#How noisy are African grey parrots?

[ndeep1234]

Best Pets for Home: Top 5 Pets and How to Choose the Right One

Finding the best pet for your home involves considering factors like space, time commitment, family dynamics, and personal preferences. Pets can bring joy, companionship, and responsibility to a household. Whether you're looking for a furry friend, a feathered companion, or a low-maintenance pet, there's something for everyone. In this article, we'll explore the top 5 pets for home and offer insights on how to choose the best one for your lifestyle.

1. Dogs

Dogs are often considered the ultimate companions for families and individuals alike. They are loyal, loving, and provide a sense of security. However, owning a dog requires time, effort, and patience.

Popular Breeds for Homes: Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Beagles, and Poodles.

Behavior: Dogs are social animals that thrive on interaction and activity. They require regular exercise, mental stimulation, and companionship.

Weight: Varies widely by breed, ranging from 5 lbs (2 kg) for small breeds like Chihuahuas to 100 lbs (45 kg) for larger breeds like Great Danes.

Food: Dogs require a balanced diet of protein, vegetables, and grains. High-quality dry dog food is a good base, but some dogs may benefit from fresh or raw food diets.

Advantages: Loyal, protective, great companions, encourage exercise.

Disadvantages: Require a lot of attention, training, and regular exercise. Some breeds are prone to health issues.

2. Cats

Cats are independent, low-maintenance pets that are perfect for smaller homes or apartments. They can be affectionate without being overly demanding and don't require the same level of attention as dogs.

Popular Breeds for Homes: British Shorthair, Siamese, Persian, and Maine Coon.

Behavior: Cats are curious, playful, and generally independent. While some cats are very affectionate, others may prefer solitude.

Weight: Typically between 8-15 lbs (3.5-7 kg).

Food: High-protein, grain-free dry or wet food is recommended. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their diet should primarily consist of meat.

Advantages: Low maintenance, independent, ideal for small spaces.

Disadvantages: Can be aloof, may scratch furniture, litter box cleaning is required.

3. Fish

For those looking for a low-maintenance and visually pleasing pet, fish are an excellent choice. A well-maintained aquarium can add beauty to any room, and fish are quiet, peaceful pets that require minimal interaction.

Popular Species for Homes: Betta Fish, Goldfish, Guppies, and Neon Tetras.

Behavior: Fish are calming to watch and can be mesmerizing with their graceful movements. However, they do not offer the same level of interaction as other pets.

Weight: Varies depending on the species, but most common household fish are small and lightweight.

Food: Specialized fish flakes, pellets, or frozen foods based on the species.

Advantages: Low maintenance, aesthetically pleasing, quiet.

Disadvantages: Require regular water changes and tank maintenance, no physical interaction.

4. Birds

Birds can be wonderful pets, especially for those who enjoy animals with personality and intelligence. Birds range from low-maintenance species like parakeets to more demanding species like parrots.

Popular Species for Homes: Budgies (Parakeets), Cockatiels, Lovebirds, and African Grey Parrots.

Behavior: Birds are social and often form strong bonds with their owners. Some species can even mimic human speech and sounds.

Weight: Varies by species; small birds like budgies weigh around 1 oz (28 g), while larger parrots can weigh up to 3.5 lbs (1.5 kg).

Food: A balanced diet of seeds, fruits, vegetables, and specialized pellets is necessary to keep birds healthy.

Advantages: Intelligent, interactive, can be trained to talk or perform tricks.

Disadvantages: Can be noisy, require social interaction, and may become destructive if bored.

5. Rabbits

Rabbits are great pets for families or individuals who want a soft, furry friend that is relatively low maintenance. They are quiet, social animals that can be litter-trained and kept indoors or outdoors.

Popular Breeds for Homes: Holland Lop, Netherland Dwarf, Lionhead, and Flemish Giant.

Behavior: Rabbits are social animals that enjoy being around people. They can be litter-trained and love to hop around in open spaces.

Weight: Depending on the breed, rabbits can weigh anywhere from 2 lbs (1 kg) to 15 lbs (7 kg).

Food: A diet consisting mainly of hay, fresh vegetables, and rabbit pellets.

Advantages: Quiet, can be litter-trained, good for small spaces.

Disadvantages: Require regular grooming, need space to roam, can chew on furniture.

How to Choose the Best Pet for Your Home

Choosing the best pet depends on several factors:

Time Commitment: Some pets, like dogs, require a significant amount of time for training, exercise, and attention. If you have a busy schedule, consider low-maintenance pets like fish or cats.

Living Space: Consider how much space you have. Larger animals like dogs and rabbits need more space to move around, while fish and small birds can thrive in smaller areas.

Allergies: If you or a family member has allergies, hypoallergenic pets such as certain dog breeds (like poodles) or hairless cats may be a better option.

Family Dynamics: Pets like dogs can be great companions for children, while smaller pets like fish or birds may be more suited to families with older children who understand how to handle animals gently.

Budget: Some pets require more financial investment than others, not only in terms of initial costs but also in terms of ongoing care, food, and veterinary expenses.

Experience: First-time pet owners may find it easier to start with low-maintenance pets like fish or small birds, while more experienced owners may opt for dogs or rabbits.

Final Thoughts

Owning a pet is a rewarding experience that comes with responsibilities. Whether you choose a loyal dog, an independent cat, a peaceful fish, a chatty bird, or a soft rabbit, ensure that you are prepared to meet their physical and emotional needs. Researching the specific requirements of each species and breed will help you make the best decision for your home and lifestyle.

FAQs

What is the best pet for first-time owners? Cats and fish are excellent choices for first-time owners due to their relatively low maintenance needs compared to dogs.

Are rabbits good pets for small apartments? Yes, rabbits can be kept in small apartments as long as they have space to hop around and plenty of enrichment to prevent boredom.

What is the most low-maintenance pet? Fish are considered one of the most low-maintenance pets, as they require little interaction and only need regular tank cleaning and feeding.

Do birds require a lot of attention? Some species of birds, like parrots, require a significant amount of social interaction and attention, while smaller birds like budgies are more independent.

Can dogs be left alone during the day? Some dog breeds can be left alone for a few hours, but most dogs require companionship and exercise throughout the day. Consider hiring a dog walker if you have a busy schedule.

[bayoubluebirb]

Read This Before Buying A Bird!

There are some things to be considered before going to a pet store and buying that cute little conure or cockatiel in a cage, adopting a bird from a shelter, or homing a bird from a small independent breeder. Addressed questions: How much money are you willing to spend? Are you okay with the possibility of having a furniture-destructive animal in the house? How much space do you have? What is the climate and your neighborhood like? How long are you away from home per day? How much time can you commit?

How much money are you willing to spend on your pet per month?

- I probably spend about $50-$100 on my bird a month on average. On big trips to pick up perches, trees, or cages, it’s more along $200-$800.

- Birds are not cheap. They can range in price, but typically a healthy hand-reared budgie will cost anything from $50 to $100. My Peach Faced Lovebird was $140. I have a male Solomon Eclectus that was almost $2000. African Greys, Congo and Timneh, range $2500-$3500. Macaws range $2500-$23,000, etc.

- Cages are expensive! A good quality cage that is not full of harmful metals or paints, will cost between $200 and $5000. My SL Eclectus’ cage is pure acrylic and was almost $800. He will be getting a larger cage and that is $1500.

- Birds do need annual vet check ups, and they require exotic veterinarians specialized specifically in Birds. Because they need a special doctor, it also costs more. Co-pays are usually around $150-$400, and procedures and medications can be off the roof expensive.

- If you cannot afford to feed yourself, provide yourself with necessities and a couple wants, and are living comfortably, a bird is not the pet for you.

Are you okay with them possibly destroying a few beloved things in your home?

- Birds are often described as animals that take and don’t give back. They are natural foragers, and need stimulation to keep them entertained. Your parrot may chew at your door frames, your door itself, couch cushions, Leather materials, kitchen supplies, etc.

