# how do i stop it!?!



## betta lover1507

okay watching "Rio" (bird movie) i got interested in birds, i was like "I will get over it in a couple days :roll: no beggie". and my little brother got super interested in it. i got over birds and moved on, my little brother will blast his xbox (xbox add-on from youtube) of Rio music and lot's of stuff about birds, am like :frustrated: "make it stop, it isn't helping!!". so that went on for a few days, now he stopped. all i could think about is birds :lol: kinda scares me. and i just caught myself in a thread about birds, and suddenly learning about birds :shock: now i know lot's of stuff about cockatiel's :blueshake: omg how do i end this maddness?!? it is not that am okay with one, i have my adorable "Pursey" my snake to take care of, and no way will my parents allow this :lol: i've gone mad!! and staying off this forum (for 5 days) did not help :-x anyone know how to get over it!!


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## nel3

try to resist it. i wasnt in the market for a gecko, it was the farthest thing from my mind. i came across the reptile thread here and fell in love with crested geckoes. i held one at the LPS and decided to get one, though not from an LPS but a breeder. it was hard to resist in my case, i hope you have better luck in your predicament. i got caught up in gecko land ie research and stuff within a day or 2. my best guess is to distract your mind from any bird related topics. or your can try watch Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" to convince yourself its not the best idea atm. 

you can try to convince yourself that theres no space for a new pet. it works great for me as i have limited space for pet habitats ie tanks and terariums.


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## hotrod57ts

Jest becose you like birds dont meen you should get one .snakes and birds are like cats and dogs thy dont always get along.


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## Jayy

nel3; my best guess is to distract your mind from any bird related topics. or your can try watch Hitchcock's movie "The Birds" to convince yourself its not the best idea atm.
[/QUOTE said:


> LOl Really the birds?! :lol: Your going to scar the person.


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## nel3

Jayy said:


> LOl Really the birds?! :lol: Your going to scar the person.


lol, how can a oldie blk/white film with minimal effects do that in such an advanced age? jokes aside the old movies are still very good and i dont think that the birds movie would do much compared to the gory horror films these days. im actually trying to look for that darn movie as amateer of fact.

as far as getting more pets im 30% impulse but mostly aware of real estate constraints to put the potential new pets in. ive stopped with new pets and just focus on the current ones. its a hard task to resist but if you list too many cons about getting new pets then its a bit easier to resist. i wont lie, i love birds but i find the most colourful ones loud if anything. dont get me started on the large size and price for them. i wouldn't mind a quiet bird but id be afraid of it getting loose and fly away for good. im more into predatory raptors than smaller breeds.


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## betta lover1507

i'll try , hot rod i know they wouldn't get along that is one reason am pulling back. and i really don't want to watch another movie :lol: also i tried to resist today, brother was constantly talking about birds, i see little advertisements that show chickens, some singer singing there free as a bird like OMG the world is on me D: and my brother is playing angry birds right now!


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## Tikibirds

Take my mother's birds. They wont stop squaking at each other :evil:


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## lvandert

hotrod57ts said:


> Jest becose you like birds dont meen you should get one .snakes and birds are like cats and dogs thy dont always get along.


I have a snake and bird  The bird stays away from the snake and the snake stays away from the bird (helps that the snake is a baby)

Just go to the pet stores a lot or zoos or if you have a library with a bird cage in it. Keep yourself around birds it'll help. I was the same way about a bearded dragon. I still want one really bad but I'm resisting for the moment


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## nel3

betta lover1507 said:


> i'll try , hot rod i know they wouldn't get along that is one reason am pulling back. and i really don't want to watch another movie :lol: also i tried to resist today, brother was constantly talking about birds, i see little advertisements that show chickens, some singer singing there free as a bird like OMG the world is on me D: and my brother is playing angry birds right now!


pet compatablity has also been decided for me as a deterent. i do have room for a cat or a dog but new furniture and compatability to my current pets is an issue. funny thing about the Hitchcock movie, in most bird scenes, those were real birds and the actress did get actual mild bird related wounds. i caught that from a recent radio interview with the actress looking back to those shooting days.

lol angry birds is a funny game but surprsingly difficult at times. th bird thing may just be a phase for him. ive had the cat/dog phase/interest already.


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## betta lover1507

no libaries here, zoo's are so far away. petstores will make it worse .
also i having a habit about thinking about cockatiels, i do have time for attention, feeding, bathing, cleaning, etc for a bird. it is just my parents wouldn't want me to have a bird, kinda don't want to tell them (yeah i haven't spoken about it yet) :\ yah know what worse? am getting money on my B-day, which is in 9 days :lol: no good at all. i would probably end up buying one!! Ohh mehh gahhh! i never had a cat/dog interest :\


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## lvandert

sad face indeed. Umm I would maybe breech the subject to your parents for a b-day gift? or for your gift just to be to let you get one  That's how I got my Spike, I bugged my parents long enough and then I got one. gosh that was when I was ...that was almost 12 years ago...I kinda feel old lol


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## betta lover1507

the'll say get rid of one of my other pets thats why i won't ask, or take away my spawning equipment... do birds need any kind of electronic devices? just wondering, the'll probably flip if they hear it. because who wants to hear this:
a 13-year-old girl that has 7 betta's (and a little guest, my bro CT boy)
and one western hognose snake that also has one dog and cat, that wants a bird? :lol: seriously, they think am responsible for the cat though it is my younger brother's, just because am the cat's love, she will follow me and bother the heck out of me for attention


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## Jayy

nel3 said:


> lol, how can a oldie blk/white film with minimal effects do that in such an advanced age? jokes aside the old movies are still very good and i dont think that the birds movie would do much compared to the gory horror films these days. im actually trying to look for that darn movie as amateer of fact.
> 
> as far as getting more pets im 30% impulse but mostly aware of real estate constraints to put the potential new pets in. ive stopped with new pets and just focus on the current ones. its a hard task to resist but if you list too many cons about getting new pets then its a bit easier to resist. i wont lie, i love birds but i find the most colourful ones loud if anything. dont get me started on the large size and price for them. i wouldn't mind a quiet bird but id be afraid of it getting loose and fly away for good. im more into predatory raptors than smaller breeds.


