Our Winged Friends

Bird Keeping Journal Page 2:

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I just realized I deleted the original page two of entries where we discovered BeBe's cere was tan instead of blue and that she's a girl!  Bummer.  But here we start again.

8-6-03 I posted some replies to the Budgie chat room:

First was about biting and taming issues:

I found a lot of really good information about biting and bird behavior in Sally Blanchard's books the Companion Parrot Handbook and the Beak Book. Not everything translates into budgies, but it's an excellent start. Check out the web links on my web site http://leilanimassage.com/birdhome.htm

Her information helped me learn how to notice moods, other signs BeBe was warning me she'd bite beforehand, reasoning behind the biting, and ways to prevent being bitten.

I very very rarely get bitten at all. I did recently get a few bites, but now that's not even an issue since I've gotten the clue since she's in breeding condition [thanks to the folks on this list].

BeBe is feeling a bit territorial in her cage and I have to watch her body language and moods a little more. The last time I was bit I tried to show her the birds outside she was answering.

Then it dawned on me, maybe she was calling for me to do something about the big scary birds outside [very loud flickers and their two babies.] I answer them and she's pretty much completely stopped screaming again.

Side note: I gave her a grape wreath, tucked organic corn husk strips, and raffia through her cage bars around her wreath. She's very very content now to sit there and chirp at me.

She's very affectionate about kissing us, grooming us mostly our hair, playing with her toys with us, mimicking our kissing noise, and trying to get us to feed her tidbits of fruits, veggies, and seed. She lets us turn her over in our hands and kiss on her. She showers with us. She's just so sweet and loves to just be with us on our shoulder.

Her wings have grown out quite a bit since we got her and I don't feel confident to clip them but the avian vet I took her to for her wellness visit right after we got her said to bring her in and he'd do it. So, it's pretty much due any time I think.

She loves the sprouted millet. Thanks everyone for the tip.

Leilani

PS. I've had BeBe since March of this year and she's our first bird.

Secondly about leaving budgie in care of others:

I think it's great you're thinking ahead on this! I did similar steps when we left our BeBe for a long weekend and will again before we go this September.

I keep a log of BeBe's schedule and commands and food amounts & timing & cleaning rituals.

I introduced her to the pet sitter on several occasions and had them go through step up, down, feeding and it seemed good.

I'm sure you'll be missed. It sounds like you have a very fun relationship.

I tried talking to BeBe over the phone and she apparently listened but looked confused.

The night time ritual sounds precious. But I think he'll definitely miss it and when you return you'll have to re-establish your patterns with gentleness. Sally Blanchard talks about how sometimes we come home from a trip expecting to warmly received and we get indifference or even bit--that we should expect their patterns and routines will need to be re-established.

I remembered this when we came back from our trip and were excited to see BeBe and our many other pets. But just hung out by the cage for a while and then greeted her gently no enclosing her in our hands and kissing on her. Just stepping up and talking to her.

We started our normal daily stuff the next day.

Leilani
 

PS. BeBe is our first bird, so we're not experts by any stretch of the imagination.
http://leilanimassage.com/birdhome.htm

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