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Post by newpig on Jun 16, 2010 13:51:07 GMT
Your pond is beautiful. My previous next door neighbours had a huge one and I loved it - I used to keep an eye on it and feed the fish when they were on holiday - could have spent hours around it. Although the first time we let Dino cat out for a wander when he was a kitten he went next door (the cats could slip though the hedge) and promptly fell in that pond so he was soon a soggy kitten wrapped up in a towel by my neighbour!
Hope the fish are all doing well and no more herons (I saw a big one sitting by a pond in the park near here a few days ago, although no idea which type it is that we get here).
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Post by popcornpiggie on Jun 18, 2010 23:28:46 GMT
You have a very nice yard! I used to have a really nice yard until my parents opened their own business and I started to play softball competitively, we no longer have time or the money (stupid economy) to tend to the yard. We used to have flower beds full of tomatoes, strawberries, squash, watermelon (squirrels stole them), peppers, mint, basil and hanging planters of flowers (which birds used to build their nests). Anyway, now we have yard services come every week and mow the lawn however sometimes, they pull weeds and rake leaves. Since I'm on summer vacation, I would love to go outside and pull weeds and plant flowers and do all that fun stuff but I'm terrified of spiders. I don't know what I don't like about them but they creep me out! I've always wanted a pond in my back yard but we have dogs and my dad is sure that they would eat the fish. I used to have fish in a tank but then my dad sold them because my mom thought we didn't take care of them. Oh! I have to tell this sort of funny story. I had a really big plecostomus and then my dad decided to buy some little under water froggies so he did. They didn't have a very long life at my house. Day by day, they slowly started to disappear and then one morning I saw the plevostomus sucking on one of the froggie's legs and when I came home from school, he disappeared! So that's the story of my disappearing froggies. Anyway, I also had two bunnies. One Netherland Dwarf named Chinook (Nookie) and a mini lop that we caught in are back yard named Elvis. Both Nookie and Elvis died and so did two of my other dogs. Gator who was a Malamute mix and Red who was a Queensland Healer. Right now I have Edward, my American guinea pig, Tango, my Mastiff mix dog and Kizzie, my black lab dog. I'm also baby sitting my bff's guinea pig, Doris. Before I was born, when my parents where dating, my mom had a Chinchilla named ChiChi and My dad had an iguana named Yoda. I think those are all the pets I've had. Sorry Jeannine if this takes away from your thread.
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Post by Jeannine on Jun 20, 2010 4:04:13 GMT
I could listen (read) to pet stories all day long Growing up I had a miniature toy poodle - she was about nine pounds (smaller than my cats), when she passed away my brother got a budgie, I got a hamster; then the cats...Willie & Charlie and all my finches...then all the pets listed above
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Post by Jeannine on Jun 24, 2010 16:15:30 GMT
Ok, I wanted to get another female or two, since Edel is at least 10-years-old...but I accidentally left with a cage full!!! These are my new doves: please don't mind the cage condition - it was one she threw in, and needs a bit of tlc. 2 Blonds (may carry Rosy gene) (F?) [top perch & food dish] Tangerine (M) [front] Peach (F?) [on branch] Orange Pearled (M) [behind food dish] White (F?) (Albino??) [under branch] The Peach is offspring of the Tangerine, and the White is offspring of the Orange Pearled. The white is young, about 4 months old - and is starting to make cooing sounds...she may turn out to be a he! I am not sure if the white is albino, her legs are very light, but her iris has a bit of color, she may also be pied (white mixed with white) - I can not see any tail bar markings. I am only certain on the sex of two males.
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 25, 2010 14:18:18 GMT
They are beautiful. The colors are subtle. Are they friendly, or do they stay in the cage? I had a parrot for a while, who was out of the cage a lot, but he got nasty and had to go to a parrot facility. Apparently that's a parrot thing, lol.
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Post by Jeannine on Jun 25, 2010 16:44:44 GMT
Oh they are sweeties!!! I carried a few of them in my hands from the aviary (barn) across the yard to the cage and they didn't squirm one bit - I would be frightened to do that to a few of mine. Lucky and Asti are strong willed - they are used to coming out for a fly around the room and don't want to be held.
I am in the (slow) process of building a big aviary on the back of my garage...only problem is its on the back side and not viewable form the house. but there is a cement slab there, and I'm working with what I got...for now. I'm making it movable so it can be changed in the future.
The Tangerine guy is outstanding! hes is dark orange with a violet chest & head - I will try to breed more like him. The Orange Pearled one is unique too - I need to ask my dove forum what they think he is; he may be 'Apricot - pearled'? The Peach is lovely too - very subtle color, with a gray neck ring, she is by far the sweetest shy one. The White one is about 4 months old and just starting to coo - it sounds like silverware in the garbage disposal - lol - a little rough but soon he/she will have a soft cooing voice.
In general Doves are sweet matured - but I know Edel will be the first to give you a wing slap if you get too close when she's on the nest. I could only check the eggs/babies if Strack was on the nest - he would let me lift him off them.
