Acclimating New Birds. 5 Things You NEED to Know About Your AOL 9.0 Subscribers.
Now that my services have expanded into the "matchmaking" business, it dawned on me that we need to talk about the transition of a bird moving to a new home, whether a hand fed baby just adopted to a new home or an older bird going to a second home. This is a stressful time for any bird, but you can help lessen the strife and make the move easier for both your new bird and the rest of the family.
Good planning ahead of time is essential.
A pet parrot should NEVER be an impulse buy. Adopting a companion parrot is just that - ADOPTING a new family member - they're not used cars to be traded in when you get bored! They are living, feeling, sensitive beings who should always be considered PERMANENT additions to the family.
I'll never forget the first local bird expo I went to after moving to the Northwest. It was winter - cold and rainy, and I saw a person after person exiting the expo, each with a tiny baby African Grey tucked under their coats. There was a vendor inside with lots of cute baby Grays and a cheap price - apparently, many folks couldn't resist. Since no one seemed to have brought a carrier, it didn't seem to me that these were "planned" purchases, but rather spur of the moment purchases.
I wonder how many went home to a nice cage, all set up with new toys and the proper diet? Not many, I'll bet. It's a deadly combo - cute, cheap, and baby! I'll bet not too many folks had done their homework either, studying up on African Greys and bird care in general.
The other common scenario is the "petshop rescue" - the pitiful bird at some pet store that knows nothing about birds - there he is, in a tiny cage, eating sunflower seeds, no toys, tucked in between the hamsters and the snakes, while the resident shop cat climbs freely through the store. So, on a whim, you take him home.
So, whether it's the irresistible baby, the sad ill cared for rescue, or an actual well thought out carefully chosen new addition - there he is, coming in your front door, hoping to spend the rest of his life with you, his ever loving devoted family!! So how do we transition from scared outsider to contented feathered child?
First, be prepared. Have the cage, toys, and food all set up prior to his arrival so he can slide right in and not have to stand by while everyone scrambles around, frantically searching for bird stuff. Normally, we advise putting a bird's cage in the busiest part of the house, where he can be the center of attention.
But new birds need some space, quiet and privacy during the settling in process, so find him a comfortable safe corner where he can observe, but at a distance. Of course, he should have made a trip to the vet first thing and quarantining him for at least one month away from any other birds is always recommended. So this may not be his permanent location, but rather serve as a "pit-stop" in the beginning. You may want to partially cover his cage, draping a towel over the back and one side to help him feel safe. If possible, have some of his previous diet to mix in with the new (wonderful) cuisine you'll be serving.
Find out as much as possible about, not only his diet, but preference in toys, play time, bed time, and daily routine. Keeping some consistency helps for a smoother transitional time. Radical changes don't agree with many parrots, so go slow. Introduce him to every family member, but avoid anyone doing too much "hands on" stuff in the beginning. Rather, spend time just sitting by him, talking to him and offering some treats by hand. Don't force him or expect instant love. Work on building trust with "step-ups". Play "The Towel Game" to have interactive fun, as well as aiding future needs for handling by a vet or groomer.
Put your new guy on a regular schedule. Feed him lots of fresh veggies and nice warm cooked grains and legumes. Warm food is "comfort food" and helps strengthen the bond when fed by hand. Share some family dinner with him, preferably on a stand by the dining table.
Watch TV together and preen his head feathers for him while you hang out on the couch. Include him in lots of family activities to help him feel a part of the flock. If everyone is gone to work or school during the day, leave a radio or TV on and make sure he's got plenty of interesting toys that provide both chewing exercise and mental stimulation. Talk to him before leaving, tell him he's okay and reassure him that you'll be back. When you do return give him a warm hello and a big hug. If you do have other birds, try to maintain the flock order. It won't help him relax if the other birds are resentful of all the attention the new guy gets.
Always address your primary bird first - first one out, first one kissed, first one fed, etc. Don't allow the birds to get together until you're sure everyone gets along. First time together, it's helpful if it's on a neutral new stand that no one is territorial about. If you expect the two to ultimately share a cage, remember that will take time and patience - you don't want the new guy intimidated by an overbearing dominant "resident" who thinks he runs the place.
An important point to remember - don't make the mistake of totally doting on the bird at first, then ignoring him after the novelty wears off. He'll definitely need extra attention in the beginning, but try to maintain a balance from the start, to avoid rebound problems down the road. So be prepared, go slow, build trust, and have fun getting to know each other. This is the beginning of a beautiful lifelong friendship.
