THE BEAK WHISPERER

RE-LAUNCH OF ETSY SHOP

2012-02-03T15:21:00.000-08:00

As I promised, my Etsy shop opened back up on February 1, 2012. You can see my shop here. I am excited to bring quality hand crafted bird toys to my customers. The toy above is for sale in my Etsy shop and is a great toy for little birds.

I use zinc free hardware, Paulie rope that is hollow and will not trap toes, Supreme Cotton rope, vegetable tanned leather, bird safe plastic chain, along with colored wood pieces made with human grade food coloring. I do everything I can to keep my toys as safe as possible.

My birds, although not in contact with the toys I sell, get the toys I make to see how they like the materials and designs. Timothy goes through toys like nobodies business, and hasn't had a store manufactured toy in years. He relishes the toys I create and is making great strides in using the toys as an outlet for his energy instead of his feathers.

So stop by and visit my Etsy shop and see if there is anything there that would be perfect for your feathered baby. I will be putting more toys in the shop all the time and there will be more information on toys here on my blog as they become available.

WINDING DOWN

2012-01-27T19:19:00.000-08:00

Every night Timothy plays hard right before I put him to bed. It's almost as if he is saying, "see Mom...I'm not tired." It is his ritual to rip at this toy in the evening. Better that toy than his feathers! Tonight I gave him a warm shower and now he is drying off on the perch by his toy box. I expect some beak crunching real soon. There is no sweeter sound in the evening than a content bird beak crunching. So soothing.

COME ALONG WITH ME

2012-01-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

A good Monday morning to you. I am beginning a new journey (from an old one) and I invite you to come along. I started an Esty shop back in 2008 with a few of the toys I made for my birds. For the last few years I have been dragging my feet and only dabbling with my Etsy shop. I put my heart into making the toys, but as for the running of a business, I lacked dreadfully. But I have grown a lot in these years of dabbling and am now ready to put 100% into my Etsy shop. My toys sell very successfully here in my town at a local bird shop, so I know I have a product that sells.
I picked up this book on Amazon.com and it has captured me from the word "go." I approached this book with the attitude of starting over, like I had never had an Etsy shop before. This attitude has served me well, as Etsy has made significant changes over the past couple years. I have finished the first section of the book and am now ready to start re-building my shop. Also, I have been refining my toys, tweaking them to better serve my feathered clients. It has been over this refining process that I have fallen even more in love with birds and their mental well being.

Here is a picture of one of most popular selling toys. It will be available for purchase in my Etsy shop starting February 1, 2012. All the details for this toy will be on the site, including all the parts I use to make the toy. I will also be featuring one of my toys per week on my blog. It will contain detailed information on the designing and making of the toy. The toy of the week will also be on sale in my Etsy shop. Stay tuned for this exciting adventure to unfold!

A TEASE

2012-01-16T09:42:00.000-08:00

This morning we woke up to a trace of snow. Yes, us Pacific North westerners get pumped at the slightest sight of the white stuff. As you can see, my bird feeders and bird houses are in deeply sad shape. I have suet that I will put out today and pray the unwanted rodents don't dine on them before the avian beauties find the goods. The other day I was at the kitchen sink watching for birds to come get some yummy cracked corn I tossed out for them. Shhhh...don't tell the hens that I was giving their goods to other winged creatures. And to my surprise I caught a glimpse of what looked like a squirrel with the hair missing from its tail. I love squirrels...only this wasn't a squirrel. It was a Norway rat! Now if all you out there think that you don't have rats, think again. This one resides under our pond, nonetheless. When you have chickens...you will have the four legged rodents dining too. So I just need to keep all food up at night and pray they go elsewhere. I am hesitant to put out bait stations, as I don't want to poison a pet or desired wildlife. So this will take some thinking. In the meantime, I am going to wish for more snow.

ANGRY BIRD

2012-01-07T17:24:00.000-08:00

ANGRY BIRD................LOL!

CLOSE UP OF ANGRY BIRD!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

NEW YEAR, NEW NUTRITION

2012-01-02T16:37:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things to do, is to come up with new combinations of food to give my birds. Since the holidays started, cranberries have been everywhere, so I thought I would dice some up and try them out. The boys weren't too impressed with them, but they did love picking out the pieces of rice they got mixed in with the mixture. The boys don't get rice very often, but they like it when they do get it. Timothy loves to toss the food he doesn't like out of his bowl. There have been times that I have had to duck in order to not get pelted with food. I am always striving to improve the diet of my birds. And it is my hope that in 2012 I will get more nutrition into the boys.

BEGINNING ANEW

2011-12-30T15:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone! It is my heartfelt goal to make this blog flourish in 2012, as my passion for all things avian only gets stronger with each passing day. The boys are doing great. Timothy is making strides, slow but sure. He is now taking his feelings and pent up emotions out on the toys I make for him. He still feather picks, but not as fervent as he used to. It's a good thing I make the toys because he goes through them with gleeful enthusiasm. Zeek is still picking on his chest, despite my showing him that my hair is growing back. Silly bird. He, like Timmy, is having a blast with the toys, and has a special love for cardboard....LOL. Gabe is still my little mighty man. He will be nineteen this year. He is such a picker eater, though, so the New Year will have lots of new foods awaiting his approval. I will also be getting my Etsy shop back up and running soon. Keep checking back here to see what unfolds as the year 2012 kicks off this weekend.

Again: HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

XOXO

Decking The Birdie Halls

2011-12-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

Every year, I make sure the boys have a bit of Christmas cheer in their special room. They have their own artificial tree, ornaments and stockings. I love putting their gifts under this tree and filling the stockings to bulging on Christmas Eve. Timothy, Zeek and Gabe really enjoy having their own special decorations and they get all excited on Christmas morning when I come in singing and rattling packages. They aren't spoiled or anything like that.

LOVE NOW BAZAAR

2011-11-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

My home church, Crossroads Community Church, had their first annual Love Now Bazaar last Saturday. It was my first time showing my bird toys in a bazaar setting. I worked long hard hours making toys to fill my table. It was a challenge, but it was a wonderful experience. I created this sign to sit on my table. The colors went well with the toys and gave the tabletop some character.

Here is part of my wall at home. Over the few weeks prior to the bazaar, I fretted as to what would sell at a setting like this where people are not used to seeing toys for parrots! But, alas, my fears were unfounded. I met many bird owners and relatives of bird owners who bought toys for Christmas presents. I was amazed at how many people had African greys. But other species were represented also. One family had just lost their Cockatiel when it flew out the open patio door. Two weeks later and they still have yet to find their bird. So sad.

This is a quick shot of my table. I had a toy parrot there that talked and danced. Many people said it looked like a real Macaw from a distance. Oh, the bird also moves its eyes. No wonder people were fooled.....LOL! I couldn't have asked for a more delightful day. A lot of money was raised for Love Now, a mission fund for supplying Africans with clean drinking water. God is good.

OUR GOD'S AWESOME CREATION

2011-10-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

This picture was on one of my friends Facebook page. I couldn't resist...I just had to share it. Such beauty, such majesty...I am in awe of this photo, but more in awe of our Creator and the creatures he has given us and, the eyes to drink in their beauty.

I'M A STAR!

2011-10-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

My boy is going to be a star! I entered him in a photo contest at Persnickety Parrot for a spot in one of their upcoming website ads, and he was a winner! This is the photo that won. Well, actually the original won, this photo has been altered for the Fair (which earned a third place!). I am so excited for him. Timothy will get some free organic pellets and a new toy. Good job Timmy! This is one proud momma!

SEW EASY?

2011-10-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

I am not a sewer. I love the idea of sewing and I love to go to the fabric store and drool over all the eye candy of fabrics, but I have never learned the art of sewing. Well, due to the rising cost of most everything, and the needs of my birds, I was forced to take my sewing machine and put my non existent sewing skills to the test. My boys needed new sleeping huts and the cost to outfit each bird with his own new hut was not a pretty number. So I took a deep breath, went to my stash of fabric, broke out the tools and sat down to work.

I picked out some pretty polar fleece material, grabbed some white fleece to line the hut with and sat down to cut out the pattern. The entire time I was undertaking this challenge, the boys watched me intently. I figured why should they get away from the torture of this shipwreck of a project....if I'm going to suffer through this, so are they. Ha!

