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Puddings & Toyboys
A blog about my beautiful budgies.
Tag Archives: chewing
Remembering Atilla on her birthday
5 August 2019
Posted by on Remembering Raspy on her birthday
7 August 2016
Posted by on A Taming Tool
1 May 2016
Posted by on Three years ago I posted on the joys of curly paper (click here). The latest recruit is Dalai. He loves curly paper!
He quickly makes short work of what I peg up for him. The floor underneath him is littered with chewed up bits. I thought that curly paper may be the thing that helps with taming. (I say ‘taming’ but I really mean getting Dalai to not be scared of my hand.)
As soon as my hand goes into the cage, Dalai usually retreats to behind a mirror, whether it is his red mirror or the mirror on the swing. Food did not seem to entice him out. Curly paper has. I hold up a strip & let it wave & wobble & gradually his curiosity gets the better of him & he stretches out to chew it. As he tears off the paper, he has to get nearer my fingers. After a few days of doing this, he got to within about 3 inches of my fingers which was a breakthrough, given that he would usually hide. With a little more patience, he tentatively touched the tip of my finger with his beak!
We are now at the stage where he nibbles the tips of my two fingers that are holding what is left of the curly paper. He still does this from the safety of the swing.
I want him to associate nice things with my hand/fingers. I did not think that curly paper would be my ally in this task!
Chewy toy positioning
24 February 2015
Posted by on The chewy toy is still the favoured toy to sleep behind.
When Cagney hurt his leg before Christmas I removed the round swing from the Manor loft area to encourage him to rest his foot more. In its place I put a short but wide perch. I left the older, more threadbare chewy toy in its original place but moved the newer one across to the new perch.
When it came to bedtime & Cagney & Bezukhov made their way to the loft area to sleep, they each positioned themselves directly behind a chewy toy, as can be evidenced in these photos:
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The chewy toy is also an ideal place to hide behind:
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Strangely, they do not appear to be chewing either of the chewy toys much. Perhaps they understand that once chewed the toys will be gone forever? (They do not know that I have spare one!) Or perhaps they realise that the more they chew the less effective the toy is as a hiding place?
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Remembering my girls: Sleeves
2 March 2014
Posted by on Since the passing of my girls, my sleeves have seen no action. Until a few days ago.
I was tending to Phineas & my arm was near the plant pot stand. Suddenly, I felt a gentle tugging on my sleeve. When I turned, I saw Bezukhov on the plant pot stand & he was chewing my sleeve.
To feel that tugging on my sleeve took me right back to those pudding days.
Bezukhov jumped on my arm to have a proper chew. Cagney joined him. Naturally, Phineas had to be involved & landed on my arm, in the middle of Cagney & Bezukhov, instantly dispersing them!
Previously, Bezukhov & Cagney only chewed my sleeve when the girls did. Atilla & Raspy could spend hours chewing my sleeves so Cagney & Bezukhov, being devoted partners, would join them at some point. The girls would have a crook of elbow each & the toyboys would have the length of my arms to play with.
As a reminder, here is Raspy having a good chew:
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Incidentally, in the video I am wearing the same jumper that Bezukhov was pulling at this week. 🙂
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Best spot in the manor
23 April 2013
Posted by on There are usually positions in the cage that are favourites.
Atilla always claimed the spot with the best vantage point for overseeing all that was going on in the room.
The toyboys current favourite spot is behind a chewy toy on the rope perch in the loft area.
During the day one or other of them will often be found sat behind it. During the night, one or other is usually behind it. Cagney is behind it about 9 times out of 10, but sometimes he shifts over & allows Bezukhov to sleep there.
It is a chewy toy so does get chewed. It fell down the other week as they had chewed through the stringy bit holding it up. I gave it a quick repair & popped it back. It is slightly shorter than before, but still warrants best position in the Manor.
Remembering my girls: Lollipop sticks
7 April 2013
Posted by on Who knew that simple wooden lollipop sticks would be so popular? Both Atilla & Raspy were great fans of them. For most of their lives they would be happy to chew away until just a tiny splinter remained. Forget about expensive toys…. just give them a wooden stick! It could keep them quiet for ages.
They were introduced to the sticks when young but used to play with them more than chew. Hours would go by with them just hanging on them, doing the splits, grabbing one away from the other & of course having a nibble.
Here are some videos of them:
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The chick-like nibble would soon turn into full blown adult hen destruction & the sticks would not last long. No matter… I always made sure I had them in stock. 🙂
Remembering Raspy: One year on
23 November 2012
Posted by on This day, last year, was a very, very sad day indeed. Our Raspy left us. At the time it felt far too soon for her to go & 12 months later it still feels that she was with us for too short a time.
She is often in my thoughts. Recently I have been remembering how, when I sat on the (popular) poang chair, she used to spend ages chewing my sleeve, my jumper, my trouser leg, or the chair itself. Many times I would sit for longer than I intended as I did not want to distract her from her obviously very important mission. 🙂
How I miss that girl.