Hi there, and welcome to the weblog of Fire Crest Aviary...
Well, the latest news is that we went to the Ammermans Exotic Pet Fair out towards Tampa, and it was very impressive indeed. Essentially the show is held on the Ammermans Farm, which is covered in live oaks for shade, and the vendors consist mostly of Breeders. I was impressed and depressed all at once at all the birds there. Some of the breeders seemed to be ok, treating their birds nicely, but there were some that were overcrowding their poor birds like crazy. What really killed me however was the lack of concern over where the birds were going, and how they would be treated. No one really wanted to educate the public on what it means to own a bird and what they needed, they just wanted to sell birds. It made me very sad to tell the truth. Sometimes I think we are a lone voice in the wilderness as far as breeders are concerned.
The good news is that we got some new additions to our family. We bought a proven pair of Blue Mountain Rainbow Lorikeets, and they are absolutely adorable. We have been wanting a pair for awhile, and we are very excited. Lorikeets are very particular about their diet, needing nectar and lots of other things, but to tell the truth, their requirements for fresh fruit and veggies don't vary much from what we give our birds everyday anyway. We got a cage for them that is very large, but I cannot wait for the day when I can make a free flight for them. The biggest surprise is that for being a breeding pair, they are fairly sociable. They are absolutely adorable in the way they preen each other and cuddle. We named them Ambrosia and Snake (as Snake does the typical bob and hiss that Lorikeets do), and we are keeping them in quarantine until we know they are disease free.
The other cool bit of news is that we got a Golden Mantel Rosella from a breeder friend of ours. We have reserved a mate for him, so we will be selling Rosellas eventually. He is a little flighty, but he is a very pretty bird, and likes to whistle! We have named him Cassanova.
Well, the latest news is that we went to the Ammermans Exotic Pet Fair out towards Tampa, and it was very impressive indeed. Essentially the show is held on the Ammermans Farm, which is covered in live oaks for shade, and the vendors consist mostly of Breeders. I was impressed and depressed all at once at all the birds there. Some of the breeders seemed to be ok, treating their birds nicely, but there were some that were overcrowding their poor birds like crazy. What really killed me however was the lack of concern over where the birds were going, and how they would be treated. No one really wanted to educate the public on what it means to own a bird and what they needed, they just wanted to sell birds. It made me very sad to tell the truth. Sometimes I think we are a lone voice in the wilderness as far as breeders are concerned.
The good news is that we got some new additions to our family. We bought a proven pair of Blue Mountain Rainbow Lorikeets, and they are absolutely adorable. We have been wanting a pair for awhile, and we are very excited. Lorikeets are very particular about their diet, needing nectar and lots of other things, but to tell the truth, their requirements for fresh fruit and veggies don't vary much from what we give our birds everyday anyway. We got a cage for them that is very large, but I cannot wait for the day when I can make a free flight for them. The biggest surprise is that for being a breeding pair, they are fairly sociable. They are absolutely adorable in the way they preen each other and cuddle. We named them Ambrosia and Snake (as Snake does the typical bob and hiss that Lorikeets do), and we are keeping them in quarantine until we know they are disease free.
The other cool bit of news is that we got a Golden Mantel Rosella from a breeder friend of ours. We have reserved a mate for him, so we will be selling Rosellas eventually. He is a little flighty, but he is a very pretty bird, and likes to whistle! We have named him Cassanova.
