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Hi! I've posted once or twice before but haven't been a regular. I love reading about your birds! We have a 9-year old cockatiel (Rufus), a 4-year old budgie (Dandelion) and we're guessing at maybe an 8-year old eastern rosella parakeet (Mango). I'm always amazed at their individualism. Rufus is a stuffy old man who pays no attention to anyone but me and will allow Mango to feed him but no other activities although she tries her best to entice him, nudge, nudge,wink, wink! Dandelion would like to play with the other two but they hate him. He has a 50+ word vocabulary with numerous phrases and is highly entertaining.

Mango came to us from a piano teacher's laundry room. Her daughter had brought her home unannounced and Mango did not like the already present cockatoo, macaw and African grey! They tried to keep her for several months but it just didn't work out so my daughter and I bought her and have been working with her for almost 5 years. She is extremely shy but will take food from our hands finally. I'm still working to get her to step up though.

Nice to meet you all!

Lizzy - I'm glad you decided to tell us about your birds. It sounds like you have a wonderful flock there and they will provide you and your family with many years of enjoyment. I'm sure that your amazing patience with Mango will one day finally convince her to step up - although she is obviously quite a pet anyway.

Thanks Mavis! Mango is quite an outstanding pet in her own right. She has learned to go into the cage on command which is a great help when she is so reluctant to step onto a finger or hand, or extra perch either. She's quite the adventurer and I often catch her waddling off across the floor - she climbs down from the cage and tries to sneak off but always gets busted! I exclaim "NO! Bad Bird!" and look extremely displeased and she hurries back to the cage, climbs up and puts herself in, sulking in a corner!

HI Lydia,

Yes Joey is sooo different, to Maggie the brat. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Which is also I think why we are enjoying them so much. Joey being the mature bird, they have so many different characteristics.
I am slowly getting them together, and so far so good.
Take Care
Dawn <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Hi Conniem,
Looked at your great picture of Miss P. she is lovely.
How long have you had Miss P?
Look forward to seeing more pictures.
Take Care
Dawn
<img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

A big welcome to this site Lizzy.
You have a nice variety of birds, :music: and seems like Mango is coming alone just great. Your patience will be greatly rewarded, and it seems Mango is taking that step towards giving you that trust which is great.
Would love to see pictures sometime.

Take Care
Dawn <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thank you Dawn! I'll try to link a couple pics here. There's one of Mango with Rufus, and a separate one of Dandelion.
[imageBellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

Hello Dawn, I have had Miss P since she was 3. She is such a nice bird. She is a very clean girl, she has a bath daily! Most of the time in her water bowl (as soon as you put clean water in her cage in the morning) and sometimes I give her a pie pan to bathe in, sometimes she will get in the shower with me. She also loves to be blown dry with the hair dryer. She will sit on my shoulder and if I turn it off too soon she will EEKKK in my ear until I turn it back on LOL. [imageBellaOnline ALERT: Raw URLs are not allowed in these forums for security reasons. Please use UBB code. If you don't know how to do UBB code just post here for help - we will help out!

LOL! What a great picture! My first cockatiel, Chiquita, also loved to shower with me and enjoyed the blow-dryer. Rufus, on the other hand, prefers to be dirty it seems. I wash him off in the shower from time to time and he tolerates it. Mango enjoys her bathtub too but doesn't get as soaked as your bird!

HI Lizzy,
Lovely pictures. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> The birds are just gorgeous, and such lovely markings and colors.
I love the cholla perch, if that's what you call it. :rolling: My Maggie has them as foot toys and just loves chewing on them.
Take Care
Dawn <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />