I mean that literally. I'll get to that in a minute.

My parakeet, Buddy, is doing very well after his close encounter with my mom's cat a while ago. (Which I posted a topic about earlier). He's also molting. So he's had it kind of rough lately. But he's getting back to his old self. He was in a really good mood today...he was chirping a lot and was very friendly. I took him out of his cage to hold him and pet him, and he was very calm. He liked me scratching his head, and he perched on my finger for a long time, just preening. And he seems less anxious to get back to his cage now. He's more comfortable to stay out and let me hold him for a longer time.

I've had Buddy for a little over 2 months now, and I've learned something else about his personality...he's very stubborn. When he wants to do something or go somewhere, he's going to do it regardless. Well, over the past couple of days or so, he's been doing something hilarious. When I take him out of his cage and pet him, he'll calmly sit in my hand for me to pet him for a while, but then he'll jump up on my shoulder and climbs up on my back. And then he won't get off! If I try to get him to step onto my hand, he'll just go over to my other shoulder, and I can't reach him. If I try to reach to that side of my back, he'll calmly walk over to the other side. And he keeps doing that. I know he's doing it on purpose. I think he found some kind of new game. He'll just sit calmly on my back, preening, or nibbling on my hair. Eventually, I can get him to step onto my finger, but he's stubborn about it. And even then sometimes he'll just jump right back on my shoulder.

It's not a problem, and I think it's pretty funny actually. I can walk around the room with him just calmly sitting on my shoulder or my back. I'm just curious about why he's doing this. He just started doing this. Is it because birds feel safer being up higher? Or is he trying to get closer to me? Or is he just trying to play some kind of game?

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Chipper - birdie with an attitude

RIP Buddy Birdie. I love you.

I can't tell if Buddy's cere is white or pink...

Millet seems to be a great treat! Chances are, Buddy feels comfortable up on your shoulders and enjoys being up there! Get some millet or some of his favorite foods to lure him down!

Yeah, it's really hard to tell what color his cere is right now. So I'm still not completely sure whether it's a "he" or "she"! But I took those pictures a while ago, and it looks like his cere is starting to turn purple. In sunlight, it definitely looks bluish. I've also read that males tend to be a little more friendly and easier to tame. And Buddy was very easy to tame and he's definitely friendly. He's just stubborn. Well, either way it's a really cool little bird and a good friend.

I think Buddy is playing a game with me, because he likes playing chase games. After I first tamed him, I would take him into the bathroom to let him explore and walk around. But then after a while he started doing this thing where he would run away from my hand when I tried to pick him up. I knew he wasn't afraid, because he would always come right back to me. And then when I would reach down to pick him up, he would walk or run away, keeping just out of my reach. It was like he wanted me to chase him. He would run around the bathroom, always taking the same path, and then come right back to me. Then if I sat down on the floor, he climbed up onto my leg and on my lap. I also have a toy ball he likes to play with. He'll push it with his beak and chase after it. Now, every time I take him into the bathroom, or if I take out the ball, he knows it's playtime and he wants to play that chase game with me. Any other time, he'll sit and wait for me to pick him up and he'll climb right back into my hand. So he probably thinks it's funny when I can't reach him on my back and he keeps going from one shoulder to the other!

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Chipper - birdie with an attitude

RIP Buddy Birdie. I love you.

omg thats so cute! i have a cat that does that :/ good that he has overcome his ordeal and happy again.

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You've never reached into the depths of your soul until you've loved an animal~~

Midori

I officially adopted an English Budgie last week. He's really warming up and wants that out of cage time. Thankfully he seems happy to use the playpen I have and I'm going to try to keep him enjoying it. But when I pick him up, we'll play ladders, he'll get on my shoulder and that's about it. He's NOT coming off. He'll get very nippy and squeak in protest at me for trying to remove him. Gotta make sure he's not in charge.... that would be the parrotlet's job. One stubborn bird-child is enough.

They do love their humans though.

Hahaha, I could just imagine him dodging you while reading your story ! Males are more likly to talk then females and males are more easy going. Males cere are purple or blue. Purple means he is a young male. Blue means he is a adult male. Females are less likey to talk , but I do not know why. Females are a little more stubborn and bossy but can still make good pets. He just loves you and feels safer near you, budgies are definitely a macaw in a small body ! So glad he is over the horrible event !

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God loved the birds and invented trees, man loved birds and invented cages.
- Jacques Deval


A bird does not sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song
- Chinese Proverb

We think caged birds sing, when they indeed cry .
- John Webster

Number One Pet Peeve, BUDGIES ARE PARROTS
TOO !!!

I know this feeling all too well! My budgie, Spooky, likes to play games with me when he knows he has to go away. He isn't clipped so he'll fly from cage to cage getting away from me. He'll come back to me, land on my shoulder, chirp happily in my ear, step up onto my finger, allow me to approach his cage, and then zoom off across the bedroom onto the rope hanging from my ceiling. Eventually I get him away. It's just too funny to see these little guys be so naughty. I always ask Spooky "Are you being a naughty bird?" and now when he's in his cage talking to himself I hear him saying that to the little bird in the mirror. He's a piece of work. Definitely has more personality than my conures. Sometimes when he's moody and nips at me I swear he thinks he's a macaw and not a budgie.

this is too funny, I have 4 birds that won't get off me!...my lovebird, and 3 cockatiels. they fly to me when I enter the room, and chew on my necklace, or prune my hair, or just want to be patted...when it comes time to leave, I can put the cockatiels back no problem, but it's the lovebird who is the persistant one and keeps coming back on me. It makes me laugh sometimes, but when I have to leave it becomes somewhat annoying. I understand she just wants my company, and sometimes I have to put her back in her cage, just so I can exit the room

I have always found budgies to be so playful. They love chase games, and try "hide & seek", by either covering them with your hand, or a small cloth. They'll come out looking for you! Mine also like hanging upside down, by sitting on my finger, and turning my hand over. They hang there, and look around, like where is this? And, "tug of war", with a string or rawhide strip. Drag it along, let them grasp it, and you pull further. They'll pull back, or follow through. Also, let them chase it. All these little games are good for your bird, (any bird). It's exercise, plus bonding time between you both. Have fun!

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It is no coincidence that Birds and Angels both have wings! If God made anything more wonderful than Birds, He kept it for Himself!

Buddy sounds like such a character!

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Christa