babbling about animals and a sirius sketch

[tripperfunster]

I was waiting at the 'womenly' doctor and didn't bring a sketchbook. blech. So I ended up drawing on my banking paper.

http://tripperfunster.deviantart.com/art/Sirius-sketch-97560559

Oh, and we went to the annual Cluck and Quack Club's sale (yeah, you can be jealous now) and I bought some really cute chickens and A PAIR OF DUCKS! I'll picspam ya tomorrow.

Comments

[1scout.livejournal.com]

It's beautiful, and his hand is gorgeous.
Next month is Zack's b-day and he wants, no, insists, on a parakeet. *sigh* He actually thinks he's gonna be able to play with it like a dog, so we've been trying to talk him out of it but he won't change his mind. Poor parakeet. I'm afraid it's gonna have a miserable life. I'd much rather have the chicks and ducks. LOL!

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Budgies can actually be great pets. Zack is... 6? 7? I know he's close to Harrison's age. As long as he knows how to be gentle (yeah, some guys NEVER learn that...) it could be a great pet for him.

Try to find one that is already friendly enough to sit on your finger without trying to bite it off. The trick to taming budgies (and most birds) is to take it in many, small sessions. Try to take it out of the cage as many times per day as you have time for, (like 6-10) but only for 5 minutes at a time. If it's biting, put on a thin garden glove. (you still want to be able to feel if you're squishing it to death.)

Basically, budgies are very social creatures, and really want/need affection. The problem is, that he's afraid of you, and thinks you're going to eat him. The more you handle him and DON'T eat him, the more he'll chill out and enjoy your company. Eventually, he'll scream when you put him back in his cage, because he wants to stay out and play with you.

Note: make sure his wings are clipped before you buy him. (It's like a haircut and doesn't hurt or bleed.) You'll never tame him if he is flying away. The wing trim lasts anywhere from a month to four months, and then you can trim him yourself or take him back to the store or the vet.

Good luck!

[1scout.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the advice, truly. It'll help a lot. Although, after reading what you said about the bird being afraid we'll eat him, when I told my dad that Zack, who will be 7 next month, wanted a parakeet, dad said he had a sudden vision of the bird on it's back with it's legs up next the the Thanksgiving turkey. LOL! Zack hasn't been known to be too gentle with the dog.
But don't worry, he won't be allowed to pet or play with it if me or hubby isn't there with him. He mostly wants it to sit on his finger and to teach it to talk. He wants to name it Spongebob Dil Pickles Moore. What a mouthful! lol.
Thanks again. Your advice will be followed.