- Birds have extremely sensitive respiratory tracts, so if you aren’t willing to give up that lovely PFAS chemical we Environmentalists like to call The Devil We Know, AKA Teflon, then a bird is not for you.

- If you aren’t willing to trade in bleach, vinegar, non-stick, cleaning sprays and window cleaners, for something organic, trusted and approved by your avian vet, then a bird is not for you. It is much more expensive, but it would not only keep your bird safe, but also you safe!

How much space do you have in your home?

-Even if your bird’s wings are clipped, you need enough space for your bird to spread its wings and maneuver about.

-Birds talk a lot, so if you appreciate your quiet time, don’t get a bird if you live in close-quarters.

-Talk to your neighbors first before you buy a parrot if you live in an apartment or townhome. Yes. The birds will scream. Yes, your neighbors will hear it.

-If you want more than one bird, even if they’re the same specie, never house them in the same cage, even if it’s giant! Birds are NON DOMESTICATED animals, and it’s important we mimic their habits in the wild as to not frustrate them. Birds are animals that while in flocks, are incredibly spread out unless they’re mates or conversing. Birds are always alert, and are watching and listening. They need their space.

What is the climate like yearly?

-Where do you live and what is the temperature in each season?

-Do you get snow in the winter? Many people up north have birds, but it’s also more pricey to own a bird up north due to the extra expenses needed to keep the bird warm.

-How warm/cold do you keep the air on in your house?

-What species of bird are you considering? They come from all different habitats. The Peach Faced Lovebird, for example, is native to sub-desert regions like Namibia and Angola. Probably not a good idea to get a Peach Faced Lovebird if you keep your home below 19°C/66°F.

-Birds NEED vitamins (D3) they get from the sun, just like people! If your weather is consistently unable to provide these vitamins to your birds, you either need to purchase a UVB/UVA lamp, or you just should not get a bird.

What is your neighborhood like?

- Down in Florida, Texas, and many other states with high-demand parrot breeding and shops, there’s a lot of thievery. Make sure you live in a safe environment.

- If you live near chemical/manufacturing plants, or has an immediate family member that does, a bird is not for you.

- Birds are very sensitive to pollution. Please make sure your neighborhood is clean, because not only is it bad for the pets, but also the people!

- How noisy is the neighborhood? Do you live in New Orleans and pop big celebrations for Mardi Gras? Do you live in areas with lots of fireworks or loud noises? This can startle your bird. It can bring them stress!

- If you plan on flight training and/or bringing them outside on a harness, is your town/city very busy? Is there a lot of traffic? Are there birds of prey that live nearby? Hawks WILL and HAVE swooped down to snatch a parrot off of someone’s shoulder for a snack, and have even snatched them out of the sky while free-flying. Please be careful!

How long per day are you away at work/school?

- If you work a full time job and are a college student, you will not have time to take care of a bird and be able to grant your bird’s needs.

- How many hours a day do you work/are away from home? Parrots on average need AT LEAST six to seven hours a day out of their cage!

- Birds need attention, but not in the sense where you need to throw them a ball or cuddle with them. Being in the room with them out of the cage is even plenty to make them happy. They want you to be with them, but not on them!

How much time can you devote to your bird? How patient are you?

- Birds are a lifetime commitment. Depending on the species, your bird can live between 15 and 100 years. Do not adopt a bird unless you have accepted that this bird will be with you through everything. If you move, if you get married or divorced, if you have children, if you get other pets, etc.

- If you don’t think you’ll want the same bird for twenty+ years, do not get a bird. There are countless in avian shelters and sanctuaries right now, and it’s heartbreaking to see. If you wouldn’t sell your child because you got bored of them or were struggling to care for them, don’t sell your parrot.

- Parrots grow extremely attached to the people they’re used to being around, and in that case have many emotions similar to humans. They put trust in you, and rely on you, and love you. Rehoming them after multiple years of building that relationship can cause self-mutilating behaviors, depression, aggression, and even death from loneliness and feeling abandoned. If you cannot handle strong emotions and a deep attachment, a bird is not for you.

- Many parrots love to learn, and many are stubborn. They are extremely smart animals and among the most intelligent in the world, so keeping them stimulated with daily training is essential.

- Birds bite, and when they bite, it hurts... A LOT. I have been bitten until bleeding by an African Grey, I have been bitten by a previously abused Yellow-headed Amazon, I am constantly bitten by my Lovebird that I am trying to train to be less aggressive. Birds bite, and no, if you don’t understand why you aren’t allowed to scream “Ow!” when it happens, a bird is not the pet for you.

- Birds are not dogs, nor cats, nor horses. Negative reinforcement will only enable Negative behavior in your parrot! You must have the patience to, even when they bite you, praise them for it. You want them to know that biting doesn’t get a reaction out of you and that it won’t make you give them more or less attention. They will eventually learn this and try to find other ways of communicating with you.

- Birds do not bite to communicate by nature. You must take time to learn your bird’s body language. They will always give you at least FOUR warnings before they bite you hard. Please, learn to speak to your bird. They cannot learn English fluently like everyone else.

Please, let me know if I should do some more of these helpful pointers! By no means am I insinuating you should not get a bird, because I love hearing about people’s emotions and excitement toward them. They’re wonderful companions. I merely aim to inform people before they make a big lifetime decision like adding a feathered friend into their family!

[chibimonkey]

Pipe Dream Pets

There are a handful of pets I would die to own, but for one reason or another, I can’t.

FOX. Russia has a domestication experiment with foxes, and exports them to one company in the US. These foxes are as domesticated as dogs, and they run from $6k and up. The price is not the biggest deterrent to me. The biggest deterrent is the fox’s behavior and lifestyle. The owner of Juniper the fox has described in detail the downsides of owning a fox, namely that she can’t travel because she can’t have a sitter and foxes are illegal in several states; Juniper has destroyed multiple pieces of furniture by being herself, engaging in activities such as digging (in her couches), possession hoarding (food, shoes, pillows), and peeing. Fox pee is very much like cat pee in that it is extremely hard to get rid of. Juniper’s owner has stated “you smell it the second you walk in, that a fox lives here.” Another reason for concern is that there ar4e no rabies vaccines approved for foxes, which is the reason why Juniper can’t ever be babysat when her mom goes away - if Juniper were to bite someone, she may have to be put down and her brain tested for rabies. Foxes are off the table for me.

SEAHORSES. I love seahorses. I really do. I always swore I would have some, but as I researched them and their care, and as I researched saltwater tanks, I realized that I may never be able to have seahorses and keep them healthy. I might be able to keep them alive, but living is not the same as thriving, and I don’t want to keep any animal that can’t thrive with me. Seahorses are just too delicate for my clumsiness.

AFRICAN GREY PARROT. Oh boy do I love African greys. And oh boy could I never have an African grey, for nearly the same reason I couldn’t have seahorses. I doubt my ability to provide an environment engaging and stimulating enough for what is essentially a feathered child. Maybe if I had no other pets and no children, but I do want those things. And just like with foxes, there are things parrots do that I just don’t think I could live with. Parrots are large, noisy birds, and I do not like noise. They are messy and with how big their enclosure has to be, plus their out of cage wanderings, I don’t think I’d ever be okay with the amount of MESS they’d produce, or the amount of things they would ruin by investigating it in their parrot way (chewing on things, taking things apart, etc). Finally, parrots are tame, not domesticated. Tame animals tend to have more difficulty as pets than actual domesticated animals. Feather plucking and self mutilation are a high possibility. I could never watch my bird hurt itself because it was unhappy with my best ability to provide for it. I love African greys tremendously but I severely doubt my ability to keep one happy. This also goes for any large bird, and wild-caught animals.

This is not to say that people who have these animals are bad or abusive. I’ve seen people on this site keep their parrots beautifully, I’ve seen aquariums keep seahorses, and Juniper’s owner does a wonderful job with her. I am saying that I could not do it, even as much as I want to. Their needs exceed what I could provide for them at my best.

[hrrytomlinson]

here are a bunch of AMAZING fics I’ve enjoyed and loved reading throughout the month of july. I recommend that you read these great fics in august, if you haven’t already!! also check out the HL Summer Fic Exchange - my fic will be posted soon (hopefully)!

(all fics with a star are my favorites and if there are two stars then it was a favorite favorite)

1. Just a Walk in the Park 124k **

It's 2015, the first time dinosaurs walked the earth in over 65 million years. The multi-billion dollar company, Twist Corporations, is planning a summer opening for their world changing attraction, "Jurassic Park".

They take an interest in the history making duo of Dr. Louis Tomlinson, a stubborn paleontologist, and his partner, paleobotanist Dr. Liam Payne, giving them the chance of a lifetime to work for the new theme park. Louis is apprehensive, but Liam has a "gut feeling" that it will change their lives. He isn't wrong.

Featuring Niall as the top engineer to get the park up and running, Zayn as the raptor expert, and Harry as the grandson of one of the most influential men in the world.

2. Let’s Embrace the Point of No Return 33k

Louis was a whole new scale of beautiful, he was richer than Harry could've ever imagined, and he was the most powerful, dominant alpha that Harry had ever come in contact with. The only problem now is that Louis is also Harry's boss.

Louis believed Harry was an alpha, and had no idea about how he had lied about his status just to get an interview with Louis. He was in too deep now and he couldn't look back.

Or, Harry is an omega intern at an all alpha company. Louis is his boss. There's some complications.

3. How Could I Ever Forget 14k

After his boyfriend leaves him for a job in New York, Harry vows to move on with his life. A year later when their best friends announce their engagement, Harry knows he'll be forced to see Louis again and face the truth he's been trying his best to hide--even from himself.

Or a Vegas AU where Ziam's bachelor party turns into drunken karaoke, winning thousands at slots, washing your clothes at the laundromat in your underwear, and making life altering decisions that you can't remember in the morning.

4. Boys Fall Like Dominoes 6k *

Harry slips into an early heat while riding the tube. Naturally, that's when he meets Louis.

5. Looking in the Dark 7k

This carries on from the same a/b/o verse of Boys Fall Like Dominoes.

6. Swallow My Words 32k

Senior year is stressful. On top of balancing school work, family, and friends, Harry's lacrosse team is vying to win the state championship, he's not sure where he's going to college yet, and he has a secret boyfriend that no one can know about.

7. Just a Flower Boy 70k

Harry Styles is a clumsy, flower crown-wearing, openly gay junior with only two true friends, Niall and Zayn. Louis Tomlinson is the school's attractive, straight football captain, with a small body and a big personality. As fate will have it, Harry has a huge, unrequited, utterly hopeless crush on Louis.

Fate is thrown out the window the day that Harry and Louis find themselves partnered up for a history project. Harry starts to receive notes from a secret admirer, Louis starts to get jealous of Harry's budding friendship with senior Nick Grimshaw, Zayn and Liam develop a thing for each other, and Niall is the best mate anyone could have asked for. And suddenly, Harry's crush on Louis doesn't seem so utterly hopeless anymore.

8. Only Reason 5k **

“We are so lucky to have with us one of the leading experts on beekeeping in the modern age, Dr. Louis Draper.”

No. No, no, no…

“I know I speak for many of us when I say that this man’s books have guided our practice, or helped us get started,” Harry continued, and Louis watched as the crowd nodded their heads in agreement.

Oh shit. No. What? No.

But then Harry was gesturing towards him, saying “Dr. Draper?” into the microphone, the crowd was applauding, and Louis found himself walking up the stairs to the stage.

Or, Louis is most definitely smitten with Harry from the second he sees him, but he is also most definitely not the world's foremost expert on beekeeping. He decides to roll with it anyway.

9. L'Été en Azur 26k *

In which Hogwarts students Louis, Liam and Niall go on a summer exchange to Beauxbatons.

10. I’ll Be Yours to Keep 17k

Louis should've thought a lot more about who he said his fake boyfriend is, especially since he and his "significant other" kinda hate each other. Most of the time.

11. I Am the Blinking Light 19k **

There is a legend of a lighthouse far out to sea. It can’t be found on any map, and those who do find it never return. They say a ghost haunts the lighthouse, and you can hear it calling out in loneliness on the ocean waves.

12. Packed Lunches, Sticky Fingers and Accidental Levitation 10k

Harry Styles is a skilled work-from-home potionist five years out of university with a steady job, a house, and... eight kids.

He also might be heading towards a breakdown if he doesn't get a bit of help.

Enter a meddling pixie and an old university friend he might or might not have had a lot of feelings for.

13. Moments of Memories 17k **

And that’s when his heart stops.

It stops only to a second later flutter like the wings of a hummingbird against his ribcage. The noise of the crowd melts into an intangible buzzing in his ears. He stares at the picture and he knows he should question the reason for why his body has suddenly gone haywire, but he doesn’t.

Because he knows those eyes, would recognize them anywhere, and now they are staring back at him from a picture on a wall.

Reunited AU. Harry Styles met Louis Tomlinson at the age of 6. At the age of 23 he lost him.

What happens when he meets him again 36 years later?

14. Grenadine Sunshine 18k

Harry’s only sixteen, it shows right now, and Louis wants…he wants so many things. He wants to taste the faint, sugary ghost of lip gloss, he wants to cup Harry’s face between his palms and swipe the shimmery wet shadows from beneath his eyes. He wants to show him everything he knows, even though he doesn’t know anything about this, about kissing boys or flirting with them or doing their makeup or even showing them it’s okay to want to wear makeup in the first place. Still, Louis just wants, wants and wants and wants. It’s what Harry does to him.

15. Between Chaos and Control 19k

Companion piece to 'The Wonderlands' written from Louis' POV.

16. Sweet Creature 78k *

“You're having a nightmare and I feel bad because you're trembling and crying so I crawl into bed with you and hold you so you feel safe, but in the morning you wake up with my arms around you and you're really confused and embarrassed.”

17. Stood Up 8k

Harry Styles is a popstar, the media’s newest sweetheart. Louis Tomlinson is a fresh out of rehab rock star. They hadn’t intended to spend the evening together.

The media would have a field day when they found out.

18. Heart on an Open Highway 5k

AU. Harry's a popstar about to release his second album, and Louis is the Radio 1 intern who gets his heart racing.

19. That How I Know 17k

Louis Tomlinson has just landed his dream job, coaching soccer at Augustus University. When he moves into a new house near campus, he meets his very fit new neighbor, English professor Harry Styles. Although their first meeting leads to an instant mutual dislike, the more Harry gets to know Louis, the more he likes what he sees.

Or the one where Harry’s African grey parrot spills his dirty secrets to his very hot neighbor.

20. Like an Endless Summer 87k **

“You just wanna go fawn over Styles as soon as possible,” Zayn grumbles.

“I do not. Plus, he probably got ugly this year. Eighteen is an awkward time...I bet he’s got acne and one of those terrible fuckboy haircuts all the hipsters are getting these days, with the shaved sides? Just watch, the first year we’re gonna get any time together is gonna be the first year I don’t have a stupid crush on him.”

Or, Louis is a riding instructor at a summer camp, and Harry is a fellow counselor who he’s been successfully managing his crush on for the last two summers. That is, until Harry shows up this year leveled up and lethal, and all Louis’s formerly perfected veneer of nonchalance melts like a popsicle in the sun.

21. It Doesn’t Feel Like a Win 20k

Louis just got back from tour, and doesn’t want to deal with people. Especially not noisy show hosts, who make him snap and come out on an impulse. It doesn’t help that his manager is an asshole, and he seems to bump into the certain show host everywhere. He just wants to drink a hot tea already.

or, Louis is a closeted ace celebrity, Harry is a TV show host, Liam is too sensible and Niall drinks too much.

