I brought Kermit back to Dr Kenneth’s clinic for medical review. I was glad that Dr Kenneth told me that Kermit’s discharge within the beak was all cleared. Kermit passed his poop test, all the physical examinations. It was great to get a clean bill of Kermit’s health.

Before leaving the clinic, I requested Dr Kenneth to conduct a round de-worming session for Kermit as a precautionary measure. Doing once and for all!

I’m sure Kermit is now the fittest and in pink of health!

Related Post:
Kermit’s Visit to the Vet

Don’t worry if you missed Kiki’s performance at The Best Trick Competition, one of the segment in the National Day Parakeet Competition 2008 held at Lim Chu Kang, Farmart.

I’ve managed to get hold of a short preview of Kiki performing one of her favorite trick - Pull a Car Trick, in the event. Apologised for the poor quality and fuzzy images of the video.

As I mentioned on my previous post that Kiki’s agility level during the event was pretty low. Apparently in the video, you could see slight delay in the performance, but she managed to accomplish the task I cued for.

Thanks Karen for providing the video.

Related Post:
Kiki won 3rd in Best Trick Competition
Kiki will be in National Day Parakeet Competition

Hi Everyone! I’m back again bringing updates about Kiki.

Many had read about Kiki participated in the Best Trick Competition 2 weeks ago, and were really excited to know whether Kiki manage to secure an award for herself.

I’m please to announce the good news, Kiki won herself the 3rd Position in the Best Trick Competition in the National Day Parakeet Competition 2008 Event held at Farmart last Sunday. Here is the list of the winners in the National Day Parakeet Competition 2008.

Here are the lists of Tricks & Commands that Kiki performed:

1. Up & Down Command
2. Turn-A-Round Trick
3. Fetching Trick (a.k.a Retrieval Trick)
4. Wing Flapping Command
5. Coin Depositing Trick
6. Ring Tossing Trick
7. Somersault Trick
8. Waving Hello Trick (Left Leg)
9. Open & Fetch Trick (A Component of Shell Game)
10. Cups Stacking Trick
11. Pull a Car Trick
12. Basketball Trick

Although the agility level on the day wasn’t pleasing, but she managed to perform the tricks that I cued for with some slight delays. Personally I felt that Kiki had already done very well on that day. With scenarios like new environment, crowds, strangers’ stares and interference (from the microphone, vocalizations from other parrots), these greatly affect Kiki.

Remembering the moment when I brought Kiki to the event venue, she was really nervous. It took me quite a while to really calm her down.

Anyway, Kiki really deserved to be crowned the 3rd position. She really met strong competitors like Sunshine, the Sun Conure who is the winner of the event and Darling, the Sulphur Cockatoo placing second.

Although Sunshine and Darling only performed two to three tricks in the competition, but they all performed with great agility. Both of them really deserved winning the placings. It’s also a great pleasure for Kiki to meet them and catch their performances in the event.

Notice the two pictures in the post? The picture on top is the 3rd Position Winning Badge to be placed on Kiki’s Cage. Kiki also received a Bronze Trophy (picture on right), new cages, parrot diets and electrical appliances (the appliances are more applicable to the owners) from the event sponsors.

Kiki surely has done us proud!

I will be sharing more pictures of the event on my coming post, so do stay tune!

Related Post:
Kiki will be in National Day Parakeet Competition

Today it’s Singapore’s 43rd Birthday. Happy Birthday Singapore! Everywhere in Singapore is flooded with the red and white decoration, the National Day ambience is definitely strong.

Kiki and Kermit were definitely happy because everyone in the family is not working today. They knew that we can keep them in company and play with them throughout the whole of National Day.

Anyway, tomorrow I will be bringing Kiki for a big national event, the First Ever National Day Parakeet Competition to be held at Lim Chu Kang Farmart. Kiki will be contesting other parrots in the Best Trick Competition to be held at 12 noon tomorrow. She will be performing some of her best tricks on that day, so come down and support both of us!

Kiki and I are definitely excited and nervous for the upcoming event tomorrow. Furthermore, it’s the first biggest parrot event that both me and Kiki attended at the moment. Thus it’s going to be an eye-opener for the both of us.

My primary concern is whether Kiki can overcome his stress and nervousness on the day. I’m wondering whether the big crowd, new environment, unfamiliar faces and curious stares will affect Kiki’s behavior and performance. No matter how I hope she will do her best, even if she didn’t win the competition I will still be proud of her.

By the way, there will be other activities going on the day like the Hamster Race, talks and dialogue with Dr Thiruchelvam, the well-known avian vet in Singapore. So it’s going to be a fun and fruitful day for the whole family. Do come down, who know you might be able to meet me and Kiki at the event! Cheers!

I’ve to admit Kermit’s vocabulary is increasing day by day.  What I can really say about Senegal Parrots, they pretty talented talkers. So far I had already recorded Kermit saying word like “Peek-a-Boo” and mimic funny sound like the human laughter and the baby-like mumbling.

To be honest, he knows other words but I lacked the chance in capturing them. This morning when I was preparing breakfast for Kermit and Kiki, Kermit replied with his own name “Kermit”. The word “Kermit” was clear and distinctive. Below is the short sound clip that I recorded:

Sound Clip of Kermit saying his own name

It’s great to see that Kermit has learned his own name. I am really hope that one day he will learn to call my name, Bryan.

Related Posts:
Kermit’s Mimicry: Laughters
Kermit’s Baby-Like Mimicry
Kermit’s Addiction to Peek-a-Boo
Kermit’s Mimicry: Peek-a-Boo

Most of my friends ever questioned me, why getting a small parrot? Why not getting a bigger parrot like a Cockatoo or even Macaw?

