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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:
YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 21/10/2013 21:24

Gussie you have made me howl with laughter. Please, please keep getting pets.

Dontlookbehindyou · 21/10/2013 21:12

We resorted to fish, two weeks after getting them, ds was still obsessed (still is after a couple of months to be fair) one got sick, risking it spreading to the whole tank, one night when ds was in bed Dh released it into the wild like free willy flushed it'd finally konked it, luckily the rest are still healthy and ds can't count high enough to know there's one missing.

ReindeerBollocks · 21/10/2013 20:29

You should write a book about having childhood pets!

I think the bunny debacle is fabulous... except for the new guineas we just bought - i have a feeling it may go that way for us too, hopefully with out the baby guineas.

Go graeme budgie!

btw - are tortoises easier than rodents? I was put off tortoises due to a MN thread, however you make them sound surprisingly low maintenance - and I don't mind pets so long as they are low maintenance.

Original poster
gussiegrips · 21/10/2013 19:56

sixteenth Mr Gussie is no fun, no fun at all.

He was reared with chickens. Many bad memories at missing the winning goal because of slipping in a poultry poo. That, and being attacked by the cockerel. I assume that in his younger days he had the look of a pullet about him?

And, nope, don't need to regurgitate. I DID need to buy budgie formula (that's a thing) and I may have been using my parmesan grater to grind cuttlefish into powder so it can be added.

And, I might have planted some millet seeds thinking it'd be naice for him.

If the bloody thing dies I'm going to have to come up with a whole new bunch of excuses about why I haven't done any hoovering/cooking/laundry...

OP posts:
FancyPuffin · 21/10/2013 19:39
Grin
thesixteenthtry · 21/10/2013 19:31

Did you have to regurgitate budgie seed for Graeme? And gnaw cuttle fish to show him how?
Why won't Mr Gussie allow chicken? They lay eggs and if they die you can casserole them.

MrsCinnamon · 21/10/2013 19:00

Aw, he IS cute. Thanks for the pic. Don't you dare die, Graeme! You have to make it, now you have mn fame.

SarahAndFuck · 21/10/2013 18:50

Grin Best to get these talks over early. Saves worse later on.

2Old2BeABluePeterPresenter · 21/10/2013 18:41

Hahahaha @ the tale of the quails! I.got my sex ed from gerbils don't ask

Graeme is very cute :)

Original poster
gussiegrips · 21/10/2013 18:36

Right, Puffin...are you sitting comfortably?

Quails.

When you put the budgies outside into an aviary (which cost HOW MUCH) you need to get quails because you have long coveted hens but DH says "no" to eat the fallen seed. To stop you from getting vermin. doesn't work, I nearly stood on a gallus wee mouse this morning

I bought six female adorable fluffy little bumblebees from some bloke in a carpark (hmmm. Mistakes are often purchased from some bloke in a carpark, no?)

One of them had the most glorious golden markings on his head - named "Sunny" and voted "favourite".

A few weeks later, and Sunny was rodgering everyone else. And, not in a good way. Violent pecking, raw plucked necks - he went all Chris Brown on my wee Rhiannas.

The problem with that was my 9 year old daughter's introduction to sex ed was a bit skewed...

"Mummy?"
"mmm?"
"you know when the quails are mating?"
"Mmm"
"you know how Sunny jumps on top of the female?"
"Mmm"
"is that what it's like in humans?"
"Erm, it can be. Why do you ask?"
"Because Daddy's quite big. Don't you get squashed?"
"...."
now, a better mother than me would be able to come up with an appropriate response. I am not a good mum...and heard my voice saying:
"don't worry about that. A gentleman always leans on his elbows"
"Oh. Good"

No. More. Pets.

OP posts:
Original poster
gussiegrips · 21/10/2013 18:13

Photo up. Keep your expectations low, it's a bit like internet dating - the reality doesn't quite match the mental image. He's not much of a looker, and is kind of self centred.

There's one of him about 10 days ago too - it's amazing how quickly they develop. The prawn like blob next to him is one of the ill-fated siblings, ceremonially buried in the communal plot (bin collection day came and went without discovery).

Still not convinced he's going to make it. Seems ok, but sleeps a lot and isn't as curious as I'd expect. Ach well, perhaps he takes after me?

OP posts:
spiderlight · 21/10/2013 13:04

Go Graeme!! GrinGrin

JumpingJackSprat · 21/10/2013 12:32

Ha ha your kids sound really cute as does Graeme... I like budgies but they're just so noisy!

ElizabethBathory · 21/10/2013 12:31

You stay alive Graeme, no matter what occurs!

2Old2BeABluePeterPresenter · 21/10/2013 12:15

'Graeme Gang' Grin I like it, do I have to send 50p for my badge?

Original poster
gussiegrips · 21/10/2013 12:05

Am trying to!

He's gone to sleep on my rolls of fat. He's so comfy, got his wee neck stretched out. You'll have to wait until he wakens up, if I can reach my phone I'll take a photo...

OP posts:
FancyPuffin · 21/10/2013 12:04

gussie Grin

Please tell more stories

MrsCinnamon · 21/10/2013 11:55

Please please a FluffyGraeme pic!

Original poster
gussiegrips · 21/10/2013 10:14

I could get badges with photos of him on?

"Graeme Gang"?

OP posts:
2Old2BeABluePeterPresenter · 21/10/2013 09:41

I'm getting emotionally invested in this budgie, we need pictures Gussie :)

Original poster
gussiegrips · 21/10/2013 09:18

Yep - will see how that works. hing oan!

He was poorly yesterday - lost weight, dribbly bum, not perky at all. Uh Oh.

So, instead of doing everything I should have been doing I fed him honeyed water and sloppy formula every two hours. Which meant he needed to be bathed as he's a messy feeder.

That fluffed him right up - and led to a new hobby of "pick the weird skin stuff off the new feather". It's a bit like picking your spots, but makes the subject look cute instead of scabby.

Today, bum better, sitting on a finger, seems to be ok. Hope so, I luffs him.

OP posts:
kukeslala · 19/10/2013 09:12

Aww can we have a pic?

Original poster
gussiegrips · 19/10/2013 08:58

Am delighted to share that Graeme seems to be doing ok.

He's got actual feathers, still looks scraggy, but, at least he can keep himself warm. He can perch (wobbily) on a finger, and nibbles at Things.

Of course, I didn't expect him to make it this far - and so any suggestions about how to teach him how to hull seeds with his beak, drink from the feeder, or, you know, fly, would be gratefully received.

Weegiemum - where do you keep your rabbit and pigs - are they inside? I wondered whether our mistake was putting them out. Well, one of the mistakes.

OP posts:
changeforthebetter · 18/10/2013 19:40

Ace Grin

Weegiemum · 18/10/2013 19:35

We have a great rescue rabbit, who glories in the name Speedy MacReadie. But we have 3 very rabbit friendly children who love him to death. And guinea pigs. And now dd2 wants a kitten. It's turning into pet Central here - though it was hamster cemetery for a while - we did not do hamsters well!