But when I finished with the first sleep hut....what stood before me was not a train wreck of a project. It was actually a smashing success! Gleefully, I plowed through the next two huts like the roadrunner zipping past the coyote. Woo Hoo! I am a sewer! Well, let's not get carried away. One successful project does not a sewer make. But hey, it was good while it lasted. The boys were not as impressed with my skills as I was. Gabriel has yet to acknowledge the huts existence in his cage, Zeek finds it perfect to poop on and Timothy, well....Timothy screamed bloody murder when I attempted to put his hut in his cage, so his sits on the desk waiting for that golden moment when he will not pluck himself bald from fear of the hut his mama made. I feel so under appreciated.......*sigh*

NEW PERCH

2011-09-29T17:56:00.000-07:00

After a few days of avoiding it at all cost, Zeek is now enjoying his new plank perch. In fact, it is now his favorite spot to sit and watch the world outside the window. Birds need places to perch that have different widths so their little feet won't get tired clinging to the same size dowel all the time. All my boys have platforms of varied sorts to give them a solid place to hang out. I also add grapevine perches, rope perches, ladders, and sun decks. They love the variety.

Oh yes, and I almost forgot to mention how much Zeek loves his cozy hanging right next to the platform perch. It makes snuggling so much nicer. My boys go through cozies like nobodies business. Timmy chews his, Gabe perches on his, and Zeek snuggles. Each boy has his own way of chilling out. I should be so relaxed.

SHOWER BOY

2011-09-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

This is Timothy's favorite thing in the whole wide world....his precious misting bottle. It lets out the most delightful fine mist, which is heaven for birds...at least it is for my Bubba. He asks for a shower about four times a day and I give in to him around three times a day. I use to mist him about three times a week, but then he started to ask for it more and more. Come to find out, the more I mist him, the less he picks!

Here he is in his favorite position for his shower. Sometimes he gets so excited, he raises his hackles and almost looks as if he has a hood of feathers. He is still camera shy, so I have yet to get a picture of him with his "hood" on. I know when to stop misting because I took advantage of a behavior he uses and marked that to be his signal that he has had enough. Every time he turns around and walks to the back of his platform, I stop spraying. If he wants more I wait until he comes back to the front of the platform and leans forward. This has helped him to have more confidence as he knows how to control the situation, which in turn makes him feel less anxious.

Here is Bubba all soaked to the skin and as happy as a clam. I am delighted to mist him many times during the day as long as he asks for it and it benefits his feathers, skin and overall health. You might say that he is the cleanest bird in the west....LOL!

MY BUBBA

2011-09-23T20:14:00.000-07:00

One of my nicknames for Timothy is "Bubba." I don't know how I came up with it, but it just fits him. Now he calls himself Bubba sometimes. Here, he is out on his perch sharing some lunch with me. I always eat lunch in the bird room and "share" my food. If Timothy doesn't like what I am eating, he will throw the piece of food I offer him across the room! He's not spoiled or anything like that.........LOL!

FIESTA FESTIVAL

2011-09-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

My inventory was getting a bit sparse, as sales have been good. I promised myself a while ago that I was going to share my creative process and highlight a few of my best selling toys. I am learning how to be more efficient in my workspace in order to put out as many toys in one sitting that I can. Since I am the only creator and assembler of these toys, fine tuning my work time was of utmost importance.

I like to layer my pieces so that in the end, the toy is full and fabulous and just waiting for an eager beak or two.

Step by step, piece by piece, the toy begins to take shape. I labor over each toy to make sure it is of high quality and craftsmanship. As I create, I imagine the different kinds of birds that might one day be playing with one of my creations. I am humbled and honored to be helping the mental health of the avian community.

Color is important, as birds have a fuller spectrum of hues they see, that we don't. Have you ever seen your birds pupils dilate and contract? That is called "pinning" and it means they are excited. Excitement can mean a variety of things to a bird, so it is not the most opportune time to get your fingers near them. My birds' eyes pin when I hand them one of these toys. It's a tactile sensation and they can't wait to dig in!

Here you have the finished product. There are layers upon layers of munching, tearing, and shredding fun. My Etsy site will be up and running again soon. And this delicious beauty will be waiting for that special winged wonder........could it be your bird?

MORNING MEALTIME

2011-09-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

Every morning without fail, my flock gets their fruit and veggies hand chopped by me, their personal chef. I've tried to make life easier for myself and use my food processor, but they refused to eat it. I've hand chopped enough to freeze for a week...they refused to eat it. I've hand chopped daily ever since. Should I be concerned?

This bowl of freshness will be divided among my three boys. Sometimes I add quinua to the mix and because it sticks to the fruit and veggies, they actually eat some! Timothy will always chuck out of the bowl the pieces that don't suit his fancy. I think my birds might be spoiled...but the jury is still out on that...LOL.

On occasion, Timothy likes to have a glob of peanut butter on his plastic spoon. Due to the heat wave we have been having, this glob melted to the floor of his cage before he could consume it. He was not pleased by this turn of events.

Did I mention that my boys must also have a fresh supply of fruit and veggies in big chunks on a Stainless Steele skewers? Yeah...you are right, they have me well trained.

Zeek and Gabe puke at the sight of meat, but Timothy was a carnivore in another life. He loves his meat! And it must be good meat....no processed meats or lunch meats...not even chicken from a can. Nope, he must have fresh natural meat. This is a pork burger that I grilled. I always have to make an extra serving for dinner on the nights Timmy gets his meat.

At last, the dishes are filled, each according to the individual bird, and ready to serve. Today, they also got a serving of fresh scrambled egg (with eggs from our own flock). Timothy dives in to his dish, but Zeek and Gabe must first make sure that the evil dish of fresh foods won't consume them! If I would let them, those two would ingest only seeds and pellets.

STOCKING THE FREEZER

2011-09-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of September I found myself out of a lot of bird food. My boys get two little scoops of seed a day, and the rest of their diet consists of pellets, fresh fruits and veggies, along with a bean mix. Here is a shot of my freezer after the goods are bagged up and ready to freeze.

I must admit...I do spoil my boys with special treats once in a while. They love these nuggets hidden in toys and tucked in corners. I also give them birdie bread that I bake myself.

These little gems are filled with the bean mix. My boys are not crazy about this mix, but they are warming up to it little by little. Oh...and they also love pumpkin, sweet potatoes in mash form.

QUICK & SIMPLE

2011-08-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I needed a respite from the heat, so I decided to make some simple toys for my boys. For a minimal amount of dollars, you can whip up little projects like this for your birds, anytime you have a quick moment.

Some basic tools is all you need...especially for this project. In fact, this toy only required three tools. And I bet most of you have these tools in your cupboards or drawers at home or in your garage.

In a couple of minutes you can whip up these cuties. Any bird would love to chew on these darling pieces.

Only four pieces of materials were needed: a small plastic disc, cardboard bagel, kiote coin, and some Paulie Rope. Paulie Rope is bird safe and comes in a rainbow of colors. Make sure the rope you use on your birds' toys is safe. Some ropes can tangle toes due to hanging strings. It might take a little more of your time to find bird safe materials, but the rewards are priceless: a safe toy, for a very loved bird(s).

The next time you have a few spare minutes, run to your supplies and whip together a treasure trove of fun for your birds! Blessings to all.

FAIR FUN

2011-07-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

Recently, I entered some of my pictures in the Marion County Fair. I was taken by surprise when four of my pictures won ribbons! This picture of Timothy won third place in the color category.

Here is the picture of the barn where I saw the beautiful barn owl nesting. I love old barns and hope they don't fade out of rural landscapes in the future.

This picture of Timmy won third in the departure from reality category....they also hung the picture up wrong, as you can see....lol.

My black and white photo of my hen, Emma, won first prize and a blue ribbon! This was a thrilling moment.

Here I am next to my winning picture of Emma. As you can see, my hair is growing back and I am feeling better and better each day.

PLAYGROUND CONSTRUCTION

2011-06-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

I have had this playstand in storage for many years, saving it for when I had the time to enhance it with toys and for when I had a bird large enough to use it.

As you can see, it is a very plain playstand with only the bare essentials included. Sure, it has a swing and some ladders, but not much more. Basically it is one of the dullest stands I have seen.

I knew the rungs of the ladders would be much too slippery for my birds, so I pulled out some supplies and went to work on creating a play structure that my boys would love...(at least I hope they love it).

The rungs were easy enough to cover, but with so many of them, it took quite a while to finish them all. At this point, things were beginning to take shape. By adding some more texture, the stand was showing some bird friendly possibilities.

Adding cotton rope (supreme cotton) will give the boys some grip, texture and chewing adventures.

And what playground would be complete without a tunnel to crawl into and explore?

And of course, I had to add a toy from my ZeeksBeak workshop. This one is called Migraine. This will give the boys something to pull on and chew...not to mention picking possibilities with the paper stuffed in the ball.