The version I saw was in color.:-D


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## lvandert

lol I've had a snake, hamster, a tank full of fish, two dogs and my bird at once LOL. As for electronic stuff as long as your house stays pretty warm (high 60's low 70's) you should be fine. I have my house at 75 at the moment and she's happy as could be  Although if you have a computer with music they do like to dance. Spike has developed an ear for bass and if its the right beat she just goes off dancing. I have a video but beware view at your own risk 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgJUfMsIUB0&feature=g-upl&context=G2cdb968AUAAAAAAAAAA


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## Aus

Why not keep learning? Keep reading, and become a very well-informed birdless person! That way, when you finally do get one you'll know lots about them and their care, and probably avoid making all kinds of mistakes as a new bird owner.

I wish to heck I'd done that with bettas, rather than taking the pet store employee's word for gospel..


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## betta lover1507

aww what a awesome bird, but idk what the temp is :\ i have a radiator, so bird don't need electronic devices? well besides a radiator thing  whats a ear for brass? also idk about bird food at all, like which one is cheap but good nutrition or what evers. i NEVER owned a bird before (none of my family has). am afraid they'll take things away from me, i could tell them some good things about birds but if i do this i think i will have to give up betta breeding  and i don't want to do that. and as i said am 13 they will think i have too many animals. though my brother takes care of my snake (it was a deal,you take care of my snake, i take care of your fish)

i did learn lots of stuff before having a betta. so, am thinking about a* cockatiel* bird, they sound very well and a great beginner bird too. would they need a large height cage?


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## Olympia

I think a bird deserves the biggest cage you can get. They will be so much happier with room to move. Of course being out of the cage daily would be a substitute. 

Can't believe no one's brought this up, but see if you have any bird rescues near by. Says you live in Chicago, there's bound to be some bird rescues there. Ask to come by, maybe help out. It'd be a great way to be around birds if you can't have one. Maybe you'd even end up adopting one from a rescue :3


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## lvandert

lol food is food, as long as your get cockatiel food your good and just keep seed in their cage always. and once again other than staying warm you dont really have to worry about them. They wont over eat like our silly fish but they do like variety. Out side of seed you can give them just about everything. Dairy and fatty foods aren't good for birds but I admit to sharing some ice cream or french fries with here occasionally. Fruits and veggies are good, and even some meats. Just watch out for fatty meats. Chicken is good for them, surprisingly considering its like a long lost cousin but watch the spices. Watch out for things that expand in your tummy (like rice and bread) they will over eat on those and then be sick in about a half hour. Also dont feed them anything cooked on teflon, it gives off a chemical thats not good for birdies. And what i meant by an ear for bass, is bass as in music, you know "bump up the bass"


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## lvandert

Olympia said:


> I think a bird deserves the biggest cage you can get. They will be so much happier with room to move. Of course being out of the cage daily would be a substitute.


Spike is only in her cage at night, but still has a pretty big cage overall. Currently she's sleeping on it next to her mirror.


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## alleaa

I breed eclectus parrots and lemme tell you, birds can be challenging. You have to be so careful because they have extremely sensitive respiratory systems. Everything they breathe in goes directly into their blood stream and can kill them fast. When I got my first bird I had to get rid of everything in the house that had teflon (including pots and pans, curling iron and even clothes iron), no scented candles, no perfumes, absolutely no chemical cleaners and no more home air fresheners. My fiancee did not want to risk killing the bird he just spent over $1000 on so it all had to go. I love my birds dearly so I did not mind having to change a lot in the house and it even taught me a lot about healthier living. 

Keep researching bird care, they do make exceptional companions as long as you get the right kind that fits in with your lifestyle. Join a mailing list or forum with other bird owners and you can learn a LOT of great stuff. Cockatiels do make great starter birds but any bird is a huge commitment especially since they live so long. Birds are kind of like bettas, there are so many misconceptions about what is appropriate for their care.

As for feeding, cockatiels can survive on seed but it's not the healthiest diet. Seed supplemented with fresh raw veggies and fruit is best. There are also pellet diets on the market that people feed their birds which are good if fresh foods cannot be offered on a daily basis. You can give them chicken as a treat, I give mine baked chicken wings smothered in fresh jalapenos once a week. I personally would never feed anything to my birds that is not natural (seeds,nuts,veggies,fruit,etc.) but then again I'm also feeding parrots and they are feeding chicks.


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## alleaa

Olympia said:


> I think a bird deserves the biggest cage you can get. They will be so much happier with room to move. Of course being out of the cage daily would be a substitute.
> 
> Can't believe no one's brought this up, but see if you have any bird rescues near by. Says you live in Chicago, there's bound to be some bird rescues there. Ask to come by, maybe help out. It'd be a great way to be around birds if you can't have one. Maybe you'd even end up adopting one from a rescue :3


That is an excellent idea. Rescues are usually very open to volunteers helping out, especially if the person has no birds. Rescues also have so many different types which allow you to see the various personalities and also give the big picture on what it's like to care for different species.


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## Olympia

Volunteering with birds would give you a lot of hands on experience, dealing with problems etc, that would be hard to earn from just reading.

My parents would never let me get a bird because of the dander and noise.
Good luck convincing your parents! Keep reading 

My dream bird is a toucan or aracari. I read a ton about them, thinking they'd be horrible pets, but they actually seem like such great birds :3


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## alleaa

Olympia said:


> My parents would never let me get a bird because of the dander and noise.
> Good luck convincing your parents! Keep reading
> 
> My dream bird is a toucan or aracari. I read a ton about them, thinking they'd be horrible pets, but they actually seem like such great birds :3


I have always wanted a toucan! They make wonderful companions and are so friendly. 

You bring up an excellent point with the dander and noise. Birds rise with the sun and go to sleep when it sets so they are noisiest at the crack of dawn and dusk. Dander is horrible for anyone with allergies and dust based dander is soooo messy. I went with eclectus to avoid the dander but I still have the noise, although they talk more than they scream. 

Another thing to keep in mind is vet care. Avian vet care can be expensive if something happens. A yearly check up runs me around $90 per bird and when I had an egg binding scare (hens lay eggs regardless of a nest) that was a nice $4000 vet bill. I am not trying to be discouraging, I love my birds dearly and I would not trade them for anything.

Below is my eclectus pair with their first clutch of chicks.


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## betta lover1507

oh okay, well i don't know what teflon is exactly (i never cook anything besides boil water, eggs, and hotdogs) a bird sounds great and all but what will my parents say? how would i ask them?


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## lvandert

Now that I can't answer, lol. You know your parents best. Teflon is the "non stick" black stuff on the surfaces of pots and pans.


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## Olympia

^ That. We can't tell you how to deal with your parents, all parents respond differently to things. Your household seems to like animals, so you might have an easier time.


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## GwenInNM

Here's my 2 cents :-D You need to ask yourself, where do I want to be in my life when I leave home? Birds can live many years (as well as many pets) and you need to be prepared to care for them, if you were to go to college (great idea), start dating, etc. What if you want to start traveling, who would care for them, and are you prepared for the expense of a petsitter? I have no clue how old you are, but if you're living with your parents, is that what you always want to be doing? 

I volunteer at a wildlife clinic, that cares for sick, orphaned wild birds etc., and it's made me realize I don't really care that much for birds, but do respect and enjoy wild birds. Perhaps like others suggest you should do some volunteering in this area. 

Sometimes people acquire pets because they are bored, lonely etc, and are looking for something to fill a void (which pets can't do over a period of time). This is where hoarding begins, and it can't stop unless you look at what you may feel you are missing. Maybe every time you think about getting a new pet, you should go for a run, or invite a friend over etc. 

Not to sound like I'm preaching, but give it some thought. You will not always be at home, and if you have lots of pets it can weigh you down, and keep you from taking on new adventures.

Gwen


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## betta lover1507

i don't have friends....
but i don't know. am only 13, i have issues if rushed like this. i really just wanted a bird but i wasn't sure, now since you've said that am panicking!! like omg what will i do?? i feel twisted up inside  college is a distance from me right now. am barely finishing 8th grade D: 
should i tell my parents now?


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## lvandert

I've been in college for two years now. I had to leave Spike at home last year and it killed me but I had to live in a dorm. It was kinda rough on her but my parents kept her company while I was gone. Then in the beginning of summer I moved into an app with my bf that allowed animals and ta-da my birdie moved with me  Yeah its good to think of the future but I sure didn't when I got Spike (age 10). Those things you'll figure out when the time comes. If I was in your situation I would broach the subject the morning of my b-day. (can't really get to angry at me can they?) Point out that you've cared for all of these other animals so well (might be good to add if you've stayed out of trouble recently or did good on a test). Or say if your a pretty good student make a proposition that if you get high B's and A's on your report card that you can have one. That's how I weaseled mine. I had to get a 4.0 GPA on my report card, I got a 3.89 but they still let me get her.


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## Olympia

Tell your parents. Don't force them into it. You'll have to be sure that they'd take care of your birdie if you had to move into a dorm. I'm in this problem with my snake.. If I manage to get into school here, I'll have 4 years left here, then 3 years away from mr snake to go to vet school. At least I'd only have to come feed him every 3 weeks. Birds need daily care and you have to have a plan for the future with an animal like that.


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## alleaa

Just keep in mind how long a bird lives. Cockatiels can live up to 20+ years so you have to plan for that. I had already graduated college by the time I got mine and did not have to worry about leaving them for any extended period of time but it affects my life now. I cannot travel for more than a weekend without finding someone I trust to care for them while I'm gone. When I got my first bird the breeder made a good comparison. She said they are like having an intelligent two year old that never grows up and made sure I was ready for that kind of commitment long term.


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## betta lover1507

i do get good grades, i was thinking about buying the bird and stuff with my money :\ but i have a big feeling of a "no"  i actually wanted a bird when i was 10 before, and never had, i always liked birds a little inside. but i just didn't knew where to start about it. i was always nervous of what will my parents say.
wait, i have to live in a dorm!? i hate those things!


