#parrots – Pet Momma

Spring Update

Old School Black and White photos this time as I just finished off an old, lost and found roll of film

Lots going on around here lately, so I figured it was time for a little update from the zoo.

Stanley is back in another round of agility classes, which just makes me so happy. Will he come when I call him in our own yard? Absolutely not. But get him in a training space and he suddenly remembers that I exist and that we’re a team. He’s really starting to get the agility thing, and he’ll stay with me and run a whole course, which feels pretty amazing. I’m really curious to see how he does when we can practice in an outdoor arena this summer instead of just in a small, closed room.

In other fun news, I found an old roll of black and white film in a camera I was thinking about selling. Of course I had to finish the roll, and I ended up getting some really cute pictures of Stanley doing jumps on our porch. His ears in mid-air are just the best — they flop in every possible direction. I kind of love the old-school film look on action shots; it makes him look like a tiny, dramatic movie star.

The big news around here, though, is that our local animal shelter had a fire last week. Thankfully, all the humans and all the animals got out safely, but the building needed some serious cleanup and repairs, which meant no animals could stay there for a bit. Since I’ve fostered for them before, my phone rang pretty quickly asking if I could help out and foster a bird. There was no way I could say no. Fast forward a few hours and somehow we ended up with two lovebirds and a Senegal parrot in the house.

I had forgotten what “real” birds are like at night. Hector doesn’t like to be covered, so I’ve gotten used to just leaving her be. The first morning with the foster birds, I was up at sunrise sprinting around and covering cages because they were up and ready to greet the day at full volume. We’ve settled into a routine now, and everyone seems a lot happier with a defined bedtime.

The lovebirds came from a recent hoarding situation. They are cute little things, but not at all tame, so they are staying safely tucked in their cage for now. They watch everything, and I feel like they’re quietly judging all of us, but at least they seem comfortable. The Senegal parrot is a totally different story. He wants to be out of his cage all the time, and when he’s out, he only wants one place to be: on my shoulder.

The first day, Stanley was not impressed. There was a lot of barking at the little parrot, and a lot of me trying to reassure Stan that he is still my number one little guy. Thankfully, everyone is adjusting. I don’t expect the foster crew to be here too long — hopefully they can go back to the shelter sometime next week once things are cleaned up — but the little parrot has been a very entertaining visitor.

If I put him on his cage and walk away, he immediately flies right back to my shoulder like, “Excuse me, we were hanging out.” He also tries to steal food directly from my plate, and yes, he will go for food in my mouth if I’m not careful. I’ve had to be very aware of what I’m eating when he’s out, because he is absolutely not shy about helping himself.

Not the best photo, but had to play with the black and white film

Hector, meanwhile, seems to be enjoying the guest. The little parrot flew over to the fence by her cage and she very clearly said, “Hi bird,” which kind of blew my mind. I’m guessing she understands that he’s the same species, or at least that “bird” means something specific to her. Another time she just kept saying, “Hi, hi, hi, hi…” on repeat, which was ridiculously cute. She also asked him, “What doing?” Apparently the birds are speaking English to each other now. I guess that’s the common language for birds and many humans in this house.

The Dragon is good and just finished a nice shed, so she’s looking extra shiny and pleased with herself. The cats are good. Stanley has been enjoying some trips to the dog park now that the weather is nicer. I love bringing him and watching him run and play with the other dogs, but I’m always a little petrified that a big dog is going to hurt him. I stay very close when we go, and I try to quietly feel out the vibe of the other dogs before I really relax.

The other day there was one big dog playing a little too rough for my comfort level. Stanley gave a couple of warning nips to say “back off,” but it didn’t seem to make much difference. I scooped him up and we left. It’s just not worth the risk of him getting hurt, no matter how much he likes to play. Today there were two big dogs at the park again, but they were very gentle with Stan and it all went fine. When it works, it’s so fun to watch him zoom around with friends. I’m still hopeful that we run into the little Doxy he had so much fun with a couple of weeks ago again.

That’s the current state of the Pet Momma house: agility, surprise film photoshoots, temporary birds, talkative parrots, a freshly shed Dragon, happy cats, and one small dog living his best dog park life with a very cautious chaperone.

How are you enjoying the nicer weather where you are — are you and your pets getting outside a bit more these days? Let me know!

Cat Teeth and Dog Agility

Some weeks around here feel like a very on‑brand mix of “cat teeth drama” and “tiny dog running full speed at an A‑frame.” This has definitely been one of those weeks.

Puck’s Teeth: From Drool to Dental
A few weeks ago, we noticed that Puck was drooling a little bit and being extra pesty, and at first I couldn’t figure out what he was trying to tell us. Puck is very good at letting us know when something is wrong, so the “clingy, rub‑his-face-on-us” behavior got my attention pretty quickly. Years ago, when he had urinary tract issues, he literally led us to the litter box, sat in it, and howled until we realized he needed help, so when he starts acting off, I pay attention.

This time, the clue was his breath. Once we noticed how bad it smelled, it was off to the vet. The verdict: some bad teeth that needed to go. Puck went in for a dental cleaning, had four teeth removed, and came home groggy but quickly went back to being his opinionated, snuggly self.

The not‑so‑fun part? Cat dentals are expensive these days, especially once extractions are involved. The good part is that almost immediately after he recovered from anesthesia, he seemed more comfortable. I suspect his mouth had been bothering him longer than he let on.

Bean’s Turn (Because of Course)
Just when I thought we were through the worst of the cat dental adventures, Bean had his checkup. Overall, both cats looked good, but Bean has one bad tooth and some tartar, and our vet recommended a dental for him as well.

Part of me wishes there were a magical way to do cat teeth without anesthesia, because that’s where so much of the cost comes from, but for now, that’s just part of responsible cat care. Two cat dentals in one season is not my favorite budgeting challenge, but I keep reminding myself that mouth pain is miserable and cats are very good at hiding it.

Between Puck’s extractions and Bean’s upcoming dental, I’m more motivated than ever to stay on top of brushing and home care to stretch out the time between future professional cleanings.

Why Cat Teeth Matter (Even When They Pretend They’re Fine)
If you’ve ever had a toothache, you know how all‑consuming it can be. Cats, of course, don’t tell us they hurt; they keep eating, keep grooming, and maybe just get a little quieter or clingier. With both Puck and Bean, the signs were subtle: drooling, bad breath, and small changes in behavior rather than dramatic symptoms.

Now that I’ve watched Puck bounce back from his dental, I’m convinced that cat teeth are one of those “pay now or pay more (and in pain) later” situations. I’d rather spend the money proactively than find out years from now that they’ve been living with sore mouths.

So that’s the cat side of things: one kitty with fewer teeth but a better quality of life, and another waiting his turn.

Meanwhile, in Dog Agility Land…
While the cats handle their dental journeys, Stanley and I are busy in a very different department: agility.

I went to my first agility club meeting last week. I assumed it was just for humans, so I left Stan at home… and then watched several people walk in with their dogs like it was the most normal thing in the world. Even without him there, it was a great experience. Everyone was incredibly friendly and welcoming, and I left feeling like I joined at exactly the right time.

Our club’s big trial is coming up in May, and I’ll be volunteering so I can see what everything looks like from the inside. I’m excited (and a little nervous) to get a feel for how a full trial day runs, what the energy is like, and how dogs handle being around all those sights, sounds, and smells.

In June, the club will have a booth at a fundraising event for the SPCA where I take classes. There’s going to be a small agility course and demos. I don’t think I’ll be ready for an official demo yet, but I’ve already been told I can volunteer at the booth and run the course at an unofficial time so Stan can try it out with people and distractions around. That feels like the perfect low‑pressure way to dip our toes (and paws) into the “real world” of agility.

Getting Ready: Travel Crate and Focus Work
If we ever do compete, Stanley will need to be comfortable hanging out in a travel crate while we wait for our runs. That means I need to stop just thinking about a crate and actually get one, and then do the slow, patient work of making it a happy place. Stanley loves his crate at home, so it is just a matter of getting him used to a travel crate.

I found a used portable travel crate, on Facebook Marketplace. I wasn’t going to buy one right now, but it was less than half the price of new, and it had only been used for a couple of weeks. I just got it, so now I’ll start introducing it at home with all the good stuff: comfy bedding, chews, and short, positive sessions so it becomes his little safe den instead of “the boring place I sit when mom disappears.”

