I just joined after doing a web search on why my budgie is chewing the bars on the cage. Lots of good information from other bird owners. I have two parakeets, Bossy Pants and Jitterbug, whom I rescued from a very bad situation. So bad that I had to separate them as Bossy Pants was beating the snot out of Jitterbug (the reasons for their names). It's been two months since I brought them to my home. They both have brand new cages (you don't want to know what they were living in before). There is about 8 or 9 inches of space between the cages. Jitterbug still runs down her perch away from Bossy Pants is she(?) starts sqauking like the apartment is on fire. At least now she knows she can eat her food and drink water and take a nap without being attacked. I have learned if I talk and/or sing or both to them as I clean their cages, that keeps them from flapping wildly around. They will even stand on the perch I can trying to remove to clean it a look at me as if to say "this is mine." LOL!
Just recently, if I only extend one finger, both will let me stroke their tail feathers. The other Saturday evening, both were particularly relaxed and were independently entertaining me: Jitterbug was doing "head stands" in the corner of her cage while Bossy Pants scared the heck out of me by doing a "slow death slide" tail first down the back of her (?) cage, clunking on the bottom grate and not moving. Just when I jumped up to check on her she jumps up, runs across the bottom, hops on a lower perch, RUNS up the ladder to the upper perch and chirps happily!
Neither one is much interested in any toys I have placed in their cages. Bossy Pants uses her swing like a hammock and sleeps on it. Jitterbug seems to have issues with her feet and will only interact with something that she can drag around the bottom of her cage. She can be rather acrobatic. And when the right music comes on, they will stop, listen and start "warbling" along! Thanks for reading. I will keep my next posts shorter. It is going to be nice to talk with other bird lovers.
Just recently, if I only extend one finger, both will let me stroke their tail feathers. The other Saturday evening, both were particularly relaxed and were independently entertaining me: Jitterbug was doing "head stands" in the corner of her cage while Bossy Pants scared the heck out of me by doing a "slow death slide" tail first down the back of her (?) cage, clunking on the bottom grate and not moving. Just when I jumped up to check on her she jumps up, runs across the bottom, hops on a lower perch, RUNS up the ladder to the upper perch and chirps happily!
Neither one is much interested in any toys I have placed in their cages. Bossy Pants uses her swing like a hammock and sleeps on it. Jitterbug seems to have issues with her feet and will only interact with something that she can drag around the bottom of her cage. She can be rather acrobatic. And when the right music comes on, they will stop, listen and start "warbling" along! Thanks for reading. I will keep my next posts shorter. It is going to be nice to talk with other bird lovers.
Sounds like their lives have improved already!
& 
to AA. I hope you find all the answers here you were looking for. This is mine & Buddy's 2nd home, I hope you settle here too!
Rain & Buddy 
Mary! BP and JB sound like great characters! Have you tried offering a sprig of millet spray. Because it is long, they don't have to get too close to your fingers.
