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Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
- Joined
- 4/15/10
- Messages
- 50,091
- Real Name
- Matthew
Our "Mayor of the Avenue" award is presented to a member who exhibits the qualities that distinguish them to be an upstanding credit to the Avenue, a loving, informed, conscientious and caring bird parront and an all around good neighbor.
I am happy to announce that Tanya is September's Mayor of the Month.
I enjoyed reading your interview, and am sure that everyone else will as well!
1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?
Gouldian finches: Jazz, Blues, Aria, Mosso, Daphnis, Chloe, Madrigal, Jazz Junior, Caprice [those are the 3-year-olds], more with no names. Around 25-30 total.
Parrotlet: Skittles, age 1
Cockatiels: Torrie and Spirit, females, age 2 ½
Pionus: Ernie, age 20
Caique: Rio, age 5 months
Gloster canaries: Robin, Angel, and Rudy, ages unknown
2. What got you interested in birds?
The song of a cockatiel when I was in my teens. I became interested again when we moved to Florida and everyone keeps their birds outside, but I have since moved mine indoors. It is too risky outdoors.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
They have taught me never to take any of God’s creatures for granted – even the bird you see flitting across your lawn has feelings and intelligence. You have to take the time to notice.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
Patience! Things don’t work on my time table.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
The day Ernie chose me at the rescue. It was *so noisy* in there, and I had my back to him. There were cockatoos screaming, along with about 20 conures and the ringneck I was looking at. Little quiet Ernie got my attention somehow. I’m not sure how. He couldn’t wait to climb up to my shoulder and snuggle. This is a bird that was cage-bound. It was nothing short of a miracle.
6. Where is your birds main living area?
They have their own room, a converted bedroom. We put hardwood floors down to make cleaning easier. They also have a cage in our office so they can go to work with us.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
Yes. We have changed over to easy-clean leather couches, glass-top tables (so they can’t chew them), and gotten rid of tons of antiques. We gave up our guestroom! No more guests!
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
Until last month I edited the National Finch & Softbill Society Journal. I belong to that and a local group, Suncoast Finch & Canary Club. I’m not very involved except I do participate in shows with my Gouldians.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
A long “flying room” where they could exercise.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Definitely a Hyacinth. I’ve watched videos, they look so cool and mellow.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
In the mornings I feed the dogs and take them for a walk – then off to the bird room. I spend about one hour with them giving pets, double checking the food and changing water and papers. I do a little clicker training or just talk to them. I open cages for the tiels, parrotlet, and maybe the caique to come out. Enie’s cage is always open. Usually one or more goes out of the room with me and I go to work in our office. Often it’s Rio and Ernie, and when Rio gets too pesky he goes in the office cage. He’s there now rolling on his back.
In the late afternoon I go back and feed the fresh food/veggie chop that I have hopefully made in the morning. I sprinkle supplements on it, like vitamins or calcium. I like to stay and watch them or read to them. At this time I either let out whoever didn’t get out earlier, or I put them all back if they are grouchy. Also with finches it’s good to observe them closely so you can determine if one is ill. Afternoon snack is a good time to do that.
Both hubby and I work from home and are in and out of there all day. I don’t mean to make it sound so regimented!
Their lights go out on timers at 7, so I try to get back in beforehand to put up loose birdies and check on everything again. Sometimes I sit in my grandmother’s rocking chair and listen/watch as they put themselves to bed. It’s my favorite time of day. But it’s Ernie’s favorite too, so he prefers that I put him on my shoulder and take him out on the lanai to watch the sun set.
If I am not at home at 7, they all put themselves to bed quite well.
Since Rio is a baby, I’ve been taking him out of the room at bedtime and letting him stay up late so we can play with him.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
Birds are different from any animal you’ve ever owned (and I have owned lots). The only way you can learn about them is to visit them in someone’s home or, better yet, volunteer at a rescue before diving into bird ownership. They require more intense care than any other type of pet, and they take more time. Like a dog you can train to go outside and potty, but a bird depends on you for every single thing.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I got my first cockatiel in the 80’s – we kept them in small cages and fed them bird seed! No toys, special foods, or much of anything, I did let mine fly around the house though. Sometimes I think about that poor bird…
More recently, I’ve acquired several different types of birds. Now I wish I only had ONE bird whom I could lavish with my attention. I feel like they all want a little more devotion than I can give.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I paint in oils, paper craft, and play the violin and piano. I also kayak and hubby and I belong to the local boat club.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
No, I think that is it!
I am happy to announce that Tanya is September's Mayor of the Month.
I enjoyed reading your interview, and am sure that everyone else will as well!
