Happy Birds 7

1/5/09
Hi Shirley, Paulie is doing so well. He's has been a real joy to all of us. He's really become part of our family. He likes to dance for my son whenever he walks in the room. He is starting to make alot of noise and i think he's trying to talk, but i can't make out what he is trying to say. He loves taking showers..I leave the shower door open and he goes in and out making a huge mess of course,but loves to go in and out. He likes to hang alot...we will be holding him and all of a sudden he drops himself and just hangsI..it scares me because i think i am going to drop him and he will hurt himself..but he always seems to hold on with one foot and just hang there. He is also alittle begger when it comes to food. He will eat anything and thinks we need to feed him whenever we have something to eat. He does excellent at night...sleep all night without making any noise. Paulie's favorite thing to do is run around the house..I call him my ADD Baby. he runs from one end of the room to the next just looking for something to chew or do. and he loves it when i pet him...adores it. He gets into so much stuff..i always have to be watching him to make sure he is not destroying anything. I have put him outside and he really enjoys looking at all the others birds around. I always have him in cage when we go outside because i'm afraid of him flying off. I thank you so much for this awesome gift you have raised and done so well. He's a really happy bird and loves people. Thank you. I will send pictures next time.

1/12/09
Hello Shirley
Just wanted to send you a quick picture of Sydney. She is doing fantastic and is the sweetest most loving bird.

She had a checkup a few months ago ( I may have told you at that time but can't remember ) and her beak is almost 100%. Dr. says by the next beak and nail trim he expects her beak will be perfect.

Here is a picture of my baby.
Robyn

3/11/09

Shirley,
I hope that this email finds you and yours doing well. I still keep an eye on your website to see all of the new babies that you are hatching.
Babaloo will soon celebrate his 3rd birthday on March 27th. It's hard to believe that he is already this old.
He still continues to be my gentle, sweet B&G boy! He is a great eater, very eager to try anything new and "healthy." His one weekness is spagetti night. He knows what is being prepared and has a fit until it is ready.
I have all kinds of ropes and swings hanging over his tree stand. I bought the largest manzanita stand that was offered. It is the one that has two trunks to it. He loves it and stays on it all of the time. The only time he is in his large "day" cage is when I'm at work. Of course, he still sleeps in his sleeping cage in my bedroom each night.
He especially loves his ropes that hang. He has a long manzanita branch that hangs down, and he is constantly swinging from side to side on it. He has learned that if he swings back and forth high enough, he can get peeks into the kitchen as I'm cooking.
I just wanted to give you a brief update and let you know that he has always and still is the bright spot of our home. Not a day goes by that I don't think the stars above that he came to live with us.
Best to you,
Brian and Babaloo

4/11/09
well daisy is now a year old yesterday, and she is doing just wonderfull. i bought her a couple of new toys and she wants nothing to do with them, but as always time will take care of that. she is molting right now and it looks like she is having a bad hair day! she waits for mom to come home at night and makes several noises that she learned, thanks again for all you do.
ron and frances

4/30/09

Hi Shirley,

Our trip home went well. Toby only made a sound once the whole time. He did try to dig a hole in the carrier....he didn't get anywhere though....lol. I didn't have any problems getting him out of his carrier. He cried a little bit but he stepped up on my hand almost immediately. I just held him a little bit to let him know he was okay. He didn't want to really go in his cage he kept moving up my arm to try and stay out. After I got Toby to step off my hand he didn't hesitate to check out his toys and his dishes. I went ahead and filled a dish full of water under his lixit bottle.....after about five minutes he was slinging water everywhere...lol...I guess he wanted to take a bath after his road trip. Well, I am tired and everyone else is already in bed. Thank you for the Toby he is beautiful, I look forward to becoming his closest friend. Talk to you soon.

Michele

5/18/09

Shirley,

Just a quick note to let you know how Babaloo is doing.

