[Will Hunt]

Does anybody have a bird cage they want to swap/sell or tips on looking after budgies/canaries?

My friend found it in the gutter last night and kept it in an upside down cutlery drying thing until I insisted she release it and give it some food and water.

The RSPCA won't take him/her so it would seem I have now become the owner. Have no idea what to do with it. I'm at work at the mo but my friend has it at home in a fish tank with a bowl of water and some crushed up biscuits/oats etc.

Pictures to follow in Maggers' thread.

[SA Chris]

Possibly the most random thread ever.

So which one is it, budgie or canary? You can get a cage for buttons, must be loads on fleabay. Make sure you give it a good disinfect and cleanout before putting the bird in it if second hand. Then just feed bird seed and water, and the occasional bit of raw fruit or veg.

and take it for a fly in the park once a day - lead should be about 2 m or longer.

[magpie]

I know people with birds, do you want me to ask them stuff for you?

Well done saving it!  I am proud of you.  

[Jaspersharpe]

I know people with birds, do you want me to ask them stuff for you?

I read that wrong and thought you were suggesting taxidermy at first.

[Mr Cat]

aww...hope the little fella's ok..! 

[magpie]

I think we should try and help Will make it comfortable and save it, Jasper, before we send it out for stuffing and mounting.

[SA Chris]

There's a joke there about Will mounting birds, but it would be too easy.

[cofe]

There's a joke there about Will mounting birds, but it would be too easy.

Beat me to it.

Do we know if this bird is 'Dead fit' or wot?

[Will Hunt]

Do we know if this bird is 'Dead fit' or wot?

Like I say. Pics to follow.

Much info as poss please, Lyndsay 

[magpie]

I'll post elsewhere and get back to you.

[magpie]

If they're keeping it they'll need a nice large cage, grit or sheets of sandpaper for the bottom, and food and water bowls, as well as perches and toys. Pet shops will do all of that.

Budgies need attention and preferably to be let out to fly around.

Also, for budgies, if the bit above the beak is brown, it's a girl, and boys have blue ones.

It would help to figure out the species first as that determines what they eat. Also, while the seed mixes are ok, for a tip top bird you need to supplement a good quality seed mix with fruit, veg and other human food. Depends on the species what’s best for them. For the rest they’re really easy to look after. Cover the cage at night for a bit of mutual peace, put the cage somewhere quiet for the bird to sleep.

Also also, this forum is good: http://www.talkbudgies.com/

[magpie]

Birds are very easy to look after. Your friend should look up what is toxic to birds though, especially fumes. Eg, you wouldn’t think it but incense and oil burners are bad for them. Some common plants and foods are too. For the rest, open window is an obvious hazard.

Mine also like to sit on top of doors, which is danger-ama and the reason George is missing half a toe.

With tame birds, life becomes extremely deadly because they like to be under our feet (literally! I have an average of 3 heart attacks a day) or on us without us necessarily realising- which means we ALWAYS have to check as we’re about to sit down, lean back, or go out somewhere. So in a way if it’s not tame, it’s probably safer!

[Will Hunt]

Cheers for that Lyndsay. The only concern I have is taking him out of his enclosure. I don't think his wings are clipped and I've no idea how I'll catch him and put him back in the cage. With it being a student house I can't really have him pooing everywhere and am not too sure the other housemates are keen on him flying all over the lounge (although I can tell they're warming to him!)

His name is Captain Cheepy Cheep and he looks like this:



 

[underground]

Cheers for that Lyndsay. The only concern I have is taking him out of his enclosure. I don't think his wings are clipped and I've no idea how I'll catch him and put him back in the cage. With it being a student house I can't really have him pooing everywhere and am not too sure the other housemates are keen on him flying all over the lounge (although I can tell they're warming to him!)

His name is Captain Cheepy Cheep and he looks like this:



 

Will, even as a 3rd class Zoologist, I can confirm that is a male* Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus. 

[SA Chris]

Indeed. I had one from about the age of 8 to 12. If it is tame enough (and most are if they have been reared from young), they don't mind being handled, and if you let it fly around a room it is easy enough to catch and put back in the cage. They do shit everywhere though, mine had a favourite spot on top of the curtain rail.

The sandpaper / gritpaper is quite expensive, we always used to use newspaper, which the bird liked to eat in quantity, but seemed to suffer no ill effects.

Covering the cage is a good idea ast night, as is a small mirror which keeps them entertained.
.

[magpie]

Awww, he's very cute, Will!  Have you got him a cage yet?

Don't feed him avocado, apparently it's poisonous to them.

[Joepicalli]

I vote The Captain is now UKB's official mascot and that he be represented on a new design UKB t-Shirt. It would look so random to anyone not in the know. Come on Bubs do it.

[Bubba]

Let's see if he lasts the week out yet

[magpie]

I vote The Captain is now UKB's official mascot

Is that like the school hamster?  We all take him for a week at a time until eventually someone kills him over the holidays and has to buy a suspicious looking substitute to pass on to the next carer? 

[Monolith]

With it being a student house I can't really have him pooing everywhere

I'd imagine the solidified cooked breakfast on the living room floor would present more of a  biological threat than his micro turds. That's if you live anything like many of my friends have done/do.

[tomtom]

When I was at University (also at Leeds) I was   a lass who had a parrot in her room. It was a little disconcerting hearing it sqwaking and scrabbling away in the background when 'on the job'. I seem to remember her putting a towell over the cage to cover him/her up and then things quietened down!

I dont know why I decided to share that with you..   and its probably not relevant but hey...

