One of Cocoa Bean's special treats is to sip on a little bit of orange juice.  To keep him from getting too full of sugar, I make sure that he only gets orange juice about once a week, and I try to space out his other sugary treats in much the same way.  On a very lucky week, he might get part of a mini marshmallow on, say, Monday, and a little bit of orange juice on Thursday.  I try to give him peas, orange slices, carrot sticks, and/or apple slices every day, in addition to a bowl of his favorite pellet, and at most a tablespoon of his "treat mix."  This treat mix is a combination of dried fruit and vegetable pieces, nuts, power treats, and a sprinkling of seeds to encourage him to eat.

     I have noticed that Cocoa only eats when he knows someone is at home with him, which means he must see or hear you.  Otherwise, the silly birdy won't touch his food.  I've been working on ways to get him to eat everything he needs during the day so that he can keep a healthy weight.  It is important to keep an eye on your bird's appetite and eating habits.  One of the telltale signs of a sick bird is a drastic change in their appetite, the appearance of their waste, or in their weight.  

     Here is Cocoa Bean showing off his love for orange juice.  It just so happens that shot glasses are the perfect height for him to drink out of - this is no indication or joke about giving a bird alcohol!  A bird should never be given the "giggle juice!" 

     It is officially molting season for Cocoa Bean!  It seems like he has been losing feathers non-stop for the past eight days.  Luckily, it seems like he has been growing new ones just as fast.  With all this out with the old and in with the new business, Cocoa has been extra dusty and just loooooves to have a bath every day.  I can only imagine that simultaneously losing and growing feathers is a very itchy process.  But by the time full spring hits, Cocoa Bean will be the prettiest of all the beansters.

     In all the holiday excitement, I have neglected to record Cocoa Bean's latest adventures: various car rides from school to home and back, new food discoveries (almonds are actually yummy - who knew?!), a bunch of new people to fuss over him, and officially becoming a "mature" adult mustache parakeet ... (he has chosen one of the TV remotes as his "girlfriend").  It's been a bit hectic, but we are working on getting back on a schedule again.  Stay tuned for more in the next week!  Until then, here's Cocoa Bean in all his stubby-tail glory (he lost his two long tail feathers over the holidays and we are hoping they will come back in soon).