OK, tell me what you know about Rose-breasted Cockatoos aka Galahs

Julsiebean wrote:

Also, Deb, I want your brain. With a nice chianti.

patdbunny wrote:

Max is fat for sure. He needs to go on a diet for sure. But I did feel him pretty extensively and didn't feel any fatty tumours. A vet will be able to better assess. I just squeezed him all over like fruit.
The store's policies: 7 day health period; 1 year trade in. I do not believe they give a free vet check.

Any idea what his diet is in the store? What's the trade-in deal, you don't get along with the bird, you have a credit with the store for another bird or stuff and they'll take it back? That's remarkably flexible of them, actually. Do you know if they test for PBFD? I would not want to put my husband through that again.

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He's already mature. Probably why he squeaks women.

Do we have any idea what his age is? Maturity actually appeals to me, at least you know what you're getting!

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Dumb in a high maintenance emotional animal can be a good thing. Humans like "smart" animals, but most humans cannot keep up with a smart animal.

As owner of a horse Jimmy Wofford referred to as "The Professor" in a clinic, I can attest to that! You wind up with the animal training you if you aren't careful.

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Let me tell you why I’m not getting him. I’ve lived with toos over the years. At this point in my life and current interest in birds, I know I cannot give what a too needs emotionally. The way I raise babies is to treat each one as though it were to become my personal pet. I give them attention, they hang out with the family, they go on errands with me, etc. Given the way I raise babies, I’d have a hard time allotting the time and attention a too would need.

This does worry me a little. I think we're way better than many bird owners, but there are days when we leave early and get home late, and we do travel. We are probably gone on trips longer than two nights 6 times a year, although usually for around a week, not months. Scooter is a bit problematic with the travel, Scotty seems mellow. I'm not sure how a 'too would do with that. I also don't get the birds out and about as much as I'd like to. The hope would be, if we did this, that he'd be Bill's' buddy and I'd concentrate on the other two... if it didn't work out that way, it could be a bit much.

LyzGrace wrote:

Teehee. I can just see poor Max. "Put me down, woman!! I'm not a melon!!!!" (best effect if imagined in the voice of an angry british man)

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KayLayUh wrote:

You may be interested in reading this study.

Thanks for that! Hopefully our library pays for access to that journal, I'll check it out tomorrow.

patdbunny wrote:

But a dumb too, reading between the lines, you're still pitting yourself against the dumbest guy with a Mensa membership.

It's a mini-me!!!! Dumbest in my class. I wonder how his brain goes with a nice Chanti?


Wow, lots to think about, guys! Thank you.

[quote="ScooterNScotty"]Any idea what his diet is in the store? What's the trade-in deal, you don't get along with the bird, you have a credit with the store for another bird or stuff and they'll take it back? That's remarkably flexible of them, actually. Do you know if they test for PBFD? I would not want to put my husband through that again. [quote]
Seed based and I've seen them feed fresh fruits and veggies. I "think" you can opt for store credit instead of an exchange for a new bird during the one year. Not 100% sure on that. You'll have to check w/ them. Not sure on the PBFD testing.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

Do we have any idea what his age is? Maturity actually appeals to me, at least you know what you're getting!

I don't recall if they told me his age. Yes, the mature thing is appealing to me too.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

patdbunny wrote:

Let me tell you why I’m not getting him. I’ve lived with toos over the years. At this point in my life and current interest in birds, I know I cannot give what a too needs emotionally. The way I raise babies is to treat each one as though it were to become my personal pet. I give them attention, they hang out with the family, they go on errands with me, etc. Given the way I raise babies, I’d have a hard time allotting the time and attention a too would need.

This does worry me a little. I think we're way better than many bird owners, but there are days when we leave early and get home late, and we do travel. We are probably gone on trips longer than two nights 6 times a year, although usually for around a week, not months. Scooter is a bit problematic with the travel, Scotty seems mellow. I'm not sure how a 'too would do with that. I also don't get the birds out and about as much as I'd like to. The hope would be, if we did this, that he'd be Bill's' buddy and I'd concentrate on the other two... if it didn't work out that way, it could be a bit much.

Even if I were working full time, with occasional overtime, but I was not breeding birds and was only keeping pet birds; I'd get this galah. Did that sentence make sense? When you say "not getting them out and about as much as I'd like to." what do you mean? I didn't take my birds outside everyday, but they were out of their cages a full 4 hours each day during the work week. Out pretty much all day on weekends when we were home. One year we were camping every other weekend, leaving the birds (toos too) at home on those weekends and they adjusted fine.

patdbunny wrote:

Even if I were working full time, with occasional overtime, but I was not breeding birds and was only keeping pet birds; I'd get this galah. Did that sentence make sense? When you say "not getting them out and about as much as I'd like to." what do you mean? I didn't take my birds outside everyday, but they were out of their cages a full 4 hours each day during the work week. Out pretty much all day on weekends when we were home. One year we were camping every other weekend, leaving the birds (toos too) at home on those weekends and they adjusted fine.

