I love parrots!!!

I just realized how many parrots we have.

3 Umbrellas: Charlie, Zoey and Footloose

2 Goffins: Cheeky and Monty

2 Solomon Island Eclectus: Rosy and Chuckles

2 African Greys: Ruby and the lost guy

1 Alexandrine: Rodney

2 Grand Eclectus: Need names, any suggestions welcome….

Bought a pair of breeding Grand Eclectus’ on Saturday. Female has plucked a bit to use feathers in nesting. Put them in a nice big aviary, hope they make lots of babies. Did not check nesting box before I left the breeder though, only to find hen had laid two eggs probably a day or two before. Had to remove eggs as they had been tossed around to much on the drive home and I need the hen to feather up for winter….

Found out today that if you build a structure on your property and it has foundations, then you must submit building plans for approval first. Guess this outside aviary is going to take longer than I thought.

I have got the name of a guy to contact at the local authority, to find out how much detail must go into the plan for the aviary and if they must be formal building plans.

Back from holiday. Realized I missed the birds. Starting with new aviary flooring tomorrow, hope they like it.

Its amazing how people come out of the woodwork when you have a lost animal. All of a sudden everyone has lost one and this one is theirs. I have been advised by a petshop owner, not to advertise the grey that I found, as everytime he has done that, every man and his dog has phoned to say it is theirs. Will have to keep checking the papers myself….

This Grey I brought home is a fussy bugger. Won’t eat the sprout food which is good for him, insists on eating food from our dinner plates. Have to fight to get my own supper!

Eventually gave him some food to eat on his perch. Will try and wean him onto sprout food and not just cooked food.

I was phoned by a client yesterday. They said they heard I was the parrot guy. Their mother had caught a parrot at her house and they were not sure what to do with it, so would I please go and collect it. I got there to find a very clean African Grey. Took him home, have posted ads for the bird, see what results we get.

Found out today, may have to apply for plan approval from my local authority, as the structure will have foundations. I’m building an aviary, not a house…..

I have started the planning and preparation for my big outdoor aviary. It will be about 10m long by 3 - 6m wide. My idea is to put a few different species together, but similar sizes. I will then use my existing aviaries for breeding pairs. I am trying to make the large aviary a feature of the garden, so visitors can interact with the parrots.

Hopefully this will be done this year, in time for Christmas!