Meet Walter!

[MiaCarter]

Sheather -- Hmm....that sounds rather undeniable, doesn't it.

No nub.
Nest-building affinity.

Okay, okay...we'll, I'm sure you're right.
But I don't like it! LOL
He just looks like a boy!
I suppose that explains why he didn't hit it off with Kari!

[Sheather]

MiaCarter I know Mia, it's been a hard pill to swallow for me too. He just looks so dorky and undeniably male compared to Kari. I'm never going to be able to call Steve a 'she'. By the way 'he' has been soliciting attention from the new guy, though, I think it's pretty apparent. Walter is very sweet. He was grooming Steve yesterday, as well as a baby finch who alighted alongside him. He doesn't particularly like Kari... figures.

I put Walter's cage in the bird room yesterday and allowed him to exit on his own if he wanted. He did so, and having a cage to retreat to seems to have much improved his confidence. He's been flying all around, singing up a storm, ignoring flocks of panicking finches who are slowly getting used to his erratic, under-exercised flight pattern. Poor guy never got to fly before and isn't the best at it.

[MiaCarter]

Sheather - Sounds like Walter's acclimating nicely!
It's difficult when they've never been in an actual flock and never had real freedom to fly. They're weak and they're a bit like a runaway train at times!

I know exactly what you mean about feeling odd calling Steve "he".
I still call my kitty Eliza "she". "He" just feels so wrong!
I'll say, "Eliza, I can't believe you're a boy! I think the cat gods made a mistake. They gave you the wrong bits!" (Yeah, I talk to my creatures. All the time, actually!) LOL

I love that Walter already made a connection with Steve and one of the other littles! That's so sweet!

[lovezebs]

Sheather
How is Walter doing? Is he starting to get used to his new home?

~Elana~

[Sheather]

lovezebs MiaCarter

Walter is just siiiiiiiinging away, he's like a nonstop song train on his way to birdie boogeytown 24/7. I have no idea what I just said there but his singing is just so lovely! He seems completely settled today, knows where the food is and where the best swings are. He's finding his place in the pecking order. He gets along with the finches and other canaries, but he spent about twenty minutes today trying to intimidate Sunny, the female budgie, when she sat right on the perch he seems to most prefer to sing from. He was literally right in her face, almost touching her beak, cackling, flapping his wings, standing tall.. she didn't even lift her head, just stared at him with a complete "are you serious" look to her. Eventually he realized he's never going to be above her on the totem pole and gave up to sing elsewhere. It was so funny how she didn't even flinch. Sunny is a tiny little thing, and Walter is a pretty big canary, so they're about the same size.

I like that canaries will be all pushy and act tough, but they never actually in my experience go through with it. Steve always gets annoyed if too many other birds try to eat while he is and will raise his feathers and start growling and flapping his wings and the other birds won't even move and Steve will just stare at them, not knowing how to respond after that lol.

Walter enjoyed his first bath here today. At first he seemed to enjoy it but when the commotion of his splashing drew in two dozen or so little finches, I think he got a bit shocked, he just froze motionless as literally the whole society flock jumped into the pool around him and began to splash (their bath is a 13 x 13 inch plant saucer, so a literal pool. Sometimes you'll get 4 budgies, 20 finches, two javas and two canaries all splashing and hopping in and out at once. Quite a wet floor afterwards!).

[lovezebs]

Sheather
I'm glad he's doing so well and already starting to fit in. Just watch that he doesn't start singing like a Society (really bad imitation).

Regarding the abilities of Canaries to intimidate and follow through with their threat. Luciano, can intimidate, and will follow through if irritated enough. During breeding season, they will not back down, so it's something to keep in mind.

Glad your enjoying his singing. They do have a truly lovely song (when not pretending to be a Socie )

~Elana~

[MiaCarter]

What a little twerp! I can just picture him cackling and flapping!
Good for Sunny! It sounds like she handled it like a champ!

I'm glad you let them sort it out on their own. Many are compelled to intervene when they see that sort of behavior, but I've found that as long as nobody is at imminent risk of getting hurt, it's best to let them sort it out. Especially as they're integrating and establishing their place in the flock pecking order. Someone usually backs down and it's done with, whereas if you interfere, they tend to keep messing with each other until they work it out.
Sounds like they did work it out, though, so that's good!

That's wonderful that he's singing for you already! He sounds comfortable!

I need a canary. They're just so lovely.

[delray]

Sounds like he is doing great! Awesome!!

[Sheather]

MiaCarter lovezebs KarenB Delray



Well, Steve is officially a girl, and Walter is officially in love. Yesterday he began to follow her around like a dog on a leash, this morning he began to feed her, just now they've already sealed the deal. Goodness they work fast!

Kari wants absolutely nothing to do with either Steve or Walter, and the feeling is mutual. Walter has come to hate her as well. :/

But gosh I can't imagine what sort of children will arise from this crossing...

[lovezebs]

Sheather
Pornography on the Forum!!! YIKES!!!

Walter and Stevie, sitting in a tree......

They are going to have beautiful babies together!!!

Congrats on the happy nuptials.

~Elana~

[KarenB]

Oh, my. Bird porn.

I've had to witness that with my linnies this past week, as well. It's a new pairing with an experienced hen and a non-experienced cock. Poor guy, I'm not sure he's being very effective, but he sure has tried.

[KarenB]

Sheather I do find it somewhat ironic that I named my timbrado after your Steve, and your Steve is a she.

Maybe we should get Steve and Stevie together. I think they would make a great cute-hair couple

[Atbird]

Wow, that's a quick camera.

They will have cute chicks...and a variety. The coronas have a 50/50 inheritance, and the white/yellow combination will give you 50/50 white and yellow chicks. All should have some variegation.

[MiaCarter]

Aw, love is in the air!
I'm so happy awkward, retro-haired little Steve found love! (And with a very dashing boy, no less!)

That IS a quick camera to capture birdie porn in progress!

Oh, I wish you lived nearby as I would totally call dibs on one of their giraffe babies! (Canaries have the most insanely long necks as chicks) I'm dying for a canary; especially a funny looking Steve canary!

That is so funny that him and Kari have a strong dislike of each other.
How curious!

Isn't it funny how our plans for creature couple-dom never seem to pan out?

ETA - What's that colored food in the bowl? It looks like canary-sized fruity pebbles.

[Sheather]

MiaCarter

It's Zupreem fruit blend finch and canary pellets. It's just a supplement to a mostly seed + veggie diet.

Walter became very violent towards Kari today, leaving her cowering in terror hidden in the leaves of a potted plant. I'm not sure if it was a territorial thing, or his wanting two brides while Kari was not interested. I put Steve and Walter in their own cage, Steve has begun to create a pretty little nest, and Walter has been helping her and feeding her.