22. The Boys of Summer 4k

Harry is in love with Louis and would have given anything to be his partner for the end of term literature assignment. Louis is the only kid in the class who can get away with anything, and all he wants is the attention of the pretty boy with the curls across the room. Featuring lots of banter, pining, flirting, and Fionn as an unwilling Cupid.

23. Hush. 41k **

“I don't like you like that, Harry.”

“See,” Harry starts, Louis can hear the smile in his voice, “that's where I think you're lying.”

Or, an AU where small towns suck, Louis is losing it, and Harry’s just too perfect.

24. The Melody You Never Heard 30k *

It's one last adventure. One last chance to be young and carefree. One final weekend before they take up their internships, their corporate positions, before they enter the real world, fresh out of university. Niall's his best mate. Liam's been there for him since they were lost, little freshmen, trying to find their ways through an overwhelming first year. Harry can't disappoint them, even if it means enduring four days with Louis.

Louis, who he does share a history with, a history he's never told anyone about, not even Niall, a history he hasn't brought up in three years because it's stupid and embarrassing and confusing.

Or, the one where Harry gets roped into a four-day camping trip with the boy who kissed him and never called back.

25. We'll Play Hide and Seek to Turn This Around (Give Me Love like Never Before) 19k

“So here's the thing,” he starts. “I didn't mean what I said a few weeks ago to like, hurt your feelings or anything. If you like painting your nails, then you should do that, and not like, care if anyone else doesn't like it because their opinions shouldn't matter, you know?” Louis takes a breath, finally glancing over to see the boy wide-eyed and pink-cheeked. On a whim, he adds, “And like, I noticed you scraping it off and you haven't been wearing any and I think you should because that's what you like.”

Or an AU where Harry paints his nails and drinks strawberry milk and is too nervous for it to be nothing and Louis' just trying to figure out what's wrong with him.

26. Reminiscence 22k

"Harry I've done so much wrong."

Harry's quiet for a moment. "I don't think it matters how much you've done wrong because maybe you're different. Maybe you'll fix it with doing things right.

The smoldering look Louis gives him says a number of things. "You'll just be the one thing I do right then."

27. Homegrown 51k **

“It wasn’t an easy decision, if I’m honest,” Harry admits, shoulders sagging in on himself. “Moving is really difficult. My whole life was in Manchester. But Manchester didn’t want me. Leeds did.”

“Well, Leeds is happy to have you,” Louis says, giving Harry a kind smile.

Harry brightens a bit at that, undeniably pleased. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Louis replies, expression soft and lips curved.

Or, a gardening AU where Harry is new to town and the newest volunteer at the local gardening club, Louis is the attractive grandson of one of the members, and the nosy volunteers hatch a plan to get them together.

28. Take Me Back to Where We Started 27k **

Harry and Louis haven't spoken since they broke up four years ago. As boarding school sweethearts they once spent every waking moment together, but now they can hardly stand to be in the same room. When their five year class reunion comes around, both boys decide against their better judgement to return and (hopefully) have a good time.

The only problem is, they're both still hopelessly in love.

Starring Harry as the petty ex, Louis as the new James Bond, Niall as a boy genius and fake boyfriend extraordinaire, and Liam and Zayn as two friends just trying to make it out of this weekend alive.

[joly-and-the-satellites]

Sometimes I think about the fact that Joly just seems like the kind of person who would own a bird, like a super rad parrot or something, and for some reason Bossuet is convinced that the bird doesn't like him and has it out for him even though Joly keeps trying to explain that it's not true. (I'm sorry you're not doing well. I hope this helps.)

Okay, this was meant to be short, but it got waaaaay out of hand.

Birds of a Different Feather

It was a quiet afternoon when Joly had first brought it up.

“I think I’d like to have a bird,” he had stated, so casually it was almost as if he’d asked about the weather later on in the week. Musichetta, to her credit, did not seem very bothered about it. She simply took a sip of her coffee and nodded, “I think you’d do well with one. Birds can be sweethearts - a lot of them really love their humans.” Bossuet had been a little more perplexed over the sudden admittance; he wasn’t sure where it had come from, or why Joly had wanted a bird, in specific. They seemed loud, and most of them somewhat feisty - he’d been bitten and scratched at before, and he wasn’t entirely keen on the idea. Why not a guinea pig, or a turtle? Hell, why not a cat or a dog?

“A bird?” he had asked, a bit of hesitance in his tone. Joly had looked up, nodding - Bossuet must have had a certain expression on his face, because he had almost immediately backtracked. “Well, yeah, I would like to have a bird - unless you’re afraid of them? I really should have asked that before bringing it up, I’m sorry,” he replied, giving Bossuet that guilty, wide-eyed look, like a puppy who had been caught stealing food.

He wasn’t afraid of them, of course; more so, he was cautious around them, and didn’t really like his odds when it came to one descending from the heavens like a vengeful angel every time he walked into their house. But, he knew how much Joly had wanted a pet; he’d been looking longingly at shelters for months, and was always asking them about different types of animals. He had probably hoped that he was being subtle about it, but Musichetta had caught on almost immediately. Once she had tipped Bossuet off on the hints that he had been dropping, it became hard to ignore them.

If we had a dog, what kind would you want? Do you think we’d ever adopt a cat? Do ferrets actually smell? I’m not convinced that they do. How hard do you think hedgehogs bite? What kind of name would you give a bearded dragon if you had one?

And really, who was he to dash his hopes? If Joly had admit specifically to wanting a bird, who was he to refuse him without even considering it? And he really did have such a hard time saying no to those big brown doe eyes of his…

“No, I’m not afraid of birds,” Bossuet had responded. “I just don’t know much about them as pets. What do you think, ‘Chetta?” Musichetta had given him that sly little smirk over her mug that had told him she was onto him. She had raised her eyebrow subtly at him - You’re really not afraid of them? she was asking. Bossuet shook his head. No, I’m really not, was his silent reply. She had then turned to Joly, that bright smile on her face. “They’re good pets. They can be a little noisy, and sometimes they’re attention hogs; but there are kinds that aren’t too loud or aggressive. We’ll just have to do our research.”

Joly had looked back at Bossuet, his eyes shining with hope.

Bossuet had caved a little too easily.

After about a month of debating the pros and cons of various breeds, they had settled on a cockatiel; not too big that Bossuet would be running for cover, and relatively affectionate. They had gone to a shelter that had a cockatiel, recently surrendered by its owner, with the hopes of adopting it; but when they had entered the corridor where the birds were kept, Joly had zoned in on something else altogether.

An African Grey parrot.

It didn’t look threatening, aside from stature in comparison to the other birds. It was huddled down on a perch, gray feathers messy and unkempt - it seemed that it had been pulling out its own feathers. One leg was tucked up against its stomach as it dozed, eyes closed and body still. Joly instantly gravitated towards it, as easily as a magnet to its opposite pole, making a little sound of distress at the state of the bird. The parrot opened its eyes instantly, and stood back up so quickly it wobbled on the wooden perch - before it could lose its balance entirely, it flapped its wings, catching itself with a bit of effort. It hopped away from Joly on one foot, feathers standing on end in apparent alarm; Joly shuffled back immediately, a guilty look on his face. “What’s happened to this one?” Musichetta asked the volunteer, May, who was acting as their guide. She had paused, turning back to see which animal had caught her eye; her expression fell a bit when she saw Joly peering up at the parrot.

“That’s Charlie,” May answered, her tone becoming a bit more morose out of sympathy. “He’s… been through a lot. His owner didn’t take very good care of him; whoever they were, they abused him. He was left here in a box without a note, and no food or water. His leg was broken, and it was so badly infected that it had to be amputated. That’s why he stumbled a little when you approached him; he’s still a little scared of people.”

As soon as she said it, Joly looked back at his lovers with those big, sad eyes, as if he had been personally injured. Bossuet had to admit that it had gotten to him, as well; it seemed impossible to him that anyone could be capable of being so cruel to any kind of animal, especially one that was meant to be a companion to them. He just couldn’t wrap his head around how heartless one would have to be to intentionally harm their pets; especially to the extent of the animal losing a limb, or losing their trust in humans.

