Newbie!!!!!!!!

[garys mum]

Hi everyone!!! I am all the way over here in New Zealand and looking forward to talking with you all.

I don't have an IRN, but have recently lost a companion Moustache, whom I handreared from a one day old baby , his name was Gary and the only thing I can think of that killed him was a citronela candle we used while on a camping trip. Gary died suddendly in my arms and the void is tremendous.

I have since bought an Alexandrine (Syd) to fill the void although Syd is not handreared I feel I have come along way in the week I have had him. He will step up, take food out of my hand and sit on his perch next to us at the table eating his peanuts while we have our human food!!

I am assuming this is good prgress after reading some of your posts here.

Alex's don't seem to be that common over here as cage pets so any advice would be so appreciated.

As I said I don't own a IRN but my lost baby and my new baby are from the ringneck family so I hope I am in the right place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look forward to talking to you all soon
Leonie

[Lauren]

Hi Leonie and Welcome to you and Syd! Love the Alexandrians.

So sorry you lost your moustache. Atleast he passed away in mums arms.

[garys mum]

Thank-you PsittaculaChick.

I don't think I would have coped at all (hard enough now) if he had died on his own.
He had been sleeping in my arms for a long time and just before he died he lifted up his head, opened his eyes, looked at me the passed on.
I am going to get him cremated when I can finally let go. At present he is living in the deep freeze, so I still get him out for a chat and a GOOD cry
I will let go one day but just not now.

A WARNING to all, Citronela mat be natures bug repellant but it KILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I won't even let anybody in the house use air freshener now, its just not worth it. We have fly strips up everywhere and just use bowl freshener in the toilet.

I did breed Moustaches, (that is how I got Gary, first time mum and she hated him) I then decided that I had Gary and thats all I needed, so sold my birds, 3 weeks later Gary died.
I knew the people who I sold my birds to and they still had a chick that was sold with the parents (garys full sibling) So I grabbed him but he was too much like gary, I couldn't cope so he went on to a good home and I found Syd. A challange with a good heart!!!!

[Lauren]

Thanx for the tip on citronella. I am careful with sprays and such. I didnt know about citronella!

A cremation is a great way to say goodbye. Sounds like he had a well loved and looked after life.

[Mikaela]

Welcome Hun:

Thank you for sharing your story with us. We want pics!

[Nikki'sMommy]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Have you heard of Rainbowbridge.com its a website for those who lost their beloved pets. I don't use any perfumes, home freshners, chemicals and febreeze are not for us. I lost my 13 yr. old quaker because my neighbor used lots fabric softners in her dryer. We lived in a mobile home park and the homes were very close to each other. Kiwi's cage was in the screen porch and unbeknownst to me when she used her dryer, the vent would make my screen porch into a perfume cage. Needless to say the vet said that Kiwi would not make it and after 6 months of trying to make him well I had to take him to be put down as I could not stand to see him suffer any longer.
Now I have an Alexandrine and He is better that Kiwi..Kiwi bit his mommy a lot though I handraised him from 14 days old! I only have had an Alex for the past 3 yrs so I guess I'm a newbie with them. I do have lots of bird experience and the more you handle & bond with the Alex the better your relationship will be. Its hard to let go but you must put your birdy to rest and move onto your new life with your new birdie.
I lost my daughter in 2000 who was 27 yrs old to cancer though the pain doesnt go away it become bearable.
Good luck to you hon.
barb

[garys mum]

Thanks again for the warm welcome, as soon as I work out how I will post pics. Not new to birds but new to computers. Maybe I should ask my 8 year old how to do it!!

Nikkismommoy I am so sorry about both of your loses. Your words helped alot and it is getting easier each day. I too am now finding the Alex a great companion. Everyday he lets me do something else, at the moment he has decided that he like to be scratched under his wings and lifts them up for me

Still waiting for some noise though, at the moment I am just getting chirps and the odd whine when he is out (we make beds together in the morning).

What are their calls like?? Do they sound like and IRN??

Thanks all, this is a wonderful site and I have been made to fell so welcome.

[Nikki'sMommy]

I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your new bird. I don't know much about IRN because I only have been owned by Nikki for the last 3 yrs. Nikki does make these wierd noises but mostly he just talks. Its my understanding that IRN can be loud. Nikki's previous owner said that Nikki would not talk at all for her. I guess its my higher pitch like talk I do to him... he always says hi Baby, 'come here' what ya doin? You gonna be a good boy? Huh? Pretty, pretty boy, what? and He calls the dog in my normal voice. When I ask him if he wants a bath he answers Yippee and woo hoo. I can tell when he doesnt like something becaue he makes this noise that he lets you know that he is upset. Nikki has never bit me nor will I do anything to upset him to that point..I have seen what his beak does to wooden toys. When its time to go to sleep I ask him if he wants to go Night-Night and he beeps back I take that as a yes. He also beeps like the phone and the microwave. Nikki has I think a large vocabulary for an Alex. I also been told that they learn to talk while they are in the cage (don't know if its true) but its worth a shot. Nikki lives in an open cage in the home though he has a huge cage outside he stays inside the home and he comes in and out on his own from his cage. His wings are clipped.
Talk to you all soon.

[garys mum]

Hi nikki's mommy,
Syd (my Alex) is only 18 weeks old at the moment and is still finding his feet and balance (he's clipped too and adjusting). At the moment his feet are taking over when he is trying to hold something and he just about drags himself off the perch!!
Does Nikki enjoy being petted. Syd will let me but certainly does not beg for it. He loves watching us, sharing what we are eating and of late will walk over to you because if "you have it ,it must be good!!" (A true parrot)

He was parent reared and he is my first attempt in hand taming. I talk to him all the time so I am hoping soon he will talk back although if he never uttered a word I wouldn't care, talking isn't that high on my list, happy is!!

I catch him more and more with his head pressed up to the cage bars watching me. I would love him out all the time but with a German Shorthaired Pointer, Fox Terrier and 3 children you can't be sure if doors are shut and who's up to what!!
I do have a regular routine for him, and he gets at least 4 hours out of his cage a day, and his cage is HUGE!!!!

He has bitten me a couple of times and you are wise to avoid it. It is very vice like and he did not get to full force!! Lets just say the flight suit is now a chewable toy and if he does not want to wear it he wont, and I can live with poop (i enjoy having fingers)

[Bird crazy]

Welcome to you and Syd and so glad you have a new baby to love since you sound like such a good parront.

Let's have some pics of these alexandrines please. I love pics with names so I can remember everyone. Helps to have a pic and name for me.
I also love to hear how you do things and why and how the bird reacts. It gives he help to determine what I can do differently.

[CatsChair]

Welcome!