Two as one

For those with lots of birds, it must be difficult to keep track of their whereabouts.  At times, I find it difficult with just three.  Instinctively, I do a roll call, especially if I have been out of the room for a few minutes during their out-of-cage time.  A count to three does not take long (three seconds!) but sometimes the search for the missing third can take longer.

The other day, I was sitting at my table, working.  All was quiet, so quiet that I stopped what I was doing to visually check all was okay.

• Phineas preening in the manor – check.
• Cagney snoozing in the Ferplast – check.
• Bezukhov… where is Bezukhov?

The first areas to scan are near the seed pots.  Nope, no sign.  At the window?  No.  Behind the chewy toy?  No.

Oh, THERE he is….  Sitting next to Cagney!

Cagney & Bezukhov sitting together

 

 

Chewy toy positioning

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:

Bezukhov hiding behind chewy toy

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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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Going undercover

As part of their “winding down for bedtime” routine, I put a small cover over the back of the toyboys’ loft area.  Often Phineas is still out & about.

One time, when I came back into the room, I could not see Phineas anywhere, but then noticed a mysterious bump under the cover.

Where’s Phinny??

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Hmm…. when I looked closer, there he was, settled underneath.

Hiding!

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In the old days, when I used to have to catch him to put him to bed, he would hide under the cover.  Nowadays he likes going in & out just for the hell of it.  Unlike the toyboys, he does not link the cover with “time for bed”.  Actually…. I think he does get the link but pretends not to get it…..

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Update: Just found this picture!

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