Hello from Southern New Mexico

[Auntie Ron]

Hi,

Just a quick and friendly introduction. My name is Ron and i recently acquired 7 lovebirds all at once. A chance encounter with someone in town who told me she could no longer afford to feed them.

My previous Peachface named Andy lived with me for 11 years. I became his 3rd owner when i met him sitting in a dark closet because of his noise and obvious lack of people skills. There was no telling how old he really was, not much was known other than the 2nd owner had him for 3 years. He was a joy and a companion of mine whom i will never forget.

So now 7 of those wonderous peach faces staring back at me. There are 2 bonded pairs and 3 "peas in a pod" as i call them since they seem to have formed a little gang. The first few days was alarm calling and nervousness but now they have all grown to look forward to my comings and goings (especially treat time.) They have been here a little over 2 months now. Since they are all in the same cage and obviously fighting for their specific perch spaces i added 4 nest boxes and the two pairs have taken to either side of the cage. The 3 peas seem content on running the entire rest of the cage.

So in the interim i decided to build them an aviary. Since we are the high desert with a very mild winter at most. I decided that these guys would be most happiest with a much bigger space. They obviously have been living together for many years and i love how they have learned to co-exist with one another. I will be adding a heat unit as well for those very cold nights and lows that come around January. Our winters are typically from Dec thru March with rare nights of below freezing.

here is a picture of their new home, it is complete but the final task is situating new nest boxes, perches-branches, and all the fun toys and such i can build for them.
http://tinypic.com/e848bn.jpg
the upper window units are plexiglass
http://tinypic.com/e83mki.jpg
here is one of their little faces <smile>
http://tinypic.com/dvo8yc.jpg

I look forward to getting to know everyone as i begin to read through posts, and hope to be around for a long time to come as my newest kids adjust to their new surroundings.

Biggest Huggs, ...Ron

[Mummieeva]

Welcome from sunny Georgia. I love you outside aviary. Very beautiful. I am Steph and I am owned by 2 lovebirds Baggy and Whisper. I am glad you joined our happy little flock.


Steph

[bellarains]

Ron,

First, welcome to the board, and second, I don't suppose you want to hop a flight to TN and build me one of those gorgeous aviaries do ya????? Just kidding, but that is absolutely stunning. Those sure are some lucky fids to have found you :)

I look forward to hearing all about your aquired fortune, and getting to know you also.

[Janie]

Ron, WOW!!!!!! What a fabulous home your SEVEN lovies have! Oh, I forgot to say "welcome" cause I was so knocked out over their new digs. If you get to Lori's place in TN, I'm just a couple hundred miles away so put me on the list for your next stop in GA! :D

Your story about Andy touched my heart. My story is "Oliver" whom we adopted 2 years ago, he is around 10 years old and the sweetest little boy. Also a normal peachie and, IMHO, nothing is prettier! :D I've recently added two more, beautiful boys who are DNA'd males and clutch mates.

Welcome aboard and feel free to drop by my house any time....with your building tools! :D

P.S.....did I just see those chairs at Home Depot???? I'm having a bird room built, started today, :D, and I though I might add a couple of chairs and I swear that those look just like the ones I liked. :)

[LauraO]

Welcome to the board Ron. I live on Oahu and have 19 lovies and 2 Meyer's parrots. They have their own room but it's not as fancy as your lovies' new digs. Your aviary is beautiful:D.

[Rubygem]

Welcome to the community Ron,

I know you will just love it here, as there is a lot of great information to gather from everyone. You might even stop and check the "your attention Please" section. I'm use to others mentioning this section :D before I can, but I guess everyone loves your aviary...including me ;)...but I think my birds would just love it....You can by pass going to Lori's and Janies, and come stright over to my place ;).....I have more birdies that would enjoy it...
<joking>

Again welcome and I look forward to hearing and learning more about you and your birds.

Rubygem

[Angelwing]

Hey Ron, welcome to the forums. Your aviary is beautiful. Those seven little birdies are VERY lucky. I'm Lisa, and live in Manitoba. I own two lovebirds, two budgies, two puppy dogs and sixteen + walking sticks. :cool: I look forward to seeing you more around the boards.

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Hi Ron, and welcome!

My gosh - 7 at once!! I have just two, but that is more than enough to keep my hands full.

[Auntie Ron]

Thank you all for such a wonderful and warm Hello,

I have to admit i am experiencing the "empty nest" syndrome already LOL. I will be working on the next boxes this weekend and will try and shoot for Sunday as being the "Big Day", but it is really a tough choice. I also noticed everyone wants to start their moult about now and am trying to convince myself that it might be best to wait this out so as not to stress them too much.

I will let you all know how that goes LOL ... Darn i should have made it big enough to move a cot in there for myself :D

Oh i would love to drive across country building aviaries for everyone, come on lotto !!! Who needs a job anyways!

Biggest Huggs, ..Ron

ps. pics of the rest of my yarden are located on a link in my profile.

[bellarains]

Wow Ron,

That is absolutely breathtaking. Did you build all of that? My hubby is gonna be so envious. He just got into woodworking in the last couple of years, you might just have to send me some building plans so I can give him some ideas :D

Also, he has been wanting to come to New Mexico for a long time, and we might make it one of these days. He really wants to see the Alamo, and also check out some of the peppers grown there. We make our own pepper seasoning from our garden, but he has done alot of reading on peppers from NM, and wants to check them out.

