Baby Broccoli

[DonnaBudgie]

I thought Ona and Broccoli were both GCCs but different color mutations, kinda like green budgies vs blue budgies.

I just re-read the earliest post and saw that Broccoli is a Dusky not a GCC. Looks a lot like a GCC but larger without the green cheeks and red tail.

 

[ravvlet]

I thought Ona and Broccoli were both GCCs but different color mutations, kinda like green budgies vs blue budgies.

Yeah, they do look really similar until you see a GCC next to a Dusky! Duskies are closer in size and volume to suns, as they are also an aratinga conure. Duskies don’t have any red on their tail or wings, instead they have a really lovely deep blue. His head will continue to lighten as he matures, as will his eyes - adult Duskies have really striking grey-blue eyes!

I found this online of a dusky and a GCC side by side, sorry it’s blurry:

 

[ravvlet]

He is OBSESSED with this shirt. She’s trying to clean up her playdoh and he won’t stay off her, haha. What a weirdo.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

View attachment 53619

He is OBSESSED with this shirt. She’s trying to clean up her playdoh and he won’t stay off her, haha. What a weirdo.

Bird Butt.

 

[ravvlet]

Bird Butt.

100% we made that joke to her - she’s a little afraid of birds still after Sammy bit her, so she doesn’t like him on her shoulder or near her face - so he figured out she doesn’t care if he lands on her back (or butt, if she’s standing, lol). Once he discovered that he sat with her on her chair or on her back for at least half an hour.

 

[onamom]

100% we made that joke to her - she’s a little afraid of birds still after Sammy bit her, so she doesn’t like him on her shoulder or near her face - so he figured out she doesn’t care if he lands on her back (or butt, if she’s standing, lol). Once he discovered that he sat with her on her chair or on her back for at least half an hour.

That is just SO cute!

 

[ravvlet]

Also from yesterday - Brocc is gonna get those butterflies!!

 

[ravvlet]

One of the simultaneously most useful and most irritating aspects of ADHD as an adult is hyperfocusing. Today it bit me in the butt, as I came down here to hang with the birds at 4:30, but got so into a painting I was working on (that ended in disaster, lol - luckily it was just for me & was intended as a "warm up" for the painting I SHOULD have been doing) that before I realized it, it was 8pm!

Little man is NOT happy that Kirby was out for nearly 4 hours and spent most of it chirping at him (I like to think he was gloating, lol). He has gotten really comfortable with us, which means he has no qualms about screeching his little butt off if I leave the room, especially if I commit heresy like forgetting to swap birds!

In my limited defense, I was painting with acrylic ink and I know he 100% would have gotten all up in it. It's odorless but not safe for birdies to ingest. When Brocc is out, the only art mediums I dare use are my iPad & procreate or my watercolor markers.

He's out now, and I guess I'll be down here till 10pm to be sure he gets at least two hours to play. Tomorrow evening is my weekly "art night" so I intend to let the boys out at 2pm, swap to Brocc at 4ish, and leave at 6pm but make sure the kids and my partner have dinner in the bird room so that they can continue to have "out time".

Still haven't gotten up the nerve to see how they do out together. Kirby still occasionally nips his toes (gently, thank goodness) when he hibothers him on the side of his cage.

Edit: Sorry for any typos, Brocc was "helping":

 

[LeaKP]

View attachment 53542

Kirby, just trying to eat his dinner, whilst Broccoli chirps endlessly at him, haha!

This little dude is a riot. I cannot believe it took me this long to get a conure. All the parts of an amazon I like, and all the parts of a cockatiel I like. Just enough attitude, but still wants to snuggle - but also enjoys independent play.

We didn’t end up using the A/C, as I realized (a duh moment) that the bottom floor, which is ground level in the backyard, is a basement toward the front of the house. The “basement” room says much cooler, so I ended up just leaving their door open while I am in here (they have a screen over the interior door to keep them in and the cat out) and it allows the cooler basement air to cycle into their room, which gets hot because of the big glass door that normally gives us a lovely view of the backyard and my garden.

Everyone is doing great today, and tomorrow it’s overcast and 15+ degrees cooler, so it looks like we are going to get by just fine.

I love broccoli, the vegetable and the bird!

 

[LaManuka]

One of the simultaneously most useful and most irritating aspects of ADHD as an adult is hyperfocusing. Today it bit me in the butt, as I came down here to hang with the birds at 4:30, but got so into a painting I was working on (that ended in disaster, lol - luckily it was just for me & was intended as a "warm up" for the painting I SHOULD have been doing) that before I realized it, it was 8pm!

Little man is NOT happy that Kirby was out for nearly 4 hours and spent most of it chirping at him (I like to think he was gloating, lol). He has gotten really comfortable with us, which means he has no qualms about screeching his little butt off if I leave the room, especially if I commit heresy like forgetting to swap birds!

In my limited defense, I was painting with acrylic ink and I know he 100% would have gotten all up in it. It's odorless but not safe for birdies to ingest. When Brocc is out, the only art mediums I dare use are my iPad & procreate or my watercolor markers.

