Grumpy Bird

[Jowelbg]

Well, Beaker has started his first molt and Bunsen is not far behind. This has made Beaker quite grumpy. The poor guy is just having all kinds of feather issues. I posted over in the General Welfare section about his flight feathers getting twisted around.

The thing that worries me is, Bunsen has taken to picking at Beaker in his molting state. I'm not sure if this is "helping" the molting process or what. I was wondering about moving them into separate cages, though.

I was wondering what you guys though?

-Joel

 

[dskidd]

Well, Beaker has started his first molt and Bunsen is not far behind. This has made Beaker quite grumpy
-Joel

Well Joel, I don't know about the separate cages; but--as far as the grumpiness goes--I've found that this goes along way towards cheering up Eliza and Henry...

Derek

 

[Mayden]

Haha. Love the picture.

Is the 'picking' not preening? Helping them crack each others pin sheaths etc?

 

[dskidd]

Haha. Love the picture.

Is the 'picking' not preening? Helping them crack each others pin sheaths etc?

In all seriousness, I was kinda wondering about that myself. That's what my two seem to be doing (they like to preen each other anyway). The only difference is there tends to be a bit more of those little three-second squabbles...presumably because the pin feathers are so sensitive.

Additionally--and I'll be the first to admit there are many more on this forum who are far more knowledgeable than I--one thing I've learned is that, in common with four-legged furry pets, E&H love routines. I'm wondering if moving Bunsen and Beaker to separate cages might be upsetting to them.
Derek

 

[Mayden]

Haha. Love the picture.

Is the 'picking' not preening? Helping them crack each others pin sheaths etc?

In all seriousness, I was kinda wondering about that myself. That's what my two seem to be doing (they like to preen each other anyway). The only difference is there tends to be a bit more of those little three-second squabbles...presumably because the pin feathers are so sensitive.

Additionally--and I'll be the first to admit there are many more on this forum who are far more knowledgeable than I--one thing I've learned is that, in common with four-legged furry pets, E&H love routines. I'm wondering if moving Bunsen and Beaker to separate cages might be upsetting to them.
Derek

If there is no actual fighting going on, then I'd keep them as they are for now. My budgie's tend to squabble a lot during moults as Lucie is very very umm... thorough trying to get Brucie's pins and he really doesn't like it!

I'm sure it's just preening, molts are hard for anybirdy and if I so much as touch a pin wrong on Charlie or Merlin I get a good nip for not doing it properly!

 

[Jowelbg]

I think tequila is their drink of choice. It would definitely explain the clumsiness.

Mayden, it's good to know your guys are a bit more squabbly, during a molt. The picking started before the pin feathers showed up. At the start, we were actually worried that Bunsen had pulled out Beakers feathers out of spite. We're going to watch them carefully for the next couple of weeks.

Derek, great picture btw. They would DEFINITELY be annoyed if we separated them. It's something we want to consider carefully.

I appreciate you guys' input. We're going to leave them together for now. I'll update if we go another way.

 

[Jowelbg]

My picture didn't post! Let's try again:

 

[dskidd]

No lime wedges? No salt? And you call yourself a caring bird owner! Hmmph!

Seriously, great photo! And yes, please keep us posted on how things progress during B's and B's moulting progress.

Cheers,
Derek

 

[Jowelbg]

No lime wedges? No salt? And you call yourself a caring bird owner! Hmmph!

Seriously, great photo! And yes, please keep us posted on how things progress during B's and B's moulting progress.

Cheers,
Derek

Lime? Salt?? *Gasp*

We've trained our birds right. They sip their tequila or drink it out of a shoe.

 

[dskidd]

No lime wedges? No salt? And you call yourself a caring bird owner! Hmmph!

Seriously, great photo! And yes, please keep us posted on how things progress during B's and B's moulting progress.

Cheers,
Derek

Lime? Salt?? *Gasp*

We've trained our birds right. They sip their tequila or drink it out of a shoe.

Gosh...I still have so much to learn about training my birds properly. Still, E&H do drink their scotch neat. I guess that's something...
Derek

PS That photo is priceless!

 

[Lovely]

Jowelbg

o: What! Hahaha the last picture you posted made my day. I had to keep it for myself. But I must say my Quaker Parrots enjoy dunking themselves in their apple juice XD

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Ok You 2 Im laughing so hard im crying