Buying a small LCD TV

[Deja Q]

Hear me out.

For the bedroom, I have thought about getting a 19" LCD TV so the birds can watch it during the day.

Many bird owners advocate doing this, but a 25" CRT eats energy for breakfast. Now a 25" LCD would use 1/3rd the energy of a 25" CRT, but a 19" or smaller would use even less than a 25" LCD. That means really affordable electric bills to keep the two happier. (radio does nothing for them but they like "Match Game"...)


I could watch it at night too, and it's not a big upfront cost ($269 on sale at best buy).

Sadly, my 24" LCD monitor will not work with the HDMI port from my DVD player, otherwise I'd have done that.

[evlbstrd]

1. Do it.

You're obviously a great dad to these birds. Plus, they used to be dinosaurs.

[Deja Q]

2. Well, despite bonding to me for 3 weeks, Piri had abandoned me completely.

She loves Piers and he has helped her be a more grounded bird. Within those first 5 minutes with Piers, she became territorial of the cage and him. I suspect they'll breed once they get used to me being around. Which is definitely fine; when I adopted Piers, I knew he was completely feral to humans, but the fact he and Piri "hit it off" so quickly was unusual. I feel content watching them be happy together, with their preening, eating, bathing, everythinging at the same time. Definitely a very strong bond.

When Piri was alone, before I got home, she would just sit on the perch, catatonic. Music did nothing and I had that going all the time, the tv did help a bit the few days I tried it (over the weekends), but she still wanted me 24/7. Piri is still a bit catatonic, far better than ever all things equated and that includes Piers, but the pair of them will sometimes just sit and gawk into open space as well. Anything to snap them out of it and become more curious of things can only do good. Especially as they're visual creatures, and much of their lives being stuck in a cage with no toys or companionship with anyone. They may not realize it, but I'm a stepfather by proxy, and their happiness means more, and parrotlets are not the type to sit and do nothing all day.

Also, just before I got Piers, Piri started engaging in neurotic behavior -- banging her beak everywhere and walking upside down in circles, in her cage. More extreme neuroses would soon follow (e.g. feather picking). Piers, again, has helped her immensely in that regard. (I can still hear Piri growl at times, but she doesn't bang her beak or walk in circles upside down anymore, and even plays with the bell toys.)

[evlbstrd]

3. I used to have a pair of cockatiels.

Watching them interact was fascinating. The female didn't seem to care for the male at all.
Do you ever let them out to explore your world?

[Deja Q]

4. I always let Piri out...

Piers being so freaked out by humans, if he left the cage, he'd crawl under a piece of furniture and build a nest. :(

With Piri's newfound aggressive stance, I can't let her out anymore. The last time I tried, she rushed to the cage as usual, stepped onto my hand, and bit hard. Before Piers, she would rush to the cage, step on my hand, and beg to be scratched behind her head - which I always obliged. Piers changed her life.

Having thought about the issue, I'm going to try a different tactic; approaching both birds with treats, of which they will have to grab them from my hand, and winning them over slowly via that route.