It seems that all boys love airplanes, so I added this one to the mix and filled it with millet sprays. What a treat!

Why, here is a birdie already playing on the ring swing. Hopefully this little guy will be a great playmate for the boys. He is just the right size too.

Foraging opportunities are a must, and this egg carton filled with small toys and yummy treats will lure the birds to hunt and seek their treasures.

Adding a rope sphere is a no brainer. Birds just love these orbs. I hope one day to be able to afford a real orb from Mother Pluckin Bird Toys. Check their website out, it's great.

And who could resist having some monkey business going on in the playground? These guys are full of fun and mischief.

Add some balls for movement, sound and extra color and..............................

Tada.....the playground/rumpus room is finished! Woo hoo....let the fun begin!

NEW ART

2011-05-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

I have always loved being artistic, but like many people, had to put more practical matters before indulging in some artsy play. Over time, I lost touch with that creative side, but after a great eye opening message from our pastor, I decided to say YES to my artistic side. So I embarked on a new project that I will share with you now...even though it's not finished.

Naturally, since I am passionate about birds, I would pick a project with a bird theme. Owls have fascinated me for a long time and I am thrilled that owls seem to be making a comeback in many different forms.

Using paper, I layered pieces to make the shape of an owl. Then I added dimension like buttons for the eyes and chip board for the flower. All the stitching I did by hand.

Adding textured paper gave the body of the owl more character. I imagined wind blowing through feathers and felt that the swirls in this paper replicated that image very nicely. I will finish this piece off by framing it. I hope to have this and/or similar things ready for sale in my Etsy shop soon. I will be doing pieces with a parrot theme also. My mind is swirling with ideas and I'm bursting at the seams with excitement for this new adventure!

Hope you all are well and that you love on your birds daily. Blessings to you and yours!

OBSESSION

2011-05-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

Timothy can't get enough showers! He use to ask for them about every other day, but now he asks for them multiple times a day.....I mean MULTIPLE! I shower him in the morning and he is asking for another about an hour later. He has never done this before and I must admit I first labeled it as an obsession. But now I'm wondering if the water makes his skin and feathers feel better, so he asks for more. This little guy is really expressing himself more lately and has made strong strides in his recovery. He is so much more confident. He even dunked his head in my glass of water with ice cubes.....silly boy!

BARN OWL DAY

2011-05-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

I am not only a person passionate about parrots and their mental health, but I am also passionate about owls too. Actually...I am an avian enthusiast through and through. Here I am at a group outing with my bird group from church called, Birds of A Feather. I am the leader of that group and am enjoying sharing my passion for birds with my church family. In this picture, I am dissecting an owl pellet to see what the owl had eaten.

It takes a gentle hand to pick away the fur and pull out the skeleton of the animals that the owl consumed. You see, owls swallow their prey whole and upon digestion their body forms a pellet out of the fur and bones of the prey. The fur and bones (which are undigested) then get puked back up and spit out. Sounds gross, but it is very interesting.

The pellet I dissected showed that my owl ate three field mice for his supper. I found three skulls and was even able to find the teeth intact to where I could pull the tooth of the rodent out of the skull. Rodents teeth grow constantly and it was quite interesting to pull on the tooth and see how far down in the jaw it resided.

This plate held the furry remains. The pellets are baked to kill all worms and bacteria before they are used for dissection. They have an odor, but it is not an offensive odor.

My camera is not the best, so this picture of the barn owl we saw is not very clear. It was magnificent to see this owl in its natural setting. Their flight is silent and breathtaking. This particular owl did not make any vocal sounds, but it did watch us intently.

This is an owl nest box that was placed up in the rafters of the barn we visited. If there were young inside, we didn't see any. The owl was protecting its territory, but it could also have been protecting some young.

This is the old decrepit barn that the owl calls home. I wish old barns like this weren't becoming a thing of the past. They are in and of themselves pieces of art.

I had to share with you some pictures of my friend, Rue. Now Rue is not the outdoorsy type like I am and she is not particularly a bird lover. But she came to my group anyway...that's what friends are for....and participated.

Rue always has perfect nails....Always. My nails look like, well....crap most of the time. But not Rue, no...she has perfectly manicured nails every day of her life. So for her to dig in to this owl pellet and separate the skeletal remains of a rodent, blew me away.

And after we dissected pellets, we drove to the barn to see the real owl, as shown above. And Rue came along...wearing her trademark high heels! Try sneaking up on an owl to catch a view of it, with your best friend clicking along the cement in her strappy black heels......what a hoot!!!! Gotta love her!

BIRD SAFE HARDWARE

2011-05-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

I wanted to pass along this little gem to all my readers. Finding bird safe hardware can be....well, hard. Birds can not have hardware made with zinc, as it is toxic to our avian friend. The best choice is stainless steel, but nickel plated hardware is also acceptable and safe, but at a much cheaper price the stainless.

The Batz Corporation has excellent prices as well as great customer service. I buy most of my hardware from them. They are also very good at giving the best shipping prices on items that can be spendy to ship due to the weight.

It is important to offer our birds toy parts that are safe for them to chew on. We are stewards of these magnificent and intelligent creatures and owe it to them to offer them the best resources. And if we can save a bit of money in the process, well then, that is what I call a win, win situation.

FUZZY WUZZY

2011-05-07T20:03:00.000-07:00

Granted, these are not the most flattering pictures of my little man, but they will suffice for now. I just had to let you all know of the progress that Timothy has made. I did not get pictures of his progress, because I did not want to startle him in any way while he was making such bold steps in the right direction. It seemed too weird to post without pictures, so I grabbed the camera this second and just snapped a few of him sitting on his platform in his cage while he was relaxing.

First, he is becoming more and more fuzzy. In fact, he is getting some darker feathers peaking out of his whitish grey downy feathers. At first I thought he was wet, but on further inspection one day, I discovered that his chest was filling in with spots of real dark feathers.

But I think the biggest news comes from the events of yesterday. I was sitting in the chair next to Timmy's cage while eating lunch. I decided to open his food hatch door and let him come out if he chose to do so, and went back to eating. The next thing I knew he was out on his balcony, the perch below his food hatch door. I gave him a piece of my sandwhich, and played it cool by watching some TV. Then a few seconds later I felt a tugging on the shoulder of my t-shirt. He has never reached out to explore me before. Shocked, I still made myself take it all in stride so as not to alarm him. But what he did next blew me away and made me tear up. I turned to say something to him and he reached out and gave me a beak kiss on the lips! Say what? NEVER have I received a kiss from him before!

I felt like my little man was saying:
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

NIGH NIGH TIME

2011-04-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

Rock a bye Timmy
In the perch top
When the wind blows
The cage it will rock
When the perch breaks
My Timmy won't fall
Cause Mama will catch him
Feathers and all.

Good Night Sweet Boy....Sweet Dreams

GREAT NEWS!

2011-04-26T19:05:00.000-07:00

My cancer journey is finally over. Today I got my port removed! Hop on over to my other blog: www.hoodacrefarms.blogspot.com to get the full story! Oh, and Timothy is still being adventurous. It wasn't just a one day fluke. He goes on that back perch regularly now. Love it!

REMARKABLE

2011-04-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

Sorry there is no picture to document this, but Timothy made a huge leap of progress tonight. I came in from putting the chickens in their coop for the night, to find Timmy on his perch in the back of his cage! That perch has been there for over a year and he just now used it.......congrats Timothy!!! I wanted to grab the camera and take some pictures, but with this being the first time he has ventured to be on that perch, I was not going to make any unnecessary disruption and cause him to have a bad experience while trying something new. For those of you who have been following Timothy's journey, you know how happy my heart is right now and the tears I had to choke back when I saw him being a little more free from fear. Praise God!! God is good, all the time.....even for our little parrots with wounded hearts who are learning to trust again.

Happy Easter Everyone!

TOO CLOSE TO THE FOREST

2011-04-19T19:01:00.000-07:00

Zeek has been my bird for seventeen years and he just began feather picking around the time I lost my hair from chemo. I am growing hair, but he is still not leaving his feathers alone. A trip to the vet to rule out anything physical, check. New toys, check. Improvement in diet, check. I've tried just about everything and have been at my wits ends trying to figure out why he is plucking his chest at this point in his life. Enter Auntie Sherri. A few days ago, my sister, Sherri, asked me when I moved Zeek away from the window and put Timothy's cage in the spot where Zeek ruled supreme. Well.....we traced it back to about the time he started plucking. This was an aha! moment for me. Zeek wanted his window back! Why didn't I think of that? I guess I was too close to the forest to see the trees. So the next day I changed the whole room around to give Zeek his window back.

