Boris' Slave

hi una and welcome. You sound like you are doing a good job with the baby. Just keep up with what you are doing & s/he should be fine.

I can't say I've come across this before. If you could immobilise the bird's wings (yeah right!) the bones might mend but I couldn't really see the bird being happy with that. Hopefully someone who has come across this will let you know what to except. I hope they can give you some good news.

Beautiful little babies

Lin Big tough mod? OOhh I'm

(Laughing out loud) I've got 6 books about budgies & 3 folders full of genetics information and I've got different websites marked & occassionally go to the Ipswich Budgie Association meetings & I hear/read so many different things I say what is that bird colour called again? and feel silly. I might figure it out some day. Might not too

I prefer the name Harlequin, it's used by most breeders I know and it was used when my father bred budgies 40 years ago. He reckons people make up names as he said the names people give some mutations are not what they were, he said he'd never heard of a recessive pied. I don't care, I just like my ino's.

Any success yet Sailor?

Congratulations on the hatchings. Isn't it exciting?

Sounds interesting. Can't wait to see some pics.

What are you saying about daz's looks Lin?

I wouldn't treat her when she feeds the babies as budgies usually manage to swallow some of the treatment & could pass it on to the babies when she feeds them (when they hatch) and it could kill them. I'd recommend discontinue treatment until the babies have fledged & then separate the hen & cock so she can be treated without interference from the cock.

I think I must get bumblefoot then Who will massage my foot? :(Laughing out loud):

No extra attention is required except if the other birds are evenly paired. The new bird might want to mate when the others do. so fighting might erupt.

Get well soon Merly!! :feedbirds:

Go Gherkin Go! Gherk is changing

Thanks Bea, I've ground up some of mum's cereal mix, baby is resting now so I will give him some when he wakes. Hang on, he's awake now. okay, he's taken some food - he actually wolfed it down and he's sitting in his box looking at me now. Fingers crossed that he make it.

I've got 1 littlun left as mother killed the others, I found this chick about an hour ago thrown out of nest covered in blood (siblings dead mother covered in blood). It's not possible to put baby with anyone else. I cannot get hand rearing mixture for 24 hours time. How can I keep him alive? I've only helped a baby once before & she was almost self sufficient anyway, I just am not an experienced hand rearer. This baby is barely 3 weeks old and only has pin feathers. I've just managed to give him some weetbix but will it keep him alive until I can get the rearing mixture? What else can I feed him? He is week & can't squark very much (Boris jumped on him). I've got him in a small box - away from Boris - next to my computer. Please help as I don't want to lose this little guy.

Hi Daz! Nice to see the face behind the words. :dbb1:

Sad news about Bella.

I was just going through my emails someone sent me from work and I found this one I thought was good to share. It is not a poem but this seemed the most appropriate place to put it. Parrots Bill of Rights 1. GET TO KNOW ABOUT PARROTS BEFORE YOU BRING ME HOME I am not a domesticated pet like a dog or cat. I still have the spirit of the jungle in me. I have special needs which you may find it hard to fill. Please don?t learn these too late for my well-being. And please don't acquire one of my cousins? wild from the jungle--it will jeopardize his survival and well-being and that won't be a party for you either! 2. GIVE ME THE LARGEST HOME POSSIBLE I am used to flying through rain forests or savannas or wide open spaces. I have given up this great gift for your pleasure. At the very least, give me enough room to flap my wings and exercise. And I need toys for my amusement and to chew--otherwise, I might confuse your home with the forest and its trees. 3. GIVE ME A NUTRITIOUS DIET I need a wide variety of fresh and nutritious foods, even if they take time to prepare. I cannot survive on seeds alone. Take time to learn what my needs, and preferences, are. 4. LET ME HAVE A "SOCIAL LIFE" I am a gregarious flock animal-but I am not one of you. I need lots of socialization to learn how to act with you, and with my siblings. I also need to have adequate quality time with you every day--no matter what your schedule or other needs are. I am a living, feeling creature. Above all, I need to be able to have complete trust in you, and count on your predictability in looking after me every day. 5. LET ME BE CLEAN I may like to drop food or even throw it, but i need meticulous cleanliness to be healthy. My skin itches without frequent showers, the barbs of my feathers won't seal if they become oily and worst of all, I may become ill if my food and water is not always sanitary. 6. I NEED MY OWN DOCTOR You may not understand my physiology and therefore you may not recognize it early on when I get sick. And it may be too late when you do , because I hide my illnesses. And I need an avian vet. If you can't afford one, perhaps you shouldn't have taken me home. 7. PLEASE DON'T PUNISH ME Just as I don't always understand your peculiarities, you might not understand mine. I don't TRY to get in trouble--remember a house is not a jungle. If I do screw up, don't yell at me and NEVER hit me. I have sensitive ears and I may never trust you again if you strike me. Hands are sometimes scary things to us (why in the world would you not be zygodactylous like us?) Even more, we don't learn by punishment. We are gentle creatures who only strike back to protect ourselves; we learn through patience and love. 8. SPEAK MY "LANGUAGE" I know you get upset with me when I knock over my water bowl, throw food, scream and pluck my feathers. I don't do these to annoy you--I am probably trying to tell you something (perhaps I am hurting, lonely, or sad). Learn to speak MY (body) language. Remember that I, alone of all crea tures on this planet, learn to speak yours! 9. SEE ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL I am a unique and feeling being. No two of us are alike. Please don't be disappointed in me if I don't talk like you wanted, or can't do the tricks that your friends parrot can do. But if you pay close attention to me (and I always empathize with you, whether you know it or not), I will show you a unique being who will give you so much more than talking and playing. Give me a chance to show you who I am; I think you will find the effort worth it. And remember--I am not an ornament; I do not enhance ANY living room decor. And I am not a status symbol--if you use me as such, I might nip at your turned up nose! 10. SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME Above all, please remember that you are my Special Person. I put all my trust and faith in you. We parrots are used to being monogamous,( no barhopping for us!) so please don't go away for long periods or give me away--that would be a sadness from which I may never recover. If that seems to be asking a lot, remember--you could have learned about my needs before bringing me home. Even a baby or taking a new job isn?t a fair reason--you made a commitment to me FIRST. And if you think you must leave me because you might die, provide for me forever after you leave. I may live to a ripe old age but I can't provide for myself. Remember I'm in a small cage amongst people who are not of my blood. 11. YOUR RIGHTS You have lots of rights, but I can only assure one. And that is, if you treat me the way I described above, I will reward you with unwavering love, humor, knowledge, beauty, dedication--and a sense of wonder and awe you haven't felt since you were a child. When you took me home, you became my Flock Leader, indeed, my entire universe--for life. I would hang the moon and stars for you if I could. We are one Heart and Soul.

Have a poop screen test done as well. You can never be too careful. I hope she is alright.

Poor Bobette! I was really hoping the babies would survive as I love it when budgies breed in interesting places.

The little guy will do well, I have seen beaks far worse than his. There really isn't anything that can be done to fix his beak. My birds that have had beak problems were not disadvantaged in any way. As long as their lower beak is okay their top is not a great big deal. You should have seen Boss' beak, it grew straight halfway then grew to the left. He raised about 20 chicks in total. Big Daddy's upper beak grew in 2 directions and is lower beak grew weird too but with regular trims he led a very productive life and fathered some magnificent birds (rip dumbass).

Thanks guys :nest:

His beak won't cause him any problems. My Boris' grandfather, Boss had a large 'chunk' taken out of the side of his beak when his mother was feeding him. I had to trim his beak every couple of months when it got overgrown (he could bite 3 times harder with his beak clipped). He bred quite well and got on with other budgies and he was even a foster dad for awhile. No problems, the only problem would be with other people not wanting a budgie with an 'ugly' beak. He had a fantastic personality & spoke quite well. :nest: