Tag Archives: rainbow budgie

Gordie

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This year for the budgie’s hatchdays, I’m sharing videos.

Gordie the Gold Star Budgie:
Gordie was an older budgie. We never really knew how old he was. We were his third (possibly fourth) home. His last owner estimated him at five, but he could have been (and we suspect he was) much older. When we picked up Gordie, he only had one toy in his cage – a yellow mirror.

During Gordie’s quarantine, he just sat on his perch looking at himself in his mirror. He didn’t play with his new toys, move around much or call out to the other budgies. He wasn’t finger tame (but would sit on our shoulders). His previous owner told us that the family who gave her Gordie thought he was “boring”.

Gordie became a different bird once his quarantine was up and he moved in with the flock. He bonded quickly with his lookalike Ozzie. We think Ozzie was “the bird in the mirror” finally coming out to play. With patience, Gordie started stepping up. He expressed interest in what the other budgies were doing, playing with toys and nibbling on veggies and millet. Gordie became interested in us as well. If we stood by the cage, he would make his way right up to the bars to see us. He was the only budgie who did this. I think he liked kissy noises and being told what a good budgie he was. And he was a such a good little budgie.

When Gordie’s flight feathers started coming in he began to make the voyage from the cage to the little play gym on top of the bookcase. He really enjoyed being up high and would happily sit on his “gym” chirping to himself or the other birds. It took a lot of effort for Gordie to fly about. It could have been his age or perhaps he never had the chance to fly before. One of his wings was a little crooked – maybe that made it more difficult to fly. In any case, sometimes I would give him a little ride on his play gym back to the cage. Gordie also “hobbled” when he walked up and down on the perches. He was a little slower than the other budgies, but did his best to keep up with his friends.

We were thrilled when Gordie bonded with Lera. They were an adorable pair, constantly grooming each other. When Lera was ill, Gordie was so sweet and attentive, feeding her and cuddling with her on the bottom of the cage. I think he was key factor in her amazing recovery. This is what earned him the title of “Gold Star Budgie.”

Gordie loved to take baths. When he was finished he liked to sit on the rim of the bird bath and gaze out the window. One day he even plopped himself into my water glass. He had great fun climbing out and dunking back in.

I think because Gordie was an older budgie, he had a special place in our hearts. We wanted so much to give him happiness in his golden years. He was a sweet little fellow and we were lucky to have been able to share the short amount of time with him that we did. Seeing him playing, flying and interacting with the other budgies brought us so much joy. I just wish we had been able to have more time with him.

If you are thinking about adopting a budgie, please consider giving a senior bird a happily ever after.


Emmy

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On March 7th of this year, we said goodbye to our little Emmy.

I wasn’t ready to post about it until now – first Cooper, and then Emmy. 2024 has not been the best year for our flock.
Emmy had started to throw up, so we took her to our avian vet. They ran some labs, and put her on antibiotics until the results came back. They suspected avian gastric yeast.
She started losing weight and was listless and poofy, even though she was still eating. So we took her back to the vet. She spent two days/nights there while they tube fed her, treated her and tried to find out what was wrong. Xrays showed a large inoperable tumor that was blocking the passage of food to her stomach.
We knew there was nothing we could do, and didn’t want her to suffer, so we held her and said our goodbyes. We told her we loved her and gave her kisses. She was given anesthesia, and while she was asleep an injection sent her peacefully over the rainbow bridge.

We found Emmy on Craigslist in November of 2013.The people who were rehoming her had bought her as a pet for their toddler. She still had her baby bars and was terrified of us. It took months for her to start to trust us. Emmy was a bundle of energy and very playful. Maybe too playful for the other budgies. Ozzie was the only budgie who would put up with her shenanigans, and eventually they became tweethearts.
Emmy loved being with the other budgies. She always wanted to be in the thick of things.

Emmy was our “big baby”. We think she had some English budgie in her, as she was larger than the rest of the flock. She was a beauty, too. And so soft – she had the fluffiest feathers.
I loved kissing her whipped cream belly. And she smelled divine.
Emmy was a sweet little girlfriend to Ozzie, and a good friend to Sunny and Cooper.
I hope she and the rest of the flock are together now, feasting on millet, shredding wood, singing and flying free.

Remembering Sunny

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I like to share memories of our “rainbow” budgies on what would have been their hatchdays.
This year I decided to share videos.

Sunny had a sweet, gentle, playful nature. But she also had a “naughty” side. She liked to tip over her food dish, nibble on books or investigate off limit areas. She was a good little girlfriend to Dewey and companion to our girls.
She was a water baby, and absolutely loved baths and spritzes. After bath time, she would be drenched.
A favorite game was to drop toys off the top of the cage for me to catch. She was often beak deep in balsa, and when she could no longer fly (due to arthritis) Sunny enjoyed her playtime on the floor with her footies. When she was ready to go back to her cage, she would hop on our feet to let us know.

Sunny was such a constant – we had her for 9 “Sunny” years. We are lucky we had her in our lives, and for all the wonderful memories we have of our time with her.
*If you are looking to add a bird to your family, please consider adopting a rehomed or rescue bird.