I've only got a couple more weeks of school. I'm really gonna miss my students this year as I have had a wonderful time with them. They have been absolutely wonderful, but with school being out, it means more time for me to spend with my beloved Babaloo.

He is going through his yearly molt and is a bit itchy. He was mouthy last year during his molt, but he has stayed gentle and loving this year. He is especially sweet when I walk by his playstand. He likes for me to stop and let him rub his cheek against my face. His face patch is so soft. I'm just amazed at how gentle he is. He knows me better than I do and can read my thoughts and moods like a book.

He loves to eat, and I'm constantly researching new things and and concoctions for him to try. We are getting some great mangos and papyas in now, and he loves those. The birdy bread is always a favorite around here, and I'm constantly changing each batch up.

I will be rearranging the bird area after school is out. I like to keep things changed up, so they don't get bored. He now has a large manzanita branch that is hanging from the ceiling by two chains. He loves to rock and sway from side to side.

I noticed that you have a couple of Eclectus babies on your site. I still have my little male Kiwi. He is still a bit hormonal, but he is calming down......thank God! He is going through a "mojo" molt as they call it. I'm just keeping him bathed and giving him a good diet with no extra additives.

I love keeping an eye on your site to see all of the new babies you get.

I've attached a few pictures of Babaloo that were taken last month. He loves to chew on his ABC blocks as you can see. He can go through a number of them per day.

Take care and much affection to you from my buddy...Babaloo!

Brian and Babaloo

7/10/09

Wanted to let you know that Scooter is doing great.

He just turned 2 and is spoiled rotten.

You are not going to believe it but he loves to ride on the 4 Wheeler with me.

We go on rides at ATV parks and he went with us last time.

HE LOVED IT> HE ALSO LOVED ALL THE ATTENTION!

Audrey

7/14/09

Hey Shirley,

I haven't written you in forever about Albus. He is doing wonderfully well. Did I tell you about taking him to a school for special needs children last year? He and my African Grey were so well behaved....all of the kids wanted to go back to school with ME so that they could continue to play with the birds. Albus seems so content. He comes out of his cage in the mornings...plays for a couple of hours...and then puts himself back up for breakfast. My Grey does the same thing. People who come to my house are amazed that I have birds that will put themselves back in their cages. :)

He's really starting to talk a lot, too. When I got home from my three-week trip to Europe, he saw me and burst into the chorus of "hello, hello, hello, hello. Hello Albus, hello Albus." that went on for almost 30 minutes. He's hanging out on my shoulder right now, but he's getting ready to get in the floor so he can put himself back up.

Hope everything is well in Texas!
john

7/21/09

Shirley,

Hi, how are you? Just had to share this with you - Rocky started saying his name Sunday, as clear as can be. He says: Rocky Boy, or sometimes Rocky Rocky Boy! I was amazed as I never thought they talk that early, even though I had read otherwise. He is eating great and doing great.

Hope everything is going well with you. Talk to you later.

Janice

7/24/09
Shirley,

Here's a picture of Babaloo having his first piece of fresh coconut. I managed to ruin my best kitchen knife getting the dang thing open, but it was worth it. After him looking at me like I was trying to give him a rattlesnake, his curiosity took over after he saw me take a bite of it.

He now loves his coconut!

That 99 cent coconut treat is gonna end up costing me about $70 by the time I replace the knife. LOL But, he's more that worth it!

Best to you,
Brian and Babaloo

8/16/09

Hello Shirley,

It's been a while since my last update in regards to Rocky in Ca. He has been such a good boy since i have gotten him. We have come a long way since the first time we met each other. Rocky has quite a vocabulary now one of his favorite word is come here. I don't know where he got this one but he belches now i think he got it from my daughter.

Hope is all well with you and the other birds i will keep you up to date on his progress.

