Happy Hatch Day to Meeee!

Squeee! I’m one year old today. Mommal is baking a special dinner of cornbread with a bean medley on the side. I might even share with Tequila, who’s in a relatively good mood this morning.

Can’t Live With ’Em, Can’t Live Without ’Em

I just don’t understand sun conures at all. Tequila’s always been a bit standoffish, ’tis true, but he has such beautiful feathers just begging for a grooming. Would it kill him to let me try? He just won’t hold still for me. Today I tried stepping on Tequila’s tail to help him stay in place while I tidied up a back feather or two. He pulled away in a disgruntled huff, muttering “urp urp urp.” Finally, he showed me his beak. Words were exchanged, but all ended well when Mommal stepped in and spoke soothingly to both of us.

Geesh. He’s a tough nut to crack, that bird.

We’ve both been enjoying the new playstand, incidentally, although we prefer to use it one at a time. Mommal installed some exercise equipment and has kept the dishes stocked with treats. She’s still planning to drill a hole or two for toys and has promised to take care of that during her vacation later this month. The playstand is a work in progress, and yes, a photo will be coming eventually…

K&H Thermo-Perch

What a winter this has been! Hastings, Nebraska has experienced 51 consecutive days of snow cover (2" depth or greater), the second longest period since record keeping began in 1898. It’s c-c-cold here!

But only outdoors. Inside, my K&H Thermo-Perch as kept me snug throughout the winter.

An AC adapter supplies 12 volts of safe and efficient power to the rugged plastic perch. It heats to a comfy 102–107°F. I plug it in only at night. It’d be no problem to run it 24/7, however. The power cord is protected by a wrap of steel wire to keep compulsive chewers out of trouble. The mount fits both vertical and horizontal bars.

Tequila and I have set our room temp to 64°F, day and night, to conserve energy. Although my bird nurse advises that this is fine for conures, it’s much nicer to rise and shine with warm feet in the morning! I slept on the heated perch the first night it was installed, and I’ve been keen on it ever since. All three of my buddies at BirdTested.com agree.

I bought my K&H Thermo-Perch at ThePerchStore.net. It’s regularly priced at $39.99, although attentive shoppers can take advantage of The Perch Store’s frequent coupons and sales. I use the small size—it’s technically designed for cockatiels and more petite birds, but the 1/2" to 1" undulating diameter is best for my feet. If you're not sure, I do recommend sizing down. The plastic is a bit slippery even though it’s molded with a subtle “wood grain” texture. On the other hand (or wing, as we birds like to say), the relatively smooth surface ensures that it’s easy to clean.

New Playstand

Carla Kocher (of Beads and Botanicals) and Hastings Freecycle rock!

The feathered people in Carla’s home weren’t using this playstand, so she kindly offered it to us. It’ll be a great place to hang out while watching our wild cousins at the feeders.

The playstand is very nice as is, but I plan to mod it with additional seating and entertainment. It’ll be a full service foraging station when I’m done. I hope to report back with a couple of additional pics in February.

Thanks again, Carla. You’re the best!

Tequila Is Strange

I think my sun conure neighbor has flipped. Lately, he’s taken to fluffing up and chasing Mommal around the house. He wants only to be near Manmal. Yesterday, Tequila spit up on Manmal. He’s got the spring fever, for sure, and it’s not even spring yet.

Not-So-Still Life with Spruce

Happy holidays, everyone, wherever and whatever you’re celebrating! This is my first winter. I miss the sunning on the porch, but I love looking out the windows at the snow. For some crazy reason, Manmal and Mommal brought tree branches into the house. They’re great fun for exploring and hiding amongst.

Pellet Review (Part 4 of 4): Roudybush

Roudybush Maintenance is a nutritious pellet; unfortunately, neither Tequila nor I find it delicious. After Tequila tasted one, he abruptly grabbed his ceramic dish and slammed it down with a clang, sending the remainder of the pellets flying. He has a flair for the dramatic, that bird. I simply pick around any Roudybush in my bowl. Mommal has encouraged me to try two different sizes. Neither appealed. The pellets contain natural apple flavor but smell like dog chow.

