# Tilda is out of Quarantine, Mallorn wants her stuff, and there's a dove in our yard



## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Hello, everyone! Tilda the Dove is officially out of quarantine and has had the experience of meeting Princess Mallorn face-to-face. :scare:

We put their cages next to each other in the office for the whole day the day before yesterday and Mallorn was so rude to her. :nono:

Seriously, it was unreal. I know budgies have emotions/personalities, but I didn't know it was this obvious. Mallorn first hung on the bars of the cage and looked at me like "Mum, no, take me away from the peasant bird!" and I told her to behave and be nice, so she sat on a perch and glared at her (her eyelids were narrowed so it really looked like she was glaring) for a few minutes, before completely turning around and staring stonily ahead in the "budgie annoyed" posture (wings clenched, ruff up, puffed out chest) and every time I'd go in there, she'd climb up to the bars and chirp pleadingly.

Snobbish bird! 

Yesterday, we had them in the living room together and since Tilda was very indifferent towards Mallorn's evident displeasure, I decided to let Mallorn out of her cage (while supervised) and explore. She promptly landed on top of Tilda's cage, methodically chewed all the bars, and played with Tilda's bell and swing through the bars of the cage. Tilda was totally fine, I wouldn't have let Mallorn continue otherwise, but just mildly annoyed at this brightly colored bird messing with her stuff.

Occasionally, Mallorn would stop and scrutinize the dove through the cage bars, clearly judging her. Tilda tried to be friends by jumping up to the perch closest to Mallorn but Mallorn ignored her and continued claiming various parts of her cage.

The good thing is that Mallorn goes into her cage voluntarily and even though Tilda is tame, she _never_ goes back into her cage voluntarily, ever. 
But as Mallorn flew in and out of her cage, Tilda realized cage is a good thing and now she goes back in after private flying practice back in her office.

I'll see if I can get some pictures! 

Meanwhile, it's been raining for two days, and two days ago (same day Tilda got out of quarantine) a little dove appeared under a bush in our front yard. It was there the whole day, and we figured it was hiding from the rain, but it didn't do anything, it just sort of laid there. We decided to leave him and see if he flew away on his own, but he looks young. He is fully fledged and everything but we think he's a juvenile. He left early the next day and came back, still huddled under our bush, and I wanted to bring him in maybe to warm him up, but he seemed alert and besides, I've seen three fledglings (seperate places, seperate days) in the past week who have died, with no visible injuries, and I don't want to risk him having a communicable disease that would spread to our birds.

I put out some millet soaked with electrolyte and gave him some water, but he got a little bit scared and moved to under the tree. This morning, he's back under the bush, but hasn't touched either the millet nor the water. 
Should I do anything? 
Sorry for the long winded post  Just wanted to update! 

EDIT: Well, I've just discovered that my sneaky little Princess has written a rather rude poem to express her annoyance at, as she puts it, the "rapidly rising population of peasant birds". She will be getting a good talking-to! Goodness, where did I go wrong in raising her!! 

http://talkbudgies.com/chit-chat/297505-all-peasants.html

Took you long enough! I just thought you should know.

I think some opinions should be kept quiet...Don't you tell Tilda! She's been nothing but kind to you.

Hmm. No, I won't tell her. I suppose she's been nice. For a serf.

 Well, okay then.


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## eduardo (Jul 24, 2011)

*Haha, tell Princess Mallorn that Tilda is not a peasant but a princess from another county! So, Tilda deserves royal treatment too 
By the way, pictures would be awesome!*


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## Jedikeet (Feb 3, 2014)

eduardo said:


> *Haha, tell Princess Mallorn that Tilda is not a peasant but a princess from another county! So, Tilda deserves royal treatment too
> By the way, pictures would be awesome!*


Yes, must have pix pix pix!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Poor little Tilda doesn't stand a chance with Princess Mallorn ruling the kingdom.

Tilda is always going to be treated like the "red-headed stepchild" if Mallorn has anything to say about it!

I really wish I had some good advice for you with regard to the little outdoor dove. 

I brought in a little pine warbler back in October that was huddled under the swing on my back patio during a windy rainstorm.

