Possible Softbill ID question!

[MLaRue]

They certainly are pretty! I've seen some very nice ones here in the Atlanta area and they do very well at the shows too

I've often wondered why more of you that have the ability to be home all day don't dabble in the Softbills. Truly gorgeous birds and something different is always good.

[CandoAviary]

I've often wondered why more of you that have the ability to be home all day don't dabble in the Softbills.

Softbills are pretty but I refrain from them due to the extreme mess that they produce I do love birds but am not so fond of bird poop...especially smelly liquid squirters
I detest the seagull, heron, egret and pelican poop on my dock..... fish bird poop..... yuck Of course the breeding pair of ospreys or the kingfishers I don't mind because they are my favorites

[MLaRue]

But most are hardy enough to be in outside aviaries right? You certainly have the land/space to have planted outside aviaries that could provide that... but I understand about that poo - horrible poo and why I don't have any now.

I had a pair of Tanagers (blue neck) and just the nectar was horrible - sooooo sticky all the time! You did well just to change the cage weekly with a new clean one otherwise it was gross since they are so messy. I loved them but decided after a few months I just hated seeing them in a flight/cage.

But if I were still in the Largo, FL area - you bet I would have a few outside aviaries by now with a few of something....

[CandoAviary]

Even in outdoor aviaries you need to clean...the sand can become a grounds for harboring bacterias..... My land here is all sand...not much dirt on the beach All of my outdoor aviaries now are on concrete slabs...easy to hose down. The plantings are done in large planters.
This part of the Florida is northwest in the Pandhandle. Temperatures are not like South Florida so year round outdoor aviaries are not possible unless covered and heated at times. Plus the coastal damp salt air and breezes are not good for many species.
But I never say never... just may try some of those tanagers someday

[cindy]

I would love to have a planted aviary on the porch...softbills put out that sticky poo and if feeding fruit...let's not forget about ants down here, they pop up everywhere.

Candace can't forget about turkey vultures...during this recent fishkills in our overflow pond near our gates and about 50 vutlures descending on it, roosting on walls and rooves...yuk!!! I have them in my driveway two streets over...thank goodness the HOA is cleaning it up!!!

Ok now imagine this and bear in mind we were told to wear old shoes in this "aviary". After seeing beautiful hanging parrots at a show my husband and I years ago (Ft Myers) were trying to decide on what we liked best lovebird or maybe the hanging parrots (small like a parrotlet but hang upside down...catch is they require nectar/fruits/liquid diet.

We thought ok how hard can this be and having experience soft bills and watching mom handle it with ease we decided to go look.

Surprise...we walked into a large room with a cement floor....cages of neatly kept hanging parrots, beautiful and fanscanting. that was until we started walking around...below our feet was a floor covered in plastic drop clothes, the walls covered from floor to ceiling in plastic...all of which was removed several times a week and replaced. The room did not stink but smelled of a sweet smell which was from the furit and also passed out as poo!!! Their poo smell sweet...all that honey and necture/fruit!!!

The ants trails were apparent but she was cleaning and on top of it with traps. Any ants that got close to the cage bars or inside were quickly goobled up. I will never forget our visit there....interesting to say the least.

This post shows the pictures in the upper right corner of the species we went to see:

http://www.avianweb.com/hangingparrots.htm
http://www.avianweb.com/philippinehangingparrots.html

http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/bird ... arrots.php

[MLaRue]

Then if the poo is really that bad for most of the Softbills how do people keep them now?

The west coast has them in their outdoor aviaries as we saw from the pictures from the Nationals

There has to be a way to keep them with ease? I mean me even having these Linnies - well their poo is not my cup of tea but the birds themselves are a wonderful species and worth having - perhaps that is it... in order to have softbills you have to be enamoured by them and their poo is just that poo. I must say I didn't mind cleaning up after mine - I just didn't like them caged.

BTW Cindy those birds are beautiful!

[Sally]

When my parents had a mynah, he also put out copious amounts of wet poop. It simply meant cleaning his cage more often, but he was such a character and so loved by my parents that they didn't mind it. I think that is the case with softbill owners--they don't mind a little extra work for something they love.

