Happy Boo-Year to All!

Sutcliffe, the Wonderful Dinosaur Dad!

More evidence that budgies are tiny dinosaurs.  Furthermore, birds and dinosaurs are better dad's than most mammals.

From "Science" Magazine's 2008 Scientific Highlights:

Dutiful Dinosaur Dads

In more than 90% of living bird species, males play a role in the parental care of their offspring.  By comparison, males contribute to parental care in fewer than 5% of mammalian species...Varicchio et al present compelling evidence that in three species of dinosouars...males were the individuals responsible for caring for eggs and young.

Finger Training

Finger training it touted as an important part of budgie taming, and we agree.  However, like any kind of training, the less we handle the budgies, the less "into" the finger sitting they become.  Furthermore, the less we clip their feathers, the less patient they are with sitting on our fingers before flying off and back to the cage.  Mary ann is by far the most tame and docile, followed by Boo, and then Sutcliffe.  When Boo is not acting tame, we use our fingers as ladders and she likes to walk up them.  I think that sitting on a finger and finger-ladder walking are simply tapping into budgie instincts.

I have been trying to find the internet link to a talking budgie whose favorite word was "no".  I think that generally, budgies don't really like being handled, and "no" is what these budgies would say if they could. We definitely enjoy holding the budgies more than they seem to like being held.  They seem to simply tolerate it in a "oh brother, if you MUST" kind of way.

Sutcliffe-Continued Discussion

Dear all; while I know you can read the comments, I wanted to highlight this one posted today re: Sutcliffe's feeding behavior:

nacly dog said...

this is acting as the flock leader.  He checks out possibly tainted food, takes the first risk then guards the rest from possible predators.  this behavior is consistent with dimporhism and a social hierarchy.  I've seen flocks of geese show the same behavior.  Sutcliffe would be a good leader for a small feral flock".

This is fascinating.  I don't know much about geese, but remember their social structure being discussed in the book about King Arthur, "The Sword and the Stone" which I read as a young person.  King Arthur spent time with many animals and learned their social behavior.  The geese were very important to teaching King Arthur how to lead compassionately.

I am so proud of Sutcliffe!  He came from a budgie bin, where he really had no upbringing or opportunity at all, and he has become tame, socialized,  the pater familias who saved the life of his beloved child (Magoo), and a true flock leader.  

Thanks naclydog for these insights!

Brave and Selfless Leader or Hen-Pecked Wimp? OR???

Here is a description of a typical behavior of Sutcliffe at feeding time.  I am interested in your interpretation of this;

When a treat or the AM food is placed in the cage, the females do not approach it right away.  Sutcliffe goes first and eats some of the treat.  Soon thereafter, one of the females (Boo or Mary ann, but usually, Mary ann) will come over to where he is, and he'll leave and go to the next feeding spot.  Then Boo will go to that spot, and Sutcliffe will leave.  There is usually a third spot to eat, but Sutcliffe does not go there. Rather, he sits elsewhere and sings and chirps while the other two eat.  Later, when they are finished, he will go and eat some of the treats at any of the three places.

Hypotheses:

Is he being a wimp, chased away from getting a treat by his wife and then his daughter, although he is brave and tame enough, or foolhardy enough, to go first?  

Or is he checking the food for safety, then advertising "good food here" to the flock by singing, while the females feed, being brave, caring, and paternal towards his flock.

Or maybe, there is another idea which we haven't thought about yet?

And finally, what would be good experiments to test this hypotheses?

What do you think?

The Pineal Gland, Budgie Circadian Rhythms, and Other Thoughts

On the post about the Budgies Professionalism, a comment was left:

From Nacly Dog...."Maybe they're taking a vacation.   Can budgies change a circadian rhythm set point?"

This is a very interesting idea!

It definitely was a bit dark on the day when the budgies were quiet (due to thunderstorms).  I wonder if the budgies are particularly sensitive to light and dark?  Birds have a particular connection to the pineal gland.  

The pineal gland affects circadian rhythms in almost all animals.  In birds, it not only affects sleep (it makes melatonin) but also is thought to help with magnetic determination of flying directions.  Because of its role in detecting dark and light in some animals, it is sometimes called the "third eye".  Perhaps the pineal gland is important in budgie professionalism, and budgie vacations.  Apparently bird sleep-wake cycles can be set not only with light, but also with the sounds of bird songs.  There clearly is an interaction to explore between dark/light/sleep/wake in birds.  And perhaps we are more dependent on these cycles then our modern societal pressures may allow us to admit.  And denying them may not be good for us.  Next time is is rainy, I may just give in and sleep late.

Budgie Professionalism (or Lack Thereof)

All animals have a job to do, and do it with pride.  For example, the parental cat (Nikko) patrols his turf daily.   He also must bring back any creatures caught, to share with his human pride.

Budgies have a very important job; greeting the day.  Every morning, it is their job to sing and chirp and greet the morning.  Also it is their job to be active and prepare for nightfall.

This morning, we had to awaken without the budgies.  No songs, nothing.  It was quite rainy, and the budgies just didn't bother getting up to greet the day.  We had to walk downstairs and talk to them to even get any chirps.

Professionalism?  These budgies are slipping!

In an earlier posted comment, C stated:

"The budgies may enjoy "Manzanilla" which is what Spanish-speakers around here call chamomile".  He went on to state "Mantazilla" sounds like a giant manta ray that emerges from the deep to ally with Godzilla against Mothra."

A picture of the budgies vs. the monster "Manzanilla" is shown here (courtesy of C).  Because budgies are really dinosaurs, it will be an impressive, B movie-worthy battle.

K wondered if she had misread the label on the herb bought at the Walmart in Sealy.  The best way to check on this is to Google it (not check the label).  A quick google search revealed:

from a site about the history of chamomile  "In spain it has been known for centuries at Mantazillla or "little apple".  It goes on to state that "this is also the name of a type of sherry which has a similar flavor."

But what about Manzanilla?

Wikipedia states that: Manzanilla is a variety of fino sherry...In Spanish, chamomile tea is called "manzanilla"...

So what is the answer to this confusing quandary?  Are there two ways of talking about chamomile in Spanish?  Is one a mutation of the other?  Is one more "correct"? and who will win in the battle of the Mantazilla monster and the ancient feathered dinosaur budgies?

See the Sequel, "son of budgies" to find out!

Mantazilla

While shopping in a Walmart near Sealy TX, following Hurricane Ike (where we had to drive in order to find an open store), I came across a bundle of dried plant called Mantazilla.  It smelled nice, and was in the food section, so I thought I would give it a try for the budgies.  I put a few sprigs in the budgies cage, and they went wild for it, especially Mary ann!

Only after this did I google Mantazilla, and learn that it is also called Chamomille.  Apparently it is used to help budgies who are ill overcome infection.  I don't think Mary Ann is ill, though.  I think she just liked it a lot.

