[zoemc]

Well a few weeks ago, Jase decided to chop down one of our paperbark trees (right through my clothesline mind you!!) Anyway I did some research and low an behold people are actually selling toys and branches made from paperbark trees so before Jase was preparing a fire I said STOP there are hundereds of dollars worth of toys there!! LOL. Well that aside... I thought it would be best to test a branch out on none other than Pluto!!

I found a nice looking one, ripped a little of the bark off here and there but also left some for him to chew on. Have dried it out and even put a heat gun to it to kill any possible pests hiding in there. I have hung it from the ceiling and added a bunch of toys and he is having a ball! I can't believe how fast he can get around it when I run from end to end asking for kisses. hehehe

Here's some pics of his cage and new branch.

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[LuvMyHarley1]

Gee Whiz Zoe---you have those kind of trees, oh how I wish I had some...you better be piling up those limbs and sell them girlfriend.... now if you weren't so blame far away, I'd surely come get me some limbs....

and don't forget to make Pluto some perches for the inside of his cage too....nice nice is the word....lucky you..

[sharna82]

wow he sure is one spoilt little baby but he deserves it i can already see that mine are both being way to spoilt but somehow i cant help it lol

great set up you have got going there for him zoe looks like an amusement park for birds in that cage

[zoemc]

Gee Whiz Zoe---you have those kind of trees, oh how I wish I had some...you better be piling up those limbs and sell them girlfriend.... now if you weren't so blame far away, I'd surely come get me some limbs....

and don't forget to make Pluto some perches for the inside of his cage too....nice nice is the word....lucky you..

I'll take a photo tomorrow of all the limbs so you can dream of jumping on a plane and collecting some. hehehehe

wow he sure is one spoilt little baby but he deserves it i can already see that mine are both being way to spoilt but somehow i cant help it lol

great set up you have got going there for him zoe looks like an amusement park for birds in that cage

Hehehe, thanks Sharna. It has been built up over the years. Over time we have learned what he likes and dislikes so a lot of trial and error. Now we know, we can spoil him a lot eaiser. He loves playing wiht those chains and they are so cheap from bunnings.

[Quincy's Slave]

That's awesome! I wish I could get some!

[mowbray08]

What do you mean by paperbark tree, are you talking about Birtch trees? If you don't know what I'm talking about heres a pic of a Birtch Tree.

If this is in fact what your talking about, I've got plenty of perches for ollie. We have around 200 of these trees around our house.

Also where can I buy some of those plastic chains?

[Sandi Kiwis Mom]

Wow that is pretty neat! Kiwi would fly off if I gave him something like that

[Jeepingchick]

What do you mean by paperbark tree, are you talking about Birtch trees? If you don't know what I'm talking about heres a pic of a Birtch Tree.

If this is in fact what your talking about, I've got plenty of perches for ollie. We have around 200 of these trees around our house.

Also where can I buy some of those plastic chains?

i got MoJos plastic chain at the dollar store in with the baby toys its just as thick and good as the ones from the pet shop

[gypsygal]

Cool! I have a few perches in the big guys cage made from paperbark! Keeps Sebastion entertained for quite awhile stripping the bark off.I spend quite a bit for the big perches I buy! I buy them completly covered with the paperbark and in a weeks time he strips it clean but then he starts working on the actual perch....

( I think I recieved my first one as a secret santa gift 2 yrs agao and have been buying them every couple of months since then )

[Esther C]

Nice play area. Your birdie is spoiled and loved.

[Majj]

Great play area there , Lucky Pluto..

[zoemc]

What do you mean by paperbark tree, are you talking about Birtch trees? If you don't know what I'm talking about heres a pic of a Birtch Tree.

If this is in fact what your talking about, I've got plenty of perches for ollie. We have around 200 of these trees around our house.

Also where can I buy some of those plastic chains?

No the botanical species for Australian Paperbark is 'Melaleuca'. They are a bit like a Gum tree. Image of Trunk

We bought our chains from the hardware store. Got a few metres for around $10 or so.

