Remembering Riley

I like to remember our “rainbow budgies” on their hatchdays. Today would have been Riley’s.
This year I decided to make videos. I wish Riley’s video were longer, but she wasn’t a fan of the camera, and her time with us was short.

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 parts of her 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).

If only we had had more time her. Riley became such a happy, playful little budgie and 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 like Riley a happily ever after.
*Riley’s mite problem could have been easily fixed, but her previous owner let it get to a horrible state and then just released her. Budgies are not disposable and many will need vet care at some point in their lives. Please make sure you are willing and able to provide this care if needed before deciding to bring a budgie into your life.

Remembering Emmy

This year, in honor of our “rainbow” budgies, I decided to share videos of them. Today would have been Emmy’s hatchday.

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.
She was a messy eater and often had a face full of mash. She would sometimes nap with her little bum up in the air. She was an adorable little dumpling.

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. We are so lucky we found her. If you are thinking of adding a budgie to your family, please consider adopting.




Remembering Lera

I like to celebrate our “rainbow” budgies on what would have been their hatchdays. Today would have been Lera’s. This year I decided to make videos to look back on our happy memories.

Feisty, curious and adorable. That was our little Lera.
We found Lera on Craigslist in 2014. Her owner was going off to college, and the family was looking for someone to adopt her.
After her quarantine, she joined the flock, and wasted no time showing everybudgie who was boss.
Lera loved baths, toys, cauliflower and getting into everything.
Unfortunately, Lera had issues with her health. She had to have regular beak trims, and in her later years with us, would visit our avian vet occasionally to have fluid withdrawn from her abdomen. None of this slowed her down in any way.
Lera was doted on by Gordie, then later Harvey and Felix. And of course, her humans. Lera packed a lot of personality into a tiny body and we loved her very much – we were so lucky to have found her.
If you are looking to add a budgie to your family, please consider adopting. There are some amazing little budgies out there who need a happily ever after.

Remembering Felix

I like to celebrate our “rainbow” budgies on what would have been their hatchdays. Today would have been Felix’s. This year I decided to make videos to look back on our happy memories.


We adopted Felix from Craigslist (his former owners wanted to concentrate on their cockatiels).

Felix was a very handsome little devil. He had a biting problem when we first brought him home, but he mellowed out as he began to trust us. He received many kisses despite the occasional nip. He really was a sweet fellow at heart.

Felix was a great friend to the other budgies. He flirted with our girls, but he loved Lera (his tweetheart). He enjoyed baths and millet and would fly to my finger when I called for him. He loved to chew up balsa, and talk to himself in the mirror. He was a very handsome boy and we treasured the nine years we had with him.

Remembering Ozzie

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

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.