Ned is three weeks old!

Ned is three weeks old today!! He is doing wonderfully - he is growing and has already reached an adult weight of proud 53 grams, and started growing in feathers. He is increasingly active, alert and goes have a walk in the nest box. I caught him today sitting in front of the nest hole and peaking outside - little boy is curious!

About pellet diet

The common misconception is that seed-based diet is often perceived as something TOTALLY different than pellet diet. Well, newsflash - pellets are made out of seeds. I know it's shocking (I'm being sarcastic), but it's not that we are giving our parrots fish and chips all of a sudden. The problem with seed-based diet, or, we should call it whole seed-based diet, is that birds pick what they like, which might result - and if often does - in an imbalanced nutrition in terms of proteins, fats, and micronutrients. Whole-seed based diet is often too low in protein, too high in fat, and lacks micronutrients such as precursors for vitamin A, iodine, iron and it contains wrong calcium-phosphorus balance.

What I feed to our birds

My order is in today! So here is what my birds eat. The food in the picture is good for about 6 months, some items might last a little longer than that.

Ned is two weeks old!

Time for an update!!

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know my obsession to name the babies after movie characters. This time is no exception. I named this baby Ned. Yesterday I saw a movie, The normal heart, and it moved me so much. I know I am so late for the "the normal heart" party, because it was released last year, but ah well, better later than never!

One week old!

The baby is growing well and has turned one week old yesterday! Today I took him out and handle him a little bit. His eyes are still closed, but the down is getting thicker every day. What an adorable fella - I am in love!

Newest addition to the clutch

I was waiting for this baby for two days already. I would take the egg, put it close to my ear and listen the baby scratch the egg shell. Yesterday morning it started making sounds too, but it hatched only late this morning. What a precious little thing!!

Gender and genetics of yellow lovebirds

In general, you can not tell with certainty what gender is your lovebird without a DNA test, or a confirmation through breeding (you have a couple, they get eggs and they hatch. Only when all these three conditions are fullfilled, you know the gender for sure). Except for some cases in yellow lovebirds.

Three types of yellow lovebirds are: Ino (also known as lutino), pallid and cinnamon. All of the three are sex-linked genes. In order to know the gender of the yellow lovebird, you need to know the colours of the parents, otherwise you can not tell the gender of you birds. And, unfortunately, it works only in some cases.

Surprise eggs!

From January Didi was hormonal like crazy - she was shredding everything around like a mad lovebird. She was feisty and increasingly territorial. We did not want them to have a nest while it was really really cold outside, just in case we have an emergency and need to go to see the vet with them, or even worse, with the babies.

About handfeeding

Handfeeding in the parrot owner community is quite a sensitive topic and everybody seems to have their own opinions and arguments. When I first got birds, I did quite a research on pro's and con's and finally settled with the decision to let the parents raise their babies and I would act more like a co-parent, if necessary. Here is why.

For future parents

I take adoption really seriously. I genuinely care for my birds and treat them as family members. I want their babies find good, loving homes, where they will be treated as they deserve it. I have some expectations and requirements for future families as I believe these are the key ingredients for a happy bird life.