Cool! I have a few perches in the big guys cage made from paperbark! Keeps Sebastion entertained for quite awhile stripping the bark off.I spend quite a bit for the big perches I buy! I buy them completly covered with the paperbark and in a weeks time he strips it clean but then he starts working on the actual perch....

( I think I recieved my first one as a secret santa gift 2 yrs agao and have been buying them every couple of months since then )

I was talking to Jase and he said I might be able to have the branches irradiated allowing them to go through customs overseas. I am going to look into it further. Shipping could be ridiculously expensive though but I would think for perches they would only need to go into a tube so surely that would be cheaper.

[zoemc]

Ok I went to take some photos of my leftovers...


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Stumps


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Branches Drying out


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Paperbark Trees along our fence


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One tree closer up (sorry sun was directly behind)

[Brigitte]

Hi Zoe,

You've got a nice set up there. I might have to follow your lead and go hunting for some branches.
Where did you get that purple ball that's hanging in Plutos cage? The one he's sitting in? I've got a happy hut for Sparky, but he keeps chewing the insite till he's down to the plastic. It looks like that ball is made out of plastic, so that would be ideal for him.

Brigitte

[zoemc]

Hi Brigitte,

Where in Australia are you situated? I am in Brisbane.

The balls have been nick named the "Jollyball" and up until about a year ago us Aussies had trouble finidng them anywhere other than overseas. However I stumbled across a website that sells them in Brisbane. http://www.parrotrescuecentre.com/ However Sharna was saying she was having trouble ordering off their site so you may need to contact them direct. The balls are in one of the play toy sections I think.

[Brigitte]

Hi Zoe,

Thanks for your quick reply, I will go and try to locate one of those Jolly balls.
We're in Melbourne. But we lived in Brisbane for 6 years. Where abouts in Brisbane are you?
Just watched your educational video on the hop up. That's awesome. Pluto is so much like Sparky. If I'm trying to talk to anyone else when he's present, he'll start interfering. I'll have to try to film him while he does it. It's rather funny.
Does Pluto know any tricks?

Brigitte

[zoemc]

I was raised in melbourne and moved to Brisbane about 8 years ago. We are about 30ks north of the city. Where abouts in Melb are you from? I lived around Dandenong - Ferntree Gully way.

How old is Sparky?

Thanks for the feedback on the video. Pluto knows a few tricks like shake hands and what not, but I haven't really gone down that path too far. He is more my little chatterbox and singer.

[Brigitte]

I was raised in melbourne and moved to Brisbane about 8 years ago. We are about 30ks north of the city. Where abouts in Melb are you from? I lived around Dandenong - Ferntree Gully way.

How old is Sparky?

Thanks for the feedback on the video. Pluto knows a few tricks like shake hands and what not, but I haven't really gone down that path too far. He is more my little chatterbox and singer.

We're in Brunswick and loving it.

I'm not 100% sure on how old Sparky is as I bought him of a girl who wasn't really a bird person. Beats me how she ended up with a quaker parrot. She said he was about a year old. This was in July 2006, so I guess Sparky is around the same age as Pluto.
I think Quaker parrots are just the best pet. Big personality in a little package.
Do you ever go back to Melbourne? If you do you will have to let me know, so you can come for a visit to meet Sparky. I'm trying to organize a quaker play dat with other quaker parrot owners here in Melbourne, but there's not much response yet.

[zoemc]

That would be nice to meet with another Quaker owner! I come down on occasion to see family and friends, and I am usually running around like a whirlwind catching up with everyone. I should be coming down later this year for my 30th but haven't got it all planned as yet. We'll have to keep in touch. If you are ever in Brisbane you could also stop in for a coffee.

[sharna82]

That would be nice to meet with another Quaker owner! I come down on occasion to see family and friends, and I am usually running around like a whirlwind catching up with everyone. I should be coming down later this year for my 30th but haven't got it all planned as yet. We'll have to keep in touch. If you are ever in Brisbane you could also stop in for a coffee.

i wish we could cut down the paper bark tree at ours but we cant its on the footpath we will get in trouble i hate it - it smells like cat food and the bats sleep in it and they are keeping me awake - at least i know it has one good use