ask stuff since I’m quite new but I wanted to say it here

So uhm, first of all, I don’t have financial control over what my birds get, they’re two birds and have a medium sized cage (not sure what the size is), and I know for sure that isn’t the appropriate space. Second, three dowel perches with two long random unchecked branches that are placed in the cage. Three, plastic water tubes, and plastic bowls, been wanting to get stainless steel bowls forever. Four, barely any toys. Asked for one and only got a learning toy, like a basketball hoop that my birds want nothing to do with, nothing to shred. Five, their stuff as storage (had their quarantine cage used as a storage for packaged food, fun right?)

I’ve tried asking my family for all of these extra stuff like toys, natural wood perches, stainless steel bowls, bigger cage, etc. But all I get are excuses and/or tell me to make them myself. The other day asked for natural wood perches, they mentioned the unchecked branches, which was not what I wanted in the first place. I’ve been waiting forever to get rid of the plastic bowls and the dowel perches, and change their diet, but I have to wait til I get my own job to be able to provide for them myself.

What do I do for the time being? I want to give my birds the luxury they deserve so badly but I can’t, I don’t know how.
And just FYI, I got them as a gift for my birthday, so I didn’t even know I had to study up on taking care of birds, I’ve always wanted a bird, but never thought I’d impulsively get one, let alone three (one died 5 days later) so I didn’t have time to get the supplies at the start. I know birds are expensive and my fam is trying to save money but geez, whyd you give me 3 birds then?

please, does anyone know what I should do until I get a job?
 
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5 feathers

Meeting neighbors
Joined
6/21/21
Messages
31
You can entertain them! Make them occupied by homemade toys...or even a crushed paper, Parrots like chewing a LOT (Make sure they don't swallow anything or don't make it as a behavior, they might destroy anything important). Another way is to train them, teach them new and fun tricks! You can find the tutorials on YouTube, you can make that basketball hoop to use. Have fun!
 

QB1rd

Jogging around the block
Joined
6/7/21
Messages
889
@5 feathers is right. Entertaining them is a great way to go. You can put a paper towel with a big hole in it over their food dish and gradually make it smaller as they realize they can tear through it as a way of enriching their life. You can use toilet paper rolls (although please make sure that there's no way the birds can get stuck in them). Target training with chopsticks can be fun too.

As far as other things go, do you have an allowance that you can save and bit by bit get some of the smaller items? Chewy.com tends to not be too bad for pricing, and etsy.com also can have good prices for things like manzanita wood perches.
 

Nikelbirds

Moving in
Joined
7/15/21
Messages
5
Real Name
Brittany
@5 feathers is right. Entertaining them is a great way to go. You can put a paper towel with a big hole in it over their food dish and gradually make it smaller as they realize they can tear through it as a way of enriching their life. You can use toilet paper rolls (although please make sure that there's no way the birds can get stuck in them). Target training with chopsticks can be fun too.

As far as other things go, do you have an allowance that you can save and bit by bit get some of the smaller items? Chewy.com tends to not be too bad for pricing, and etsy.com also can have good prices for things like manzanita wood perches.
Sadly I don’t get allowance which is why I’m waiting to get a job myself, my parents are pretty strict so I don’t go outside by myself much anymore cause of the pandemic, thanks you two for the tips, I’ll try to watch some tutorials on how to make foraging and shredding toys. Thank you guys so much <3
 

Oscarbird

Sprinting down the street
Joined
6/24/21
Messages
559
I’ve been waiting forever to get rid of the plastic bowls and the dowel perches, and change their diet, but I have to wait til I get my own job to be able to provide for them myself. (I’m turning 16 soon so I’ll have to wait a little longer).

Thank you for trying to give your birds a better life. I'm not sure where you could get stainless steel bowls from (cheaply) but I think I got mine for around 10 bucks off of Amazon. You could try making perches from bird-safe wood. Just ask your parents for a few pieces of hardware like stainless steel washers, hanger bolts and wing nuts (hopefully they'll have them and let you use them) and find a bird-safe wooden branch outside. You will have to disinfect it in the oven and make sure that the wood is 100% safe for birds. Pellets tend to be a bit pricey, so I would try and give them lots of veggies, fruits and nuts and grains (Organic is best but regular is fine as long as you wash it really well) until you can get them on a proper pelleted diet with lots of fresh foods. Hopefully these tips help. I'm really not sure what other advice I could give you.
 

zoo mom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
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57,686
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Indiana
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Elaine
Use cupcake papers strung on a stainless steel skewer if you can get one. Also can use bird safe string.

One other thing, for birthdays and holidays ask for things for your birds instead of things for yourself. And give them a list of a few specific things you would like. That way they know what the birds need and they won't feel so "put out" by buying stuff for the birds.
 

Zonlover

Jogging around the block
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9/24/20
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780
Location
Virginia, USA
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Rebecca
One other thing, for birthdays and holidays ask for things for your birds instead of things for yourself. And give them a list of a few specific things you would like. That way they know what the birds need and they won't feel so "put out" by buying stuff for the birds.
Or ask if they could just give you money to pick out your own gifts, and then you could use it to buy exactly what you need.
 

FeatheredM

Rollerblading along the road
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Monique
Tough situation:( I am the care giver of my birds, and I don't have a job either, but their is other stuff that you can make money on, such as huge chores, YouTube channel. I got my money over time, but I'm hoping to make some extra with a face paint stand, best entertainment for them is by being their best friend, let your parents consider this as well, Harrison's (a good pellets for birds) cost 9$ for one pound while seed mix costs around 5$ for 1 pound, which is a few dollars extra for a longer lifespan. Trick train them to help their minds to be busy. Hope you learn alot from AA, I also recommend a website called: make your own bird toys, you order bird you parts and you can make a bunch of more toys for a cheaper price
 
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