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Original poster

the kids have named the baby budgie....

261 replies

gussiegrips · 15/10/2013 20:38

For reasons which have passed me by, we seem to be having to hand rear a baby budgie.

It is very small and wasn't responding well yesterday. It appears to have grey feathers, like it's dad.

I warned the kids that it was likely to die, and they were not, under any circumstances to give it a name not after the rabbit debacle.

Naturally, I overheard "well, he's grey. We should name him after something to do with grey".

uh oh

"Graeme"

Graeme the budgie. So named, because he's grey. Hope the fecker lives now. Cheered me up no end.

Graeme.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 04/11/2013 19:57

And people think that the inhabitants of DogHouse are a bit bonkers... Grin (My DD plans on having many different types of dogs, one of whom will be called Graham/Graeme, I don't know how she spells it - that'll be the rescue Greyhound of course)

jetstar · 04/11/2013 19:47

We need a budgie update... Worrying here (fingers crossed for Graeme)

Bogeyface · 04/11/2013 00:43

"But how many rats have you taken for breast surgery?"

There are some things you never would have thought you'd read on MN

There some things you never would have thought you'd read anywhere. Ever.

killpeppa · 04/11/2013 00:10

gussie I am having a shit shit shit night & you have made me go to bed with a smile on my face...
(and thoughts about getting a budgie)

RunRabbit · 03/11/2013 22:57

"But how many rats have you taken for breast surgery?"

There are some things you never would have thought you'd read on MN Hmm

PacificDogwood · 03/11/2013 22:14

gussie, just as an aside, you do realise that I am doing my PFE every time I see your NN? BlushGrin

Yes, write that book - I'll buy several copies too.

thegreylady · 03/11/2013 21:58

Mine was called Tony Grin
gussie you seriously need to write a book your style is absorbing and chuckle making. Graeme could make you a fortune there could be a series of Graeme Gussie books about a blue budgie named Graeme because he started og grey. I will buy several copies.

littlewhitebag · 03/11/2013 21:50

I have just looked at his picture. Graeme is very cute. Good name too.

We had several budgies when i was young.

The first was called Nippy because, well he was a nippy little bugger.

The second was called Bluey. It's obvious why he was called this.

The third was called..... The Fonz. Thanks Bro. Hmm

JollyStoutGiant · 03/11/2013 21:36

This is lovely :)

AnyCoffeeFucker · 03/11/2013 20:57

Oh bless him. I ve just seen this. So glad hes ok. You are amazing for managing to find a vet for him , I have to go to the text town for mine as well. Its such a pain.

You are being careful with him out and about ? Can he fly yet ? Would hate for him to do a runner. Or a flutter ! :)

Original poster
gussiegrips · 03/11/2013 20:36

Excellent, frouby.

PM me your address and I'll post him to you first thing.

Thanks.

OP posts:
froubylou · 03/11/2013 20:31

Awww bless him. I need a graeme in my life.

I think I luffs him a bit too.

LondonInHighHeeledBoots · 03/11/2013 20:14

I love your budgie storiesGrin Glad to hear his leg is healing.

You realise the footie mums, Clarks lady and the hairdresser will forever think of you as the Weird Bird Lady right?

But this ^^ is why I don't do pets. My children will be allowed a pet rock that they can pretend is a tortoise like Nana has. And they will have to feed it themselves!

PacificDogwood · 03/11/2013 20:12

Go, Graeme, go

He looks adorable on your photos, gussie - well done for your perseverance. You should have a medal for Services to Budgiehood Grin.

He'll have your kids eating raw broccoli in no time.

If that works, I may need to borrow him... Hmm

Original poster
gussiegrips · 03/11/2013 20:03

Graeme the kamikaze budgie only broke a toe in his tumble.

So, we can conclude that the runt is also a Big Jessie seeing as how he does this weirdly dramatic flap/hop business to get about, but, mostly just squawks for someone to lift him to his desired spot.

He's utterly spoiled. Kids carry him around all the time, and he's developed a really good act of waving his leg about like "oh, my sore foot" in order to get attention.

Finished the antibiotics, still on the other concoctions - have to say, apart from the gammy leg, he does look better. More sleek and less like a chick. Though, still scraggy. It's part of his appeal, mind.