Class-wise, Stan is still doing weekly agility and having a blast. Two weeks ago we had a rough night—he was super distracted and not listening at all. I’ve been working hard on “with me,” “watch me,” and “touch” (hand targeting) to help him stay engaged when the world gets interesting. He’s brave about obstacles; the real work right now is focus and teamwork.

Last class, we worked on the teeter, which he’s only done once before. He ran right up like it was no big deal. He’s solid on the tunnel, the A‑frame, and the other equipment. It’s the in‑between pieces—staying with me, reading my cues, and remembering that zoomies are not always on the lesson plan—that we’re working through.

Now that the weather is nicer, I’ve been setting up jumps and weave poles on the back porch and practicing outside. It’s not as distracting as class, but it’s a big step up from our quiet living room. Birds, neighborhood noises, and random smells make great “practice distractions.”

Playdates, Practice, and a House Full of Projects
Because Stan has a lot of energy (and feelings), I’ve also started trying to line up playdates with other small dogs. We had one playdate last week with a dog from his rescue network. It went pretty well, though I suspect Stan may be a little on the “too enthusiastic” side for her. We’re going to try again next week and see how they do with a second meeting.

We also met an adorable little dog at the dog park that he absolutely loved playing with. I was supposed to meet her again last week, but the weather didn’t cooperate. I’m planning to try the same time again this week and see if we run into them. Note to self: next time, just exchange numbers instead of trusting my luck!

So that’s life here at the moment: one cat recovering from dental extractions, another waiting for his own date with the toothbrush and scaler, a tiny dog learning that teeters are fun and focus is hard, and me trying to keep everyone’s teeth, brains, and bodies busy and healthy.

Soon, Hector has her six month check up, so I’ll be sure to update after that.

If you’ve dealt with cat dentals or have tips for improving Stanley’s focus, I’d love to hear them in the comments.

Pet Updates: Progress, Experiments, and Winter Energy

It’s been a stretch of small updates, experiments, and learning curves — the kind of weeks that don’t feel dramatic, but definitely add up.

Stanley: Chews, Snow, and Big Feelings 🐶
I’m still on the hunt for safe, long-lasting chews for Stanley. The coffee wood “bone” is… fine. He likes it, but it does create small fragments, so it’s strictly a supervised-only chew. The pig ear was a bigger success — it didn’t last forever, but it lasted a few days, which feels like a win. I’ve heard good things about olive wood, so that may be next.

No idea what happened to this bone – disappeared very quickly!

Stanley is also not a fan of snow, but he’s learning to sprint outside, do his business, and come right back in. He will still choose to poop in his crate if he gets the chance, but the good news is that he’s not having accidents in the house.

Rubber mat in the snow has definitely been helpful

I do still have a BarkPotty set up in the garage. At the moment, Stanley’s approach is to sniff it carefully… then sit on it. He clearly doesn’t understand the potty part yet, but we’ll see if that changes with time.

Missing agility last week because of the snow left him a bit stir-crazy, so I’m exploring options like small dog playdates with the right dog and owner. It might be a little unconventional, but it could be great if I find the right match.

Puck: A Dental and a Whole New Cat 🐱
Puck had his dental and did great — though he ended up needing five teeth removed. The anesthesia hit him hard the first night, but by the next day he was back to normal… maybe even better than before. He’s been purring, snuggling, and clearly more comfortable, which makes me think those teeth may have been bothering him for quite a while. I’m just grateful he’s feeling good now.

Catlink Update: Two Boxes, Two Happy Cats 🐱
The open-top Catlink litter box experiment continues at my son’s house. It took a couple of weeks, but his cats are finally using it consistently.
Interestingly, one cat prefers the closed automatic box, while the other uses the open-top version, so he now has two automatic boxes and two happy cats. The open box isn’t self-cleaning as well as hoped yet, so he’s experimenting with different litters and adjusting the cleaning delay to give clumps more time to dry. If anyone has any ideas to help the cleaning process, let me know.

Hector & The Dragon: Very On Brand 🦜🦎
Hector is thriving — happily destroying boxes and whistling away. I showed her the snow from the warmth of inside, and she was completely unimpressed. I’ve also started toweling her for snuggles, and I think she actually enjoys it. Getting her more comfortable with handling feels like a good goal.

