Molly and Blossom

[Diane, Clouds assignment]

I'm off to pick up Molly and Blossom to bring them home. We will be going directly to an avian vet to have tests and check-ups, first. I'm so excited. For weeks I've been telling Cloud that the girls are coming. Now everytime I say "Molly and Blossom", he gets all excited and screams and bobs his head. :bouncing::bouncing::bouncing:

[bonnie]

YAY!!! Good luck and let us know how they are! I'm SO excited for you!

[too&me]

Waiting for those got them home now photos. Safe journey Diane.

[Julie]

Drive safely, and can't wait for you to get the girls home!!!!

Cloud, you will be such a good big brother!

[birdie]

Can't wait for stories & :photo: :woohoo:

[Anne-Samantha's Mom]

how exciting...................yay

[FoxersArtist]

Oh Boy! Finally! I can't wait to see pictures. I am so excited for you and cloud, Diane. Hope it all goes well.
-Anna

[Diane, Clouds assignment]

Ok, the girls are home! The previous owner had been telling them all week that they were going 'bye, bye' and when we arrived this morning, we could hear Molly saying 'bye, bye' over and over. When I walked up to her cage, she said, "Hellllloooo" in a real sexy voice. Molly was eager to step up and and went into the Vari-kennel with no problem. Blossom had to be toweled to get her out of the cage. As we put them in the car, the previous owner got a little choked up . . . especially with Molly still saying "bye, bye" from inside the crate.

We went directly to their original vet from eight years ago. He examined both and trimmed their nails and beaks. He said they were both of excellent weight. He did a gram stain (both came back negative). He also did a Psittacosis test, Culture and Sensitivity test, and an IDEXX Avian Profile 1. It will be two to four weeks before we get the results back on these tests.

I asked about a heavy metal test and he recommended that I wait and observe the girls and look for any symptoms. If I see anything questionable, we can do them another time. He said each test for lead and zinc costs $120.00 times two birds is $480.00. Todays visit cost $730.00, so I agreed to wait and see if they show and symptoms. I liked the vet and he was very patient and answered all my questions and showed me how he was doing things.

When I the girls got home, they checked out their new home and after a few hours, Molly started talking and they both took their favorite treats . . . Blossom a walnut and Molly a Roudy bush pellet. Then they both started eating their Abba 1500 seed mix. The previous owner buys bulk food and sent me home with a 50lb bag of food for them. I also got a 30lb bag of Clouds Abba 1300 mix. Any suggestions on how to store it? Clouds food should last him a year.

Everytime I walk in the bird room, Molly says "BOO" and when I leave she says, "Bye, bye". Blossom hasn't said anything yet, but while we were at the vet's, she growled almost all the time.

Here is the link to their photo gallery. The first five pics are from when I first visited them. If you click on an image, you can click on different sizes under the picture, then click next in the upper right hand corner for the next picture.

http://www.pbase.com/dizpost/blossom_and_molly

Enjoy!

[bonnie]

Yay!!! They sound as beautiful in personality as they are in their pictures! Thank you for sharing your babies!

[Larry, Baby and Me]

So - you finally increased your flock... how wonderful. You are going to have a blast with all those aliens around you.

You asked... "The previous owner buys bulk food and sent me home with a 50lb bag of food for them. I also got a 30lb bag of Clouds Abba 1300 mix. Any suggestions on how to store it? Clouds food should last him a year. "

I bought a Food Saver. I love it. I at first had a Seal-A-Meal. It went broke and I bought another one - and that one went broke too. I took them both back to WalMart and got my money back. I then bought the Food Saver... a much better product. It even has a much wider sealing strip and does a much better job.

I buy the roll bags - a lot cheaper. I get the quart and gallon sizes. I put about 3-4 cups in each bag and seal them up. Seed and nut mix will last over a year if kept in a dark cool place. I keep my supply in the bottom of one of my kitchen cabinets. You will find you will also save a ton of money on human food that you freeze. No more wasted food with freezer burn.

Oh - I buy my seed/nut mix in bulk as well.

Lar

[Chrissy and Flock]

I keep mine in the freezer...

[Diane, Clouds assignment]

I do have a food saver, Larry, but with 80 pounds of food, I think I'm going to need some more rolls of bags . . . and more cabinets . . . and another freezer . . . or maybe more birds to help eat it. Molly eats veggies, maybe she can teach Cloud that they aren't poison.

When I cuddled with Cloud tonight, he looked so small. I did show him the girls today. They are in quarantine, so I took Cloud outside and we watched the girls through the window. He was very interested, but didn't make a peep.

Larry, when the birds are tested for heavy metals, is it true they have to be tested separately for lead and zinc? Are they the only metals they are tested for? What do you think about waiting to see if there are symptoms? The vet feels that if I suspected the old cages, and they aren't exposed to them any more, that even if they have levels of heavy metals, it will eventually work it's way out of their system. Does it all go away or are there residual traces left?

All in all, I was relieved to hear him say that they seemed to be in good shape.

Have I mentioned how much I love this site? I am reassured that when I need help with advice on the girls, there are plenty of experienced people and people that have always offered their support just a click away. You all are wonderful.

[bonnie]

. . . or maybe more birds to help eat it..


I would say exnae on the more birdsae... lol

[too&me]

We love you too Diane! Sounds like you will have your hands full and Cloud is in for more adventures.