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ghporter · May 22, 2005, 06:33 PM

Oh poop! Different people go with different pets for different reasons. We've always had both cats and dogs-except for the two years in Panama, because our dog at the time didn't seem suited for tropical weather.

Toxoplasmosis is why I started cleaning the litter box. When my wife was pregnant, we decided that she shouldn't even get near the litter box, so I took over. With the right litter, even a "well used" litter box is tolerable. And the right litter is essential if you have more than one cat. With the three we have right now, a good scoopable clumping litter makes the house smell like there are no cats around. And the better your litter, the more likely the cats are to use it instead of somewhere else in the house; they get disgusted by those odors too!

Our dogs are sort of trained for where they do their business. We started with a specific area in the back yard that we cleaned up weekly, but the weather got bad for a while and our older dog had problems getting all the way to the primary spot, so she established a secondary spot. We clean up a little less frequently, and now and then we have to wash the lawn mower's wheels, but there are no lawn problems, and we have pretty much full use of the whole yard.

ALL of our pets are indoor pets. Outdoor cats are exposed to numerous communicable diseases, not to mention predatory feral and domesticated cats, feral and domestic dogs, possums (YUCK!) skunks (the same way dogs are in danger from them), and of course the ever dangerous traffic. We care about our pets too much to allow them to face those dangers. Our dogs stay indoors because we care about them too. They get plenty of outside time, of course, but they live indoors where we can interact with them.

d0dg3 · May 22, 2005, 06:39 PM

to sum up....

.....dogs own, cats suck

ryaxnb · May 22, 2005, 08:34 PM

Cats are cute intelligent darling little animals. They are very friendly, love to be loved, purr a lot and sleep on your head. They reward you and make you feel

happy for being "allowed" to pet them because of their high standards. They have clear, distinctive personalities and a soft furry coat.
Cats rule.

Note to tooki - Not to wide I hope...

Eynstyn · May 22, 2005, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by d0dg3

to sum up....

.....dogs own, cats suck

nevermind

ryaxnb · May 22, 2005, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by Kilbey

Not all dogs. Have fun scooping poop. 'Cause all cats need their poop scooped.

Not mine: she poops outdoors.

Eynstyn · May 22, 2005, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by d0dg3

to sum up....

.....dogs own, cats suck

RAILhead · May 22, 2005, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Hey, I just bought a parrot today!

He was in our local paper: "Amazon parrot needs home." I always peruse the pets section and saw the ad. I wasn't even trying to find or buy a bird, but when I saw the ad I called them then went to see him. He was this beautiful young (1 year old) emerald green yellow nape Amazon living in an 18-inch by 18-inch by 20-inch (tall) cage that was filthy dirty and outside on an outdoor patio. It was pretty filthy. The man said, "He doesn't really talk and he bites because we haven't had any time to spend with him."

I was afraid he'd bite me but I picked him right up and put him on my chest and he snuggled right up to me, cocked his head and stared at me with his orange eye and said, "Hello!" The man was amazed and said, "He's never said anything until just now!" The bird is very sweet. I took him home for only $300. I felt very sorry for him, actually. The owners weren't bad people, just didn't have time to take good care of him, I guess. He didn't even have any toys in his cage.

I just got back home from buying a new bird cage for him at Brenda's Birds in Delray beach ( www.brendasbirds.com ) and we're putting it up for him right now. I'll post a picture in a while.

He's sitting there on his perch eating a green apple slice watching his new home go up.

God bless you Cody, I feel so sorry for the birds that suffer when people buy them and suddenly don't have time to spend with them. At least these people saw they needed to get rid of him before any (hopefully) permanent damage was done.

We've always wanted a parrot or another moderately intelligent bird -- but we have to be gone at work for extended hours so we wouldn't have enough time to devote to truly nurturing one. But since we still wanted a birdie, we went lower maintenance and got a gorgeous little budgie:

That's a pic of him when he was just a baby. He's now about 1.5 years old, much bigger, and with a lot more vibrant green on his belly.

...and since we named our cat Uno, I just had to name this little guy Twosie.

Maury

Zimphire · May 22, 2005, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by ryaxnb

Note to tooki - Not to wide I hope...

.. naw... I'll refrain.

Eynstyn · May 22, 2005, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by jasonsRX7

Since you don't have any cats, you must be concerned about her getting Toxoplasmosis from her food. So that means for 9 months you're doing all the cooking and cleaning, how sweet! Also, I'm not sure if these come in maternity sizes, but no pregnant wife should be without one, I'm sure you'll agree!

Tychem BR 440 / 450 Chemical Suit
Please note the size of your chemical suit for checkout
You'll be prompted to choose your size at checkout

BR 450 Front Entry
$168.40 Order Now

BR 440 Rear Entry
$169.80 Order Now

Go for the rear entry. It's only a buck forty more.