1. What kind of birds do you have (age, species and names)?
Gouldian finches: Jazz, Blues, Aria, Mosso, Daphnis, Chloe, Madrigal, Jazz Junior, Caprice [those are the 3-year-olds], more with no names. Around 25-30 total.
Parrotlet: Skittles, age 1
Cockatiels: Torrie and Spirit, females, age 2 ½
Pionus: Ernie, age 20
Caique: Rio, age 5 months
Gloster canaries: Robin, Angel, and Rudy, ages unknown
2. What got you interested in birds?
The song of a cockatiel when I was in my teens. I became interested again when we moved to Florida and everyone keeps their birds outside, but I have since moved mine indoors. It is too risky outdoors.
3. What have your birds brought to your life?
They have taught me never to take any of God’s creatures for granted – even the bird you see flitting across your lawn has feelings and intelligence. You have to take the time to notice.
4. What have you learned from sharing your life with your birds?
Patience! Things don’t work on my time table.
5. What's one birdie memory that will stay with you forever?
The day Ernie chose me at the rescue. It was *so noisy* in there, and I had my back to him. There were cockatoos screaming, along with about 20 conures and the ringneck I was looking at. Little quiet Ernie got my attention somehow. I’m not sure how. He couldn’t wait to climb up to my shoulder and snuggle. This is a bird that was cage-bound. It was nothing short of a miracle.
6. Where is your birds main living area?
They have their own room, a converted bedroom. We put hardwood floors down to make cleaning easier. They also have a cage in our office so they can go to work with us.
7. Did you change things in your home to accommodate your birds and if so what kinds of things did you change?
Yes. We have changed over to easy-clean leather couches, glass-top tables (so they can’t chew them), and gotten rid of tons of antiques. We gave up our guestroom! No more guests!
8. Are you involved in any kind of bird related group or activities?
Until last month I edited the National Finch & Softbill Society Journal. I belong to that and a local group, Suncoast Finch & Canary Club. I’m not very involved except I do participate in shows with my Gouldians.
9. What is the one luxury item you would love to have for your bird(s)?
A long “flying room” where they could exercise.
10. Is there any bird that you dream of owning and if so why?
Definitely a Hyacinth. I’ve watched videos, they look so cool and mellow.
11. Describe a typical day with you at home with your birds.
In the mornings I feed the dogs and take them for a walk – then off to the bird room. I spend about one hour with them giving pets, double checking the food and changing water and papers. I do a little clicker training or just talk to them. I open cages for the tiels, parrotlet, and maybe the caique to come out. Enie’s cage is always open. Usually one or more goes out of the room with me and I go to work in our office. Often it’s Rio and Ernie, and when Rio gets too pesky he goes in the office cage. He’s there now rolling on his back.
In the late afternoon I go back and feed the fresh food/veggie chop that I have hopefully made in the morning. I sprinkle supplements on it, like vitamins or calcium. I like to stay and watch them or read to them. At this time I either let out whoever didn’t get out earlier, or I put them all back if they are grouchy. Also with finches it’s good to observe them closely so you can determine if one is ill. Afternoon snack is a good time to do that.
Both hubby and I work from home and are in and out of there all day. I don’t mean to make it sound so regimented!
Their lights go out on timers at 7, so I try to get back in beforehand to put up loose birdies and check on everything again. Sometimes I sit in my grandmother’s rocking chair and listen/watch as they put themselves to bed. It’s my favorite time of day. But it’s Ernie’s favorite too, so he prefers that I put him on my shoulder and take him out on the lanai to watch the sun set.
If I am not at home at 7, they all put themselves to bed quite well.
Since Rio is a baby, I’ve been taking him out of the room at bedtime and letting him stay up late so we can play with him.
12. What have you learned about owning birds that you would like to share?
Birds are different from any animal you’ve ever owned (and I have owned lots). The only way you can learn about them is to visit them in someone’s home or, better yet, volunteer at a rescue before diving into bird ownership. They require more intense care than any other type of pet, and they take more time. Like a dog you can train to go outside and potty, but a bird depends on you for every single thing.
13. If you knew then what you know now about birds, what would you do differently?
I got my first cockatiel in the 80’s – we kept them in small cages and fed them bird seed! No toys, special foods, or much of anything, I did let mine fly around the house though. Sometimes I think about that poor bird…
More recently, I’ve acquired several different types of birds. Now I wish I only had ONE bird whom I could lavish with my attention. I feel like they all want a little more devotion than I can give.
14. What other hobbies do you have?
I paint in oils, paper craft, and play the violin and piano. I also kayak and hubby and I belong to the local boat club.
15. Anything else you would like to share?
No, I think that is it!
