My new Orange Cheeked!

[diinin]

I REALLY hadn't planned on getting any so soon, but my daughter who has been dreaming of owning her white-headed nuns, only to have her hopes dashed, just fell in love with two specific orange cheeks who were preening each other in the store today. So instead of waiting and getting them for $30/pair, we got them for $80! And at Petsmart! I don't usually buy from pet stores...

Anyway, one is smaller with not much of a tail (we call it a girl), and the other is perfect, nice tail, lots of red there, and very smooth all over. We call him a boy. She named them Twitter and Tweet. Their vents look the same to me (didn't get a great look at them tho), so I'm guessing they might both be girls.

So since I don't have my cage, they are living in a miserable excuse for a home which we bought a couple weeks ago, to use as a holding tank for deep cleaning days. It was only $17 on clearance. Luckily, it's about the size of what they were living in at Petsmart, so they haven't noticed. They both started cheeping tonight, so I don't know what that means, but it was a nice cheep, not scary or anything. Bill came out to hear it, and he was like, "Awwwwww...." I'm hoping they like it here.

So now I've got to quick figure out what I'm going to feed them! I'm looking into Abba, Dr. Harvey's, and the Birds R Us line. Aren't quick diet switches a bad idea? They gave me a little of what they feed, which they don't even sell, so I might have to switch to some other junk food before switching again to something good later, because I'll run out by the time I get the good stuff, and then I'd have to do a sudden switch.

I hadn't even had a chance to look into lighting yet. I did order my cage, the Prevue F030. Spent half the day in Michaels trying to figure out how I wanted to decorate it!

Is there anything I should do to help them adjust?

Pics!

[Sally]

Congrats on the new fids! I'm so glad your daughter was able to switch her want list over to the OCs, I'm sure she will love them. I think you asked in another thread about the lighting on my F30 cage, and I just now remembered about that. I got a 24" shop light at Walmart, with 2 T8 bulbs in it, but of course, Walmart (and no one else) carries the sunshine T8 bulbs in 24" size! Lowe's just started carrying sunshine T8 in 48" length. Anyway, with the shop light, I just ziptied it in place on the back side of the roof. Whatever you can find in your area that will let you use a sunshine bulb would be best.

[diinin]

I will go hunting for the T8, and figure out what it is later. I expect it's for D3, so that would be good. I don't know how birds get any sunlight when their whole body is covered with feathers. Also plan to get a nightlight for them, probably just a bathroom type to plug in there at the wall..

Yeah, Leah (daughter) isn't even sorry she missed out on the nuns now. I'm so glad. She was getting really discouraged. The fids are so cute together. I didn't think the OC's ever sat still long enough to preen or buddy-up with another (not exactly cuddling, but sitting there together all cute-like).

Thank you again, Sally, for all the time you've put into answering my incessant questions. I'm sure you've got your hands full with your crew there, so that makes me appreciate it all the more.

[lovemyfinch]

They are beautiful, congrats.

[carcoozie]

They are so cute! Your daughter picked well

Enjoy!

[L in Ontario]

Very sweet looking fids. Best wishes for them and congratulations to you!

[Domenic]

I love my orange cheeks. They have so much personality, and hardly go two inches without having their partner right beside them.

[Summer Bird]

Pretty birds! I like orange cheeks a lot.

[franny]

That's great! I know what it's like to not want to wait! I got my goldbreasts from Petsmart.

I have one of those cages from them, too (about 8" by 10") which is Ok just for transporting and for a hospital cage. I had to wait a few days to put them in to their new home, a 3ft X 1/2ft cage that I built. I hated to wait, but the varnish needed to fully cure. As you say, they came from a tiny cage though, and they were just fine in the little cage. Boy, were they pleasantly surprised when they moved up to the new accommodations! I bet you must be going crazy waiting!

They are adorable, and I'm sure you & your daughter will really enjoy giving them the "good life" now that they're out of that pet store.

[diinin]

That's great! I know what it's like to not want to wait! I got my goldbreasts from Petsmart.

I have one of those cages from them, too (about 8" by 10") which is Ok just for transporting and for a hospital cage.

Well, it's a little bigger than that (11 x 16"), but still way too small. My new cage came today, and it's 27 x 37". I know that's still not huge, but hopefully it will work! They will have other buddies in there soon.

I WISH our Petsmart would carry goldbreasts! That's the next kind I want to get. They told me today that they never get those in. They do have Stars sometimes, though, he thought even yellow faced ones.

I love the orange cheeks! They are such buddies. They do everything together, and when they cuddle on the perch, they almost form a heart shape. That little peeping sound they make is so soothing. I hope they don't mind when we give them some more friends.

[cldheath44]

Glad you're enjoying them so much. Orange cheeks are great little birds! My pair LOVE to swing on their sand swing. They spend a good part of the day on it. Snuggled up together, of course!

Christine

[DCbeachboy]

Just ran across the pics of your new additions, Diane -- a very cute pair for sure! Excellent choice, and they look quite content.