My sweet little handfed update 2/14

[Ursula]

I would decorating myself with silk flowers and leave and hiding amongst the silks (that would be a sight) just for the rare chance to have one sit on me!!
.

I would pay money to see that!!!!

Me too! LOL!!

Cute picture, Donna!

Well, I guess if you want a bird attached to you, finches are not the best choice as we know. One of my 2 parrotlets IS greeting me when I go in and open the cage. Or when my husband is feeding in the morning and lets her out, and she just hears my voice outside the aviary, she flies to the door and wants to greet me.

He'll be special to you anyway forever, I'm sure!

[lovemyfinch]

He's beautiful Donna. And might I add, colouring up very quickly

[Sally]

Just one little last update on Leila.....

She has now been in the aviary for a week. She no longer loves me. She is now a bird and wants nothing to do with me.

That's what happened with all my handfeds. I might not have minded so much if they just didn't want to come to me any more, but they would fly off like I was the great big monster about to get them!

[Domenic]

Just read through this whole post. I'm cant believe Leila turned out to be a Leilo! I'm sure he/she loves the freedom it has now, it is sad that it has blotted you out of it's memory though... Ahh, finches, the joy and grief you cause your owners.

[MLaRue]

Another male...... ... oh my.... I guess we will soon see.

I sure did like that name Leila......

I don't see how those pictures tell you she is a boy? What about the belly feathers? The belly or breast feathers is what I would use - especially if she is going to have a purple chest.

The stroking and shaking doesn't make any difference to me as to whether she is a girl or boy. None of mine do this - when it was seen in person the bird acted like a female nothing more and nothing less. Donna have you seen her sing?

Either way - the baby made it and what ever it turns out to be is better then not having it at all. You did a wonderful job Donna

[MLaRue]

http://www.thechirpshire.com/index.html

Look at the OH hen on the front page of my website - see all that blue under her chin?

I have others at home that even have blue around the mask itself - they are very pretty.

[CandoAviary]

Wow Misty, that hen is gorgeous

[dfcauley]

http://www.thechirpshire.com/index.html

Look at the OH hen on the front page of my website - see all that blue under her chin?

I have others at home that even have blue around the mask itself - they are very pretty.

So.... perhaps it is Leila!!!! Fingers crossed. BTW.... yesterday when I was off from work I did a big aviary cleaning. It appears there is ALOT of singing going on out there. And no, I have not seen Leila sing. But it is the ONLY one out there that isn't. It appears I have 12 males!!!!!

[MLaRue]

I'm sure she's a happy bird now that she's with her own kind. Somebody else might have kept her in a cage and tried to keep her tame, but you're give her a happy life and as much freedom as we can give them in our environments. I really like that!!

Thank you! It was funny because each day that she was there, I would go to wherever she was perched and try to get her to sit on my finger. Each day got harder to get her to do this. At night I would put her back in the cage before dark because I wasn't sure she knew her way around in the aviary. She quickly caught on to that and would not let me get her after about the third time.
She now sleeps in the huge silk tree with all the other gouldians.

I know this is what is best for her..... but ..... I was hoping she would come to greet me like Misty's handfeds do.

Donna as you know none of my three handfeds are in a cage - Igor and Mary are free in the bird room and Peyton is still living free in the living room. All have been around other birds and all are still very tame. The other 9 are very curious about me but they certainly don't want to sit on my shoulder to get love and kisses

Now I'm thinking Igor thinks he is a Gouldian Silly birds

So, keeping them in cages doesn't keep them tame either - I think it is how much we handle them when they are young and these three I treated like my own children - big babies! The other 9 I had to keep in cages because I couldn't have 12 handfeds flying around the house or thinking I'm a tree! Three is three too many as it is!

[dfcauley]

I know.... I just envy your little tame babies.
I would much rather it be free in the aviary and have it's great life, than tame in a cage.

Come have a look and take another guess at what Leila is when you get a chance. I have some lovely babies coloring up. Loads of white breasted ones too!! All males.......

[MLaRue]

I know.... I just envy your little tame babies.
I would much rather it be free in the aviary and have it's great life, than tame in a cage.

Come have a look and take another guess at what Leila is when you get a chance. I have some lovely babies coloring up. Loads of white breasted ones too!! All males.......

But that is what I'm saying - keeping them in a cage doesn't keep them tame. I have 9 to prove it with and 3 that are left to do what ever they want and they still come to me - Peyton is still the biggest lover of the three. Every morning he helps me prepare all the dishes and water - on my shoulder singing to me the whole time until I make him leave me... Igor and Mary have decided to play house so Igor gives me kisses but is in a nest at the moment and Mary still comes to me too but she is quick about it and then off she goes again.

Peyton knows his name - I can say come here Peyton and not put any fingers out or hands and he comes right to me. I can also say sing to me Peyton and he will sing. He is a wonderful bird

[Ursula]

Peyton knows his name - I can say come here Peyton and not put any fingers out or hands and he comes right to me. I can also say sing to me Peyton and he will sing. He is a wonderful bird

WOW!!
That's what my parrotlet Patsy does, she sits on my shoulder and "helps" me put out the food and water... If I didn't have 3 hyper little dogs I'd get her used to the house and carry her around too. But never trust little hunting dogs, so I don't do that...

[dfcauley]

... If I didn't have 3 hyper little dogs I'd get her used to the house and carry her around too. But never trust little hunting dogs, so I don't do that...

Same here..... I am always cautious with my two little dogs. I have no doubt they would hurt one of my birds. It is their nature....They have even brought in little dead birds (and moles) through their doggie door.

Scared me to death one time, I thought they had got one of my finches.

[cindy]

Years ago my husband's dog greeted me at the door with a dead ground hog baby...she chased me through the house with it. She never hurt any of my lovebirds or bunny when they were out in the house but did not trust her alone.

My little cavaliers are sweet but we definately don't let them into the room if a bird gets loose, they chase everything. They do behave when my lovebird is out but I still wouldn't trust them if he landed on the floor.

[MLaRue]

This is interesting to me - I have a German Shepherd (Rumer) and she is left loose in the house everyday - in the very same room Peyton is allowed to be out in all day. Rumer has never shown any interest in him and what is really funny is Peyton will land on the floor near Rumer and she just looks at him now like "Oh - it is just you"... Mary even landed on her face once and Rumer was like "MOM!!!"

Now my mini Dachshunds - never in a million years would I let them be free in the house or around my birds. They are true hound dogs!

Rumer even goes into the bird room because she has figured out how to open the door and doesn't bother any in there either. But then it is Rumer at my side every morning and night and Peyton on my shoulder every morning and night!