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## lvandert

Hey you can still try no matter how nervous. The worst they will tell you is no and that leaves you no different from where you are now. They wont take anything away for asking. You're already expecting the worst (procrastination, lol, I do it too) so if they tell you "no" your kinda ready for it. I felt the same way when I asked my dad "Will you kill me if I got a tattoo?"  and I'm going to get a second tattoo soon


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## betta lover1507

oh. okay.


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## lvandert

It takes some guts to ask something that big, and you obviously know its big because of how nervous you are, but I has faith. I really hope you've seen "Happy Gilmore" or "Animal" otherwise this quote will make no sense; "You can do it!"


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## GwenInNM

betta lover1507 said:


> i don't have friends....
> but i don't know. am only 13, i have issues if rushed like this. i really just wanted a bird but i wasn't sure, now since you've said that am panicking!! like omg what will i do?? i feel twisted up inside  college is a distance from me right now. am barely finishing 8th grade D:
> should i tell my parents now?



I have a great daughter, who is 13 :-D You know your parents better than we do. My daughter has a leopard gecko, and I would care for it if she couldn't, for whatever reason. That's me though. I'm one of those people who makes a commitment to animals. Many people don't. Once they don't fit into their lives, they get rid of them. We also have older ferrets, which my daughter loves, but she already understands that we won't replace them when they die. She is on to other things and interests, and they do require so much care. I'm becoming more interested in fishkeeping 

Gwen


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## betta lover1507

well my dad has a 75 gallon reef tank, my mom... she doesn't really have a pet besides the family pets (salt water fish, cat, and dog) and i told my dad about it, he told me to tell your mom. my mom is hard to get to agree with, she likes it her opinion most of the time. so my dad wasn't really any help at all -.- 
so now i have to tell my mom is gonna be hard


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## lvandert

Well at least your one step closer  sounds like dad didn't say no


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## betta lover1507

well i told him i'll buy one with my own money. he still dosen't even have a birthday gift either -_-


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## lvandert

I'm sure he does, or atleast has a plan for one. But once again you didn't get a no. Sorry to brag but I'm breeding for my fisrt time and their spawning right now


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## betta lover1507

who your birds?? or your betta's?? either way congrats  save me one! lol jk good luck with fry/chicks  do you know anything about clipping birds? am watching it right now but am still having a difficultly with it


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## lvandert

Oh my betta's I've been setting up to breed this past month. As for clipping bird's wings I could never do it.


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## betta lover1507

oh ok  anyways congrats  i think i got it though


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## betta lover1507

my mom said "no" she doesn't like them because there loud, they poop everywhere, they don't go to sleep, there hard to put back in a cage. she got those from experience from her grandmother or something

i'll like the thread closed


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## betta lover1507

*update*



betta lover1507 said:


> my mom said "no" she doesn't like them because there loud, they poop everywhere, they don't go to sleep, there hard to put back in a cage. she got those from experience from her grandmother or something
> 
> i'll like the thread closed


my parents where talking about it and they agreed, but sadly i have to give up betta breeding now to keep a cockatiel


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## lvandert

I can see that being a valid point though with all of your other pets. You'll still have your babies you just wont be able to make more  So what cha going to do?


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## Olympia

It's a big responsibility! Maybe you should think about it some more.. Also I'm pretty sure birds go to bed if you cover their cage? My friends would at night, but they still wake up at like 6am every morning. I think they are loud when they are alone, if they are in a busy room with lot's of people they tend to quiet down.


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## lvandert

Olympia said:


> It's a big responsibility! Maybe you should think about it some more.. Also I'm pretty sure birds go to bed if you cover their cage? My friends would at night, but they still wake up at like 6am every morning. I think they are loud when they are alone, if they are in a busy room with lot's of people they tend to quiet down.


Yeah mine goes to bed every night in her cage. Once you develop a routine (like watch some tv, cuddle on the couch, bed time) they'll learn when its time to bed. Yeah they'll realize this also means that they have to go in their cage but if they like their cage (lots of toys and room to move around with a few snacks) they wont mind. Spike will even put herself in her cage if we're up to late. Also their not so loud when your gone its more when they can hear people but can't be by or with them. 
Spike is very content as long as someone is around. In fact she's sitting on my knee preening as I type this. every once in a while she reaches up and kisses my chin  If you do get a cockatiel let me know. I can send you my private e-mail (I check it like 30 times a day) if you have any questions.


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## lvandert

with the whole waking up thing, when they hear your up they want to be up too. Spike will give me about a half hour before she starts squawking to be let out


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## betta lover1507

yeah ok, i know it is a big responsibility.my mom learn that from experience, because her grandmother will have a bird that wouldn't sleep or something. so your saying not to get a bird?

i only have sparta (betta fry) it is a fat chance that she/he not going to live, he/she is the only fry i ever had to live to 3 months. and he/she is stunted as well


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## Olympia

I'm not saying not to get one.  If you feel totally ready then go for it! I'd love to see photos  I think you should look on google for some bird rescues in your town or check the local humane society for a birdie. Pet store birds are usually not well socialized, plus you'd get the satisfaction of saving a homeless bird.


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## betta lover1507

i find this little girl, on petfinder.com:
http://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/21517820
but still focusing on getting supplies first


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## alleaa

Olympia said:


> I'm not saying not to get one.  If you feel totally ready then go for it! I'd love to see photos  I think you should look on google for some bird rescues in your town or check the local humane society for a birdie. Pet store birds are usually not well socialized, plus you'd get the satisfaction of saving a homeless bird.


Pet store birds are always overpriced. Stores sell them for 2-3 times the cost of a healthy, well socialized one from a breeder. Check with a rescue (good way to know the personality of the bird you will be getting) or look for a reputable breeder. Pet store birds are also highly susceptible to highly contagious avian diseases since most of their stock comes from horrible bird mills and stores don't care enough to ensure they have disease free stock. 

Good luck. Birds are amazing companions.


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## lvandert

The issue with adult vs baby is they've bonded to someone. That is the one downside to cockatiels, they tend to bond to only one person, and it takes them a long time to trust another. have you tried craigslist? I know it can be dodgy at times but a lot of times breeders who wont have the money to put an add up will go there


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## betta lover1507

just checked, there only selling adults, and there is a (adult) pair with a cage though, decent priced cages too


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## Olympia

The girl you posted says her age is still "young." I think she's cute


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## lvandert

Oh if the one you posted about says young go for it. I must have missed that part. Which is entirely possible


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## betta lover1507

oh okay


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## betta lover1507

sadly my parents aren't going to pick up that bird from petfinder.com instead we found one on craiglist that might be closer. though my mom has a little experience with birds so she wants to help me, and where getting two. he doesn't have pics of them but he sent some on my moms phone and there adorable. though i think there common greys, it dosen't matter 
http://chicago.craigslist.org/nch/for/2884681886.html
i'll be back at 1:40 (school)


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## Olympia

Yay! Sounds like your mom is getting excited about this


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## lvandert

Yay! that deal sounds great! Two birds will make more noise than one though. They like to chatter to each other.


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## betta lover1507

well one male, and one female i think they said. am picking them up tomorrow  my mom will pay it, but they take $50 out of my birth day money :\ they said they'll pay for the equipment and stuff, and the 50 (out of my money) will pay them back for buying the birds, idk :\


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## lvandert

awws you get your birdies  as for the money part I wouldn't worry to much. as my brother says "they always make more" lol


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## Olympia

Pssh the birds and all their stuff is totally worth not getting $50!


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## betta lover1507

it is total of $100 for two cockatiels, some toys, some food, a cage i only pay $50. some reason i like the plain colored cockatiels, am thinking about naming the female "Jewel" am still thinking for a name for the male.


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## Olympia

Hmmm... Blu?


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## lvandert

lol I'd go with Blu


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## Olympia

Yea! Since Rio was what got you into the birds!


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## betta lover1507

am not sure lol, i just liked the named jewel XD i was thinking nero but am not sure about, it doesn't really "fit"
i have been liking birds since age 10 :I and now i started liking them more cause the movie  i just don't like pigeons -.- creepy thangs


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## Olympia

Pigeons are my favourites :O I want to raise them.


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## lvandert

lol Their just birds. When I was in Amsterdam there was a park where if you went in there with food they's all land on you and try to eat it. I hear their feet are warm


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## betta lover1507

i don't really like pigeons for some reason :\ sorry if offended.
male names that i thought of:
Nero
Zero
crusade

that's all :I


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## betta lover1507

am going to pick them up today, excited  but i have to wait until my mom comes home  she comes home around 5 or 6, she said she'll try to come out early. i was gonna post the pics that the seller shown us, but my mom took her phone with her at a store last night, and i totally forgot about it. i'll get pics when i get them home  still thinking a name for the male :I


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## lvandert

YAY! fellow birdie owners unite! lol. I'm excited for you and cant wait to see them


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## betta lover1507

thanks Ivandert  i can't wait to see them in person


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## betta lover1507

i got the cockatiels!!  there adorable, i named them Nero and Jewels, pic:








aren't they so cute?


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## lvandert

CUTEE!!!!! OMG Make me want to cuddle my Spike! Are they hand trained? Have you held one yet?


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## betta lover1507

i just got them, and the lady said that she was working with the male a bit, but they are kinda nippy (she said). and i haven't held one yet >-< i wanna snuggle one LOL


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## lvandert

Alright well definitely take your time with those. It'll take a bit of time to hand train them to the point of cuddles but hopefully you get them to that point


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## Olympia

I don't know if this applies to cockateils, but I read that larger parrots, if kept in male/female pairs can be harder to bond with cause they have each other. 
They are super cute though.. I'm guessing the boy is the brighter one? 
It'd be kind of funny if they surprised you with eggs.. You promised not to breed fish and end up with baby birds xD


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## lvandert

I was a bit concerned with that myself when you said pair. And yeah the whole bonding thing with the other bird is kinda true. Cockatiels are touchy, it might take a while to get them friendly


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## betta lover1507

they didn't say anything about baby birds XD true
and the male is the yellow face the female is the gray one. thanks though 
am thinking about buying a separate cage for the male or female


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## Olympia

Hmmmm you could start taming them by hand feeding them something yummy?


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## betta lover1507

my mom bought them a honey granola bar (bird seed stuff)  also how do you make them more quiet? there pretty loud right now, not like ear ringing loud though


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## Olympia

Quiet? Ahahah welcome to the wonderful world of birds!  

They may quiet down a bit eventually, I'm guessing their stressed from being in a new place.


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## betta lover1507

thats what am thinking  the female is the one that is loud and a bit annoying :I


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## betta lover1507

they also don't seem to like me either, if am too close there in striking position. how do i make them be nicer?


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## Laki

As what was stated before, the birds are not used to people. They will be loud because that's what birds do. Especially since you got two!! They are talking to each other, maybe complaining how loud the humans are!! Nothing you can do except adapt to the noise. YOU wanted the bird!!!!

