LOL! When I'm nervous I'm even more careful, so being nervous is a good thing.

I've done this many times, I just don't like doing it. I also don't like cutting the dogs toenails. It just isn't something I like doing. It makes me cringe. I always feel that it hurts them, even though I know it doesn't. Same with wing clipping, it doesn't hurt, but I feel like it does, or should, so I get upset doing it. It's all very silly.

I tried moving her old sleeping perch. She got very upset. The plastic perch isn't that bad. It's top quality. Much better than what poor Bo has in his temporary cage. I bet he can't wait to get into the big cage and have all the top notch stuff. :)

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Originally Posted by Alty

I bet he can't wait to get into the big cage and have all the top notch stuff. :)

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That's probably why he is making nice with Marty. And what does he have to look forward to in that cage?

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

That's probably why he is making nice with Marty. And what does he have to look forward to in that cage?

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Oh, Marty's cage is Birdie paradise. Bo is currently in the cage that Marty was brought to us in, the cage she lived in for her first year or so of life. Its not tiny, a cockatiel can spread his/her wings in it, flap, it's average size for a tiel cage. But, I didn't like it. For my pets, when it comes to those that need to be caged, the bigger the better, and I always buy the biggest I can find and afford.

Marty's cage is easily 4 times the size of the one Bo is in. There's enough room that they can fly in this cage if they so choose. I could have at least 4 cockatiels in this cage with room to spare.

Marty has perches galore, two of them twisted rope (Bo has a twisted rope one in his cage as well, which will be moved to the big cage once they're both in it) toys, you name it, all the bells and whistles. Marty is spoiled. Bo is too, but I didn't want to spend too much money on toys for his temporary cage, because it's temporary. But all the toys he has will be moved into the communal cage once they're housed together.

If it continues to go well Bo will be in Marty's cage in less than a month. That's the plan anyway.

I'm going to clip his wings today. Just writing that made my stomach go into my feet. I hate this, but it's the best for him right now. Still, I wish I could talk someone else into doing it. Sigh.

What kind of a toy does a 'tiel play with?

I'm not a bird person, My aunt had a canary called Hans. "Hansie, want num-num?" she'd ask, holding out a soda cracker.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

What kind of a toy does a 'tiel play with?

I'm not a bird person,. My aunt had a canary called Hans. "Hansie, want num-num?" she'd ask, holding out a soda cracker.

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There are so many tiel toys. A person could spend thousands, and still not have every toy available. Mirrors are a great toy, bells (as long as they're safe) twisted rope is great for perches, it's soft on the feet, and flexible. Bo has a swing in his cage made of twisted rope and wood, he loves it. They each have an edible perch in their cages. It's salt, and cuttlebone, so it's good for their digestive system, and helps keep their beaks and toenails trimmed (a tiels beak grows, and if it's not trimmed down by natural means, it can grow to the point where it literally stabs them in the neck and chokes them to death). The only downfall to the edible perch is that it's pink. Marty is yellow. When she chews on it breaks down and is a lot like chalk. So Mary has a pink tail, pink on her beak and pink feet from the perch.

So many many options. It's fun to go tiel toy shopping. :)

Best tiel, or any bird, treat, is millet spray. It comes on a stalk. I hang it in the cage and they eat at their leisure. They consider it a treat, but it's actually very good for them. It's like timothy hay for rabbits, a must have. They go nuts as soon as they see me with the millet spray bag. Best, millet spray is available where I work, $1 for a bag of around 12 sprays. In the pet store you can spend $5 or more for a bag of only 6, same brand name and everything.

I warn you, don't get me started on bunnies or birds, I'll talk your ear off. :)

I have a great video of my old bird Tweetie, also a tiel, singing to a makeup mirror. I wish I could figure out how to post it. It was taken with a video camera, so no memory card. I'm not sure how I would go about downloading it to my computer.

One thing I have learned, that I actually didn't know before, and really should have, is how to differentiate between male and female tiels, and least greys. The male greys have yellow faces, the females have grey (just like in the wild, the male of the species is usually the colorful one). That's what made Marty so hard to sex. She's a lutino, all yellow. Even the females are all yellow. So unless I was willing to pay for DNA sexing (not cheap) there was no way to know if she was male or female, until she started laying eggs, then it was obvious. :)

Aren't caged birds really messy? My aunt had to clean under Hansie's hanging cage all the time -- the floor was always crunchy with seed bits and empty pods plus feathers. Hansie would even deliberately kick out stuff to fall on the floor.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Aren't caged birds really messy? My aunt had to clean under Hansie's hanging cage all the time -- the floor was always crunchy with seed bits and empty pods plus feathers. Hansie would even deliberately kick out stuff to fall on the floor.

