Sweetie

[Sweetiesmom]

We brought Sweetie home from the pet store April 25, 2010. We had another budgie, Sky, and we kept them mostly separate for about a week, not knowing to quarantine. The pet store said we could put them in the same cage immediately. They were so wild to be together, that we allowed them in the same cage the next week. They bonded instantly and fed each other, groomed each other and were inseparable.

Last Monday, Sky suddenly died. We don't know what happened, but we *think* he may have been starving because he was very light, much lighter than even a day or so before. Maybe Sweetie wasn't letting him have any food? They did have separate food and water containers, but who knows. Or he caught a chill and we didn't notice a change in his routine. We put Sweetie in the smaller cage and thoroughly cleaned the big cage and all its contents. We put Sweetie back in the big cage.

We thought Sweetie would be better off with another bird so we brought home Wild Bill from the pet store that evening. We kept them in separate cages with Wild Bill in the small cage (also thoroughly cleaned) but he stayed fluffed at the bottom of his cage until Wednesday evening when we took him back to the pet store after I did quite a bit of research and found an avian vet.

Now Sweetie is alone in the big cage and we are trying to gain her trust. She's very scared of us and doesn't like our hands in the cage and will not offer to step up. We aren't pushing it, but I talk to her every half hour or so. She seems very healthy and energetic and she does tweet a lot. She has a mirrored perch in her cage and she has been on that perch a lot. We may take it out in a few days or we may take it out this evening, but we don't want to change her environment too much because so many changes have happened to her this month. She has a scheduled check up next Thursday (we didn't want to stress her too much with a visit to the vet since she seems healthy).

I plan to update the journal every week. I am cautiously optimistic. One thing is for sure, we learned a hard lesson and we will be much more careful and informed from now on. :budgie:

[Sweetiesmom]

Sweetie is doing great! She's not nearly as fearful anymore. She's getting on different perches. I removed the mirror that had the perch on it because she wouldn't leave it and I knew it could not be good for her feet. I have another mirror that she doesn't perch on, so when she needs comfort she can go to it. (Kind of the birdie equivalent of a pacifier, LOL!) I put it in front of a natural perch which she would not go on the first day. Since I changed the mirror she does perch there sometimes. She also has a comfy perch and is finally getting on it sometimes. She prefers the plastic one that came with the cage, though, and eventually I'd like to eliminate it entirely.

She is singing and chirping a little more and doesn't fly away when I put my hands in the cage to move something or change her food and water. Lots of good poop, so I think she's eating. She's very alert, no puffiness and does not want to go to the floor of the cage. I think that's a good sign and a huge relief.

One thing I'm doing is saying good morning to her every morning when we get up, hello when returning home, saying bye bye anytime I leave the house, and good night at bedtime, always in the same voice. Sort of a special, "just for Sweetie" voice.

[Iota's Mom]

She sounds like she is relaxing :) I'm sorry for your loss of Sky, and hope that everything goes well with Sweetie from now on! :)

[Sweetiesmom]

She is definitely more relaxed. She took a bath yesterday and is eating millet while I hold the spray. She's not as scared and doesn't seem to mind my hand in the cage for short times.

I took out the plastic perch and she's spending most of her time on the comfy perch. A larger cage would make her happier. Thursday when she gets her check up I'll talk to the vet about making a cage to the dimensions that will suit our space and give her more room -- maybe with some plants?

[anjupradp]

Hey thats good! You are doing good progress. As you feed your bird make light sounds like whistling etc , that will help your bird recognize you, initially it might get scared but keep trying. Once it completely trusts you it will climb onto your hands.

[Sweetiesmom]

Thanks, Pradeep. We've got some new food for her, too, and I know she'll need time to adjust to it.

Yesterday we took Sweetie to the vet and she got a clean bill of health. Poor girl, she was in her shoe box for an hour and a half for the drive out there, then waiting for the vet because we got lost and had to wait for him to be done with his other patient. Then she had to go back into her shoe box for a 20 minute drive home. But as soon as she was back in her cage she was fine, started eating and didn't seem scared.

The vet said the home made paper roll toys with hemp were just fine for her. He said the toys she really needs are the ones she can tear up. So when we got home I finished the toy and put it in her cage with a little millet sticking out. She ate the millet, didn't bother shredding! I hope she will figure it out.