Great pics!!!!

[Auntie Ron]

Hi Lori,

You might check out thru the web on the "Hatch Chili Festival", you might be able to coincide your trip to NM during one of those events. Southern NM chiles (http://www.southernnewmexico.com/Articles/Southwest/Dona_Ana/Hatch/CelebratechilesattheHatch.html) It is only less than an hours drive from me, and if you are coming out this way I would be delighted to have a visit.

Yes i built everything in my yarden, never anything with plans though. I normally look for that missing space and imagine to myself what should be there and once i visualize it then i build it. I don't even have many tools, just the basic stuff. One day i would love to have a bandsaw and a table saw, maybe even possibly a router LOL.

OK, have a great day, ...Ron

[mjm8321]

Welcome Ron,

Forget the birds...I want to live in that garden! ;)

How wonderful that you took these 7 little ones in and they certainly look like they are enjoying their spacious condo in the garden. I too, am a big sucker for a bird in need (maybe that explains why I have 40!! LOL)
See you around the board!

[bellarains]

Ron,

That is awesome. I know my hubby would love the chili festival. We go every year here to the Jack Daniels BBQ cookoff, and you'd think he'd died and gone to heaven :lol

Yep, he's got 4 different saws, don't know much about them, but I know he has a table saw, and he just got a router about 2 months ago, and he just got something called a joiner????? Anyway, we are tool poor. Of course, he buys tools, and I buy bird stuff, so I guess we are tool AND bird poor :happy:

[Paulette]

Hi Ron.....Welcome from Missouri....I'm a little late....I've had my nose in genetics trying to understand the mutations and my hubby was sick all week. Love, Love, Love your yarden and your new outdoor aviary....absolutely beautiful....you did an outstanding job. I love working with wood almost as much as I love playing in the dirt and painting on walls and furniture, but my wood items are not square because I don't know how to do that!....I built a huge cabinet to store my comforters and blankets in....I constructed it in the garage....and as all of the guys know, I'm sure....garage floors are not level so water can drain from them, well....I did not know this and it doesn't really matter because my cabinet isn't square anywhere else either!...I did a lot of measuring and cutting as my method to build....I painted some ficus trees in large flower pots on the front and it looks great and serves the purpose for which it was built and I love it...Sorry got lost a bit on wood projects....on to my flock, I have six lovebirds, 6 cockatiels, 4 zebra finches, 6 budgies & one budgie baby, one 20 yr old kid, one 16 yr old kid, one hubby, a dog, a cat and a beta fish......AND I DO NOT NEED ANOTHER PARROT!!!....but there are eggs so I won't have to buy the next ones :D Look forward to seeing more of your yarden projects and visiting with you on the board....this is a very fun and informative group as you found out in the Sat. night chat...and I loved the way you said you visualize it first, then build it.....that's the way it is when I paint.....I have to see it first. TTYL

PS: Here's the huge cabinet!
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2118720586&idx=4

[Keltoth]

WOW - excellent skills, Ron! I'll be the first to admit that I am flat-out envious of both your building skills and ability to plan and carry a project through from conception to completion. Add that to your love of lovies, and your birds are some of the luckiest critters around. I've always dreamed of getting an outdoor aviary for my birds, but I'm sure the harsh northern Utah winters wouldn't allow it. I guess I'll just have to experience it vicariously through your flock.

Thanks for the pics, and welcome to the forums! I'm sure you're going to be very popular here. :)

- Eric

[zlatushka]

thought I'd add my welcome and my WOWIE! for that beautiful aviary. When you do win the lotto, feel free to stop by our place in Oregon and craft one like it for us :lol

rachel

[butterfly1061]

Hi Ron,

I'm a little late too. I've been moving to a new house and haven't had a chance to catch-up. Then I finally got my DSL hooked up and ... :lol

Anyway, Welcome from Atlanta, GA! While you're at Lori's, Janie's & Rubygem's, you can come on over to my place too. WOW! I want to live in your garden like MJ :D Just beautiful. Gorgeous roses and everything in between. I love flowers and beautiful gardens are my dream. Those sweet peachies are going to enjoy having a real home for once. Kudos to you for giving them that opportunity. What are you going to school for? Yep, like Eric said, you're going to be really popular around here if you keep up the pics and stuff :lol

Oh, forgot to mention (got hung up in the garden ;) ) I have 3 lovies, who are the loves of my life. Molly (a male - oops) is a 1 yr old Lutino, Daisy (a real hen) is an 8 1/2 month old Creamino & Piper (don't know DNA) is my Pied baby at about 5-6 months old. They even got their own room & bathroom :p when I moved. Again, welcome and hope to see ya around the board!

[Marla]

That is just a beautiful cage...Did you buy the plans somewhere and is the roof one piece?....Thanks for sharing your pic...>o

[birdloverx6]

Welcome Ron,

your birdies new home is absolutely gorgeous! I have 6 lovebirds of various mutations.

[Mummieeva]

This poster has not been to the board in a long time. You might want to try sending a private message them instead.




Steph