Portly P'let

[Pado]

In a recent post Memmey commented -ever so gingerly :p - that Mr. Peepers looked a bit on the portly side :)

I just got around to weighting the Peepers last night and to my amazement Mr. Rupert Peepers weighed in at an astounding 39 grams :eek: - when he'd move on the scale it would go from 39 to 40g. :eek:

Penny on the other hand was at 29 grams - which is probably normal for her as she is a very petite female.

So I've started going through the seed mix and removing any Sunflower seeds - I will cut out his treats and not offer Millet as often. Millet he used to ignore but lately has taken a liking to. I'm a bit conflicted on the Birdie Bread as I offer this daily - anyone know if this is overly fattening?-

Last night I started an exercise routine that hopefully I will stick to - the length from their cage to the front door is 55 feet - so I took them to the front door and started making them fly back to their cage - I started at 5 flights. They got smart and started to land on a picture frame half way down the hall. So I started to just do Rupert and he flew the whole way back in order to meet Penny on the cage (but he'll probably out smart me on that - he doesn't refuse step-up's but with this routine I can see him breaking that track record). :D

[drab91]

Mavric LOVES his black sunflower seeds. so I buy a high quality budgie mix that doesn't have them in.. and I mix mostly that, with some pellets then just a tiny bit of Cockatiel mix so there are not too many seeds and easier then picking them out.
Boy oh boy I am getting my scale today or tomorrow and I am really curious how Much the little guy weighs ha ha..
Keep up with the flying laps!

[Mustang99]

wow...39 grams...that's a solid bird :) . Good luck with the laps. My boys are always saying that Kiwi is a big bird but she's only 29 grams! I keep telling them that they are a stocky parrot and that's their build; however, it's good to limit the sunflowers...although I thought that millet was very low if not fat-free?

Birdie bread I would still offer but pack it with chopped veggies and some baby food and maybe offer every other day. I had to chuckle when you said they would land on a picture frame halfway...too funny!

[Pado]

drab91 - be sure to post how much Mavric weighs in at :) - Rupert was 32g for the longest time - last time I weighed him at a year old he was 32g - I'm shocked he got that heavy - He looks the same to me so I'm thankful Memmey said something or the poor guy would be 50 grams by the time I'd notice his little belly under those feathers :p - I'm telling myself he's just putting on his winter flab.

Mustang - I'm going to start saying that now too - Rupert's just Stocky and I'm stickin' to it :D - As for the Millet, I've read it contains a lot of starch *carbohydrates* and should be fed sparingly.

[Cydney]

For some reason I got the mental image of a cute little round man with a bowler hat when I read the title. :P Mr. Rupert has a good 15 grams on my dinky little Finn.

[ArtS]

Pado,

Rupert is a LOAD :D :D :D . Rupert Peepers has joined the ranks of the overweight Americans.

Does he get winded after a couple hallway flights or does he handle it well? If he's fine, I wouldn't worry too much, 39g is at the high end of the range but it is within the realm of reality.

Regards,

Art S.

[Pado]

39g is at the high end of the range but it is within the realm of reality.


Ya think? - I'm relieved to hear it isn't too bad. :cool: I felt like an abusive bird owner when I saw the scale. I kept resetting and putting him back on thinking it was the scale. Here I have a overweight cat and now an overweight bird :o - Thank God my dog is within normal range. :)

He didn't get winded at all - I did five laps because he didn't seem to notice but I didn't' want to push it. My niece is getting married this weekend so they will be cage bound all weekend - we have a friend coming to stay with the animals but I told her not to take the birds out.

[memmey]

Nooooo I didn't tell you that to put him on a diet! I just thought he was so cute. I was teasing you. RPeepers looks fine. He is a well adjusted happy little guy with a gorgeous girl. Life is good. PLEASE don't start messing with pefection. PROMISE! I was just picking at you like always.
Now look what I have gone and done....Leave him alone PLEASE

[Pado]

Awe don't worry Memmey - I think he is a bit Portly at 39 grams (maybe 40g I picked the lesser of the two). He's not really being put on a diet just some of the "junk" food will be limited and watched more closely ( its for the best ) and I think the flying laps will do both of them good.

I knew you were just teasing ;) - but it got my goat up to weigh them and I'm really glad I did - my cat is pretty overweight and it limits him, his vet keeps saying to exercise him as his food intake is good and my response is always how do you exercise a 14 year old VERY lazy cat?

I don't want that to happen to Mr. P :eek: - don't worry he won't be deprived - he just won't be overindulged as I've been doing.

[memmey]

I have a dog that I have to carry back inside cause she is too big to get up the back steps. What the heck, I may need help getting up the back steps. Carbohydrates....*L* yummmmm

[Sally]

I weigh my little dog and Chipper. Trudy has a baby scale and Chipper has a good bird scale. I keep Trudy at 13 pounds so her back, joints and heart will stay strong.

Chipper is always 32 grams. I think you can just keep weighing and write it down. I keep a notebook of their weights. I keep recipes for the pets there too. Also, instructions in case I get very ill.

I would just keep watch over the amount of seed and see. Also, does he fly? Flying is the best exercise! Keep track and try not to let him get bigger. i would not panic and change a lot right away. Maybe birds are diff. like people.

Also, what scale do you have, is it accurate? Kit. scales are not like bird scales.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Sally11/scale300.jpg

[ArtS]

Pado,

Get a leash for the cat and take him for a walk! :D

By the way, the main cause of weight gain in all males is marriage or castration (neutering) :D :D :D .

regards,

Art S.

[memmey]

Now what just a minute!!!!
Hey nowhere in my marriage liscense did I see any paragraph that said I was gonna be the one who cleaned the toliets. Maybe it was written in invisable ink.

[ArtS]

Memmey,

I'm not discussing cleaning habits, I'm discussing waist line expansion :) . Believe it or not, my cleaning habits have improved under my lovely wife's guidance ;) .

Regards,

Art S.

[catfish]

I'm confused? Toilet cleanings?????

[Pado]

marriage or castration


Isn't that an oxymoron ? - cause isn't that the same thing ?

:eek: :eek: WHO SAID THAT?? :p :D :eek:

[ArtS]

Pado,

That was my point but I was trying to be slightly subtle;) .

Regards,

Art S.

PS. Note my 'improved cleaning habits' mcomment above :rolleyes: .

PS. I can't wait until my wife reads this :eek: .

[Mustang99]

Nice guys....I needed a chuckle tonight and this thread is doing it!

[memmey]

As Jethro Bodine would say "Let me decipher this" I was thinking marriage =Fat=wife's cooking=THE wife cooking= why is the wife always having to cook=why is it always the wifes job=why doesn't the husband help=you better help me= if you don't help I will castrate you =why do I always have to do the toliets.
Silly men, they never understand what we mean.


P the only word i remember from your post is ummm...moron.:p

[Mustang99]

memmey is on fire tonight guys :p this is better than tv!

[catfish]

my head hurts. :confused:

[ArtS]

Your head may hurt but your girl is mooning us ;)

[catfish]

LOL that she is!

[marjet]

memmey is on fire tonight guys :p this is better than tv!

Memmey is always on fire... ;)

[memmey]

I'm just playing.

[Mustang99]

I'm just playing.

We know :) Just love the sense of humor...keep it coming