[namnok]

The RSPCA won't take him/her

just a quick query....have you tried the RSPB?

[Will Hunt]

JoePicalli for president. Do it Bubs.

[webbo]

then greeting when accosting possible ukb members could be "is it my turn for the captain my good man/woman"

[Will Hunt]

Sorry for the shitness of the pics. The light in our living room makes it almost impossible to get a decent snap.

This is Captain in his new home. He's much happier in there and was gobbling away at his food earlier and playing with some of his new toys. I think we need to let him get used to it for a few days and get to know it as home so that if we let him out for a fly round he'll know where to go back to.

[Drew]

Will, that is the gayest cage I've ever seen! Don't be surprised if he starts quoting "Carry On" films!

I'm curious whether a Budgie would be trainable in the same way a cat is i.e. work out where they like to shit, then put the litter tray there, then move the litter tray to where you want them to shit, and hey presto, one cat shitting in the right spot (well actually the right spot would be next door's garden, but that's harder to wangle).

Incidentally, it's hard to get a good photo of anything behind a cage, especially when the camera auto focuses on the cage itself.

[Mr Cat]

yeah, it's a screy cage indeed...

you half expect Sylvester to come along...

[SA Chris]

That cage hurts my eyes, did they not have any unpainted ones? Does it really say £24 in the corner?

My budgie would fly to my hand when i held it up. Still shat everywhere though.

[Will Hunt]

Been to the vet today. Clean bill of health! Relieved 

[magpie]

Yay!  Now if he dies we can hold you 100% responsible!   

Glad he's ok, and hurrah for you for looking after him so well. 

[Will Hunt]

The Captain is now available to add on Facebook 

Facebook didn't seem to like the name Captain Cheepy (thought it was fake for some reason  ???)

You can find him under the alias Bud Budgie.

[Joepicalli]

Budgie themed UKB t now please.
Good effort Will with the looking after and metrosexualization of your new avian companion; I'm sure the cage will lead you both to be very comfortable with your sexualities.

[Will Hunt]

Started taming him today. Within ten minutes he was sat on my finger 

[SA Chris]

In 11 minutes he shat on your finger?

[robertostallioni]

Started taming him today. Within ten minutes he was sat on my finger 

MJ said the same thing in '85 about Bubbles, darling.

[Bubba]

The Captain is now available to add on Facebook 

Shouldn't he by rights be on Twitter?

[magpie]

Bubba that was terrible! 

[Mr Cat]

Started taming him today. Within ten minutes he was sat on my finger 

nice one...

when I was about 3-4 - we had a budgie and he'd kiss me on the lips, I'd gently tap my knuckle on the floor and he'd chase after it - this led to him running up my dads trouser leg (after he dozed off) and pulling the hairs on his legs...he even flew onto an open window ledge and sat watching the world - then flew back into his cage...the poor thing also fell into a chip pan! but the lard was cold but he was covered... 

my mum got anotherone when I was in my late teens but it was a little twat that wouldn't do anything except squawk all day...

[Will Hunt]

Started taming him today. Within ten minutes he was sat on my finger 

MJ said the same thing in '85 about Bubbles, darling.

I just lol'd in quite a quiet office. Congrats.

[Will Hunt]

First time out of his cage!

[Bubba]

Bless! The Cap'n is the man!

btw what's the FB group called, couldn't find it?

[Drew]

First time out of his cage!

And only the third time out for the bird!

 

[SA Chris]

^ nice

I don't believe that is student accomodation. Too much undrunk alcohol, and it's not all cheap shit.

[magpie]

btw what's the FB group called, couldn't find it?

He has his own profile, rather than a group, Bud Budgie is his name. 

Look at your wee excited face, Will, so cute! 

[Jaspersharpe]

^ nice

I don't believe that is student accomodation. Too much undrunk alcohol, and it's not all cheap shit.

Ha ha ha. That's exactly what I was just thinking.

[SA Chris]

Laphroig? Probably drunk with coke from a plastic tumbler. I weep.

[slackline]

^ nice

I don't believe that is student accomodation. Too much undrunk alcohol, and it's not all cheap shit.

Ha ha ha. That's exactly what I was just thinking.

Can't find the thread, but I thought Will posted that he'd recently secured post-graduate employment status, perhaps with a water company?

[Will Hunt]

Mid-graduate employment, Slacks. Year in Industry and all that.

Actually when I sup on my Laphroig I tend to do it out of one of these:



Click for more info. Its in the Vinum range.

[Will Hunt]

Its difficult to determine sex when they're only 8 weeks old but we think she's a girl. She is currently called Edi but this may change to Eddy if the cere turns blue!




We're just one big happy family 


(I have more than one pullover but just choose not to share them with UKB)

[SA Chris]

The birdman of LS12

[robertostallioni]

She is currently called Edi but this may change to Eddy if the cere turns blue!

That could fuck with the captain.

[andy popp]

She is currently called Edi but this may change to Eddy if the cere turns blue!

That could fuck with the captain.

Gayer than Will's bird cage. Some effort.

[Sloper]

Boy band membeer goes climbing and ends up with a bird, where's that cunt Max Clifford when need him?

[Houdini]

This Capt. Gay Bird couldn't peck his way out of a wet paper bag ...






Are YOU ready?

[Will Hunt]

Feeling that the Captain may be gay are unlikely to be disproven anytime soon. After trying to get him a nice girlfriend to settle down with its now become pretty obvious that Edi is a boy (budgies can only be sexed reliably after a certain age). No sex between the two of them, just some friendly kissing.


Its the Captain's first birthday with us so I'm off to bake a cake. Here are some pics: