Today I took Mr. Feathersworth with me in another room for a few minutes while Nani was out of her cage in the bird room (a.k.a. our living room). Upon my return I discovered that Nani was nowhere to be found! Then I heard it, a soft crunching noise coming from Mr. F's cage. This is the scene I saw:

caiqueclowns.blogspot.com

Nani is still not fond of Mr. Feathersworth despite my best efforts to make her feel as if nothing has changed to the pecking order. I still greet her first, take her out first, give her fun one on one playtime, etc. It does seem to be making some sort of difference however, because she has pretty much resorted to ignoring him instead of dive bombing him at every chance. In fact, to my shock, she allows him to explore the top of her cage as long as she is in his enjoying his food and treats. However, if he gets too close she spazzes and tries to murder him. Here is an example of such behavior:

*facebook readers go to caiqueclowns.blogspot.com to view this video

It's all happened so fast. First he started perching and picking at dry foods. Then he was climbing and playing with his toys. And now?

While Mr. Feathersworth was impatiently waiting for me to get his formula together he started flapping his wings and jumping up and down. I had set him on the countertop and was mixing away when all of a sudden he was airborne! Next thing I know he was across the kitchen on the stove. (note: I never bring the birds in the kitchen while things are cooking or right after when the stove is still hot for this very reason. Even clipped birds can get into accidents especially in bathrooms and kitchens.) I was shocked, just the day before I had taken him outside without the harness being I thought it was still safe. I am so glad he didn't decide to try it then! Since then he has tried his flying skills a few times and let me just say his landings need work...A LOT of work. I will eventually slightly clip his wings but not quite yet, I'd like him to become more of a pro and sure of himself. He'll still be able to fly but not quite as far. It's seemed to work well with Nani.

Here's a quick video of his flying*. This is one of the very few landings that haven't ended in a crash:

*normally he flies on his own but in this video I helped him get started

I picked up a few fresh-cut sunflowers and our local nursery the other day. They are stunning! I wasn't aware that sunflowers have a scent but they do...and I rather like it. It's kinda a cross between a green leafy smell, sunflower seeds, and a very light floral (daisy) scent. You have to get your nose right up into the flower and give it a good whiff. The very centers are sticky while the surrounding area is very soft like fur. They last about a week but if you snip a bit off the bottoms each day as well as give them fresh water then they may last even longer. Ahhhh, sweet Summer!

But I didn't get the just for their pretty smell or vibrant blooms. I've often thought of Nani's colors to be much like a sunflower's and decided to do a photoshoot. Of course Nani was afraid of the giant one-eyed beasts when I first introduced her to them but with some coaxing she finally sat still...well as much as a Caique can sit still anyway. I think I got some good shots and I may try once more before they wither. Of course Mr. Feathersworth got in on the action as well, but he's MUCH MORE cooperative.

I was taking video of Mr. Feathersworth yesterday and of course Nani was having none of that! She is the star of the household you know...

Above: 2 days after arriving

Below: The basket I carry him around in. Notice his feathers have grown in quite a bit.

Yesterday I was feeling pretty sick with a stomach infection, so I did what anyone in my position would do. I barricaded myself in my room with my laptop all day. After a few hours Nani must have gotten lonely and I stared hearing beeps coming from the living room, then a few screeches, then silence. That's never a good thing. Regardless I stayed in the room. A few minutes later I feel a bite to my toes! She had come a knockin'! She seemed to appreciate the new screen saver I put up...

...yes, you are the most beautiful Caique in the world. Yes, no one compares to you. And no, you can't eat the keys off the keyboard. Her fascination quickly went from dismantling my computer to dismantling my camera:

Nani never fails to make my day a brighter one! :-)

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Just look how this proves it:

Budgies...Not very smart.

We have had below zero temperatures here in Minnesota the past few weeks and even with the heat cranked up as high as it can go the house still is chilly. (Why do I live here again? I need to be reminded.) Nani loves her bath time and has continued to shower with me despite the cold. Granted, the bathroom stays pretty warm and steamy but after she comes out of the room she shivers. This is our usual routine: We shower, I get out to blow dry my hair and she surfs (rubs all over) on a towel hung over the shower curtain rod. Being she is used to the noise of the blow dryer I decided to dry her that way..IF, that is, she would let me. I presumed she'd freak out and try to fly away. When I did I couldn't believe she actually stayed perfectly still, closed her eyes, and sat there for the entire time! I recorded it earlier today after her bath:

NOTE: I turned the dryer to low. Never blow dry with hot air as it could burn their skin.

