Paulette
03-13-2006, 01:25 PM
We had some severe storms last night. My father in law called around 10pm to see if we were preparing? Preparing???...I was on the computer at this forum...so I went to tell my husband that his dad had called and he was already watching the weather information. He started rushing around and told me to get some blankets and pillows to throw down in the fraidy hole under the house. So I asked him if I should try to round up all the birds? He said get what you can.....:confused: get what I can? Frick and Frack....everybirdie will go or nobirdie will go. I just bought some cages on sale at Orscheln's farm store. Luckily I had gotten a few smallish cages that I was going to put budgies in for pairing before they are old enough to breed. I just finished making grates for them yesterday morning. Threw on my gloves and rustled all the tiels in one cage (6), all the lovie babies in one cage (8 birds), all the adult lovies (5), the 2 new green ones a tiny cage together, had all the budgie youngsters in one cage (9), and the older ones in one cage (10). Lost the single finch in the closet and took about 3 minutes to catch him, threw him in with the other pair....I almost forgot Wiggles (lovie baby) in the brooder, threw him in a tiny critter carrier. Yanked water bottles off cages and made sure every cage had one and at least one/two cups of food. Threw the cat in a pet carrier. Sheesh! Grabbed Bentley (chiahuahua). The big dog was already down.
The first storm had quarter sized hail about 5 quarters thick. It was so loud on the vinyl siding. After the first storm passed, I came up and fixed Wiggles some formula and got him a hot water container, he was so thankful.(I am so thankful for the discussion of the hot water containers for a travelling brooder in the handfeeding thread). Ended up having to separate the budgies into a couple more little cages and put one pair of tiels in their own cage. I brought down the coconuts for the lovies to snuggle in and that stopped all squabbling and they settled in better than everybirdie else. As an after thought I got some old towels and covered the cage backs and tops leaving the front open so they could still see out.
The second storm an hour later was not as bad at our house the hale was marble size, although people only a couple of miles to 6 miles away lost their homes again after just rebuilding and getting settled back in. Those poor people. By the time I got everybirdie back into their cages and left the lights on for a few minutes so they could eat, drink and setting down it was already 2am. We showered and crawled in bed. We heard sirens most all night.
I have discovered that I need some separate food ready to go, a first aid kit, extra food cups/water bottles. The birds were too scared to eat or drink, but If I hadn't taken food and water they would have had none if our house had blown away. I have been collecting pet carriers when I see them in good condition for a good price, but I only have 2 so far. Well I couldn't decide who would go in the two so I just used cages, but I think the pet carriers would have gone down the fraidy hole much easier and I know they would have been more secure if we really were in trouble. I'm going to make up a tote bag with essential items (food/water/first aid) that will just be ready to go on short notice. And I need some more pet carriers! So, anyway...just thougth I'd share.:2cents:
The first storm had quarter sized hail about 5 quarters thick. It was so loud on the vinyl siding. After the first storm passed, I came up and fixed Wiggles some formula and got him a hot water container, he was so thankful.(I am so thankful for the discussion of the hot water containers for a travelling brooder in the handfeeding thread). Ended up having to separate the budgies into a couple more little cages and put one pair of tiels in their own cage. I brought down the coconuts for the lovies to snuggle in and that stopped all squabbling and they settled in better than everybirdie else. As an after thought I got some old towels and covered the cage backs and tops leaving the front open so they could still see out.
The second storm an hour later was not as bad at our house the hale was marble size, although people only a couple of miles to 6 miles away lost their homes again after just rebuilding and getting settled back in. Those poor people. By the time I got everybirdie back into their cages and left the lights on for a few minutes so they could eat, drink and setting down it was already 2am. We showered and crawled in bed. We heard sirens most all night.
I have discovered that I need some separate food ready to go, a first aid kit, extra food cups/water bottles. The birds were too scared to eat or drink, but If I hadn't taken food and water they would have had none if our house had blown away. I have been collecting pet carriers when I see them in good condition for a good price, but I only have 2 so far. Well I couldn't decide who would go in the two so I just used cages, but I think the pet carriers would have gone down the fraidy hole much easier and I know they would have been more secure if we really were in trouble. I'm going to make up a tote bag with essential items (food/water/first aid) that will just be ready to go on short notice. And I need some more pet carriers! So, anyway...just thougth I'd share.:2cents: