Would it be crazy to buy a Sun?

[Ashleigh86]

There are so many signs that it was meant to be!!! What perfect timing that you were there, and I'm SO glad that you saved the sun from that horrible guy....I'm convinced that everything will work out for you guys! I hope everything is going well for you

 

[alcmene]

There are so many signs that it was meant to be!!! What perfect timing that you were there, and I'm SO glad that you saved the sun from that horrible guy....I'm convinced that everything will work out for you guys! I hope everything is going well for you

I agree. Even if our trial period doesnt work out and we have to take him back, at least those awful people won't have him. He's such a sweet sweet boy. He doesnt deserve that. (Not that any animal does, but it just seems especially tragic when horrible people abuse wonderful animals to the point that they ruin them)

 

[alcmene]

Dont want to jinx anything, but so far things are going great!

He explored all over his new cage and new toys and wasnt scared at all. He went right to sleep and didnt make a single peep all night (i was really worried about him squawking in the evening and waking up my 2 year old who is asleep by 7pm). This morning he seemed glad to see me and stepped up immediately when i asked him to. No agression or fear at all about coming out of his cage. He ate a hearty breakfast (the tiel didnt. The first day he was here he was so nervous he barely ate or drank anything. It made me really nervous). He started dunking his head in his water bowl, so i offered him a bath, which he took and seemed to thoroughly enjoy. Then i put him back in his cage so i could cook breakfast. He went back in no problem- no fear, no agression. He sat in there happily amusing himself while we ate. He was making little clicking and cooing noises to himself, but no screaming. After breakfast, the tiel was playing on the play stand. It's a really big one, with lots of toys and perches, so i thought i'd just see what would happen and put the sun on it too (on the opposite end from the tiel). I was 100% supervising and ready to leap in to stop any problems, but i didnt need to. They looked at each other for a few min, interested, but not defensive or angry looking at all. Then they proceeded to ignore one another and play with toys, preen for awhile, and then fall asleep. They've been napping contentedly next to each other for the last 1/2 hr.

I'm not a fool, and realize things could change at any time, but so far everything is going better then i had even hoped for!

 

[drlisaort]

My first bird (not counting a lovely pigeon when I was a child) was a Cockatiel that I purchased for my Son Benjamin who was 5 years old at the time. He LOVED Orky (His name!) and they were great companions for many, many years until he got into the teen years and girls became the attraction ;0). Orky lived for 23 years....

 

[Ashleigh86]

Dont want to jinx anything, but so far things are going great!

He explored all over his new cage and new toys and wasnt scared at all. He went right to sleep and didnt make a single peep all night (i was really worried about him squawking in the evening and waking up my 2 year old who is asleep by 7pm). This morning he seemed glad to see me and stepped up immediately when i asked him to. No agression or fear at all about coming out of his cage. He ate a hearty breakfast (the tiel didnt. The first day he was here he was so nervous he barely ate or drank anything. It made me really nervous). He started dunking his head in his water bowl, so i offered him a bath, which he took and seemed to thoroughly enjoy. Then i put him back in his cage so i could cook breakfast. He went back in no problem- no fear, no agression. He sat in there happily amusing himself while we ate. He was making little clicking and cooing noises to himself, but no screaming. After breakfast, the tiel was playing on the play stand. It's a really big one, with lots of toys and perches, so i thought i'd just see what would happen and put the sun on it too (on the opposite end from the tiel). I was 100% supervising and ready to leap in to stop any problems, but i didnt need to. They looked at each other for a few min, interested, but not defensive or angry looking at all. Then they proceeded to ignore one another and play with toys, preen for awhile, and then fall asleep. They've been napping contentedly next to each other for the last 1/2 hr.

I'm not a fool, and realize things could change at any time, but so far everything is going better then i had even hoped for!

Wow! That sounds like a great start! When we brought Indy home, she took a few days to settle and wasn't eating very well at first, and I had been visiting her at the bird rescue/breeder for a month prior to getting her! Also, it took her about a week to become comfortable enough to take a bath lol That sun sounds like a sweet heart I'm sure he's glad to be out of that pet store. I'm glad things are going well so far! You should post pics when you have a chance

 

[alcmene]

I've been trying to post pics, but i cant get it to work. My computer skills are not so hot.

 

[alcmene]

Guys omg i seriously feel like i have won the lottery.

The sun and the tiel are currently snuggled up together sound asleep after spending the last 1/2 hr preening each other!!!!

They were sharing the play gym when they voluntarily started to approach one another. I got really close, ready to intervene if things looked like they were going even the slightest bit sour. I sweat bullets and lost 5 yrs off my life expectancy while they eyed each other curiously for a couple min. Then the tiel approached the sun, they touched beaks gently, and started grooming!!!!