When I have room for softbills, I have said that I will start with the Montane Whiteyes--I love that species, and it is a good beginner bird.

[cindy]

Misty, like you said it is the love of the bird, reptile, or animal that makes you do what you do for them. I had a room of various lizards and got really good at rearing some very hard to do species but it was the enjoyment I got from it. I fooled around with different food for my uromasyx pair and found that the edamame warmed (they smelled it as I brought it into the room and ran out of the den to great me) and certain veggies brought out the best results in condition in them.

My crested geckoes were my pride as well as the rarely seen shield tailed agamas. People use to cringe a little when we told them we raised lizards...but the our family enjoyed it.

I guess whether it is bird, reptile or animal...it all has to be in your comfort zone, what works for you and brings you joy.

[MLaRue]

OFF TOPIC!

It is funny you mention reptiles - I was looking at FROGS this past Friday when I went into the pet store for a heat light. I stood there thinking why did my boys never get into reptiles... and who wouldn't love those silly Gecko's and those unique very colorful frogs!

All I could do was think how cute and neat they were and then Neil popped into my head with his usual "OMG not another animal"!!!

So, just last night I was sent a link for a bird listing here locally so when I looked at it I backed out of that listing to see what else they had listed (of course)... in my city there was a listing for a Great Dane a harlequin great dane female that needs a home... which has always been a dog I've wanted... long story short... right before bed - as I was pulling the covers up I looked over at Neil and said "There is a listing for a great dane here in Villa Rica that needs a good home" pause - his answer was "uh huh" - mine was "We've been talking about getting Rumer a friend and" his answer again was "uh huh" so I proceeded with "I think I will call the lady and ask to see the dane" ... silence ... Finally he said "Why do you want a horse living in the house?" "The mess - I mean you already say Rumer is a mess - so wouldn't a dane be awful?" I promptly said "Nope - no worse than having Rumer in the house - one more dog is going to add more mess to what.. a mess already?" He stayed silent for a time and then belted "OMG - we should just live in a barn forget a house!" I laughed and left him to think I was sincere about getting a dane

Of course I'm referring to our Shepherd - they shed horribly but I would never be without one again!!! Of course I'm not going to call or look at the Dane but he still thinks otherwise!

[cindy]

Misty...I have that same scenerio in my house from time to time!! I think men when born have that "uh-huh" response microchipped into the brains!!!!

Dennis is pretty fair in regards to birds, he knows the finches and bourkes make me happy and was willing to give the rescued linnie a try.

This is when it gets sticky...I do Cavalier King Charles Spaniel rescue...there have been a few that I picked up for transport, one gent adopted by me out of a pound for the sake of getting him in rescue and two puppies....do ya know how many times I wanted to keep them!!! My husband just laughs...."2 is enough"...my response is "but they come in 4 colors, we only have 2 of them!"

My secret with anything....plant the seed! Give them your thoughts on it and let them think about it. Sometimes it works sometimes it does not. Other times he surprises me and asks if I would be interested in going to a bird show or if there is another species I like. He found my two pairs of new owls for me...and was so happy to do so!!! The collection has certainly grown!

[Domenic]

Perhaps he's trying to appease your need for new pets with finches, that way you don't want anymore dogs haha!

[Domenic]

Oh and the agamas are incredible! I have never seen those before.

[cindy]

They are the size of your thumb. The male when mature and in mating mode bobs his head up and down and his chin and throat turns the most brilliant cobalt blue. I did get them to produce and the babies are adorable, very tiny like a fly! I had a nice colony going...these were wild caught and after a while we didn't see anymore available. They were very comical, love to burrow and with the right soil formed tunnels in their substrate.

I had several mutations of the uromastyx. My favorite was the fire (red-orange). I raised it from a speck! When they are small they look like a cartoon tiny dinosaur. If you throw a few fly size crickets in the tank they stalk it like a cat, it bends down like it is going to pounce on it, wiggling the tip of it's tail at it and them opens it mouth and lunges at it. It would take food from me...really interesting to watch grow.

[cindy]

Think you are right Domenic!!!!

[lovemyfinch]

I just love that story Misty I think we all do the same thing It is a part of female genetics