Hamster Girl

What color is the first photo? Reminds me some of an Opal Splash - but I only saw the bird once so I can't be too positive.

I.. like most all of them. Go figure. But, If I had to choose, I'd say like.. blue almond specifically... Or lavender.

Oh how pretty, they are goregeous! Look healthy too! Well done John.

And, for some of the wing, taken from both sides of the bird in it's makeshift shoe-box nest.. This is why I think it's an injury versus salmonella - though the wart-thing on it's neck has me a bit nervous. In both photo's, it's the same wing - both seem to show the bird carrying it lower than it does the right wing.

These are of the lump, full-view for best effect - my camera is not the greatest at five years old. =/

Based on the map shown on that link (thank you, by the way) there has been no outbreak where I am from 1983 to 1997 - and granted that was ten years ago - give or take a few days - but found that in February/March of '07, Peter Pan and Great Value Peanut Butters, beginning with the serial code of 2111 contained, or atleast seemed to make people ill with, foodborne salmonellosis. Deelishus. Will be photographing soon.

Righto, thanks gang! I went out to see it this morning, and actually let it out of the cage/pen I have it in and it tottered about a few steps, then ran all over my back yard - which must have made for an interesting sight for my dad through the living room window.. As I am wearing bright pink plaid pajama pants and fuzzy slippers while trying to catch the bird, running around the whole back yard, one end to the other, and hoping it doesn't fall in the pool. {No way was I jumping in after it, water's down to like 50 degrees F, and I have been sick the past few days. It would have to hope it would float long enough for me to dig up the net.} Anyhow, photo's will be taken soon, and posted either now, or when I get home from work - I know with Avian Botulism, they lose the ability to unclench their feet, and don't recognize the need to blink their eyes when something is getting too close.. So are there any calling cards of said salmonella?

But that's the thing, were it salmonella, are there other things I can look for? And, could a possibility be that it can't open it's wing entirely because it was hanging out in a dogs mouth for a period of time? It's only the one wing, as when I held it this morning, it flapped on of them fine trying to get away from me, and it struggled to extend the other, got it about halfway before it gave up.

No, it isn't the ear/drum... Going diagonal, right ear drum down towards the crop, perhaps a half inch away. Thanks though for the suggestion, Bruno.

Possibly, though, if it were damaged, would the ruptured (I assume) drum protrude through the hole? I'll be right back, I'm going to run out back and check.

Hey all - In my neighborhood, we are prone to injured birds via cars or summer heat waves. Upon finding them, my neighbors kind o fcorral them until I can be found an dthen tell me about it. Being the bleeding heart I am, I am bound by unwritten rules of empathy to atleast go look at the birds. Yesterday, my neighbor's dog Abby got ahold of a pigeon, and they were all freaked that it might have been one of mine. Luckily it wasn't but true to nature, they passed the bird off to me. Now, it seems fine, albeit, a few less feathers than it had before. S/he survived the night, ate some of the seed I have for my birds right out of my hand, and drank deeply of the water I provided. I grabbed it this morning since it seemed more frisky - and I noticed that it could easily flap the right wing, and could only extend, to an extent, the left. This is not a big concern, I figure it was damaged yesterday atleast a little when Abby was mouthing on it. My concern falls on it's neck/upper throat area, about an inch below the eye, maybe less than an inch.. There is a bulbous, wart like protrusion - much too large and it sticks out way to much to be a simple lump. Now, it could well may be a wart, but is there anything else, in your collective knowledge of what it could be? Thank you in advance, HG If I can get photo's of it later on, after I get home from work, I'll do so and attach them.

Even then, if for some reason the programs you've been offered do not work, any photo editing software, i.e. Corel, Jasc, Adobe, Paint, all can be used to crop the image size. For those who have paint, ctrl w opens the resizer, then usually 35 x 35 is a good, easily seen but not too-large photo.

If they were white, posibly Thai Laughers, also called Knock kwock's. I actually wanted a pair before Id found that non one I knew of, or found, knew what they were.. So there went my chance at having chatty birds. Lemme link you in.. http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Pigeons/Voice/BRKLaugh.html

Thank you Bruno. I guess my main worry should really be whether or not they will go to my home, or the man whom they lived with for six/seven months home. ^^ Unfortunately, today being a fluke, we don't have many weather conditions aside from sunny, hot, or windy. Ones that would concern me are sandstorms - ergo no flights. For the first release, would you think four-five miles is an appropriae distance?

Ah, I should have been a little clearer in what I was meaning.. Sorry if I brought any disagreements or rolling eyes! The birds I have bought are around 6-7 months old, and I bought them from a man who is in a neighborhood about an hour/half hour from my town. I.e. I live in Yuma, he lives in Somerton. I don't intend to race my birds, just for releases at weddings/funuerals.. etc. @ Bruno and REDCHEQHEN - It rarely rains in Yuma.. Today it was cloudy and we had what is called "spit". That's the first rain in almost two months. Real rain won't ever come here.. it is usually is rained out just beyond the mountains that enclose this portion of the county. @ shadow - both are Homing Pigeons, which I intend to bred out and get a small flock of about ten-fifteen ybs. Thank you all, mickb, Greig, Roland etc.

