Hurricane Katring - Bird Rescue Continues

An update of ongoing bird rescues in the New Orleans area affected by Hurricane Kartina.

An Experience with Hurricane Rita

TRUE HURRICANE RITA EXPERIENCE by Nathalie Ross of Houston Back from the Mess! I have to tell you what I experienced. Pure mercy, pure love, pure Hell, and then pure miracles from God. I had booked way ahead for a hotel, rented a cargo van, got all our carriers ready, filled our tanks with gas, got our house boarded up, etc, etc. I did so when people were saying "No, it's never going to come here _ it'll never be a category 5. They won't have us evacuate". People thought I was nuts. "You're really going to leave??" I said "Yes _ I hope I'm wrong. I'll be the first to admit it!" But I was determined to leave. The storm grew and it became evident that leaving was the better option. Even people who said they weren't going to started planning. I was already set. Then the city said voluntarily evacuate. We left way early on Thursday morning, drove for 9 hours to get just over 30 miles in our pickup truck with three horses, 13 birds, dogs, cats, ferrets, guinea pigs, a rabbit, and five chickens.... and got stuck in the heat. Cars were stalling all around us, we were hearing "We'll give you gasoline", but I didn't see anyone getting any gas or relief. We heard "They're going to open up the lanes, even saw the military with "hurricane chasers" written on the back of their truck, and waved at them with thumbs up in joy. We got no relief. We heard endless promises from politicians who I have decided are NO better than the ones that got New Orleans in a ton of trouble with their lack of preparedness _ only we had no excuse. We had just witnessed Katrina and knew better. The truck started heating up despite the air conditioner. It was over 100 degrees in the truck with the air conditioning, and the horses were in the back in a dark green horse trailer facing the sun and with us not moving. No water. Our trip to Seguin, TX was supposed to be 5 hours max (3 hours typically). My horses are all geriatric and one, being terribly old, particularly frail. We had to stop at a gas station and squirt them down with water, and try to get them to drink. We had a half tank of gas and lots of promises in our heads of how things were going to open up on the freeway. We misted the birds and dogs and cats, and the air from the air conditioning. We took about 30 minutes to get cooled down, but things started to just get worse. The birds started to get incredibly hot. We took out pineapple and strawberries that we had for the trip in the cooler and fed those to them. We tried to get them to drink anything _ even gatorade, but they wouldn't. Finally we had to get back on the highway and try again, but getting back on we were just sitting beside a fire department vehicle with his siren running. He couldn't go anywhere; no one could. Not the ambulances, not the police, not the people with the supposed gas. We couldn't turn the truck off because we'd lose air conditioning. Picture one of those boxes covered with tin foil that they use as a sun_oven and you get the picture. We rolled down the window and asked the fire guys where the accident was. It was about 10 minutes away on a good day _ which meant four hours away for us. So we begged and pleaded, as I continued to sob and scream trying to get off of the freeway. I talked to Richard and Lynell (bless them both!!) and must have sounded hysterical _ because I was. How could I not be? At that point every bird in my truck was panting, one was laying down, an older cat laid down and peed on herself and wouldn't move. They were going to die. I had brought them all with me to save them, and was going to kill them with my attempts to keep them alive. And I couldn't do anything about it. Finally I found a gas station that, although not open, had water. We stopped and, thanks to Richard and his awesome advice, went from soaking the birds to totally DOUSING the birds in water. Note that the seat was out of the truck and we had carriers neatly arranged on open shelving with space for air flow. Well it was good space for water flow, too. I literally sprayed the hose on the birds INSIDE of my truck, sprayed towels and a sweatshirt with water and slammed them in the doors (we had them over the windows before trying to reduce the ant_under_the_magnifying_ glass effect). We rolled down the windows in the back so the air could come through the openings past the wet towels and even took the last bit of ice from the cooler and put it on leg wraps on tops of cages just to try to make it better. We had been saving ice to try to get the birds to drink it. Then we took off for who knows where. I found a back road going North and just drove. I had 1/4 tank of gas left at this point and no options. The next freeway at which I arrived was just as bad as the last. But at least we had gotten some movement of air in the truck. Steven and I knew then that we had no choice. There was no gas anywhere, we had to go home to the super storm. So we turned around and hauled tush. Remember it took us 9 hours to get where we were.... it took us 20 minutes to get home. Twenty minutes! We got home with all of our cats, dogs, birds, etc., alive. We knew at least we'd have air conditioning at home for a while, and then living in the house (if it were livable) afterwards would be a whole lot cooler than sitting in the Coleman Stove on Wheels called my truck. I hate thunder storms and went through Camille when I was four and swore I would never stick out a hurricane again. And here I was, going right back to it. AND with no provisions! See, we bought food for the trip and about 2 days to spare (and water, drinks) but figured we could get groceries in Seguin. Only we weren't going to Seguin now. Back at the house, there was ONE store still open _ a little store around the corner, so we loaded up on vienna sausages, Armor Treet, and more gatorade (we had resorted to misting our birds with that at one point!!). And we went home. The birds all got apple juice and pedialyte, the cats and dogs etc got pedialyte, too. Two of the birds had drooping wings even two hours after getting home, but in the evening they rallied some.That night everyone slept hard, and I woke up worrying about the 'next day' effects of heat exhaustion of my birds. They were all fine. Amazing! Brilliant and amazing. So then we started preparing. We found two fifty-five-gallon horse feed drums and a forty-gallon one and filled them up; got as ready as we could and waited and prayed.We heard horror stories about "four days of flooding to follow the storm", and "everyone should turn their gas off" despite the fact that our gas company told us not to. I started thinking that we'd have a gas line leak in a bathroom with all these birds in carriers, and cats, etc. We went out and against the gas company's advice turned our own gas off. We watched buildings burned to the ground in Galveston and in nearby South Houston. Finally we lost power and turned on the portable TV and ate Chicken Cacciatore. I had to do something with the chicken that was going to go bad. The storm came, and just died out. All the praying and all the glory of God, it just fizzled. Even I, the one who is afraid of thunder storms, slept by the chimney listening to it Bong like a kettle drum, and the winds soar by. I slept on the floor, while the birds slept in their carriers again. When we got up this morning, Rita was a shadow of her former self and it was wonderfully cool outside. Few winds, NO damage. Just one big tree down and it only cracked a top board of a pen we don't use. No house damage, and we had water! We opened up some storm shutters to get cool air in and looked around the neighborhoods. Some damage, not bad. So we went home and low_ and_behold. Electricity!Folks, I've never been shy about my beliefs. And I apologize if this offends, but I feel like the most blessed girl in the world. I'm sitting in my bed (with achy feet _ let me tell ya) in air conditioning, with lights, and internet service, and ALL of my babies are alive. All of them _ even the loose geese and chickens. I started into a nightmare and was instead given miracles and incredible mercy. I will never ever look at the simple things in life the same way again. Ever.Most of all, I will never ever forget the outpouring of prayers and well_wishes that I got from some very dear people. Richard's advice literally saved my flock. He's really their hero! Lynell saved my sanity. She's my best friend. And those of you who called, and worried, and emailed _ God heard your prayers. Thank you. Thank you for caring. I'm honored to have you as friends. I'm humbled. And I'm now in tears. But they're good ones. Anyway, it was a long trip. I wanted you guys to know what we went through and how some people helped us tremendously, but mostly how thankful I am for answered prayers.Your friend, Nathalie

Permission to reprint: Yes please, pass it on. I want people to be able to learn from my situation to save their animals in case they ever get in a pinch. The evacuation could just as easily have been a summer road trip, or evacuation because of a chemical truck crashing, or even an accident on the highway on a routine trip to the vet. Of course, probably not for nine hours then. Thank you for your prayers. And for thanking God, because he really blew out all the stops this weekend. Nathalie

Product Review - The Healthy Bird Cookbook

Just discovered this really cool cookbook for birds available at www.naturechest.com/cookbook.html . Lots and lots of fun recipes to try, some even to share with your bird. The birds say we must try some around here this weekend. If you like to cook for your bird(s) we think you will enjoy this cookbook.

The Forgotten Ones

This will truly make you feel the pain of the animals. Have those tissue boxes handy before you click.

Another Volunteer's Perspective

From a CT shelter volunteer that just came back from New Orleans:
Hi All, I got home late last night from Louisana. I'm still trying to process everything I've seen and done, not to mention trying to get the stench out of my clothes! We went to the LSU temporary shelter, which is well run and organized. They really have their act together and it's a great place to volunteer. Next stop was the Lamar Dixon Expo Center(aka Gonzales), the large"clearing house" facility. LA SPCA, HSUS, ASPCA, and VMAT are in a power struggle over who is in charge. It is total chaos. They don't have anywhere near enough people to care for the 2000 animals (average) and are turning away rescue groups bringing more animals in after sitting in line for hours. This place is HUGE, and the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Dogs and cats sit for days waiting for vet care even if illness is obvious. Many do not get out of their crates for 2+ days. There is no leadership, no system, and the animals are suffering. Vet care is obtained when they get the chance, and only after a request is put in the "inbox", which happens to be a bucket. Volunteers are so burnt out they are in tears. There are some very sick animals who are put in makeshift "wards" in the barns. No bleach bucket outside for shoes, and no where near any acceptable level of sanitation."Triage" doesn't happen regularly, not enough vets & vet techs. The Parvo stalls are in the middle of everything......people in & out of them constantly, and going directly in stalls w/"healthy" dogs. All dogs & cats are kept in crates of all kinds. We got yelled at by VMAT for moving a puppy into a wire crate instead of a veri-kennel after being told to do so by HSUS. Don't know if it was because she was a pit pupand therefore most likely not going to make it out of that hellhole after all she'd been thru- she was air-vacced off the 610 bridge- or what. There are huge buses, vans, RV's, tents everywhere, representives of different states for each large group. Animal Planet had their bus there, and PETA was driving in as we were leaving. That's all well & good, but the "negotiations" for control is disgusting. Whoever gets the gov't "grant" (aka "Contract") runs the show, and makes some nice $$. There are pallets of food, water, crates, etc from Walmart, Petco, Petsmart,and a bunch of others. They just don't have enough people to clean &walk all these dogs, let alone feed, water, and med. They DESPERATELYneed more people to do the basic stuff. We hooked up w/Pasado AnimalRescue & did door to door searches for animal survivors in New Orleans.It is mind-blowing how many pets are still alive, though many are goingdown hill fast. Wednesday we did water rescue in an area that was still flooded, and pulled over a dozen dogs out of houses where they were trapped. We found animals alive in homes that were boarded up & barricaded, having to break in using any means necessary to get to them. The stench is unreal, and most homes are booby-traps- furniture and appliances thrown everywhere by the flood waters, the mold, sludge and god knows what makes walking in very dangerous. You DO NOT want to fall and get that stuff on you. The situation changes hour by hour, let alone day by day. They are beginning to release animals to rescues at least.From what I saw, at least 50% of the dog population is Pitbull/Pit-mixes, approx 25% Rotties & Chows, and the remaining 25% every breed you can imagine. Some of the rescues are taking Pits & Rotties, tho Lamar Dixon may not be allowing them out, Pasado & LSU are. I know there are other groups as well. Save A Dog is still there and flying in volunteers. They are also doing door to door rescue in the city now. IF ANYONE CAN GO PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Hotels are not an option. If you go, plan on sleeping in a tent (bring your own), or your vehicle. Personally, I recommend the vehicle.....Fire Ants are everywhere, and from personal experience, they will find you. I spent 2 nights sleeping in a horse stall before they realized I was there (the ants), but once they did, it was all over. Their bite is EXTREMELY painful and leaves blisters that turn into something resembling a pimple. Nothing seems to kill them. Showers are a luxury,if you can get one. Bring your own food & water, medical supplies, Rubbing Alcohol, bleach, etc to decontaminate yourself after handling the animals, who are still covered with dry toxic sewage.This effort will be going on for months, and people will be needed all the way thru. Right now, the dogs & cats (and every other creature you canimagine) are critical. Many are dehydrated and starving, and it is aVERY ugly scene. I hope things will improve. If anyone goes now, beprepared to separate your personal feelings from what needs to be donejust to get these animals some help. Hopefully it will improve over thenext few weeks/months, and someone will be in charge and get thingssomewhat organized. For those who can't turn off their feelings and just do the job as bestthey can, don't go now. Wait until it gets better. If you have a strongstomach, and can stay focused on just taking care of one at a time, youare needed now. Feral dog packs and cat colonies were well established in New Orleansprior to the hurricane......now they are feeding off each other, andwhatever they can find. It is truly horrible. The animal populationproblem is beyond belief. Out of some 300 dogs Pasado Rescue pulled,only TWO males were neutered, and I think ONE female. There are dogs who were severely neglected prior to the hurricane, mange is very prevalent, and god only knows what else. Most of the Pits have had there ears cropped back to their heads...."Home Jobs" done with scissors or knives.The whole thing is just surreal. I did not dream at all while I was down there, probably due to exhaustion- we were up at 6 am and lucky to get to bed by 3 or 4 am. The nightmares are starting now, and I can't get the images out of my mind. I try to focus on the ones we've saved, and pray they get into homes. Enough for now, this is too long as it is, and I'm starting to cry again. Barbara Pepper

Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue by Julie Burge, DVM

This is a journal of her experiences in Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina.

Update on AFA's Help

Date: Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:12 amSubject: THANKS From Mattie Sue ...From: msathan@aol.comFriday, AMRick Jordan is here with the AFA truck, at last, we are consolidating materials to send east with him intoMississippi, the heart of the devastation. We have been wonderfully inundated with an amazing outpouring of needed supplies. THANKS THANKS THANKS. We probably have most of what we need now except daily stuff like paper towels, toilet paper, computer paper, computer Ink (HP DeskjetPORKCHOP-style black and color ink cartridges) I think we have more coffee than Columbia! And some of it is delicious. If anybody sends any more coffee, could it beCool Brew Toasted Almond -- on, no, that's from the NewOrleans Coffee Company, I wonder if that will be possible to get). THANKS EVERYBODY! We still need people. The first waveof volunteers are pretty close to burnt out from almost-round-the-clock work. Nothing is perfect, but it's looking more and more organized. Instead of simply reacting, we are starting to be able toplan. We have experienced rescue workers on the way (so far, we're long on sweat and enthusiasm and short on disaster experience). One plan at this time is to send every bird home in a better cage than it came in. You'd be amazed at what had been thrown together to get these birds out. A cage that falls apart is a lost bird, and I lost a parrotlet trying to take it down from a high hook still hanging over toxic soup yesterday. We'll have to go back and try to capture that bird today. The military, local police, and highway patrol remain very, very helpful in getting us in. Actually, yesterday, we had one van break down, so we had only two vehicles and we could hardly get out as the highway patrol officers called us over and over to come back for other animals. Then, of course, probably after having to drive off road around standing water (there are still addresses we've been asked to reach that we can'treach),
(Edited by PPN)

New Update on 911ParrotAlert Rescue Work

Here is a link to some pictures taken at Donna's house of some of the birds which have been rescued from the New Orleans area.

Rare Quaker Colors

Check out these beautiful Quakers in all their many wonderful colors!

Can You Help with the 911ParrotAlerts Work in Louisana?

What is needed:
****************
Send donations to Donna Powell, 16365 Woodmere Ave, Baton Rouge, LA 70819. The organization is 911 Parrot Alert. At this time, checks should be made out to Donna Powell. (She is completing FEMA paperwork for the 911 Parrot Alertorganization.)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. They need volunteers to help with the birds (give food and medicine, clean cages, assemble cages, etc.). They also need people who can type the band numbers and descriptions of the birds into a database. (A digital camera would be a good idea.)

ACCOMMODATIONS. The volunteers are staying at Donna's house in BatonRouge (80 miles north of New Orleans). There are several bedrooms and sofas and lots of space. They have electricity, water, washing machine and dryer, etc. Bring a cot or air mattress and sleeping bag. If you have a tent or camper, that would be helpful.

EQUIPMENT & WHAT TO BRING. There are a number of volunteers going into New Orleans to rescue birds. This requires rubber boots, long pants, gloves, hard hat, etc. Disposable paper clothes are useful. If you have a shot record, bring it. TAKE SUPPLIES (food, safety gear, etc.)

GETTING THERE -- GAS AVAILABILITY. You'll be able to get gas ifyou're coming from the north or west. Coming from the east, you'll need toget gas BEFORE Pascagoula, Mississippi.

COMPUTERS. They would like a faster computer. Donna's is an older(slow) computer and many people are trying to use it. The could also use a laptop with a wireless card. Mattie Sue said this is the best way to communicate in New Orleans.

BIRD RESCUE. They went into buildings to rescue birds. Some were alive, others had drowned. They did get a couple birds back to their owners. The animal shelters have hundreds of dogs. They're asking the bird rescue folks pick up the birds.

PHONES & HELPING. They don't have the staff to answer the phone and it's extremely hard to call in. There are more calls than the lines can handle. Priority is given to outgoing calls. They ask that is you can help, come. There will be a place for you to stay.

WHAT DO THE BIRDS NEED? Mattie Sue asked for toys for the small birds. There are(correction) about 300 birds. A large number of them are cockatiels and budgies.

INFO FROM TEXAS BIRD GROUPS. There are trucks from the Houston area taking supplies to Donna's home/911 Parrot Alert on Thursday, Friday, andSaturday (September 14-16).

Here's another e-mail from Mattie Sue (09/13/05): Subject: Re: Sense of order (lack of) Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 22:59:57 - 0400 Donna picked up 50 and KARE picked up 38 and we got about 30 from LSU,so more than 100 came in on Monday. Yes, we still need lots of help, but we need it in a concerted way, including administratively gifted individuals who can do more than get birds, wash cages, wash toxic soup off emaciated survivors. We made it into the city today. Nightmare like something from a science fiction movie. Mold and high water mark and starving dogs foaming at the mouth in deserted streets. Luckily we had lots of dog food to strew on the streets. Saw an expensive collection of mostly macaws, bodies of drown birds, if only they had raised the cages. The water made it just to the top of the cages and the birds drown in their cages. Three blue and golds managed to escape (well, they were pairs, so there were probably four, but we didn't stay in the mold and chemical covered room to find the other body) and survived because they weren't locked in their cages. Yes, we may have 500 by the weekend, but we still need help doing exams and evaluations and cataloging, monitoring, planning appropriate diets, trying to find owners of, and caring for the 200-300 we have. We were able to return two cages of small birds to their happy owners today. FEMA is convinced that the owners will come back to Louisiana to reclaim their pets within two weeks. It will be interesting to see if that happens. xoxoxo, ms

Update on Hurricane Katrina Relief by 911ParrotAlerts

Via the internet we have received the following email that was sent out by Mattie Sue Atham who has flown down to help with the relief work in Louisana being done by Donna Powell with 911ParrotAlerts:
***********************
On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 11:09AM "Mattie Sue Athan" writes:Weather is nice, water is drinkable, there is power, but otherwise the bird rescue situation is awful down here, need people to feed babies, medicate sick and injured birds, go pickup birds, assemble cages, feed, clean, build. More than a hundred birds already here, more than a hundred coming in today, expect 400-500 by the weekend. Companion, breeder and baby birds being sent here from LSU Veterinary School and many local shelters which are overflowing with dogs. Don't call, don't write, just come to Donna's house at 16365Woodmere Ave, Baton Rouge, LA 70819, my phone number is918-812-1099, but T-mobile towers are iffy here.Please. Many hands and minds are needed. ... If anybody can't come, but they have a friend who can, but can't afford the gas(it's $2.49/gal here, maybe a freeze on prices), give them money and put them into the car. There are a dozen or so volunteers here. Everybody left to go pick up more birds. I'm supposed to medicate, haven't slept, having trouble understanding meds directions. It's far, far, worse than I imagined. I've got a fresh bottle of whiskey, but no coffee. I'm drinking water. What a nightmare.

911ParrotAlert Helping Katrina Victims

The Nature Chest Bird Shop and two very generous customers have been aiding the relief effort being provided by 911ParrotAlert in the Lousiana area affected by Hurricane Katrina. This group is providing a much needed help to the birds and their humans affected by this storm. Here is a description of the group:

911 Parrot Alert is a young but growing organization (founded by Donna Powell in June of 2004) with the sole mission of finding, rescuing and returning lost or stolen companion birds to their rightful families. This organization is a major web presence, with over 3,000 members working in concerted effort to save every bird, one at a time, and reunite it with their family if possible.

When Katrina struck New Orleans, 911ParrotAlert responded immediately by answering distressed summons’ from evacuated or evacuating households to rescue and foster their feathered pets until their owners could come back and claim them, as in many cases owners were not given the option to bring their animals with them to shelters. 911ParrotAlert is currently based in Baton Rouge, which was far enough away to avoid a lot of the disaster but close enough to be useful in recovery efforts. Offering direct rescue and long-term sanctuary is considerably beyond the scope of 911ParrotAlert, which is normally just to find and return lost birds, but the crisis and resultant needs were too great to ignore.

911ParrotAlert works very closely with Dr. Tully at Louisiana State University to care for and maintain these parrots until they can be reunited with their owners. Contact has been made with the American Federation of Aviculture, ASPCA, HSUS, KARE and other animal welfare groups, to recover and maintain exotic birds left behind or escaped during the hurricane. Both K.A.R.E (Knapptime Adoption Rescue and Education) and Mattie Sue Athan, the well-known author of companion parrots, have traveled from their respective bases to directly lend their hands in this crisis.

911 Parrot Alert members have organized into Task Force Teams, soliciting donations of cages, food, supplies, veterinary assistance and transportation to deliver them to the areas where rescued birds are being cared for. The response has been overwhelming and the 911 volunteers are tireless in their endeavors to save these birds from starvation, disease and death. Veterinarians, avian caregivers and administrative support people are flowing in from all over the US and Canada to help, on-site, with this mission.

Donation & disaster-related information may be obtained via Internet at www.911parrotalert.com

Hurricane Katrina

Here is a page to help you find a rescue and relief group to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina, both humans and birds and animals. Thank you for your help.

Are Paper Towel Cardboard Rolls Safe for your Bird?

We have received the following notice that is circulating around the Net about those cardboard rolls from paper towels. The warning we believe would also apply to the cardboard rolls of toliet paper as well. Since we tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to our feathered friends we though we would pass it along as well.
************************************************************

"NEWSFLASH: Paper Towel Rolls Potential Zinc Poisoning
Source!", by 'Parrots Secrets' Newsletter Editor

============================================================

Many of us have allowed our parrots to play with and shred
paper towel cores after we've used the entire paper towel
supply from the core.

This has appeared to be harmless and I was very shocked to
learn that it could be harmful! Had I not seen an email from
Kimberly-Clark, one of the manufacturers of paper towels and
toilet paper, I might not have believed this information.

Zinc toxicity is very serious and can kill a parrot if it
is severe. Kidney damage, upset digestion, feather plucking
and increased water intake are all signs of zinc poisoning.

Other symptoms include vomiting, loss of appetite and larger
than usual green droppings. Sudden death, unfortunately, is
another sign.

Cockatoos are especially sensitive but no parrot is exempt.
If you do, however, have a cockatoo that plucks feathers
and nothing has resolved the problem, ask your vet to check
for zinc in the parrot's blood.

I was aware of zinc toxicosis (a big word for zinc poisoning)
in parrots, but had always heard that the most common cause
was older cages or the use of galvanized wire in aviaries.

Using washers containing zinc to attach toys to a parrot's
cages is another potential cause of zinc poisoning that I
had heard of.

However, I was shocked to learn that the adhesive used to
attach the first sheet of paper towel to the cardboard core
has resulted in some parrots being diagnosed with zinc
toxicosis. This same adhesive can be present in toilet
paper rolls also.

When making sure you do not give your parrot any zinc-containing
products, watch out for anything made of metal that is dull
and creates a whitish dust.

Padlocks and some hangers used for toys are often culprits.
Paints and varnishes and adhesives, pennies, curtain or blind
weights, keys, costume jewelry, tile, duct tape, and hardware
around the house are all potential sources of zinc that could
poison your parrot.

Blood tests are the only accurate diagnosis tool for this
serious poisoning. Be very cautious of what you give your
parrot to play with and what you use inside the cage!

Kimberly-Clark's statement regarding this adhesive says:

"Although the core glue is safe for its intended use, it
is not intended to be ingested. It is not food grade and
does not meet indirect food contact regulations. Therefore,
we cannot recommend that it be used with pets".