The music center is now closer to their cage so they can listen in pure bliss to their CD collection.

One more thing...Zeek was also lunging at me in a vicious fury whenever I passed by his cage. But now that his cage is back next to the window, ALL lunging and hot anger is gone! Totally GONE! I now have my sweet boy back again and it brings tears to my eyes. Who knew that cage placement was so important to him. He has always been such a stable bird I didn't even give it a second thought about changing his cage from the window to the wall near the door. Please, learn from my mistakes....cage placement means a lot to a bird. Some birds might flip out being near the window, but in Zeek's case, the open wall next to the door was his worst nightmare.

The reading chair is still in the room, but not in between the cages like before. This seems to be working fine for all birds involved in reading time.

And how does Timothy feel over all this change? He is so excited to have his two brothers right across from him and in plain sight. This arrangement is working magic on Timothy too. He has been exploring his cage more and more. This is a new behavior for him, as he usually stays in only two places in his large cage. I almost fell on the floor with shock the other day when he was way in the back of his cage!

Here is one of his toys that was hung in the far right corner in the back of his cage...chewed and deposited right below where it was hanging. Wow...seriously? I'm stunned at this burst of progress.

I think he is even smiling in this picture!

So what does all this tell me? When faced with a puzzling problem with your birds behavior, get a vet check first...and then when physical health is not an issue, take a step back and study the situation. Then if needed get another person who doesn't live with you to take a fresh look at the picture. If all else fails...call my sister! Perhaps she should be the one to be called "the beak whisperer!"

THE TOY TERMINATOR

2011-04-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

This is Timothy's cozy. He loves his cozy. He sleeps next to his cozy every night. He also....

Destroys his cozy!

He dismantles it starting at the seams and then progresses to the ties that hold it to his cage.

Gabriel is appalled. He would never do that to HIS cozy.

Zeek says that Timothy's behavior is simply naughty and he doesn't approve.

Timothy, however, gives me a wave and appears to snicker at the whole charade.

He now has a smaller "replacement" cozy until his mama (ie..me) finds the time to sew the green one back together again.....for the umpteenth time. *Sigh* Boys will be boys.

JAZZY'S HAIR SALON

2011-04-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I had my last cancer treatment! WooHoo! Ever since my hair has been struggling to grow back, my cat Jazzy has taken it upon herself to be my personal hairdresser.

At first I was grossed out by her sudden interest in "cleaning" my hair. But shock of all shocks, my hair began to thicken up and grow! Go figure THAT one out?

Now that the back of my head is full of hair, she has turned her attention to my sides and front. A much bigger challenge, I might add. Even before cancer I had very thin hair on top. Good luck with this area Jazzy.

Hair doesn't need to grow that close to my eye, Jazzy. Hey, perhaps if she could groom Timothy, he would let his feathers grow......NOT! I would never let Jazzy get that close to my feathered babies. But it does make one wonder. Is cat saliva a hair growth stimulant? Don't worry, I wash my hair thoroughly after this beauty treatment.

BREEDING BEHAVIOR EXPLAINED

2011-04-01T20:38:00.000-07:00

For a couple of months now, Zeek has been extremely protective of his cage. Whenever I open his door he scrambles as fast as he can to stand in the doorway and block my entrance. I realized that this must be some kind of behavior brought on by hormones, but I wasn't sure why he was displaying such anger towards me while the weather outside has shown no signs of spring. Well I found a great article here and recommend reading it for anyone interested in decoding their birds wacky behavior at this time of year. I found the information enlightening and very helpful.

PICKY PICKY

2011-03-31T18:25:00.000-07:00

I wish I could figure out the pattern to Timothy's plucking behavior. With each new feather emergence, Timothy lets his feathers grow a little longer....albeit a fraction more at a time, but at this rate I will take any improvement. Then, when they reach some "magical" length, he can stand it no longer and then he goes at it like there is no tomorrow. For example, when I first adopted him, he wouldn't let his tail feathers grow but just a wee bit before biting them off. Dare I say this last growth he let them mature to about 1" in length before attacking them like some foreign alien. Since he is letting them grow longer each time, there is obviously no set length that freaks him out or he would chew them off at the same point each time.

Overall, as can be seen from the picture above, his confidence level has increased quite a bit. He is coming out onto his deck regularly now and going back in when I ask him to "go to perch." I have added a skewer to his cage to hold some of his favorite veggies. He loves it. The journey with Timothy is a slow one, but not void of constant joy and accomplishments. Slow does not mean boring or uneventful. Quite the contrary. Life with Timothy is one I wouldn't want trade with anyone. I love my little man!

How To Give a Bird CPR

2011-03-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

How To Give a Bird CPR

Everyone that owns a bird should check out this link and share with others!

HAIR TODAY

2011-03-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

Here I am in all my hairy glory. Just thought I would update my progress with my hair regrowing after chemo.

On April 5th, I will have my last chemo. I finished my other two chemo's last August and those were the one's that made my hair fall out. This is my new growth of hair. I can even put a clip in it! Real hair. No wig. Gotta love it!

Perhaps if I would have put on some make up this picture wouldn't have turned out half bad. I can just hear my beloved sister now, "never go without your make up!" I'm sure she will have some comment to write about this.....LOL!

The bangs are still in the process of filling in. I tell myself this so that I don't sit down and cry over being half bald like a middle aged man. It kinda looks like I'm trying to do one of those "comb overs" that some guys do to cover their bald spot.

Oh and by the way..............cancer fears me! Ha Ha Ha Ha!

BIRDY BANQUET

2011-03-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been diving into my books on bird nutrition. I am determined to create a better diet for my birds and have found many great recipe's in this book: The Healthy Bird Cookbook. It takes you step by step through the importance of a balanced diet, vitamins and minerals, hazardous foods, mountains of recipes and so much more. I was not aware of the need for washing the skin of a banana before peeling it and feeding the fruit to your bird. The reason to wash it even though you don't feed the peel to your bird, is because, monkey urine is on the skin. Ewwwww....now that was a fact that I was not aware of for myself or my birds. Needless to say, my banana's skin will be squeaky clean from this day forward.

Here is how my first batch of muffins/bread turned out. Kinda lumpy in places, but the birds didn't mind. I must remember the next time to fill the cups only half full....a lesson well learned in this recipe.

A close up of my creations. I ended up cutting the muffins and the bread into bite sized chunks. Each bird has his favorite way of eating yummy treats. Gabriel like a piece stuffed in between the bars of his cage, Zeek likes them on a skewer, and Timothy likes to take a piece from my hand and hold onto it with his foot. I will be making more recipes out of this book, as it has everything but the kitchen sink! You can find it on Amazon.com

PAYDAY PURCHASES

2011-03-03T15:56:00.000-08:00

One thing I love about payday is that I get to spoil my birds a little. These purchases didn't break the budget, as most of them were on clearance and the others just plain affordable.

Now that I am making more natural foods for my birds, they needed new cups that would be easy to pop out and clean. Their current bowls are already used to capacity.

Egg cartons from the feed store are a cheap and natural way to offer fun enrichment. I will cut them down to appropriate size for each bird, stuff them with paper shreds, toys and plenty of treats. A weekend treasure hunt for sure. The boys will go nuts.

This pinata is for Zeek. He loves his pinatas. I've tried making him some, but he wants a certain kind and no other will do.

Timothy loves the tiki huts. The one I got him for Christmas has long been destroyed, repaired, destroyed, repaired...well, you get the picture. It was time for a new one and when I saw that it was on sale I gladly conceded and bought it for him.

This precious airplane was on clearance. I have been wanting to get this for Gabriel for the longest time, but never had the extra funds to do it. Naturally when I saw the price I danced a jig because I could finally get it for him.

This is a new perch for Timothy. It is flat and will give him a wide place to rest his feet. It is always a good idea to offer your bird different sized perches so their little feet won't get tired or worse, sore.

And last but not least, the most coveted treat in the world. Millet. My boys only get one millet a week and sometimes not even that often. It is definitely considered a treat around here. So there you have it; one of my moments of spoiling my boys. Saturday will be the day that each bird gets his treats and toys. It is then that I will scrub each cage and do some rearranging. So stay tuned for the extreme cage makeovers.

ZEEKSBEAK: A STUDIO MAKEOVER

2011-02-26T18:18:00.000-08:00

I run my small bird toy making business out of a studio in my home. This weekend I took the challenge to make this workspace more user friendly. I didn't think to take before pictures...my bad...so the after pictures will have to suffice for now. I put all of the toy parts in separate bins and labeled them. Then each bin received a special spot on the shelf.