JERRYJERRYJERRY · May 22, 2005, 11:20 PM

Originally Posted by Eynstyn

Go for the rear entry. It's only a buck forty more.

off topic but kinda funny i guess.

i dont think i want a pal i think i prefer a constant guest.

thats why im leaning to a cat.

MilkmanDan · May 23, 2005, 01:21 AM

Honestly it depends on the cat or dog. I've known jerk dogs and jerk cats. But I've also know great cats and great dogs. Cat or Dogs are good friends, and yes, poop does suck. But that doesn't stop people from having babies. They poop a heck of a lot.

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 02:31 PM

RAILhead:

Yes, I was thinking of posting a picture of the cage that he came out of but maybe I shouldn't. It was old and rusty and one of the dirtiest things I've ever seen.

I brought him home and gave him a "shower" with a squirt bottle with a couple of drops of baby shampoo in it and about a teaspoon of lemon juice - it held about 20 ounces of water. He absolutely love the "shower." After he was good and wet I gave him a "rinse" with the spray bottle with clear water and he was blissfully happy. His feet were so dirty from caked on feces that they were green. His feathers were greasy looking. They were feeding him sunflower seeds only and when we looked in the bowl ants were crawling in and out.

I couldn't in good conscience leave the bird there even if we didn't want the bird, to be honest.

But, he was so sweet that I kind of just fell in love with him.

After he got his shower and was clean I trimmed his wings and nails and put him in his new "home" (cage) - we got the biggest one that they had there for him. He went from a tiny little cage with no room to flap his wings to a huge cage.

Here he is - a little plain looking but clean!

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 02:33 PM

Here is his new home in the corner of our eat-in kitchen area:

BoomStick · May 23, 2005, 02:39 PM

He's beautiful Cody!

I have a citron crested cockatoo named Roxy.

Her species is all but extinct and she might as well be the last of her kind.

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 02:42 PM

Now he needs a name.

Doesn't he look happy? In one day he went from living in a dump, forgotten about in a corner of someone's patio, bad food, no attention, and has never had a bath except for being rained on to going to a new home where everyone loves him.

BoomStick · May 23, 2005, 02:43 PM

Oh BTW, your drapes and curtain rod are history.

I just thought i'd let you know in advance. See the wall behind Roxy?

Yes she chewed clean through to the siding and took out two 2x4's on the way through.

BoomStick · May 23, 2005, 02:44 PM

How about Magpie or Pickles?

mitchell_pgh · May 23, 2005, 02:48 PM

I have a dog. It's hard to explain why I enjoy her so much. My GF and I really love the time we get to spend with her.

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 02:49 PM

I LOVE ROXY!

WOW!

What a BEAUTIFUL bird! I love them!

You're right...they are VERY rare. I wanted one a long time ago. One of my friends is a veterinarian and she also takes care of birds. Anyway, she used to get sick birds or baby birds that needed hand feeding (feeding the baby birds bird cereal by hand) and I would help her with them. I've had various birds from time to time until they went to a new home. None of them were really mine to keep.

Anyway, the one bird that I absolutely LOVED was a little citron cockatoo like yours. That bird was SO smart - knew SO many tricks. I adored that little bird. The problem is, they are never available. They are so rare, even here in Florida where there are thousands of bird fanciers.

You're very fortunate to have that Citron!

Anyway, this little Amazon has learned "Hello" and the wolf whistle in only 24 hours - I swear that the bird is picking things up faster than I ever would have believed.

Post another picture of the Citron, okay?

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 02:53 PM

Yes, I figure that the curtains might be history, lol!

That area (where those sliding doors are) is where I have a herb garden. I need to trim out the grass growing in from the yard on the other side of the fence, though. But, it smells wonderful out there: Basil, oregano, and dill are growing and when it rains it smells like an Italian kitchen. It's tiled with the same tile that I have in my kitchen area (Mexican tile) and I barbecue there. I put the bird in there because then he'll be in an area where people are always at.

BoomStick · May 23, 2005, 02:57 PM

Also the trim around that doorway is as good as gone.
In our last house in this pic, Roxy chewed through the closet door and made a nest.

BoomStick · May 23, 2005, 03:05 PM

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 03:06 PM

I have a funny little story.

So, the bird was in the paper and the price was very cheap for an Amazon. My husband was looking for an aquarium for one of his offices (a used one) at the breakfast bar (on the laptop) and I was sitting next to him drinking my coffee and while he was scrolling down the website I saw a "AMAZON PARROT FOR SALE VERY CHEAP" ad. So, I said, "Stop! Let me see that - look at that parrot ad." He said, "No, no, no...we don't need a parrot." I saw the number and I called them anyway and said, "Why are you selling the bird? Is it friendly or wild?" The man said, "Well, I got the bird a year ago and it's not very friendly. It sits on my patio and it squawks so I have to get rid of it." I said that I would drive down right away and look at it.

