but I still feel like such a newbie!

I put a reptiles section up there as a joke and now I have my little avian, soon to get that second one and I can’t think of anything to put up about it all.

Birds were not my specialty and there are so many kinds and different diets and different needs and so many misconceptions that I grew up with.

I had never been introduced to a hand tame cockatiel.
I didn’t know a parakeet could last at least 10 years.
The male parakeet is the one that can speak.
Conures don’t produce dust generally and it’s usually a side effect from the remains of old pin feathers finally being unsheathed.
Dimorphic is when they are different colors between males and females. You can visually tell them apart.
I’ve seen handfeeding at the shop. I was told that when you are facing the bird you go for the right of the throat and that the left leads to the “lungs” where the right side is towards the crop.

I don’t know jack squat about birds.
I learn different things about different ones and always trying to go back and focus on the green cheek conure. If I can’t learn about it all then I need to know what to do best by my fids.

I will admit that my first time through Avian Avenue prompted some jumps to Google to find out that fid was Feathered Kid. Later on you see that we’re Parronts. (Parrot+Parents)

I still feel like a fidgety oaf. Jak goes through her molting right now with prickly pin feathers creating new ones and doesn’t want to be touched all the time and I just feel bad for her and that I can’t do this perfectly and I want to her to be comfortable. She’s probably going to be around until I’m like 50 or so if I’m lucky. I’ve never in my life had an animal that can be a such a time companion.

Rats: up to 3 years. Some longer and some a year and a half.
Hamsters: same as rats
Guinea pigs: Oldest on record was almost 15. My 4 year olds are considered seniors. 5 runs as an average. 7 would be great.
Cats and dogs: usually at least 12 years

BIRDS!!!
The bigger the longer they live typically but even the smaller conures can be expected to go up to 25 years with attention and a good avian/exotics vet.

ciao