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Post by samwiseg on Sept 3, 2014 7:25:57 GMT
What as he been eating? That is such a splendid picture of Joey - what spectacular condition he is in! Give yourself a pat on the back OP you should be very proud of such a stunner!
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Post by OP on Sept 3, 2014 7:32:35 GMT
Well thank you Sam, but I can't take all the credit. Joey and Whiskers had a hand in it as well.
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Post by JennyB on Sept 3, 2014 22:53:27 GMT
The advice from this forum is invaluable but my favourite thing is to see photos and videos and to hear all about each budgie's individual character. Merry is the calm one and loves swinging on his swing and chirping away while pippin is always moving around and on the go. I feel like he is the younger brother because he does take his lead from Merry. Merry will be the first to go to a new toy or food then pippin will follow. He guards his favourite sleeping spot each night and doesn't like Merry too near or he'll make warning squeaks. But if Merry is too far away he'll fly to him and either settle next to him or fly back to his spot and Merry will follow and settle lower down. I must've sent hours and hours just watching them interact.
They've been progressing well with their bathroom training. I'll continue this week with a view to hopefully letting them out in the lounge next week. I think I'll be more nervous than them! Any tips to help them not get flustered or if they do how to help? They fly across from cage to play gym in the bathroom but sem to get a little rattled if they fly up and don't see any perches. In the bathroom they found the toilet roll holder and the door handle as shiny perches bless them!
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Post by OP on Sept 4, 2014 7:47:30 GMT
As each house is different and each pair of budgies are different, what will work in one instance may not work in another. I was in the position to be able to teach Joey the route to take from his cage into the conservatory and back again before Whiskers joined the flock. The conservatory resembles a rather large aviary at the moment with perches on the walls, play gyms on a coffee table, the grass on a window ledge, a swing hanging from the roof and a wooden toy with perches also hanging from the roof. When Whiskers joined us I had to show him the ropes because although he was very friendly and approachable he wasn't finger trained. So rather than try and train the two of them together I would split them up and train Whiskers to up-up onto my arm. Once I had that mastered I just let Joey out to fly into the conservatory and carry Whiskers in there on my arm. I only needed that twice and now they are in and out of the conservatory at will. The only food that is in there is the grass, but I just move the table away from it so they can't reach it, or so they think. That way if they want food they have to come back to the cage, likewise with water. They now know that they can go in and out of the cage for food and water. There is times when I need to go out and they have to be in the cage, because of my alarm system, which can be a bit of a trial if they are not quite ready to go in. But I think they know that I will win so it takes less and less time. I could practise at doing that but that may undo the sense of freedom that they have.
Sorry it's a bit of a long answer, but I thought I would try and give a complete answer for my situation.
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Post by starrymist on Sept 4, 2014 18:19:00 GMT
I'd suggest putting their play gym very close to their cage door (Brodie had his literally at the cage door so he could step out onto it) initially as it's something they're familiar with. I also had a spell putting it on top of the cage & taking him out on my finger & putting him up there. You may just want to leave the cage door open & let them explore on their own terms- with some tempting millet nearby of course! Also if you have any large furniture where it would be difficult to extricate a fallen budgie such as tall units, I'd suggest blocking off the bit at the back (with cardboard or rolled up newspapers) just in case. Our curtain rails are too high to reach but with some practise I could get Brodie to land on a plant on said unit, ("On the plant") this was so helpful as it meant it was high enough for him to feel safe but I could reach him & get him to step up from there (just like the shower door in our bathroom training), maybe you have something/ somewhere that would be useful like that, obviously it depends on your room. It's scary but once they get used to it it's the best feeling having them 'free range' & able to come & go as they please! Keep us up to date with how you all get on!
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Post by OP on Sept 4, 2014 18:45:21 GMT
One thing to remember is keep the vacuum cleaner plugged in and some kitchen wipes handy. Very good advice about the backs of furniture that you can't easily get to. I had my share of scares way back when I got Joey and he was let out to start with. Keep a spare perch handy as well you may well find it useful. Enjoy the experience.
