Parrot Festival 2010

[lamagdalena]

Erika, not sure what time you're going to the Market, but I'm planning on being there too! Call me on my cell phone (713) 907-0844 & maybe we can connect if only to just meet ~

I didn't see your message at all until this morning

I went on saturday and had a great time. I was pleasantly surprised that there were no birds there and most of the items came from bird free stores.

Also I met Dr. Irene Pepperberg, I felt like such an idiot fan I didn't make much small talk but gave a tiny donation to the alex foundation. I was going to go back and let her know about AA but when I did she was gone.

I found most prices honestly weren't all that discounted. I was expecting real discounts but I might be able to get better things at the sidewalk sale here in AA than what I saw at the festival.
There was this one toy, totally cool. It looked like a tic-tac-toe board come to life, and in each square you could hide treats for your fid. And each square was a specific color and number and it is meant as enrichment for your little guy or gal. Too bad that toy isn't on the market yet but the lady told me mid-year I should begin seeing them around.

I have to check out Busy Beaks and and Feathered Affair, never heard of them!!
I also don't particularly like Adventure in Birds, but not b/c of the guys but it just looks very dirty to me. That is were I got my moth problem from. And the birds are sometimes in such small cages. I have also seen lemurs, monkeys there...

 

[Amaterasu]

Yeah, they definitely have a moth problem. But most places that I've seen that sell seed in bins have that issue. I agree with you on the small cages. Most of their large birds and aviary birds are in good size cages but everything in between is in a small cage.

We always used to buy our stuff from Spectrum by they went out of business several years ago.

 

[CKJ]

I've gone to Parrot Cove and Adventures in Birds. I think they're both pretty expensive. Parrot's Cove has a good selection of toys while Adventures in Birds has a good selection of food and cages. But the owners at Adventures in Birds can be really snotty. I think they're used to very wealthy clientele.

I did buy a couple things from Busy Beaks. The people at About Birds were extremely friendly, which is where I bought most of my stuff. I've never been to their store but it's supposed to be just north of Tomball.

I also found out my old avian/herp vet is no longer practicing. Maybe some of you are familiar with Dr. Cruzen, can't stand that guy.

I agree that Parrots Cove is a little on the expensive side on their toys which is why I make them & order on line. You're also right about Adventures in Birds having more food selection than toys. I've only been to that store once & found the employees not very friendly. Feathered Affair is in Tomball if you're ever up that way - great store with lots of toys & birds. Has a great outdoor aviary too! The two ladies that run it are super nice ~

I'm surprised that you don't like Dr. Cruzen. He was one of the speakers at the Parrot Festival a few years ago - very knowledgable avian vet. He helped me with my Lorikeet. Thankfully, she happened to be at his office when he discovered the fluid on her lungs and had us take her to Gulf Coast Specialty Vet. You're right - he's not practicing anymore. He had a detached retna in both eyes & has lost enough sight that he can't practice anymore. So now Pico is going to Dr. Natalie Antiloff at Gulf Coast. What avian vet do you use?

 

[CKJ]

Yeah, they definitely have a moth problem. But most places that I've seen that sell seed in bins have that issue. I agree with you on the small cages. Most of their large birds and aviary birds are in good size cages but everything in between is in a small cage.

We always used to buy our stuff from Spectrum by they went out of business several years ago.

What a small world! I got Skittles, my lorikeet from Spectrum.

 

[CKJ]

Erika, what avian vet do you use?

 

[Amaterasu]

So far I haven't had to take my guy to the vet since I got him. I have used Dr. Antinoff before on a cockatiel that became egg bound years ago. She's probably the best avian vet in the city but very expensive in a field that's never cheap to begin with. I'll probably use her for everything but routine visits.

Dr. Cruzen was the only vet my mom ever used for our pets, including dogs, cats and birds. Once I had my own pets I used him twice on my chameleons. He had all kinds of crazy tests done that were really not necessary. After I'd spent $800 on one chameleon in one full visit and one follow up, I tried another reptile vet. I'm making a very long story short. The second vet was SO much better and really seemed more intent on getting my chameleon better while causing the least amount of stress possible. Chameleons, like most parrots, are very sensitive to stress. All the extra blood, fecal and physical exams on top of having me give him tons of medication caused more damage than the original problem.

Don't get me wrong, he was definitely knowledgeable. After seeing such a huge difference between the two vets, it really made me think that Dr. Cruzen was in it for the money. I refused to see him after that. I've spoken with a few other people who got the same feeling. Dr. Antinoff was willing to talk to me about my cockatiel on the phone for 30 minutes when I was 12 years old. There are so many mediocre vets out there. The good ones are hard to find but you really notice the difference when you do.

I've never heard of A Feathered Affair but I will definitely have to check it out. My husband has pretty much banned me from those types of stores for a few weeks after what I spent at the festival.

I know the owners of Spectrum a lot more than I'd like to but they always took care of their birds. The main owner gave my mom a CAG that they had not been able to sell for a couple of years when they closed the store.

 

[CKJ]

Jessica, Dr. Cruzen did have me come in every six months where as Dr. Antiloff saw Pico this past July & said she wouldn't see him again for a year....that is unless he got sick, hurt, etc.

Maybe next year we can hook up at the Festival ~

 

[lamagdalena]

Who is Dr. Cruzen? I go to ABC Animal and Bird Clinic. It is on hwy 6 in southwest houston.