For the items that needed a bigger container, I used these white sets of drawers. As you can probably tell, all these parts are housed in a space that once used to be a simple closet. Take the doors off and add some curtains and "tada" instant storage space for a growing business.

These next pictures are of my actual work spaces. My desk gives me space to take inventory and process orders that have come in for the toys. I love adding colorful stuffed parrots and other birds to my surroundings to brighten things up and keep the feel of the room fun and creative.

This chest of drawers is the heart of my studio and houses all my tools I need to create my toys.

Music is important to me and I love listening to tunes while I am creating.

Drawers, drawers and more drawers...all filled to the brim with parts to create wonderful enrichment toys for parrots.

I hope this little tour of my workspace gives you a clearer idea of how dear to my heart making safe, fun and enriching bird toys is to me. It's my passion and I feel a call on my heart to create these pieces of enrichment to improve the mental health of all feathered creatures.

BREAKFAST BREAD

2011-02-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

Most mornings, my birds like toast as a pre-breakfast snack. I only feed them organic bread with natural seeds and nuts mixed in. Oh....and they love every nook and cranny covered in butter.

They especially love the crust. That's where all the seeds, nuts and other goodies are most abundant. I am going to bake some birdie bread or muffins later today. I will post the results later this evening. Wish me luck, as this will be my first attempt at birdie bread made from scratch and not a store bought mix from the pet store.

TOYS & BOYS

2011-02-20T16:58:00.000-08:00

I created these funky photobooth pictures just for fun. I threw in some pictures of my toys too. I am working hard on revamping my Etsy shop to include all my toys and not just a few at a time. I have a crappy camera and dream of owning digital SLR (preferrably a Nikon) someday. These photo's of my toys were taken by my neice's Nikon....nice.

BATHING BEAUTY

2011-02-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

For the first time, at least in my presence, Timothy took a bath in his water dish! Why is this such big news? Well, Timothy has only taken showers, and not happily at that. There is a spiritual connection Timothy has with another bird, a grey many miles away whom he has never met, but with whom he has an uncanny connection with. The other birds name is Steve and you can check him out on a blog called Chippers Alley, at http://www.shannonryanart.com/

Yesterday I read a post on how Steve took a shower and had more gusto doing it, making that post a very heartwarming one for those of us that love Steve and follow his progress. No sooner do I read that post, which I did while in with Timothy (there was a video of Steve) and Timothy turns around the next day and plays in his water dish with a gusto he has never displayed before. Did he see the video of Steve over my shoulder from the view in his cage? Or do these two boys truly have a bond beyond what we can concretely understand?

I am not ashamed to say that I love Christ with all my heart and soul, and I believe that God Almighty can and does touch our lives profoundly through some of the most unlikely circumstances....and creatures. I mean, here are two wounded, slightly neurotic parrots that have come from a difficult background that mirror each other so closely it is unbelievable at times. Yet they have never met. Can God's Holy Spirit live in more than human hearts? I say a resounding YES!

My prayer for these two creations of God's is that their journey will not only bring them closer to wholeness, but also touch some human lives in the process. What more could you ask for?

On a side note: here is the toy I made specifically for Steve and will be sending out to him next week. Timothy is trying his out as we speak. Life is an adventure and I'm surely enjoying the ride.

Here is Timmy saying: "yippee....I'm more free today than I was yesterday!" Life is good.

SCHOOL DAYS

2011-01-30T19:16:00.000-08:00

I am about to embark on a new journey with my birds....clicker training. I have the book, the clicker, the target stick, and journals for each one of the boys. I will keep track of their progress in their notebooks.

As you can see, I am all set to begin maneuvering through these uncharted waters with my boys.

They are also going to be learning three basic colors; red, blue and green. They love looking at pictures in books, so I am going to build on that and see if they can't get some of the pre-school basics down.

Yeah...I'm anal. I love to make everything organized and cohesive. These journals came in a pack of three and also have a box to fit all three in when not in use...color coordinated...of course.

Here is a closer look at the cards I will be using. There are more colors in the box, but I felt three was a good number to begin with. Perhaps I will introduce shapes at a later time. So, wish me luck and check back often, as I will be updating posts on the boys' progress.

THE OTHER KIDS

2011-01-29T17:36:00.000-08:00

I thought I would stray from my usual posts that consist only of my parrots, and show you the rest of my furred and feathered "kids." This is Emma, one of the many chickens I have. My chickens will never be dinner...only their eggs are. My flock is amazingly spoiled. Most people see chickens as livestock, but around here, they are part of the family.

This beautiful gal is Raven, my black sex link. She is only eight months old but already a stellar layer. Here she is perched on one of the many places my chickens have to just hang out.

Here is a most unflattering picture of me with my hen, Charolette. As you can see, we are both having a bad hair day. Actually, Charolette NEVER has a good hair day.

These rascals are my two airedale terriers, Savannah and Sasha. They are double trouble together.

And lastly, here is our only cat, Jazzy. She loves hanging out with her chickens. She calls them her "peeps." So there you go, the rest of my menagerie. Actually, I have nineteen chickens, but didn't show them all. Maybe another time. Hope you all have a great weekend.

TIMOTHY'S KINDRED SPIRIT

2011-01-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

This is not a picture of my Timmy, but one of his friends in blogland. This is none other than the famous Steve from Chippers Alley. Steve has a special story and his "mom" Shannon is an extra special gal. This is a story of commitment and true love...not to mention the miracles that can occur when one believes in one simple thing: Hope. Do yourself a favor and stop by to visit Steve and Shannon. Your life will be richer for it.

SWEETEST MOMENT

2011-01-15T18:33:00.000-08:00

The other night, I decided to read a story to the boys out of their children's Bible I bought them for Christmas. Timothy came out of his food hatch door to get a closer look at the pictures. Gabriel pressed himself against the bars of the cage, so as not to miss a single moment of storytime. After reading, I said a short prayer for them...not a feather rustled, and upon saying, "amen" at the end of the prayer, Timmy turned around and went back in his cage and onto his "night night' perch. Sweet moments like this can not be planned...they just happen...like the breath of a whisper.

TIMOTHY IS OUT!

2011-01-09T20:26:00.000-08:00

I know that I am behind on this 10 photo's in 10 days, but these pictures were worth the wait. Here is my Timothy out on his "balcony" enjoying the view and some toys. He is so happy! This photo shoot was a huge breakthrough for Timmy and so was staying out on his balcony for such a long time....way to go Timothy!

PHOTO CHALLENGE DAY 3

2011-01-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here is a collage of my precious boys. They absolutely hate the camera, so to get shots like these takes sheer luck. Zeek is the worse, he wants to attack the camera...Gabe gets startled...and Timothy closes his eyes or moves at the wrong time. So here they are in all their mischievous glory.

PHOTO CHALLENGE DAY 2

2011-01-05T18:02:00.000-08:00

I chose to photograph the pictures and stuffies that I have in the bird room to inspire me for today's challenge. The boys love all the bird motifs in the room and the bright colors are mentally stimulating and make the room fun. In addition to having a passion for parrots, I also have a soft spot in my heart for owls. I worked with birds of prey at the Oregon Zoo for four years in a volunteer position and learned a lot about the birds in the program. I also handled many raptors but my favorites were always the owls.

*On a side note: Timothy came out on his "deck" again today and ate a treat out of my hand. I hope to get a photo of him doing this soon. The camera scares him at times, so I need to proceed with caution so as to gain his confidence, not lose it. It's a delicate dance.

PHOTO CHALLENGE DAY 1

2011-01-05T09:07:00.000-08:00

My sister, who's blog you can find at: http://www.littlehouseinparadise.blogspot.com/ has taken up a photo challenge to where ten photo's are taken each day for ten days. No photo can be altered. It must be in its raw form as taken from the original picture. So, yesterday was day one, but my computer was being worked on and I couldn't post it, so I will post yesterday's, today, and then do another for today. How fun! I will take more photo's containing my life with my birds, but the first day is this general one. I will also be posting different ones on my other blog: http://www.hoodacrefarms.blogspot.com/ check the fun out there too!

NEW BEGINNINGS

2011-01-01T21:20:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Zeek was excited today to show everyone his new toys and I am excited to share my continuing journey into getting all my birds to eat healthier diets that include less and less seed consumption.

Timothy loves peanut butter and this little enrichment spoon is a great way to offer him such a treat. He doesn't get this treat often, but since today is the beginning of a brand new year, I decided to spoil him a bit.