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Your Parrot Place
Marilu Anderson, Bird Nutrition and Behavior Consultant, (503) 771-BIRD. Marilu is a regular contributor to the Your Parrot Place Newsletter. YourParrotPlace.com - Only the Best for Your Parrot!
Free eBook!
140 pages! A compilation of parrot articles from 2000-2004.
http://www.yourparrotplace.com/ebooks/ypp2004ebook.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
In Fall 2003, America Online (AOL) released its brand new AOL Version 9. (Have you noticed all the TV ads?) AOL estimates that up to 50% of their users were using the new version by the end of December 2003.
The biggest new feature with AOL 9 is its aggressive method of reducing unsolicited e-mail (sp^m) for its users. Basically, AOL wants users to customize their own inboxes and view or receive only the messages that they choose.
While the crackdown is a noble endeavor, it puts legitimate e-mail publishers in the crossfire -- people like us who have worked hard to ensure that everyone on our list has opted-in and given us permission to contact them repeatedly.
To make sure that your AOL subscribers are receiving YOUR e-mails, here are a few things you should know.
- All Your Graphics Are Blocked by Default
AOL has taken the drastic measure of blocking all graphics from being displayed in HTML e-mails, as well as deactivating the links for any new messages sent to an AOL 9 inbox. The system is also designed to "learn" what messages are repeatedly marked as sp^m, and they will eventually be sent to the junk folder automatically, once it maps the user's behavior.
When an e-mail is received in AOL 9, users have to click a link at the top of each message to view any graphics within your e-mail ("Show Images & Enable Links"). If this action is not taken, images (e.g. pictures, logos) and links will not be displayed or enabled.
- Your Open Rates Are Likely Affected
If your e-mail publishing system uses "open tracking" to count how many people open your e-mails, you will start seeing lower numbers because the new AOL 9 also blocks open tracking tools by default. (Read on to learn how to improve your results.)
- Ask Your Subs to Add You To Their Address Book
At the top of each issue you send, remind those AOL folks to put you in their AOL address book. For example, "AOL 9 users: Please add Alexandria@EzineQueen.com to your address book so you'll be sure to receive every issue of our e-zine".
Once a user puts you in her address book, all your future e-mails will automatically show images and functioning links. This will also allow the e-mail to be tracked properly as "opened" on your end.
- Make Sure Your FROM Address is Consistent
This shouldn't be a problem unless your list server/e-mail publishing program generates a different FROM address with each e-mail you send. For example, today I got an issue of an e-zine with this FROM address: 16863-return-90-86968736@lb.bcentral.com. But when I looked at the LAST issue of the same e-zine two weeks ago, the return address had some different numbers in there.
This is BAD, because even if the AOL user adds you to her address book, every issue you send will be categorized as from a new sender. By having a consistent FROM address, you'll allow your AOL 9 subscribers to add your e-mail address into their address book, and all future e-mails you send will be easily received and tracked.
NOTE: There is a difference between your actual FROM address and what some call the "from LABEL". My e-zine's actual FROM address is Alexandria@EzineQueen.com, but it's labeled as from "E-zine Queen".
If you use Outlook or Eudora, you know what I mean. In your inbox list, you see all the from LABELS and not the actual e-mail addresses. For example, you see "John Smith" instead of jsmith2000@hotmail.com.
AOL does NOT show its users your from label, it only shows your true FROM address. You can usually access and change these settings in your e-mail publishing program. If you're not sure how to do this, talk with your vendor.
- Bottom Line: Never Rely on Images to Convey Your Message
You can be sure that not all your AOL users will bother to put you in their address book, or understand how easy it is to do.
So here's the bottom line: Have fun with graphics and images in your HTML e-zine, but never rely on them to get your message across. Once each issue is complete and ready to send, look at it and pretend all the graphics are gone. Can your readers still instantly recognize it's a publication? Do they see it's from you? Is it obvious to them this is what they signed up for? If not, be sure to add text at the top to make things crystal clear.
I also recommend that if you don't have AOL yourself, get an account and put that e-mail address on your subscriber list. This will allow you to see how the new AOL 9 works and how your e-zine appears.
(c) 2003 Alexandria K. Brown
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is author of the award-winning manual, "Boost Business With Your Own E-zine." To learn more about her book and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://EzineQueenTutorial.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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