January 2011
Dear Birds, Humans and Elephants,
Happy and very healthy New Year and a very happy and healthy birthday to Jackie, my good half, whose birthday is January 1st.....a real new years baby.
Aristophanes loves to share my soy BLT sandwich while Lola stands on the floor, looking up with pleading eyes for Aristophanes to throw her a bite which he occasionally and reluctantly does. Sometimes I think that my crazy macaw loves to taunt my crazy dog. It could be, who knows, and if it is true, it looks like he takes immense delight in doing it.
Emma is going to the vet tomorrow to have his nails trimmed. I could do it myself, but the last time I did that Emma would not come near me for six months. Let him hate the vet, not me. Zeke is sounding off as I write this...What a cockatiel!
Emma is back and my ruse worked perfectly. I left the examination room while Dr. Kasman took Emma out of the carrier and cut his nails. When I came back, Emma tried to hide from the vet at the back of the carrier and then came to me to be consoled and have his head and neck scratched. I have no doubt that Dr. Kasman treated Emma kindly, but Emma HATES to be restrained and have any procedure performed on him. Emma was friendly and sweet when I got him home. The trip from Monticello to Monroe was absolutely worthwhile.
Aristophanes has me trained to do his bidding. He has decided that Jackie and I no longer have the privilege of watching TV in the living room unless he is out of his cage and watching with us. He has perfected holding on to his cage door and screaming at us to let him out if we dare sit down on the couch while he is in the cage. So, I realize that I spoil him and ruin my time if I give in to him, but I also feel so bad for him because he does not want to be confined. He, therefore, wins and I take him out. Our main problem with him is that he won't just stay put on the cage, he wants to travel around the house, go under the couch or take something apart that shouldn't be taken apart. There goes our concentration on whatever we are watching. He becomes the focus of our attention and that is exactly what he wants.
I have to figure out what kind of activity he will do by himself that will keep him occupied and interested and let us sit and watch TV or do what we choose to do. Please WRITE any good ideas as an article which Little Matthew B will gladly print. I need help! (I know you have been telling me that for a long time, Matt, I know, I know, I know!)
My chickens, who let us not forget are birds too, are locked in for the winter. I feel sorry for them because they can't go out and forage, play in the woods etc, which is their favorite pastime. I make them a pot of pasta or oatmeal every day to help keep them warm. I also rub vaseline into the combs of my roosters who have large single combs. This is supposed to stop their combs from freezing when the weather is so frigid and painfully cold. This has worked in the past and I hope it continues to do so. I also do everything I can to block out the freezing wind which is the most dangerous part of the winter for them. I have seen roosters from breeds with large single combs have their combs frozen in the bitter cold and wind. Then the comb tissue becomes necrotic and the comb falls off. I am doing everything I can to prevent this.
I love the winter and the snow that falls in our part of the country because of how beautiful this season can be. I don't, of course, love the problems that ensue from the freezing cold temperatures. I love the visual seasonal changes that the winter brings. I also love going outside and walking on the beautiful new fallen snow. I enjoy watching it because it does not turn dirty and gray like it did when I was a child in New York City. The snow stayed nice for about a day there; we have it for the whole season here. The wild birds at my feeder are a joy to watch as they go about their daily routines on the snow covered boughs and ground. Their glorious colors look so striking and beautiful against the clean white snow. For many reasons, this is my favorite time of year.
Tonight we have a very special program being presented to us by our fellow club member, Rob Bailey. Rob had the good fortune of going to Costa Rica a short time ago. He will tell us about many of the things he did and saw there. He will emphasize the magnificent birds that he was lucky enough to encounter on his trip and he will talk about a special re-introduction program for scarlet macaws. The scarlet macaw, which is my favorite species of parrot, has almost been extirpated in the wild in many parts of Central America, due to so much trapping for the pet industry. Rob's talk will be partially about an effort to restore this most splendid psittacine back to the wild where they belong
Next month Dr. Rick Stein is our program. For those of you that do not know him, Dr. Stein is an avian veterinarian who has an office right here on Pleasant Street in Monticello. Rick was one of the founding members of our club and his talks are always interesting, educational and full of useful information. He asked me to ask our club members if they have a preference for the subject of his talk. I am asking; please let me know if you have any ideas for a subject that you would like him to cover.