Zeek insists that all his fruit and veggies are offered to him on his skewer. He is not fond of picking out these food items from a bowl.....to each his own, I guess. Today I offered him a piece of an egg too.

Timothy, on the other hand, wants all his fruits, veggies, egg...etc, in his dish. No skewer for him. They are just like little kids. Each an individual.

Gabriel is my hardest bird to convert away from a seed diet. He fights me every step of the way. But this year....I will be victorious! I tell myself. Fake it till you make it.....well, we'll see. I have to mix all of Gabe's food in with his seed. Gradually I am reducing the amount of seed and increasing the amount of healthy food. All the while keeping an eye on his weight and consumption. He is a picky eater and has always been on the thin side.

Here is the tray all filled and ready to disperse to each bird. I really enjoy feeding my birds and fixing their meals.

Here are Zeke's favorite toys from Christmas. He got a new stuffie (he loves to feed them) and his new edible hut. I am going to use the hut as a great foraging tool. I put some millet in it to lure him to it at first. He was a little timid of it being in his cage for a few moments, but soon warmed up to it when he saw the prize millet inside. My birds love millet, but get it only as a treat every so often. Timmy got the same size hut for Christmas also, but it will take me much longer to introduce such a massive item to his environment. Gabriel received a smaller one and loved it immediately.

I inspire to spend more time blogging this year and filling it with all kinds of interesting things. I will post new toys as I create and make them, and then put them on my Etsy sight for sale. Hope everyone has a blessed 2011 and I look forward to chatting with everyone throughout the year ahead.

CHRISTMAS OVERLOAD

2010-12-25T20:25:00.000-08:00

This is the stuff Santa brought for my boys. Little elves worked throughout the year to accumulate this much stuff for them. Does the word, "spoiled" come to mind?

I just love these little edible huts they have come out with. I don't know how my birds are going to react to them, so we'll see. Zeek is going to love his new mirror.

My birds love me to read to them. I found the bird book at Costco and it has pop up pictures in it...that should get their attention. Also, I wanted to start reading Bible stories to them. Hey, they are God's creatures and the Bible says let everything that has breath praise the Lord (I must look up what scripture that is).

Here are their stockings all filled up from last night. This morning they got to see some of their gifts. I am a kid at heart and thus am going to spread Christmas out over a couple of days. That way they won't get too overwhelmed and I won't be tempted to totally rearrange their cages with all their new stuff, causing them to have a nervous breakdown!

2010-12-24T19:54:00.000-08:00

CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF CHRIST THE LORD. MAY HIS GLORIOUS BLESSINGS BE WITH YOU ALL!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

THROWDOWN

2010-12-20T18:11:00.000-08:00

Every morning around our house, there is a ritual of chores we go through concerning our birds. Cages get wiped down, trays are cleaned and emptied and new lining is put in, and all the food and water dishes are washed and filled. And, every morning upon opening his cage door, Zeek steps out to sit in his doorway. Sometimes he climbs to the top of the cage, but mostly he sits in his doorway and survey's the morning chores. It is at this time that he usually has his big morning poop. And where does that poop go? In his water dish, of course. He can not poop in his water dish any other time except when perching in his open doorway. I have talked to him about this nasty habit, but he insists on making his "poop soup." It's a good thing I have the opportunity to immediately remove the soiled water. But, nonetheless, Zeek is proud of his new culinary talents.

Here is an example of his handiwork. Zeek has now decided that he has perfected this "soup" well enough to challenge Bobby Flay to a throwdown! I told him I will have nothing of the sort, but he is determined to win this great honor. Yah...right. So watch out Bobby, your nemesis is calling.

NEW TOYS IN ETSY SHOP!

2010-11-15T17:59:00.000-08:00

This is one of my latest creations. It's called Rumplestilskin and it is in my Etsy shop: http://www.zeeksbeak.etsy.com/ Go check it out!

Sorry for not keeping up with posts lately. First mom was sick with the flu, then I got it too. I spent a lot of time just vegging out in the bird room watching movies. The boys were so cute, when I slept all three would perch closest to me and just stare at me while I dozed. The first day I was sick I stayed in bed (a first for me) and the boys just wouldn't stop their constant chatter and screaming to know where I was. I chose not to bunk in with them during the initial phase of the illness, as I didn't want to 1) expose them to any germs, as some human illnesses can be passed to birds, and 2) I didn't want them to be more upset seeing me puke. Now that I am on the mend, all are once again happy.

BOY TIME

2010-11-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

Happy November everyone! We had a quiet Halloween here, with only a few groups of kids trick or treating. Gabriel has been in a roaming mood lately. He loves to sit on the back of the couch in the bird room and survey the surroundings. This little guy is fearless. He zips over to Timothy's cage and wants to go right up to him. I remind him constantly that his little head would fit in Timothy's beak quite nicely....and to NOT give me a heart attack by zooming over to meet and greet him!

This is Timothy's favorite place to perch. I open his food door and he pops right out and sits in the doorway. This is a BIG step for Timothy. He has even ventured to come down the side of the cage and onto the pillow I have propped up beneath this doorway. In fact, I pad his whole area...just in case he slips and falls. Being without many body feathers, he is dead weight and falls hard. I pad the bottom of his cage floor and then put paper towel over the pad. It gets messy, but I change it every day. Timmy's progress brings tears to my eyes at times. Especially when he overcomes a fear. I love this little guy.

I put this rope perch just below his opening. He loves rope perches and this placement was perfect, as he loves to come all the way out to sit on it and get head scritches from me. I look forward to the day when I can hold him in my lap or against my chest and cuddle. We will take it slow, for he has all the time in the world to heal and be the bird God created him to be.

PARROT INTELLIGENCE: DR. PEPPERBERG with AFRICAN GREYS GRIFFIN, ALEX & E...

2010-10-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

In this video, Griffin, the african grey parrot that Irene Pepperberg works with shows his cognitive abilities. I am working long distance with Griffin to help him overcome his shyness of toys. Once I learn what materials he is most comfortable with, I will construct a toy out of said materials and see if we have a winner. It all sounds so simple, but it is actually a long process, especially since I have to mail the materials in and rely on a student at the Brandis University to present each toy part to Griff and then record is reactions. I feel so blessed to be given this opportunity to do this. If you want to know more about the intelligence of parrots and the great work Irene is doing, go to www.thealexfoundation.com and check it out!

RANDOM RAMBLINGS

2010-10-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

After finishing a tiring day of massive house cleaning yesterday, I was left with tying up some loose ends today. After church, I spent time tagging and boxing a new order that I will take to Bird Hut in the morning. Check out Bird Hut on Facebook. It's a great bird store here in Portland and they have EVERYTHING you could ever want for your bird.

This box is filled to the brim with my toys. I love making safe and enriching bird toys, as it is my passion to mentally stimulate the minds of our very intelligent avian "kids."

Here is a picture of my bird's entertainment wall. Yes, they are the only ones in the household that have an HD television. We still use our old sets in the other two living areas. As you can see from the TV screen, The Disney Channel is one of my birds' favorites. Especially Hannah Montana.....go figure. The boys also have an entire library of Cd's and DVDs. Gabriel's favorite movie is Winged Migration, and one of their favorite Cd's is of rain forest sounds. My birds?.....spoiled?.....Naw.

My boys go crazy over Nutriberries. Zeek, even though he is a conure, will only eat the cockatiel nuggets. Give him anything else and he will launch them in the air. Timothy, on the other hand, has no preference whatsoever. He just loves them all.

Here are a few toys waiting to be put in my shop on Etsy: www.zeeksbeak.etsy.com I will put them in the shop tomorrow. All my toys are 20% off through October 31st. Stop by and check them out! : )

GREAT WEBSITE!

2010-10-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

This website is a must for all bird lovers. They have breed profiles, games, quizes, information on nutrition....etc. The list goes on and on. Right now they are having a "University" class where you take classes, complete tests and get a diploma at the end. You can also set your bird up to have his/her own page where other people and their birds can comment on your bird. The possibilities are endless. This website is a total gem. Oh ya...you can even create an avatar for your bird(s). My three birds are on there and they have their own avatars too! Loads of fun and informative to boot. Check it out!
http://www.birdchannel.com/

RISE AND SHINE

2010-10-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

Everyone needs a good ole stretch and yawn first thing in the morning, and Zeek is no exception to that rule. Here I caught him mid yawn. If you notice, he still is bald on his chest. I have had Zeek for seventeen years, adopted from a previous owner, and not once in those years has he resorted to feather picking. Upon an exam from his vet and a clean bill of health issued, I began the process of being a detective as to why he is now plucking his chest. Later, it dawned on me.....well, duh Michelle...it's only as obvious as the nose on your face......Zeek began plucking around the time I began treatment for my breast cancer. Since we are so close and have been for so many years, Zeek has taken on my journey himself. Poor boy.