They are good vets, don't have any complaints really. They have 3 avian vets there at the practice. My fave is the male vet, I forgot his name but he takes a look at his patient and goes with the most probable treatment and tests instead of getting all excited and wanting to test for everything under the sun and racking up a bill thats 500+.

 

[CKJ]

Who is Dr. Cruzen? I go to ABC Animal and Bird Clinic. It is on hwy 6 in southwest houston.

They are good vets, don't have any complaints really. They have 3 avian vets there at the practice. My fave is the male vet, I forgot his name but he takes a look at his patient and goes with the most probable treatment and tests instead of getting all excited and wanting to test for everything under the sun and racking up a bill thats 500+.

Dr. Roy Cruzen was located on FM 1960 in NW Houston. A little over a year ago, there was a fire in the center where his clinic was located. Luckily every person & animal got out safely, but his office was lost. I heard about ABC Animal & Bird Clinic - it's just too far from where I live. The avian vet I was going to before Dr. Cruzen was Dr. Hoppes (who was also a speaker at the Parrot Festival this year). Dr. Hoppes is now at Texas A&M in College Station.....also too far ~

 

[Sadieladie1994]

The festival was good. I will have to look up the names of stores I bought items from. There were some nice and very simple toys. I found the coconut with the circle cut around it all the way down (like peeling around a potato) would be great for foraging...stuff items in the cut sections and make them work a bit.

One of my best purchases was through the auction. A handmade inlaid wood piece with a macaw and a waterfall. Quite beautiful. I do know the amount of work that goes into a piece like that. I always find items at the store with bird antiques...got a necklace this year.

A few vendors seemed over priced.

The selection is better than any one store you can find locally.

The store in Tomball just off mainstreet did have a few different toys than I have seen some places.

A few of my birds have come from Spectrum (severe, B&G, goffin, blue crown conure, lesser sulfer crested,) I have also gotten a few birds from A Parrots Cove. APC has some nice perches that I can't always get other places. I also have them order my low iron soft billed parrot pellets as none of the stores routinely carry it.

The parrot store (forgot the name ) that is in the woodlands had some different toys but they were really expensive.

Vets...Cruzen was not high on the list for most bird people.

ABC with Fronfeld, Rosette do well and that is who I go to most of the time.

Some of the avian care takers at the Houston Zoo use Dr Peckham at Bellaire clinic.

Being Northwest Houston I can make it to A&M almost as quick as I can get to sugarland. Dr. Sharmin Hoppes is great. She was my vet after Dr Coke left from the copperfield animal hospital (he is now over reptiles at the San Antonio Zoo). I have spoken with Dr Antenoff a few times but have not been to her clinic.

Being in Houston has given us some fine choices for Vets...great for us and our birds.

For the most part I order my cages on line. I have ordered some in the past from A Parrots Cove.

Peggy

 

[CKJ]

Peggy, I agree Dr. Hoppes is a great vet! I really hated it when she left ~

 

[Amaterasu]

I've been keeping the Sugar Land clinic in mind for future vet visits. I'd never heard anything about them one way or another.

Next time you're at Parrot Cove, check out the young Goffins they have. My husband's not big on parrots but even he thought she was cute, trying to play with 3 toys at once while laying on her back.

One of the employees at Parrot Cove told me either the owner or one of their main breeders (don't recall which now) sells their birds at Trader's Village. For any of you who've never been or haven't been in a few years, it's not exactly the place you'd want to sell any kind of animal.

 

[lamagdalena]

I've been keeping the Sugar Land clinic in mind for future vet visits. I'd never heard anything about them one way or another.

Next time you're at Parrot Cove, check out the young Goffins they have. My husband's not big on parrots but even he thought she was cute, trying to play with 3 toys at once while laying on her back.

One of the employees at Parrot Cove told me either the owner or one of their main breeders (don't recall which now) sells their birds at Trader's Village. For any of you who've never been or haven't been in a few years, it's not exactly the place you'd want to sell any kind of animal.

I have never been to trader's village but I do know that parrot cove sometimes alternates their birds between the store and trader's village, leading me to believe they have some sort of spot there too. I remember before I got Hulk (from them) they had around 5 alexandrines and one of them was a gorgeous but cranky as anything alex. Sometimes I would go in and see him there, other times he would be at trader's village.
if it's as bad as you say, I am glad Hulk never went there.

I will say something about Parrot's Cove though. All their birds seem very healthy and happy little ones.

Have you met Chester the macaw? His owner is a soldier and is often sent to Iraq so Chester stays with them at the store. He is very aggressive to other people but considering that no one can touch him, he seems to be in as good as place as he can be with his owner gone.

 

[CKJ]

Jessica, I saw the Goffins you were talking about a week or so ago. Gosh, they're cute! And fun to watch. Parrots Cove does have a place at Traders Village. They do change out their birds. I know that Traders Village won't allow puppies to be sold there unless they have a vet check & shots started. That cut out a lot of the puppy mill dogs. I guess that's why I see more on the side of the road trying to sell their puppies which makes me sick!

Erika, I have seen Chester, but didn't know about his owner being a soldier & all. He seems to be very happy ~

You're right - Parrots Cove birds are happy & healthy!

 

[Amaterasu]

I think the main issue with Trader's Village is more so the kind of people that shop there. Just imagine parrots being sold along side fake handbags, rebel flags, used VHS tapes, and cheap stereo equipment. That doesn't exactly attract high caliber caretakers.

Cindy, that would explain why I always see people selling puppies across the street in the high school parking lot now.

 

[lamagdalena]

I have never been to trader's village but you are completely right Jessica. I don't know why parrot cove sells their birds there.