We were out all day yesterday, and he needs feeding/painkillers. So, I channelled my inner Paris Hilton and took him in my handbag. In a nestbox, I'm not a complete idiot. It's a giant bag, a proper MumBag with plenty of space for a budgie. I will concede that explaining why my bag was cheeping to the other football parents, the woman in Clarks shoe shop, and the hairdressers was not something I had anticipated when we embarked on this foolish exercise.

Next step is weaning him. He's somewhat reluctant. But, I can't keep up feeding him 4 times a day forever. He's going to have to accept that broccoli is food...something I'm hoping will rub off on the kids "well, you know, Graeme doesn't moan about broccoli".

I'll get my money's worth out of this stupid bird if it fecking kills him.

OP posts:
Original poster
gussiegrips · 01/11/2013 18:22

Spacefrog - now, THAT's what I call a budgie!

Poor wee thing. He's keeping the left leg tucked up really tight and his foot's not gripping anything. He can move it, but really doesn't want to.

I can't feel a break - but, I'm reluctant to poke too hard as (1) I'm not a vet and (2) it doesn't take much force to deal with a roast chicken carcass and I'd feel fairly bad if I pulled his leg right off...

I have a mental image of some sort of strap-on-pirate-leg gadget to let him perch. Here's a top tip - Don't Under Any Circumstances google "strap on budgie" if looking for a leg splint.

OP posts:
Spacefrog35 · 01/11/2013 17:47

Absolutely loving this thread Grin

Never had a budgie but my Nans became a family legend when he necked her Christmas sherry, climbed up the curtains pissed before falling off & nearly drowning in the washing up Confused

PacificDogwood · 01/11/2013 17:33

Aw, your Graeme stories are just lovely Grin

The bird owes you big time - you tell him I said that!!

Hope the poor leg is ok.
Do birds actually break legs?? I thought they just bounce... Confused

Original poster
gussiegrips · 01/11/2013 15:23

OHMAIGAWSHDISASTER!

He's been much better today, hurrah for the teenytiny medication....until....

Was cleaning out the cage, he was sitting on top of the nestbox, watching. Launched himself off it, missed whatever he was going for, landed on the floor.

I think he's broken his leg.

Sat with him for ages, he has sore leg tucked up tight and dozed off - naturally, I visualised flail chest, internal bleeding and awfulness. But, he's perked up and seems ok in himself.

Got him cosied up in a heated box. Vet's going to cost me a fortune. Again.

Stupid bird. I luffs him. Possibly definitely more than I love DH.

No. More. Pets.

OP posts:
OculaLongifrons · 31/10/2013 16:53

love the y-chromosome comment Grin

killpeppa · 31/10/2013 13:11

go on Graeme!

Original poster
gussiegrips · 31/10/2013 13:05

Took Graeme to the vet today. He's ok, just failing to thrive. Still got baby feathers, refusing to feed himself but is constantly hungry, and wants constant attention. I am fairly sure these are symptoms of having a Y-chromosome.

There's a shortage of avian vets, it seems. You have to book into the university's exotic clinic. That's about 25 miles from where I live.

Anyhoo, after a lot of poking and prodding by the (really excellent) vet we were given a diagnosis.

Graeme is a runt.

Happily, there is treatment. So, I came home with the world's smallest syringes and an assortment of concoctions to feed him in 0.01ml doses. He has to have these things once, twice, or three times a day for either two, alternate, or seven days. Erm, ok.

Oh, and, I left the vets with 65 fewer pounds.

It had better bloody live, I want at LEAST 10 years of skateboarding and talking out of Graeme. I expect my money's worth.

Sixty-five quid. Sheesh. And, I had my eye on a steam cleaner to clean up all his poop too.

OP posts:
PacificDogwood · 28/10/2013 16:09

I came across this thread this morning and it's taken me ALL this time to read all 4 pages of it - damn you, you distracting offspring with your annoying needs

I feel like I know Graeme Blush - brilliant name.
Brilliant family with fabulous pet history Grin

2Old2BeABluePeterPresenter · 28/10/2013 14:20

Glad to hear Graeme is still with us :) I'm sure he'll get perkier and stronger.

Madratlady · 28/10/2013 14:19

15 on purpose. Well, not exactly on purpose - I'm no longer allowed to look at rehoming ads on gumtree or animal rescue pages. There's a couple we planned to get but most were being rehomed or were in a rescue. Or a couple who were in tiny tanks in the pets at home adoption centre because nobody had bought them and we felt sorry for them.

I would love a pregnant rat just so I could have the experience of all the crazy hyper rat babies, I'd never breed mine though, there's too many unwanted animals as it is.