I'm actually glad you got 2. I'm not a bird person but I have the anthropomorphic feeling that animals kept alone are worse off and lonely. And I KNOW birds are social. Just feel glad you have the birds, the taming will come with time. Jeez, you got them now, you have like 20 years to tame them! 

Most people like bunnies too. These people are the ones who buy bunnies from a store or backyard breeder and within the first year give the bunny up for adoption or give it away to strangers because of the hormones that kick in and make them terrible pets. Bunnies DO NOT like to be handled, I had my bunny for 5 years now and it's payday when she jumps in my laps on her own. All I'm saying is, get used to not having cuddly pets. Birds seem pretty independent and they JUST came to a new environment. Give them time! 
You're 13? Yea, you have plenty of time.


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## betta lover1507

am not complaining i was just asking  i know i wanted the bird but i wanted little help on how to train them. am not asking for someone to get mad at me for some help. i'll ask copper nevermind..


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## Olympia

I don't think laki was getting mad at you 
If they don't want to be touched, the best thing you can do is sit near the cage as much as possible, talk to them calmly so they get used to your voice.
Don't force them to do anything, this could just scare them more.


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## betta lover1507

i'll try


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## Laki

o.o

I was not getting "mad" at you.. I guess the 11 year difference in our ages means a severe miscommunication in our opinions.. 

No, I was merely suggesting that you get used to the idea that it could take time before you can "cuddle" your birds.

Also in response to pages back where you asked how to cut wings, I just wouldn't. Why fix what's not broken? A bird is designed to fly, so if you let them out of the cage during training, make sure it's in a bathroom or something.. Or look to someone who has birds but does not cut wings. My opinion likens wing clipping to declawing cats (but without the painful surgery)

No, I'm not mad. Sometimes I'm merely blunt. You can thank 3 miserable years of university education (and counting). Once you're drowning in student loan debt, have no social life and have to bury your head in boring books all the time in addition to keeping a clean house with happy pets then you kind of turn blunt and moronically vivacious (sometimes in a negative way)..


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## lvandert

The lady at my LPS puts her hand in the cage and wont take it out until they sit on it  Although I would give them a week or two to calm down and get used to the house and then start the hand training. You will get bit unfortunately, but if you wear gloves that'll just scare them more, so its best to just take a few bites. I would look online and find a cockatiel breeder and ask them how they would go about this process. They'd give you the bestest answer they could. It also all depends on how young you get them. The younger you get them the better they'll be with hand training. You got your pretty young so your good there, but they've bonded to eachother therefore you got to compete with that. I would work with both at the same time. In my opinion it'll probably take a few months just to get them to sit on your finger. Separating them (unless they're side by side and even that wont do much) will make them noisier. That's their life long buddy as far as they know. But separating might also be a good idea because the male can be protective of the female at times. My sister had that problem from time to time when she bred them. Treats are good but they dont work the same as they do with dogs. You can give them fresh fruits and veggies as treats too, you just have to remove them once they spoil. 

Laki- I've had my bird (cockatiel) for almost 12 years now without another bird. She is as happy as could be! And yes she does cuddle. I can be sitting on the couch and she'll fly over and snuggle right up next to my chin and go to sleep. She also lets me scratch her head and pick her up when ever I want. She loves giving me kisses, she's even giving me some now


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## lvandert

Laki said:


> o.o
> No, I'm not mad. Sometimes I'm merely blunt. You can thank 3 miserable years of university education (and counting). Once you're drowning in student loan debt, have no social life and have to bury your head in boring books all the time in addition to keeping a clean house with happy pets then you kind of turn blunt and moronically vivacious (sometimes in a negative way)..


I hear ya there, I'm on two and counting


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## betta lover1507

pretty bird. but when i left my hand in the cage, Nero bit me :I he bit me a lot now. he climbs out the cage a lot to.
the reason that i want to keep them clipped because i don't want them flying out the window  
i know that it will take time but they really don't like me  so i use the granola bar and let them it eat off my hand, the female is more nicer a just A TINY bit more content with me. she haven't bit me yet either, but she more noisy ;P gasp, she is finally coming out the cage now!!


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## lvandert

be careful, their going to be a bear to catch and put back in the cage. I suggest using a towel and gently catching them. A) they dont trust you and B) they WONT want to go back in lol.


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## Olympia

Funny how the lady said she only worked with the male and the female is nicer. xD


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## lvandert

Girls are nicer in general, boy can be sweet but its generally the ladies that are gentle


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## betta lover1507

they go back inside the cage there selves actually, right now the female flew on my bed, and the male doesn't know how to fly i think.


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## lvandert

LOL teaching them how to fly is great! Once you get them hand trained gently throw the male up in the air and catch him, like you would when playing with a young child. Get him to flap his wings and what not. Over time they just kinda figure it out. I had to do that with Spike. OH also be prepared for crash landings and wall hitting. They dont fly so well at first


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## betta lover1507

lol but first i need them to trust me they don't like me :I


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## lvandert

They probably wont for a few weeks, and only then will they start to like you. It might take a year before they like like you. Because their so young though I'm guessing in a couple years they'll love you.


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## betta lover1507

there a little older than a year the lady said


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## lvandert

how old? :/


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## betta lover1507

a little older than a year :I


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## lvandert

As long as their around a year I think you'll be good. Once again the younger you get them the better. As long as their not like 5 years old  I would just chill with them and let them come to you at first, you said the female flew to your bed? Just chill on the bed then. May I suggest lettuce as a lure? Spike LOVES it and I can make her do circles for it.