The dragon is doing well too and has been in and out of brumation, which is unusual for some dragons but very typical for her. She’ll disappear for a few days, then reappear, and repeat that cycle all winter.

Sitters, Boarding, and Trust 🏡

I’m also on the hunt for a new house/pet sitter — someone to check on the cats, Hector, and the dragon when we travel. I really like the woman I’ve used before, but she’s expensive, and I’m wondering if there’s someone else I’d feel just as good about at a lower cost. I reached out to a couple of recommendations today, and one of them may also offer in-home dog boarding, which I’m exploring as another option.

None of this feels dramatic — just steady care, adjustments, and paying attention. That’s kind of how most good pet care looks.

I’d love to hear from you:

What are you doing to keep your pets active?
Have you found a safe, long-lasting dog chew you trust?
How do you find a kennel or pet sitter you truly feel good about?
Share your tips in the comments — I’m always learning.

Stanley vs. The Heartworm Pill

Spoiler: Stanley won this round.

The Monthly Struggle
This morning was Heartworm Pill Day — and if you think that sounds simple, you clearly don’t live with Stanley. He’s adorable, snuggly, and smart… and somehow also a pill-detecting genius.

Too Big to Swallow, Too Smart to Trick
The heartworm pill is a big chewable, which means I can’t just sneak it down his throat like a smaller tablet. So, I got creative:

First attempt: hide it in sliced turkey. Rejected.

Second attempt: cut it into quarters. Still no.

Third attempt: roll the pieces into American cheese balls. He unrolled them like a pro and left the medicine behind.

Desperation Tactics
Eventually, I had to crush the pill completely, mash the bits into tiny globs of cheese, and serve it on a plate like some sad little charcuterie board of trickery. That finally worked — I think he got all of it, but honestly, who knows with this guy?

Note to Self: Liquid Next Time
Next time I order meds, I’m definitely asking if there’s a liquid option. Or at least something smaller and easier to disguise. I want to make sure he gets every bit of his dose, and I’m not convinced a battle of wills every month is sustainable.

Other pets are all doing well. Bean the Maine Coon desperately needs a good grooming after my travels earlier this month. Hector is sassy as ever, and the Dragon is doing well although she has decided that meal worms and super worms are the only bugs she wants to eat anymore.

Happy 32nd Hector D. Byrd!

Having this bird in my life is so special. She’s my bestie. We chat all day while I’m working or doing things around the house. She may not be cuddly, but she’s such a good girl. Happy 32nd Birthday Hector!

We are not only celebrating her birthday today, but also the fact that results came back from the test the vet did last week and everything looks good! We are going to continue her “new” diet, and she doesn’t have to go back to the vet for 60 days, and that’s just a quick weight check to make sure she is continuing to do well.

I’m so thankful I found this great Avian vet that is super easy to work with and close to home!

We will be celebrating today with MUSIC – currently playing a bunch of random kids songs, happy birthday songs, the Beatles, and any songs that have whistling, all Hector’s favorites!

She’s having a special breakfast with her normal diet, but some extras of her favorites like sweet potatoes, blueberries, and an extra almond to really celebrate!

Hector Goes to the Vet

Well, I honestly can’t remember if I’ve written about Hector’s vet trips recently, so a brief recap. A couple of months ago, I realized that Hector was drinking more water than usual for her. Hector’s vet was about an hour drive away, so to be honest, she hadn’t been in a long time. It was such a traumatic thing to put her in the car for an hour, deal with the vet, and then have another hour drive back home. Have I mentioned that Hector gets carsick?

The people that adopted one of my foster parrots, recently told me about an avian vet they used that was close to me. Between the excess drinking, and the long time without a check up, I decided to try out the new vet, and he’s awesome!

So Hector went to the vet about 2 months ago. We did an extensive (and expensive) blood work up to get some base lines and figure out what was going on. Overall the blood work looked pretty good for an older lady, but the vet was concerned about her drinking too much.

We started a new diet, low carb, high veggie, low fruit, no seeds, very limited nuts, and plenty of healthy pellets. Hector likes Fruit Zupreem pellets. She went back about a month ago for a weight check, and the vet was happy where she was at.

Today we went back again. Let me tell you that Hector knew what was coming as soon as she saw the cat carrier. I don’t know why, because the cat carrier comes out all the time and doesn’t usually affect her, but she knew.

I had to towel her to get her in the cage. Not the best way to start the journey, but she had to go. She threw up in the carrier on the way. This is the second time this happened and I even made a point of not feeding her breakfast this morning, but apparently it didn’t matter.

The vet said her weight was good and remained stable which is great. I was worried she hasn’t been eating enough, but apparently she is doing just fine. We talked about taking her to a specialist in Boston, but that would be expensive and stressful. The other option was another poop test which he would send out to a bird specialist he knew with better lab equipment. We just needed a sample.

Hector was sitting on a perch on a scale in the vet office clearly listening to everything we were saying. When we were done chatting and she still hadn’t pooped, the vet suggested I bring home a tube and pipette to collect a sample myself. I told the vet I wasn’t in a huge rush and I was happy to wait in the office a little longer to see if she would poop and just make it easy.

Well, as soon as I mentioned waiting around in the vet office, Hector made us a giant poop! The vet was able to collect enough of it to test, and we could head home. I swear she knew she had to poop to get out of there!

Post poop, wondering why we haven’t left the vet yet!

For now, she stays on her special diet. I have a feeling this is her new diet for life, but we are managing. We’ll see what the test results are when they come back in the next week to ten days.

The vet thinks she may have renal issues, hence the special diet. Hoping the test results don’t show anything too serious! Anyone have any experience with birds with renal issues? Let me know!

Hector Goes to the Vet

It’s been too long since Hector has had a check up. I’ve known this for a while, but have hesitated for various reasons, my Avian vet is an hour away, the mobile vet I found is super expensive, she seems fine and healthy, I don’t want to put her through the stress of a vet visit, etc.

With having two foster birds in the last few months, it made me think about the fact that Hector isn’t getting any younger. In fact, she’ll be 32 in January.

When I met the adoptive parents for the last cockatoo I had, they mentioned an Avian vet that is only 20 minutes from me. I decided it was time Hector had a check up. After having that thought, I also started realizing that Hector was drinking a bit more than usual.

I called the new vet earlier this week, and they were able to get me in this morning. The vet was awesome! I am shocked at how well behaved Hector was for him. Hector steps up for me, when she feels like it. She lets me scratch her head, when she feels like it. Today she just did whatever that vet asked of her like it was nothing. It was almost like she realized there was no point in fighting this guy. He was going to do what he wanted, and she should just cooperate. I half expected the poor vet to end up with bloody fingers, but no, Hector was an angel.

The vet said she looked great from the visual exam, but birds are good at hiding things. Considering how long it had been since she had a check up (about 10 years) we decided to do blood work, and a urinalysis. The vet said they usually have to do a mild tranquilizer to do the blood draw, but Hector was perfect for that as well and didn’t have to be sedated!

It turns out the Bird Street Bistro food that I’ve been feeding might not be the best base food for Hector now that she is getting older. The vet wants to wait until we get all the test results back, and then he will give me more specific diet feedback. As she is getting older, less grains and pastas is probably going to be a healthier choice for Hector. She’s not going to be happy about that!

Books say captive grays average life expectancy is about 50 years, but I’ve always found that a bit hard to believe in my personal experience. I asked this vet what he thought about average life expectancy for greys. The first thing he asked me was if I knew about Dr. Pepperberg and Alex the parrot and if I had read her book, which I have. He reminded me that Alex had the very best of care all his life, and he lived to be 34. He said in his experience anything beyond the 30s is rare. He said a 40 year old African Grey is like a 90 year old man. It happens, but it’s not the most common thing. I’m having a really hard time processing that thought.

I’ll update when I get test results.

The Hardest Part of Fostering…

I think any foster parent would agree that the hardest part of fostering is saying good bye!

The house is really quiet today. The extra cage has been cleaned and moved to the garage to be returned to the shelter. Spare toys and perches are drying on a towel after being cleaned.

On Saturday, I brought Magoo back to the shelter to go home with his new parents. They seem like lovely people, and Magoo really seemed to like them. I was able to meet them and introduce them to Magoo a couple of weeks ago. I miss his little baby voice yelling “hello” and “Scratch Head!” but I do feel like I did the right thing letting him go.

We like to travel, and we are very lucky that Hector D. Byrd does OK with alone time. She enjoys our company, no doubt about that, but she is also fine with daily visits and background music when we go away for a few days. With Magoo already being nervous and plucking, us traveling isn’t great for him. His new home has people that are home a lot and other birds to keep him company.

Another reason I feel good about him moving on, I didn’t realize until his new people picked him up. Apparently, he stepped right up for the new people, and he never really wanted to step up for me. He liked me, he let me pat his head, but I realized when I saw him with his new people, that he hadn’t chosen me. Birds are really picky, and they know who they like.

When the new people came to meet Magoo, he really liked them. He talked to them, he had them scratch his head, and he even kept yelling “Bye Bye” when they left.

I really enjoy fostering. I get to know different animals, and I get to help them acclimate to home life. It frees up shelter space for another animal in need. With Magoo being adopted, I’ve got room for another foster whenever the right new friend comes along! I miss you already Magoo, but I’m so happy that you seem to have found new people to spend the rest of your life with!

One other note, parrot food related. I have talked about Bird Street Bistro, a food I use daily and love. The people that adopted Magoo introduced me to a new parrot food that I’m really excited about called Avian Naturals. They make several different mixes, some can just be fed straight from the bag, others you add an equal amount of hot water, let it sit, and feed when it cools a bit. The thing I love about these mixes is that they are full of dried veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds. Bird Street Bistro is awesome, but it is very grain-heavy. I always supplement it with other fruits and veggies. My plan now is to use both of these foods, so that Hector gets a nice balanced mix of fruits and veggies instead of me just feeding her whatever we have. Avian Naturals has great deals on their samples. You can order 1/4 baggies of their mixes to try out. I ordered four of their mix with water blends, and 4 of the just feed it straight blends. So far Hector’s favorite is the “Comet’s Grain Free Mix” which is one of the mixes that is fed directly, and it is full of bits of nuts, veggies, fruits, and seeds. It’s a perfect addition to her normal Bird Street Bistro mix.

I usually feed Hector in the morning, then she has free choice pellets always available, and she gets bites of any fruits and veggies that I’m eating or cooking with throughout the day. The mix with water blend from Avian Naturals feels like it could be a great afternoon snack since I can just mix up a tablespoon of it anytime and give Hector a nice, warm treat!

What do you feed your pet birds? I’m always interested in trying new things!

Volunteering Update

Puck says TGIF! He’s bit tired today, who knows why. Our son got a new kitten and he is home for the weekend with his cat and the new kitten. Strangely, my two cats are so excited to see their friend Martin, that they haven’t really paid any attention to the new kitten. It’s been a nice and uneventful introduction.

Here’s Martin and the yet-unnamed girl kitten. She’s tiny and sweet.

Cali is doing so much better! She’s still eating the Dr. Harvey’s food that I mentioned in a previous post. I think we have found a winner! I’ve cut her pain meds down to once a day, and I’m slowly backing off of them all together. We took her hiking last weekend and she did great! I was a little nervous about her over doing it, so I did pick her up and carry her a couple of times, but that was more me than her. We hiked about 2 miles, and she came home and slept well, but it didn’t seem to bother her leg any more than usual.

I enjoyed pulling out my old baby sling for her, and it worked great!

My foster friend Kanga the cockatoo, now hates me. I’ve volunteered at the shelter to take care of the parrots a few times since I had to bring him back, and he just ignores me. He won’t dance or interact with me at all. This week, he just went to the back of his cage and wouldn’t even take a treat when I offered it. I think it’s really me that he is upset with. Parrots are so smart. I see videos of him dancing and playing with our volunteers and staff members. Sorry I had to bring you back Kanga, you were just too loud for our house!

I have been making progress with some of the other birds at the shelter. There is one macaw left and he is huge! No denying that I’m a bit intimidated by him. He has tried to step up on to my arm a few times in past visits and I just wasn’t comfortable with it. That beak is huge!