Favorite Weed Seeds

The season for these particular plants has passed, but they flourished in August.  (Of course, now, after Hurricane Ike, all the flora are a bit of a mess).  This picuture shows Sutcliffe about to enjoy this beloved budgie snack!  I couldn't find out what kind of plant this is on any site.  Any readers have any ideas?

The budgies now have new fresh Eucalyptus (Thanks C!).  Sutcliffe was grooming himself by rubbing on the leaves this morning.  It was pretty cute!  Although I can't find information about budgies sense of smell, I am convinced they are able to smell, as they seem to enjoy aromatic foods such as eucalyptus, cilantro, and basil.

Texas is Such a Big, Empty Place

The budgie-prius arrived well before any furniture did.  The budgies had some fun running around the house without furniture.  Mary Ann was particularly cute; rather than flying to the birdhouse, she ran over and hopped up on my finger.  It was very sweet.

We have quite a bit more furniture now, but the budgies remain in the same place (on a tall table now).  I hope they are safe during the coming Hurricane (Ike)!  We will move them away from the window.

Kids These Days!

As our faithful readers know (both of you), Boo is a teenager and acting like one.  She is quite mean to her dad, and cranky with her mom (though she knows better than to cross the latter).  I found this article sent by MG today very amusing:  See "Parrots Wreak Havoc in New Zealand Bird Sanctuary".  Apparenlty the teenage "Kaka" parrots are destroying the breeding cages  as if they are a game or rubics cube.   Furthermore, older teenage parrots seem to be teaching the younger ones how fun this is.  Before you know it, they'll be singing songs that sounds only like irritating noise to older parrots.

Move to Texas-Budgie Pics!

Finally-the card reader and internet are set up and we can share some of the pictures of the budgies moving to Texas in a prius.  K had worried a great deal in advance; she even feared they might suffer health problems on the trip (or even die?!).  (Yes, K is a worry wart.)  To the contrary, the budgies loved the the trip as far as we could tell!  They particularly liked singing along to the radio (with a preference for Toby Keith songs, and also weird Celtic music, apparently.  This preference is based on the fact that when this music played, they all sang and chirped).  They also quite liked the grasses we cut from roadside weed fields.  The one time they involuted, was in KY (the state, not the jelly) where the scary "Nikko" the cat was living!

Why Pets? Why Cute?

In yesterdays coments, carl said...
I think that the more interesting question is why humans have pets at all. Other species don't in the wild -- I've heard of captive chimps having dolls or pets, but that must be an awfully artificial environment for them.

Maybe we started out by joining packs of dogs to help us hunt, and then transferred our loyalty to wider circles of species.

I think this is an interesting question, and answer.  It is clear that people have used animals to help them hunt (dogs helped hunt, hence bonded with men, who were traditionally hunters) or protect what is gathered (cats protected grains from rodents, hence bonded with women).  i am sure the feminists in the group (of which I consider myself one) may find these generalizations offensive, but, they are interesting and worthy of discussion, I hope.  Other animals have been useful as foods themselves (rabbits, goats) or to produce food (once again goats, or cows who produce milk).  That said, I think that we have a natural affinity and affection for animals which extends beyond their usefulness.  Could it be the amazement that our instinct of fear is overcome with trust and affection trans-species?

While cute overload is horribly anthropomorphic, as I have said before, it still is an excellent collection of animal pictures of all types.  One category of pictures, called "interspecies snorgling", (yes, saccharine, I realize) has a lot of pictures of animals "bonding" in unexpected ways.  And an earlier blog here reported a monkey and pigeon who had formed a special bond.  We don't understand these traits in ourselves, but I am not convinced that other animals don't also have them to a degree.  

MIddle Aged Childless Women and Pets

I realize that I (K) am nuts about the budgies. Even I have perspective that this is a little weird; weirder than being obsessed with a dog or cat, even. However, I also get great pleasure from the budgies. It is a cliche to say that this is biological; childless woman, middle aged, blah blah blah. Why fight it? I can't WAIT till we move (in about a year) to a house we own, so I can get a hedgehog.

Singing

the fact that parrots are noisy, and can learn to talk, is well known. Since moving to Texas, the budgies are singing a lot more. Sutcliffe has always been a singer, and I attributed this to his male sex. However, all three budgies are singing, very much. I wonder what this signifies?

Budgies FINALLY featured in Cuteoverload.com!

I was so happy to see a budgie photo on cute overload.  Yes, cute overload is anthropomorphic, often to the point of being irritating, there are all kinds of made up words which strike me as a mixture of baby talk and psuedo french-like phrases, and worst of all, it rarely has bird pictures.  I do not recall it ever having a budgie shown (and I visit it almost everyday).  "What?" The gentle reader may well ask.  You bash it and then say you visit it daily?".  Well, yes.  I can intellectually distance myself from it, but I must admit, those adorable, sweet, lovable, and amazingly cute pictures really brighten my day.  Even if I can't relate to all the captions and comments.  I can't paste the picture on blogger for you to admire, but it is worth visiting at the above link.

My biggest regret is that, because I am at a new job and don't dare go to "blogger" while at work, I wasn't able to add comments on the day that this budgie post was posted; which could have brought more budgie fans to this blogsite!

In Budgie Heaven, it's all about the fresh Grass Seed

The texas flock has been greatly enjoying the grasses that I have found growing in the green patches in this urban area near our townhouse (near Medical Center). A very good resource for identifying grasses is: TEXNAT, Texas Natural Resource Center Plant Identification site (geared largely towards which ones are good for grazing cattle, not budgies). My impression is that Houston has swamplands, Louisiana style, to the east, Prairies to the north, marshes to the south, and a bit of desert starting to the west. Rhodes Grass, Hooded Windmill Grass, Bermuda Grass, are among the grasses I have found and fed the budgies. In fact, if I come home from work where I pass through a grassy area named (by me “snake alley”, though none of these eponymous creatures have been sighted there, as it is probably, simply just too damn hot for them too), anyway, if I come home and don’t bring grasses with seeds, they act petulant (squawk, peck at each other, and hop about staring at me with expectation). I would love to find some Barnyard grass, Canada wildrye, or Plains lovegrass, and especially, RAT TAIL SMUT GRASS for them. Those look as if budgies would find them very delicious. There is even some Texas bluegrass; but as a native Kentuckian, I think this is where I would draw the line.

While we were on vacation, we asked a neighbor to feed the budgies. She let her preschoolers feed the budgies ALL the food for the week in about a day and a half; they had so much fun pouring seed out into the bowls (and then the floor of the cage). But, she reassured me, they gave the budgies grasses. Well, she must not know much about birds, or pets, because they just threw grass LEAVES in the cage. Boo went into a serious molt, and we really thought Mary ann was going to make a “celestial final flight”. Her usual voluptuousness was gone, and she was very thin, and had a lot of missing feathers, especially on her head. I am happy to report that with regular seeds/pellets (Eggcite brand) and grasses (WITH SEEDS) from the urban prarie, Mary ann has all her feathers again, is looking back to her usual zaftig self, and Boo has gosy and complete feathers.