Many with little knowledge on parrots, they tend to have this misconception that the Bigger the Better. Furthermore, when we talk about parrots, what most people can think of and relate with parrots are only large macaws and cockatoos.

To be frank, size doesn’t affect the quality of companionship and affection from the parrot. Small parrots share most common traits and characteristics as their larger relatives.

I personally feels that smaller is better. Small Parrots are easy to handle and manage. I don’t need very big space for their accommodations, flight and daily activities. Finally they won’t be as noisy compared to their larger relative, even if they do scream it’s not going to be like a Cockatoo or a Macaw loud and wall-penetrating scream!

By the way, what actually upset me was when I hear people mentioning that larger parrots have a better and higher resale value. It’s totally an unforgivable statement. First I do agree that larger parrots tends to be high priced, but I what I do not agree with is that many pick them home with an initial thought to resale it. I will consider this as an immoral investment. By doing so, it’s also not fair to the parrot itself.

Getting a parrot should be with an intention of seeking a companionship, able to be committed and flourish the parrot with endless love. Having a parrot is a life-long commitment!

Kermit may not be the best talker compared to any African Greys or Amazons, but he has his own great talents of mimicking sounds. Lately, Kermit managed to pick up mimicking laughter from me. Do take note the first and third laughs were from me, whereas the second, fourth and fifth laughs belong to Kermit.

Sound Clip of Kermit’s Laughter

I’ve to admit that his laughter sounds abit fake and rather low in pitch. I’m very certain that Kermit already did his very best. Furthermore, Senegal Parrots are not known for their mimic abilities.

Many must have read about Kermit’s visit to the vet last Saturday. Thanks to everyone for your concerns about Kermit’s condition. He’s doing perfectly well and I’m confident that his current condition will improve.

Although Kermit is still undergoing medication, he still remain active and positive. Everyday seems like a new day of adventure and he is full of surprises.

Indeed, he did surprise me again yesterday with his new mischievous act.

Notice the blue and yellow colored rings on the playstand in the picture (By the way can you spot Kiki in the picture?) on the left?

Those are actually meant to be foot toys for Kermit and Kiki. Apparently, Kermit had devised a new way of playing them. I truly adore his innovation of “Play Hard 101″. So for now, let me unveil Kermit’s new innovating way of playing the toys rings - “Splash-O-Slam Dunk”.

It’s Kermit’s own verse of Slam Dunk - removing the rings and dunk them in the water bowl. It’s fun watching him doing it and he enjoys doing it, but hard on me! He created a whole lot mess and splashes around the playstand!

Today I brought Kermit over to the vet for consultation. Don’t worry folks, Kermit is alright and he is not seriously ill.

Just that I noticed some slight symptoms on Kermit which I found disturbing, thus I decided not to wait and bring him over to the vet immediately.

Kermit seems to be having bad breathes lately and having protruding breast bone. I can feel the keel is sharp. These are not good signs.

Bad breathes can be a sign of Yeast Infection also known as Candida, and this is what I fear most as candida is contagious and can be spread to other birds that get in contact with Kermit.

Next, the issue on protruding breast bone simply signifies that Kermit can be severely underweight. I’ve a kitchen scale and I do regularly keep weight records of Kermit. Kermit weighs an average weight of 130 grams and this indicates that Kermit is of an acceptable weight.

Based on Parrot Average Weight Chart provided on Avianweb.com, a healthy Senegal weighs around 110 -130 grams. I’m totally clueless about Kermit’s protruding breast bone when he falls in between the acceptable weight range.

I brought Kermit to Dr Kenneth Tong from Animal & Avian Veterinary Clinic located at Yishun Street 71, Singapore. It’s my first visit to the Animal & Avian Veterinary Clinic, but I’m really impressed with Dr Kenneth and his team’s friendliness and professionalism.

Back about Kermit’s check-up, Dr Kenneth did a few Q&A with me to find out more details and situation of Kermit. First, he did a weight test for Kermit, apparently Kermit weighs 130 grams. Kermit indeed seems fine from the readings on the weighing scale, but the protruding breast bone did drew Dr Kenneth’s attention. Dr Kenneth observed the feces samples, appearing that Kermit’s poops are okay without any abnormalities.

As for the issue on bad breath, Dr Kenneth did a close examination in within the beak. He noticed some mild discharge appear in within, but he added that it’s actually a small issue and not to be too worry of.

After several examinations and tests, Dr Kenneth indicated that Kermit seems to be alright and he’s also totally clueless about the protruding breast bone (weight loss) issue. He added it might be the result of stress, as Kermit is undergoing his first molting.

Kermit was provided with Multi-vitamins and Antibiotics to assist him in improving his current physical condition. In three weeks time, Kermit will be coming back for a medical review before making any diagnosis and treatment if his condition doesn’t improve.

Let’s pray and hope Kermit’s condition will gradually improve!

During this evening, I was lucky to capture a funny video of Kermit. He never fails to make people laugh at his silly acts.

Lately I just bought Kermit a toy ball. I took nearly a week for him completely get use to it and not fear of it. This evening, I was lured by ear-splitting rings from the toy ball and I decided to take a look at what Kermit was messing about.

For a moment, he was lying on his back enjoying and playing with the ball. He did look like a seal juggling with a ball at that moment. Few minutes later, I saw him tossing madly and forcing the toy ball out of his territory.

So is that Love or Hate? Perhaps you shall be the judge.