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What kind of Mousebird do I have?

Cayleigh-Anne

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Oh my gosh but I miss having baby mousebirds :heart::arghh: Probably just as well as I would REEAALLY battle to release them :shy:
Ohh I thought I would release mickey when he becomes independent... but he’s so attached to me and loves people that it’s really impossible to release him. Especially with our dogs - that would not end well.

Mickey is also easily frightened by birds flying past him when he’s outside and really doesn’t like loud noises. I fear he will not make it on his own.

I also love him so much it would be absolutely heart breaking to let him go.

I also read up that Mousebirds are flock birds which means that if they don’t accept a new comer they will kill him.
 

SandraK

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Hmm, it sounds like you'll be "forced" (ahem ;)) to keep him for his own sake and safety. Giving up a baby bird you've raised from a chick is not an easy thing to do. :hug8:
 

Dartman

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I/we couldn't do it when we rescued and raised Beeper, our baby House Finch, we rescued from a crow on our roof. I know she was happy though and even sang the song of her people. I think the same thing, after she bonded to us she couldn't be released with a good outcome and she loved her toys and flitting about bothering us and stealing our food and drink and just hanging out.
I'm pretty sure if you want to release any bird you have to raise it so it knows it's a bird and doesn't-imprint/bond with you.
 

iamwhoiam

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I couldn't release Spee due to his non functional legs. If his legs were functional he still couldn't have been released because he was very imprinted.
 

AkasyaEllric

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He's such a cutie! I don't have much mousebird experience, none actually, but looking at when you found him I think he was much older than 2 weeks. He has all his flight feather's it looks like in the photo and I know at least with other species that full feathers is like 6-8 weeks old. You may of found him because he's a fledgling and tried for his first flight and failed. Any of the other mousebird people have more insight?
 

Cayleigh-Anne

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He's such a cutie! I don't have much mousebird experience, none actually, but looking at when you found him I think he was much older than 2 weeks. He has all his flight feather's it looks like in the photo and I know at least with other species that full feathers is like 6-8 weeks old. You may of found him because he's a fledgling and tried for his first flight and failed. Any of the other mousebird people have more insight?
Thank-You he’s really adorable! ❤

I found him on a buzy pathway at my college. I was scared that if I left him he would be stepped on or swept away by the gardeners.

He couldn’t fly yet when I found him. The previous day was a very windy day so I thought maybe he was blown out of his nest. Since Mousebirds make small bowl-like nests.

Here is a picture of Mickey the day I found him. He was totally hopeless.

C1476A57-7A68-41BB-B99B-18AC3D54B647.jpeg
 

AkasyaEllric

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Yeah I would definitely say he was trying his first flight. I'm glad you found him though, not all fledglings survive that. He's such an adorable guy. He almost looks like a cardinal and a hawk had a baby and out popped Mickey haha.
 

Amy Pierce

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Ohh I thought I would release mickey when he becomes independent... but he’s so attached to me and loves people that it’s really impossible to release him. Especially with our dogs - that would not end well.

Mickey is also easily frightened by birds flying past him when he’s outside and really doesn’t like loud noises. I fear he will not make it on his own.

I also love him so much it would be absolutely heart breaking to let him go.

I also read up that Mousebirds are flock birds which means that if they don’t accept a new comer they will kill him.
You are right, mousebirds can't just be released as the local flock is likely to attack. As it is one can't simple just let a bird go - it is a long and often painstaking process of getting them ready for life in the wild. The success rate is not high. And of course we have all the predatory birds, domestic pets and stray cats and dogs. I often wish I could keep all my wild rescues for these reasons, but that would be impossible :rolleyes:

I think I read it on this forum, there was someone who released a tame mousebird by putting her outside in a cage during the day and letting the wild flock interact with her. Once they started feeding her through the bars, she was ready to join them, and it sounds like it was a happy ending for that little bird.

I don't think you need to worry about keeping Mickey :heart: Mousebirds are so loving and so content to be with their humans. My little mousie Nimh has never once shown any inclination to be free. Some other species of birds that I have had would actually die in captivity if I were to keep them - they are just not made to be with us. Nimh also gets frightened by big birds flying past. She sticks her little crest up and shrieks her head off :laugh: It is quite easy for them to fall prey to bigger birds as they really are quite clumsy (especially Speckleds, I don't know how they even stay airborne). :cautious:
 

faislaq

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Cayleigh-Anne

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I agree. He gets more striking with each set of pics. :yes3: Has he reached his "final evolution" yet @Cayleigh-Anne?
Hi haha Mickey seems to be taking his time growing into his final evolution.. but no he still has a bit to go.

Here is a comparison between Mickey and a Mature Redfaced Mousebird. As you can see his entire face still need to take color.

So Cute!!

0CDD8671-B146-4964-A727-961E2E7EB662.jpeg
 

faislaq

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Goodness! I thought the "red-faced" part was the color in his beak. :wideyed:
 

Cayleigh-Anne

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I know... I know....
It’s been a while since I’ve posted a picture of Mickey...

Mickey is still going great and still more adorable than ever ❤❤❤

Here is a picture of Mickey with his new addition to his cage - a Teddy Bear hahaha. He sleeps on it sometimes when I’m not home. So cute!!!

But Mickey still sleeps every night with mee, under my chin haha

F94D97A3-1999-4293-90CD-17147DC918E6.jpeg

Here is where he sleeps with me in bed.... ❤

BC4C911F-04FC-483A-916D-F822B95E8D4D.jpeg
 

iamwhoiam

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Very cute but be careful with him sleeping in bed with you. Things have been OK with that for you and Mickey so far but people have rolled over on their birds and that did not turn out well.
 

Cayleigh-Anne

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#redfacedmousebird

This is how Mickey tries to get my attention when i walk past his cage he’s so damn cute!

Looks like he has little t-rex dinosaur arms

BFCD7496-F7BB-4916-9AE8-99BD15ACB2DF.jpeg

Mickey is absolutely obsessed with my fluffy blanket. He would scratch all around the blanket before deciding to come lie by me. It almost looks like he’s trying to bath in the fur - as if it sand (natural Mousebird instinct to have a sand bath)...

88904E50-1E1A-471B-818B-9DBE657093C6.jpeg

#mousebird
 
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