That is where this bad boy fits in. Zeek loves NutriBerries, but wants to find them in his cage...not in his dish or given by hand...he wants them hidden. I bought him this little toy and filled it with his "nuggets" as I call them.

Well, as you can see, it didn't take him long before he discovered how to open the hatch and retrieve his yummy nugget. This is only a small part of what I am doing with him to enrich his life with stimulating work and play. He is now growing feathers under his wing, however, the chest remains bare. My work is not done here yet people. Keep checking in....more to come!

ALL BOXED UP

2010-09-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

I have started to create some bird toys incorporating boxes as foraging tools. However, the price of store bought boxes is too expensive to use in large quantities, so I am venturing out to make my own. Above are samples of paper I use, and beneath those papers is a tool that is specifically designed to make boxes, envelopes, and cards.

I make different colors and then mix and match to stimulate the birds senses. I can make any size I want, it just takes a few calculations on the work board in order to make the top slightly larger to fit over the bottom piece. This will save me many dollars, however, it takes time to make them...so it's something I have to monitor over time to see if the money saved is worth the time spent.

I just had to toss in this random picture of Zeek. It looks like he is bowing his head to pray before diving into his food dish. I bought Zeek seventeen years ago as a second hand bird. I do not know his real age, as the shop owner didn't have that information from the previous owner...so he could be quite mature. However, he will always be my baby boy.

BEDTIME STORIES

2010-09-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, but my boys have always been fond of reading. That is, me reading to them. In fact, they love it so much that I decided to make it a nightly ritual.

My love seat fits neatly between my birds' two cages. Timothy's cage is on the right, and the double decker cage that houses Zeek and Gabe is on my left. This gives all the boys a clear view of the book I am reading to them.

I venture out to my local library once a week to wade through the massive shelves of children's books. I pick out books with bright colors and enough text to give the boys about a five minute story time. One book in particular gave the boys a fright. It was a book about ravens and crows. The pictures were big and dark, showing silhouettes of ravens' bodies. It's then that I realized how much they can get out of what I am reading to them. Which means I must make more careful decisions in the future. They love books about parrots, of course.

Here is Zeek getting perched closely for a good view of the pages. He actually likes to "help" me read, but mumbling and squawking along with me as I read aloud to them.

Timothy is ready and waiting patiently. He is up high and has a good position to see the brightly colored pages.

But Gabe is the most interested. He is proceeding to climb the bars in this picture to get a better view...that, and he hates the camera flash. He was much relieved when I put down the camera, picked up a book, and began the nightly ritual that lulls them all to dreamland.

IT'S A HIT!

2010-08-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

Every time I make a new toy I am always excited to see if my flock approves. Timmy is my biggest challenge, what with his fearful nature and feather plucking habit. But today I hit the jackpot. While making this toy, Timmy watched intently and when I was finished, he let out an admiring "oooohhhhh" sound. That prompted me to see if he was interested in this particular toy. And to my surprise and delight, he was!

Is he having a proud moment, or what? This picture was taken after he had played with this toy for awhile. He was quite content to pose with his new treasure and not showing any signs of fear or apprehension.

He peaked out at me when I disturbed him by opening the cage door. As you can see, he gave me a little foot action "wave" in this photo. Have I mentioned lately how much I love this little guy?

This is just a snippet of the mess I make while creating my bird toys. I find the challenge of putting together a new toy to be very entertaining. Especially when I have an avian audience.

This is the toy completed. I make multiple copies at one time and if anyone is interested, this toy will be made available for sale on my Etsy website. http://www.zeeksbeak.etsy.com/ Tomorrow I will post it on Etsy for purchase

FEATHERLY HANDSOME

2010-08-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

One thing I love about Saturday's, is the extra time I get to spend with my boys. Today I was in a photo snapping mood. So the following are some snippets of my boys doing their thing. I'm quite sure that they would roll their eyes in disgust, if they could, at my photo manic moments.

Here is Zeek coming out of his cage first thing in the morning. By this time, he has already scarfed down a piece of toast and is waiting for breakfast to be served.

Now this is more like it! Fresh fruit and veggies and a bonus piece of fish from last nights dinner to boot. Today will be a good day indeed.

Did I wake you? Timothy doesn't wake up as fast as Zeek does...it takes him a few moments to unruffle what feathers he has and greet the morning. But fear not, for in a few minutes he will be munching on his toast and demanding a shower.

That's more like it. A couple of good stretches and the day is beginning to take shape. Timothy has been cage bound, but with diligent work, he is making progress. Two nights ago, he came out and sat on my lap for ten minutes!! Yeah Timmy!

This is the view from the bird room. They have a special bird feeder right outside the window and get quite the kick out of watching the little sparrows eat. The chicken coop is in their view also, and with the window open I'm surprised that not one of the three has picked up how to crow...yet.

At eighteen years old, Gabriel is my eldest bird. He does not appreciate my camera in his face and despises the flash...it startles him. My camera is of the sucky, lame variety and does not produce good pictures without the flash (indoors, that is).

So, until my pocketbook grows a bit, a new camera is not in the budget. My focus is on quality care of my animals...everything else takes a back seat. So if you don't see many pictures of my Gabe, it's because I choose not to flash the camera at him too often. Being scared is not a good feeling, so I will spare him of it as much as I can.

BACK AND FORTH BANTER

2010-08-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

I was in the bird room last night talking on the phone with my sister, when out of the blue, Timothy and Zeek, began bantering back and forth. They were telling each other to "stop it!"

Stop what, I'm not sure, but one would say it, then the other would return the phrase. I was sitting in between them at the time and the lobbying back and forth was driving me banana's. After a few more lobs to each other, Zeek ended the whole thing by yelling, "NO!" which threw Timmy off, thus ending the ensuing battle of who could say "stop it" the most.

My boys...bad to the bone!

BERRY GOOD.....NOT!

2010-08-12T17:41:00.000-07:00

The berries on our land have not been very sweet this year. We had tons of rain and have had very little sun or hot weather this summer, and all this equates to small sour berries.

Not even the dog liked them. This is Savannah turning her head away in disgust. I thought I would see if the birds liked them any better.

Timothy gave the berries a try, but.......

Just like Savannah, turned his head away in disgust. Well, so much for trying to nourish my babies with vitamin packed berries.

GABRIEL'S ANNOUNCEMENT

2010-08-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

Gabriel would like to announce that there will be a give-away contest coming soon! The winner will receive a free toy from ZeeksBeak! If you want to see some samples of the toys, go to: http://www.zeeksbeak.etsy.com/

and take a closer look at the toys that make birds happy.

AT TIMMY'S REQUEST

2010-06-26T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone....it's me, Timmy. I just wanted to send out a reminder for all mom's out there that make or buy toys for their feathered kids, to always make sure the parts on the toys are safe. Zinc free hardware, such as nickel plated or stainless steele, is a must. Zinc is toxic to us avian babies young and old. Also, make sure the rope that is used can be easily pulled apart and not stringy to tangle our toes. A safe bird, is a happy bird. Have a happy weekend y'all.

CRAVING MORE

2010-05-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

Timothy has a favorite toy that I created. It is a great toy for him because he spends a lot of time ripping and shredding the paper, instead of his feathers. Here is the empty toy begging for a refill.

I always go to my stash of cupcake papers and pick out some nice bright colors for his ball. Most of the time, however, he gets a mix and match of different patterns, as those are the papers left from the toys that I sell.

Her is the toy all stuffed and ready for action. I named this toy "Paper Puff" and sell it in my Etsy store. It is one of the hottest items I sell here in Portland at the stores that carry my line of toys.

And last but not least....remember that toy I created for Timothy a few weeks back? Well, this is all that is left of it. The beads have all been plucked from the rope and the rope itself is barely haning on. When a toy gets to this degree of destruction, I remove it and replace it with something different. Variety is the key with my Timmy.

SATURDAY BLISS

2010-05-16T18:25:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday, I take extra time preparing new activities with my flock and rotate all their toys. My favorite part is refilling their toy boxes. I use locking crocks, as it keeps the "box" from being flung on the bottom of the cage. Here are the boy's crocks ready to be filled.

I choose the appropriate size toys for each bird. Gabriel, being a cockatiel will not get the big toys that Timmy gets, nor will Timmy get Gabe's toys, as this could pose a choking hazard to him, due to the size difference.

