Spike!

[leelastarsky]

We have a new family member!

You know I'm a sucker when it comes to birds? I can honestly say our budgies are the one thing that will, without fail, make me smile. They are wee bundles of feathery unconditional love and joy. So when youngest son, thoroughly enjoying the Eragon books and filled with the desire for his own dragon, decided he really, really wanted the closest thing to that - his own bird... well he didn't have much of a struggle convincing me. ;~P

I knew 3 budgies would not be a good idea - 2 will usually gang up on a 3rd, so we now have a cockatiel!

Meet Spike -




(you can see Pippin and Luna in the cage behind. Spike loves the budgies and calls for them whenever they're out of his sight.)
I've not had a cockatiel before, so it's a whole new learning experience for me. He sings so prettily! And, damn, does his bite HURT! ;~) But he is slowly getting used to us, and will hopefully be handleable in the near future. Stay tuned!

Comments

[jo-ron.livejournal.com]

We're on our second cockatiel. The first one we had for 8 years, he used to talk up a storm and didn't realize he was a bird. This last one was 3 or 4 when we got him. We weren't able to tame him...so he's a caged bird:( but we have taught him to sing and keep him by the window to see lots of other birds.

Good Luck!

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Thanks! We were assured that this one is a baby, though I don't really know enough about cockatiels to be sure. We've had to take their word for it. The more I look up about 'tiels, the more I think he's definitely a young one.

We had him out a couple of times today, and apart from having to chase him round for a bit, the actual handling (holding him against my chest and stroking him) went really well. :~)

[mrsquizzical.livejournal.com]

oh what fun!

(i'm terrified of keeping birds. like... i'd look at them wrong and they'd drop off the perch. dead.

but we luckily have moved somewhere that we get visits from kookaburras and butcher birds and lorrikeets. so the kids animal lust is somewhat sated.)

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Oh, we have a huge native bird population here. I love them to bits!

And I do know what you mean about worrying about their birdy health. I've had to ban all teflon cookware in my kitchen!

[harpinred.livejournal.com]

It was neat to hear your voice! Welcome, Spike :D

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Heh. I sound a bit croaky at the moment; bit of a chest infection trying to happen. ;~)

[kath-ballantyne.livejournal.com]

nawwwww
They all got so excited. They are all beautiful.
I've never kept birds but we used to have lots of visitors. Cockatoos and galahs and quite a few types of parrots.

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

We have loads of wild parrots etc. too. I adore them. :~)

[chickadilly.livejournal.com]

Awww Hi Spike! He's adorable. :D

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

Yes, THAT Spike is who he got named after. XD And it helps that his comb thing is one long spike...
Youngest son (who's bird he is) wants to teach him to sing "I hope she fries; I'm free if that bitch dies!" XD

[celestialsoda.livejournal.com]

Lovely!

[leelastarsky.livejournal.com]

We think so! XD

[darlas-mom.livejournal.com]

Awww, he's a cutie. :-)

I've never kept birds myself (my daughter inexplicably attracts stray cats wherever we go, and we used to keep ferrets, who are so sensitive to high-pitched noise that birds were just never feasible) but they are lovely to visit with.

::re: comments above:: If he really does get taught to sing Spike's verse of "Walk Through The Fire," please video it!

[chanel19.livejournal.com]

I really like birds, but not enough to keep them. What I really want is one of my friends to like birds, but they never cooperate. He's a lovely bird. Good luck with him.

[celtae.livejournal.com]

He's so sweet! I adore birds, but the hubby doesn't, so I get my lust satisfied by gazing enviously at other folks' birds. :)

[fools-trifle.livejournal.com]

Pretty! And it was fun to see the budgies getting all excited when you filmed him - a wee bit of jealousy there, eh? It'll be fun to see what he can learn to say - I'm madly impressed by your budgies already.