I read you loud and clear. Most workdays, the birds are out of cage on the playtops or, in Scotty's case, on the tree in the living room, for about an hour in the morning. They might tag along around the house, too. They are out off and on for at least an hour or two and often much longer when we get home in the evenings. On a very busy day, though, the morning time out might not happen, and the evening be only an hour. That happens fairly rarely. On weekends, they are our whenever its safe, pretty much. Because of the cats, they do wind up in their houses if we can't directly supervise. When a say "out and about", though, I mean they don't really leave the premises except for vet visits and I'd like them more socialized than that. Harness training has been a bit of a barrier there, although I guess going out in the acrylic carrier might be suitably amusing... Scotty has virtually all his flights, although he doesn't use them and Scooter flies pretty well when startled even when he's freshly trimmed. So I don't feel comfortable just going out with him on my shoulder.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

When a say "out and about", though, I mean they don't really leave the premises except for vet visits and I'd like them more socialized than that.

In that sense of "out and about" my birds are, and always have been, out and about a lot. Rollerblading, tennis, beach, errands, etc. Usually at least once a week. Ducky right now gets out and about apprx. twice a week. We're going fishing with him tomorrow. Probably Eric and Xavier will be coming along, too.

The "out and about" might make a difference. Dunno. I'm biased in my opinion on that. I personally cannot figure out how people keep their birds mentally stimulated when the birds never leave the house. You know, considering these are very intelligent creatures that can and possibly do travel miles each day to eat, etc.

Roz, I agree with you in principle... in practice it doesn't seem as easy as that. My daily routine doesn't have a lot of bird-friendly places in it. My goal is to do more of that -- go for walks, go to the pet store, just sit out in the yard. Perhaps come in to my office occasionally. The obstacles are time and harness training. If I don't get the harness training done, we would need substantially more Draconian clipping, at least for Scooter. Do you think outings in an acrylic carrier with good visibility, or a cage, are as good as being "in the world"?

ScooterNScotty wrote:

Roz, I agree with you in principle... in practice it doesn't seem as easy as that. My daily routine doesn't have a lot of bird-friendly places in it. My goal is to do more of that -- go for walks, go to the pet store, just sit out in the yard. Perhaps come in to my office occasionally. The obstacles are time and harness training. If I don't get the harness training done, we would need substantially more Draconian clipping, at least for Scooter. Do you think outings in an acrylic carrier with good visibility, or a cage, are as good as being "in the world"?

Yeah, I do think out in a carrier would be just as good. I have birds out in carriers that sometimes don't get out of the carrier. When Ducky's out with us, he's sitting on someone or in a carrier so it's not like he's randomly wandering. For a bird that's not used to being "out and about" a carrier might add a nice bit of security.

If you can take them to work, that would be nice. Even though I've worked in law offices, I've always worked for smaller firms so I've always been able to take my bird(s) in on occasion - usually about once a month or so.

You and your COOKIE!

VickiNumbers wrote:

You and your COOKIE!

Yep! Cookies and British accents are awesome.

Oh yeah - EC used to take her two bourkes out in a carrier all the time when she was little. They had food and water in their carrier. They adjusted really well. They weren't nervous about being out and about. She'd put the carrier in front of them and they'd hop in. While we were out and about with them they pretty much stayed in their carrier since they were so small. I do feel they were well socialized from those outings in a carrier.

I'm going to start making an effort to take Scooter around in the Perch & Go. We can do that right now, without getting the harness thing down. Maybe I'll kidnap Scotty some time, too.

Back to Max -- I don't think we're going to make it down that way this weekend, it just isn't really coming together. So that probably means we wouldn't be able to visit him until after Bill's big event, which is mid-August. I'm thinking of making him take me to San Diego for my "reward" as I'm dying to go to the zoo again. And we've never done the Wild Animal park. If he finds a home before then, we'll just have to assume that was the right thing for all involved...

ScooterNScotty wrote:

And we've never done the Wild Animal park.

The zipline's a blast! So completely worth the money.

ScooterNScotty wrote:

If he finds a home before then, we'll just have to assume that was the right thing for all involved...

Ack! I have to resist the urge to see if they'll take some other birds in trade...

COLDTRANCE - DON'T YOU NEED A GALAH?!!

Somebody go get MAX! I love him and MUST be apart of his upbringing! Roz, gooooooo! Get him!

You guys are killing me... I'm ready to go down while Bill's out running and come back with bird! I wonder how fast I can get to SD and back on Carmageddon weekend?

Deb, you NEED Max. This is fate. Doooooo it. You can doooooo it. (Said as Tony Little)

Julsiebean wrote:

Somebody go get MAX! I love him and MUST be apart of his upbringing! Roz, gooooooo! Get him!

THIS!!! If somebody's willing to get him and leave him on my doorstep so I can claim the "stork" defense, I'll reimburse them...

Deb - As of today, he's still there.

I dragged my husband in with us. Max definitely prefers men. Jumped on my hubby and immediately started kissing him. He didn't like me or EC with my hubby there. But he was not biting us. He's ridiculous and acts like a giant cockatiel throwing a hissy fit. I can see where some people would find that intimidating, but EC and I think it's really funny. I just reached over and grabbed him off the perch mid-hiss fit and he was fine. Preferred my husband, but not biting me.

You don't have a hair on your fanny if you don't take that bird home.

^ What he said.

This is FAR too perfect a situation to pass. I think you need to get that bird now. Let Roz birdie sit for you until after you and Bill get back from the Valley, then Max will be waiting to welcome his new dad home!

It's meant to be Deb!!

Hahahah, peer pressure~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~