Hakea bush

[davewa]

Hi all.
We have just added some Hakea bushes to Bobs outhouse to give him some play trees and something to chew, we also got him a good stump from a Palm tree to sit on.Of course he is too scared of them to do any of the things we hope he will do but thats why he is a Galah, silly boy

Any way to my question, are they harmfull to Galahs, I am guessing not as I have not read anything on them but thought I would just check!

Thanks for reading

[vankarhi]

ok what is a hakea tree or bush?? I have heard of them but can't think immediately what they are?? Are they a NZ xmas tree???

Yes Galahs seem to stress at new things don't they? I used to think it was just my Bo.........but now I realise it is a galah thing

[davewa]

Hakeas are a native bush to most of Australia they do flower a bit and have thin leaves and a slight purfume, They can grow to around 3 meters by 2 across other than that I can't offer much. I don't remember seeing them in your part of the country over the years so it may be restricted to southern parts.

[davewa]

OK I just did a google and they are from the Protea group of bushes and have many varieties and seem to be restricted to more southerly states. So on that I would presume that Galahs should be ok cos its a flowering native plant?

[Laraine]

You would think they would be OK, why don't you ring an Avian Vet to ask them, just to make sure. I usually stick to Grevellia, Bottlebrush and gum for my birds just to be on the safe side.

[davewa]

Doh, never thought of that, just rang one and they said he will love them so all is good now I just need him to man up and face his fears

[carlsandclan]

ROFLMAO

Galahs.....gotta love them!

[Laraine]

Poor little guy!

[vankarhi]

"Man up and face his fears" lol love it. lol

Yesterday I cut down a huge gum tree branch and cut it up into smaller sizes ...... still huge though as I had trouble getting them into my aviaries without losing the alexandrines......they went crazy even though they love chewing them........within mins though they are happily ripping into them ....... whereas my pair of ekkies both sat on a branch while hubby and I tried to get a huge piece in their aviary......they just sat calmly saying 'hello' and watching us.

Stark difference to my galah in the past who would totally freak and almost have a coronary for hours if not days until she realised it was not going to eat her.........amazing how different they all are hey ;D

[davewa]

Yep they are strange but cute.
Bob is starting to love the new look outhouse, he went down the side of the cage yesterday and chewed a few leaves off the hakeas then went to his new Palm tree log and put one foot on it and started to chew out the centre of it, amazing but true.
Today we put him out again and it took him longer to transfer across than the previous 2 days as if something that he liked yesterday was going to eat him today? So we went a got another taller stump for him today and I was actually able to put it in his cage while he was in there without the usual flapping about in fear. There has also been a huge improvement in his behaviour while stepping up amd going back into his inside house, now he is starting to move toward the door before I get the other cage as if to say come on time to go inside. He steps up on to my hand several times a day now with no biting at all and will step up and down pretty much whenever I need him to, so this had made things much more fun for both of us and less painful.
Thanks for listening

[vankarhi]

glad to hear of the improvements and we like to listen ;D