you have to get a male.

We put a birdie made of plastic on a perch...it moved around back and forth.
My parakeet loved it and talked to it and all. That seemed to make him happy.

He was bonded to me tho. I used to let him out and he'd come with me to the bathroom, and my room. When I took my bath, he'd do his in his little bowl
we fixed up for him. He was really into MIRRORs...he'd talk to his image a blue streak. He was funny and really smart. He was great for ME too. I think about him with enormous respect and love, to this day!

Our birds freaked about the plastic bird, lol. Just goes to show they are all different.

The Tiel loves mirrors more than anything. If he flies up where we can't get him, all we need is something reflective and he'll fly right to it. But we don't leave mirrors in his cage, because he'll only interact with *himself * if we do, and ignore us and the other birds.


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Jake loves diet Coke, so we use that for emergencies if we have to make him do anything he really does not want to - and for one time when he escaped. He was halfway up the apple tree and I though he was gone for good. He saw that shiney coke can though, and came right back to me for a sip.

Years ago I had a pair of parakeets who could fly the house and follow me around s I watched my ds and cleaned. They'd light on my shoulder and sing - Arthur and April. I lived in an apartment then (*no pets*, but birds and fish were allowed).

I dunno... I love them all. I have a lovebird too. I get so attached. They're all special.

That's funny about the Diet Coke...

My Willie LOVED ice cream, and milk. When he saw I had those or even heard
them getting ready.... He'd dance on the bottom of his cage...back and forth...
His way of begging to be let out.

I guess it was the calcium... We did have a cuttle bone in there, but he had to have a few licks of the dairy! I don't recall him begging for other stuff tho.
It has been a LONG time...over 40 yrs! He was a blue budgie/parakeet.
I always gave him two kinds of seed. The regular parakeet one and a special
one in a special smaller little cup.(it was called Treat something or other).

He lived a LONG time. Almost 10yrs... when I went away to college he became
very depressed...and died within a year of that. I felt really guilty about that, at the time. My parents and brother were not about to take up that emotional bond, they were rather cold, and only tolerated me and my pet needs. <sad>

A
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Well who can blame hiim? I wouldn't settle for cuttle bone if I could have ice cream either. And personally, I am pretty sure birds are as smart as people (not really true: birds are smarter than some people I know).


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And you know what I'm saying.

When you were saying about him taking his bath... my lovebird has a Visions cage. The water dish doubles as a birdbath.

Buth the parrot climbs on my arm and goes with me to get the water. He climbs right down into the sink, clings to his bowl - in ICE cold water. Has to be as cold as it can get or he climbs right back out.


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I don't know why that doesn't kill him lol. But he loves it. He doesn't stop till he is totally soaked - and so am I. I have to clean the mirror and the sink (the wall and floor) when he's done. But he'll say "Yum yum! Love you!" and make kissy noises the whole time, he loves it that much.


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Then we go back to the bird room, give everyone their water, and Minnie the lovebird sees that Jake had his bath. So she has to get in her dish and wash up too.

Me me me! she says, if anyone gets something, she wants it.

The Tiel will not bathe, and he's the one who really needs it. Messy Jesse we call him.

Time to update everyone and let you all know that Part One is proceeding as hoped!

The New Zealand owners of our leased home have agreed that we can have a bird, so my next mission is to hunt down the local breeders to get some more information.

It was quite funny getting the permission, with whispered messages between me and our agent, and unnecssary phone calls just incase DH answered the phone. Seems there's lots in on this secret now.
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It's getting a bit more exciting now, and there's still months to go until his birthday!

Let us know what you decide to get, Anne. And post a pic!!!
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Updating my bird story once again.
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A local breeder advertised in yesterday's local newspaper that he has birds for sale at the moment. He has the ones I want, plus many more different varieties, so I phoned him ...... as soon as DH was out the door
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, and he said there should be birds available around my DH's birthday if the winter and early sping are mild. He explained to me how the weather can upset their breeding, so fingers crossed for me that the weather is kind to his breeding stock.
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I asked about my chances of getting a male bird, as the concensus here was that males made better pets, and he said the opposite. He tells me that in all his experience the female has been the better pet for him. Anyway he said that the birds were difficult to tell apart when they were little, so even if I asked for a male, there was only an 80% chance that I'd get one.

Maybe I'll just let DH pick out which ever one he likes and not worry at all if it's male or female.

Now all I have to do is stop myself from going and getting one now and telling him it's his early birthday gift!
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Well, aren't you the sneaky lil Aussie, Anne?? I think Russell is so lucky to have you; and no doubt, he will be quite surprised. My G'ma used to have a parakeet named Pretty Boy. She loved that bird something fierce and he would repeat what she said.

When he was bad, he seemed to know it, b/c he'd say Pretty Boy, Bad boy!! I still laugh when I think of that. My friend had a cockatiel w/peach colored cheeks, so she named him Peaches. I never knew where he was when I would visit, as she'd leave his cage open for him to get out once in a while.

Brain~~ I love your stories. I remember when you got Jake.

Good luck Anne and let us know when you get a birdie...

I love birds. And so does my oldest stepson. He brought a legal red and green Macaw back from Panama when he was stationed in the military there. They allowed him to bring it since it had bonded to him. That bird, Gonzo, has traveled all over the world with him and they are closely bonded together. He's visited in our house twice and easily learns to say words. My stepson was here for a month at one time and I taught Gonzo to say Gonzo's a Pretty Boy. I did this when my stepson wasn't home during the day. Finally one evening, I walked by the room and Gonzo said "Gonzo's a Pretty Boy!" in his best Texas drawl/Mississippi southern accent. My stepson was reading and he said without looking up, "I'm almost thru Billye, is dinner ready?" Then Gonzo said it again. My stepson looked up and started laughing. He'd thought it was me.

He says he's leaving Gonzo to me in his will. Heaven help me if such a thing came to be. I've wanted birds for years. But dogs and cats came first with my children. Dogs we still have.

I think it's going to be a nice surprise for your husband. Be sure to take pictures for us.

Billye

Oh DM, your Grandma's bird sounds delightful. I do hope I can get him one with as much character as Pretty Boy. My friend in Sydney has one named Cookie, and he's ever so cute. The things he says make me laugh so much!
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Silverlady, thanks for telling me about Gonzo! I can picture him in my mind, and I think he's got the personality that would suit my DH's bird really well. Thank you!

I'm now finding it hard not to tell! I'd love to say....let's go get your birthday gift today, but I won't tell you what it is until we get there!

It's sooooo hard not to
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Maybe I should do a poll? Who's in favour of me going and getting this little parakeet now, and who's in favour of leaving it until DH has his birthday in Ocober?

I get to go first
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.... I want it now 'cos I can't wait!
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