Rio
sex: male
age: Hatch day April 1st, 2007
type: Standard Budgie
mutation: Blue/violet? Opaline Grey Wing [The grey wing factor lightens the colours to a dilute quality.]



Rio - May 4th, 1 month old & Fledged. His parents - note the paleness of the Dilute in Rio's Sire's Opaline.
His parents
cock: Blue Opaline, Dilute [almost white but definitely a violet] Grey Wing & Hen: Blue [cobalt] Recessive Pied, Cinnamon.


Rio's story
Rio is a 2nd Budgie. We had a mature Budgie 1st. Laker was our only Budgie for about 10 months. Laker is a responsive bird and was bonded very closely to my husband and son. He really enjoyed recall training. He would sing to all things shiny. We worried he was lonely or fearful when we were away. We got him a friend.

Rio came from a home breeder - we were concerned about quarantine so we started to look at small breeders. Another shelter Budgie would have been Ok but that isn't what happened. When I saw his photo I fell for his looks. The breeder was able to supply me with all his baby photos & even marked his tail to tell him from his brother. Rio's blue colour is almost a pale violet but blue is hard to photo. A number of breeders felt he was a Dilute. I have done some more research & his pale colours are diluted but may be more affected by his wing colour. His sire is definately a Dilute & there was a paler sibling in the clutch as well.


Rio's first day in our home - with wet toy or food colouring his head.

I was very uncertain about clipping his wings. The breeder was happy to do it & it is common practice. It makes the baby bird easier to handle. They can't get away - although they sure can run fast! The day I visited the aviary & held Rio, he was about 3 weeks old. He ran up my sleeve & lodged in the elbow. I was a goner.

When I decided to keep him flighted it didn't work out too well for the breeder. The babies were all fledged. Rio & his clutch had been caged - away from the flock, as his siblings were all clipped. He has always been a feisty bird - even his breeder remarked on it - compared to his siblings. Not clipping him, may have been a contributing factor. To clip or not to clip a baby's flights He had the whole group on the hop. She separated him. I picked him up as soon as I could.

Rio came to us when he was 1 1/2 months old, on May 18th - flighted. The first day he came home Laker was very interested in the bird calls from the other room. He flew into the forbidden Living room on day 7 to check this out. Not much of a quarantine. Rio was very happy to see another Budgie - he was kind of in shock coming from a busy indoor aviary.


Here is Rio all excited - he is about 4-5 months old here & has his adult plumage - a bit darker than when he was a baby. His beads/dots/pearls in his necklace came in large but very pale.

He has been a handful. As his first year birthday approaches he is a little tame but very rebellious. He lands on everyone & will stand up for himself if he's being pushed around. He only allows touching because he wont back away.

He bonded to Laker & is a bit of a pest; always wanting to be by his side or keep him from us. He is full of energy & explores everything. This has been excellent for Laker as he was afraid of so many things. He just lets Rio check them all out & then he does.
Rio also learns from Laker as well.

Rio links -
baby shots & siblings: New Budgie - and the count down begins
Rio's home: Rio has arrived
__________________

NOTE: this is a new forum idea - all responses to be placed in the regular Budgie forum, please. All about Budgies - starter kit

Rio's Bio on All about Budgies

I came up with the idea of starting another thread in the regular Budgie section to talk about the thread[s].

Note: photos all taken at the same week so different growth rates.

I thought I'd post some photos of the chicks in Rio's clutch. - April babies

Rio's sisters


Rio [1st one with 'marked' tail] & His brother


These are from the next clutch - Same parents 7 babies this time - form June

Hens



Cock?

Here's a more current photo of Rio & his pal Laker.



& a link to his birthday thread. Rio's hatch day - 1 year old

A strange phenomena about Rio is his trembling. I documented it all in a photo journal:
Rio the trembler - photo essay

He still does it even though he is over a year old. This morning for example he was trembling so hard I thought he would have a hard time eating or even standing on his perch.





He's also shown a great proficiency for chewing: Busy Destructive Budgies






He's eating his perches legs but he really enjoys the spring/summer grasses.

NOTE: - please reply to this thread on the above links - The threads in All About Budgies are almost journals ~
Original companion thread is: Rio's Bio on All about Budgies

An Update - see this thread too Rio the Magnificent

Rio is all grown up & he is in love with my hands, feet & elbows. I am hoping that thru time he will calm down.

He has started to fly to me when I call him & to land on my shoulder rather than my head. I used to think he was trying to get close without me 'seeing' him - kind of like when child closes their eyes & thinks no one can see them.