When choosing grasses, (note neighbor, this means WITH seeds!), its best to choose them from a non-maintained, non -manicured lawn, as that is less likely to have chemicals such as "chem lawn" treatments, which can poison budgies (or other animals including children, btw). Avoid creosote (telephone poles), also toxic. And wash them, especially if from near a roadway.

M and M (Magoo and Mia)

Good news from the adoptive family. They are enjoying Mia and Magoo (M and M). Magoo has been doing very well with finger sitting. Mia has stopped acting neurotic, and when Magoo is finger sitting, he calls her with a little "chiRRRPP". That, I think, is pretty cute. They didn't rename Magoo "Ringo" so I will call this famiy "the Ringo's" to honor them with a good bird name. Anyway, the Ringo's have been very patient with M and M and working regularly with them. I certainly hope Mia will make progress and not discourage the wondeful Ringos.

The Budgieman

Apparently he is a beloved Busker around London (often seen near the Tate Gallery). His budgies are awfully cute. It makes me wish I had more time to spend working with mine.

Update Mia and Magoo Thrive

We have heard an update from the Adoptive Family (AF) regarding Mia and Magoo (M and M).  Apparently Magoo is doing very well with finger sitting.  Also, amazingly, Mia will sometimes sit on a finger, and perhaps is more likely to do so when Magoo beckons her with a chhiirrrPPP.  That is amazing for timid little Mia!  I am not sure if Magoo is now Ringo, or not-will check on that.  The AF is clearly working regularly with M and M, and it seems to be paying off.  There is an adorable dachshund in the family, who seems a bit excited about the new additions.  But being intelligent, as dachshunds are, he has learned to not bark at them (which in turn got them rather flustered).  This is all very good news.  Whether or not the budgies stay part of the new family may depend a bit on the dachshunds adaption to them.  I was under the impression that dogs and budgies tended to get along well, but of course every dog, and every budgie is different.

Budgies in Texas-Update

The budgies seem to have calmed completely since the move.  They are a bit less active, but that is probably because they are in a darker place than before (the summer palace was quite bright, being basically outdoors).  I have not heard yet from Magoo (Ringo?) and Mia but will let everyone know if I hear anything from the wonderful family who adopted them.  

While walking to work (an urban walk) I (K) pass through a grassy area which I have called "snake alley" although none of the eponymous creatures have yet been seen there.  I have been picking grass seed stalks from there on the way home, and the budgies are clearly thrilled with these.   Sutcliffe is not as aggressive about getting these as the females are, even though I make an effort to distribute these evenly so all can enjoy.

All three seem to have fully recovered from the bad episode of negligent babysitting that occurred while we were out of town (the family caring for the budgies poured all of the food for the week into the food bowls in a single day, and then just threw pieces of grass into the cage after that.  The budgies lost a lot of feathers, especially Mary ann on the top of her head and Sutcliffe around the eyes.  Boo went into a serious molt.  Fortunately Magoo and Mia were spared, possibly because they are the youngest).

Moving Highlights

Sorry to all our gentle blog readers (yes, both of you) for this long hiatus.  However, the move caused some delays in getting online to blog!  

The budgies did well during the packing up phase, mainly because of their location in the "summer palace".  However, a bittersweet moment (for the human flock) occurred when Mia and Magoo were adopted.  The good news is, that we now have a new family which has joined the human flock, especially, several girls who seem very well suited to budgie ownership.  I haven't heard yet if they are enjoying the budgies, but I certainly hope so.  If they don't like the budgies, we offered to take them back.  It was a no risk adoption.  I was rather sad at first to see them go, especially Magoo, who hatched in our house only just this last winter, but I know he will be happy.  He may even be renamed Ringo!

The drive and the stay near Nikko the cat (the latter of whom resides in Louisville) went well, but deserves longer posts in the future.  Pictures will also soon be posted from the trip.   The budgies were very quiet around Nikko, probably instinctually.  In the Prius, while driving, however, they seemed joyous and sang and chirped the entire way, especially if country music was playing, or classical.

Good News

As you can see here, this blog entry celebrates Mia and Magoo. They are definitely a "pair" and an adoptive family has been found, at least temoporarily, here in the greater suburban Washington DC area. It is a family I know, as I work with the mom and the dad in the family. They have several daughters, who are interested in having their own pets. I hope they really have fun with Mia and Magoo! I set up their cage today, and will set up another cage for the remaining three as well. The aviary will be moved, empty, with the moving van to Texas. I have purchased food, litter, and a book and magazine to help the girls learn about budgies. I am so excited that these wonderful birds will have a good home and be a part of the lives of young people.

Weathering, Feathering, and Grassicles

We had a huge storm yesterday, with severe thunderstorms, and winds up to 70mph! Several tornadoes were spotted in the area. I was too afraid to go outside (and I am NOT agoraphobic by any means!) I don't know how high the wind was on the screened in porch where the budgie summer palace is, but, there were many branches and even a few trees down, and, the budgies were soaking wet as was the entire screened porch. They seemed a bit freaked out, but fine.

This morning as a special treat I put some very special large "feed grasses" in their case, in very large bunches to reward them for budgie bravery. The caveat; these were still frozen kernels, as I have been storing them in the freezer for special occasions. Boo and Sutcliffe ate them with joy, but the others took a few bites and then stood to the side, with the usual aversive budgie behavior which is typical when they encounter something new. I'll serve them new, frozen Grassicles tomorrow, and see if they come around to liking them, as they often do for other newly introduced foods.

The Summer Palace is Wintery

The budgies seem to be greatly enjoying the summer palace, but last night it was down to about 50 degrees Farhenheit and tonight, even down to 45. I hope they do ok! They have been covered with blankets. Interestingly, they have not climbed up to their usual sleeping postures (as high as possible, hanging by their beaks and holding on with their toes on the vertical cage bars below). Tonight, they are sitting in a "traditional" posture, on perches, in the middle portion of the cage, and with heads tucked under wings. Could this be a much warmer way to sleep? I feel rather anxious letting them sleep outdoors in this weather, but am going to allow it. I certainly hope this is the right decision.

Budgies Move to Summer Palace

Spring has sprung, and according to the Farmer's Almanac and NOAA, the last risk of frost passed May 16th and so the budgies have moved to their summer residence. Their winter palace is the basement, in front of the window, which is nice, indeed. However, the budgie summer palace is truly grand. Sorry there isn't a picture, but I can't find the point and shoot and Mary ann chewed through the webcam cable as many of our gentle readers know.

The summer palace is actually still in the same aviary cage, but, it is moved up to the screened in porch. They get plenty of indirect sunlight and a corner of direct sunlight. They get fresh air on three sides, and have one side facing the wall. So, they get the UV that they love (because they can see in the UV range). I note that Mia is particularly lovely in the sunlight, with a pale, delicate yellow undertone and very lovely blue markings (once again, no pic). They interact with the other birds by chirping loudly and of course generally, hopping and flying around. The budgies really like the eucalyptus, and it seems to be where they sit when it is a bit cooler (it was only 64 today). They still sleep by crawling up the side of the cage and hanging from their bills at night (more on their sleeping positions to follow).

What do you Get if you Cross a Budgie with a Hedgehog?

A platypus!

Eucalyptus Has Come!

Eucalyptus has arrived! C found a tree down at his place of work (sunny California) and very kindly and generously harvested a lot of leaves and twigs for the budgies. Thanks C! That is very kind.

It arrived in a box, some of which was packed in plastic, some not. The Plastic wrapping seems to have been very effective in keeping it quite fresh. the non-plastic wrapped is also good, but a bit drier.

The budgies are ecstatic! I put some in their cage the other night, while they were sleeping. Upon awakening, there it was!

The have been enjoying taking tiny triangular bites out of the leaves, and chewing the stems. Boo in particular likes rubbing against the leaves. Mary ann is quite the stem chewer! And Mia and Sutcliffe are heavy leaf eaters. Of course Magoo is an active particpant as well, mainly by hopping about between the leaves and twigs. I look forward to giving them a shower to see if they enjoy it with the eucalyptus vapors!

Aside: re Budgie sense of Smell: While it is not known (at least in my reading) whether or not budgies have a sense of smell, there is no doubt in my mind that they do. While they may recognize eucalyptus by sight, I am betting that the smell is quite important to them. And, they can also differentiate well between cilantro and parsley, which look alike.

Because of the ways the budgies are reacting to eucalyptus, I am guessing that it has both a nutritional benefit (since they eat it) and a medicinal/grooming benefit (because they like to rub it). Perhaps this is a way to prevent vermin in the wild? Or maybe they just like to perfume their bodies. If I were a budgie perfume vendor, eucalyptus and cilantro would certainly be two fragrances I would sell.

NB:Because of the process of cleaning the house for trying to sell it (prior to the move to Texas), I can't seem to find the camera. Mary ann has chewed through the webcam. Therefore, posts may be sans images until the camera is located.

Oh Where Oh Where Has the Budgie Blog Gone?

Its been a while since the last post-sorry about that!
Its been very busy for the human flock members due to the plan for a move to Texas! Budgies seem unaware of the fact that a long, cross country trip (longitudinally speaking) is ahead of them. A stop in KY (the state, not the jelly) will be a good reprieve, although that stop will have the added complication of a resident CAT. (this will occur around the end of June and will be blogged).

the biggest news: Hedgehog is on HOLD due to the impending move. There is a hedgehog vendor/breeder in the area where we will go, so hopefully at some point we will add the quills to our bills.

In the meantime, we will keep you up to date on the activities of our beloved budgies! All are well and enjoying the longer, sunnier days.

More Shower Action!

Budgies Eating Grass

While this may not be the most thrilling video to our gentle readers, the budgies are very happy, herein. That is because spring has sprung! And along with spring, have come some early seeding grasses. It is a welcome treat and a change from the cilantro they have had all winter (although admittedly, cilantro is beloved when it comes to budgies and greens and the all time favorite, EUCALYPTUS from C and B, RULES). Pulling the seeds out of their grassy envelopes is good exercise, too, I think.

It is important when getting grasses from suburban yards to:
-avoid yards that look great. They probably use chemicals. Safer to go for grasses from a yard that is unkempt.
-wash the grasses in case any chemicals, or car related schmutz might be on them (dog pee, also a potential contaminant, is probably just gross, but not dangerous).

Chicago is Like Lasagna is Like Our Aviary

K is visiting Chicago. She realized that Chicago has a river, streets, bridges, more streets, then buildings, layered on top of each other, before the buildings start shooting up into the sky, is something like our aviary.  That is, there are perches at many different levels, food at several different levels, and lots of criss-crossing. It reminds me of how you make lasagna.

Twins

It is really adorable (to us) how much Boo and Magoo look alike. Of course from the genetics standpoint, it is not surprising, since, Mary ann is PERFECT Lutino (technically, hypomelanic) and Sutcliffe is of the blue variety. So the two babies demonstrate the phenomenon of regression towards the mean of any phenotype over several generations.

While it would have been fun to have a more rare mutation rather than wild type, I suppose, I love our wild type twins. They remind me so much of the wonderful wild budgies flocking in a large group in the Parrots of Oz.

Sometimes it is hard to tell these twins apart. But Boo has darker markings in the black tips of his feathers and other dark markings, and Magoo is more greyish in these areas.

I'd like to breed them some more and even do some breeding, er, experiments, but human daddy (J) says "No". Always practical. Sigh.

Mia the Lovely and Untame

Mia is a lovely bird. She is from a budgie bin, and was in a tiny cage full of "rare budgies". There is really no such thing as a rare budgie, she is simply a budgie that is unusual looking. We don't know yet if Mia is female or male. She seems rather young and it may be too soon to tell. She is not terribly picked on, other than a bit by Boo, who is a bit stroppy because she is 1.so adored 2. so fearless and 3. a teenager. The others tolerate, and sometimes (especially, Magoo and Sutcliffe) even like her. Because the male, and possible male like her, we are guessing she is a She.

Perhaps it is inbreeding, or perhaps, life in a budgie bin, but, Mia, like Lola, is a very skittish bird. She is virtually untame-able, at least so far. By this time, Sutcliffe was eating out of our hands. Not Mia! Any human presence near the cage results in frantic flying, and even falling off a perch. If she is caught, she screams bloody murder, really alarming to the other budgies. But, she is indeed a great beauty.

Mary Ann Exerts Her Will

These pictures are about Mary ann exerting her will. She has always liked picking up the silver food bowl and dropping it back into the holding ring which makes a "clink" sound. Lately, she has taken to tossing it completely out of the ring. We are no longer putting food in that bowl. I wonder if she is trying to find a nesting site? Once we removed that silver bowl, she began emptying another bowl (made from coconut shell and strongly adhered to its post). She does this latter action almost daily now that the silver bowl is gone. Curious behavior, Mary ann. I suggested we put a nest box back in, but practical as always, J said no, five budgies is more than enough.
I have read a number of budgie internet sights that malign female budgies. We have observed at least two (Mary ann and Boo) and probably more (Lola was probably female but so young, ditto for Mia, and re: Magoo, it is hard to say, s/he could go either way at this point). I must say in their defense that female budgies are delightful and each has her own personality. Both our females are more tame then the male(s), although Sutcliffe does pretty well, especially considering he came from the Pet Store "Budgie Bin". Females definitely chew on a lot more sticks. Mary ann can make short work of a clothespin in about a day or so! Perhaps this is part of the nest building instinct. Both Boo and Mary ann are more aggressive towards the other birds from time to time, but as long as they get their space, they do alright (although Boo can be a bit unreasonable about sharing cilantro and sometimes bites her dad's tail for no apparent reason).