Our next few programs will feature Steve Gottlieb Attorney at Law. Steve will talk about pets, including birds of course, and how the law affects them. What your rights and obligations are as a pet owner. Steve works for several humane organizations, including but not limited to the Ulster County SPCA. Steve is also a long time member of our club. Dr, Laurie Hess, board certified Avian Specialist will be our speaker in June. I am looking for more programs for our club. Please let me know your ideas and contacts. I will be happy to get in touch with them.....I have CHUTZPAH (nerve)!
I would like to pose a change in our motto. Our motto has always been, “Domestically Bred Only, Let the Wild Fly Free”. We took this motto when wild birds were still being trapped for the pet trade and we all know what a lethal travesty that was for the wild birds, so many thousands upon thousands arrived dead or mutilated to be throw-aways. Now that domestically bred birds are the only ones legally offered for sale in the United States and we are aware of the rapacious nature of the pet industry, Jackie made a suggestion that we delete the part of our motto that says, “Domestically Bred Only”. We have talked so often about the need for a real moratorium on domestic breeding until the myriad birds that are without homes are placed. I have often stated that in today's world the breeding of pet birds is becoming like the puppy mill breeding of dogs and cats. Since there are no longer wild caught birds that are legal to sell, I don't feel that we, at this time, can any longer advocate domestic breeding of parrots. I will bring this up at the meeting tonight. What do you think?
Again, have a happy and very healthy new year and next month is my birthday.....Yay, I shall be 20. By the way, I got a new black kitten; his name is Simon. He is adorable.
With love for birds and all animals,
Richie
Happy and very healthy New Year and a very happy and healthy birthday to Jackie, my good half, whose birthday is January 1st.....a real new years baby.
Aristophanes loves to share my soy BLT sandwich while Lola stands on the floor, looking up with pleading eyes for Aristophanes to throw her a bite which he occasionally and reluctantly does. Sometimes I think that my crazy macaw loves to taunt my crazy dog. It could be, who knows, and if it is true, it looks like he takes immense delight in doing it.
Emma is going to the vet tomorrow to have his nails trimmed. I could do it myself, but the last time I did that Emma would not come near me for six months. Let him hate the vet, not me. Zeke is sounding off as I write this...What a cockatiel!
Emma is back and my ruse worked perfectly. I left the examination room while Dr. Kasman took Emma out of the carrier and cut his nails. When I came back, Emma tried to hide from the vet at the back of the carrier and then came to me to be consoled and have his head and neck scratched. I have no doubt that Dr. Kasman treated Emma kindly, but Emma HATES to be restrained and have any procedure performed on him. Emma was friendly and sweet when I got him home. The trip from Monticello to Monroe was absolutely worthwhile.
Aristophanes has me trained to do his bidding. He has decided that Jackie and I no longer have the privilege of watching TV in the living room unless he is out of his cage and watching with us. He has perfected holding on to his cage door and screaming at us to let him out if we dare sit down on the couch while he is in the cage. So, I realize that I spoil him and ruin my time if I give in to him, but I also feel so bad for him because he does not want to be confined. He, therefore, wins and I take him out. Our main problem with him is that he won't just stay put on the cage, he wants to travel around the house, go under the couch or take something apart that shouldn't be taken apart. There goes our concentration on whatever we are watching. He becomes the focus of our attention and that is exactly what he wants.
I have to figure out what kind of activity he will do by himself that will keep him occupied and interested and let us sit and watch TV or do what we choose to do. Please WRITE any good ideas as an article which Little Matthew B will gladly print. I need help! (I know you have been telling me that for a long time, Matt, I know, I know, I know!)
