|
Post by Loz on Jan 13, 2023 16:58:09 GMT
Hello everyone, you may be aware that I have a new boy in quarantine. He's just about to complete his first week of isolation. I think Hector is between six and twelve months old.
Hector is an exhibition budgie, the second one I've had. As such, I expect him to behave a little differently from my other budgies and he does. He's generally quiet and still, except during active contact-calling with my Flock. He does have a little fly around the room but for the past few days he's stayed in, or on, or next to his cage. He doesn't sing but I've heard him burbling a little at sunset.
He is eating and drinking well, droppings are good (now, after a couple days settling in). Hector is mildly interested in millet but it isn't easy to tempt him. I thought at first Hector was going to be easy to tame but I think from about Day 4 onwards, he's tended to be skittish and mostly avoidant when approached.
There is a big shreddable toy and a couple of plants that Hector can play with - he's tried the thyme but it might be a bit "too tasty" for him. Hector likes his swing.
I'm not sure how much the lad enjoys my company - sometimes he reacts when I leave the room, sometimes not. He seems to listen when I talk to him, sometimes.
He dozes a bit throughout the day. I'm unsure whether he is under-stimulated or just being an exhibition budgie!
I'm tempted to uncover the mirror toy in gmhis cage, to see if that perks him up. I'm not a fan of mirrors for budgies but it might be right for Hector.
Any thoughts? I always worry during the quarantine period so this all may be in my head.
|
|
Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
Posts: 28,776
Member is Online
|
Post by Marianne Marlow on Jan 13, 2023 17:04:23 GMT
Silly questions:
Does he have music to listen to? I find this always gets a budgie singing a bit of absolute 80's or something poppy and lively.
Does he have a playground or T perch that he can fly to?
Do you sit and talk to him a lot?
|
|
|
Post by Loz on Jan 13, 2023 17:15:08 GMT
Not silly at all!
1. Music is always playing for him 2. I don't have a stand for him at this time except at weighing time when I wait patiently for him to land on it. 3. I regularly try to engage him in conversation. Sometimes he looks a little uncomfortable with it, sometimes not. I often read my book to him.
I've wanted to buy a t-stand for a while now but my normal supplier (you know who) has been off-line for a while and I haven't much liked the alternatives I've seen. Any suggestions for a source of a decent stand?
|
|
Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
Posts: 28,776
Member is Online
|
Post by Marianne Marlow on Jan 13, 2023 17:38:51 GMT
I can't help with the T-Stand. I tried to find others and all I could find what cheap tat!!
I got my from Karen too.
|
|
|
Post by Loz on Jan 13, 2023 17:55:28 GMT
I'm going to borrow one of the little shorty t-stands from the lounge. Hopefully the flock won't miss it. It'll be better than nothing.
|
|
Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
Posts: 28,776
Member is Online
|
Post by Marianne Marlow on Jan 13, 2023 18:19:30 GMT
Yeah that'll do. Put it near his cage, when he lands on it for a while, move it further away I'm going to borrow one of the little shorty t-stands from the lounge. Hopefully the flock won't miss it. It'll be better than nothing.
|
|
|
Post by Loz on Jan 13, 2023 18:27:26 GMT
The thing is, on his first day out of the cage, Hector used the curtain pole as a landing site, and even the aloe vera plant! He's gotten less adventurous as the days pass.
|
|
|
Post by blueelephant on Jan 13, 2023 18:37:40 GMT
He sounds like a normal exhibition budgie to me. Mine are lazy little <insert word of choice>
Toby can have a nap within an hour of getting up in the morning and all will contentedly sit in the cage unless you poke them. Singing is very much a group activity. My brother's four have singing as their main activity. When on their own they sing much less.
I'd actually quite like a 'normal' budgie to experience how they behave!
|
|
|
Post by Loz on Jan 13, 2023 18:45:59 GMT
Eeyore, my other exhibition budgie, was neurotic when he first came to me. He's a little odd even now but he fits in with the regular budgies. And yes, he's a strong singer.
|
|
|
Post by Loz on Jan 17, 2023 12:17:57 GMT
Hector being active. I just missed some pretty frenetic activity on his part, he was scaling the side of the cage at double-speed. You would have accused me of speeding-up the film had I caught it on camera! I am worried still though, he is even less active than Finarfin was during his quarantine. 1drv.ms/v/s!AnyoyWilEZ_Xh6N_5BmFFq2ZfVnD2Q?e=2Ujx2L
|
|
Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
Posts: 28,776
Member is Online
|
Post by Marianne Marlow on Jan 17, 2023 22:28:22 GMT
That cage is so odd, I bet it was very hard to put together!
|
|
|
Post by Loz on Jan 17, 2023 22:31:59 GMT
Put it this way: if you do it right, it's easy. If you do it wrong, it's torture!
|
|
Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
Posts: 28,776
Member is Online
|
Post by Marianne Marlow on Jan 17, 2023 22:35:41 GMT
I can imagine that it's hard to get it to keep it's shape while fitting pieces in and it just collapses Put it this way: if you do it right, it's easy. If you do it wrong, it's torture!
|
|
|
Post by Loz on Jan 17, 2023 22:40:08 GMT
It falls to pieces if you get it wrong but if you do it right, it's remarkably robust, even during construction. The first couple of attempts nearly made me lose my mind. After I watched the video a coiple of times, I realised my mistake. It's a good cage.
|
|
Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
Posts: 28,776
Member is Online
|
Post by Marianne Marlow on Jan 21, 2023 11:16:57 GMT
When is Hector's Flock day?!
|
|