Or is it because she's just moulting?"

Gari visited my classroom yesterday. She does this on occasion both to give my wife some relief during the day and to give me the opportunity to work with her in a large (2000 sq ft) space and to talk to young people about the trials and tribulations of pet ownership.

So yesterday Gari went to work with me. Before class started I gave my speech about how it was OK to hold her if she would let you but not OK to force the...

I've never been able to understand how keeping a bird in 'darkness' helps with unwanted sexual behaviour.

I've had a budgie, cockatiel, parrotlet and now a green cheek to enliven my life. I've never covered any of them when they "go to sleep" and I only noticed unwanted sexual behaviours in the budgie.

My budgie (or budgerigar if you prefer) was the first parrot I'd ever dealt with and, with my then "lack of knowledge," I went with the pet store...

It is the time of year where I let Gari's flights grow out.

The beautiful cobalt blue primary flights are peaking through her wings. And she's re-learning that she can climb and turn. What a wonderful time she's having! So far only one of the primaries on each wing has grown out - but the change in her flight ability is amazing. As a few more feathers moult out I am expecting here flight skillz to become even more amazing. Last year we were building 3D obstacle courses for her...

Rocky, our friend's cockatiel, has come to visit for a few days.

Gari usually stays over at Rocky's place since the family seems to have taken a liking to her. They seem to have fallen for the Green Cheek character. Well... So have I, so I can understand it...

This is the first time that Rocky has had an extended stay at our place. A day or two is the most he's been here before. This time he is going to be with us for about a week.

And this is Gari's...

This weekend Sunday was pizza day. And man does Gari like this day. She helps make the dough (we make it from scratch) and she helps check the pizza sauce (made from scratch as well - with garden fresh tomatos) and she helps check the freshness of all the toppings.

Our pizzas are pretty much vegetarian in nature (with the cheese used for the topping as the only animal fat). So toppings include garden fresh peppers, Brocolli (we don't grow it - so it comes from the store), home...