Bird owners, come forth!

[anders]

I used to have a budgie that I caught on my fence on a winter morning. Yes, in Sweden. It had surived a freezing night after I hadn't convinced it to get into our house the afternoon before. So, we bought a cage for him/her/it and it was lots of fun. It would often be flying around in the house, but quite nicely settled on my offered hand when we wanted to cage it for opening windows or the like. There was never a conflict between it and the Australian Silky Terrier. They seemed to just accept one another and their respective habitats. The one problem was when my (then) wife was playing solitaire. That [species] of a bird swept down, turning the cards to see if there was something tasty underneath.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Thanks for the good advice, Seyorni! I wish there was some way I could do that. If you cannot (at the moment) pay to have that done, is it better not to feed them? I really, really would feel bad about that, but I know it would be horrible to have them continue breeding.

 

[Jaymes]

There are clinics that will do it for a discount... is there a Humane Society or ASPCA in your area? You could probably work something out with them

 

[kreeden]

Actually , if I'm not mistaken , you are talking about farm cats here . If so , first off they ARE NOT adandoned . And second they ARE NOT Feather's cats , they would belong to her landlord . Who I might add , may not want then spaded .

I'm not saying it is right or wrong , only that things are often different on a farm . The cats would not be considered pets . They are there for a reason .

 

[Feathers in Hair]

These particular cats don't belong to me or to the owner. (He's had the ones that he 'owns' spaded.) I do get the impression that the landlord would like them spaded, but I'd (naturally) ask before doing so.

There are clinics fairly nearby, Jensa! Thanks for pointing that out!

 

[Jaymes]

Overpopulation of cats on farms is a problem. We have barn cats for keeping mice out of the feed, and we only have as many as we need; we allow them to have maybe one litter, then spay and neuter them. Five cats are more effective than 20 when it comes to keeping mice out. And easier to feed.

 

[kreeden]

Ok . I misunderstood . Just didn't want to see you shelling out money for something like that Feathers .

Yea , a lot of people just toss cats out of the car as they drive by a farm . Thinking that a farm could always use another cat , I guess ...

 

[Jaymes]

I just got a kit to DNA sex Leo in the mail... I ordered it after he made some rather, er, sexual gestures at me in the way a female bird would. I'm terrified of all the complications egg-laying can entail, so I want to get him tested and either put my mind at ease or watch for eggs. Unfortunately, the only two options I can do are either plucking out 5-6 chest feathers (ow!) or clipping his toenail and collecting some blood. I think the least traumatic for both of us would be the nail option, since cornflour can stop the bleeding fairly quickly and one quick sting is less traumatic than 5-6...

I'm still going to feel awful about it, though.

 

[Bastet]

I just got a kit to DNA sex Leo in the mail... I ordered it after he made some rather, er, sexual gestures at me in the way a female bird would. I'm terrified of all the complications egg-laying can entail, so I want to get him tested and either put my mind at ease or watch for eggs. Unfortunately, the only two options I can do are either plucking out 5-6 chest feathers (ow!) or clipping his toenail and collecting some blood. I think the least traumatic for both of us would be the nail option, since cornflour can stop the bleeding fairly quickly and one quick sting is less traumatic than 5-6...

I'm still going to feel awful about it, though.

Have you ever torn your fingernail down to the nail bed, Jensa? It hurts like hell, and for a lot longer than just the time you do it. If I had the option between that and pulling out 5 or 6 hairs by the root, I know which one I'd take. Just a thought...

 

[Tawn]

Other than Druidus and I (well, and Feathers. The goose counts! ), does anyone here own birds? Parrots, parakeets, doves, pigeons, ducks, whatever! Surely there have to be more of you hiding in the cracks.

My parents own an African Grey and a Cockatoo. THe African Grey hates me.. whilst the cockatoo is permanently perched on my shoulder.. right now in fact.. I sometimes forget she is there.. hehe..

 

[painted wolf]

yikes... could you maybe take him(?) to the vet to get the blood drawn quick and relitively pain free?

wa:do

 

[Jaymes]

*smacks forehead* D'oh! I didn't even think of that. Thanks for the suggestion, PW.