Unexpected take off leads to neat photo	Laker fly by
Laker preening the molting baby - Rio's 3 months old	Laker inspecting his handiwork - it must be discouraging - so many feathers & he still looks scruffy.

 

 

Art Works

Illustrations

Bee's Green Cheek Conure

Amanda's memorial to her past Budgies

Laker checking out the drawing of Jerry

 

paintings - note all are in working stage

Parrot Feathers '07	Zon '07
Too '07	Hustle '07  18" x 24"

 

 The 1st Year

2006

I got Laker in the summer  July 3rd 2006, from a shelter.

Laker was a foundling & returned to the shelter by his first (2nd?) adopted home - I can't imagine why.  I do not know his age although it is pretty clear that he is a fully mature Budgie. It took less than 2 months in our home before he had stolen everyone's heart except the cat's.  It took him a while to settle in but he is now the boss of everyone. Update:  I've been talking to other Budgie owners, since he was very hormonal in the fall - full out symptoms - & I think he has to be about 3 years old as none of the male budgies I know have displayed so aggressively, under 3.  This degree of feeding everything in sight may have been the reason he was returned by his previous owner - otherwise he's a great bird & we have learned what to do to keep him less hormonally driven.

 

Vulture Budgie Here is Laker on one of his first exploratory outings.  He is fascinated with patterns on clothes & my toes.  Ouch! it tickles!

This was my husbands idea - This bird caller was a father's day gift from long ago.  When Laker first heard it he came running - it was a great tool we thought to train him.  After a while he became very aggressive with it & us - pecking it & calling to it. Do you think he thought we'd turned a Budgie into a toy?

Wrapping Paper Toy

Laker discovered my Art Closet - were I store all sorts of useful stuff & art supplies too!  Last Christmas I bought my art students paint brush soap as a little gift, to encourage them to look after their brushes.  There were extras as I hate it if I miscalculate.  The wrapping paper is plastic & shinny, just the way Laker likes it.  He had a grand old time working at the paper & trying to find a way inside.  I'm glad I was able to get some photos.

 Toys & Stuff

These are Knuckle Bones - a child's game played like marbles or jacks	Pine-cone & Glider (steel baring with plastic sleeve)	Evil Jacks on Metal tin - they spin so enticingly

 

A flexible ladder - he likes to perch on it , by his door & sometimes walks up & down	This is a Corn Cob Husk, woven by Laker & I.  The plant matter is Chicory. He pulled & stood on it as I worked the husk into a mat for his cage wall - he likes it & .....	Last night I wove some more & let them dry.  This is one piece with the ends shredded & then braided.  It folds into the cage rails.

Wooden Rings He rather ignored it until we hung it sideways to make it into a Bridge. Now he loves it almost more than his Rope Perch	Here he is on his Bridge - displaying his lovely Punk head.  Full Molt in progress. Since then we got another one so he has 2 to play with - they connect in the upper middle of the cage front & fan out to the back corners

Here are a variety of toys that we got Laker.  The 1st one is made of Coconut shells & he only nibbles at it sometimes - we used it in place of the one behind him in the next photo [kind of hidden unfortunately].  The Pine Cone toy is similar to the grape toy.  He  liked the Plastic wheel & Bell toy too much - in that he fed it until I had to remove it permanently.

Cage

19" x 11" x 19"	Summer Morning sunshine	Office hang out
	Laker's cage  is not the best cage but it has its advantages.  It transports well in the car & throughout  my home.

Drawings & sketches of Budgies by Me!

 Wet Bird

The summer is gone all too soon - just when an early morning bath & drying in the sun was beginning to be something to enjoy.	We use the bathroom in the winter.  He flies into the room himself but isn't too thrilled to be sprayed.  He Often lands on my head!	Recently Laker has experienced running water in the Sink.  He hopped in& drank the water & got a bit wet - we'll see if he'll start bathing!

 

		Re: the tail - no one has said their budgie's tail does this - or has this type of tail - yet! ... hope to hear about another ;-)
Dark Indigo Tail - Laker's usually looks like this	White Tail sometimes - Half his tail is white		Old Iron Bed as a Gym Hanging on the bed foot-board

 

Eating things other than Seeds

A bowl of 2 types of Organic Granola.  He only tastes it at this point The first time I ate some cereal when the Budgie was out, was a bowl of Cornflakes with Honey & Milk.  He hopped right into the bowl - Giving me a real surprise.  He managed not to get too sticky & tried to drink the milk.   The second time this happened he did get some milk & had wet poop for a day - I put some Cider Vinegar in his water & hoped it would help his gut.  He was OK the next day. Now I have to eat my cereal without milk - so no honey as well & I have to suffer a budgie on top - Yum!  Or eat elsewhere - but the point is to get him interested in other foods.

 

The home made Gym I collected the branches from the local ravine, in a wooded area, from some fallen pieces of scrub Maple that looked less exposed.  I brought a few pieces home, washed them & sanded off loose pieces & then put it in the oven for an hour at 350F.  I drilled some holes, screwed it together & braced it with cord.  Laker spends most of his time here.   He preens here & polishes the perch as well as himself.  As you can see he also has a great view of himself - but if he's kept fairly far back he doesn't display.  We're using an inexpensive painters canvas on the bottom to protect the dresser's finish.

Hu or Lake

I help my Mother with her Cockatiels when I visit. Here's Alice the Lutino hen having her bath - she's very fun to spray.  Mo is her mate - a normal Tiel.  He is less friendly & not tame at all.  Mo enjoys baths sometimes.

 

 

 

Introducing my cat Vive 2006 - Laker & Vive are jealous of each other & have to be watched when together & it isn't always Vive's fault. Vive comes from my parent's old farm & is now 18 this summer'06.  Now that she is old we take special care with her food & grooming as everything is harder now.  She became somewhat deaf this year & her only bad attribute is her voice, which is louder now as she doesn't think anyone can hear her. Vive loves the warmer weather as she enjoys our balcony.  We grow a large pot of cat-nip & she gets a regular amount to wrestle with most days.  She also insists on her wild water.  We started to leave water out for the plants but she thinks it's for her & gets very upset if we let the water go down or when we clean it. Update on Vive  Jan 2nd, 2007 At 18 1/2 years old She has passed away.  We are very sad around here at the moment.  She was my Comfort & Joy.  At least Laker can make me laugh, a little, right now.

 

& Topaz - the 2 year old Tabby we cat-sit. This is mainly my son's job although I'm called in to trim nails & give thorough brushings.  I helped my neighbour & friend with her old cat  & took them to the Vet when she was sick.   I kept seeing this cute tabby at the pet food store - from the animal shelter - for over 6 months.  She was in a medium sized cage & never got out because she's quite the imp.  Slowly she got very fat.  One day I took my friend to see her & she bought her right away.  The shelter supplied a paper box but of course she broke through on the drive home.  My son had to come down stairs with a proper carrier so we could get her into our building.  She was so fat she panted when she walked more than 5 feet.  Now she's a little terror & knows every apartment & person on our floor.  We will not be introducing her to Laker.

~

I would like to thank this site for most the free Gifs I use , www.mikesfreegifs.com