These are some of the smaller parts that I give to Gabe and Zeek. They love picking out the different pieces and running their tongues over the varying textures.

Timothy gets chunkier, meatier toy parts to chomp on. As you can see, I like to add variety to the boxes in order to keep busy beaks occupied.

These are some of the foot toys, or "Talon Teasers" that I have created. I sell them to shops here in Portland and in my shop on Esty.

Okay, this is the favorite part of the toy box. The shredded paper!

Here is the finished product. All three toy boxes overflowing with new and different toys. The boys will have a blast checking to see what is new and spending time pulling the shredded paper out piece by piece.

One last step...locking them safely on the bars of the cage! Now the little rascals can dig and play to their hearts content, and they won't dump the whole contents on the floor...and then scream for me to come clean it up. I love locking crocks for just that purpose.

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS

2010-05-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is Zeek...and No, he is not a feather plucker. Poor boy is just going through a molt right now. We don't mention it to him, because he is sensitive of the way he looks right now. You know...that male ego thing. He is believing that Timothy's feather condition is what he has to look forward to. I assured him that within a short time, he would once again sport a very sleek, handsome bunch of feathers.

Each of my boys has a different eating style. Here is Timothy's style...share it with the floor of your cage. Yes, I have put padding down at the bottom of Timmy's cage and then covered it with paper towel, so if Timmy loses his balance, which is possible due to his lack of feathers, he will have a soft spot to land. But he views his cage bottom as a place to leave pieces of his meal, to snack on later.

Zeek, on the other hand, demands that his fruit and veggies be neatly strung on a skewer. He then meticulously nibbles the best part of the produce, leaving very little for the invisible bird elves at the bottom of the cage, to feed on.

Gabriel, my camera shy boy, leaves very little on the bottom of his cage. He does not like his produce on a skewer, nor does he share his portions with the floor of his cage. He neatly eats and leaves any residue in the cups his food is contained in.

See, clean as a whistle. Only a small, lonely piece of apple lay quietly in the corner. So there you have it, the different dining styles of my boys. I don't think they were amused with this home invasion, but I had to share something about them today and the dining differences intrigued me.

I never said I was a sane person...only bird crazy.

SUCCESS!

2010-05-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

It only took Timothy one day to warm up to his new toy that I created for him. After that, he dove right in and began shredding it by the mouthfuls.

He is now quite possessive of the toy and didn't appreciate the camera being in his space...so he turned his head to ignore the whole situation.

So, in order for you to fully appreciate his fine piece of work that he performed on the toy...instead of his feathers, I had to remove the toy to snap a decent photo. I am very pleased to see that my little man is taking his anxieties out on toys instead of his feathers. It is a work in process, folks. I will definitely make more of this design and put it up on my Etsy site for purchasing. I call this a successful venture. And hey, if it helps other birds like my Timmy...then my work has been truly blessed by God.

THE MAKINGS OF A TOY

2010-05-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

When I venture out to make a new toy, whether to sell on my website: http://www.zeeksbeak.etsy.com/ or to spoil my own birds, I usually let the materials speak to me as to how to marry them together. Today, I am making a new creation for Timothy, my african grey parrot with a feather picking problem. Here I am starting out with just a simple plastic paddle and some cotton rope.

Hmmm...knots are a good thing, as parrots usually adore undoing them. The more knots to undo, the less time used to pick precious feathers. Sounds good to me.

Ah yes, color is a VERY good thing. Parrots love color and my Timothy is no different. Here, I am using plastic tube beads. These beads are durable, but also possible to destroy (which usually thrills my birds). More knots...a good thing.

More eye candy! Yummy! These beauties are a must for every toy making mommy. They are practically indestructable and the colors just POP before your eyes. My birds love to manipulate them with their tongues. These must be added.

Pretty, but not overwhelming. A good choice for this toy. I like providing a couple of different textures in each toy to stimulate the senses and tickle the brain a bit.

Punch a hole for hanging.....and tada...a new toy for my Bubba (a nickname I gave Timothy).

The toy is now hanging securely in Bubba's cage.....but where is he? Oh Timothy, come out, come out, wherever you are............

Perhaps we should give him some time to get used to the new toy....this reaction does not mean he will never play with the toy.....remember, birds are wary creatures, always on the lookout for predators. Once he realizes this is to play with, he will go nuts. So, stay tuned for more pics and adventures with Timothy (aka Bubba).

PEAK A BOO

2010-01-29T20:53:00.000-08:00

Ever get the feeling your being watched? I get that all the time, and no, I'm not having a Prozac moment. The eyes that follow me are attatched to my Timothy. My favorite name for him is "Little Man", so I will use that often on this blog. A short while ago, my little man yawned while viewing the same show I was watching. Ignoring his obvious boredom, I asked him if he was tired, and he just shot me a knowing glance, that it was by no means his bedtime! Fastforward a couple of days: I was passing by his cage and unknowingly yawned within his sight....in a nano second he asked, "are you tired?" There is nothing quite like being mocked by a parrot!

Since Little Man is a feather picker, I make enrichment toys for him daily. This is but one that I came up with on short notice, when he became antsy. He loves to shred things, however, his second favorite thing to do is throw the toys across his cage in a furry of rage if the mood strikes him.

Little Man isn't the only one that keeps a close eye on me when I am making toys. Zeek (the beak), my Nanday Conure always manages to get his two cents worth in also. He is the namesake for my shop on Etsy, where I make and sell bird toys: http://www.zeeksbeak.etsy.com/ Zeek and Timothy have shouting matches that could shatter glass. When I first got Timothy, I wondered why Zeek had started to increase his volume so immensely...until I found out that it was Timothy mimicking Zeek in stereo surround sound! Zeek is loud, but Timothy is louder. So now, when I hear Zeek's voice in stereo, I know it is just Timothy amping up the volume!

Ah yes, there is but one more set of eyes keenly watching my every mood. This is Gabriel, my Cockatiel. Gabe absolutely adores shredding toys. He is the whistler of the three, but can't carry a tune in a bucket...poor boy. He is seventeen years old and still tone deaf. But I love him dearly, as I do all my babies. Now that you have met my three sons, I will include them all in Timothy's journey. When referring to all three birds, I just call them "the boys".

Dr. Jekell & Mr. Hyde

2009-10-07T20:01:00.000-07:00

It appears that Timothy posesses two different personalities. In the morning when I first wake him up, he is as sweet as honey. He makes these cute little cooing noises and wants to nibble softly on my finger. He is cuddly, gentle, and has a softness to his eyes. And like the above picture shows, he even closes his eyes and gives me a big smooch!

BUT THEN.........

he turns into a monster when the sun sets and darkness enshroweds the evening! He is demanding, spiteful, mean, striking things like a viper, and wreaking havoc among the other birds. His eyes gleam with mischievious thoughts as he tears into his rope perches with gusto! Where has my sweet boy gone? Then he spies it...his toy box with all his foot toys neatly stored. He races down to the box and begins tossing toys right and left. Hefting them with glee as his cage now becomes the wreckage sight of a tornado.....tornado Timothy!!

That's when I close all the blinds, shut off the TV, and say Nigh Nigh boys!

*Click* The lights go out, and I say, Ahhh all is quiet and calm. For now.

Toys, Wonderful Toys

2009-10-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

Since Timothy has picked at his feathers all his life, it will be a challenge to change that behavior. It will take time. One of the first toys I introduced to Timothy was the "Paper Puff". He became completely enamoured with this toy. The sound of the crinkly paper rustling, the ring of the bell, the bright colors, all added to the excitement. His eyes began pinning and he proceeded to yank all the papers out and have a delightful chew session.

I must have filled that toy five times since then. I think I need to invest in the company that makes cupcake papers, as I can see dollar signs floating out the window. A small price to pay for less feather picking!

NEW HOME

2009-10-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

On August 28, 2009 I adopted Timothy. A tiny five year old Timneh African Grey Parrot, Timothy is a pint size powerhouse. Upon first laying eyes upon him, I was smitten. He has taken my heart by storm and I will never be the same.

Told, by his previous owner, that he has been a feather picker from day one, I knew my work was cut out for me. I never doubted for a moment the monumental task I was undertaking when I adopted him, however, I wasn't prepared to be swept off my feet by a bundle of fuzz with a heart of gold.

This blog will be the documented journey of Timothy and his new life with me, along with the successes and failures that goes with owning an animal with special needs. I know I will laugh, cry, and be changed by this intelligent creation of God. And, there is no doubt in my mind that Timothy will have as much of a healing influence on me, as I pray to have on him.

Let the journey begin.......