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.