Hedgehog Meets Cat (Igel und Katze)

Check out this video from Google!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5224133467918685712&q=igel&hl=en

I can't embed this video, so you'll have to click the link or paste it into your browser...but it is worth the extra step! Anyone who doesn't like this Igel, is just a cranky kitty!

Check this Out (Turn Speakers ON!) by Waverly Films

Shower Time

The budgies really love their showers, which they get a couple times a week, ideally. It is hilarious to see how they try to press themselves against the cage sides to maximize water exposure. They let themselves get totally bedraggled! Boo, Mia, and Magoo are the most enthusiastic about it. Perhaps this is because they are younger? I tried bowls with water in them (and sticks to allow easy climbing in and out) but these were not used at all. I once held Boo near running water in the sink (apparently some budgies really like this) but she was not interested.

Thanks to our readers, especially those who are leaving comments! It really keeps me motivated to post!

Budgies are Getting Long Wing Feathers: To Clip or Not to Clip?

To clip or not to clip? That was the subject, in part, of an earlier blog, in part, where I discussed that wing clipping was not cruel, since, for domesticated budgies, it could save their lives as there are many hazards that not flying well could help them avoid (such as, for example, flying into a tray of goo). This was written right after witnessing Magoo's terrible accident.

However, now that I have some distance from the accident, I realize I remain on the fence about this subject. On the internet, there are very strong opinions. Some feel that wing clipping is an essential part of bird ownership and not clipping is as absurd as never getting your kid potty trained. Others find that sentiment enormously offensive, and feel that clipping wings is just plain wrong. Whoah! It just isn't clear what should be done. And, if wing clipping is chosen, the vet says that only the vet should do it (quelle surprise).

On the one hand, clipping wings leads to better safety. On the other hand, birds are evolved to fly. Flying is what birds to, and to clip their wings is to lessen that joy. I'd like to know your views on this subject, so leave comments even if incendiary, on the topic!

Budgies Love Cilantro

Happy Boo's Day to You!!!

Some of you have been industrious, others of you, perhaps, slothful lie-a-beds. Some, to our sorrow, have not been feeling well. Others, and most, we hope, have been doing great! No matter how you have been the last seven days, another week has rolled around and it is once again time to observe
BOOS DAY!
While we don't have a picture handy for Boo's Day this week, we can report that Boo is doing great, but has been rather naughty. This morning she was singing joyfully. However, a few days ago, when a clump of cilantro was served, Boo bit her dear old dad (Sutcliffe) very hard on his wing and pulled it while he was trying to eat! I have never seen another budgie do this, other than Mary ann to Lola. I think Sutcliffe is fine and he can take care of himself, but this was very very bratty. Boo also was nibbling K's nose with affection, but then bit VERY hard! Clearly, she is feeling a bit aggressive, and perhaps, towards those who love her the most. Go ahead, you parents out there, say it (with a sigh):
"TEENAGERS".

Adorable Hedgehog Video (Igel Beim Essen)

We just got an email from Heavenly Hedgehogs (see http://www.heavenlyhedgehogs.com/) who has our hedgehog on reserve: all is in order for an April 20th adoption!

I hope you can all view this adorable video. It has become quite popular in the US as well as Japan and Germany (where it is entitled "Igel Beim Essen").

Bill and Quills?

The big news for next month is that a hedgehog is going to join our household (fingers crossed).  We had to reserve one as only a few breeders exist in the area.  We are schedule to get the hedgehog on April 20th.  So, the blog may soon be both about Budgies and Hedgehogs.  We would like to ask our gentle readers for thoughts on the name of the blog.  Perhaps Bills and Quills?  Budgies and Hedgies?  Perches and Burrows?  Let us know if you have any good ideas!

I Need You and I Need My Space

Budgie social behavior clearly has defined distances that are acceptable. About one and one half a budgie length is a comfortable distance. Getting closer than less than one budgie length to another bird signifies a "one of us is gonna hafta move" action. This seems to be true horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. Who makes whom move helps sort out the pecking order. In the aviary, very little true pecking goes on, as happened in a smaller cage. There is plenty of perch space, food bowls, at several different levels. Sutcliffe and Mary ann stay much closer to each other than this, as a breeding pair. He is always feeding her and hopping to be near her. It is also important not to be directly under anyone else. I suspect that this is for two reasons; 1. if you are right under someone else, you might get crapped on, literally. 2. having something on top means you can be swooped down upon and pinned, not a good thing for a tiny budgie who could serve as food for a larger bird of prey. Hiding in a thicket, though, with loose twigs above seems to be copacetic, once again for fairly obvious reasons--it would be very hard to swoop down and trap a budgie who was in a thicket. Also, climbing into a collection of twigs and pulling at them to tear them apart brings great joy to the budgies. It may help them keep their beaks groomed. Also, it probably is instinctually a good way to forage.

Adopted and Beloved

Mary ann is a wonderful budgie. She is the only one who has been adopted from a shelter; the process for budgie adoption is ridiculous. In order to adopt a budgie from the pound, you need to visit twice, fill out forms, and even have a home inspection. They have set the bar absurdly high. We were about to adopt a budgie instead of getting Mia, but the hassle factor was so great that we gave in and went and bought her from the budgie bin. Couldn't they make the process a bit less of a disincentive for a pet that costs $15-25 at any local pet shop? It would be better for budgies I think, because adoption is better than purchase for most pets.

I suspect that Mary Ann was a beloved pet prior to what must have been an escape from somewhere. We don't know anything about her background so this is speculation. However, she is very tame, accustomed to finger sitting, and is quite beautiful. I can't imagine anyone ever giving her up voluntarily (but you just never know). She came from the Montgomery County animal shelter where there were several other options. I am glad we chose her.

She has been an excellent mother to her two offspring. She became very thin during her two incubations, but it plumping up again. For a while, before Magoo was conceived, she was getting so plump that she could not fly at all, even with full wings, and often fell off the perch. Hopefully the new aviary will afford her enough exercise to stay more fit. She was very unkind to Lola, but, doesn't seem to mind Mia that much, and doesn't seem to mind Boo at all despite Boo's puberty.

While she is not particularly attentive to Sutcliffe, she clearly considers him her "man". He may be overly attentive, feeding her pretty much regularly. She almost never even has to feed herself. We really love Mary ann a lot.

