Thunder and Basil

[Azalea]

Here is a picture of Thunder (on the yellow perch) and Basil (on a food dish) from this morning.

 

My husband and I saw Thunder at a pet store in May. His wings appeared to have been clipped very short. For a while, he would reluctantly eat from our hands, if another Budgie was also eating, and he trembled. Now he is confident and his wings have improved! One wing always sticks up a little...I don't know if that will ever go away?

Basil was one of two birds left in a pet store cage. The other was a female. At the time, we thought that we shouldn't put a female in the same cage with three males (I recently made a post here about it, and now we have Willow). So we only bought Basil. Surprisingly, he wanted to perch on my hand that very same day. Maybe he watched the others.
* In case any non-bird-owners are reading this, it was not typical - please don't buy a bird and expect trust on the first day. *

[Loz]

Thunder is very striking and Basil could be my Finarfin's twin.

[criswell]

Thunder and Basil are lovely. I'm glad Thunders wings are looking better and that he's gained confidence.

[tweetiepiesmom]

Maybe once Thunder's wing feathers all grow back, he'll hold his wings more natural. Very sweet looking birds.

[Marianne Marlow]

Thunder and Basil are lovely.

I had a hen that held her wings the same as Thunder, she couldn't fly though. But she was kept as a breeding bird until she was 5 years old (not by me), so spent a lot of her time in nest boxes.

[Loz]

Oct 10, 2023 7:03:36 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

Thunder and Basil are lovely.

I had a hen that held her wings the same as Thunder, she couldn't fly though. But she was kept as a breeding bird until she was 5 years old (not by me), so spent a lot of her time in nest boxes.

Poor Penny.

After that terrible start you gave her a good life, Marianne.

[Azalea]

Oct 10, 2023 7:03:36 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

Thunder and Basil are lovely.

I had a hen that held her wings the same as Thunder, she couldn't fly though. But she was kept as a breeding bird until she was 5 years old (not by me), so spent a lot of her time in nest boxes.

I am glad that she had happier times with you!

Birds are a main reason why I would never work at a pet store again. Fifteen years ago, I worked at one for about three months. I was not interested in birds back then. These days, I could never sell birds to parents who basically want a living toy for their child. Or sell the generic, bad bird products that many stores carry.

One time, a man thought it was funny that his daughter was afraid of the mice and rats. He bought a cheap white "feeder mouse" just so he could keep teasing her with it. He told his wife/girlfriend that he would set it loose in the parking lot before they went home.

[Marianne Marlow]

That is awful. Poor mouse

What is a feeder mouse, dare I ask.

[tweetiepiesmom]

Marianne Marlow I believe it is a mouse that is fed to a pet snake.

[Marianne Marlow]

[Azalea]

Oct 10, 2023 15:57:57 GMT tweetiepiesmom said:

Marianne Marlow I believe it is a mouse that is fed to a pet snake.

Correct. They are usually small and cheap, like "feeder goldfish". Some people buy them to keep as pets, though. 

To be fair, other animals do need to eat, and there are wild birds that eat rodents and fish. It just felt awkard to sell "feeder" animals along with pet animals. I know of one bird breeder who sometimes sells Budgies for cheap, and a man occasionally buys one for his snake to eat. I don't understand how the breeder can do that.

[tweetiepiesmom]

I imagine how terrifying it must be for an animal about to be eaten.

[Marianne Marlow]

Oh that makes me feel so sad that a budgie would have to go through that

It's one of the reasons I have 10 rehomes, as I worry about the fate of "free to a good home" birds.

[Marianne Marlow]

I think I am going to unbookmark this post as it's upsetting for me to think about (no offence to you Azalea as I know you didn't want to upset anyone)

[Azalea]

I understand.