My chickens, who let us not forget are birds too, are locked in for the winter. I feel sorry for them because they can't go out and forage, play in the woods etc, which is their favorite pastime. I make them a pot of pasta or oatmeal every day to help keep them warm. I also rub vaseline into the combs of my roosters who have large single combs. This is supposed to stop their combs from freezing when the weather is so frigid and painfully cold. This has worked in the past and I hope it continues to do so. I also do everything I can to block out the freezing wind which is the most dangerous part of the winter for them. I have seen roosters from breeds with large single combs have their combs frozen in the bitter cold and wind. Then the comb tissue becomes necrotic and the comb falls off. I am doing everything I can to prevent this.
I love the winter and the snow that falls in our part of the country because of how beautiful this season can be. I don't, of course, love the problems that ensue from the freezing cold temperatures. I love the visual seasonal changes that the winter brings. I also love going outside and walking on the beautiful new fallen snow. I enjoy watching it because it does not turn dirty and gray like it did when I was a child in New York City. The snow stayed nice for about a day there; we have it for the whole season here. The wild birds at my feeder are a joy to watch as they go about their daily routines on the snow covered boughs and ground. Their glorious colors look so striking and beautiful against the clean white snow. For many reasons, this is my favorite time of year.
Tonight we have a very special program being presented to us by our fellow club member, Rob Bailey. Rob had the good fortune of going to Costa Rica a short time ago. He will tell us about many of the things he did and saw there. He will emphasize the magnificent birds that he was lucky enough to encounter on his trip and he will talk about a special re-introduction program for scarlet macaws. The scarlet macaw, which is my favorite species of parrot, has almost been extirpated in the wild in many parts of Central America, due to so much trapping for the pet industry. Rob's talk will be partially about an effort to restore this most splendid psittacine back to the wild where they belong
Next month Dr. Rick Stein is our program. For those of you that do not know him, Dr. Stein is an avian veterinarian who has an office right here on Pleasant Street in Monticello. Rick was one of the founding members of our club and his talks are always interesting, educational and full of useful information. He asked me to ask our club members if they have a preference for the subject of his talk. I am asking; please let me know if you have any ideas for a subject that you would like him to cover.
Our next few programs will feature Steve Gottlieb Attorney at Law. Steve will talk about pets, including birds of course, and how the law affects them. What your rights and obligations are as a pet owner. Steve works for several humane organizations, including but not limited to the Ulster County SPCA. Steve is also a long time member of our club. Dr, Laurie Hess, board certified Avian Specialist will be our speaker in June. I am looking for more programs for our club. Please let me know your ideas and contacts. I will be happy to get in touch with them.....I have CHUTZPAH (nerve)!
I would like to pose a change in our motto. Our motto has always been, “Domestically Bred Only, Let the Wild Fly Free”. We took this motto when wild birds were still being trapped for the pet trade and we all know what a lethal travesty that was for the wild birds, so many thousands upon thousands arrived dead or mutilated to be throw-aways. Now that domestically bred birds are the only ones legally offered for sale in the United States and we are aware of the rapacious nature of the pet industry, Jackie made a suggestion that we delete the part of our motto that says, “Domestically Bred Only”. We have talked so often about the need for a real moratorium on domestic breeding until the myriad birds that are without homes are placed. I have often stated that in today's world the breeding of pet birds is becoming like the puppy mill breeding of dogs and cats. Since there are no longer wild caught birds that are legal to sell, I don't feel that we, at this time, can any longer advocate domestic breeding of parrots. I will bring this up at the meeting tonight. What do you think?
Again, have a happy and very healthy new year and next month is my birthday.....Yay, I shall be 20. By the way, I got a new black kitten; his name is Simon. He is adorable.
With love for birds and all animals,
Richie