Happy Boo's Day Tuesday March 11th, 2008

Happy Boo's Day! I realize that Boo-blogging and other Budgie-blogging activities have hit a lull...but all is well in budgie-land! In fact, the budgies are very happy living in a flock, and having N+1 feedbowls, N+3 perches, and multiple perch levels. While perch preference seems to convey status (that is, the bird with status seems to get to eat and stand where she wants), it is not always the highest perch. Mary ann remains top bird, but, due to her girth which is maintained by an ever attentive Sutcliffe, Boo is the more active second in command, chasing other birds away from where she wants to be. She is into puberty at full tilt, with a brown crinkly cere. Boo remains adorable and affectionate. Yes, she is the favorite. Is it so wrong to have a favorite?

Sutcliffe Enjoys Fatherhood

Sutcliffe is truly the pater familias. He seems to enjoy time with Magoo, Boo, and of course his beloved, Mary Ann. He occasionally shoos Mia, but not in a hostile way. Boo can get cranky with him, from time to time, but what teenage daughter doesn't get cranky with dear old dad? Mary ann remains his main interest. He spends most of the time feeding her, or himself. I think that if it weren't for Sutcliffe's care in the "hospital cage" after the accident, Magoo would not have lived. I'm very proud of him.

We're BACK!

After a long hiatus (we even skipped Boo's day this week!) we are back posting on the budgie blog. We thought no one was reading it as no comments have been forthcoming. However, an ecouraging email came (thanks C!) motivating us to resume.

The new cage has perches at many levels. It seems that the budgies like to space themselves relatively evenly throughout the cage most of the time. Harmony largely prevails. A great joy was brought to all when a ball that was labeled as "toy", made of wicker, was purchased, filled with cilantro, and put in the cage. In a day and a half, the entire top of the ball was destroyed. Even after the cilantro was all eaten, shredding the toy seemed to be a lot of fun for all. I think I will make some toys out of straw from the craft store, wrapped around seeds. The budgies seem to take great pleasure in shredding things that have some food associated with them.

Female Bonding-Happy Boo's Day! Tuesday February 19, 2008

Happy Boo's Day to You! Happy Boo's Day to Yoooooooo!

Yes, it's Boo's Day again. Here are Boo and Mary Ann, who are getting along well. In fact everyone seems to be getting along these days in the new, big cage. Its not easy to see in this photo, but Boo has a crinkley cere, which is brownish pink. He is decidedly a she, as discussed before. Why is it so hard for me to get my mind around this? Boo is still happy and having a blast being Boo. Yesterday, she had a good time nibbling my nose; I sniffed her back in return. It was a bonding experience.

Life in a Cage?

Does a caged budgie feel sad? Or yearn for "Freedom"? Of course, we have no way of knowing. These budgies were born and raised in captivity, so perhaps they don't, or perhaps, not as much as a wild budgie would. However, I often wonder if their instinct to fly, when frustrated, feels a bit badly. We can't let them be free; its too dangerous. Perhaps, metaphorically speaking, some of our own limitations exist to help us and even protect us, although we cannot see it in that way ourselves?

Birds Sleeping

As you can see, the budgies like to sleep in this posture at night. Its kind of cute, and also, at the same time, a bit odd!

Happy Boo's Day-Tuesday February 11, 2008

Can it be? Another perfectly good week has gone by, much of it squandered on activities other than blogging, and now its Boo's day again?

All five budgies are doing well in the new cage. The perch order is variable. Sometimes, Boo just needs a bit of space and climbs to the top of the rungs (as seen here). Could this be because she is now going through puberty, and needs more time alone? Is she a broody teenager? Or testing her limits? Climbing up to the very top of the rungs, and hanging with tail down, wings folded, head straight, is how all five sleep at night these days. However, the rest of the time, they all seem to enjoy many different perches and food bowls (perches are many, and food bowls are "n+1"). On lower rungs, the inhabitants vary; sometimes Sutcliffe and Mia, Mia and Magoo, or Sutcliffe and Mary ann. There are almost always two birds on the bottom perches, but never Boo. We have seen almost no fighting all week. So, the cage seems to be copacetic. All the eucalyptus (the last of which was used in this cage set up) has been eaten, shredded, or trampled with joy except for a few twigs which still give much pleasure to the budgies, who like to hop on them, and let them bounce up and down a bit.

We note that some of our regular readers are also missing, some for known reasons: R due to extensive travel and hard work, and C, due to flu. Good wishes for happy flying and rapid fleeing of flu!!

Happy Boo's Day-Tuesday February 5th!

Whether you were enormously productive, or, completely irresponsible over the last seven days, another week has rolled by, and once again, it is BOOS-DAY!

To conitinue in the spirit of MGs remark about the budgies looking as if they are snorkling (see Parrots in the Land of Oz Jan 30th entry) (Thanksf or comment, MG!) we thought we would address budgies and water, including, Boo-ish approaches to this subject.

As MG has noted, budgies do love water. I haven't yet observed our budgies bathing in water, even though pools have been made available to them in the past. However, when a spray bottle is used to spray into the cage, the budgies get very excited. Some, especially Boo, press their little under-bellies up against the edge of the cage in order to get their lower bodies completely drenched. Most of the budgies sit and jump in the spray bottle mist for a while, then retire to a less wet part of the cage. They also like licking water off of the wire of the cage and off of any greens that are there. Boo does not limit herself when it comes to water, however! Boo sits in the water until her feathers are completely damp, even to the point where she can't move very gracefully. Often, she will let herself get so wet, she'll fall off the perch. Now THAT is a love of water!

Parrots in the Land of Oz! (Thanks M!)

You have GOT to check out this website, http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/parrotsinoz/ about a PBS show, "Parrots in the Land of Oz". It has great video clips from the show. For example, it explains that the lovely violet "Elizabeth Taylor spots" which I so admire are seen by a special photoreceptor. Apparently, budgies are able to see ultraviolet. If you check it out, you will also learn more about wild budgies and other parrot behavior. You can even buy the show, which sadly we missed Sun PM when it was on television. (So of course, we just ordered it as a DVD-its backordered).
Thanks M for this wonderful link! I know the flock will enjoy seeing the video once it arrives.

Magoo Chin Feathers Grow Back

As you can see from this picture, the fuzzy white down that grew back in a couple of days after the accident has fallen out from Magoo's chin. Now, s/he has new growth of body feathers-short and hard, rounded on the end, and green. It's rather cute, and also, a bit hideous at the same time. Magoo still has the remnant of goo on his/her forehead, as you can see. Trying to remove this didn't seem necessary, and we expect it to just fall off during molting. S/he also still has the white downy "temporary" feathers on the chest. Magoo seems respectful of Boo, and deferential, but is willing to fight Sutcliffe for perches and greens. Boo gladly will push Sutcliffe away from any desired perch or treat. Those two babies are not respectful enough of their dear old dad who has treated them so well!

