Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2020 10:17:28 GMT
Er, keeping them in separate cages? Siri, the little rascal, snuck in one of the side doors in the big cage. For two hours Max has been perched next to him, Jesse has perched on Max's swing all this time - I had to keep rubbing my eyes to make sure I wasn't dreaming! Both Jesse & Max have been in one-leg-tucked-up-half-asleep-chunter mode. I've got a spray bottle filled with tepid water as a distraction should a beak war break out (I spray the other side of the cage - instant diversion as neither Jess or Max can resist a spray bath, within seconds they're both clinging to the bars and squirming around trying to get as wet as poss I was up early this morning and always do a couple of low chirp-whistles to let the birdies know it's harmless me - Jess usually responds with a 100 decibel CHIRRRRP!! Anyway, I took a peek in at Siri & there he was head in feathers. Awesome. I was thinking he may have extensive tendon damage in his neck and wing, but he does seem to be gaining more mobility. he stretches both wings now but can't lift a leg and lift his wings afterwards as they do. Siri also panics at being fully covered at night, so DeeDee leaves the front uncovered. The other two like to be in total darkness & hop onto their swings as soon as I've got their cover in my hands. And Jess & Max taking enormous beakfulls of apple & chucking it all over the place. Max always likes to eat hanging upside down, must be an innate sense to gravity - Australia is down under so the UK is upside-down to him. Must be a polarity thing in his tail feathers I might connect the two cages tomorrow with doors together, closing Siri's at night.
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2020 20:42:09 GMT
Infallible Method to Teach a Budge to Step UpBudge-in-training - Siri. Totally freaked out by hands & fingers. Methodology - disguise finger. IngredientsMethod
Crush millet with pestle (a rolling pin & bag with millet spray in works, too. I haven't tried treading it like grapes, though...) 'til it looks like so... Remove whispy stuff (sorry to get technical)
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2020 21:00:33 GMT
Step up part 2Now, do not do this outside or in front of an open window especially if it's windy - millet sticks to everything... Yes, I speak from experience With your trendy mug of warm water at the ready... Immerse your index finger in the tepid water, stir & carefully lift out so's it's as wet as poss. Now the tricky bit - give your finger a millet bath, until it is completely camouflaged by the delicate seeds. Et voila! An irresistible-to-budge treat, his pupils will dilate and The Beak will be in Curiosity Mode before you can say tweet. I showed DeeDee The Method last night & she reported that Siri had "nibbled the millet for a few seconds" (I mentally had a standing ovation, riotous clapping & cheering & a HUGE bouquet of flowers... ok, dream on, Cal lol) *Disclaimer - The Method is still undergoing trials, so success has not been established 100% so results cannot be guaranteed. "Infallible Method" is used in the hope that eventually, after an unknown duration of time, infallibility will be established beyond doubt. An Alternative Infallible Method is undergoing development as I write, involving a budge finger-puppet holding a spray of millet, various disguises of the hand using twigs, fruit, millet ...
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2020 13:15:44 GMT
Flocking together...Blue Jesse's in The Zone zonked on a thread
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Post by tweetiepiesmom on Jun 23, 2020 16:51:04 GMT
They do seem to be getting along fabulously! Jesse is very close in color to my Tweetie Pie (my avatar). I like the "millet finger" idea. My Little Buddy is tame and will hop on my finger all the time. Tweetie Pie has a very timid nature. He'll think about it, lean over to see if he can get it without hopping on but will get up the courage for millet! I want to train him to come on my finger for millet when he's out of the cage in case I need to get him quickly if something goes wrong. Need to think about the "what ifs", right? I love hearing about your birds, how Siri and DeeDee are doing and the pictures (of course!).
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2020 20:13:14 GMT
I wonder if being hyper (whapper-budgie) is common to the blues? Jesse is a bundle of energy, into everything, always on the look-out for something to chew... The big, very big, new cage arrived while I was at work. It took ages to get the little tykes into it, in the end I stood the cages together on the floor and DeeDee slowly removed everything from the old cage leaving just a perch. Siri was the first one in, then Jesse (perched on my finger totally focussed on a bit of millet I held. He was in the cage before he could flap a wing. Max couldn't find the door but DeeDee did her stuff and lured him in with a spinach leaf. I'm exhausted lol! Max & Siri are perched side by side staring at each other, Jesse's clinging to the side of the cage. We'll see how things develop. I just spotted the problem, a toy hanging from the top leaving just enough room for two budgies side by side, poor Jess couldn't get perched next to Siri. I've just taken it out and now Siri's clinging to the side of the cage while Max & Jess are gazing into each other's eyes. I give up DeeDee says should we get a 4th budgie so Jesse doesn't feel pushed out, the new cage is big enough she thinks. Absolutely no chance whatsoever, never, ever...
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Post by clt80 on Jun 25, 2020 6:30:40 GMT
Oh howobeley, I've just read from the beginning. Lucky Siri to have you and Deedee.
