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Post by Hezz on Oct 28, 2012 10:06:46 GMT
I now have been the very proud owner, or possessed by five budgies in total. Two have been young when I got them and handled, never lived with other mature budgies, and three much older, having lost their baby bars and quite independent.
With my new two meeting my resident two today and just sitting and watching the interactions of them all, and remembering how Bluey was with a new feathered member ......... I have to say that there is a lot to be said for allowing the buds to mature in a nature (well, an aviary isn't natural, I know) as possible an environment, and taking a little longer to tame these older budgies.
Smudge doesn't and Bluey didn't, really know how to interact with other feathered friends; I am feeling rather sorry for Smudge at the moment, as the other three are sorting themselves out and getting to know each other. Smudge really doesn't have a clue. The first time out all together the three went flying off and integrating ..... Smudge just sat on the playgym a little zombie-fied.
While I realise this is a very small core group to base anything on, these are my observations only. I would love to hear if anyone else with a mix of baby and older budgies, as new to be introduced, have noticed anything similar.
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Post by samwiseg on Oct 28, 2012 10:41:24 GMT
That is an interesting observation Hezz - only thing I can offer is surely though it would be a bit like any group getting together for the first time tho? I.e. they have to establish each other and the roles within the group as well as being an individual? Like any pack, flock etc etc? I hope someone else might be able to offer you something a bit more concrete than me, as to behaviours. And I would be keen to keep up to date with your birdies on this topic as we may be getting some youngen's in the future too. Am sure you shall have no troubles though Hezz, you know budgies through and through
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Post by Rachael Kellett on Oct 28, 2012 13:27:11 GMT
I think I understand what you mean. One of my budgies, Ozzie, lived on his own for the first two years of his life, he was my only budgie and had strong obsessions with his mirrors. Then I got Lola as a friend for him but he wasn't paticuarly interested. Then I got Milly and Milo together, then Alfie, then JayJay last year. Ozzie doesn't really bother with the other budgies, he will have the odd head bopping moment with Milo but otherwise he keeps himself to himself and prefers to talk to his reflection. He is also the only one out of the six that will happily sit on my hand and sing to me. In the aviary one of the younger budgies, Dexter bonded with a hen, Lilah, that I already had. He would just happily sit with her and feed her even when she bopped him he didn't mind lol. Lilah passed away earlier this year and Dex seems to find it hard to make friends with the other budgies even though there are plenty of other budgies that I know would be great for him. It makes me sad but he does seem happier now that I have 8 babies in there so I am hopeful he will find a new soulmate. Don't even get me started on Holly :/ I got her from a lady who "wanted rid because the bird made her child cry when she tweeted" They also thought she was a he! Holly had never socialised, only had seed and water, and isn't any good at stepping up although once she is out of her cage she is happy. She was 2 years old when I got her last December. She also has problems with her wing which means she can't fly so she has her own cage but gets regular playdates with the other budgies Anywho, apologies for my ramblings haha! My point is that budgies can be affected in different ways, sometimes from not being with their own kind from an early age, not having that social part, or in Dexters case he just struggles to fit in I think x
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May 18, 2024 13:34:42 GMT
Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2012 15:32:00 GMT
hi hezz ... this is something i have never thought about ... but your 100% right .. i can only liken it to someone growing up on his/her own.... with no one to interact with.... ... if they were put with other kids after say 5 years ..... they wouldnt no what to do either.... this is so sad... ...
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Post by Hezz on Oct 29, 2012 1:24:23 GMT
Very good analogy, Mick. I hadn't thought of that - like the two kids next door to me being home-schooled. I wonder how they are going to fit into society when the time comes. After all you cannot stay at school/home forever. I don't really feel it is for the good of the children. She, the mother, may have her reasons, that are perfectly reasonable, but from an outsider, I don't see the benefits. I see where you are coming from, Sam, and there has to be some of that, too, of course. But interesting to know that Rachael has noticed similar developments to mine. Did you get Ozzie as a young baby, Rachael? It is not causing any problems, but just observing Smudge not really knowing how to go about the whole interaction thing. Misty actually approached her and just sat beside her. It may be coincidence that the personalities of the birds match their upbringing, but it is interesting, isn't it? Will keep you updated on the progress.
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Post by stace on Oct 29, 2012 4:36:54 GMT
I'm sure the same Nature/Nurture principles would apply to the socialisation of budgies as it does to humans. We are both social animals. Those social skills are very much learnt behaviours, although I guess birds may have the same introvert/extrovert personalities as we do?
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Post by Hezz on Oct 30, 2012 1:32:18 GMT
True, Stace. But a budgie in the wild wouldn't survive if it couldn't be at one with the flock. We wouldn't know if they work to fit in or just fade away. They sure are entertaining creatures - even bringing us around to the old psychology debate.
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Post by samwiseg on Oct 30, 2012 8:10:53 GMT
;D Psychology debate ;D I must admit tho, I think there is something to be said for Mick's analogy, its like when you haven't known anything else how do you respond to suddenly having loads of others around? Must be a bit overwhelming!