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## betta lover1507

my brother barged in, she got scared flew on to the floor. my brother had to helo her up, she was stuck and lost, she flew to the cage and they stood there, and my gave nero a potato chip D: am not sure that is safe either. there on top of the cage right now


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## Olympia

Your brother with the horrible fish tank? Oh dear Dx try and keep him out.


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## lvandert

fatty foods aren't good for birdies but I'm guilty of giving my bird french fries so who am I to talk? lol Just make sure you dont give them too much, it is a junk food. And with the chips make sure they have plenty of water, salty chips + birds= thirsty birds


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## betta lover1507

okay, no it is my older brother who takes care of all the snakes :I i just him lettuce to nibble on. he is a bit content now


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## lvandert

lol what is it with them and lettuce? I swear its like waving bacon in front of a dog


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## betta lover1507

am so mad at my mom!! D:< she said let the cat get used to them, and keep her in the room. we where trying to get them into the cage, they got startled and flew, jewels flew on my bed, and nero was next to the door, the stupid cat pounced on him!! lucky he has no wounds or anything. i hope he'll be fine  she should've not forced me, am so mad at her for making a fight about it


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## Olympia

Man, I hate when families interfere with animals. My parents keep nagging that my uncycled tank is empty! 
Just try and tell them, that you did a lot of research on birds, and that you read that they should just get used to you before meeting other family members.


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## lvandert

OMG! NO CAT!!! never let the cat in there! He will always go after them! I'm so sorry! May sure his wings aren't broke, thats the worst thing. As long as he seems to be moving them alright and ones not drooping. I'm so so sorry about that. I'd be super mad at my mom!


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## Olympia

A broken wing can be really bad.. Bird bones are hard to treat since they are basically hollow :/


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## lvandert

Yeah I know that one from experience. My first cockatiel, Snow. I got her on a Friday and we were going out of town so we kept her in her cage while we were gone but by the time we got back she had broken her wing. My sister took her back and tried to save her but she didn't make it. Then I got her sister Spike


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## lvandert

Oh and now, saddly, the cat will be trying to get into your room now. I'd get a spray bottle and keep it in your room... I almost cried, that is just so irresponsible. "oh here lets see what the cat does." What'd ya think it was going to do?! roll over and let them crawl all over it?


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## betta lover1507

he's fine actually, and pretty lucky. and nothing broken. still mean to me though :I


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## lvandert

good! I would actually start crying if something was wrong. Do you have any fruit to maybe cheer them up with?


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## betta lover1507

no  oranges?


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## lvandert

Give it a try! I find they like the white stuff from the peel more than the fruit but your's could be different.


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## betta lover1507

okay i'll try, they still don't want me to touch them >->


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## lvandert

no that'll take a few more days now because of the cat. He's got them spooked. If Spike even see's a cat outside she freaks out...


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## betta lover1507

he didn't really like it :I and okay


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## lvandert

ah oh well...You'll figure out what they do and dont like over time. Like I said earlier just chill with them and over time they'll warm up to you


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## betta lover1507

okay  i have a party to go today :I


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## lvandert

As long as they're in their cage they'll be fine. You might have to leave something that makes a bit of noise (radio, tv, laptop) on so they dont feel so alone.


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## BettaMiah

Birds are messy little poopers. XD Mine are seed-junkies, too. But I love them anyways. They grown on you more as they begin to trust you fully.


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## lvandert

BettaMiah said:


> Birds are messy little poopers.


LOL so true...I go through my house every week with a wet towel and I only have one


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## betta lover1507

yeah there was seeds all around the cage :I am watching to how to train a bird to have trust


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## Wolfie305

Oh god I know how you feel. I got my betta, Paarthurnax, just recently after a long fishless hiatus and now I am finding myself buying all these tanks and wanting to take home every betta I see at the store D:


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## betta lover1507

lol, at least i stopped going to petstores for a bit  i am starting to train Nero, because Jewel is to scared to do the "touch- training" Nero is doing pretty well


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## lvandert

Yay! it'll help a lot, I'm hoping to hear from you in with updates on here


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## betta lover1507

well they woke me up this morning -_- am still tired. am going to try the training later


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## lvandert

Do you have a thick blanket or towel? it helps to cover their cage at night because when the sun comes up they can't see it and don't know. I really suggest a blanket you can't see through.


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## betta lover1507

i did :I am starting with the male, since the female is still afraid. the seller also mentioned (to my mom) that the female is possibly going to lay eggs, i don't know when


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## lvandert

I was worried about that, their a breeding pair. Unfortunately you can't separate them if that's the case If you want to help with the egg laying process give them a bunch of ripped paper. They'll make a nest. Although the other big problem with that is the female and male will become super protective of the babies... On the up side, if they do have babies you can hand train them from the get go. I'll call and ask my sis what she thinks. She used to breed them


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## betta lover1507

thank you so much, and i could see what i could do, only i had that nest i found in a park 2 years ago >-< someone sat on it in the car :I what is the amount of baby birds they have? 1-??


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## Olympia

Don't use a wild bird nest! They will want to build their own. Shredded paper will be fine.. I know you can also buy "nesting material" and little fluff and pet stores if you want to do that. 
Can't help you on the number of chicks.. I'm sure Ivan will know better.
I know that after she lays her eggs she will need A LOT of calcium to help her body recover. I believe cuttlebone will provide this to her?


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## betta lover1507

whats a cuttlebone and how much will it be? i think i'll go with the shredded paper idea


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## Olympia

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11147210
You can find it at any pet store in the bird section


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## LittleBettaFish

They will appreciate a nest box as it offers some privacy to them. Both our parents sat on their eggs, and even our hand-reared male would come out hissing at you. 

