Cooper’s Cuties

Meet Duster!1I’m Duster, I’m a little budgie who lives in New Zealand, but really I’m a cheeky monkey! I love to be involved in everything my Human does – we eat, talk, sing, play, and shower together. We also help each other with grooming as I love head scratches.2I love so many things – my friends, kisses, millet, rolled oats, baby birrrrrds, veggies, sprouts, Cheops Feijoas, adventures, rugby, the All Blacks, flying, talking, Little Humans and showing off my underfluffies (yes you heard the word from me first!!).3My most favourite thing, other than my Human, are my little blue lids. I have so much fun playing games with them and with my other lids – all my friends around the world know how much I love them.

Every Friday I celebrate Flip A Lid Friday on my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Duster.NZ). I also have a Lid Lovers Club as some of my friends love lids too!

I can do tricks with my lids…

And I can play drums…

I make my Human so happy, and I try to bring kindness, smiles and laughs through sharing my adventures with my friends throughout the world. You can find me at…

www.facebook.com/Duster.NZ
www.youtube.com/DusterNZ
www.DusterNZ.blogspot.co.nz

Cooper’s Book Report

This month’s book is The Birds of Pandemonium by Michele Raffin.1The Birds of Pandemonium is the story of Michele Raffin and her family, who went from taking in six doves (originally meant to be just one) to running Pandemonium Aviaries, one of the largest non profit, (non companion) bird sanctuaries in the United States.

Cooper absolutely loved this book. At times humorous, and at times heart-breaking, the story of how her aviaries grow is always fascinating. Through trial and error, and with the help of other breeders, vets and conservationists the author proves that one person can truly make a difference.

Cooper’s favorite birds in the book were Amigo and Shana, two sassy parrots. She also liked reading about Sweetie (a coturnix Japanese quail), a darling little bird who was found at a grocery store in a paper bag on top of the celery (perhaps someone’s future dinner?).  She thought the author did a great job of showing that birds have personalities, feelings and intelligence. She also liked the color photos of some of the featured birds.

The aviaries sound beautiful – colorful and filled with plants and artwork. Cooper thinks we should build her one. She might even share it with the rest of the flock…

You can read more about Pandemonium Aviaries here.

1095 days of Sunny

Yet another budgie “joined the flock” anniversary. Well, January is adopt a budgie month…

Three years ago, we brought home this little lemon head. She was for sale on craigslist.

2013nb120142s201515s2016s16Sunny went from a frightened little bird to a sweet, curious budgie. She is crazy about baths, paper towel tubes and exploring little hidey holes. Her current favorite activity is crawling in and under the bird cage cover (when it’s crumpled on a table). Ozzie is her partner in crime and friend with “benefits”. Every once in awhile I’ll find that the bird on my shoulder is Sunny. She is a shining example that you should never give up on finger taming your budgie. It may takes months (and months and months. And months.), especially if you are working with a rehomed or rescue budgie. But there is no feeling quite like winning over the trust of a budgie. Especially when he or she is as wonderful as out little Sunnerbunners.

Happy anniversary Sunny- we love you!

730 days of Lera

Two years ago, we brought home little Lera.

201414She’s the tiniest of the flock, but no one messes with Lera.

201515Lera had a rough 2015. She’s been to the vet a few times. Once for a scary bulge (it turned out to be fluid). Her beak overgrows, so she needs the occasional trim. Her symptoms seem to indicate liver problems. So she gets lots of veggies and gets two drops of milk thistle (non-alcoholic, of course) a day. Lera is a miracle budgie. She’s a fighter and always bounces back. Keep it up Lera!

2016l16Lera loves to hang out in Sido’s food bowl and chew on anything (got to work that beak). She is obsessed with the container I keep the bird covers in. She doesn’t like baths (she did at one time), but will sometimes take a dip in the water bowls. She spends a lot of time fending of the advances of Felix (who is her shadow), but she will let him feed her. Only Harvey is allowed to groom her.

Lera is our scrappy little spitfire. We adore her. Happy anniversary Lera – we love you!