The new cage-suitable for hanging

This is a picture of the new cage. As you can see, it is the perfect shape for hanging from the ceiling. I hope to hang it in a room that will be closed off to the kitty (yet to be adopted) by day, and then, opened when we all hang out as a family. I will train the kitty then to not antagonize the birds. We'll see if that is possible. Additionally, I'd like to hang the cage outside, on the front porch, on some weekend days when I am working in the yard. I suspect they will enjoy it. There is a squirrel around who seems pretty feisty, and also, the neighbors cat "Mr. Cajones" (this is what I have nicknamed him, because he isn't neutered...I don't know his real name).

The other day, I heard the distinctive "cheEEEP" "cheeEEEP" and "brawk, brawk brawk" of budgies emanating from next door. I can't see the back yard of my next door neighbors, but I was sure; they have budgies, and they were outside! I asked my neighbor (Frankie, the owner of Mr. Cajones) if he had budgies, and indeed, he does. He said they put them outside during the day, in at night. Every day, every night. I asked him how he kept Mr. Cajones away from them (Mr. Cajones is pretty wild from what I have seen). He said "oh I gave him a bonk and after that he stayed away". The basics of classic conditioning reduced to its elemental terms, I suppose.

Bills and...Kitties?

It has come to the point where we want to get a kitty. The reasons are various, the simplest being, K has always had a cat (more or less) and really wants one. J as usual indulges her. So the questions are:

1. How to train the cat to not antagonize (or harm) the birds? (sub-question-is a kitten best?)

2. What cage is best?

I have been researching Q#2 this evening and think an acrylic cage might be just the thing. Of course, Mary ann, and the offspring (Boo and Magoo) were essentially free, and Sutcliffe cost $20. But pets are the gifts that keep on giving. These cages aren't cheap! (aren't cheep, hahaha).

Here are two options:

http://www.acrylic-bird-cages.com/samples.htm . This isn't a very good website, but it might be a good habitat.

and

http://www.kingsolomoncages.com/specials.asp (scroll down to see the side klean version...simple design...).

The sub-issue/question for the acrylic cage is: now that the birds are so happy climbing around on the side of the cage, will they be bummed out by an acrylic sided cage? this could be dealt with by a ladder/climbing system along the sides (have C and B and their kitty Lily inspired this ladder thinking?...gee the puns are bad tonight!

The Un-Fun for Budgie Owners-Is there an Art to It?

Anyone who had never owned a pet and reading this blog (can't imagine those two categories cross-sectioning, but perhaps, an animal lover who is in jail or something)...anyway, as i was was saying...errr....(starting over). Anyone who HAS owned a pet, knows that there is the un-fun part, which is, usually, dealing with 1) things that come out of their butts 2) things that have to do with their food after being eaten (clean up, or a mess) and 3) shedding (be it fur or in this case, feathers). Budgies, by far, are much, much less un-fun in this way than any dog or cat. while it would be ideal to clean the cage every day (just like for a cat owner, cleaning the litter box daily would be good..yeah right!), I suspect that once a week is pretty standard, and also, pretty acceptable. This doesn't apply to seed dishes-if they have only hulls in them, and no new seeds, or it is hard for the budgie to reach the seeds under spent hulls, the budgie could starve. So, seed dishes should be emptied and have new seed replaced daily.

I like the current set up for the bottom of the cage, having tried lots of "litter". The corn cob litter is safe for budgies, and looks ok (not that I spend a lot of time looking at it...). And because budgies have their favorite perches, and, favorite spots on the favorite perches, they tend to, er, accumulate "waste" in particular spots. I put timothy hay under those spots, so I can easily and quickly clean those areas, and not have to do a total cage change as often. Additionally, timothy hay smells good. Also, it can be pushed up against the edge of the cage, which can be hard to clean, and keep that from getting soiled.

So, if you've read this far, you're either 1) totally bored 2) as obsessed with budgies as I am, to the point where you are interested, even in their poop 3) one of those animal lovers in prison mentioned at the beginning or 4) all of these.

Downsizing

In this economy, most of us have had to cut back in some way or another, some of us, in significant ways.  This is also true for the budgies.  As you can see, their large palace is gone, and the smaller cage is back.  Why?  We have to move, our landlords won't extend our lease to month to month, (so evil!) while we shop for a house to buy, so, we have to prepare for K to move to corporate housing and J has a job in another state.  Where does this leave the budgies? It's not clear; but K is going to try to bring them to corporate housing with her.  If they won't allow four then, she'll bring two to work and try to have two stay at corporate housing.  In the meantime, it is pretty clear we can't move the whole palace to corporate housing, so, its time to downsize and get rid of the larger birdcage in preparation for the next steps.  The budgies seem perfectly happy, actually, in the smaller cage.  They really mostly used the upper half of the large cage, anyway, so it was probably more space then they needed.   They aren't fighting any more than before, and they seem able to maintain their 1 and 1/2 budgie length distance or greater from each other, which seems to be important.  They are happily eating, including greens.  The only major loss is that their favorite toy doesn't really fit in the cage anymore.  Still, it seems a bit sad to me that they have had to downsize.  Perhaps I am projecting my own sadness at the inconvenience of having to move and my concerns and fears regarding how it is all going to work out during this period for the budgies, and for us.

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.