I cant believe this. A full adult conure, a baby cockatiel, both with recent relocation trauma, just deciding to be buddies. I know i'm not an experienced parrot person, but i feel like this shouldnt all be this easy.

AND the air purifier has helped a bunch with the tiel's dust AND the sun has vocalized a bunch, but not screamed even once!

 

[riddick07]

Sooooo keeping both:54:

It does sound like you won the lottery! The sun is likely to get louder the more he settles in. I'm so glad they are getting along for you!

Did you try to upload pics to photobucket.com and post the img links here?

Hope you figure out the pics soon! They sound so cute together

 

[alcmene]

I'm not close to a computer today. So i'm trying to make photos work from my iphone.

 

[alcmene]

Ok finally by a real computer, going to give this picture thing a whirl.

Here they both are just hanging out near each other on the tabletop gym

I was pretty impressed with that and thought it was as good as I could possibly hope for at this point. Then, a few min later, they decided to share toys together

I couldn't have been more thrilled. Then, the tiel decided to climb up on to the top bar. I was super nervous that they were that close together. Especially since they were near food. After eyeing each other curiously for a couple min, this happened

Check out that super relaxed body language! The sun is all fluffed up, so comfortable that he's hanging out on one foot. The tiel is completely asleep!

 

[Leah00]

They are both beautiful!! I'm so happy for you and your family!

This is my first time posting on this thread but I've read it from the beginning and I was hoping you'd end up with the Sun.

 

[riddick07]

They are both gorgeous birds! The sun has a nice red mask I'm hoping Loki will have one like that when he's grown. They look happy and relaxed!

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Their both adorable! And it's so great to see them share!

Just a little tip - best thing to do is for now, when you spend time with them, do it together with the two rather than just one on one with each bird - that way they can be accustomed to 'sharing you'.

 

[alcmene]

I definitely am. Every time they come out, they're either both out or both in their cages. We're not forcing them to interact, but they're in the same room- in or out. My hope is to instill a "we're in this together" mentality in them so that they both understand, if i want to be out of my cage, then i have to tolerate that other guy being out of his cage too.

We've been really careful to pass them around too. No single person holds them for too long. Play a few min with mom, a few with dad, a few with kids. We're keepin' it all in the family lol. I'm determined to keep either of them from pair bonding to any one person, so I'm making that the focus of my training in these early days. Well, that and reinforcing quietness. 30 hrs since the sun's arrival and, so far, lots of chattering but not one scream. So far so good!

 

[faeryphoebe1]

Awww, they're beautiful! :jumping40:jumping40

 

[alcmene]

Earlier today i eavesdropped my daughter cooing to the tiel "You dont know me yet, but you're going to be my best friend." It was so sweet it made my teeth ache.

She has decided to name him Mr. Peabody. There's a raptor sanctuary that posts youtube videos of their birds. There's one we've watched a million times that all my kids are obsessed with. Google "Mr Peabody's owl bath" and try not to fall over dead from the cute. So she wants her bird to be Mr Peabody too, just like her favorite owl.

Sooo... the tiel has a name and is her best friend. Yeah, he's never leaving. Trying to act like that's even a possibilty at this point is laughable.

I'm trying to stay level headed and make a sensible not an emotional decision with the sun. If he continues to behave himself around my kids and around Mr Peabody and continues to not be a screamer, then he stays too. I'm not giving him a name yet on purpose. I cant allow myself to get attached to him yet.

I read somewhere that the majority of birds who end up in rescue got there because their owners were underprepared and over confident. I've compulsively researched and am scared to death about doing everything right by both birds. So maybe we'll stay lucky and everything will keep going great!

 

[Kalidasa]

Wow. Just wow

 

[argylebird]

This is the best thread since I joined this forum! Crossing my fingers and toes that they both stay! Sounds like the sun chose YOU! Everything I've read says the best human/bird relationships happen this way, and it has been my case, as my GCC chose me, and despite my novice first bird ways, he is exemplary compared to many birds I read about on this forum! I hope the sun stays!!!

 

[Birdbrain91]

Congrats!! I was hoping you would get the Sun. He looks just like my Cleo and we got her the same way you did. It was defiantly meant to be.

 

[mtdoramike]

I think it's going to turn out wonderful and I believe you have found your family pet. Tiels are easy to care for, can learn to speak and ability to say several words. We had a Tiel growing up for years that eventually flew out of an open door. He would say "Bobby is a pretty pretty boy, hello Bobby, what you doin". His speech was clearer than my Senegal's speech. He got along with everyone, but loved my father the best.

I have had several Cockatiels over the years and only been bitten a hand full of times that broke the skin and bled, but that was from NON-hand raised tiels.