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Post by budgiebudgie on May 8, 2016 21:34:23 GMT
I have been bringing home seeding grass when I can find it in fields that look unmanaged / natural. Perhaps the sudden introduction of grass has made her feel a bit ill?
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Post by Hezz on May 9, 2016 5:14:29 GMT
If her poops are normal, I wouldn't concern yourself over the grass being the issue. She is just being silly, not wanting to appreciate her new space. If she won't come out on her own, bring her out yourself. It might even be the door that she is having problems with. Many budgies do have problems with doorways; going in and out of that small gap gives them a fear of being caught, regardless of whether this door is bigger or not than the other cage's. Continue to fuss over her - does she fly around when out of the cage, normally, and is she a good flier or a poor one? She might not have the confidence to flit from perch to perch, but climbing around on the bars is still giving her more exercise, anyway.
Spyro will never jump onto a swing from the perch; he always climbs onto it via the cage bars, funny boy, and he flies like a rocket around the house.
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Post by budgiebudgie on May 9, 2016 7:48:23 GMT
That's very reassuring, thank you Hezz. Yes, the door is MUCH smaller than on the old cage so this could be it. I hadn't thought of this as a reason for not wanting to come out. Thanks for mentioning it. She's a good flier when out of the cage and sometimes goes so fast I think she'll crash into the wall. Previously, she didn't actually fly all that much. She liked riding around the house on my shoulder. If I offer my finger as a perch she starts 'quacking', but if I just push it against her tummy she will still step up.
I have tried so hard to be reassuring - taking her into the garden and staying by her, etc.
Thanks for replying. How long do you think she might keep this up? In other words, how long before she forgets she's in a new cage?
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Post by OP on May 9, 2016 11:33:29 GMT
Now I have this hen called Edward, rehomed, she is a very poor flyer but she will come out of the cage on my finger. If she doesn't want to come,out I get the quacking and she flatly refuses to step up. Once she is out and is ready to go back in she will step up, otherwise it is quack. quack and turn her back on me. Occasionally when she is on top of the cage she will try and join the others in the conservatory, of course she will finish up on the floor. Now in the conservatory I have a wooden clothes airer for them to lay on. This is where Edward wants to be so when I go to pick her up on my finger I get the quacks, and if I push against her tummy she just slides along the floor. If I leave her she will make her way up the clothes airer one bit at a time. Why am I telling you all this, because hens can be like this. From what I gather they are very stubborn and moody. If you persist at bringing her out of the cage, more than likely you will win.I wouldn't be so sure that it is the size of the door. She feels secure now that she is in the cage. It's that patience thing again.
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Post by budgiebudgie on May 9, 2016 11:55:34 GMT
OP, that was such a nice message. Thanks! Today (my day off) she has been out of the cage and on my shoulder while doing things around the house. She even treated me to a bit of an eyelash preen which was lovely. Also, there are a good number of feathers on the cage floor that weren't there yesterday, which suggests she's having a little moult. This would explain the bad mood. I bought one of these www.amazon.co.uk/Platform-Sensational-nibbler-accessories-budgies/dp/B00AS7P7YE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462794673&sr=8-1&keywords=budgie+cork+platform recently and went to collect it from the sorting office this morning. My goodness! What a hit! It's the best toy / accessory I've ever bought. She is a happy bird, lying on it and nibbling. Of course, when she comes out of the cage, after a while she sees it, remembers it's there and wants to go back in the cage. That's okay. As you have said (more than once) I will be more patient with her and let her do what she wants to do. She has def. been moodier than normal in the last week though. As she's been getting used to her new cage and is having a little moult, I think she's entitled to be a bit stroppy. As you also say, this is what hens are like. Sometimes I think I forget this.
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Post by OP on May 9, 2016 13:46:20 GMT
Remember to not let her rule the roost as she surely will. By all means let her do what she wants as long as it's what you want. Budgie psychology. I have a lot of learning to do, but I am getting there. The buds I have are all re-homed except for one 'Joey', so I am taking what some-one else has trained or not trained. I have to re-train their brains to my way of thinking. Some I win some I lose. It's great fun. It sounds like you are making progress and that is great.
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Post by budgiebudgie on May 9, 2016 14:16:44 GMT
OP, my brother has a boy budgie. They are very different! I think that actually, the moult is proving most of a bother to Bimbo, followed by being in a new cage. But most of all, more than any other factor - I think the grumpiness is "a hen thing". Hours of light / seeding grass probably have nothing to do with anything at all.
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Post by Hezz on May 10, 2016 5:08:42 GMT
A smaller door can very much determine whether she comes and goes under her own steam, but if you bring her out and put her back in a few times, I would be confident that she would feel comfortable enough to start making the move by herself. If she was used to a much bigger doorway, I would not be surprised that she has been reluctant to come and go on her own. I think it is more like bad timing with the move, not that you were to know she was going to start a moult. Also, even if her cere does not change this does not mean that she isn't having hormonal spikes and troughs, so don't let that trick you.
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Post by samwiseg on May 10, 2016 7:08:08 GMT
Ok my picture is now what it should have been on page 3 incase you are interested
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