Snack Time

Mary ann is really working on getting as many calories into her self as possible; she is eating pretty much constantly. We put up a snack stick (peanut butter and seeds) and she devoured about one third of it in less than a day: this is a stick that would normally last a couple weeks. She has been in the nest box a lot more today and yesterday than before. Sutcliffe is still having a ball eating eucalyptus, feeding it to her, and hopping about, including in and out of the box. J modified the perch situation so she can more easily get in and out of the box because the one perch we had for the box was not really steady enough, and perhaps, was a disincentive. The biggest factor for breeding, though, I have concluded, is the temperature. As it cools, I think we will have success. I must assure that we put in a lamp on a timer as the days shorten (around sept 21) so they get a good 12 hours of light daily.

Lola

Some of you remember Lola, and wonder what happened to her. Others may have never known her. Lola was purchased from a budgie bin, along with Sutcliffe, about a year ago. She was very tiny, and her wings were severely clipped at the time of arrival. These factors may have made her very timid, or, it could have been her innate nature, or both. In any case, Lola was always at the bottom of the pecking order. Her own fear caused her to be at risk of self injury as she frantically tried to avoid "the hand" at feeding, cleaning, and all times. She was slightly finger trained, after extensive effort. Once Boo was born, we thought she would have a friend, and we put her and Boo in a cage together, and the other two in a separate cage. However, Boo was relentless in his harrassment of her, though he was smaller still, and a baby. Finally, she was in a cage alone. It didn't seem a very good existence. Therefore, with much heartache, we sold her to a nice family we found via Craigs list. They really liked her, and they loved the name! However, they were so excited, that they then got more budgies. Poor Lola is probably back at the bottom of the pecking order, again. At least, in her new house, there is an 8 or 9 year old girl who loves her which is worth a lot, I would think.