Snowball dances to Ringo Starr

Although it sounds like a crazy woman laughing maniacally and ranting inchoherently in the background during the first half of this song, the laughing and shouting is coming from Mookie an 18 year old female Moluccan cockatoo who is a sanctuary bird at Bird Lovers Only Rescue Service, Inc. Mookie is a bird who is extraordinarily happy and active despite her physical disabilities which inhibit her from walking normally.

"Come On Christmas, Christmas Come On" is a song off of Ringo Starr's "The Christmas Collection" CD which was sent by Snowball's Auntie Mary for him to dance to. He loved this song the first time I placed it in his CD player to dance to. Snowball asked me to thank his Auntie Mary for this wonderful Chrtistmas gift!

Enjoy!

Snowball dances to "Another One Bites The Dust"

I want to thank Auntie Annette for sending me the Queen CD. I still love the Back Street Boys the best, but there sure are some good songs on here that I like dancing to! I hope you enjoy my dancing to "Another One Bites The Dust."
There will be a crew coming from a Japanese TV show to film me and I'm set to audition for "America's Got Talent" for a March episode. I hope you've all been watching me on Animal Planet's "2007: Year In Animals" which runs for four weeks on different days and times.
Love,
Snowball

Animal Planet & Snowball

"The Year In Animals"

Snowball and Bird Lovers Only Rescue Service, Inc. will be on Animal Planet's "The Year In Animals" beginning December 22nd and will run for 4 (four) consecutive weeks. It is scheduled to air on December 22nd at 8pm Central Time. Please check local listings for times in your area.

Also, we were told that Snowball is listed in TIME Magazine as one of the top ten web videos of the year 2007. If you have this issue, please write to us at birdloversonly@sbcglobal.net to let us know which issue he is in.

Nutritional Diseases of Adult Birds

Skin/Integument/Epithelial Tissues
1. Itchy, dry skin: Linoleic acid deficiency, poor amino acid profile, food allergies.
2. Squamous metaplasia of the epithelial lining of the upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal, urogenital tracts, uropygial gland: hypovitaminosis A.
a. Blunting or lack of choanal papillae. Hyperkeratosis of the epithelial surfaces can also occur. It is common on the metatarsal and digital pads of the feet, which can predispose a bird to developing pododermatitis.
b. Clinical signs can also include nasal discharge, swelling around eyes, swollen sinuses, polyuria, polydypsia, dyspnea, or anorexia.
c. Masses (keratin cysts) may be present in oral cavity, white pustules or masses can occur in the oral cavity, crop, or nasal passages. Secondary bacterial infections commonly occur.
d. Treatment for vitamin A deficiency includes parenteral vitamin A weekly, then oral supplementation once improved, usually 2 to 3 weeks. Treatment with antibiotics for secondary infections may be required.
3. Other nutritionally based skin disorders include biotin, niacin, pantothenic acid deficiency, and mycotoxin ingestion.

Reference: "Manual of Avian Medicine" by Glenn H. Olsen and Susan E. Orosz

David Letterman Show

We have had many requests for us to place the segment of the David Letterman Show that featured Snowball on our site. Someone emailed the site to me that is presently on You Tube. For those of you who had missed the show, please click on this link to view it. We are the third guest on the segment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwmSNFVhKXI

Seed to Pellet Diet Conversion

I am finding it necessary to share a very successful method of converting your bird from a seed diet to pellets. Months ago Dr. Karen Becker suggested we use "Harrison's High Potency Mash" which is a powdered form of the pellets that they sell. When we receive a new rescue bird that has been on a 100% seed diet, we begin converting by sprinkling a generous layer of the Harrison's High Potency Mash over the seeds. The next day we introduce some pellets into the seed mix (about 80% seed to 20% pellet) and continue to sprinkle the Harrison's Mash over this. We continue adjusting the ratio of seed to pellet (75% seed to 25% pellet; 50% seed to 50% pellet; 40% seed to 60% pellet; 25% seed to 75% pellet; 10% seed to 90% pellet) until you get to 100% pellet. Each day you continue to sprinkle the Harrison's mash over the mixtures. Even after you have converted over to 100% pellet, continue sprinkling the mash over the pellets for a few days. Each day sprinkle a lighter layer over the pellets so that by the end of the week on 100% pellets, you won't need be sprinkling anymore of the high potency mash over it. We had tried several methods in the past of converting from seed to pellet. Those methods ranged from taking months to convert to no success at all. Although we have only been using the Harrison's High Potency Mash method for only four months, we have been able to convert with a 100% success rate within about a week or two at most.

Your Votes Needed

Please go to the following links to place your votes for the:

"Snowball" video http://flix55.com/watch/9uXt3gak98A

"Rescue Me" video http://flix55.com/watch/c7qiGdBb5ot.

We have the opportunity to be paid for our videos if one or both are chosen to be on TV. Everything we receive goes toward our habitat building fund. Thank you!