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Post by Hezz on Sept 5, 2014 0:21:58 GMT
The advice from this forum is invaluable but my favourite thing is to see photos and videos and to hear all about each budgie's individual character. Merry is the calm one and loves swinging on his swing and chirping away while pippin is always moving around and on the go. I feel like he is the younger brother because he does take his lead from Merry. Merry will be the first to go to a new toy or food then pippin will follow. He guards his favourite sleeping spot each night and doesn't like Merry too near or he'll make warning squeaks. But if Merry is too far away he'll fly to him and either settle next to him or fly back to his spot and Merry will follow and settle lower down. I must've sent hours and hours just watching them interact. They've been progressing well with their bathroom training. I'll continue this week with a view to hopefully letting them out in the lounge next week. I think I'll be more nervous than them! Any tips to help them not get flustered or if they do how to help? They fly across from cage to play gym in the bathroom but sem to get a little rattled if they fly up and don't see any perches. In the bathroom they found the toilet roll holder and the door handle as shiny perches bless them! The most important thing is covering windows, doors and mirrors - anything that looks to the outside and may be seen to be a direct route. Curtain rails are popular perching spots, as are light fittings and overhead fans. Make sure fans are off (never on when the birds are out), lights cool, curtains closed and plug the gap between wall and heavy furniture that have no escape route out the bottom - I always think of the member ages ago who had to empty out a large fish tank and a cupboard full of books before she was able to move the cupboard enough to rescue poor budgie ....... about three hours later! I see Starrymist has already covered that, sorry. I use old sheets or bedcovers - something that is solid enough to not collapse when a budgie or two lands on it.
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Post by OP on Sept 6, 2014 12:54:22 GMT
I have just been watching Joey and Whiskers sat on their play gym. Joey was singing his heart out, they were beak to beak. Occasionally either Joey would bop Whiskers or Whiskers would bop Joey, and then carry on with Joey singing away and Whiskers listening. I tried to get to the camera but every-time I moved the whole thing stopped. Just for the hell of it I started whistling totally random notes and tones with the odd smack of the lips thrown in. Joey carried on singing his own style, but Whiskers was very interested in me. So much so that he left Joey and flew to my head. He wasn’t half dancing about. I don’t have that much hair so his little claws were really sticking in my scalp. What a massage I got. When I stopped my silly whistling Whiskers jumped off my head and went back to Joey. I’ve half a mind that he just wanted me to stop all the silly whistling.
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Post by ffiscool on Sept 6, 2014 15:27:38 GMT
awwww.. no, he loved that you were, so when you stopped, no point staying and he went back to his singing bezzie mate, Joey
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Post by OP on Sept 6, 2014 15:30:20 GMT
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Post by JennyB on Sept 6, 2014 22:52:01 GMT
Thanks for the answers. I love the sound of your their conservatory OP. We've postponed their first lounge outing for now. They both have antibiotics for a respiratory infection. The vet said leave it a week as flying around would agitate the condition. Thank you starrymist and Hezz I've been collecting cardboard to put on top of our bookcase so no one can fall down the back. The radiator gap isn't big enough to be a worry so I'll just make sure the heating is off any time they're out for now. When it's colder I'd like to get a small shelf to cover it. I don't want any burned little feet.
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Post by JennyB on Sept 6, 2014 22:54:33 GMT
I have just been watching Joey and Whiskers sat on their play gym. Joey was singing his heart out, they were beak to beak. Occasionally either Joey would bop Whiskers or Whiskers would bop Joey, and then carry on with Joey singing away and Whiskers listening. I tried to get to the camera but every-time I moved the whole thing stopped. Just for the hell of it I started whistling totally random notes and tones with the odd smack of the lips thrown in. Joey carried on singing his own style, but Whiskers was very interested in me. So much so that he left Joey and flew to my head. He wasn’t half dancing about. I don’t have that much hair so his little claws were really sticking in my scalp. What a massage I got. When I stopped my silly whistling Whiskers jumped off my head and went back to Joey. I’ve half a mind that he just wanted me to stop all the silly whistling. Merry and pippin do that sometimes. One will chirrup and the other will sit mesmerised. I call it being a love sponge. They're just soaking up all that love. It gives me a warm glow witnessing that. I do hope you manage to capture it on video another time. It's wonderful how close Joey and whiskers are after such a short time.
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Post by OP on Sept 7, 2014 10:38:11 GMT
Seeing as it was a pleasant warm and not too bright morning I thought I would set up shop in my conservatory. Both Joey & Whiskers were in there chatting away, so I thought what a good time to get some video shot. Computer on, camera within reach. Logged on to the forum when Whiskers decides to visit my head. Never mind I'll wait, so I had a chat with him. When he had had enough he flew off back into his cage, no sooner had he done that than Joey followed him. Ah! well there will be another time. So I carried on with this post when all of a sudden they were back with me. I picks the camera up and got ready, back to the cage they went. Do they have a sixth sense about this camera lark?
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Post by samwiseg on Sept 7, 2014 11:28:11 GMT
They're on to you OP
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Post by OP on Sept 7, 2014 11:46:07 GMT
I really think you are right Sam. They are having me on this morning. Someone on this forum has told both of them that it's a good idea to chew the cotton rope perch. They have never done it before, Joey doesn't chew things, but they both are having a go at it today. I shooed them away, but they have come back to it. As of yet no threads have been broke, but I did strengthen the rope ends with a product called Sugru. It cures to a strong silicone rubber. It can be cut with a knife but it is very difficult with the finger nails. I'll keep an eye to make sure they don't chew it off. I'll be back shortly with a video clip I have just taken.
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