Oh dear! It has been awhile!

Well, what can I say? That darn life gets in the way of blogging. So, lots have happened between now and the last time I posted. Let's not go into detail, but instead we will say that the main characters are still here and that's all that matters.

A new member to our flock joined us in late June. He was an abandoned starling baby that somehow fell out of his nest and landed in a hay pile, far away from anything that could have resembled a nest. His eyes weren't even open when we found him, so we scooped him up and brought him home. Internet searches identified him as a 4 or 5 day old starling baby. "Baby" was the correct word for him! Suddenly, I was thrown into a world that was so different from raising lovebird babies. I was raising a baby bird that at first glance of me, thought I was his momma. Midnight feedings, round the clock daytime feedings, cleaning up poopoo, keeping him warm, and holding him to reassure him that he was OK was my daily routine for weeks upon weeks.

Then he fledged. And flew into the bay window in the living room. I heard it from the next room and instantly knew what happened. Seeing his little body on the living room floor, I thought he had died and a piece of me died with him. When I scooped him up though, I could tell he was still alive.

It was touch and go for awhile, and even though he isn't 100% back to normal and never will be, he is spunky and stubborn and full of life! Living with a starling is different in and of itself, however living with a disabled starling is something else! It is truly inspiring. I am not worthy and I tell him that daily. He doesn't listen.

So, that's how we became privileged to be the parents of a starling. He is 4 months old now and the light of my life. Along with his other birdie siblings. 

In other birdie news, Sisco is still plucking. More so than ever, it seems. I have no idea why unless it is because of Wiggles, the starling or the new puppy... Really, it could be anything. I am going to try a new to us product called a Sock Buddy. As soon as the husband goes back to work (he is one of those government furloughed employees) I will buy some tiny socks, the kind that are recommended to use by the people who developed the Sock Buddy. I will let you all know how it works out. In the meantime, I made her some new ponchos, specifically for Halloween! I found the most amazing felt shapes to decorate her ponchos! They are not only adorable, but they keep her entertained. She is always trying to get the little shapes off instead of trying to get her feathers off. Which is better!

Shapes and buttons! Sisco is stylish!! I need to go to Walmart today to get more adorable Halloween buttons to decorate her adorable ponchos! oh, and poptarts! :-)

http://www.thesockbuddy.com/ The Sock Buddy! Check 'em out!

A must read article on feather picking written by a vet

Awesome article. If you have a feather picker or a plucker, read this article. It is well worth it. I totally agree with everything he said, except that severe pluckers may be better off in a breeding program. I don't know how I feel about that...

http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/featherpicking.htm

Sisco has a rash!

It's on her tummy and her chest. This is a new development and I'm scouring the internet to see what the probable cause could be and coming up empty. The only thing I can find is an allergic reaction. But to what? I have not changed anything lately, except I did buy a new face wash, however I only used it 2 times before I realized that it was too strong of a smell for even me and I shouldn't wash my face right before our night time snuggles. Instead, I have washed my face after Sisco goes to bed.

So, what could this be? I so wish we had an avian vet local, but we do not. I'd have to drive at least an hour and a half to just 1 vet. All the others are 2 + hours away. Of course it is worth it and I'd do it in a heartbeat, but gas at $3.79 a gallon, plus the cost of the vet visit would break my piggy bank. :( What to do, what to do???

I found this link on vitamin toxicity and thought it to be very interesting. What this person is saying is that it is very difficult to over supplement a bird's diet. But, I don't know about that. I read the reason why pellets are not suitable for smaller birds such as cockatiels and lovebirds is because of vitamin toxicity. I do not feed my little guys pellets at all. They get all the nutrients they need from the fresh fruits and veggies and grains, plus their seeds that they eat.

 http://www.parrotmag.com/letters/58-letters/441-letters-over-supplementing-vitamins

Sisco's First Bath

Without the vacuum cleaner and without being forced!!

Sisco never bathes on her own unless the vacuum cleaner is running. Even then, it isn't an every day event (bathing, not vacuuming cause with a house full of birds and dogs, vacuuming every day is a must). This morning, she was on my shoulder while I was sipping coffee, and she reached for it as if she wanted a drink. So, I offered her some fresh water in a yellow crock. She took a few sips then proceeded to splash with her beak. There was no way she could have bathed in that tiny little crock, so I got a bigger bowl and filled it with lukewarm water.

It took her awhile to actually start bathing. She dunked her beak in a time or 2, but I could tell that she wanted a bath, because she kept fluffing up her feathers and pulling my hair. When she pulls my hair, it is a big indication that she wants something and she wants it NOW! And I had best figure it out ASAP or I will be bald soon! God, how I'd love to be able to read her mind!

Once she started splashing around with her beak, then she dunked her head in, then she tested it with her toes a few times. Since the bowl was a see thru Tupperware bowl, she had a hard time judging the bottom of it. I had to hold the bowl up to her while she was still on my shoulder for her to get in it. Next time I will use a different bowl or hold something under it so she can see that it isn't bottomless.

Sisco tried to step into the bowl, but I do think she was scared that it was bottomless :( The one and only time that she stepped all the way, she got scared and that was that; she was DONE!

I am so happy that she did this!!! Now I can take a nice luxurious hot soak in the bathtub instead of a quick shower.