Well, it's been about another month (probably longer, I have the WORST memory ) and I felt it was time for another "quick" update on my fids .

As you may know, Mickey and Piper have moved into their new house, and are living it up as a breeding pair. Remember, this was not my choosing, rather, it was a decision they forced upon me when they officially paired up and wouldn't let poor JubJub up from the bottom of the old cage. Since they're in this new cage, the breeder I've spoken to has recommended I move them outdoors permanently, to give them space and make them feel more relaxed if they do decide to breed. So now, they're living in their own little bird-room (which used to be my art area ) and JubJub is living it up like a king in the house. Somehow I don't think he sees it that way yet, though.

In the last few days, he's really come out of his shell. At first he just moped around, hardly moving from the one place in the cage, as if he was totally lost without the others. Now, he's actually whistling! And I must say, he has a beautiful little chirp, not too loud, and very musical. But, as usual, I can't catch it on film! Every time I set up the camera, he goes silent and pretends to be asleep ! He's also starting to accept new foods again. The others were so overpowering that he was hardly eating before I removed them, so he's only just discovering that there's more to life than the few pieces of seed that fall to the cage bottom. Tonight he actually attacked (and I mean, attacked!) a cob of corn and some watermelon that Tiana nicely shared, and seemed to really enjoy it .

As for Mickey and Piper's new palace, I have finally got pics! It looks like a guinea-pig house . The breeder recommended this one for a few reasons:

1. The high bottom will make it harder for rodents to get to the eggs.

2. It's got the tiered section, which is good (I have totally forgotten why, *blush*)

3. There's plenty of room for them to fly, as it's long.

4. I can easily add a "grass dish" to the bottom section, which is great for foraging.

So I'm pretty happy with the new cage, and they seem perfectly happy there too, which is always a bonus .

Ok, so enough chatter, here's the pic:



Going to the park tomorrow (if it stops raining ) to get some real branches for them . And I have to stock up on more toys, separating the birds meant splitting the toys, and now they don't have enough . I managed to split them so that Piper got to keep her favourite red perch (it's a chalk one), and JubJub got 'his' rings .

We love your chatter! That was fun to read! Go JubJub! King of the world! hee hee! A cob of corn! That's funny. The new cage looks real nice. Good idea!

Glad things are going well with the little cuties.

I really like the idea of the guinea pig cage for them! - its brilliant. It looks great. They look really happy too.

I hope JubJub settles into being a momma's boy. It sounds as if he'll be OK - a bit like my Rio. In Rio's case he started to become a pest - well he is out all day & he was like Velcro after a few months. It is better now he has a buddy - not that they spend all day together. [I wonder how JubJub would be with another male?] Right now Bow is in the studio & Rio is in the bedroom - singing away like mad - so we feel like we live in an aviary.

I'm glad JubJub has such a nice voice.

Jac: I really hope he's a mumma's boy soon . Bud used to be like Rio: velcro! Budgies are so funny like that, especially when they work out they can sit right in the center of your back so you can't shoo them away . The only way we settled Bud down was to get him a friend, too. And as for JubJub and getting another male instead of a female: I think he'd be great with another male, he was perfectly happy to sit with Mickey, avoiding Piper most of the time (but she's a grump )

And last night, as I was just getting ready for bed I whistled and chattered away to JubJub as usual, and he actually whistled in response! I was so excited, it's the first time he's ever actually answered me, he's such a recluse! So today I officially started training with him, offering treats that he had to walk over to get. He didn't come up to me for ages, but he did relax a lot toward the end . I thought I'd give him a break, about to go back shortly and see how he does .

Now he's getting all the attention he should really change. I really don't know how anyone does it with training more than one at a time.

Like the new palace! Dunno why the tiered is good either lol. Brian's old cage (new bird's cage now) is tiered and it was a nightmare to clean. Don't want to depress you though . JubJub sounds like he is doing just great! I'm sure he is going to come round in no time!