Happy Boo's-Day! Tuesday, Jan 29th, 2008-Boo and her Nemesis

Have spent the last seven days productively? Or completely squandered them?
Either way, another week has passed and it is once again Boo's-Day! (trumpet flourish!)
Boo is pictured here with her nemesis, Mia. Yes, HER. Boo is decidedly a female. It was clear yesterday, when we noted HER cere turning a bit brown and krinkled. That is a classic hallmark of a female budgie. Other feminine traits include gnawing on sticks (although all budgies enjoy this).
And, another interesting Boo-note: When in a cage with Magoo, and Sutcliffe, Boo is the top-perch bird. Perhaps this is just her femininity coming into play? Are females the top perch sitters as a general rule?

Magoo Doing Great!

Magoo is doing great! His neck is still missing a few feathers, and his forehead still has some residual goo on it, but otherwise he seems happy and sassy! Sutcliffe remains the dedicated father.

Feathers

A bona fide avian biologist would scoff at this amateurish blog today which is about different types of feathers we have observed.

• Baby white down: this is apparently fast growing, and must require less complexity to develop. It is the fluffy white down that first appears on a baby budgie, and also, the first to grow after an injury (Magoo sprouted this type in his denuded chest area first, but now is getting regular feathers, as pictured above, from her/his best angle!).
• Chest/head/body medium feathers: these are softer than the wing/tail feathers, shorter, and more round. They are the ones that seem to fall out when budgies fight.
• Wing and tail feathers: long, and in our birds, have stripes in a contrasting color. In the white birds Sutcliffe and Mia, the contrasting stripes are a subtle blue-ish, yellow, or gray. On the greenish birds, these are black. On the Lutino (Mary ann) no stripes are seen. These feathers are stiff, narrow, and could make some very nice quill pens. The tail feathers in particular are especially long and come to a lovely point. Several of the flight feathers also come to a long point in the back, and fold across the back of an unclipped budgie.

Since budgies are considered a member of the tribe of broad-tailed parrots (Platycercini), biologists clearly found the tail feathers impressive.

More about color variations and patterns in future blogs!

Happy Boos Day! January 22, 2008-Pecking Orders

Yes, another week has gone by, and once again is is BOOS-day!

To celebrate Boo's day, we'll talk about Boo's status in the pecking order, how it isn't predictable, and how it might be informative regarding budgie politics generally (warning: they are quite complex). I will list pecking orders from top bird to bottom bird and annote when and how Boo filled these various roles.

1st. Boo was top bird when s/he and Lola were alone together in a cage. In fact, Boo was so aggressive towards Lola, that I was afraid that the latter would never get to feed properly nor sleep comfortably.

2nd. Boo is currently second on the totem pole, with Mia in third place. However, when it was only her/him and Mia in the cage, Boo was decidedly "Bottom Bird". He even rolled on his back in a pathetic way when Mia pecked her/him! This led the vet himself to say "what a submissive little bird!" The order is: Mary ann 1st, Boo second, Mia third. Boo and Mia bicker a lot.

3rd. With both Sutcliffe and Mary ann in the mix, along with Boo, as well as Lola, it was: Mary ann 1st, Sutcliffe second, Boo third (although seemed close: and sometimes Boo seemed tied with Sutcliffe for second), and Lola decidedly coming in last (as always).

Where will Magoo fit into this pecking order? And what might be a good way to research the pecking order with more combinations? I am thinking: try the following combinations:

-Boo with Magoo

-Boo, Magoo, and Sutcliffe

-Boo, Magoo, and Mia

-Mia and Magoo only

-Magoo and Mary ann only

-Magoo, Sutcliffe, and Mary ann

Magoo and Mia only

-Boo, Magoo, Sutcliffe, and Mary ann

-all five (this is the long range goal for the new big cage, in any case!)

All you math and engineering wizards can probably think of a very good way to organize and research this! A matrix for this is welcome.

New Habitats

The three cage still-life we previously had, has been migrated to a one cage, two tier habitat. The new cage was purchased via "Ebay". It arrived a bit banged up, but not worth contacting the seller about. In any case, the new cage is much more harmonious, working towards restoring feng shui to the budgie world. K for one is very pleased that 1) the netting used to keep seed and feathers from flying out of the cages fit the new cage (Thanks for the netting O and O!) and 2) there will be a lot less clean up overall with things consolidated in this manner. Everyone seems perfectly happy with their new home! The bottom tier contains Boo, Mary ann, and Mia. The top tier, Magoo and his dad, Sutcliffe. As soon as Magoo seems completely healed, we will merge the two into one (a handy feature of this new cage-we can remove the middle divider and make one big cage). Boo and Mia are hardly fighting at all, and Boo seems happy, and unharrassed, as he munches on the millet seed that O and O recently sent (Thanks!). Everyone else is also enjoying the millet seed. The homes are also decorated nicely with the new Christmas toys that M and family sent (Thanks also!). Of course, the one with the baby building blocks on it went into Magoo and Sutcliffe's cage.
Magoo continues to heal. However, he is exceedingly wild. Today while K was adjusting a perch in his cage, he flew out, and flew right into the window pane. Sigh. I hope his James Dean personality doesn't lead to a similiar "live fast, die young" fate.

Say Hello to Magoo!

The poll showed that Magoo is the winning name. Thanks to everyone who voted!
And as you can see, our baby bird is healing very nicely. You can see some white feathers on his/her chest: this is where feathers were pulled off and are regrowing. His/her muttonchops (my name for the feathery jowl area on a budgie) are growing back gradually. The chin remains a bit bare, and there are a couple of smudges remaining from the goo episode. However s/he is doing a good job rubbing sticks with his/her head and beak to clean these smudges. Otherwise our baby is doing great! MIlestones include her/his standing on both feet equally, eating with pleasure, biting us (the human guardians) and flying, once again, with reckless abandon. However, we will be keeping a close eye on this baby, and also, Magoo's compatriots.

Budgies Enjoy Adjacent Cages

Having had enough of three different cages to clean, and also, in order to move gradually towards one large cage (to be constructed this weekend?) we have moved Mia, Mary Ann, and Boo into one cage (Boo's), and moved the "hospital cage" up and adjacent so that they can fraternize cross-cages.

This video is taken right after the cages were placed adjacently. In the foreground cage and on the left (standing on top of nest box) is Magoo, the new baby. You can see s/he is doing really well. Mary ann and Sutcliffe are spending a lot of time making the "where are you CHIRP" to each other. Mia and Boo seem to want to fight. The baby is just dreadfully excited about the whole scenario. I have placed a cover on the cage area in between the two cages, to help them settle down. We'll let them fraternize a bit more this evening. I am thinking that perhaps, the new baby is well enough for all the budgies to go into one big cage. It will also be fun to observe their interactions as a flock.

Baby Close to Normal!

This morning, the baby was hopping from perch to perch without any problem, using both feet. When he was startled by me, he did stand on the right foot only, so he still favors it. However, the left is fully functional in a normal way. He was also flying around with apparent joy. He and Sutcliffe were generally having fun this morning flying, eating, and generally squawking to their neighbors. The baby is a little "wild one" again! Its good to see he's got his groove back (note, we realize, this baby could be female).
Lessons learned:
1. wing clipping IMHO is not cruel. it could be life saving as
2. there are many risks to a flying household budgie, and they get into those risks FAST!
3. Dilute vinegar solution is safe for budgies in small doses and effective at removing "goo".
4. Being young is good for your health. And I retract my remarks from yesterday: flying around as a baby budgie is not really foolish. He was just acting like a budgie when he got trapped in goo.

Happy Boos-day, Jan 15th 2008

Can you believe that Boo was conceived just about one year ago this week? It was a week we traveled to Miami, the Everglades, and Key West. We didn't have a webcam in those days, so can't know precisely the day of laying of the Boo egg, nor of hatching (the latter, we think, is around Valentines a year ago).
Boo is in a cage all by himself now. That is soon to change however! We got a big new cage, with a single divider in it. Because Sutcliffe and the baby will likely continue their convalescence in one part of that, Boo is destined to have to pair with Mary ann and Mia. (The latter two are currently sharing a tiny cage: there is usually a bit of a face off, with what seems to be glaring from opposite perches for those two). It will be interesting to see how Boo interacts with these two grouchy gals. I think "he" is as "she" which will mean, she has to find her place in that female pecking order! Assuming Mia is female, that is. Sigh. It is so complicated being a budgie. And a budgie guardian.

Doing Better

The baby seems a lot more perky. He still favors the left leg, and lists to the right, especially in the evening. Examination of his leg shows no obvious injury or deformity. He seems to have a normal range of motion, normal configuration of toes, feet, knees, legs. Its hard to see up into his feathers to see if his thigh might have an injury. Hopefully he will mend himself. However, he enjoys sitting in the food bowl, which must be a good way to rest his little drumsticks. He can fly. He and Sutcliffe have been moved to a "hospital flight cage" which is a long cage, where we have placed the perches extremely close to the floor so that if he falls off, he won't be hurt badly. The nest box is also in there, but chiefly, the baby and Sutcliffe use it as a lookout point (they stand on it) rather than go inside it.

Baby Getting Better

The baby is getting better. His chest almost has a full set of feathers again; only his mutton chop feathers (The fluffy feathers budgies have on the side of the cheeks) and a few patches under his chin remain a bit bald. His beak is working fine; he bit K last night with respectable malevolent intent it seemed. We were thrilled of course.

He does seem to be favoring the left leg: he doesn't stand on it as much as the right leg, and while budgie legs are always blue-ish, the left leg seems more blue-ish than the other. This seems to be new since yesterday. Nonetheless, all parts of that leg are moving normally in in a healthy configuration, it seems, even his toenails. He is eating, and Sutcliffe continues to feed him. He also took a crap on K, another glorious event.

As noted by yesterday's commentator (but also, a very special tator), C, the young have a tremendous capacity for recovery. Its a good thing, as they also tend to be somewhat foolish. (Wow, does that last remark mean that we human guardians are becoming old grouches?)

Poll Results Update

What Should We Name the New Baby?
Snickles 10% (2)
Magoo 19% (4)
Nick 5% (1)
Sydney0% (0)
Biddle 5% (1)
Strorks 10% (2)
Dino 10% (2)
Peet 5% (1)
Beady 0% (0)

(will not add to 100%)

It looks like "Magoo" is the winner--especially since Goo seems to be a part of the baby's early life experience!

Baby Injured: but Recovering (Warning-Sad, Upsetting)

I am sure many of you wondered this week what happened to Boos-day posting? What happened to regular blog updates at this important time in baby development?
The reason we have been a bit silent, is that on Tuesday, the baby had an accident and we've been focused on tending him, and neglecting blogging. He flew out of the box without our knowlege, and got stuck in a spider trap (which is essentially, a tray of goo that traps spiders). He was really glued to the trap! Fortunately, the trap is merely goo, no chemicals. His entire under-belly, chest, neck, beak, and feet, as well as parts of wings, were stuck and covered with goo. We had to cup our hands under him and physically pry him free. We could not easily remove the goo from him, so used a dilute vinegar solution and paper towel/Q-tips. Fortunately, all of his parts are intact, although he has some minor injuries and has lost feathers especially on the neck and tummy. His beak was really gooey, because he groomed himself and got more and more goo on him, but a dilute vinegar solution is very helpful for beak cleaning as well. Now, he is feeding himself, and Sutcliffe also feeds him. He spends a fair amount of time in the nest box, but does normal budgie behaviors which is a good sign. Mary ann was pecking him, so Mia has a new roomate.
Please send positive vibes, good karma, and prayers his way for a speedy recovery!

The Baby Can Now Stand on Perch

Yesterday, when we handled the baby, he was able to hold onto a finger with one foot, or another, but not with both, and could not stand. We placed him in the bottom of the cage, and Stucliffe, herded him and showed him the way back up towards the nest box, but we gave him his final shove back into it. When we go to get him out, he scurries out the front of the box! Today, he was much more skillful, and stood well on a finger. He also has become a good flyer, literally, overnight. This baby is really a prodigy! He is not too tame, though, at least not yet. Today, we put all three cages (1. the nuclear family of Sutcliffe, Mary Ann, baby, 2. Boo 3. Mia) in the same room. There was much flock-related excitement from all. Our ultimate goal: one communal cage (For heaven's sake, this multi-cage cleaning and feeding is making us bonkers). The baby, who was OUTSIDE the box on his own volition this morning, spent the rest of the day in the box after the arrival of Boo and Mia in their respective cages. Mary ann is being quite snarky to Sutcliffe. Its not clear if she is just reverting back to her old self, now that the baby is older, or if having the flock around stressed her out. As experience with Lola showed, Sutcliffe does have a wandering eye (hence, his nickname, "Slutcliffe").

Thanks to all who have voted, DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!! It seems that the problem with voting twice has been solved, and votes will only be noted once. Or, at least once per computer.

Note: If you check results, it looks like "Lovey" is winning, but, that is only because I don't know how to resolve the minor glitch that, every time you click "check results", a vote goes to Lovey, even though, Lovey no longer appears as a choice. Free widget poll, what can I say?

We were pleased to see Legal Aid's comment, re: letting the Baby Bird pick its own name. However, it isn't clear to us how to organize that. thoughts?