I've mentioned Nani's growling in past posts; she will growl when eating, surfing, or when she sees something that she doesn't recognise such as a bug crawling on the wall. The eating growl is a happy noise although it sounds exactly like her "aaahhh! hawk!" growl (video). I'm not totally sure if this is a Caique thing or one of Nani's quirks. I usually know why she's growling even though sometimes I don't see what she's looking at. For example, while outside she will be happily singing when all of a sudden she freezes, stares at the sky and softly growls. I know it's a hawk, but 9 times out of 10 I see absolutely nothing! Every now and then I can make out a tiny dot gliding around in the farthest layers of the ozone layer usually in the direct line of the sun. I don't know how she does it. I mentioned I usually know what she's growling at but there is one occasion that baffles me. We take a shower together several times a week, she sits on a towel rack that inside on the back wall. Now this happens every time: her eyes widen and tilting her head toward a specific spot on the ceiling just above the shower head, she starts to growl incessantly. Now one time, the first time, there was a tiny spider in that spot. But this has been going on for months and trust me, there is NOTHING there. And don't even bother trying to distract her, it's useless. She just gets this intent look on her face and doesn't stop till the shower ends. Once she goes up on her towel (on the shower curtain near the scary spot) she's totally oblivious. She does her towel surfing and the growling doesn't happen again till the next shower. I'm stumped. The only thing that could possibly be happening is that birds see in colors we don't and she may be seeing something in that spot happen when the steam hits it. But what? Or was she traumatized by that tiny baby spider never to be the same? I can't crack the case.

Nani knows very well she is not supposed to crawl to the floor. But, of course, she takes any and every opportunity to do it. Examples of what she sees as opportunities: me leaving the room, me busy on the computer, me talking to someone on the phone, me watching a movie just when it's getting to the good part...me sitting, me staring directly at her, me saying "no! no! not on the floor!", etc.

So this morning I was watering my plants and I hear a plop onto the floor. Caiques are quite heavy for being such small birds and it is almost impossible for her to do anything quietly (thank goodness!). So there she is on the floor, but she's no fool! She would never run out in the open where she could easily be scooped up and put back on her stand! She must stay in the safety and cover of the forest. What forest? Why, the forest made up of various tables, chairs, and other large objects no one could possibly fit under other than a naughty Caique.

Although frustrating I can't say I don't get the giggles from time to time. She IS entertaining! Today was one of those days. But am I laughing at her, or she at me? You be the judge...

"Can I take Nani in the shower with me Mommy" my daughter asks, "Pleeeeeeaaaaase?". "Alright, I guess so but don't torture her" I say. Why do I say that? Because my daughter seems to like to torture Nani. I don't mean she ties her down and plucks out feathers all the while making an evil laugh, but she is always doing little things to annoy her. Oh Nani can handle it, in fact I think she secretly likes it. She will make this growling noise if my daughter messes with her but then immediately hops around saying "hop, hop, hop" in her squeaky Caique voice and falls onto her back ready to wrestle. They have a sibling relationship, always squabbling but can't live without one another. This may sound horrible to anyone that doesn't own a Caique, but trust me when I say they are unlike any other pet bird. Slightly human, a tinge of dog, and just a bit of a monkey that never sits still.

So after the shower I hear "Mom come here quick, *giggle* come here!". And what do I find? Hint: it was really cute...

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...and no torturing involved.

She just calmly laid there for a few minutes, warm and cozy. :-)

Nani is a fun bird to watch. Her antics while playing are so entertaining, I never get bored when she's around. Bird toys can be expensive especially because she gets bored with them after about 1 day! I'm still in shock, Watson my Quaker never got bored with his favs. That's what I get for falling in love with a Caique. Anyway, I check out garage sales and second hand stores for baby toys that are appropriate for her size. NOTE: I do not choose toys with exposed metal screws or those that can be easily broken and taken apart for safety reasons. Here's a quick video of her playing around:

Where has the summer gone? It's been so crazy around here...just how Nani likes it. Last night my husband started flying is toy helicopter (we all know men are overgrown children, right? hehehe) and Nani was on alert. She's actually not afraid, never has been to my astonishment. She's rather chew it to pieces. My husband is careful about not doing it too close to her so the propellers don't hurt her. Here she is:

Since she was so badly chopped at such a young age (she never learned to fly) I had decided, as some of you know, that I would let her wing feathers grow in. Well the day has arrived and she can fly!

Rub a dub dub, Nani's in the tub...well not tub but sink didn't rhyme. I wanted to share a video of Nani taking a bath. She's not really that excited about getting wet but occasionally she'll be in the mood. And when she does she goes all out.

So I'm have some mother-daughter time the other day and someone decided she was also my daughter and wanted to participate in all the fun:



P.S. See her flight feathers finally growing in? For those of you who read my blog you know she was severely clipped at a very young age. I'm happy she has been experiencing a little flying (not much, she's only got 3 on each side) but as you can imagine she thinks the house and all that's in it belongs to her. *sigh*

I took this video last week. She had been kind of cranky all week, and she was"biting" more often than normal. As I was putting on my makeup to go out Nani cames waddling over and grabbed my mascara. That was fine, I didn't need it yet. But when I did, oh boy watch out. She wasn't having it! Thankfully she calmed down this week!

Einstein the African Grey parrot is somewhat of a celebrity on youtube.com. She is an excellent talker and very entertaining to watch! This 9 minute 35 second video is definitely worth the time. Here is Einstein's "Word Practice". Einstein also has a blog and website with fun facts, videos, and a friends page. Well, guess who her new friend is!

Nani spends a countless amount of time watching Einstein's videos intently and has learned to say "look at you!" with such expression.

So Nani would like to make a shout out to her new friend Einstein! Woo!

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