Cheb stops to admire himself in the mirror on the wall opposite the cage before determining what havoc to wreck on the house today.

Cheb and Toys

Another change Cheb has brought into the house is the debris from chewed up, gnawed on, and broken toy bits.  When I change the cage papers there are the usual feathers and poop and food, plus now the colorful leftovers of toys well loved.

Cheb, on Top of the World

I couldn't resist.

Coffee & Cruellers

Cold and wet this morning; big storm out west headed this way, we're told.  I've got coffee and pastries and a million things to do -- all indoors -- so I'm not too worried about the weather.


The birds are, as always, busy, busy, busy.  Charli is chewing up a nice thick paperback book that cost me $1.00, and the two cockatiels have come out of the cage in order to climb up to the top and then down to the bottom and then back up to the top and down to the bottom.  If something startles them, they'll fly into the kitchen and land on top of the cabinets.

Here is a picture of them just as I opened the cage door this morning.










And here Flash demonstrates how to leave the cage and climb around to the back of the cage where he likes to hide behind the cage cover so that I can't see him and immediately freak out, thinking he's gotten out and is in trouble somewhere . . . . with Cheb supervising and encouraging him on.

Obedience

Here Flash and Cheb demonstrate how well they obey me.  Flash is the one on the left.

Inseperable

Quarantine is over.

Someone else's food is always better than yours; even if it's the same food.

I worried that Flash might not like Cheb or that Cheb might not like Flash; I needn't have worried at all.  I was prepared for Cheb to say in his own cage for as long as he wanted, which turned out to be less than one day.

Cheb moved right in with Flash, and Flash let him.  They eat together, they fly around the house together and hang out on top of the kitchen cabinets together, pretending I don't know where they are. (No, I don't let them stay up there long, and they are not allowed out when I'm cooking.)

When they're in the cage they are both busy all the time.  Walking back and forth, climbing up and down, chewing on toys.  They are quite devoted to walking the perimeter of the cage and to keeping the toys under control -- well, Cheb keeps the toys under control; Flash has never seemed interested in toys.

I'm not sure who's "dominant" yet.  I'm not sure Cheb knows how to preen or be preened by another bird, though Flash keeps pushing his head at Cheb.  Sometimes Flash follows Cheb around; sometimes Cheb follows Flash.  I have yet to hear any hissing or any disagreement of any kind.

Flash went into Cheb's cage to welcome him to the house.

Cheb continues to chat incessantly, and I think he's practicing some new words, which I can't wait to hear.

I am so lucky to have Cheb; I don't know how his ex-mom could have given him up but if she ever comes across this blog I want her to know that Cheb is happy, he's good friends with Flash, he's healthy and is slowly eating better, and is in all ways quite full of himself.

Toys

The whole point of a bird toy is for the parrot to chew it up, dismantle and destroy it.  This is why so many of us buy all manner of toys -- hanging toys, foot toys, big and small, some with bells or buzzers, expensive, cheap . . .

It's also why my house is littered with dozens of toys my birds are not the least bit interested in.  Well, until Cheb came along, that is.

He has shown great determination in chewing up each toy he comes across, especially the ones that Flash has ignored for years.

I haven't seem him show a preference for paper over textiles or big over small.  If it's with beak's reach it needs to be chewed on immediately.  Maybe now I can finally put some of these dozens of parrot toys to good use!

Living with a Talking Parrot

I've never lived with a talking parrot before Cheb, so I haven't been prepared for the nightly ritual, which goes as follows . . . .

I cover up Cheb's cage and wish him a good night.  A few minutes later I hear a soft "whatcha doing," followed by a louder "whatcha doing."  Followed then by "pretty bird," repeated at various sound levels.  Then an entire assortment of noises and gurgles and whistles and mumbling goes on for maybe ten more minutes.

All this plus frequent chattering during the day.

Cheb's ability is really amazing, and I'm thrilled to have him.  But it's taking some getting used to.

The Battle of the Seed

Cheb was on an all-seed diet when I adopted him. In fact, I suspect he's been on an all-seed diet all of his life.  We don't know exactly how old he is, but I think he's relatively young.

Getting him on Harrison's is one of my first goals with him.  In this picture is his usual mixed seed, which he is ignoring in favor of bits of millet spray.

He evidently doesn't recognize pellets as food. I've been crumbling up Nutriberries on top of his seed mix, and he seems to like those pretty well -- ignoring the pellets, of course.

Flash's basic diet is Harrison's, so I'm really hoping he'll show Cheb that they're okay to eat when quarantine is over.  I'm also hoping Flash will teach Cheb how to use the water bottle.

Cheb talks and whistles all day, and Flash shrieks and paces and worries because there's another cockatiel in the house he can't see.  I reassure him as best I can, but he isn't convinced.

Cheb's First Vet Exam

 




Cheb went in for this first well-bird exam yesterday.  He bit the technician several times and fought the veterinarian with all his might when she poked and prodded him.  I'll take him back Monday for blood work.













Here Cheb is surveying the exam room, including my cup of coffee, the veterinarian's glasses, and Cheb's new microchip documentation.

New Birdie

If I had unlimited time and money and

space I'd love to have four or five of each species of parrot.  

But I have neither the time or money or space, so I'm perfectly happy now with Charli and with Flash.

Until I saw this little cockatiel offered for adoption from a local dog and cat rescue.

His name is Cheb. He was found under a car three years ago by a woman who kept him until now. She's working full-time and going to school full time, which doesn't leave much time for Cheb.

He is extremely smart. He says "whatcha doin" and "pretty bird" and seems to be working on some new words.  He loves to whistle and sing, too.