went in to buy a ring neck, came out with a budgie... *.*

[evaleen]

i finally convinced my mother to get me have a irn... i was so happy and excited...
i had already visited the pet shop a few days back, and there was a 7 month old green irn that i fell in love with.

so i went to buy it after 3 days and....

they had sold it out cuz someone offered more money...


i was about to head back, when i noticed the shop keeper showing off a 2month old budgie to a small kid (6years old i think).
i was shocked...
the shop keeper was repeatedly standing and dropping the bird from a height to show that it couldn't fly and therefor cant escape. and the poor bird kept plummeting down to the floor with soft "thuddd" sounds. all weak and dizzy.
to add to that, he was picking the bird up by the TAIL!
the kid was squeezing the bird and saying that it was soft and warm!


i felt so mad...

10 mins later i had bought the budgie myself and persuaded the small kid to get a rabbit instead.
i couldn't stand it...

i brought the bird home and gave it a warm water, and soft warm food mix and some seeds.
its soooo cute... after petting it for a few mins, it was all snuggling in to any soft cloth it could find. i popped it into a cage and now, 2 days later, its the cutest thing ever...



anyway, my friend's aunt has a breeding pair of irn. she says she' get me a young irn this spring.
so even if i am to wait for another 5months for my irn, i'l do so.

in the mean time, i have yuki (the budgie i brought home).
a question, do you think irns and budgies can co-exist and b non-vioent?

p.s, sorry... this post turned out really long...

[Maniiacy]

If the IRN is introduced to the budgie at a young age, I could see it happening. I wouldn't suggest caging them together, though.

Congratulations on the budgie

[evaleen]

thank you!
another 5months of waiting... ah...

[WickedOne]

I can relate to the waiting. I waited five years before I got my girl.
I admire you for taking the budgie! That poor bird, I would have lost it and told off the shop owner and bought the bird as well. I can't stand when people are like that to animals.
I know from experience that they are a lot smarter than people give them credit for, and it sounds like the kid could have injured the bird.
I used to have a budgie when I was in high school. He passed away a couple years ago, and his name was also Yuki because he was a beautiful white bird with teal, blue and green under feathers.
Congrats on your new bird!

[evaleen]

no way!
seriously???!

i amed my budgie "yuki" too! (cuz its also white) and the fun part is, it actually looks at me wen i call it yuki! (giggling)
thank you! i'm happy i got it. its a bundle of joy!

[WickedOne]

Yeah I used to work for a local breeder who had a ton of birds and I fell in love with her green IRN named Chico. Wanted one ever since.
Awwww he likes you! That's so cute! Congrats!

[bec]

oh wow!!!!!!!!!!!
i named my white budgie yuki too!!!!!!
she was disabled (blind in one eye)
& i thought it was an unusual name then......
guess not

[evaleen]

(giggling)
thank you!!! she looooves to cuddle, and to play hide and seek.
(altho it peaks out of its hiding place every time i say "peekaboo"... but i pretend not to see. )
my best friend presented me with a 2.6year old mustache parakeet. i named it "kibo-o". and my budgie is fascinated with it. (kibo-o is just scared of yuki)

(we had first laid eyes on him when we went to her aunt's house. the poor bird was badly abused and hardly ever interacted with. tucked away in a corner... in a small cage with a single plastic perch. its water hadn't been changed for at least 2days, and he was only feed seeds. i lost it especially when i heard what the kids do to it.i remember bursting into tears, and begging my friend to persuade her aunt to care for it more.)
(apparently, my friend felt so bad for me and the bird, that she bought it off her aunt and presented it to me. i am overjoyed...
its scared stupid of even a human SHADOW, and runs around in its cage like it's tail is on fire when he even SEEs someone.
but i wont give up... i still have hope that it will come to know that it dose have a friend... that is my hope.)
("kibo-o" means "hope")

thanks everyone!

[bec]

im dealing with similar issues with a corella a friend gave me
he wasnt realy treated badly more misunderstood things like she thought his helo i think ill like you look was mistaken for im gunna eat you!!!!
my main focus at the momment is letting him make all the moves
i do this by spending allot of time being in his sight while (seeming to ) ignore him
it gives him a chance to safely observe me
eating food i can place in his food bowl if they see you eating they will feel safe
and dont force the issue of getting him to interact if you dont chase them around if your bird is already scared it will only make them feel more scared
and talk to them birds are incredibly smart & will pick up on your tones of voice
if he screechs out when you leave the room or when he cant see you its a cotact call he just wants to know where you are for birds their flock is their saftey just answer him whistle or talk to him i normally just tell them what im doing & i will be back soon but always wait till he is quiet before returning to the room so he know the call doesnt make you come running
good luck & bless you and your friend for getting him such a wonderful new home

[evaleen]

thank you LOADS bec!

i keep it in my room all the time. i'v learned not to make eye contact, (cuz it simply starts panicking if i do). i keep it close and always talk to it softly (mayb its my imagination, but i SWEAR he calms down alittle wen i talk softly and blink lazzyly at the same time).
kiboo also loves to see me yawn. (but panics if i happen to look at him while doing so)

and i do eat in front of him. (but i wasnt aware that it makes them feel safe. thanks for that tip! i had no idea!)

as for screeching, i have a weird feeling it loves to see me jump out of my sleep in panic. cuz whe ever i'm dozing off to sleep, it utters this incredibly loud shriek! i'm ignoring it, but i still couldnt stifle a grin in spite of myself.
today was its third day. its a little calmer i think. (atleast it knows that no one is going to come over and bang on its cage, or throw a mug of ice cold water in its face... those are just SOME cruel stuff kiboo was subjected to before...)

thank you for your help... i'l start a thread on the mostache parakeet section of my everyday progress on taming him!
(this forum rocks! it eve has a seperate section on these parakeets!) i wish i could post pics of kiboo. he's so beautiful... but i'm scared of stressing him out with the camera. mayb when he's more comfortable...

[bec]

the reason he calms down when you blink is coz he sees you as a big featherless bird & birds donnt shut their eyes when they feel threatened because you feel safe enough to shut your eyes it must be really safe!!!!!!
and you did well with figuring out the eye contact thing
you seem to be really aware of his body language too that will be your main guide through taming
its also easier to work around his issues if you can figure out why he does them