Am I way off-base in my love for my birds?

 

I was thinking about them today, as I watched them playing. I had noticed lately that out of all my birds, Skittles seems to be the one that is most steady. By steady I mean things like this:

 

1. For some reason, several of the birds have begun to try to get away when I reach my hand in the cage to change their food and water. Since the cage is open most of the time, they just leave through the top. Skittles will just sit there.

 

2. When they get startled, if Skittles is sitting near me, she will not fly off with the others. She will just sit and look warily around, but will stay put.

 

3. She will now preen and sleep with her back to me, inches away from me. She will also turn and tuck her head into her wing to nap while she is facing me. For those that don't realize this, this action implies a great amount of trust. After all, if I were a predator, I could eat her then.

 

4. She is the first to eat whatever I offer from my hand, no matter where she is sitting when I approach the cage. The others will sometimes eye even seeds like they are suspect. Not Skittles.

 

And there are other little things too, I won't mention everything, but the reason for this post is this...

 

Skittles is almost 4 years old. She has never been tame. She will not step up. She is the "wildest" budgie I have ever had, yet when she was nesting she would let me feed her in the box. I have never pushed her to become "tame" like the other birds. They have been "tame" from the nest box, yet sometimes they act like I am evil and the littlest things will startle them. They don't always want to step up anymore (but they do after a try or two anyway. They are still good birds. ). But I realized I have spent 4 years trying to convince this little bird I am her friend. 4 years. 4 years of mostly just talking to her because that is all she would allow. That is a long time. I realized I wouldn't spend 4 years trying to convince a person to be my friend. But apparently I would for a budgie. To be honest with you all, I found that slightly disturbing for a moment. And hopefully she is healthy enough that I will spend at least another 4, then another 4, and part of another 4 trying to convince this little hen budgie that I am her friend. Because I do not ever expect her to step up. Nor will I ever require it from her like I do the rest of my birds. But it is the little things that let me know it is all worthwhile, and even if she isn't "tame", compared to what she was when I brought her home, she is tame. Then, she used to thrash around her cage whenever anyone walked into the room. Now she seems to want to spend time with me, and even gets jealous like my other hens for my undivided attention. She will land on pretty much any part of me except my finger, although yesterday she did perch on my finger to eat the seeds I hand feed them in the evenings. I was surprised. She also will get right up in my face to preen my eyebrows and eyelashes, provided there are no hands in sight.

 

Would any of you spend 4 years trying to convice another person you wanted to be their friend? But how about a budgie? Is that okay?

That's great that she's so trusting. I would never spend that long trying to be friends with a person but i think i would with just about any animal.

The ultimate trust. You must be blessed. George trusts me. when he flies he will fly around the room and land back on his cage or he will fly to me and chatter in my ear.

I had a similar experience with Peru, even though he wasn't with me long. I stopped pushing him and let things go at his pace and he did begin to trust me a lot.

 

But no, I would never waste four years on a human being. I would on an animal, it's far more rewarding. Once you have an animal's love, it's unconditional and everlasting. I'd go as far as to say it's a complete honor, especially when you're talking about an animal so tiny that its life is literally in your hands.

Edited November 2, 200519 yr by eterri

thats so sweet,

no I wouldn't spend THAT long trying to befriend a person- but I would a budgie, it's a special thing to have such a close bond with an animal. especially a bird.

Ah, how heartwarming. It's worth just standing back and reflecting sometimes.

People - NO

Animals - yep

Rainbow that was so touching to read And it made me thing of Pie he wasn't tamed when younger he was simply out in the aviary with the others. He was around 6 months of age when I got him, but I didn't try to tame him like I did Freckle, at one stage freckle would climb onto my foot when ever I when to get her after a fly around and she had landed on the ground. He would fly like made when ever I put my hand in the cage or hid in the corner where he slept every night. Now I put my hand in and he is almost the right to jump onto it, sometimes Marine beats him. Yes I know he is only looking to see if I'm holding a treat this time or not but he will happily stay put as I move my hand around. All I showed him was love and kindness and he chose to accept me.

 

oh and yes I would spend 4 years to let an animal get to know me a human blah there are plenty of others around.

Thanks. It's nice to know it's normal.

Rainbow, I don't know that you can call any of us normal

That is wonderful Rainbow, the accomplished feeling that you can be part of her flock and she sees you as a trusting friend. Would I spend the time, yes..the more love and time you spend the more results for sure.

That is a really interesting question Rainbow.

No I wouldn't spend four years trying to make a human like me and yes I would spend that time with a budgie or another animal. But why? I really don't know what the answer to that IS.

Isn't it though, Julie? And those 4 years have been pretty much effortless, because I didn't think about what I was doing, I just did it. And then I realized. It's ironic the wildest bird is in some ways the tamest, even though you can't touch her.

It is very strange. The 'widest' bird I have is Birdy-very nervous and skittish. He never reall bonded with me at all while in quarantine yet when I let them out now ,the other two fly straight off my finger but Birdy has begun to stay a bit longer each time and has even started to chirrup and fluff up while he's there. It is a very exciting feeling.

Aww Anne I bet thats such a rewarding feeling. I really wish mine will come around in the same way. I have no contact with 3 of my budgies at all and still have to catch them with a cover to get them away which I hate doing. They are however the most fearless of other stuff except me which I find strange too. They will explore everything especially the tiels mouths hehe. I dont have to catch them every night they go away on their own accord but sometimes you know what its like when they play up.

 

I hope Skittles continues to make you happy.

That's cool, Rainbow. My Snowy's a bit like that. I say we have an "understanding". He doesn't sit on my hand, but he knows I'm his friend. He's six now, and a pretty brave sort. When he sees something scary, or hears thunder, he's not scared if I reassure him.