“How long has he been here?” Joly asked in a small voice, staring up at Charlie with his hands clutched together at his chest. It was a familiar action - he did it every time something struck a heartstring, and considering how big of a heart he had, it was fairly often. “Nine years,” May answered solemnly. “no one wants him because they’re afraid he’ll lash out, or that he’s too much of a responsibility. Some people just think he’s too ugly, or they don’t want to adopt a pet that might live as long as they do. They don’t want to make the commitment.”

Bossuet didn’t need to look at either of them to know that the decision had made - because he was already completely on board.

“How much is the adoption fee?” Bossuet asked.

May smiled warmly at that; but not nearly as brightly as Joly had.

Charlie was not entirely accepting at first; but Joly didn’t stop trying to forge a bond with him for a single moment.

The parrot was quiet and almost introverted - he didn’t like being held, and often tried to escape if one of them held their hand out to him, however slow the approach. Joly spent countless hours sitting next to the huge birdcage, talking to Charlie about his day and asking him questions about his as if he would reply; sometimes, when he had run out of things to say, he would pick up one of his favorite books and read to the parrot. He seemed especially fond of reading passages detailing dragons and mythical birds to him.

And bit by bit, Charlie learned to accept his presence. 

He stopped jerking away when Joly walked by, and no longer tried to get to the other side of the room when he heard his voice. He was no longer flinching away from their laughter, and slowly, he stopped pulling out his feathers in favor of curiously picking at the toys and puzzles that they had bought for him. Joly would offer his hand to Charlie at times, hoping that he would hop over from the perch; a few times, he’d been bitten or nipped at, and many of those times, the parrot had drawn blood. Joly was ever-careful that he didn’t react negatively, and instead of jerking his hand away or raising his voice, he would carefully step back and apologize for startling him. When Charlie had finally allowed Joly to gently stroke his feathers, he had the biggest, beaming smile on his face - and from there, things only improved.

Joly was the only one that was allowed to carry him for a long time. Charlie would perch on his shoulder as he sat at his desk, or land in his lap when he sat on the chair next to the birdcage. It took a few weeks and a lot of gentle encouragement, but he finally started showing Musichetta the same trust, hitching rides on her shoulder as she walked about the house. He always went back to Joly, in the end; he was a one-person bird, it seemed, but Musichetta hardly minded. Joly was incredibly cheerful before they had adopted Charlie, of course - but he was so often in high spirits and so often gushing over his new feathered friend, who was the subject of many Instagram posts and Snapchat stories.

Bossuet, on the other hand, hadn’t yet gained Charlie’s trust or affection.

In fact, Charlie often puffed up defensively from Joly’s shoulder whenever Bossuet was near; he wasn’t competing for Joly’s affections, per say, but he was certainly less than excited about Bossuet’s presence in the room. He didn’t squawk or scream at him, though, which he had considered to be a good thing for a while… at least, until Joly had gotten the parrot talking, and he’d told Bossuet with the utmost confidence, feathers fluffed out and chest pushed forward as if trying to intimidate him, ‘scram, punk.’

Musichetta had choked on her tea, and Joly had snorted loudly. Bossuet had heeded the warning and promptly made his exit.

Charlie was absolutely, irrevocably, undeniably out to get him. And Bossuet just wasn’t sure what to do about it.

He looked up from his phone, taking in the scene just across the coffee table. Joly was sitting with his leg pulled up onto the couch, knee bent upward, the other rested out comfortably on the cushions, as he’d taken his prosthetic off once he’d gotten home. Charlie was perched on his bent knee, facing Joly, and leaning down to give him little ‘bird kisses’ - pressing his beak to Joly’s nose and making exaggerated noises to signify a smooch. Joly was petting his feathers lightly, that happy, relaxed smile on his face, watching a cartoon on the television idly when his attention wasn’t on the parrot.

The moment Bossuet reached for his little bag of Goldfish crackers, Charlie was standing upright and watching.

He froze with his hand hovering mid-air.

“I don’t think your bird likes me very much,” he stated.

Joly looked up to glance between the two, eyebrows drawn in confusion. “I’m sure that isn’t true,” he replied, tapping Charlie gently on the end of his beak; the parrot turned his attention back towards him, ‘kissing’ the pad of his finger. “he might not be used to you yet. Isn’t that right, Charlie?” “Right,” the bird answered without missing a beat. Bossuet was a little off-put by how easily he always answered Joly. Did he truly understand what he was saying, or was he guessing…?

“It’s been almost a year, though,” Bossuet responded, a bit poutily. As convinced as he was that Charlie was out for blood, he was a little disheartened that the bird didn’t like him - or even seem to readily tolerate him, really. Joly hummed under his breath, looking back at Charlie almost questioningly. “Maybe it’s only because you don’t talk to him as much as me and ‘Chetta,” Joly concluded. “I’m sure he likes you; he’s just a little nervous. It took him a long time to get used to me, after all.”

Bossuet sighed, popping one of the little crackers into his mouth before he replied. “I don’t think that’s it. I think he wants you to himself, and I’m slowly becoming his enemy.” His boyfriend laughed, shaking his head; Charlie imitated that laugh almost eerily well, and Bossuet found himself gawking for a moment.

“No, that’s not it, either - he wouldn’t like ‘Chetta nearly as much as he does if he wanted all my attention.” He looked back over at Bossuet, as if set to say something else - but his eyes fell to the little bag of Goldfish sitting next to him, and Bossuet could almost hear the gears turning. The moment he had spoken, Bossuet felt his heart plummet:

“I have an idea.”

“Oh, no,” Bossuet started to protest. “whatever it is, I’m not doing it. I love you with all of my heart, but I am not doing it.”

“Just hear me out,” Joly chuckled, shaking his head fondly at him. And really, Bossuet couldn’t deny him that. It didn’t mean he’d go through with this idea of Joly’s, of course; but he could at least listen to it before he took a stance on it. “I can prove to you that Charlie doesn’t dislike you - because I promise, he doesn’t! Give him one of your Goldfish.”

Bossuet looked down almost appraisingly at the bag next to him. He didn’t have the best of luck with birds. They often bit him, screamed at him, pecked him - and if he got in close quarters with a bird as large as Charlie and offered him a tiny cracker just the size of his fingertip, there was no telling what the damage might be.

Joly, as if sensing his thoughts, smiled softly. “Just trust me on this one, alright…? You don’t have to, but I promise you he isn’t going to hurt you, love.”

Bossuet gave a heavy sigh, and plucked a Goldfish from the bag, looking down at it as if his fate was resting upon the tiny cracker. “Do you think Ferre will believe me when I tell him why I’m going in for stitches?”

“Bossuet.”

“It’s a fair question! I need another story ready in case he doesn’t.”

“You won’t need stitches. You don’t have to give him one at all, honest!”

“But I want to,” Bossuet countered stubbornly, getting up from the armchair and going to sit next to Joly on the couch. Charlie watched his every move - but he was not fluffing his feathers out defensively, or trying to get between him and Joly. It didn’t stop him from being a bit apprehensive as he settled down on the sofa, of course.

Slowly, Bossuet situated the Goldfish between his thumb and pointer finger, and held it up as if in offering.

Charlie considered the cracker for a long moment. He leaned down, plucking it gently from his fingers; his beak barely touched his skin, and he was just as careful as Bossuet had been in the exchange. 

Joly grinned, praising the bird for a moment before he leaned over to kiss Bossuet’s cheek. Feeling his smile against his skin was never any less heartwarming to him, and he could feel his own lips curling up in response. “See? He doesn’t dislike you. You just need to get used to each other.”

Bossuet reached up carefully to pet Charlie, who was munching happily on the Goldfish; he didn’t try to duck away from his hand, and he didn’t turn to bite him when he realized who was touching him.

“Maybe you’re right.” He conceded. “But I hope he doesn’t expect me to hand over all of my Goldfish that easily in the future.”

“Greedy,” Joly laughed.

[all-for-pets]

The African grey parrot’s ability to talk and mimic sounds makes this medium-sized parrot a captivating companion. African grey owners often report that their greys oftentimes talk in context and seem very attuned to their people’s emotions. The African grey parrot is not just a top talker — this bird is also known for its extreme intelligence, which gives them the moniker “The Einsteins of the Bird World.”

Care & Feeding

There’s a reason why the African grey is often considered the poster bird for parrot intelligence — not only is this bird inclined to amass a large vocabulary, African greys also demonstrate an aptitude for recognizing the meaning of words and phrases.

The grains and seeds are mostly whole and formed into a berry shape, it encourages African greys to hold, nibble, and even play with the Nutri-Berries. This mimics the foraging that African greys do in the wild.

African grey parrots are more prone to deficiency in vitamin-A/beta-carotene, and therefore benefit from eating vegetables high in beta-carotene, such as cooked sweet potato and fresh kale. Vitamin-D deficiency is another concern, especially for greys on a poor diet. Offering a balanced, pelleted diet, such as Nutri-Berries, for the main diet of an African grey helps prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies. A grey that consumes a pelleted diet generally does not need vitamin supplements added to its food.

Personality & Behavior

Most bird keepers believe that only an experienced bird enthusiast should keep a grey. They are complex parrots, highly sensitive, and more than a little demanding. They are also charming and brilliant, but this match of sensitivity and brains can lead to behavioral issues. They are creatures of habit, and even a small change in routine can make a sensitive grey unhappy. They are prone to plucking and chewing their feathers, among other bad habits. Anecdotally, the TAG has a hardier attitude and may be better for households with a lot of people coming and going. The CAG prefers a little less chaos.

African greys are social parrots that need a lot of hands-on time, however, they aren’t “cuddlebugs.” They will tolerate some head scratching and a little bit of petting, but they do not appreciate intense physical contact, though some individuals don’t mind a little snuggling. Every bird has individual tastes and preferences. A grey can also become a “one person bird,” even if every member of the household socializes with it from the beginning.

African greys need plenty of toys that challenge their intelligence, such as foraging and puzzle toys.

Speech & Sound

Much of the grey’s appeal comes from its talking ability. It is among the best talkers in the parrot family, able to repeat words and phrases after hearing them just once or twice. This bird reaches full talking ability around a year of age, and most individuals become capable mimics much earlier.

Not only will a grey develop an outstanding vocabulary, research has shown that this species can come to understand what it’s saying. The most famous CAG, Alex, and his colleague, Dr. Irene Pepperberg, may be the reason for the popularity of this species, and certainly for its high profile. Alex and Dr. Pepperberg worked together for 30 years at Brandeis University until his unfortunate death in 2007, due to a catastrophic event associated to arteriosclerosis (“hardening of the arteries”). In their three decades of research, Dr. Pepperberg taught Alex to recognize and identify objects, colors, and shapes. Alex could also understand the concepts of same and different, category, and could even count objects. Though Alex was on his way to much more complex thought processes, including how to read, his fellow African greys Griffin and Arthur (AKA “Wart”) are continuing to work with Dr. Pepperberg trying to reach the point that Alex had reached and even further.

But just because greys are smart and may choose to talk rather than scream, it’s a mistake to believe that they aren’t noisy. They aren’t as loud or persistent as some of the South American species, but they will learn household sounds and use them tirelessly to the dismay of guardians. Imagine the microwave beeping incessantly, or a cellphone ringing madly without the luxury of turning it off.

Health & Common Conditions

African greys are especially susceptible to feather picking, calcium deficiency, vitamin-A and vitamin-D deficiency, respiratory infection, psittacosis and psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD).

source: African Grey Parrot Personality, Food & Care – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.

[s-unflow]

I really wish I could afford to take care of a big parrot T_T

African greys are so sweet n cute and I love the idea of taking care of a big bird but like

I already have 5 smaller birds (3 budgies n 2 tiels) & they're MESSY n noisy I can't imagine it

not to mention how expensive the food is

[windycityparrot]

How to get your bird used to toweling for restraint & why it's essental

This is a follow-up to our recent post about learning how to restrain your bird using the zombie death grip. The grip goes hand-in-hand with toweling a bird when you need to restrain it for maintenance like nail trimming or a first-aid emergency. Speaking of emergencies. You have to love technology (or not). It's been a very wet summer so far much of which has come in the form of storms. Severe storms triggering a loud screeching sound emulating from my phone reminding me that I may have to vacate my location or kiss mine and my birds arse goodbye. Murphy's law states "anything that can go wrong will," I've often found Mr. Murphy highly optimistic. One morning more than one of you reading this will wake up and find that a thunder boomer caught your bird off guard and triggered night frights.  This caused a large broken flight blood feather while flailing it's wings in the scary darkness. Your bird will be stressed, in pain and pulling the remaining broken blood feather out, is above your pay grade. AN EMERGENCY IS NOT THE TIME TO FIND OUT YOUR BIRD IS AFRAID OF A TOWEL AND IT'S TRAVEL CARRIER.

You don't want to have this conversation with your bird while F3 tornados are touching down across town Begin rant via GIPHY Why do captive bird keepers seem to be the only sanctimonious pet owners there are?. I spent 25 years reading raising and showing dogs, I never saw this kind of attitude. "I learned it this way and you're wrong, I'm leaving your Facebook site"! Once again I dared to hold a small bird the way it was shown to me by more than one veterinarian and bird behaviorist. There's a couple of very prolific and talented authors on Quora. They both have a sizable flock. Whenever somebody writes about "what kind of bird should I get" "what's the right bird for a small family" "what's it like to have an African grey"their are persistent answer is "don't even think about it"! "It's too much work, their noisy and messy". My favorite is "you need to spend 6 to 8 hours of face time with the bird," coming from somebody who has for birds so it is opaque to me how he is able to spend 24 to 30 hours of face time each day with his for feather companions? "Why can no one but you have birds Mr. or Ms. Quora answer person"? Why the self-righteousness? Back in the day, circa 2004/2005 - we used to hold open houses at the birdie boutique up in the Jefferson Park area of Chicago. Once a month for close to 14 months I believe (before the facility burned to the ground) we would have upwards of 300 people and 100 to 150 birds descend upon our 10,000 ft.² space - to learn about keeping birds as pets. We had rescues alongside of breeders with veterinarians available to answer very specific questions. We had a beacon nail trimming booth. We had guest lecturers. Personally I handled between 500 to 1000 different birds that year. Thus the foundation of my knowledge base was laid. After the fire we morphed into a company more focused on the Internet. Seems to be the up-and-coming trend these days. I've built cages in countless homes throughout the Chicago metropolitan area and saw that birds were situated properly. We've interacted with tens if not hundreds of thousands of people via email and help desk tickets Exchanging images and videos. The information we present will always be as accurate and bird safe that is humanly possible. Because you disagree with our actions, threatening to not buy from us only confirms what we already know. If everybody agreed with us 100% of the time, now THAT would be suspect. The trigger to this land was a video the video (below) I uploaded to YouTube showing how a toy is big is the bird itself could be easily accessed providing a brilliant foraging and enrichment opportunity (courtesy of catherine). "How dare I traumatize that little bird" Really? So the body of this blog post goes to a place that not enough caged bird keepers go to and that's common sense maintenance and good well bird care. End rant We received an inquiry from a Birdie Brunch subscriber. "I found your pages on the need for and techniques of towel training very useful. Unfortunately, we didn't know about this need when our female African Grey was young. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF8-dW42ipM In the video of the woman getting her parrot used to the towel in her lap, she did many things with the bird that ours will not permit - so we couldn't even get started down that suggested path. Kiele will step up and she will let me lightly stroke her beak. Sometimes, she will bend her head down to let you rub the top of her head. But that is it as far as touching goes -- at least with me. She is a bit more relaxed with a couple of regular visitors to our house.. I'm wondering if you have any more videos or write ups that could help me get her more relaxed and playful." Great question! Let's walk through the steps we can take: Try sitting on the floor alone or with another human with the towel to be used in your lap. Have your bird so he or she can watch you and not feel threatened. Just as you would with a baby or young child begin to play peekaboo with the bird. As your bird begins to show some excitement and enthusiasm for the game, begin to move closer. After a few peekaboo sessions, get yourself comfortably seated on a chair and take the towel with the long ends hanging over your lap. Put your bird on your lap on the towel with your bird's head facing you and begin rubbing and scritching, whatever makes your bird comfortable and relaxed. Begin to pick up either side of the towel very slowly while saying “peekaboo”. Do this for another few sessions until you can bring both of your hands (while holding the towel) together while your bird remains comfortable in your lap but is now wrapped loosely by the towel. As you’re doing this speak in a calm and soothing voice making sure you’re lavishing praise and providing high-value treats like sunflower or millet. The goal will be for you to be able to take a towel to wherever your bird is perched and lay the towel over the bird then ask your bird to “step up” with the towel on your bird and partially on your arm.   We want to get your bird comfortable in the towel with the towel being used to restrain the bird’s wings. Restrain your bird's neck with what we affectionately call the zombie death grip which doesn’t choke your bird because parrots have cartilage rings in the trachea. Do be careful not to compress the bird's chest because that will interfere with its breathing and could suffocate them.   You can let the bird chew on a corner of the towel while you’re performing whatever grooming or maintenance you doing. Just don’t stuff the towel into the bird's mouth if you are getting bit just move your thumb and forefinger a little higher up the bird's neck under its beak and you can avoid bites altogether.   The process is similar for your bird to engage anyone or anything. Your bird wants to make your toys her toys. That's why advocate the use of clicker training to help build trust with any bird. 5 to 10 minutes a day will change the relationship between you and your bird regardless of age.   Another game helping make towels more easily accepted and bird friendly is wing-around-the-towel. This is especially useful for birds with clipped wings deprived of flight an essential source of exercise.    There are wing flapping exercises that you will want to do with your bird to keep its chest muscles toned - find bird exercise videos here - but a simple exercise of chasing your bird around the towel, making it a fun game will aid in the acceptance of said towel while providing happy calorie burning activity and human interaction.   written by mitch rezman approved by catherine tobsing Read the full article