Having said that, I know birds who eat and enjoy Roudybush exclusively. The ingredients aren’t organic, but they do provide a perfectly sound base for a well-rounded diet.

• Pros: Fortified with vitamins and minerals. No sugar or artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. Steam pelleted (which uses less energy and preserves more nutrients than the extrusion process).

• Cons: Contains peanuts and soybeans (potential allergens), a couple of conventional ingredients which are commonly GMO, and at least one vitamin which is typically animal derived (D3), in case any of that is of concern.

• Ingredients: Ground corn, ground wheat, peanut meal, soy oil, soy meal, calcium carbonate, sodium lignin sulfonate, dicalcium phosphate, salt, l-lysine hydrochloride, dl-methionine, yeast cell wall extract, niacin, mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract, ascorbic acid, citric acid, lecithin, silicon dioxide, alpha tocopherol acetate, ascorbic acid, manganese sulfate, yucca shidigen extract, biotin, calcium pantothenate, zinc oxide, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin A acetate, thiamine mononitrate, menadione sodium bisulfite complex, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, cyanocobalamin, sodium selenite, propionic acid, ammonium hydroxide, acetic acid, sorbic acid, tartaric acid, and natural apple flavoring.

• Website: Roudybush.com.

• Shopping source: I suggest the trial size at ThePerchStore.Net (image via) if you’re not sure whether you’d like this. A half-pound bag costs just $1.97.

New Song

Tequila’s been trying for months to teach me the sun conure song: “Boop-a-deep! Boop-a-deep!” It’s a tough one, but by golly, I got the hang of it this weekend. I’m a countertenor, of course, so mine sounds more like “Squee-dee-squee! Squee-dee-squee!”

Pellet Review (Part 3 of 4): ZuPreem Natural

ZuPreem AvianMaintenance Natural Diet was my weaning nugget. It’s comfort food, for sure, and I still like to eat a little spoonful every day. Tequila is more finicky and won’t touch the stuff.

ZuPreem is not organic like Harrison’s or Totally Organics. It has sugar and salt. But it’s still a relatively healthy, fortified food containing no dyes or artificial preservatives. It’s more of a budget-minded choice, costing about two-thirds as much as the organic options. The nuggets are available in a variety of shapes, including one specifically for conures, but I’ve stuck with the smaller cockatiel size.

• Pros: Fortified with vitamins and minerals. No artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors.

• Cons: Extruded. This means the nuggets have been cooked. We generally prefer cold-pressed because that helps preserve enzymes and nutrients. Extruded options might be preferable for birds with digestive difficulties or kidney problems, however. Also note that ZuPreem AvainMaintenance Natural formula contains soybeans (a potential allergen), a couple of conventional ingredients which are commonly GMO, and at least one vitamin which is typically animal derived (D3), in case any of that is of concern.

• Ingredients: Ground corn, soybean meal, ground wheat, vegetable oil, wheat germ meal, sucrose, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, ground vegetables (carrots, celery, beets, watercress, and spinach), iodized salt, dl-methionine, choline chloride, l-lysine, ascorbic acid, natural mixed tocopherols, rosemary extract, citric acid, canthaxanthin, manganous oxide, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenate, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, vitamin K, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamin, riboflavin, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12.

• Website: Zupreem.com (image via).

• Our usual shopping source: BirdSafeStore.com (2.5 lbs. for $9.25). For my latest order, however, I found an even better deal on sale at ThePerchStore.Net.

Stop and Smell the Orchids

This beautiful Brazilian orchid, Laelia pumila “Black Diamond,” was a gift from Manmal’s mom.


I’m smart enough to know that these flowers are best for smelling, not eating. Just in case I’m ever overcome with temptation, though, orchids are on the list of safe plants for birds.