When we got there and I saw the little dirty cage out on the hot patio I felt so sorry for it. I was kind of afraid to try to pick it up because the owner told me that he couldn't handle the bird without it biting him.

But, I just put my head down and I whispered to the bird and he lifted up his head, stepped forward, and started nibbling on my hair. When I put him hand out he stepped up immediately. I took him over to a patio chair, sat down, and just cuddled him on my chest.

All of a sudden the bird let out a big loud, "Hello!" The man selling the bird was astonished and said, "I never heard the bird speak!" I asked him how old the bird was and he said that he was about a year old. He said, "I honestly thought the bird was stupid. It never says anything. It just sits in its cage and squawks in the morning and that's it."

Like I said, I just felt so sorry for it that I had to take it home. I don't think the previous people are bad people, but I think that they didn't know how to take care of it. Or maybe they didn't have the time or the money. I'm not sure. I just know that they lived in a tiny little old house in a rundown part of town and the bird was living in filthy conditions in a cage that it couldn't even flap his wings in. Maybe their house was so small that they couldn't keep it indoors.

Since I've had the bird at home it mutters all of the time and has even said a couple of things - including a wolf whistle. I don't think it's a mute bird at all.

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 03:08 PM

Oh MY GOSH! I absolutely LOVE the pictures of your bird!

SWEET!

Does she speak? Know tricks? The one that I previously met had been trained to count - it was SO smart. It would tap out the number that you said with his beak on the floor or tabletop. So, if you said, "THREE," he would tap 3 times! He was incredibly smart. He's also dance around and "take a bow" by bending his head down.

Randman · May 23, 2005, 03:09 PM

Cats are useless. Even fish make better pets. Dogs rule.

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 03:12 PM

BTW, I kind of feel really guilty: The guy was selling the bird extra cheap because he never spoke and wasn't friendly.

Well, this morning I had the bird out cuddling on my chest and he's saying all kinds of things and he goes to anyone without a fuss - he's the friendliest bird in the world.

So, I feel guilty for buying it for so little.

BoomStick · May 23, 2005, 03:15 PM

Roxy is a regular chatterbox.
Your bird seems to have the desire to bond with you if he is talking already.

He looks totally unafraid in your pictures and will probably make you a wonderful pet as long you learn how to speak parrot.
I had to learn Roxy's language from the beginning and she was my first pet. I was determined to be a good pet owner and I studied up on how to take proper care of her.

You are going to be bitten occasionally, but it doesn't mean the bird hates you. SOmething in it's environment got changed and it is reacting. If it's only a year old, prepare for the mischeiviousness of the terrible twos.

Roxy is 12 had has mellowed out alot.

BoomStick · May 23, 2005, 03:20 PM

Roxy is so gentle that I trust her with anyone.
She loves to be scritched under her wings and she is smart too.
She can work any combination lock and get it open, hence her cage is never locked and always stays open now.

PS: I paid an absolute fortune for her to rescue her from the breeder at the Atlanta Bird Fair.

She was $1400 plus another $500 for her cage back in 1992.

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 03:36 PM

RAILhead: I just saw the picture of your little budgie! CUTE!

Here is a great budgie article to read.

Apparently the world record holder for learning words (amongst birds and parrots) is a parakeet!

RAILhead · May 23, 2005, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

RAILhead: I just saw the picture of your little budgie! CUTE!

Here is a great budgie article to read.

Apparently the world record holder for learning words (amongst birds and parrots) is a parakeet!

Yeah, he's not much, but he's adorable. He doesn't talk, though I'm sure he would if we were able to spend consistent time every day teaching him. But, he does like to mimic my whistles -- and I've been making odd little birdie noises for years, so he and I really start chatting it up all evening (until my wife asks us to keep it down).

My Mamaw (Grandmother, for you Yankees) has budgies all her life and she could make every single one of them talk -- it was so odd, seeing such a little bird carry on a conversation (almost) about what was going on in the room like he was an African Grey or something!

I want to get some better pic of him, but he doesn't come out of his cage (which is HUGE for Budgie standards).

Maury

bubblewrap · May 23, 2005, 05:16 PM

I have a house full of rescue birds. Mostly cockatoos.(we're up to 18 now)
I'll have to post pics of some of them up.

Here is a movie of them.

JustAnOl'Broad · May 23, 2005, 06:16 PM

Great movie Bubblewrap !
Kudos for helping out so many needy birds; bet your
place gets noisey around sundown.

Add me to the dog lovers list. Have 2 pooches, a dozen ranch cats
( new babies: @ 8, I think).....which have all just shown up on their own,
and an 8 year old rooster. We used to have a cockatoo - will have to post
a pic - our loved pizza and BBQ rib bones.....and my books, paint brushes,
window sills, etc.
P~

Cody Dawg · May 23, 2005, 07:37 PM

bubblewrap: My entire family just watched that and it is one of THE best shorts we've ever seen - what an outstanding job!

It's SO funny!

Have any others?

Thank you!

bubblewrap · May 23, 2005, 08:22 PM

Do I have more you ask?
I have dozens!

I have one I sent in to Funniest Animal Videos.
They REALLY liked it but I used copyrighted music and they couldn't use it. But they CALLED me!
It's not good without the music.
Right now my server is full with vacation videos but I'll put them back up in a couple of days for you.

olePigeon · May 23, 2005, 08:29 PM

Dogs eat their own feces, they roll around in feces, they don't wash themselves, they sh*t all over the place and their owners don't seem to give a rats ass.

Besides, there're automated cat crap scoopers now.

wolfen · May 23, 2005, 08:36 PM

Pardon my bird ignorance: do birds crap all over the house? This is one of my pet-peeves, and one of the main reasons I don't get a bird.

Secondarily, I don't like anything biting me. Not sure how I'd react if a bird bit me, really. Unlikely that it would be enjoyed by the bird though.

wolfen · May 23, 2005, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

Dogs eat their own feces, they roll around in feces, they don't wash themselves, they sh*t all over the place and their owners don't seem to give a rats ass.

Besides, there're automated cat crap scoopers now.

My ShihTzu likes to lick her body and ass, then clean her tongue with the couch. My wife really wants a leather couch -- the woman is in complete denial.

BoomStick · May 23, 2005, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by wolfen

Pardon my bird ignorance: do birds crap all over the house? This is one of my pet-peeves, and one of the main reasons I don't get a bird.

Secondarily, I don't like anything biting me. Not sure how I'd react if a bird bit me, really. Unlikely that it would be enjoyed by the bird though.

You don't need a pet at all.

Get you a rock or something to fit your personality.

My cockatoo uses the commode or any trash can if she can find one.

In her aviary, she goes only in her trash can.

bubblewrap · May 23, 2005, 09:08 PM

My cockatoos don't bite.

But that's not my cockatoo.

JustAnOl'Broad · May 23, 2005, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by bubblewrap

My cockatoos don't bite.

But that's not my cockatoo.

.... a little vintage Peter Sellers ?

"Does your doog bite?"

Eynstyn · May 23, 2005, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by JustAnOl'Broad

.... a little vintage Peter Sellers ?

"Does your doog bite?"

I think you two should get a rheeume.

Eynstyn · May 23, 2005, 10:44 PM

Originally Posted by wolfen

My ShihTzu likes to lick her body and ass, then clean her tongue with the couch. My wife really wants a leather couch -- the woman is in complete denial.

It IRKS me when Americas Funniest Animals shows a video of a dog scooting it's ass across the carpet ( doing 'that move') and they think it is supposed to be funny.

It's smearing feces across the carpet.

I can't blame the dog, it's the owners fault. You feed a dog a balanced diet of prepared dog food and they won't have smaeary poop and that will keep the 'scooting' to a minimum.

No table scraps or people food.

Cody Dawg · May 24, 2005, 07:11 AM

Getting back on topic, bubblewrap, can we have more links?

bubblewrap · May 24, 2005, 07:48 AM

I'm working on cleaning up my server...

wolfen · 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

Getting back on topic, bubblewrap, can we have more links?

Yes, I'd also love to see the link from Boomstick that shows how people have the personality of a rock if they don't like to be bitten or have sh*t all over their house. That's remarkably insightful psychology you're using there. The human race needs to learn more from you, bird man.

bubblewrap · May 24, 2005, 07:54 AM

I don't have **** all over my house. And I'm covered in birds.

What's with the swipe at me? What did I do to you?

wolfen · May 24, 2005, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by bubblewrap

I don't have **** all over my house. And I'm covered in birds.

What's with the swipe at me? What did I do to you?

Wrong guy. Sorry...edited my post for clarification.

Cody Dawg · May 24, 2005, 08:36 AM

Hey, wolfen, did you know that parrots are easily potty trained?

Lotsa links.

The bigger the bird, like an Amazon or a cockatoo, the easier it is. In fact, when I met my husband he had a cockatoo named Caspar and Caspar was 100% potty-trained. He would only "go" over a certain place in his cage where there was a litter box underneath.

bubblewrap · May 24, 2005, 08:48 AM

Cody, I started a new topic with videos.

Cody Dawg · May 24, 2005, 08:56 AM

Kewl.