December 2010
Dear Birds, Humans and (the best of all) Elephants,
So, they all had scrambled eggs this morning. Aristophanes ate his all up, like a good scarlet macaw who will eat just about anything. Emma ate his egg like a good yellow naped Amazon that is somewhat particular but likes to eat an awful lot. Zeke, who really doesn't like to eat anything but bird seed unless it is on my plate or he pull it from the side of my mouth, ate his egg like a big cockatiel should. Such good boys, all of them. Actually, they really are all boys, but that is the luck of the draw. Aristophanes likes to eat latkes. It is Chanukah and I made a batch of potato latkes to bring to a neighbor, but I had to give Aristophanes one so that he would not feel bad and look at me longingly. Emma tasted a bite and threw it down. Zeke, like usual, had a taste while I was eating, but then flew away to look at his reflection in the toaster. I love those birds, I really do.
We are doing a membership sweep, for lack of a better word. For some time now there have been many people receiving postcards, interesting emails and even attending meeting without paying dues and that really has to
stop. Our dues are so reasonable and they go to good use and so if we are going to be part of our organization and reaping its benefits, then having the membership pay their dues is not asking for too much.
It was so cold today. I have been delaying closing the chickens in for the winter, but today was the day. I made them a big pot of spaghetti and beans and covered the windows with plastic and insulated their little door that goes out to their yard. Soon I will go out to the coop and rub vaseline into the combs of the roosters with big single combs to help prevent them from freezing. One of the problems of raising certain breeds in a cold climate is frozen combs. It is kind of a nasty process, once it happens, because the tissue becomes necrotic and the comb falls off. I have been quite diligent with these roosters and they have not lost any body tissue and that is something of which I am quite pleased.
Lots of adoptions this month.......The calls seem to come in groups. I placed, at least, 8 parrots between November and December. I only hope they are permanent and loving homes where the misery of being re-homed is
overshadowed by the quality of life being improved. I feel I have found some great people to take these birds.
I found Dr. Factor's lecture on feather plucking, last month, enlightening and sad. I have always found the practice of pulling baby parrots for hand rearing cruel and thoughtless. The parent birds suffer terribly from it and, very often, the babies as well. The only people who seem to benefit are the people who are making money from the birds because quite often the parent birds, thinking their young have died, lay more eggs. More eggs mean more babies and more money for the breeder and the pet shop.......but that is another story. I did not know that hand raising parrots is one of the causes of feather pulling in later life. Of course he spoke about many other reasons such as medical conditions and proper diet and nutrition. I was very impressed with Dr. Factor's talk and I learned a lot.
Next month our program will be presented by club member Robert Bailey, who took a trip to Costa Rica. Rob will do a talk on the birds he saw in the jungles of Costa Rica and that should be very exciting and very beautiful. I hope he was able to see scarlet macaws, as they are my favorite birds and they were almost extirpated in the wild in Central America. I am looking forward hear him speak. This will be the second program Rob has done for us.
February, of course is my birthday, and our program will be Dr. Laurie Hess. Dr. Hess, who has spoken to our club before, is a board certified avian specialist and will be returning to us to speak on some very important and interesting topics in avian medicine. Dr. Hess has opened an all exotic animal clinic in Bedford Hills, NY. Check your previous news letter for the exact address and phone number.
I miss Fritha. Each year, at this time, Fritha's owner (I call her Fritha's mother) brings the animals to Radio City for the Christmas show, so she does not spend much time at home. I, therefore, cannot see Fritha for about two months and I miss her terribly. An elephant is truly your best friend, you just have to let it be.
Tonight is our annual covered dish holiday dinner and penny social. This is always a special evening full of very good food and very good conversation. I plan to eat myself into a stand-still and then eat some more. Enjoy the evening, tell everyone about your bird(s), win some great prizes and have a wonderful time. We are even supposed to have a delightful little dog join us: Foxy the very special Pomeranian. He is truly the most adorable and luckiest dog in the world. His story is not unlike Yago, the Chattering Lory, the bird who went from a hellish into a heavenly existence. You just need the right human. For Yago it was Alice Chanampa, and for Foxy, it is Ronnie Courtenay.
I want offer my condolences to, club member, Miriam Levenson on the passing of her beloved rose breasted cockatoo, Rosencrantz (Rosie). Rosie was a cherished member of Miriam's family for the last 40 years and her heart is broken from his loss.
Have a wonderful holiday and a very happy and healthy new year...................