Do any of you have specific techniques that you use to teach your birds how to home? I have a general idea of how to go about it - but I was wondering what you guys do that is different from one another, or even what is commonly done and well known to be good. Just a curiosity that if satisfied may well help me with the small release business I'm thinking of. Anyhow, thanks in advance!

I was looking at the photos here.. and am now confused. Though the man told me they were homing pigeons, my pair of whites look like the Logans here in the second photo. The same cere (wattle?) tone, chalky-white, and the tiny feathering a little up the bottom of the beak.. Although not quite as far as is seen in photo two.. I'll try and get some clear photo's of them on Thursday, maybe even tomorrow..

The only thing I would say would be to get as much debris out of the wound (if there is any) and let it alone. It will scab on it's own - and should heal well enough as long as the muscle isn't too terribly damaged. If you intend to keep it outside with the rest of the kit, check it, him?, daily and look to see if he's cracked the scab.. You can keep them (scabs) moist with vaseline - but I don't know if that is safe for the birds.. (I used the vaseline trick on my knee when I tore it up after taking a spill on my rollerblades.. Made it much easier to use the leg, I could actually bend it instead of "pretending" the limb was fused into a whole.) If you keep him inside, keep him calmed and such, stress will only make it harder to heal up the wound - and will lower his immune system, which is bad if he gets infected. Sorry I couldn't help more, most of this is taken from what I learned when an animal got injured at the farm, or what I have gleaned from the Animal Science prof. here at the college - who doubles as a local vet.

=/ Ick. No, I agree.. No one wants to chase pretty birds at a wedding, it takes the focus of the day and shifts it. Homers I shall remain! As time goes by, likely I will be expanding my flock - is there any other type of bird one would suggest? Specifically I'm looking for white-types, but I would like ones that easily learn the way home and such - without a terribly large hassle. So I guess that question is, is there any one specific bred of bird that learns homing moreso than another? I've seen a lot of posts about Logans - but that doesn't mean anything to me, as I would say I am little more than a newbie at the differentiation of breeds and such. Specifically, I know about WoE's - enough to win some plaques..placks?.. at fair - as well as a belt buckle. (hooray!)

Thank you all for the help and images! I've just been thinking of future investments for showing at Fair or even introducing as dove releases.. I know the standard has been for regular "homer" whites, but I was thinking fantails would be a jolly change. Gratzi and adieu.

What exactly is the difference between a fantail and a Garden Fantail. the fellow I tried to buy from told me that he had fantails - but they were either Indian Fantails, or were blue coloured fantails. Not that I'm against Indians, I just don't like the crest - and there atleast 10-15 at our county fair - and so was hoping for something a little different. And, while I'm at it, does anyone have Magpies? If so, can you link up photo's, so I can compare what you have to what I saw at his place? Please and thank you!

Is there any chance of this spreading over the big puddle? Likely this is an unfounded worry - but I don't feel like dealing with any issues come pre-fair for my birds. .-. All it needs I would suppose, woul dbe one migratory bird to reach th eUS, and form there it could easily spread like wildfire.. And my other question is, is it true the family/genus Corvidae {Crows, ravens, jays} are more susceptible to said Bird Flu, or was my friend just trying to impress me with his "knowledge"?

Mmmh... Duroc?

Another idea I like.. I'll see if the local hardware/pet store/ tack-feed-supply store has them.. I used to have some of another kind that I made out of crushed peppers and other spicy tasting things, but I left it behind in the move with a friend, to deter her calves from licking rusted pipes when they wanted milk. Although... Now that I think of it, I have two cats at my house.

Roffle. I didn't want to kill the cat, because, despite what she does to scare my birds I do like her.. She's quite pretty, white with tabby splotches and a brown patch. @Roland: Our German Shepherd plays chase with our Calico, jinkies she's a mean cat. She's ripped at him, and he's barked/bit at her and they taunt each other all day. So, as far as the neighbors cat hurting him, I think Murphy has "trained" enough to know the tricks over five years - though I will be on the look out for that now that you've brought my attention to it. If anything else occurs, I will bring it up to my neighbors and ask them about trying to do something. @Bruno: Ah, I misunderstood how you meant. I will look into the fencing idea and run it by my dad the handy man. He helped me think of how to repair and improve the secondhand cages when we first got them. @Wings: Carpet Gripper... The tacky stuff used to "tape" carpets down? I think they have something similar at my local petstore.. The only problem that would pose is drying out. It's still in the low-nineties, high eighties during the day here. Maybe Flytape.. That seems to last a while - and will cut down on the bees that are after the pollen in the trees maybe...