The advantages of having a big sister...

[dskidd]

They're so handy for preening those hard-to-reach spots!

 

[cockatielgirl]

arww so cute there adorable!!!

 

[JadeC]

Awww!! Maybe I'll get another haha

 

[Pinkbirdy]

Ha Ha Eliza ,must have decided she likes him!!

 

[Mayden]

Love it!

 

[dskidd]

Ha Ha Eliza ,must have decided she likes him!!

Yup! On the other hand, I've just discovered the downside of their new-found bond.

Last night, I thought I'd relax and watch a little TV. Eliza and Henry immediately jumped on me (nothing new there). However, usually one will be on my knee, the other on my chest, or something like that.

What happened yesterday evening was that they both gravitated to basically under my chin. They proceeded to preen each other. They both then went to sleep. Very cute, vary adorable, very sweet...bonding the way I had hoped they might. When it got dark, I put them to bed in their respective cages.

This morning, they are playing together, preening, etc. Both very happy and active little birds.

Oh, and me? Thank you so much for asking: I have a crick in my neck an entire ARMY of chiropractors couldn't rid me of!
:32:
Derek

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh, and me? Thank you so much for asking: I have a crick in my neck an entire ARMY of chiropractors couldn't rid me of!
:32:
Derek

 

[JadeC]

Awww haha Do you have a preference of black head or white belly? Do you notice any differences?

 

[dskidd]

Awww haha Do you have a preference of black head or white belly? Do you notice any differences?

I prefer whichever one isn't helping me to type...

Seriously, no preferences--I love 'em both! But it's a good question regarding noticing any differences between the two. So far, what I'm observing seems to be age-related, rather than species-related. Without question, Eliza rules the roost; Henry definitely follows her lead in everything. (Boy, I hope Eliza doesn't take up smoking and drinking...) He looks up to her

I think I've mentioned this before elsewhere on this forum, so I apologize in advance for the repetition. Henry is definitely more traditonally "caique-like." Eliza doesn't surf; Henry's day isn't complete without it. I've never seen Eliza hop; Henry hops like a madman when he's in a hurry to get somewhere. Unfortunately for him, he hasn't quite gotten the knack of controlling the direction of his hopping. I don't know how many times I've seen him go frantically hopping across the bar to get to Eliza on the far barstool...only to go fluttering helplessly over the edge about halfway there.

They're playing in the entryway now. I can't stop laughing at them. At one point they rolled around and wound up on the heat register. I had just turned on the A/C: the second they hit the register, they both immediately stopped playing and started staring down into it. It looked as though they were asking each other "Hey...where's this breeze coming from?!"

All in all, it's pretty much Eliza's world. Henry and I just happen to be living in it...
Derek

 

[JadeC]

Awwwww haha Is Henry bigger?? I feel like Meiko longs to have a bird friend. I wish I could afford another caique!!! I was thinking about a parrotlet or green cheek?? I feel so bad when we go out, he ALWAYS wants to go watch the birds and play.

 

[MarciaLove]

how cute they sound so adorable I've never had the privilege to play with a Caique always wanted to thougH!

 

[dskidd]

Awwwww haha Is Henry bigger?? I feel like Meiko longs to have a bird friend. I wish I could afford another caique!!! I was thinking about a parrotlet or green cheek?? I feel so bad when we go out, he ALWAYS wants to go watch the birds and play.

Yup, Henry is slightly bigger (slightly less coordinated too, but don't tell him that!).

As other people have mentioned, caiques can be aggressive towards other birds. My understanding is they don't know their own size (rather like terriers!).

I was certainly hoping Eliza and Henry would get along; I felt it would be good for her to have another bird around when I'm out of the house. That being said, I never imagined they would get along together this well.

Nevertheless, they're never out together unless I'm around to keep an eye on them. Yes, everything is going extremely well; but I still keep in mind that caiques are nothing if not predictably unpredictable!

Derek

 

[dskidd]

how cute they sound so adorable I've never had the privilege to play with a Caique always wanted to thougH!

Providing you don't mind having your hair torn out, and have little use for appendages such as your nose, ears, fingers, etc., then yes, they are delightful to play with!

As usual, Shakespeare summed it up best when it comes to caiques: "For all the world's a stage, and the people on it, merely trampolines."

Or something like that...


Derek