Does Your Bird Get Enough Exercise?

Sometimes we forget how inactive our birds really are. They often stay in cages too small to actually fly in. They are often carried about by their humans so there is no need to fly around to get somewhere. We even bring their food to them each day so they don't have to get out and go forage for dinner. Exercise is very important to our birds not only for their physical health, but for their mental wealth as well. Here is a link to an interesting article written on exercise and parrots. You might want to do some seraching around the Internet and find some suggestions on ways to help your bird increase its activity level. Flapping in place while you gently hold your bird's feet can help get things started just be careful not to hold too tight as well as not letting go causing your bird to fall. Providing climbing ropes, rings and ladders can get them moving as well. Ever watched a parrot chase a ball? Many will and do enjoy playing with their humans in active safe bird games. Has your bird ever had a toy it just seemed to really hate and was always beating the toy up? Well, whipping that toy into shape might actually be good exercise for your feathered friend. Burns up a few birdie calories making that toy behave. A couch potato bird can learn to become a more active companion whether flighted or clipped with a few good birdie exercises.

A Visit to the Local Library

On Friday, July 8, 2005, staff members of Parrot Press News and The Nature Chest Bird Shop made a visit to the local library to give a program on Parrots in the Rainforest. Presenting members participating in the program were Shasta the Yellow Naped Amazon, Girlie-Girl the Umbrella Cockatoo, Sisco the Blue Indian Ringneck, Togo the Senegal, and Sunni, a 6 month old Sun Conure. The parrots were accompanied by their human from The Nature Chest Bird Shop to do the talking and explain everything as necessary. The parrots all felt that striking perfect poses and exhibiting their remarkable talents as parrots was quite enough for their part.


Sunni Sun Conure began the program by a show and tell of exactly how beautiful Sun Conures are and how loving and cuddly they are with their people.

As a representative of the Conure family and South American parrots, Sunni demonstrated how to cuddle under a human's chin and give kisses and tickling nibbles to a person quite professionally. She did not wish however to give a demonstration on Sun Conure flocking calls and she was afraid she would have to be loud and clear and might frighten some of the younger children in the audience. Sunni was very excited about sharing her adventure with one of her cage buddies after the program. Sunnie is on the left and her friend Sammi is on the right.


The second presenter, as a representative of the Ringneck family and of India, was Sisco the Indian Ringneck. Sisco demonstrated how to properly lift your wings and spread tail feathers to show in detail the beautiful feathers of a blue Indian Ringneck. She continued on to show the proper way to pin your eyes and make lovely clicking sounds to a human you happen to adore. Sisco also felt it prudent to show how a parrot can express their dislike of going back into a carrier when they are not ready.


Third, was Togo the Senegal proudly and quietly representing the Senegals in the Rainforests of Africa. Although a little nervous about appearing in public with such a large crowd, Togo lifted his chest with pride at modeling the perfect fit and trim as well as colorful dress of a proper Senegal. Togo, not a fussy showoff, presented his program and promptly preferred to remain in his carrier during the performance of others. He is considering next time remaining on his T-stand and letting the audience admire his features while he nibbles on a treat.


Next came Shasta the Yellow Naped Amazon. No stage fright there. Shasta prefers to have everyone's undivided attention so she proceeded to show the proper way to do an Amazon Display. Fanning tail feathers and ruffled head feathers were a real show stopper. Although sometimes a little shy about singing, she makes sure everyone admires Amazons with gusto. At the end of the program Shasta climbed off her perch and strolled along the table to be sure all birds were returning to their carriers. She also spoke to a few of the people passing by, and showed keen interest in them as they were leaving to be sure they had enjoyed the program.


And last but definitely not least, came Girlie-Girl the Umbrella Cockatoo to present the grand finale and gleefully represent all Cockatoos of the World. Girlie performed a short exercise program of how to jump up on down while holding on to the hand of a human. Of course she was adamant about displaying those beautiful crest feathers and showing the lovely yellow feathers hiding underneath as well. She also proceeded to demonstrate how to eat an ear of corn using your foot as the perfect utensil and how not to waste such good food as well.

All in all, a good outing indeed. And, hopefully enjoyed by all the people who were good enough to come out and visit with us.