Remembering Ozzie

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I like to share memories of our “rainbow” budgies on what would have been their hatchdays.
This year I decided to share videos.

We adopted Ozzie from the animal shelter in 2012. He had been attacked by a cat and a good Samaritan found him and brought him in. As soon as they patched up his puncture wounds and nursed him to health, he was put up for adoption. How lucky we were to bring him home. He was so friendly and very easy to tame.

If there was a budgie yearbook, Ozzie would have been voted “Best All Around.” He was the perfect budgie. And so photogenic! He was very chatty – if you talked to him, he would “talk” back. Not words, but vocalizations. But he sounded exactly like he understood what you were saying.
He was the flock welcome wagon. He was so sweet to the newbies. He showed them the ropes – how to play and how to eat their veggies. Ozzie loved any toy he could nibble on. He enjoyed his baths and Romaine lettuce was his favorite – maybe even more than millet.

When we brought baby Emmy into the fold, all the budgies ignored her at first. Except Ozzie. He let her pester him, and over time became her sweetheart.

We were blessed to have Ozzie in our lives for over 10 years. If you are thinking of adding a bird to your family, please consider adopting (rehomed or from a shelter). You may end up with a bird (almost) as wonderful as Ozzie.

Remembering Dewey

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I like to share memories of our “rainbow” budgies on what would have been their hatchdays.
This year I decided to share videos.

Today we are thinking of our darling Dewey on what would have been his hatchday.
Dewey was our second budgie. We brought him home to be a companion for Cooper. He was just a baby, and an awkward baby at that. It didn’t take long for him to win our hearts.
Dewey grew into a striking fellow. He was best buddies with Ozzie, and soon became the flock leader.

Dewey enjoyed his oats and would “bliss out” eating them. He liked to make confetti out of carrots, and play with his mirrored dice. He was an amazing flier – quick and acrobatic. What Dewey loved most though, was Sunny. He fell head over heels for her at first sight. He was a devoted boyfriend and was always at her side.

Dewey was such a wonderful little budgie. He was very gentle and a friend to all. Though he left us in 2014, we still miss his presence. He was a sweet, handsome fellow who left us with many happy memories.

Cooper’s Travels

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We had lots of trips to various countries planned this year, but Cooper decided that Heaven would be the next stamp in her passport.
Here she is at the pearly gates. She is going to meet up with her flock, Dewey, Sunny, Ozzie, Alfie, Lera, Gordie, Harvey, Felix and Riley. She will splash in fountains, eat all the delicious millet she wants and fly free in clear blue sunny skies.

The Littlest Angel

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On Saturday, January 13, Cooper crossed over the rainbow bridge.

On Friday, the 5th we noticed Cooper had a little bulge on her abdomen. It wasn’t there the previous day, and she was fine otherwise. We made an appointment for the next day with our avian vet.
They withdrew some fluid, tested her blood and gave her a lupron injection in case it was a reproductive issue (in 2016 Cooper had egg removal surgery when she became egg bound). The vet suspected a tumor, as the bulge was firm.

Her labs returned showing elevated uric acid levels and an elevated white blood cell count. The vet suspected a kidney tumor and an infection. So I went back to the vet to pick up some antibiotics for Cooper.

Over the next few days Cooper was slowing down. We moved her into the “condo” so she would be more comfortable. Emmy would visit her and preen her and keep her company. The following Friday we took her back to the vet for a recheck. There wasn’t anything they could do for her, but they prescribed additional antibiotics and pain meds on the chance that she might rally.
Cooper declined quickly that evening. We brought her out to the living room and put her on my chest on a blanket that was on a heating pad.
We spent the early morning hours just snuggling her and telling her what a wonderful budgie she was and how much she was loved. Later she cuddled up against my neck (which she used to do as a young budgie). Around 11 am she passed away.

Cooper was our amazing little budgie. We were so lucky to have her in our lives. She brought us so many blessings. I don’t think I will ever be able to express how wonderful she was and how much I loved her.
Life won’t be the same without her.

Remembering Riley

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I like to remember our “rainbow budgies” on their hatchdays.
Today would have been Riley’s.

We found Riley on the website of the San Diego Humane Society. She had been found outdoors and brought to the shelter by a good Samaritan. She was in a horrible state. She had a severe mite infestation, with an overgrown beak. She had growths on her face and toes and was missing some toes. We think she was only able to see out of one eye.
The vets at the shelter treated her, and when she was in better health and ready to be adopted out, we brought her home.
We named her Riley in the hopes that she would be “living the life of Riley” with us. Her nickname was “Smiley Riley” as her beak disfigurement gave her the appearance of smiling.

Riley’s health improved and after quarantine, she became part of the flock. She loved being with the other budgies, eating veggies, flying about and taking baths. She was very attached to Emmy and followed her like a little shadow.
Every two to three weeks we would take her to the vet for beak trims and any follow up care she needed.

Sadly, after only 15 months with us, she began to decline. Her labs showed kidney problems and possible cancer (she had a recurring growth on her face).

I wish we had had more time with us, she became such a happy, playful little budgie. We treasured every moment with her.

As always, if you are thinking of adding a bird to your family, please consider adopting and giving a little bird a happily ever after.