LOL, baby bird...UPDATE - Run of the House
Moderators: Pike Ridge Beagles, Aaron Bartlett
It's absolutely INSANE. This bird - I would have thought - I fully expected for him to be so curious about these creatures that look so much, and sound so much like him... he was so stressed before this session was over (I took a full 20 minutes of this on video, and his papa came before i could grab the camera) - I've never seen a creature so happy to make feather to skin contact in my life. When I brought him in, he went through the entire "I'm starved, watch me flutter my wings and shriek" routine. When i offered to feed him, he flew to my shoulder and cuddled up under my hair at the nape of my neck. There he stayed for at least an hour.
Then he started abusing me, lol. Whenever he wants fed (for real) or wants back in his cage for solitude, he begins to pick at my neck, (the little thug twists my flesh with his beak), fly a couple of feet away and dive-bomb my face - anything to get attention. I put him in his cage (back into the front room) and he was happy the rest of the day - just his usual demands to be out every couple of hours, fly about, and land on my shoulder, or let me hand-feed him some banana.
He's pathetic. When he gets like this, I kiss him on his back or rub him against my cheek and he acts like he's in heaven. My handling of him doesn't upset him in the least, but let his sisters drop in to say "hello"...
Then he started abusing me, lol. Whenever he wants fed (for real) or wants back in his cage for solitude, he begins to pick at my neck, (the little thug twists my flesh with his beak), fly a couple of feet away and dive-bomb my face - anything to get attention. I put him in his cage (back into the front room) and he was happy the rest of the day - just his usual demands to be out every couple of hours, fly about, and land on my shoulder, or let me hand-feed him some banana.
He's pathetic. When he gets like this, I kiss him on his back or rub him against my cheek and he acts like he's in heaven. My handling of him doesn't upset him in the least, but let his sisters drop in to say "hello"...
[quote="Bev"]It's absolutely INSANE. This bird - I would have thought - I fully expected for him to be so curious about these creatures that look so much, and sound so much like him... he was so stressed before this session was over (I took a full 20 minutes of this on video, and his papa came before i could grab the camera) - I've never seen a creature so happy to make feather to skin contact in my life. When I brought him in, he went through the entire "I'm starved, watch me flutter my wings and shriek" routine. When i offered to feed him, he flew to my shoulder and cuddled up under my hair at the nape of my neck. There he stayed for at least an hour.
quote]
The little bugger has imprinted on you. He doesn't know he's a bird. He thinks he's a people but, still has those birdie instincts and social behaviours. You probably already have been to this page but, if not its full of good info.
http://www.starlingtalk.com/babycare.htm
I think he will make you a wonderful companion ;-) spoiled rotten too!!
Leah
quote]
The little bugger has imprinted on you. He doesn't know he's a bird. He thinks he's a people but, still has those birdie instincts and social behaviours. You probably already have been to this page but, if not its full of good info.
http://www.starlingtalk.com/babycare.htm
I think he will make you a wonderful companion ;-) spoiled rotten too!!
Leah
Life's a trip
but it doesn't come with a map
but it doesn't come with a map
Leah, I read the link, thank you again. This sparrow is definitely imprinted and not suitable for release. If I can get my son to film it, I will show the normal interaction of this bird and me. I cannot run him off. He will fly about the room for a minute or two and then it's back to me - feather to skin. I try to set him down somehwere and he's back on me before I can step away. He tells me when it's cage time. We've learned each other's communications, and it's almost freakish.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect a wildling to bond as strongly to a human as this little one has, but then I've lavished him with a lot of love and affection. Thankfully, he tolerates my son as well. He'll make the "ugly face" at him a time or two, but then he's okay to be handled or fed by him. It gives me a break.
Never in my wildest dreams did I expect a wildling to bond as strongly to a human as this little one has, but then I've lavished him with a lot of love and affection. Thankfully, he tolerates my son as well. He'll make the "ugly face" at him a time or two, but then he's okay to be handled or fed by him. It gives me a break.
Bev,
On that same website did you read about Kuro the Starling that lived to be 19 years old? What an amazing story. I see similarities
Birds usually are one person critters. My senegal parrot loves me to pieces and I love him. Today when I got out the suitcases (he hates suitcases) he was so upset. He knows it means I'm going somewhere. You'll recognize my suitcases at the airport. They are all chewed up!! LOL I keep threatening to get him a travel cage.
Leah
On that same website did you read about Kuro the Starling that lived to be 19 years old? What an amazing story. I see similarities
Birds usually are one person critters. My senegal parrot loves me to pieces and I love him. Today when I got out the suitcases (he hates suitcases) he was so upset. He knows it means I'm going somewhere. You'll recognize my suitcases at the airport. They are all chewed up!! LOL I keep threatening to get him a travel cage. Leah
Life's a trip
but it doesn't come with a map
but it doesn't come with a map
Bev
Guess you have a buddy now. I remember how the budge used to bite the neck. He laso bit fingers but that was a different bite. OOOOwww! Your little sparrow sure is funny. He has you trained for sure.
My beagles scared up a doe yesterday into the Crested. Shelby then went off to hunt the doe, tonguing and all. Beagles stayed on the rabbit. How to be late for work the first day... Had to chase Shelby until she flushed the deer a second time and I could catch her. Then round up the beagles.
Life with animals is full of surprises.
Carolyn
Guess you have a buddy now. I remember how the budge used to bite the neck. He laso bit fingers but that was a different bite. OOOOwww! Your little sparrow sure is funny. He has you trained for sure.
My beagles scared up a doe yesterday into the Crested. Shelby then went off to hunt the doe, tonguing and all. Beagles stayed on the rabbit. How to be late for work the first day... Had to chase Shelby until she flushed the deer a second time and I could catch her. Then round up the beagles.
Life with animals is full of surprises.
Carolyn
Carolyn, sometimes the animals are the least of our worries, lol! 
Leah, I haven't read the story of the 19-year-old starling... I'm almost afraid to. I'd like to think I could still outlive a sparrow, but... I'll check it out, though.
I almost forgot. Scrapper's seen the mirror. He landed on one of my big candle stands on the vanity. He gave the bird in the mirror the ugly face too. He was surprised to get the ugly face back. It became a stand-off so I snatched him off the candle to end the madness.
Leah, I haven't read the story of the 19-year-old starling... I'm almost afraid to. I'd like to think I could still outlive a sparrow, but... I'll check it out, though.
I almost forgot. Scrapper's seen the mirror. He landed on one of my big candle stands on the vanity. He gave the bird in the mirror the ugly face too. He was surprised to get the ugly face back. It became a stand-off so I snatched him off the candle to end the madness.
Man, this is getting to be addicting. I almost look forward to reading about pooper more than the rest of the beagle stuff. (Almost like being home from school sick for a week and mom wants you to watch the soaps so you can fill her in when she gets home. By the end of the week, you are addicted!) Ok, maybe not...Bev wrote:I almost forgot. Scrapper's seen the mirror. He landed on one of my big candle stands on the vanity. He gave the bird in the mirror the ugly face too. He was surprised to get the ugly face back. It became a stand-off so I snatched him off the candle to end the madness.
It is still something new to read about and interesting too.I can see it now, Bev writes a best selling novel about her experiences raising a sparrow.
Be ye kind one unto another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32
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SouthernBeagles
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Scrapper has run of the house at least 3 times per day. I open his cage door and he comes out, flies about, (he can navigate from the kitchen, turn the corner, go through the dining room into the living room, and cage himself).
He no longer likes to be held when he eats, but he will fly to the top of his cage and wait for you to stuff the mush in. He has an assortment of "goodies" on top of his cage that he likes to nibble/peck on. He feels like the true forager he is when allowed to do that or pick up seeds from the floor.
If more than one person is in the room, he kicks up a fuss until he's allowed to come out and "mingle" (which consists of flying from one person's shoulder to another person's shoulder). He has absolutely no fear of humans - familiar or strangers. If he's on my shoulder and I'm on the phone, he gets really, really agitated and pecks the snot out of my hand until I hang up the phone or lose patience and put him in his cage. He dive-bombs my face when he's hungry for his "mush". Otherwise, he's happy just to eat his seeds.
