Quite a few questions

[Hezz]

We are all continuing to learn. So happy to hear that Maggie seems to be doing better - we hope this continues .... onwards and upwards, Maggie. Sometimes doing things with these guys is very like coaxing little children to eat their greens! Hope you have success for all your hard work.

[itchybear]

I am just popping on to say we've seen such huge improvement! Yes she has the meds, but I think the combo of better food, veggies, and the UV light. They both look so much better, clearer eyes, great feathers! I sounds like an advert for something or rather, but I'm just so happy about their improvement.

Birdguhl, we're still persevering with Harrison's ground up, slowly introducing full pellets in that, will hopefully get rid of the dry seed, that we have to mix in with it, very soon. They are addicted to the germinating seed when I put it in cage, about every 3 days, is that ok? Or too often?

[ffiscool]

Excellent news. Hopefully rhere is no looking back now. I know it's further up somewhere but would mind putting in the links again for the light and bulb you bought?

[birdguhl]

Great news - sounds like you and the buds are doing very well. Really good that you have seen such a visible improvement. How is Maggie with her wheezing etc?

Mine get germinated seed everyday. Aside from the pellets, it is their main food. It is part of my nightly routine to put 2 teaspoons of seeds in to soak.

With the pellets, do you think they are eating some of them yet? I imagine with dry seed they just fall to the bottom, especially if they are ground up. Because I was already feeding mine on germinated seeds it was easier to get the bits of pellet to stick to them. You could try spraying the dry seeds lightly with water to increase the chances of them getting the taste of the pellets.

[Hezz]

Nov 22, 2013 0:16:16 GMT birdguhl said:

Great news - sounds like you and the buds are doing very well. Really good that you have seen such a visible improvement. How is Maggie with her wheezing etc?

Mine get germinated seed everyday. Aside from the pellets, it is their main food. It is part of my nightly routine to put 2 teaspoons of seeds in to soak.

With the pellets, do you think they are eating some of them yet? I imagine with dry seed they just fall to the bottom, especially if they are ground up. Because I was already feeding mine on germinated seeds it was easier to get the bits of pellet to stick to them. You could try spraying the dry seeds lightly with water to increase the chances of them getting the taste of the pellets.

If you do this, you will need to throw it all out after a few hours - that is the downside.

[birdguhl]

Yes, Hezz - you are right. That is why I think these sorts of dishes are very useful for this process. You can then feed a small amount and see what is and is not being eaten.

[itchybear]

Nov 21, 2013 22:41:47 GMT ffiscool said:

Excellent news. Hopefully rhere is no looking back now. I know it's further up somewhere but would mind putting in the links again for the light and bulb you bought?

Hi ffscool, sure the bulb was ARCADIA BIRD LAMP COMPACT FLUORESCENT 20W E27 LIGHT BULB 2.4% UVB 12% UVA FBC20X

We got it from our local aquatics centre, rung them up and although they didn't have it in stock, the lovely guy ordered it for us, think they have the right contacts with a company that supplies them aqua lamps and lizard lamps. 

The lamp we ordered from ikea, www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60110901/?query=LERsta

it was £8 delivery but as we don't live that near to ikea and we would spend more money if we did venture up there as you always buy more when you visit ikea! 

Hope that helps! 

[itchybear]

Nov 22, 2013 0:16:16 GMT birdguhl said:

Great news - sounds like you and the buds are doing very well. Really good that you have seen such a visible improvement. How is Maggie with her wheezing etc?

Mine get germinated seed everyday. Aside from the pellets, it is their main food. It is part of my nightly routine to put 2 teaspoons of seeds in to soak.

With the pellets, do you think they are eating some of them yet? I imagine with dry seed they just fall to the bottom, especially if they are ground up. Because I was already feeding mine on germinated seeds it was easier to get the bits of pellet to stick to them. You could try spraying the dry seeds lightly with water to increase the chances of them getting the taste of the pellets.

I do think they are eating them, plus I've been added the ground pellets to the top of their dry seed, in an attempt to make sure they have to! However I have added some dry ground pellets to their germinated seed this evening 

I'm going to give it a go at doing the seed every day, i have visions of these little pots of seed germinating all over the place 

Wheezing has definitely improved, almost completely gone! She has a slight noise to her whistling, it's like an echo, but it think she is fully on the mend. She still has about another 10 days of meds in the water. It's such a relief from the first vet visit (non avian vet) who told me to prepare myself for the worst. She's been quite resilient really! 

Thanks again everyone!

[birdguhl]

I got my new arcadia bulb in today and boy is it bright! Much more so than the one it is replacing. The boys only had a little sunbathing time before it was all uproar with the fullscale clean-up procedure (every 6-8 weeks). They can catch up in their nicely spruced up quarters tomorrow!

[birdguhl]

Oh well done - you have really done a great job and it is super to hear that Maggie is so much better. (I got my bulb from Scarletts and am using that same Ikea lamp.)

[itchybear]

Nov 23, 2013 19:56:15 GMT birdguhl said:

I got my new arcadia bulb in today and boy is it bright! Much more so than the one it is replacing. The boys only had a little sunbathing time before it was all uproar with the fullscale clean-up procedure (every 6-8 weeks). They can catch up in their nicely spruced up quarters tomorrow!

Ooh sorry for more questions, what does your full scale cleanup procedure involve? 

[ffiscool]

Thanks itchybear re info.  I like ikea but can never find my way out if I do go!

[birdguhl]

Well, Berry and Luee don't come out of their big cage as they don't fly (Piano 6) so a normal weekly clean is to take the top off the base and wash that and then just do a wipe down of the bars with F10. They have about 7 or 8 natural perches in there and they have to be washed and reassembled too. That procedure, together with vacuuming the surrounding area and cleaning Woody and Charlie's small cage, takes 2-3 hours.

But a full-scale clean requires Luee and Berry to be moved out into a smaller cage - Luee is pretty easy to catch but tiny Berry is very fleet of foot - and then the whole cage gets dismantled - toys, rings cuttlebone etc - and they it gets cleaned and disinfected in the bath. Then it all has to be reassembled, usually with changes to the layout. It is a big job - 4-5 hours and an aching back to boot!

Here's a picture of the general set up taken in September. The Ikea lamp has now been moved to the near end of the big cage as that is where they tend to gather:

[itchybear]

Nov 23, 2013 20:15:48 GMT ffiscool said:

Thanks itchybear re info.  I like ikea but can never find my way out if I do go!

That's why we ordered online 

[itchybear]

Thats brilliantly birdguhl! Thank you for the info!

We still have more to do in terms of getting our care right for buds