Dimruthien

Thank you :hap: I'll try and get some photos or a video of her doing her "tricks" for you :hap:

I find it very amusing! She particularly likes doing the owlish rotation of the head into an upside down position when I'm making non-stop kissy noises at her. Of course, it is very difficult to maintain these kissy noises when you're trying desperately not to burst into hysterical laughter which would, no doubt, cause her deep psychological trauma and may result in Mummy and Daddy paying lots of money for her to see a psychologist to talk about her unsupportive environment growing up!

Now before I get to the point, I want to make it clear I have an almost perfect track record for bringing home a wide variety of animals who are one sandwich short of a picnic, not the brightest crayons or are just plain intellectually disadvantaged. From a dog with social anxiety, to a cat who was dropped on his head at a young age (and acts it), to a rat who seems to be cognitively challenged and thoroughly believes he is, in fact, a human. Thus, it was really no surprise that my budgie turned out to be a complete nutjob either. Everything I've read indicates that budgies dislike being held upside down. They don't find it comfortable, and just generally don't find it a very cool thing to do, despite whatever the cool, popular budgies next door are doing. Why is it then that my budgie seems to get a particular joy out of spending all day hanging upside down, particularly if you're talking to her (we only just discovered it was a hen; seems she has been cunningly disguised as a cock for the past year - all part of her plan for world domination, I'm sure). Now, I know I'm not the most beautiful woman on the block, but surely I don't look any better upside down. :mellow: It's not even just hanging upside down, or doing loopty-loops on the perch, it's full on owlish rotation of the head to an upside down position while she studies you intently for anything excellent to be bitten, chewed or otherwise demolished in some sadistic way. Or sometimes, for a change, it may involve getting a new view on the wider world by hanging upside down from the roof of the cage. Is my budgie ill, or simply practising for the unannounced rebirth of Mr. Squiggle? Or is she perhaps just another of my special needs animals?

bucks fighting is such an over dramatised thing. I have 5 bucks and had 4 does, and i found my does more prone to fighting newcomers than bucks. if you buy a pair of bucks from the same litter at the same time you wont have a problem unless the stock is subpar and aggressiveness was accidentally bred into them (hence why breeders are a better idea for a healthy, happy rat!) my bucks never fought when i introduced nacho.limpet to anniba, and they never fought when zerello/escapee with introduced a few months later. i know a -lot- of people who only keep bucks and they say the same thing.

Yeah I started out with does, but I got Anniba and I was in love. I had 4 girls and the one buck so to compensate for the fact I kept his singly, not in the highly recommended pair, I took him with me everywhere. I mean everywhere. I lived in Brisbane at the time and would wear hoodies everywhere and he would sleep happily in the pockets when I went out to a restaurant, did my grocery shopping, etc. He even used to sleep on my bed, rarely in his cage. He is one spoiled brat! (pun intended) I highly recommend you get a pair as keeping them singly isn't so good for the simple fact that they are very social. It's better for them to have some company! I can give you a few pointers if you like, to ensure your big blobs of ratty manhood live the happiest life possible (I make sort of a full-time job out of this You can tell it's one of my passions, huh?)

With 8 rats, this issue is of particular interest to me. I read this thread long before I became a member and filed it away in my head, however it seemed like common sense to me. I've known people who have taken their ratties outside for some fresh air and wild birds have landed on the cage and... well the rest is history. Not that I think my lazy boys would respond at all. They tend not to move until the food dishes start clinking That is, of course, no reason not to be cautious!

Thank you!

Thank you everyone!

Thank you I'm a member of quite a few forums (some international - mostly European, some Australian) so I completely understand the time difference! I'm very knowledgeable about rats, but know little about budgies. These seemed like a good place to learn!

Hi all, I'm Dimmie and I live outside of Darwin along the Stuart Hwy with my menagerie of assorted critters. Currently in my little herd/flock/pack I have a total of 15 animals They are as follows: Rat Bucks Anniba - Silverfawn hooded - 11 Months Limpet - Agouti self - 7 Months Nacho - Pink-eyed White - 7 Months Escapee - Black hooded - 6 Months Zerello - Mink berkshire - 6 Months Rat Does Soap - Topaz self - 1 Year 2 Months Mischa - Mink berkshire - 11 Months Clarice - Pink-eyed White - 11Months Cat Queens Little Dove - Light Grey Tabby DSH - 3 Years Shumba - Dark Grey Tabby DSH - 3 Years Cat Toms Hannibal - Black DSH - 3 Years Sylvester - Tuxedo DSH - 3 Years Dogs Precious Pup - Doberman X - 10 years (F) Devil's Advocate - BW Border Collie - 5 Years (M) Birds Switch - Budgerigar - 4 Months Quite a collection isn't it? My biggest passion is rats. I run the only rat rescue in the NT and I am the webmistress of the Brisbane Rat Rescue. I hope in many years once I am settled, to become an ethical breeder of the humble fancy rat. My long term goal which will take many years of study is to breed the Himalayan and Siamese rats (if such a thing can be done with Australian fancy rat breeding stock). I strive for 'awareness' of these little critters and promote their safe and ethical keeping. My boyfriend, Matt, introduced me to both rats and budgies. Rats particularly have changed my life. I am 20 years old and am looking to study Aged and Disabled care. I currently work for Carers NT, as does my mother. I am an eclectic neopagan with a lot of basis in Egyptian mythology and religion. I am an artist and writer. I love Burt Reynolds, Tom Selleck and Steve Buscemi. I have 2 tattoos and 20 piercings (Yes, they hurt. No, they do not set off airport metal detectors). I have an unhealthily healthy obsession with tea and have 24 varieties. I like beer, ancient history, the paranormal, House, The X-Files (who'd have guessed that?) and I am the coordinator of a Mental Illness Support Group. I am addicted to IRC. I like chocolate. Mmm. Chocolate. I particularly like the emoticons on this forum Here is a nice crappy phonecam photo of Switch. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/dimr...09-22-54203.jpg And one of me http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/dimr...09-22-54076.jpg