A bedtime story

[Irishj9]

Once upon a time, long long ago (it seems), all the baby caiques flew about free in the aviary and they all went to their favourite places to sleep when bedtime came.

Spot and BAM_BAM preferred to sleep al fresco, on top of Igor's cage, but under the covers. Now they came and went as they pleased, and this only became a problem when they decided to use their freedom to invade Soentjie’s nestbox via the inspection hatch when I was at work, and break her fertile egg (AAAAGH!).

Papa bought 4 new HUUUUGE cages, and all the birdies jumped in cooing happily, except two. Can you guess which two, children?

How do you get TWO ornery caiques to pick a cage for bedtime and stay in it?. I tried persuasion, I tried bribery, I considered a net, but I don’t want to lie in my bed sleepless thinking of those red eyes next door staring at me through the wall. They've already chipped a BIG hole in the concrete.

I mean you’d think with 2 HUUUUGE new cages still empty, plus 2 LARGE vacated caique cages, plus several empty lovebird cages, they would pick one and stick with it?. Well yes they DID, they prefer on top of Igor’s cage, crouched under a blanket.

But NO!. Papa won’t let them sleep on Igor’s cage (BAD PAPA) so he must suffer.

First night Papa fooled them into one of the new empty cages. ( its full of toys and branches) Second night, point blank refusal until the stars came out. In they went, reluctantly, after doing a dance on top of Igor's cage, scheming revenge.

Third night they threw out the lovebird youngsters from the smallest and highest cage in the aviary and settled in there, cooing happily. ( I’ll take a draw I said, and trudged wearily off to bed)

But Papa was not suffering enough so they changed tack again last night, splitting up for maximum effect.

Spot went to sleep with Soentjie and Jack_Jack, in THEIR nest box so they could bicker and fight all night long. ( Soentjie is NOT her best friend since she broke that egg). BAM_BAM went in with his brother and Eva (long bickering fight round two coming up).

One lonely lovebird in the high small cage, warily watching the shadows for red eyes…..

Why I oughta!

 

[Irishj9]

Outlaws, on the run!

 

[firdy num num]

Publish it! So cute!

 

[zoo mom]

The way you tell stories.

I suggest the net. With my cantankerous bedtime evaders it only took being netted twice. Now if they are thinking about evasion I show them the net and they fly right into their cages.

 

[Irishj9]

The way you tell stories.

I suggest the net. With my cantankerous bedtime evaders it only took being netted twice. Now if they are thinking about evasion I show them the net and they fly right into their cages.

Oh yet the net will work, but at what cost?. Ever hear of a Pyrrhic victory?
Pyrrhic victory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A Pyrrhic victory is a victory that inflicts such a devastating toll on the victor that it is tantamount to defeat.

If I have to use force to get my way then I've wasted the last three years befriending these birds. I would only coerce them if they are in danger and there's no time for gentle persuasion

 

[Irishj9]

Last night, after Bam_Bam stepped up 5 times in a row, and 5 times refused to enter the new cage, I had to practically launch him into it. With darkness falling rapidly, and every other birdie already in their nests, Spot reluctantly climbed in after him. There will be fireworks tonight methinks.

 

[Irishj9]

The way you tell stories.

I suggest the net. With my cantankerous bedtime evaders it only took being netted twice. Now if they are thinking about evasion I show them the net and they fly right into their cages.

Show them the net? SHOW THEM the net? . I would feel safer showing them my bare A$$!

If I walk into the aviary with a net anywhere about my person ( except perhaps down my trousers, OW! that thing has a 2ft wooden handle) this is what happens

a) The whole lovebird flock (24) takes to the air in a screaming swirling mass
b) This alerts the caiques ( for hundreds of miles) and they (being ten feet tall, hormonal and bulletproof), are not going to take this insult lying down. They immediately form into fighter wings, and dive bomb the enemy.

So far the enemy is the net, you should see Cha_Cha forget her ladylike manners and RIP into it. One day the enemy could be ME, for bringing in that thing....lol

BTW my last net disappeared under mysterious circumstances. I have a three bedroom house so its not like I could have forgotten it in the east wing is it? lol. Multiple searches failed to locate a large white circular net with a 2ft wooden pole attached??

YOU might think that somebirdies found and destroyed it

I couldn't possibly comment.....

 

[zoo mom]

Wow. That is some reaction. They must have been netted repeatedly when they were at the breeders. Mine don't like the net but they don't attack it either. It has only been used in emergencies or on a couple occasions when I had to go to work and they were not cooperating. (They cannot be left out when no one is home. )