Do the Birdie Moonwalk!

This little birdie has those dance steps down pat for courting any little lady bird. Click on the title link above or enter http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/manakin.html in your browser.

Repainting Old Bird Cages

We get a lot of phone calls and emails asking about repainting
bird cages. Some birds are tough on the cages, especially if
the cage is a less expensive one. Using those beaks to climb
around the cage can cause paint chipping and wear on a lot of
cages, especially the large parrot cages. Owners often worry
whether their bird may be ingesting those paint chips as well.
Although we have found very few cages that can be successfully
repainted and hold up well afterward, which is why we usually
recommend buying a new good quality cage instead, we can give
you a few pointers if you are determined to try repainting your
bird’s cage yourself.

Before you are ready to begin you will need a temporary cage
for your bird to live in for several weeks while you redo the
original cage.

First thing is to thoroughly clean that old cage removing any
and all food, feces, and dirt from every nook and cranny.
You will need to take the cage outside and use a power washer
or plain old fashioned hand scrubbing using lots of soap and
water. After thoroughly drying the cage, next, using a good
wire brush comes a good scrubbing to remove any loose paint
chips. Then comes a good sanding of all surfaces to finish
off removing any loose old paint particles as well as preparing
the cage surfaces to better accept the new paint. Now if you
haven’t totally exhausted yourself preparing the cage, and have
already decided to just by a new better one, you are ready to
begin repainting your bird cage. (If you cage has rust spots
see our note below.)

So you are now off to purchase the right paint but what do you
look for? We have had a couple of cage manufacturers suggest
a non-toxic appliance paint used on kitchen appliances as this
type of paint dries very hard and is easy to clean. You are
looking for several things listed on the paint can. It should
say that the paint is safe for baby furniture and preferably
also baby toys. Since babies put everything in their mouth,
these paints must meet certain safety standards that not all
paints meet. Of course, the paint cannot contain lead, zinc
or chromate. To our knowledge all paints now sold in the
United States are lead free. For the paint to hold up, it
should also state that it is formulated to bond with metal
surfaces and is hard-wearing. You also want a paint that is
fast drying.

Now you have the safest paint you can find and you are ready
to begin. Painting should be done outdoors on a warm sunny
day, and away from any animals or ponds. No matter how safe
the paint says it is, never paint anywhere near where your
bird is. Paint fumes are toxic to birds not to mention not
too good for the painter either. There are newer paints on
the market that claim to have no smell and thus no fumes to
be unsafe. Maybe, maybe not, however I doubt many of these
paints manufacturers have done testing to be 100%sure their
great new products are totally non-toxic for our birds. So
best to keep Polly far away from any painting going on.

When you have finished painting the cage now you wait. We
recommend you wait a minimum of two (yes 2) weeks before you
put your bird inside this newly painted cage. It takes at
least that long for the paint to do it’s thing and be safe
for your bird. And, very important, do not cover your bird
for at least 30 days after the cage has been painted so there
is no danger any still existing vapors can get caught inside
a covered cage with your bird.

We have known some owners who take their clean, stripped down
cages and have them powder coated instead of repainting them.
Before doing this we recommend you do a search on powder
coating and determine for yourself whether this process is
safe for your bird. Power coating is not the same process as
simply repainting.

RUSTY CAGES: As a rule, if your cage has rust spots,
throw it out and buy a new one. Do not use paint products
which inhibit the return of rust, cover it up, or try to hide
the rust. There are a couple of name brands for these, and
they are very toxic to our birds. Some people think that
once these products are totally dry, they become safe.
However, I don’t want to find out the hard way with one of my
birds and neither should you.

Saving the Blue Macaws

This is a heart warming video showing how 2 baby macaws were saved
from drowning in their nest and returned safely to be raised by
their parents. Click on the link above or enter the link below
in your browser. Note: This is a long video, almost 20 minutes
in length.

http://www.parrotsinternational.org/Videos/Saving_the_Baby_
Blues_Page.htm

How Well Does Your Parrot Talk?

Do you have a secret talker at your house? Click on the
link above or enter the link below to see what some of
the birds are really doing.


http://web.metacafe.com/item.php?itemID=25229#title