New Birds!

[Columba livia!]

Today I bought a pair of parakeets!

They are the first parakeets I have had in years. The male is blue and the female is bright yellow. I have never kept a pair of them before!

I dont know what to call the female yet; but I think I will call the male Ferris.
I got them today at a flee market from a breeder for ten dollars each!
( I thought that was a deal. ) And they are healthy.

I clipped their wings just to be safe, but after I tame them, I will let them grow out.

I know that most parakeets don't ever learn how to talk even though they can(that's what i've heard), but I will give it a shot anyway. Does anyone have any tips on this?

THANKS YALL, parakeets rock! -Columba livia.

[birds+me=happy]

Awsome!! I don't know anything about parakeets but they sound like alot of fun. How do you get all these birds so cheap? This might sound dumb but what's a flee market?

[dovelove<3]

how do you clip their wings?? i have two ringneck doves and i want their wings clipped. if its possible to do it myself instead of having to pay for a vet to do it that would be great.

[Columba livia!]

Well its Kind of like citywide garage-sale. In Canton Texas, they have one every first weekend of the month. some folks come from miles. Some sell Antiques, (most of it is JUNK; some stuff is really old.) Some sell Crafts(made out of the junk), and some sell livestock; including Dogs, Horses, sheep, goats,
chickens and PIGEONS!

I bought all of my pigeons frome this place. YOU CAN FIND SOME DEALS as long as you buy healthy animals. 2 moths ago, I bought a young Hungarian pigeon, it died a week later.- You just have to be carefull.

Thanks for asking.

[Columba livia!]

It is quite possible! In fact I was wondering how to doo it just a few minuets ago myself!
I have done it years ago with chickens, but I did not know how to do it for small birds.

I found out how to do it on YOUTUBE! it was quick and easy!! look it up!

But remember, Parakeets can climb with their beaks, and doves can't. So if you do, make sure your doves can get off the ground and up to safety. Also, don't let them fall to hard, they could break their fragile breast bone.

[dovelove<3]

they arent let outside or anything. they are in a 2Lx2wx3H cage and have perches going up and down. they plop down from the top perch (6inches from top *roughly*) and they dont use here wings or anyhing so i think if i clip them they will be ok. i want to clip them because when i let them out of the cage to explore the room. they sometimes get spooked and fly all over into the wall and stuff. no injuries thankfully but i want to prevent any from hapening. i cant figure out why they freak out though. ill look on youtube thanks.
there isnt ike any way i could totally screw up and hurt them is there?? cuz i really dont want to do that.
thanks again

[Columba livia!]

Originally Posted by dovelove<3

they arent let outside or anything. they are in a 2Lx2wx3H cage and have perches going up and down. they plop down from the top perch (6inches from top *roughly*) and they dont use here wings or anyhing so i think if i clip them they will be ok. i want to clip them because when i let them out of the cage to explore the room. they sometimes get spooked and fly all over into the wall and stuff. no injuries thankfully but i want to prevent any from hapening. i cant figure out why they freak out though. ill look on youtube thanks.
there isnt ike any way i could totally screw up and hurt them is there?? cuz i really dont want to do that.
thanks again

Just cut the primaries, do not cut the coverts. youtube will explain.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by dovelove<3

they arent let outside or anything. they are in a 2Lx2wx3H cage and have perches going up and down. they plop down from the top perch (6inches from top *roughly*) and they dont use here wings or anyhing so i think if i clip them they will be ok. i want to clip them because when i let them out of the cage to explore the room. they sometimes get spooked and fly all over into the wall and stuff. no injuries thankfully but i want to prevent any from hapening. i cant figure out why they freak out though. ill look on youtube thanks.
there isnt ike any way i could totally screw up and hurt them is there?? cuz i really dont want to do that.
thanks again

They need a bigger cage, one that is long instead of tall, with air space where they can flap their wings correctly. no need to clip the main thing a dove has to move around and excersise with, put them in a small room at first till they get used to flying they will get better.

[dovelove<3]

i brought them home in the cage they had been stayin in at the store. i dont have room for a bigger one right now. i let them out into the small room their cage is in and they freak out and fly into the walls. like i mention earlier. i cant let them out unless they are clipped because they are only going to get hurt if i dont.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by dovelove<3

i brought them home in the cage they had been stayin in at the store. i dont have room for a bigger one right now. i let them out into the small room their cage is in and they freak out and fly into the walls. like i mention earlier. i cant let them out unless they are clipped because they are only going to get hurt if i dont.

they just need practice, just open the cage and let them come out on their own in a calm quiet enviroment. they will calm down and get used to it,.... they may freak out more because they can't fly well with clipped wings, they still can get around and knock into things, and they will do it longer because they can't fly well.

[birds+me=happy]

I wonder if they have any of these flee markets in Ohio. Sounds like they have some great deals.

[Columba livia!]

look a little Xavier you just might find one.

[maryjane]

Pics! Parakeets are great, they're much smarter than most people give them credit for. I have Gregory Peck and His Girlfriend Susan (that's her name lol). They LOVE millet sprays and LOVE (really love) those treats that come on a stick and you hang, with the seeds all stuck together, like this one:
http://www.bird.com/ViewLarger.aspx?...es/P54372P.jpg
but they like all different kinds. Put a little swing in there as they will use it. Some ladders, some small parrot toys, a few little bells hanging, a mirror, all those things are fun and will be used probably. Some strips of bird grit paper can be placed over perches and they will trim their beaks and nails, and nibble at it. I put a small, 4"x4" basket with an open top up in one corner, and they like that. They will nest with bits of shredded newspaper.

And it is very important to change their seed frequently, as it will LOOK like they have seed left, but what you see is really the outside of the seed. Many new parakeet owners have sadly lost their 'keets this way, thinking there was plenty of food left but really it was just the casings and inedible. They enjoy a light spritz with a water bottle (get a new one just for them so you know it's clean and rinse it out with warm water and a bit of dish soap), especially on hot days. Now go take some pictures and post for us.

Dovelove, your new doves sound beautiful. You might check on Craigslist in your area for a cheap, larger cage (even a few inches larger will help); no one is trying to imply you are mistreating them or anything, just from experience we know they like a bit more room. Or you can even post an ad asking for a free or cheap cage, and also try checking your local pet shops as they often throw out cages if there is a crack in the bottom or something easy to fix. I find great cages at second hand stores sometimes. Even a small wire dog crate would be a bit bigger but maybe would fit your room. You can trim just the tips of their feathers so they can still glide to the floor, and they will grow out quicker, as it just takes them a few days to learn not to fly into walls, windows, etc. I know, I had that problem with my cockatiel, it can just about give you a heart attack to watch them hit a wall or window. So trimming just a bit should give them plenty of time to learn, and this way they can glide but not get much lift off. Good luck! Let us know how they're doing.

[birds+me=happy]

Do you have any pictures Columbia livia?

[Columba livia!]

Not yet; sorry I'll get some on! Thanks yall!