Sunday 3 February 2013

Two birds are better than one...we have proof.

We thought Nibbles, our budgie was going a bit bonkers.  Far too attached to his disco ball, serious anger management issues with his bell toy.  We feared for his mental heath, because he spent so much (well, all really) of his time alone.  In a cage.

Come to think of it, I'd be surprised if he wasn't a bit barmy.

They are cute, but they are not smart.  
And yes, a cage is a cruel thing.  We do let him out every day though for a constitutional, after which he normally flies back in himself.  Probably to escape Issy.

We felt bad for his life as a solo cage dweller, so we bought him a friend.  His name is...wait for it...Noodles.

Oh those whacky kids, don't they just come up with the names?  Oh Smuggler, rest in peace.  Now that was a name for a budgie.  

Anyhoo, I went into a nearby pet shop on my way home from work, and found in there one lonely budgie.  She (they think) had come from a batch/hatch? of birds and was the only one left.  She had been there for some time.  She was even on sale.  She was a pretty blue with a white face.


As Nibbles is a girl (we think), I thought this was promising.  Especially as this probably put both birds at roughly the same age, so they'd get on, you know, go through their teen years together, grow up together.  Like best friends.

Except when we went back to buy her (we're almost certain) and brought her home, our Nibbles descended upon the newcomer in a flurry of fierce wing and beak action.  I had to hide the children's eyes, and feared for Noodles' life.

We let them battle it out, and when I was happy there was no injury occurring and it seemed like mainly a bit of argy bargy for space and superiority, I left them to it.

I think Nibbles, alone for so long, had lost some of her social skills.  It happens to the best of us.  Her welcome may have been so enthusiastic, it looked like an attack to us and also to poor discombombulated Noodles who fought back valiantly, and may have even won for herself (God, we hope it's a she) the title of Top Bird Of The Cage.

Noodles as Top Bird? Nibbles isn't sure.  
Now we have two happy little birds, who cheeple and chirple to each other all day.  They call out for the other if one is out of sight.

They groom each other.  Sort of sidle up to one another and peck each other's heads.  It's really cute.

And they fight, over food, perch position etc.  It's EXACTLY like the kids.

And when we let them out they sort of waddle around the house together.

Did I mention they were cute?

I know, enough about the birds.  No more bird posting for some time.  Promise.