10/5/09
Hi Shirley,

I took Eppie to see Dr. Campbell on Saturday and he said she looks good. He did a physical exam and did not order any extra lab work. He said to keep an eye on her weight and let him know if she had any sudden weight drops. I was getting kind of concerned because she did not seem to be eating anything, but last night she had great fun helping me eat a bowl of popped corn while I watched a movie. Since then she has been munching steadily on her pellets and seems to be doing fine. As you can see from the picture she likes the play top on her cage. She has tried to fly over to me several times with some rough landings, so I really regret that you insisted on clipping her wings. They will grow back after her first molt, but that will take at least six months.

Later,David

10/06

Hi Shirley, just wanted to see how you were doing and to thank you. Sooni, CAG, had been taking giant steeps in adapting to our family she seems to love everyone. My 7yr old daughter reads her books every chance she gets. We all share in the feeding and caring for her and we all thank you for this wonderful addition to our family. She had her vet check up yesterday and is in good health but very skinny, shes been eating a lot of the fruity pebbles stuff you gave us. we have been putting apples oranges and carrots in a bowl for her also we tried a little tofu in a bowl an a bowl of the breeder pellets. now for the technical question since she favors and eats allot of the fruity pebble stuff and barely touches anything else should we only give her a small amount of that or wait until she beefs up eating her favors food then cut it down?

thanks, Ron

10/06
Hi Shirley,

I just thought I'd drop you a quick note to let you know that Taku, the wild and crazy Alaskan blue and gold is doing quite well. She is very playful, vocal, and affectionate. Her vocabulary has become fairly extensive and I often find her talking to herself trying out new words and ways of combining words. she has never nipped or bitten even when excited or when unsure of a stranger. She is a joy....I'd have a whole flock if I could afford it, ( and had the room and time ), time, as she wants and enjoys attention. She gets quite excited when I come home from work and calls out such that some of the neighbors call her the Jurassic park bird.

Anyway, I just thought I'd drop you a line and let you know that she is still doing quite well, is happy and is loved.

Sincerely, Mark L

10/07

Just wanted to give you an update on Rita! She is doing great!! She is a mommas girl & loves to eat wasabi soybeans, peanuts, mango, spinach, and cashews! We have moved to South Carolina and she loves the weather. We take her for walks around the block about once a week & she loves to preen for people! As you can see she is also a camera ham!!!! She says "Hi Rita", "Jaime", & "Momma" all the time and purrs like a kitten when you rub her behind the head.

Valorie Contreras

10/08

Eppie took her first shower this morning. A light misting from a spray bottle. She didn't seem to mind the water and spent several hours preening afterward. Her feathers look much nicer now. The perch is a training stand I made out of PVC tubing with the surface roughed up by a wood rasp and sandpaper. It conveniently works as a shower perch also.

Here is a picture of her new hangout. She is munching on a piece of apple. She walks the rope from her cage to the hoop.

Later, David

10/17

Hi Shirley,
Just a quick update on Tiger, B&G. He is doing well. He can talk quite a bit and eats a variety of food. He loves attention and screams at times. He likes scratches on his neck and tolerates showers. Her prefers to play in a water bowl. I got Tiger in October of 2006, so he is very much part of our routine. He can be very funny. Overall, he is healthy and happy.
Monica

11/07

Good morning Shirley,
I just wanted to let you know that our baby TAG, Mia, arrived just fine. The trip most have been fairly easy on her because she has settled in so quick!
When she came into the house last night we placed the carrier down on our bed (since she'll be sleeping in our room) and opened the door so she could have a good look around. Well,she came right out and began checking things out. Looking at all of the new faces and catching a glance or two of Eden and Mojo (german shepherds). She allowed us to hold her first thing and then she decided to play with some of her new toys! She stayed up for about 2 1/2 hours before she decided it was her bedtime....so into the night cage she went.
This morning she woke up and wanted to be held by everyone again and then decided to play the drop it game with Libby. She really likes to hear our youngest daughter say "Oh Noooooo" when a toy is dropped! When she decided she had enough she wanted her breakfast..... fresh fruit (bananas,orange slices and grapes) along with her pellets. Shes now getting up her courage to try some scrambled eggs! Shes doing it....while flinging most of it across my lap! Hahahaha.
I want to thank you for doing such a great job on raising Mia and allowing us to bring her into our home.......I think she'll only be a little spoiled! Will send some pictues soon.

