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Conference 7.286::pet_birds

Title:Captive Breeding for Conservation--and FUN!
Notice:INTROS 6.X / FOR SALE 13.X / Buying a Bird 900.*
Moderator:VIDEO::PULSIFER
Created:Mon Oct 10 1988
Last Modified:Tue Jun 03 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:942
Total number of notes:6016

225.0. "NEW BLUE&GOLD OWNER" by VERSA::YUNG () Mon Jul 24 1989 15:40

    	I HAVE JUST PURCHASED A BLUE AND GOLD MACAW.  HE IS ONLY FOUR
    MONTHS OLD AND HAS A GREAT PERSONALITY.  HE HAS BEEN HAND FEED,
    AND ALREADY CAN SAY HELLO.  I AM LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE
    TRICKS OF TRAINING MACAWS, OR KNOWS A GOOD PLACE TO FIND MATERIAL
    ON TRAINING MACAWS.
    
    
    			THANKS
    			 JOHN 
    
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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225.1Good BookAVIAN::KIRSCHBAUMAnd so it Goes...Wed Jul 26 1989 19:486
    
    Where are you located?  I have a book at home that has a chapter on
    training large birds.  I will try to remember to get the title and
    author.
    
    -dick
225.2FROM CINCINNATIVERSA::YUNGSun Jul 30 1989 22:0512
    
    	I am located in Cincinnati, Ohio.  I bought my macaw two weeks ago,
    but I just brought him home today.  His name is Willow, his parents
    names are Cyrano and Roxanne.  I have been gettting mixed information
    on whether or not I should give him a daily vitamin substitute or
    not.  I would appreciate any information on vitamins, and what type
    to use.  I have talked to two different vets that specialize in
    exotic birds, and they both tell me things.  I would rather hear
    from an owner, then I could then choose the vet.
    	
    				thanks
    				 john
225.3It dependsGLDOA::LROMANIKMon Jul 31 1989 16:2123
    Hi John,
    
    I have an African Grey parrot.  I usually feed a food called Topper
    which is already fortified with vitamins.  When I'm using that I
    don't give additional vitamins.  In the beginning, I did add vitamins
    with the Topper (at a vet's recommendation), but one time I ran
    out of vitamins, so I decided to try it without, since the Topper
    literature said you don't need it.  After several months I noticed
    absolutely no difference in Max's health.
    
    Lately, my normal pet store has been having trouble keeping the
    Topper in stock, so I bought some seed which has basically the same
    things in it, but does not have the vitamins.  So now I am adding
    Necton-S powder to Max's water, and that seems to do fine for him
    also.
    
    So I guess my short answer is, add vitamins if the food you are
    feeding does not already contain a complete mix of vitamins.
    
    Laura and Mad Max
    
    P.S.  We're in Detroit, Michigan.  It's nice to see a noter from
    the midwest.
225.4Now about that book...AVIAN::KIRSCHBAUMAnd so it Goes...Wed Aug 09 1989 01:4326
    As I said getting right back to you :-)  Oh well, I had the best of
    intentions, just let work get in the way of pleasure...
    
    The book: Taming and Training Parrots Dr. E.J. Mulawka TFH
    publications.  Pretty good book even though it is published by TFH. 
    Also you should look in this months issue of Bird Talk, they have an
    article on Training birds.
    
    You might want to think about getting a subscription to Bird Talk and
    maybe joining The National Parrot Association, 8 No. Hoffman Lane,
    Hauppauge, NY, 11788.  I think that membership is $17 or $18 a year, it
    has been a while since I paid mine, and do not remember.
    
    Hope you are enjoying your bird, they are a treasure and a king sized
    pain in the butt! all at the same time.  I am saying this as I am
    watching my Macaw sweep his beak thru his feeder spraying seeds,
    peppers and veggies all over the floor.  See I made this mistake a week
    or so after we got him.  I thought it would be cute to hide some
    peanuts in his food bowl, and it would be a nice surprise when he found
    them.  Well, I stopped that REAL quick....but of course he still checks
    each bowl of food to see if it contains a peanut....he checks REAL
    through!
    
    Ah well, what fun!
    
    -dick
225.5Vitamins and a BookUSCTR1::NBONAZZOLIWed Jul 18 1990 18:1520
    I have a B & G whom I adore. Chiquita's 8 mos old (not talking yet,
    however) and was a hand fed baby. I've only had him since Easter. I
    also have a new Congo African Grey baby. I sprinkle Nekton-S on their
    food, and put some Nekton Bio (just a sprinkle) in their water. I use
    the Nekton-Bio because Chiquita is molting, and that is supposed to
    help with feather growth and replacement. I use Bio for the Grey to
    ensure that he has all the necessary vitamins, minerals, etc., as
    Grey's are know feather picker's (I'd like to prevent that in mine.)
    
    The best book that I found specific to training Macaws is called Taming
    and Training Macaw's, by Risa Teitler of Parrot Jungle, Florida. You
    will find that many books that deal with training also may be
    applicable to the macaw owner (in principle, that is.) Risa's book is a
    small hardcover available in pet stores for about $10.00. Bird Talk, of
    course, is also a must read.
    
    Best of luck...
    
    Nancy