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 26, 2010 13:30:51 GMT
They do sound sweet, and a lot more interesting than I would have imagined. Now I feel badly for the poor things being stuck in pet store cages and sold to new homes that have all sorts of different levels of living conditions from basic to great. They obviously think about their surrounds and the pals.
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Post by Jeannine on Jun 26, 2010 18:42:03 GMT
yeah sad - my first two came form a pet store. The white doves (like Edel) are often purchased to release at weddings...HOWEVER the birds that are used as "White Dove" releases are not Ringneck Doves, but white Homing Pigeons!!!! Pigeons and doves come form the same family, Rock Doves - but the Ringneck Dove is a captivity breed - like our GP's and wild GP's similar, but not the same. Ringnecks have no wild ancestor - The Eurasian Collard Dove is close but is larger. Pigeons are also larger, and great flyers - Homers, Racers, and remember that Passenger Pigeon. Ringneck Doves are poor flyers - they fly, or flutter then land...when released into the 'wild' they have little chance of survival. So people think its is cheaper to buy a white dove at a pet store than spend the money for a professional "white dove" (white homing pigeon) release. Thinking the bird will survive, but it wont. Doves are fairly mellow - they don't bounce around the cage or climb. The males do a bow coo and a little stomp to get the attention of the females - its cute. they do laugh or giggle, and coo - but its soft - some coo all hours of the day/night - I find them very relaxing. you can pet them, and train them too! VIDEO: you can hear the doves coo.. Indy & Mu like the neighbors yard better!
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 27, 2010 1:50:29 GMT
Cool!!! That's sad about people using doves for weddings. They should be required to provide places for the doves to land and be collected. I wish animal laws were made by people who knew something about animals, and not by the people who earn money off them:(
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Post by Pigjes on Jun 30, 2010 4:54:58 GMT
Love the vid!! Oh, my, large lawn to mow!
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Post by Jeannine on Jun 30, 2010 14:43:27 GMT
lol! yes - its a double lot and lots and lots of thick grass. The girls love to play over there; so much space to run and play. Mushka loves to play ball, and Indy likes to sniff around. Every spring the yard floods - so the girls go and play in the mud!!! It's really great to have cool neighbors that love my dogs as much as I do! My neighbor on the other side likes my dogs too - she has a sweet spot for Indy and always snuggles her over the fence.
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Post by Jeannine on Jul 9, 2010 13:42:48 GMT
I do have an odd little zoo; dogs and cats and birds and guinea pigs and fish living together in perfect harmony...but perhaps I have gone too far and conditioned their minds into thinking that they are all the same: Mushka is enjoying the penthouse of the "Cat Condo". Kiva and Suchimu don't mind their new roommate since she is not eating all their food. If you are wondering; Yes, she is stuck up there! The Cat Condo was not built to house 47lb dogs with long legs. I had to take the window panel off the end, get a step stool, and fork-lift Mushka up and out! This is the second time she has done this!!!!
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Post by Jeannine on Jul 20, 2010 1:54:32 GMT
oh no - I have a sick dove!!! I spent all evening with my Tangerine guy, he is loosing weight and not drinking...so i am syringe watering him. I got him to eat; scrambled eggs, soy milk, bird protein mix and some seeds on his own...he is down to 99.9 grams!!! 150-160 is normal adult size, but all the new birds seemed a bit under weight compared to mine (the new white dove is about 130). I'm really stressed and worried about my little buddy.
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Post by misspiggy on Jul 20, 2010 4:32:03 GMT
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Post by Jeannine on Jul 20, 2010 19:19:12 GMT
It's really been hard to sit here at work...I'm sneaking out in a few minutes and be driving like mad home.
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Post by Jeannine on Jul 21, 2010 19:50:14 GMT
My Tangerine dove is still not feeling good - he did not take his breakfast well this morning and was having some trouble with standing up... This is him in his birdy-burrito; he's a real sweetie, don't mind the juice on his face. I thought he was feeling better last night; eating and drinking a bit of food on his own - he seemed alert and responsive later in the evening; but my heart sank this morning. Video: On a happy note: Rosy's eggs should hatch in the next few days. She is paired up with Lucky...but I don't know if he is the father. Rosy laid the eggs within a few days of moving in with Lucky. They are both so good at sitting on the eggs. This will be Lucky's first clutch...
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Post by newpig on Jul 21, 2010 21:16:30 GMT
He did look like he was going to go for that food for a minute. I hope he picks up soon.
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Post by Jeannine on Jul 21, 2010 21:46:56 GMT
My sweetie Tangerine is gone... its times like these I wonder why I have pets at all. Loosing Cloe last month and now my Tangerine dove...my heart is broken.
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Post by misspiggy on Jul 22, 2010 0:54:52 GMT
I'm so sorry Tangerine didnt pull through Jeannine, I know you were tending to his every need these past few days. Remember the good times with your pets and how happy they make you ... thats the reason why we have pets. HUGS I just saw the video of Tangerine, he was a handsome birdie. Poor fella ... I'm sorry Jeannine
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Post by newpig on Jul 22, 2010 10:02:51 GMT
I'm so sorry Jeannine. RIP.
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