With love,
Richie
So, they all had scrambled eggs this morning. Aristophanes ate his all up, like a good scarlet macaw who will eat just about anything. Emma ate his egg like a good yellow naped Amazon that is somewhat particular but likes to eat an awful lot. Zeke, who really doesn't like to eat anything but bird seed unless it is on my plate or he pull it from the side of my mouth, ate his egg like a big cockatiel should. Such good boys, all of them. Actually, they really are all boys, but that is the luck of the draw. Aristophanes likes to eat latkes. It is Chanukah and I made a batch of potato latkes to bring to a neighbor, but I had to give Aristophanes one so that he would not feel bad and look at me longingly. Emma tasted a bite and threw it down. Zeke, like usual, had a taste while I was eating, but then flew away to look at his reflection in the toaster. I love those birds, I really do.
We are doing a membership sweep, for lack of a better word. For some time now there have been many people receiving postcards, interesting emails and even attending meeting without paying dues and that really has to
stop. Our dues are so reasonable and they go to good use and so if we are going to be part of our organization and reaping its benefits, then having the membership pay their dues is not asking for too much.
It was so cold today. I have been delaying closing the chickens in for the winter, but today was the day. I made them a big pot of spaghetti and beans and covered the windows with plastic and insulated their little door that goes out to their yard. Soon I will go out to the coop and rub vaseline into the combs of the roosters with big single combs to help prevent them from freezing. One of the problems of raising certain breeds in a cold climate is frozen combs. It is kind of a nasty process, once it happens, because the tissue becomes necrotic and the comb falls off. I have been quite diligent with these roosters and they have not lost any body tissue and that is something of which I am quite pleased.
Lots of adoptions this month.......The calls seem to come in groups. I placed, at least, 8 parrots between November and December. I only hope they are permanent and loving homes where the misery of being re-homed is
overshadowed by the quality of life being improved. I feel I have found some great people to take these birds.
I found Dr. Factor's lecture on feather plucking, last month, enlightening and sad. I have always found the practice of pulling baby parrots for hand rearing cruel and thoughtless. The parent birds suffer terribly from it and, very often, the babies as well. The only people who seem to benefit are the people who are making money from the birds because quite often the parent birds, thinking their young have died, lay more eggs. More eggs mean more babies and more money for the breeder and the pet shop.......but that is another story. I did not know that hand raising parrots is one of the causes of feather pulling in later life. Of course he spoke about many other reasons such as medical conditions and proper diet and nutrition. I was very impressed with Dr. Factor's talk and I learned a lot.
Next month our program will be presented by club member Robert Bailey, who took a trip to Costa Rica. Rob will do a talk on the birds he saw in the jungles of Costa Rica and that should be very exciting and very beautiful. I hope he was able to see scarlet macaws, as they are my favorite birds and they were almost extirpated in the wild in Central America. I am looking forward hear him speak. This will be the second program Rob has done for us.
February, of course is my birthday, and our program will be Dr. Laurie Hess. Dr. Hess, who has spoken to our club before, is a board certified avian specialist and will be returning to us to speak on some very important and interesting topics in avian medicine. Dr. Hess has opened an all exotic animal clinic in Bedford Hills, NY. Check your previous news letter for the exact address and phone number.
I miss Fritha. Each year, at this time, Fritha's owner (I call her Fritha's mother) brings the animals to Radio City for the Christmas show, so she does not spend much time at home. I, therefore, cannot see Fritha for about two months and I miss her terribly. An elephant is truly your best friend, you just have to let it be.
Tonight is our annual covered dish holiday dinner and penny social. This is always a special evening full of very good food and very good conversation. I plan to eat myself into a stand-still and then eat some more. Enjoy the evening, tell everyone about your bird(s), win some great prizes and have a wonderful time. We are even supposed to have a delightful little dog join us: Foxy the very special Pomeranian. He is truly the most adorable and luckiest dog in the world. His story is not unlike Yago, the Chattering Lory, the bird who went from a hellish into a heavenly existence. You just need the right human. For Yago it was Alice Chanampa, and for Foxy, it is Ronnie Courtenay.
I want offer my condolences to, club member, Miriam Levenson on the passing of her beloved rose breasted cockatoo, Rosencrantz (Rosie). Rosie was a cherished member of Miriam's family for the last 40 years and her heart is broken from his loss.
Have a wonderful holiday and a very happy and healthy new year...................
With love,
Richie