This week I got brave and let him step up. He was great! We walked across the room and got a treat which I gave him as soon as he stepped back on to his cage. I picked him up again a little while later and we went and sat in a chair. I talked to him and scratched his head for a bit. He’s heavy! I had to rest my arm on my knee so that I could hold him up after a while. He got another treat when he stepped back on his cage. It was all very uneventful, in a good way. It’s such a cool opportunity to be able to spend quality time with these big birds!

I also made friends with an Amazon parrot. He won’t step up for me, but he is taking treats from my hand now, definite progress.

I’m really going to miss these birds when they all get adopted! Of course, I’ll be very happy when they all have permanent homes, but I have really enjoyed the experience of working with them and having a foster parrot.

New for me, I started training as a Lobby Greeter at the shelter this week. I think I’m going to love this position. I meet people as they come in to the shelter and help point them in the right direction for whatever animal they are looking for. While I was there this week, I saw two dogs, a cat, and a bunny get adopted! So rewarding to see excited people and happy animals leaving the shelter!

The dragon realized there is sunshine on the cat bed next to her cage, so I let her come out and hang there while I worked the other day, she loved it! She spent some time in the actual cat bed, then wandered over to stare at me for a bit. The cats aren’t sure they like sharing their bed, but they can share for a short time in the afternoon once in a while. Once it warms up outside, I’ll bring the dragon outside for some real sunshine. She even has a little harness and leash!

Have a great weekend. I’m hoping to get Cali out for another short hike, and also hoping the cat introductions continue to go peacefully. Comment and let me know what you are up to this weekend.

Foster Return & Cali Update

Sadly, I had to return the foster bird on Monday. When I was home alone, he was lovely. He was sweet and fun. We danced together, he loved his toys and his treats. He called to me in his sweet little voice when I was out of sight, “hey, hi, hey baby.”

Sadly, Monster bird showed up whenever anyone else dared to come in the house. The screaming was horrific whenever my husband or niece were around. He even flew at my niece and landed on her, scary! Having my husband feed him treats didn’t seem to help at all. He would take the treats, some times he would try to bite the hand that fed him, and he still screamed.

I miss the morning dance parties, and that sweet little voice, but the screaming was making our house a very stressful place to be!

Hector D. Byrd was not the least bit interested in her foster friend. They barely looked at each other in the weeks K was here. Hector is very happy to once again rule the roost!

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Cali is doing OK. I tried to wean her off the pain meds, but it was clear that she still needs them. Another laser treatment today, hopefully it continues to help.

It has been a real challenge to find a kidney-friendly food that Cali will eat. I’ve probably gone through half a dozen of them. She eats for a couple of days, I order more of the expensive prescription food, and then she stops eating it.

Thankfully, she has been eating Dr. Harvey’s food pretty well for a couple of weeks now. I’m working with them to customize some kidney friendly food for her. They make an easy to use dry mix that just requires fresh protein, water and oil. Dr. Harvey’s even offers an amazing, free service to help customize their diets. They have a nutritionist on staff who called me to help me work out the healthiest diet for Cali. She even had me send in a copy of Cali’s blood test results so she could see everything that was going on with her.

Cali is eating the Canine Health formula and they are sending me a trial of their Paradigm food as well. The plan is to very slowly add some of the Paradigm to the Canine Health formula to see if we can get my picky eater to accept it. The food is super easy to use. Cali’s recipe is 2.5 oz of protein per day. I froze a bunch of different types of protein, chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, in 2.5 oz portions so I can just grab a protein from the freezer, steam it while the dry mix sits with warm water in it, add the protein and feed half to Cali for each of her meals.

Dr. Harvey’s also makes a Kidney supplement that I’m adding to Cali’s meals on the recommendation of their dietician.

From Cali’s blood work the dietician also noticed her blood sugar was a bit high, so she suggested I stop feeding Cali carrots as treats, and adding the vegetable-heavy Paradigm food to the Canine Health formula should help as well. I thought with her kidney issues I was doing a good thing with carrots, but they are too starchy. I even got advice on the best ways to give Cali her pills since commercial pill pockets I had been using also have a bunch of protein. Now I’m trying little bread balls to hide her pills, and baby food green beans and broccoli that don’t have protein or high starch. With a little luck all this healthy food will help, and it may even help the allergies Cali has always had!