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Post by Hezz on Oct 31, 2012 1:20:30 GMT
'Tis all working out, I am happy to say. Smudge has pretty much stopped "beaking" the newcomers. But Misty is very possessive of Fluoro - he and Sparky are trying to work themselves out; she keeps hopping between them. ;D
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Post by samwiseg on Oct 31, 2012 7:33:58 GMT
That is good news! You know Smudge will assert her authority from the beginning but nice to know that Misty is taking are of Fluoro, the have obviously bonded well
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Post by Hezz on Nov 1, 2012 1:39:24 GMT
Misty is a right little madam at the moment. Sparky and Fluoro were down at the water bowl, they are still trying to find out where they sit with each other, but Misty had to hop down and chase Sparky away. With a telling off!
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Post by skysmum on Nov 1, 2012 17:42:29 GMT
This is an interesting post . I observed something quite interesting yesterday. I went to the Aviary as i usually do first thing and all four looked to be outside, a quick head count proved me wrong Freddy wasn't with them so i went inside to look for her, she wasn't inside either, PANIC , on closer inspection of the outside flight i spotted her on the floor among the shaving's. Now Freddy is my other non flyer with the poorly wing so it was apparent that she had fallen, quite a drop so i always make sure i have a deep layer of wood shavings on the bottom along with the wine rack and some twigs reaching up the mesh for my two non flyers. ANYWAY, sorry going on a bit. I was just going to go in and give her a hand when Teddy started to make his way down onto the wine rack. She still just stood there, so he went down the wine rack and started to call to her at which point she started to make her way over to him, he started to make his way back up and she followed him step for step. It was amazing to watch, he stayed with her until she got to the top then he went back over to continue his morning gossip with Jo Jo. Maybe im just reading too much into it but i swear that little bird went down to help her find her way back. Mine do genuinely seem to look out for each other and i know the dynamics of the group changed when i had to take Fern out for a week. When she went back in they went up to her as if to welcome her back. Sorry bit long but i find Psychology of any sort fascinating
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Oct 6, 2011 7:41:27 GMT
Marianne Marlow
Administrator
George, Daisy, Iris, Billy, Peter, Chipper, Dinku, Barney, Ayla and Rocky
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Post by Marianne Marlow on Nov 1, 2012 19:34:02 GMT
Lilek did not want to socialise with any of the other birds when he came here, he had been kept on his own.
When they tried to approach him he would go down low, spread his tail coverts and chitter like an angry squirrel. It took a long time before he could even with with another budgie!
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Post by Rachael Kellett on Nov 1, 2012 20:39:14 GMT
Very good analogy, Mick. I hadn't thought of that - like the two kids next door to me being home-schooled. I wonder how they are going to fit into society when the time comes. After all you cannot stay at school/home forever. I don't really feel it is for the good of the children. She, the mother, may have her reasons, that are perfectly reasonable, but from an outsider, I don't see the benefits. I see where you are coming from, Sam, and there has to be some of that, too, of course. But interesting to know that Rachael has noticed similar developments to mine. Did you get Ozzie as a young baby, Rachael? It is not causing any problems, but just observing Smudge not really knowing how to go about the whole interaction thing. Misty actually approached her and just sat beside her. It may be coincidence that the personalities of the birds match their upbringing, but it is interesting, isn't it? Will keep you updated on the progress. Yes he was only 8 weeks old when I got him I don't believe that he is unhappy, simply uninterested in the other budgies most of the time. He does have fun with Milo sometimes though, he likes to wind him up lol! ;D
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Post by Shirls on Nov 2, 2012 12:23:47 GMT
This is an interesting post . I observed something quite interesting yesterday. I went to the Aviary as i usually do first thing and all four looked to be outside, a quick head count proved me wrong Freddy wasn't with them so i went inside to look for her, she wasn't inside either, PANIC , on closer inspection of the outside flight i spotted her on the floor among the shaving's. Now Freddy is my other non flyer with the poorly wing so it was apparent that she had fallen, quite a drop so i always make sure i have a deep layer of wood shavings on the bottom along with the wine rack and some twigs reaching up the mesh for my two non flyers. ANYWAY, sorry going on a bit. I was just going to go in and give her a hand when Teddy started to make his way down onto the wine rack. She still just stood there, so he went down the wine rack and started to call to her at which point she started to make her way over to him, he started to make his way back up and she followed him step for step. It was amazing to watch, he stayed with her until she got to the top then he went back over to continue his morning gossip with Jo Jo. Maybe im just reading too much into it but i swear that little bird went down to help her find her way back. Mine do genuinely seem to look out for each other and i know the dynamics of the group changed when i had to take Fern out for a week. When she went back in they went up to her as if to welcome her back. Sorry bit long but i find Psychology of any sort fascinating That's really lovely Skysmum, so good that you were able to stand back and watch. I would love to have seen this. ;D
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