I would not recommend breeding if you are not experienced, are going to have to probably sell the resulting babies to less than stellar homes, and don't have the time it's going to take to help raise them. 

If you do breed, read every single book/website you can. Don't just look at wikipedia. Join bird forums, ask questions from good, experienced breeders. Often they are thrilled at helping a newcomer. 

I would personally just remove any eggs that were laid for now. Especially if you are trying to bond them to you. It will just serve as a negative distraction. 

Also, my female became very sick one day. We had to take her to a specialist bird veterinarian as our normal one had no idea. I believe it ended up being some kind of early fatty liver disease caused by a a high-fat seed diet (the internet wasn't as well utilised back then as it is now so we thought seed was fine). 

We switched over to some kind of pellet and started feeding a more varied diet. Ours used to enjoy picking at grass seeds and millet sprays, and the occasional apple. We also keep cuttlefish in there to provide them with some calcium. 

I believe our female died much earlier than she should have due to our ignorance. Just make sure you do as much research as possible about these guys.


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## betta lover1507

i wasn't expecting to breed them, i was actually going to buy a seperate cage for one, but it turns out that i have no left over money  
that's what a cuttle bone it  my mom just bought one the night we got them, i just put it in this mourning, there is like 1 and half of them in there


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## LittleBettaFish

We housed mine together for years and they only laid eggs when I introduced a nest box in. Apart from that, they never did anything for the rest of the time.


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## Olympia

As long as you remove any eggs that should be fine then. (wear gloves).


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## betta lover1507

okay  thanks again you guys, there nervous to fly around the room, especially since my mom just re-arranged my room :I


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## lvandert

Ok I'm talking with my sister and she said if you want babies you'll need a nesting box, if you dont (recommended for non aggressive birdies) dont put anything in their cage. She doesn't recommend separating them because they are a pair, unless you keep them right next to each other, they'll go into depression and get sick easily. Um she also just recommended leaving your hand in the cage and ignoring them. They'll get used to your hand. When they do land on it give them a treat and reward them.


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## Pitluvs

I just gotta say, my daughter (who just turned 2) LOVES Rio! She loves the song "Telling The World" at the end <3 I too adore birds, LOVE THEM but they're not the pet for us


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## betta lover1507

oh okay i could see what i could do :I

________________________________________

rio didn't "began" me to like birds, i've liked birds since i was 10 years old, i was able to resist it. but after the movie..... heh heh it came back :lol:


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## Laki

They laid eggs already? Cool! But I wouldn't keep them yet. You want to have kept your birds for quite some time before baby birds begins!!


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## betta lover1507

no they haven't i don't think it will be soon, am no pro


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## lvandert

How are they today? Did they let you sleep some more this morning?


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## betta lover1507

yeah they slept good  the male was doing his daily singing, got it taped ;D am going to upload it later


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## lvandert

its cute when they sing.


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## betta lover1507

OMG THERE DOING AS I TYPE!! O-e" omg it scared me, i thought there where attacking each other at first!
they just stopped :I


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## lvandert

lol thats good. Singing is a sign their getting comfy in their new home. Hows the training going? Any progress?


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## betta lover1507

here's the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sPAaxy-8rg&feature=youtu.be
nothing really better :I am still trying


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## betta lover1507

lvandert said:


> lol thats good. Singing is a sign their getting comfy in their new home. Hows the training going? Any progress?


i didn't say they where singing, i said they where mating :lol: the male sings in the morning


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## lvandert

betta lover1507 said:


> i didn't say they where singing, i said they where mating :lol: the male sings in the morning


oop my bad. lol well I guess if their comfy enough to do the dirty thats close enough right? Awws such pretty singing too. LOL he really likes his girl


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## betta lover1507

lol  but i barley got to pet him today, though he wasn't comfortable with it. since i am teaching him to trust me :I


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## betta lover1507

i was moving stuff , and they both got scared so they flew out the cage (i leave the cage door open when am in the room) and i had to go pick them up, so i held my hand out to me, and they steped up?? like it was shocking, the seller did say they don't liked people in there cage :\ wierd


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## lvandert

lol yay! At least they know that much. Thats a very good thing. They trust you enough to lift them up out of danger  Its a step in the right direction


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## betta lover1507

i know  sadly they hardly get away from the cage


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## lvandert

Lucky, I can barley keep mine near it...Give them time


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## betta lover1507

lol :lol: why do they chirp and then when am near they either stop or be a bit more silent? are they scared of me?


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## Olympia

Probably- they are watching you. Birds sing when they feel really comfortable. They stop singing to listen and watch what you are doing. Once they realize you aren't a threat they'll sing more around you.


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## betta lover1507

oh okay  they usually hang around the door of the cage and sit there :I female is starting to come out a bit more


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## SpookyTooth

I've been following this topic and am really excited for you betta lover!  Congrats on the birds and I hope they adjust to you soon!


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## lvandert

Once again your lucky you have birds that like their cage. It makes them easier to put away. Give them a few weeks to get comfy and then really get into the training.


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## betta lover1507

ok thanks  today is my birthday  people at school where singing happy birthday in class o-0" well me and this other kid. the male was singing again this morning ;P


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## lvandert

lol well happy birthday! I hope you have a blast tonight and have good cake... I love cake


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## betta lover1507

lol, thanks  the cake was really filling o.0 nothing new about the birds


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