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2020 11:04:43 GMT
Hi clt80, hopefully the worst is behind us now! I've been dreaming about budgies quite a lot lol I hope I haven't been screeching in my sleep "Howobeley" , love it, I'm snaffling that one for my own inoffensive swearing dictionary! I've had to move Siri back into the smaller cage as Jesse had a spat with him - lots of feather pulling & chasing Siri around the cage. DeeDee said she didn't feel able to look after Siri, so we've swapped over - she's looking after Jesse & Max & I've adopted the little green feathered bundle of noise. I'm thinking of renaming him Sassy lol His cage is now next to my 'working armchair' in the living room & the bossy pair are in the big cage near DeeDee's 'working settee'. At last, no more moving furniture around. Peace and contentment restored... I'm multi-tasking while I write this, giving Siri a spray bath (and myself the occasional facial spray). He can come into my office when I work in there, though he'll have to stay in his cage as it's like a part of the green belt. I heard back from our MP today, she's going to refer my point about no provision for birds' protection from harm, disease, neglect in the animal protection law guidelines to the relevant Ministers. Who'd have thought a little budgie could bring about such changes? She also recommended contacting Trading Standards, but I think I've done enough by raising my concerns with the local council. Let's hope the pet shop in question improves its care standards and Siri was just an unfortunate one off. I'm going to give Siri a few weeks to get used to me then try to train him to step up. He's doing well, lots of screeching, though. I put them all outside this morning on the balcony & he seemed to enjoy the fresh air & chirruping to the local wild birds, though they weren't out long as there was a magpie making budgie chirps and watching the cages with interest. The R2D2 sounds are coming along, too, and I heard a whistled "pretty boy". He's beak-grinding, chuntering & stretching both wings now & also much more agile. I bought some long ladders & pegged them together so he can get onto the gym. I'll go for a woodland forage sometime & get some branches to make a large budgie tree, I think he'll enjoy that.
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2020 8:57:23 GMT
I've put Siri in the long, low cage on the other side of the living-room to Jess & Max. Siri takes a leap & flaps to the floor, runs across the room to their cage & climbs up the gym rungs & 2 ladders to get to it, pausing for a quick preen en route. He stayed for a few minutes listening to Jesse chirping to him (friends again) then returned to his own cage, climbing a ladder back in. It's been ace watching him figure how to get to where he wants to be. I'd hung my washing on an airer & I had to smile when Siri paused to investigate the straps of an undergarment. He had an investigative peck, a sort of "Que?" look before I moved the item to the top before he could get tangled up. Some pics of him getting around & doing a bit of yoga...
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Post by Hezz on Jun 28, 2020 9:45:56 GMT
You could think about providing Siri with a "bridge" from his cage to the others'. A rope walkway up high to keep him off the floor. He would have fun working something like that out.
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2020 10:05:20 GMT
Aerial rope-walk now a work-in-progress, thanks for that suggestion, Hezz I've bought some 6' willow branches which I'll steam-sterilise out on the balcony at the weekend then bind with rope (on the 'to get' list. I aim to build a rope/willow/poplar branch walk - over head height so me & DeeDee can walk under it without having to limbo dance So it'll be permanent. It'll go across the room from Siri's Place to Chateau Jesse et Maximilian (DeeDee chose that name ...), about 20'. A teepee shape at each end and a sort of tightrope across (I see a it festooned with interesting things). I had a tax refund of £250 last month, I've spent most of it on Siri - basic essentials lol I've thoroughly enjoyed myself, too! All three buds are zoned out on "Birdsong in a Bluebell Wood" on youtube & a local radio station playing some ace music. It's like songbirds meet R2D2 meets rock'n'roll Siri got stuck on his back again after wildly leaping of a perch, I left him & he did right himself - panic over! I'm sure that bird's got a streak of base-jumper in him. Jess & Max no longer bicker over The Beaded Swing - they've got one each now ( Jesse is now zonked on a raffia ball...
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2020 8:18:07 GMT
I've been acting like a twitcher (an avid bird-watcher in camouflage who lurks behind bushes, in small huts & up trees to see anything feathered) waiting to get a pic of all 3 buds together for an avatar, this morning it happened. I dived ballerina-like from my chair, grabbing my phone on the way, gracefully descended onto my bud-watching chair (fold out bed thing) & clicked away like a real pro... Jesse is a total thread addict so I used an old toy's rope to make little tassles that I tied in unexpected places, around curtain rails, pegs attached to picture frames, for example. I move them around so he's always on the hunt for where they are. Keeps him entertained for hours He found one while I was taking the pics...drat!
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Post by suesbird on Jul 1, 2020 11:40:45 GMT
They are lovely but be careful with threads, they get caught in their claws and they can ingest them. I have always cut mine right down to nothing. People have had problems with these things. You will gain their trust but it could take months or years, lots of patience.
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Mar 28, 2024 23:49:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2020 12:31:07 GMT
suesbird Thanks for that, I'll cut them right back. I've got some plaited raffia circle toys so I'll undo them & use them instead. Jesse is the most trusting of our little flock, liking nothing better than blasting my ears with bud-talk and playing with my ear-rings & hair clips or sitting on my head giving me a good preen. (I've taken to wearing a Kwap Kap - a beaded beanie, I'm now irresistible lol) He was really easy to train, too. Max does everything on his own terms, Siri is very timid & probably will be for life so I'm just letting him lead. You're so right about patience! I must admit having buds has been a long, slow learning curve - pretty much all my bird experience is with 'tiels. I hadn't realised how different buds are in their personalities & needs. I'm glad to be learning, though, the little bundles of mischief have certainly kept me busy & cheerful
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Post by Hezz on Jul 2, 2020 0:08:29 GMT
Vine balls work well for something for them to chew on, better if anything they chew is a natural fibre. You can also get rolls of paper rope which can be used for all sorts of things.
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