He will stay out of the cage approximately 20 minutes at a time and will then put himself up. I close his door when he does this. He wants to roost for the night about 9:30 to 10:00pm, and will cheep loudly until I come to cover his cage. He's a character and a half, lol.
He no longer likes to be held when he eats, but he will fly to the top of his cage and wait for you to stuff the mush in. He has an assortment of "goodies" on top of his cage that he likes to nibble/peck on. He feels like the true forager he is when allowed to do that or pick up seeds from the floor.
If more than one person is in the room, he kicks up a fuss until he's allowed to come out and "mingle" (which consists of flying from one person's shoulder to another person's shoulder). He has absolutely no fear of humans - familiar or strangers. If he's on my shoulder and I'm on the phone, he gets really, really agitated and pecks the snot out of my hand until I hang up the phone or lose patience and put him in his cage. He dive-bombs my face when he's hungry for his "mush". Otherwise, he's happy just to eat his seeds.
He will stay out of the cage approximately 20 minutes at a time and will then put himself up. I close his door when he does this. He wants to roost for the night about 9:30 to 10:00pm, and will cheep loudly until I come to cover his cage. He's a character and a half, lol.
He's really pretty now Bev. Amazing how he has transformed. Be sure to put gravel in his seeds as he needs this to digest it.
I am leaving my home now for 10 days to attend the beagle national specialty in Valparaiso Indiana. I'll miss my family and my bird friends ;-)
Leah
I am leaving my home now for 10 days to attend the beagle national specialty in Valparaiso Indiana. I'll miss my family and my bird friends ;-)
Leah
Life's a trip
but it doesn't come with a map
but it doesn't come with a map
Carolyn, no human company with me with the exception of a grown son who helped out at night when Scrapper was tiny. This bird accepts anyone who comes through the door - visitors, beagler friends, and the like...
He's a little thug in general. Upon whomever's shoulder he chooses to perch, he will work them over good, pecking ears, picking at blemishes and freckles... Even cries of pain, and words like "$%#@*&%, you little $%)*%@&!!!, don't seem to phase him one bit. He stands his ground until you pick him up and put him in his cage, lol. He acts as if people shouldn't take his thuggery personally. (I wonder if they have "No Fear" T-shirts to fit a 4 oz. bird...)
Sometimes when he has pecked me half to death, I will snatch him off my shoulder, cup him tightly in my hands - leaving just his head peeking out, get right in his face and tell him what a hateful thug he is. He will use that opportunity to peck my nose, then cock his head all sweet-like. I release him and it's back on my shoulder for another round.
Other times he's real affectionate, I can cuddle him like a little stuffed toy, smooch him on his head or back, and all he wants to do is snuggle up against my neck, LOL! I'm serious when I say I man-handle this bird and it doesn't put him off one bit. I'll try to get some of this on video.
Oh yeah... don't believe the myth that handling a bird's feathers will remove essential oils and prevent them from flying well.
He's a little thug in general. Upon whomever's shoulder he chooses to perch, he will work them over good, pecking ears, picking at blemishes and freckles... Even cries of pain, and words like "$%#@*&%, you little $%)*%@&!!!, don't seem to phase him one bit. He stands his ground until you pick him up and put him in his cage, lol. He acts as if people shouldn't take his thuggery personally. (I wonder if they have "No Fear" T-shirts to fit a 4 oz. bird...)
Sometimes when he has pecked me half to death, I will snatch him off my shoulder, cup him tightly in my hands - leaving just his head peeking out, get right in his face and tell him what a hateful thug he is. He will use that opportunity to peck my nose, then cock his head all sweet-like. I release him and it's back on my shoulder for another round.
Other times he's real affectionate, I can cuddle him like a little stuffed toy, smooch him on his head or back, and all he wants to do is snuggle up against my neck, LOL! I'm serious when I say I man-handle this bird and it doesn't put him off one bit. I'll try to get some of this on video.
Oh yeah... don't believe the myth that handling a bird's feathers will remove essential oils and prevent them from flying well.
update
Hope you don't mind me bringing this back to the top but, How about a little Birdie update? I've been away 2 weeks and I just know he's gotten into something ;-)
Leah
Leah
Life's a trip
but it doesn't come with a map
but it doesn't come with a map