I've been waiting for weeks! Finally today I went to see the three baby White-bellied Caiques over at Platinum Parrot, the same breeder I got Nani from. Two of the chicks were just a few weeks old and the other was about 4 1/2 months old...ready to go to a loving home. Well how could I resist taking one home today?!



She (pending the DNA results) is such a little clown. While I was there she jumped off the table to the floor to pounce on the cat. The cat was so gentle, poor little fur ball, despite it's tail being chewed on. I'm giggling just thinking about it. But it was all in good fun, no one was doing any serious damage. After they wrestled around a bit little Piper came to sit on my finger.



The first thing she did was the classic Caique "beak rub". If you have one you know what I'm talking about. It's a cross between a greeting and declaring you as theirs. They rub their beak on your hand vigorously for a few seconds followed much of the time by a growl of approval. Well of course I fell for her immediately and home she came!



Next came the nerve wracking task of introductions. I had a feeling Nani would be less than thrilled about the invasion, and I was right. Although she seemed calm at first, just staring in shock at my audacity to bring in another feather butt into HER house, it soon became clear she wanted Piper dead. After placing the baby in her portion of the double cage I purchased a few months back Nani viciously attacked the bars. So she had to spend a "cooling off" period in the bedroom cage. But no worries, that's more of a reward than a punishment. Nani likes to go there and growl at the wild birds as she looks outside.



Things have calmed down for the night and both birdies are sleeping away at the moment. I hope they can eventually be friends...or at least acquaintances. Here are a few shots of my new baby Piper:

Nummy sprouts.

Time for a Mandarin...or two.

Nani in "time out" a.k.a. Jail Bird: