I know it looks like torture, but really, Stevie does like this. I lay her down on her back in my hand, run the tip of my finger along the tip of her left wing and it just plops back and I can either tickle or blow the feathers under that wing... so cute!
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This took a long time to get her to do; as I had to win her trust by first getting her to lay back and relax... and that's hard for a bird to do without wondering what was going to happen to them.
The wonderful thing is that I'm still teaching her things. I've gotten her to let me hold her left foot between my thumb and index finger. She still give me a look of wonder as though to ask why; but lets me do it; curling it up before I hold it gently and give it a little shake.
Quinn, I've had her 5 years this year and she started out being just a little darling; talking and being a wonder to me. You see, I bought a boy; and wanted to have a talking bird. But sometimes, they'll change into a girl and you can't do anything about it.
Little Miss Stevie (when she was a boy) used to say: Stevie-K, Blue Boy, Lynda, Budgie-boo, I love you (only said that once) and Stevie. Otherwise, once she got into a fight with another budgie, he turned into a she and thus turned into a mimic. Once in a while I'll hear a distorted 'Thank you' from her, but nothing else comes out of her mouth except whistles, clicks and kisses. I have figured out that three blatty kisses means thank you in her language, but otherwise, the rest is a mystery.
My gosh, that all sounds incredible, Lynda. She turned into a girl parakeet from a boy parakeet?? I didn't know they could do that! So she talked more as a boy? LOL! So far Kelly is just standing around - will go on my finger - but no words. He scolds alot. Doesn't seem to like the sound of rustling paper or plastic bags, or harp music,or loud voices.
If Kelly is only around 8 - 10 weeks old he won't like anything loud and boisterous. Believe me, Stevie freaked out when I had five people in the house and loud music going soon after I got him/her. So, it's just a matter of time and patience. You have to win a bird's trust by letting them know you're not going to hurt them. If you want to touch their wing, use just your finger, not your hand and show them what you're going to do (even if he does make that noise, still touch his wing and say to him: 'see that didn't hurt did it?'. And keep doing it until he doesn't make that noise, and he's used to it. Then get him used to another thing you want to do).
Like I said, it all takes time and him trusting you and vise verse.
Thanks so much for the tips! We've discovered that he likes men's voices so much more than woman's, maybe the low sound is more soothing. He's a good influence on us - "no fighting around the bird". :-)
April 7th, 2010
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Little Miss Stevie (when she was a boy) used to say: Stevie-K, Blue Boy, Lynda, Budgie-boo, I love you (only said that once) and Stevie. Otherwise, once she got into a fight with another budgie, he turned into a she and thus turned into a mimic. Once in a while I'll hear a distorted 'Thank you' from her, but nothing else comes out of her mouth except whistles, clicks and kisses. I have figured out that three blatty kisses means thank you in her language, but otherwise, the rest is a mystery.
Like I said, it all takes time and him trusting you and vise verse.