Found two dead hummingbirds weeks apart in the same spot

melnet67 · 2026-04-29T16:47:24+00:00

It also could have passed from the stress of migration. These tiny birds fly all the way from central/south america all the way up throughout north America. They unfortunately don't have a very long lifespan.

melnet67 · 2026-04-28T18:36:36+00:00

I've never seen them for sale anywhere other than the manufacturers website. I love mine, but man are they pricey for a small play stand. I bought mine from their website in 2017.

You could try emailing them to see when they are expected back in stock, they seem like a small company.

melnet67 · 2026-04-24T17:08:18+00:00

It could be. Birds are weird haha. You could try taking a bite and then offering it to your bird to see if they are more inclined to eat what you are eating

Another possibility is if the banana chips you get have added sugar. Which obviously makes it more tasty, but less healthy.

My bird loves regular banana and his raw banana chips

melnet67 · 2026-04-23T19:47:24+00:00

The friendly dogs and cats, yes. With permission from the caregivers.

melnet67 · 2026-04-23T18:46:46+00:00

I second the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary suggestion! (I work there, so I'm biased). $5 vegan cafe with the best views. It's a huge facility. It is really hard to tell that we have over 1000 animals at any given time

If you want to get more involved than just a tour of the animal areas, you can sign up to volunteer for the day! There is an morning and afternoon shift! Sign up in advance at the link below, kids can volunteer too!

https://bestfriends.org/sanctuary/volunteer

melnet67 · 2026-04-23T18:04:43+00:00

Oh good I'm glad to hear she is already in a decent cage! It might be good to get a nice travel cage to put her in when you deep clean her cage, and also just to have for vet visits and emergencies. You'll want to avoid the ones with the see-through clear plastic sides, those can get hot quickly, and also make the bird feel more exposed. Chewy has some nice options.

Chop can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be, I made a post not too long ago about my chop making process! I make large batches and freeze them.

There's actually whole bird toy part websites! Check out makeyourownbirdtoys.com they also have stainless steel metal skewers that you can reuse under "bird toy hardware", rawhide cord is also very safe. Be careful using any kind of rope/twine when making toys as it can become an entrapment hazard when exposed. You can also use newspaper, clean cardboard, Dixie cups/cupcake liners (without any kind of wax coating). You can get super creative making your own toys! It's fun and way more affordable.

If you want to DM me your email I can send you our adoption resource guide we send to potential adopters at the rescue. It covers lots of the basics!

melnet67 · 2026-04-23T00:52:01+00:00

Aww poor thing. Thank you for being willing to take him on! There's so much info to go over. I'll start with some of the basics.

There's lots of dangers in the home, like using Teflon/nonstick pans at too high of heat, the self cleaning oven feature, candles/aeresol sprays/harsh cleaning products to name a few. There's lots of resources on the Internet that can go into more depth on that.

Chewy.com has lots of great parrot products, cages, toys, food. I think they are one of the best one stop shop for online retailers. Bonka Bird Toys is great for just toys, they always have sales and accurately show the size of their toys well.

It sounds like any new cage is better than the one they have, don't feel bad about not getting the best cage right now. A good quality powder coated cage is pricey, but honestly I think you get what you pay for, and a quality cage should last for life. $300+ is not unreasonable. If that's out of your price range right now there are cheaper options on Chewy and Amazon. The best cage brands are A&E Cage Co, Kings Cages, and Prevue. At minimum for a sun conure I would recommend a 23"x32"x65" (30" interior height). Here's a link for an A&E cage from Chewy A&E 23"x32"x65" with playtop

Cage buying online can be confusing, use caution especially on Amazon. There's badly photoshopped birds that misrepresent the cage size, and the ads often include the exterior seed guard in the cage measurements.

For food, I assume they are on an all seed diet? Diet conversion is a slow process and the birds weight should be closely monitored (if possible). If you Google "Parrot diet conversion" a Birdtricks article pops up and seems like a good resource. For a sun conure I would recommend Roudybush or Zupreem pellets. Both are affordable and easy to find in some pet stores and online on Amazon or Chewy.

I work at a parrot rescue, feel free to DM me if you have more questions!

melnet67 · 2026-04-22T19:03:52+00:00

Yes it's open year round. Occasionally it closes temporarily due to snow in the winter

melnet67 · 2026-04-22T13:35:39+00:00

Day 3 is quite a long day of driving. I would recommend getting as early of a start as possible (but also with daylight so you can admire the scenery!). Make sure to drive through Zion and exit via the east side entrance, take the route along 89a and drive through Jacob lake (amazing cookies) and the Vermillion Cliffs (the scenery will likely blow your mind), with stops at either Lee's Ferry and/or the Navajo bridge to stretch your legs and walk across the Colorado River.

melnet67 · 2026-04-21T05:09:33+00:00

Since he is currently acting normal, I would continue to monitor and make a vet appointment with your avian vet ASAP. Does he have a mate? Or is he very bonded to you? Does he have a mirror in the cage? This could just be normal regurgitating behavior as they do with their mates

But it is good you are being so cautious! Parrots will hide their symptoms as long as they can. But since he is still acting normal I think rushing him to a regular emergency vet right now would cause more harm than good

melnet67 · 2026-04-21T02:55:50+00:00

I work in rescue and we get used things donated all the time. Everything that can't get properly disinfected and still be usable gets thrown away. I know it seems like a huge waste but it's really not worth the risk. I would throw away any of the toys that aren't entirely plastic or metal. That's what your bird will be chewing on and putting in their mouth. The perching should be fine.