Thanks again,
The McLaughlin Family

12/1

Shirley thank you Oliver is here and he traveled well .. I got there an hour 1/2 early and they got me right away .. I was worried as it was only 32 degrees.. my car was right there and all warmed up .. he did little chirps all the way home .. upon entering the bird room he relaxed totally and when I opened the carrier he came out gave me a little warning nip .. and then opened his mouth looking for food . I held him a few minutes and then into his cage on the towel .. he got on the rope perch found his dish and water bottle . he was thirsty .. I also gave him a little water in a cup .. then to his pellets he went and then a snack.. Im now going in to turn the lights off so he can rest.. I have a night light in there and Im going to sleep on the couch which is right outside the room and I can see in through the glass doors.. thanks again . he rode along side a puppy the flight so he might be whining or barking in the morning .. Im sure he heard the puppy most of the trip .. they were kind of cute together ..
Bonnie

12/5

Shirley .. I love Oliver . he is eating great and more relaxed and is adjusting well in my bird room . he is trying to say hello and making many different noises . he gets excited when I call his name and loves to come out on the stand and play with the toys . he is funny as I did buy a nice rope perch and put it in his cage and also bought a beach walk calcium perch which is good for their nails and beaks .. he loves that and that is where he sleeps . he loves macaroni and cheese broccoli and cauliflower and the delicious apples . and sweet potato mashed up off a spoon ... with the pellets he seems to like the breeder roudybush better.. my question is how long should he stay on the breeder choice or does he stay on it.. my others are on the zupreem maintenance.... from the web sight on roudybush it does say its better for the greys for the calcium . so if he is to stay on the breeders choice I think it would be good to maybe switch my congo Kimba over to that .. im pleased with that pellet . Kimba is 23 and he would do the switch well . I know your busy but I did want to take the time to thank you and im so very pleased that I found you and Oliver .. if you ever need me for a reference please by all means give my email or phone number I would be happy to do that .. thanks again . Bonnie

12/6
Hello Shirley,
I wanted to send you an update of Mia our wonderful Timneh...... From day one she has been a pleasure and has become such a big part of our lives in such a short period of time. She allows everyone in the family to hold her and give her special attention, but she does tend to look for her mama when I leave the room. Just give her a few minutes though and she's back to playing or eating again.
She enjoys many different fruits and veggies and still continues to eat her pellets. She totally loves her nut treats that she receives just for being her and she even likes sharing our dinner with us. We did figure out though.....that she really doesn’t care much for bananas because they are too soft for her. Yet, she'll eat her warm baby food and oatmeal just about every morning. Go figure.
But the one thing that has really surprised us is...............SHE'S TALKING! So far she has said Mia, uh oh, up, what (drawn out really long), ello (her British version of hello), come here (still a little bit of a mumble) and good morning! We believe that she's a genius. Oh, and she's learning to play peek-a-boo and she can mimic my alarm clock. She also enjoys her baths and a good long head scratch.
I can't really put into words exactly how we feel about our Mia, but whenever we look at her or hold her.......I think the smiles on our faces say it all!
Once again thank you for agreeing to let us bring Mia into our home and letting us make her a special part of our family. God has given you a gift to raise such wonderful creatures and it shows in the babies you send out to their new homes.
We hope to send you another update in the future and wish you continued success with your birds.
The McLaughlins'

As soon as I figure out how to send pictures I'll send you a few.

Eppie - 6/24/09 - 12/29/09
A life lost too soon Eppie died from the fumes of a Calphalon pan forgotten on the stove with the burner on high. She was truly loved and will be deeply missed