[wecappbah]

Peach Faced LOVE BIRDS

My Peach Faced lovebirds are pint-sized bundles of joy. They have the full personality of parrots while being easy to house because of their size. My birds are little clowns, playing for hours at a time. They love to hang from toys, spin them around, and dance on your shoulder. I have had to watch my buttons! They love to pull them off my clothes! Such loving little birds: they love to snuggle and preen.

A trio of peach-faced lovebirds. The left one has a standard "peach-face" crest, the middle one is a peach-face and a fischeri hybrid (as indicated by the two-colored beak and smaller body size) and the right one is a color mutation aptly named as "orange-faced" (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many people believe lovebirds must be kept in pairs. This is simply not true. A single lovebird makes a better pet because it bonds to you rather than to another lovebird. While it is easy to keep a pair of lovebirds tame, if you plan on spending lots of time with your bird you can keep it alone. However, if you work long hours and don't think you'll have a lot of time for your love bird, I recommend you get him/her a companion. This will keep your lovebirds happy and prevent boredom. It is important to realize that while lovebirds are a small parrot, they have the intelligence and abilities of some of the largest parrots.

They never stop amazing me with their ability to escape their own cages. I have to put copper wire on the cage doors to keep them in, and sometimes they figure out how to untwist the wire and open the door!

Lovebirds will sometimes try to become the little bosses of the household. I recommend using the same type of gentle dominance training that is used for larger parrots.

Are you looking for a bird that you can teach to talk? Lovebirds can learn to mimic sounds and speech on occasion. However, I don't recommend that you buy any species of bird only because of the expectation that it will speak; even the famous African Greys sometimes don't learn to speak. So, if that is your only reason for buying a bird, I'd seriously urge you to reconsider as the bird could end up abandoned because of your own disappointment.

In my opinion, love birds and parrots both make great pets even if they never utter a word. We have both in our home. The lovebirds chatter away all day, never making a sound that anyone can understand, except as being simply 'noisy chatter.' However, our Double Yellow Head parrot makes up for it; his vocabulary is very long, extensive and he is constantly talking.

If you decide to breed love birds just remember they are prolific breeders. You may soon, as we did, find our home over run with lovebirds! And, as a word of caution, "do not" put bark chips in the nest of the baby birds. Though the odor is pleasant to humans and is good for older birds it is too strong for baby lovebirds. I must admit I learned the hard way and had casualties on my hands! Paper is the best thing to put in the nest along with some alfalfa. Do not get powdered alfalfa, rather dried alfalfa blades. If you decide to use paper, do cut the paper (newspaper is best) in long strips and put it beside the nest. Mama will take it into the nest. And, remember if mama snaps at you she is only protecting her nest!

My favorite lovebird is Lucky, so named as it was our first clutch and she was the only one, of six, that survived when I put the bark chips in the nest.

We do not have an aviary breeder, rather, our lovebirds are paired off in separate cages. The best way to tame babies quickly is to remove the babies from the next when they are about two weeks old and hand feed them. This way, the birds get the best of both worlds: the immunity conferred from their parents and the tameness that comes from being handled by humans.

Our lovebirds are abundance weaned so that they are happy, well-adjusted birds. We feed them pellets, a good seed mix, alfalfa, wheat grass, quinoa, sprouted beans, and other veggies and fruits. And, oh yes! Lovebirds love to not only eat grapes, but to toss them around also. In short, lovebirds love playing. They keep us entertained for hours. If you decide to get a lovebird for a pet, you will have made an excellent choice!

By Ms CiCi Ms. CiCi has a gift of teaching, is an accomplished author and world traveler who enjoys sharing her life's experiences with others, making their life, their world a bit easier. Her writings expose her wealth of "secret information" so derived from her travels as well as drawing from her own personal wealth of wisdom. Ms. CiCi builds websites to help share her vast knowledge and great experiences. Do take time and visit: http://www.CiCi-Online.com Article Source: EzineArticles

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[windycityparrot]

The Ultimate Guide To How are African Grey Parrots to Keep as Pets

The question “How are African Grey Parrots to keep as pets?” came from Quora “Come on, fess up! You’ve done the unthinkable. You've actually thought of getting an African Grey but the horror stories of screaming, biting and plucking keep you "centered" or "sane". What if you had a mentor?  That's why you have me! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQvsjgrJoak I love Quora. I love to argue.  I love setting the record straight. The single most important lesson I learned in outside commission sales over 20 years was, God gives you one mouth and two ears that should be used in the same proportion. Regarding that first answer on Quora, Don't you find it unnerving to hear some one dictate the actions you should take based upon a question asked of you, without knowing your life’s skill set? Him: “Do you have an avian vet? No”   Me: I didn't have an avian vet - until - I knew I was certain to be getting a bird.  Board certified Avian vets are hard to find. According to the American Veterinary Medical Foundation there were only 114 in the US in 2016. Which begs the question do you really need a board-certified avian veterinarian?  To be a board-certified avian veterinarian you must know about almost every species of bird on the planet which is about 10,000.  You need to know about chickens, seagulls, raptors and so forth. A veterinarian that specializes in exotics can be very well equipped to care for a mere several hundred species of hook bills, wax bills, horn bills and soft bills. Our veterinarian  Dr Byron DeLa Navarre Is not a board-certified avian veterinarian but he does travel around the globe teaching other veterinarians the latest exotic trends and surgical techniques on species like geckos and snakes.  He's a pretty bright guy and I trust him explicitly with our birds.

Editors note. You would think human doctors have it easy dealing with only one species and not having to guess about their sex. At Windy City parrot we are very sensitive to knowing your bird's species. Telling me you have an African Grey is only half the information I require. Congo Grey Parrots vary in weight between 400-650 grams depending on the diet of individual birds. Timneh Greys vary in weight between 275-400 grams. Thus some Congo Greys can be almost twice the size of some some Timneh greys. Timneh African Grey parrots have deeper shades of dark charcoal feathers – gray color on their wings and back while sporting maroon tails. Congo Greys have a red tail and possibly even more red throughout its feather system. The red factor (video above) stretches things a bit don't you think? When I interact with "Grey" companions they are more often than not caught off guard when I ask them "what kind of African Grey"? They usually have to stop and think about the fact that there is more than one species of grey parrots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thGFpnt6LBo To put things in a more granular perspective, an Alexandrine parakeet can weigh almost as much as a Timneh African Grey. The patagonus sub species of Pategonian conure weighs 315-390g making it almost the size of a small Congo Grey. Yes that’s right, a conure the size of a grey. Once we know the sub species of your grey parrot we can more accurately talk about nutrition, bird toys, cage accessories and bird cages. Depending upon the size of said grey parrot, you have two stories to tell about the maintenance of these two distinct grey subspecies. Let's start out by talking about Timneh Greys. In that birds are flock animals, they enjoy a social setting. We advocate putting a new bird regardless of history, in the most active area of the home so that they can enjoy human interactions and participate with their human flock as much as possible (this holds true for any new bird). Even if the bird came from an abusive home or poor environment (basement/garage) let him or her see that interactions with other flock mates is a positive experience and nothing to be afraid of. Contrary to popular belief I feel that it is wrong to let a bird quietly settle into his surroundings. Isolation will only make the bird more skeptical and skittish. I shot the video below after getting peaches our Senegal. I put her on multiple stands and in a few birdcages including a travel cage and took her to work. It keeps a bird off balance but keeps her interest up while looking to you for stability. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfHID6m4Aqw Fast forward nine months later and Peaches has settled in quite nicely both at home, weekend home and work in a small part to the constant interaction between the two of us and others in the household as well as customers who come into our bird supply store. Cages can be purchased new, or used on Craigslist for pennies on the dollar) and you can buy lots of expensive toys or make your own. We give you some ideas here in with a couple of videos below. As far as FaceTime I think as long as you're in the room with the bird and the bird knows you're there, you're golden. I don't know a bird or human who really wants six hours of FaceTime with someone else. Personally, and please take no offense to this (my readers) but at some point during the evening I need to shut down and not talk to any of you. The noise of the several hundred thousand people we interact with on social media and email and on the website can be deafening throughout the day. So I like to binge watch Netflix and Amazon or read from my Kindle Fire. Getting back to the point, I used my good friend Kim for a brilliant example of a new Timneh African Grey pet bird keeper. I spoke about her in another recent post about the pros and cons of having a pet bird.

It is said that having a pet bird is the equivalent of having a two or three-year-old autistic child in a feather suit who speaks another language which could be quite trying. Kim has been running a daycare for 25 years dealing with two and three-year-olds en masse. Her words to me were “who better to care for an African Grey parrot”? I recently wrote Kim with a quote from Mark Twain that really explains her: “She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined She was the kind of person that keeps a parrot.” Yes, digression is my middle name :-) Point is wouldn't a mother who spent 5 or 10 or 20 years raising children be an ideal candidate for keeping a parrot? Or did I miss the memo that children are no longer noisy, messy and require socialization? The world is about supply and demand. Worry less about the origin of the bird and more about the care of the bird. Think about how you tortured your mother for all those years. A bird just might be a cake walk for anyone with parenting skills to draw from. We strongly encourage adoption. We work with local rescues here in the Chicago area. Unfortunately there is not always a bird rescue near you with a particular species of bird that you are seeking. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG-4fxBeF9g sorry about the dubbing but this was the best vid (so far) illustrating the differences between the two African grey sub species There's also the universe is too complicated to be arbitrary method of bird acquisition: We pulled Popcorn from a bush after a call from a woman two blocks away from the Birdie Boutique. Bacon was found in a tree across from the shop. When we decided to get our next big bird, I casually mentioned a Senegal would be really cool. Three weeks later one showed up at my door delivered by a rescue volunteer (who has known us for many years). Peaches is 111 g, the term big bird is relative. "hmmmmm" As one reader pointed out, "it's not the fault of breeders which everyone likes to blast". If there wasn't a demand then there wouldn't be any breeders. Saying breeders should be banned is like saying porn is disgusting, evil and should be censored - and everyone agrees, yet Pornhub is the 38th most visited website on the Internet. Visited more than Wordpress.com (41st), MSN.com (42nd) and Microsoft.com (48th). Once you've made the decision to acquire a bird be it an African Grey or any parrot for that matter it's time to seek out an avian veterinarian. You want to interview him or her getting insights on their current avian patient base. Their views on the use of Lupron to treat bird hormonal issues? How they feel about light affecting circadian rhythms? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cTdSGVMZ4I Veterinarians are also a good source for "sourcing" your future pet bird (or cat or dog or gerbil). They know where the good and bad birds come from. They have insights into people looking to re-home animals. Editors note: There is only ONE species of dog. Don't look at your (potential) veterinarian as simply a source of veterinary advice and care.  If they can't help you holistically with regards to nutrition, housing, foraging and enrichment, perhaps they are not suited to be your bird’s veterinarian. Veterinarians can also be a great source for finding your next pet. They know the patients and the breeders. If you're looking for a bird and you can't find it at a rescue, or don't have a bird rescue reasonably close, start your pet bird (or any pet) search with local veterinarians. Editors note: If you live in a rural area with no access to a veterinarian competent in avian species, a bird may not be your best choice of pet. There's always the problems of medical emergencies, questions of day-to-day nutrition and housing. You are going to need a go to veterinary authority especially with animals that live for decades.. We can help you out with just about all of your birds environmental needs inside and outside the bird cage. We can't and won't answer veterinary related questions because we're not qualified. Think about it in terms of having a team - veterinary - environmental - day-to-day caregiving as necessary to maintain the equilibrium of an animal that's been evolving for 99 million years - literally. Circling back to the original question, we never really touched on Congo African Greys. Our simple advice is bigger bird bigger brain. Congos are going to be somewhat more demanding, louder and a bit more complex than Timneh African Greys. Bird toys need to be bigger for Congo's Greys over Timneh Greys. The size of the food has to be offered accordingly. Cage size might be based upon the bird’s wingspan and/or lifestyle. Other than that we’re back to having a three-year-old autistic child in a feather suit that's entire lot in life is to make a mess. Birds were put on the earth to spread seeds across the land. Unfortunately they don't understand the difference between the waterholes on the Serengeti Plains of Africa, the ground under the rain forest canopy and your new Pergo floor. They don't know the difference between a $200 play stand and a $5000 armoire, both offer wood to chew. It's all something to be tongue tested and tasted. It's up to you the captive bird keeper to guide the bird towards right decisions. Place in front of them the right things to eat, chew and land upon (should you choose to keep them flighted), much like teaching a child who doesn’t know what hot is until they burn themselves. Thus keeping a Timneh or Congo African Grey, an Eclectus parrot, an Indian Ringneck, a Caique or a Sun Conure will always have its nuances but will have a similarity of experience that one must be prepared for in order to keep any kind of parrot is a pet. Something to ponder:  It takes African Greys longer to mature than many other species. Young African Grays may be part of the family group for many years before entering the flock as a flock member seeking a mate. And this is where it gets really interesting: This would explain the African Grey parrot re-bonding with another human in the household out of the blue. Remember - there's 99 million years of DNA at work here, literally. So maybe, just maybe, African Greys are not being irrational but are moving away from whoever brought them up first (mom/dad) in their search for a mate to grow old with. In the bird's mind, instinctually this helps prevent inbreeding and keeps the gene pool strong and deep. In other words, the initial caregiver human is seen as a parent while the next human to bond with, is a flock mate. written by mitch rezman approve by catherine tobsing your zygodactyl footnote https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnnOx178Z64   Click to Post