I set PeeWee up in my little travel cage, kept him warm and dry, gave him food and water and then the next day after the weather cleared I set him free again. 
http://talkbudgies.com/other-birds/239713-faerybees-unexpected-visitor.html

PeeWee was darling and a perfectly behaved guest during the time he was here!*


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

eduardo said:


> *Haha, tell Princess Mallorn that Tilda is not a peasant but a princess from another county! So, Tilda deserves royal treatment too
> By the way, pictures would be awesome!*


Ahah, I'll try! Hopefully some pictures soon, I keep meaning to get batteries for my camera. 


Jedikeet said:


> Yes, must have pix pix pix!


Good things come to those who WAIT, Nick! 


FaeryBee said:


> *Poor little Tilda doesn't stand a chance with Princess Mallorn ruling the kingdom.
> 
> Tilda is always going to be treated like the "red-headed stepchild" if Mallorn has anything to say about it!
> 
> ...


Haha, I think so.

Thanks for the advice for the dove. He's still there, huddled under the bush, and I figured out it's a juvenile mourning dove. He's fledged for sure, but hasn't touched the food. We're bringning him in after we go for a walk. Other than giving him millet and water, what else can we do? Where should we put him in relation to Mallorn and Tilda?


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Put him in a different room than the one you have Tilda and Mallorn in - preferably as far away from them as possible.

Cover his cage top and three sides. Offer him millet as well as regular seeds and water. 
Getting him in out of the bad weather and giving him a chance to get dry, warm and rest will be the best thing for him. He's probably scared and stressed right now and it may take awhile before he's willing to eat or drink. Try to leave him alone as much as possible once you have him all set up in the cage.

I just put one natural branch perch in the travel cage for PeeWee when I brought him inside. 

I'd scatter the regular seed on the newspaper on the floor of the cage as mourning doves like to forage.

I have mourning doves that feed from seed scattered by other birds on the ground under my wild-bird feeder in the back yard regularly.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. I hope after a good night's rest the little fellow will be ready to take on the world again. :fingerx:*


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Perhaps the best thing to do regarding the dove is take him to a rescue shelter, after all you yourself said you have seen three others dead for no apparent reason. That way you have helped him and kept your own birds safe and well at the same time.
Mallorn is very posh, or so she thinks ! Tilda will hopefully let Mallorn realize others do exist and deserve some kindness:slap:


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

Oh my, it really seems like the Princess Mallorn isn't pleased with Tilda. 

Leonel, the Portuguese head representative of the flock of 14, translator and Minister of Foreign Affairs would like to present a proposal for the Princess: to appoint miss Tilda as her new lady-in-waiting.

If you are considering taking in the dove and think he could be infected by something, then you have to ensure strict quarantine rules. After handling the fellow you should always wash your hands and disinfect them, change clothes too when you go back to the room where Mallorn and Tilda are.

This is a risk we take when offering shelter to a wild bird and when we think said bird is sick, quarantine should be taken even more seriously.
Good luck with everything and I hope the dove will soon be well enough health wise to be set free.


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## Niamhf (Dec 17, 2013)

I hope the little dove is okay poor little thing.

Wow Tilda has really ruffled Mallorns feathers! :laughing: But poor Tilda is already learning from the Princess - watch out Mallorn!!


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

What doesn't ruffle Mallorn's feathers, honestly  The Princess would like to extend her royal salutations to Leonel and tell him that she is diplomatically considering that option 

So, an update on the dove: 

I wasn't able to catch the dove successfully because he kept running under the pine tree, which is not an easy place to bend over and throw a towel while still keeping an eye on the poor thing. He can fly, but from what I can see is not able to find his own food, since he looks really undernourished and is very young.
I made him a warm "nest" out of a shoebox lined with paper towels and wood shavings and put it under his bush. I also gave him some water and a little dish with seed in it. He's sitting under the bush again now, foraging. 

Although he periodically leaves, he always comes back, and I think it's because he knows there's food over here. 
We'll see if he's okay tomorrow morning, it's still raining over here. 

Thanks for the replies everyone!


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## Niamhf (Dec 17, 2013)

Oh the poor little thing I hope he's okay.


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