He's out now, and I guess I'll be down here till 10pm to be sure he gets at least two hours to play. Tomorrow evening is my weekly "art night" so I intend to let the boys out at 2pm, swap to Brocc at 4ish, and leave at 6pm but make sure the kids and my partner have dinner in the bird room so that they can continue to have "out time".

Still haven't gotten up the nerve to see how they do out together. Kirby still occasionally nips his toes (gently, thank goodness) when he hibothers him on the side of his cage.

Edit: Sorry for any typos, Brocc was "helping":

View attachment 53638

He's "helping" alright - helping himself to the keys on your keyboard that is!! Peach has recently discovered she can get her beakie under the keys on my laptop, which suffice to say is now strictly off limits!!

 

[ravvlet]

He's "helping" alright - helping himself to the keys on your keyboard that is!! Peach has recently discovered she can get her beakie under the keys on my laptop, which suffice to say is now strictly off limits!!

Yep!!! Normally I have a “cover” I put on it (my iPad sleeve) but obviously I can’t put a cover while I’m typing, haha. It’s hard to be mad at him when he’s so cute though!

 

[ThatCatAgain]

Her name fits her so well!! I love your artwork man,it's amazing ^^
Can't wait to see more news and updates :]

View attachment 51847
View attachment 51848
View attachment 51849

Visited the new baby today at the store and put in an order for a DNA test to determine his or her sex. She’s still being handfed but is only on one feed a day, and isn’t very enthusiastic about it, so they think she’ll be done by July sometime!

I drew a sticker to put on her cage label in the meantime.

She is still a baby baby, so she steps up and when she flies off just does so to land on my head, haha. She also lets me gently hold her to my chest when it’s time to go back to her cage. We hung out for about 45 mins and she was happy to sit on my shoulder and play with foot toys and chew wooden blocks.

I forgot how sweet baby parrots are, goodness gracious!

 

[ravvlet]

Kirby has decided to “unsafety” his cage, LOL.

 

[LaManuka]

View attachment 53655

Kirby has decided to “unsafety” his cage, LOL.

Don't go there, Broccoli, it's a trap! IT'S A TRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPP!!!!!

 

[ravvlet]

So, as I mentioned earlier, we signed up for squawk box for Broccoli and opted for the medium sized because we figured some of the toys would be ok for Kirby.

It was $35/mo for bundling 6mo, and boy I feel like it was a great deal! Our local stores carry nearly all of these toys (not the treat) and, besides the little piñata which wasn’t part of the box and was a freebie for signing up, I think most of these are $12 or more each. Maybe closer to $10 for the little ones like the block with sticks jammed in it, but still. $45-50 worth of toys plus a treat!

Both birds like the edamame! I think today whilst Brocc is out I’ll swap out some of his toys with the new one. He seems to get bored of them quickly, judging by the amount of shrieking he does at me every time I leave the room.

 

[onamom]

View attachment 53674

So, as I mentioned earlier, we signed up for squawk box for Broccoli and opted for the medium sized because we figured some of the toys would be ok for Kirby.

It was $35/mo for bundling 6mo, and boy I feel like it was a great deal! Our local stores carry nearly all of these toys (not the treat) and, besides the little piñata which wasn’t part of the box and was a freebie for signing up, I think most of these are $12 or more each. Maybe closer to $10 for the little ones like the block with sticks jammed in it, but still. $45-50 worth of toys plus a treat!

View attachment 53675

View attachment 53676

Both birds like the edamame! I think today whilst Brocc is out I’ll swap out some of his toys with the new one. He seems to get bored of them quickly, judging by the amount of shrieking he does at me every time I leave the room.

Ona got some of the same toys in her box this month! She has the small version.

 

[ravvlet]

On a somewhat related note; I’m entering a pet portrait contest with this watercolor-and-pencils portrait of Broccoli. Wish me luck! I don’t think I’ll win anything but it was a fun challenge.

Still not sure about his wing, watercolor on gesso’d wood panel is kind of tough, as all the pigment sits on top the board and it’s easy to accidentally obliterate details, but oh well.

 

[ravvlet]

Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask - noticed some patchy areas on his chest lately. Is that within normal for these guys? I seem to recall Cricket often had some patchy areas I was always worried about but they never changed or got bigger. He does have some pin feathers on his neck.

 

[kme3388]

View attachment 53678

On a somewhat related note; I’m entering a pet portrait contest with this watercolor-and-pencils portrait of Broccoli. Wish me luck! I don’t think I’ll win anything but it was a fun challenge.

Still not sure about his wing, watercolor on gesso’d wood panel is kind of tough, as all the pigment sits on top the board and it’s easy to accidentally obliterate details, but oh well.

I can’t even imagine trying to use watercolor on wood. It would be so challenging. I struggle with canvas ha ha. You did a great job! It looks so nice. I hope you win.

 

[ravvlet]

Apparently the packaging for squawk box is supposed to be bird safe, so I took a bunch of his foot toys and buried them in a box I made with newsprint in the shredded paper his toys were packed in!

Sadly, he is not as crazy about it as I had hoped, haha. However, he DID finally go over to the cat toy I got from @onamom ’s thread and is currently eating all the treats out it, LOL.