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There can be some mess. My cages aren't hung, they're on a table, so that makes it a bit easier. It really depends on the size of the cage, and the height of the bottom piece. Most cages have a very low bottom piece. The one Bo is in is only around 5 inches. Marty's is easily double that. A daily sweep and it's not bad at all.

Actually, in my house cleanup isn't that bad at all. Rascal loves bird seed, and bunny food. Anything that's kicked out of cages, is usually devoured before I have a chance to clean it up. :)

He's a good mouser too. Rascal, not the birds. :)

Update on the birds.

I am teaching Bo how to whistle "happy birthday", and he's doing great. Darn he's a quick learner.

So far he has the "happy birthday to you" part down pat. :)

Marty is loving Bo. This week they're going to meet face to face. :)

Progress! Marty and Bo are both out of their cages. They're sitting on the extra computer chair together. It was a bit chaotic for a moment. Stupid me had the blinds open, Marty came out and flew into the window. :( She usually comes out and goes straight to my shoulder, but I never have the blinds open normally. I just wanted a bit of sunlight in the room.

Well, while Marty was flying around, Bo decided to come out. Marty was easy. She landed, I put out my hand, she climbed on and all was good. Bo, he isn't tame, so I tried to get him to go on my hand and he just freaked out even more.

But right now they're sitting together. Their first play date outside their cage. Now if I can only figure out how to get Bo back in when it's time. :(

In other words, no, I didn't clip his wings. I decided to wait. In hindsight, that may have been another stupid decision. :(

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Originally Posted by Alty

Progress! Marty and Bo are both out of their cages. They're sitting on the extra computer chair together. It was a bit chaotic for a moment. Stupid me had the blinds open, Marty came out and flew into the window. :( She usually comes out and goes straight to my shoulder, but I never have the blinds open normally. I just wanted a bit of sunlight in the room.

Well, while Marty was flying around, Bo decided to come out. Marty was easy. She landed, I put out my hand, she climbed on and all was good. Bo, he isn't tame, so I tried to get him to go on my hand and he just freaked out even more.

But right now they're sitting together. Their first play date outside their cage. Now if I can only figure out how to get Bo back in when it's time. :(

In other words, no, I didn't clip his wings. I decided to wait. In hindsight, that may have been another stupid decision. :(

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How did it all work out?

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Originally Posted by teacherjenn4

How did it all work out?

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They spent around an hour on Bo's cage. They wouldn't get too close to each other, but Marty stayed with Bo, and normally when she's out of her cage she sits on my shoulder. If someone tries to take her away she flies right back to me. So the fact that she stayed with him is a really good sign.

Getting Bo back into the cage wasn't easy, but it also wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Wing clipping next, as soon as he stops molting and the blood feathers grow out. :)

All in all, a good first date.

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Originally Posted by Alty

They spent around an hour on Bo's cage. They wouldn't get too close to each other, but Marty stayed with Bo, and normally when she's out of her cage she sits on my shoulder. If someone tries to take her away she flies right back to me. So the fact that she stayed with him is a really good sign.

Getting Bo back into the cage wasn't easy, but it also wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Wing clipping next, as soon as he stops molting and the blood feathers grow out. :)

All in all, a good first date.

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Ahhhhh, a very sweet rescue story!

Okay all, here's a picture of Bo, finally.

Excuse the quality, I have a crappy camera.

Attachment 43027

Attachment 43028

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Originally Posted by Alty

Okay all, here's a picture of Bo, finally.

Excuse the quality, I have a crappy camera.

Attachment 43027

Attachment 43028

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Oh what a cutie pie!!

Just to be fair, I'll also post a picture of Marty.

Attachment 43029

Attachment 43030

The cage in the first picture is the cage Marty was in when we got her. It's the cage Bo is currently in. Marty has a new cage, that she'll eventually share with Bo, that's around 4 times the size of the one in the picture. :)

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Originally Posted by teacherjenn4

Oh what a cutie pie!!!!!!!!!

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Thanks TJ. I think he's very handsome. Marty thinks so too. :)

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Originally Posted by Alty

Thanks TJ. I think he's very handsome. Marty thinks so too. :)

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Gosh, I wonder what their kiddos will look like? Cutie pies for sure!

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Originally Posted by teacherjenn4

Gosh, I wonder what their kiddos will look like? Cutie pies for sure!

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From what I've read about coloring, the females should be Lutino's like Marty, and the males should be greys like Bo. Lutino's are a hard color to get, so they'll be very sought after. Grey's like Bo, who is a full grey, will be sought after as well. :)

In other words, I should have no problem at all finding homes for them. :)

Yup, Marty is a blonde!

Bo is cute too!