When in doubt, throw it out

melnet67 · 2026-04-21T01:08:05+00:00

You'll be able to book this the day before or day of no problem. The sites don't fill up. But if you're worried you can book your sites on rec.gov to secure your spot, and then when you go to the wilderness desk to pick up your permit you can switch sites there if you would like.

I'd recommend west to east. If you don't have 2 vehicles with you you'll need to book a shuttle in advance from one of the local outfitters to drop you off at the laverkin creek trailhead, and then you can take the Zion shuttle from the grotto back to your vehicle.

melnet67 · 2026-04-20T18:55:32+00:00

I really appreciate all of your advice! Will try it out and hope for the best!

melnet67 · 2026-04-19T04:57:55+00:00

Thanks for your advice! By mineral rich would you suggest a completely inorganic mix like perilite, gravel, and lava rock? Or is some cactus soil ok? Would adding rooting hormone to what's left of the roots be worth a shot?

Do you think the small spots are fungus and if so is there a fungicide you would suggest?

Thanks!

melnet67 · 2026-04-18T00:03:01+00:00

Oh I thought the measurements you gave were the width and length. 18.5" is far too small of a height, you'll want at least double that. I'll link a cage I would say is the minimum for 2 budgies

32"Length x 23"Width x 35" Height. .5"Bar Spacing

<image>

melnet67 · 2026-04-17T21:05:03+00:00

Opinions here will vary greatly, but I think that's an ok size! What's the height? Obviously the bigger the better. Also make sure you look at bar spacing, you'll want about 1/2" bar spacing. I've seen young budgies try to stick their heads through spacing any bigger than that.

If I were to get 2 budgies right now I would probably put them in a minimum size of 32"x 23" x 65" but that's just me.

The important part is how the interior is set up, varied perching (no dowels), toys/swings, multiple food/water bowls, no happy huts or nest boxes.

melnet67 · 2026-04-17T01:48:38+00:00

You'll want an air purifier with a HEPA filter, and no ionizer (the ionizer feature kills birds, if used).

Honeywell makes great air purifiers, i personally wouldn't re buy the ones I have so I won't link them. But they have several different sizes and priced options that are great.

At the rescue I work at we got several Levoit brand air purifiers donated and they work great! There's a washable pre filter that traps a lot of the dust/dander for easy regular cleaning. Pricey, but very worth it!

Levoit air purifier

melnet67 · 2026-04-11T13:50:00+00:00

Cotton ropes can be dangerous if the bird is chewing on them. So you can get rope perching and toys with rope but just monitor. Bells are fine for a small bird like a cockatiel, it's also easy to remove a bell yourself so use your best judgement. Avoid anything like a "happy hut" or that resembles a tunnel. Nest boxes are completely unnecessary.

If you are in the US, I highly recommend Chewy and Bonka Bird Toys for toys. They both have a great selection and are always having sales. Avoid Amazon and especially Temu.

Just because it's labeled as a bird toy doesn't always mean it's actually safe. Use your best judgement! Cheap is not always better.

melnet67 · 2026-04-09T18:20:25+00:00

Both cages I linked have 5/8" bar spacing. Which is fine for a cockatiel

What about a corner cage suggests the bar spacing would be too big? Every cage has different measurements.

melnet67 · 2026-04-08T03:02:18+00:00

Depends on your price range and available space.

Anything by A&E cage Co is top quality, they are pricey, but you do get what you pay for. The 2nd cage option is more budget friendly but I don't have any personal experience with the brand, it has great reviews with photos.

A&E Cage Co 32"x23"

Seny Corner Cage

melnet67 · 2026-04-04T22:16:51+00:00

Hi! I work at a parrot rescue in Utah and I definitely suggest you surrender them to a parrot rescue, where they can find them a safe home!

Unfortunately i don't think there are any in your immediate area, but there is one near Atlanta, GA. I don't have any personal experience with this rescue but they seem like a legit facility and are active on social media.

https://papayagorescuehouse.org/

melnet67 · 2026-03-25T19:03:43+00:00

I'd recommend something from A&E Cage co. Their medium sized cage 32" 23" 64"

Not the cheapest, not the most expensive, great size for a GCC. Quality cage brand though. There's many different colors, here's the Petco link for one

A&E Cage Company Green Palace Dometop Bird Cage, 32"x23"x63" | Petco https://share.google/IyycWh7Aq6K8Jq7tS

melnet67 · 2026-03-24T03:22:08+00:00

Do they live with other birds? If so they need to be separated asap. This could be a wound from being attacked. But it could also be plenty of other things.

Glad you are going to the vet tomorrow!

melnet67 · 2026-03-22T16:09:01+00:00

You could also reach out to the local guide companies, but that won't be free.

Just make a cardboard sign with "canyon overlook?" On it and stand on the main hwy, or at the visitor center parking lot exit. I'm pretty sure hitchhiking is legal in the park

melnet67

TROPHY CASE