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Post by siobhan on Apr 4, 2015 22:28:42 GMT -5
On those rare evenings when we go out, I try to get home in time to get the birds to bed on time. Can't always do it, especially when it's a band gig. We went out to a concert tonight and the birds were up past their bedtime and Clyde punished me with a nasty chomp on my hand that raised a knot the diameter of a quarter and one on my arm the size of a nickel. I have to play bass at church in the morning and that huge bruise is going to be obvious. I got him to bed but I felt bad (insane, I know) for yelling at him for biting me so I snuck back into their room to make sure he wasn't too upset (!!!) and he did his cardinal impersonation and made kissing noises so I guess he's not. He bites me, and I apologize. I need professional help.
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Post by biteybird on Apr 4, 2015 23:42:47 GMT -5
Siobhan, no need for professional help; you are very well adjusted. As we are all aware, you had it coming...going out, well, really!  (only acceptable if you are going out to purchase bird food) |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Apr 5, 2015 1:09:48 GMT -5
No Biteybird, going out for bird food is definitely unacceptable. Why do you think online shopping was invented? That way, Siobhan NEVER has to leave the house.
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Post by easttex on Apr 5, 2015 5:26:01 GMT -5
How many Commandments are there in the Quaker Bible, anyway? |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Apr 5, 2015 6:41:56 GMT -5
At last count it was around 1,000.
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Post by julianna on Apr 5, 2015 13:30:52 GMT -5
I think we all need professional help. lol
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Post by siobhan on Apr 5, 2015 15:01:54 GMT -5
The bruise is huge today, but lighter because it spread out so maybe nobody noticed it at church. I just got home from dinner with Hubby's dad so I haven't been in the birds' room since I opened the curtains and cages this morning, and Clyde was still grumpy then. If I didn't love that little brat to distraction, I'd be really annoyed by this stuff.
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Post by siobhan on Apr 5, 2015 18:42:42 GMT -5
He gave me lots and lots of kisses, so maybe that's his apology.
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Post by aaron on Apr 6, 2015 0:19:37 GMT -5
Sheesh! Why would you ever think you were allowed to stay out late? Unacceptable!! I hope the fact that Cupcake is so used to people coming and going and having a fairly variable sleep schedule means I don't have these sorts of things to look forward to... but I'm sure she'll find a way to dominate our existence even more than she already does. |
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Post by biteybird on Apr 6, 2015 8:03:52 GMT -5
I thought of creating a new thread called 'Thou Shalt Not go away for Easter...etc. etc.'. Holy Quaker, we went to Rochester (near Echuca) for the weekend and Bonnie turned into a stuffed animal - apart from a feral-sounding squawk every 2 seconds. This was from Friday morning to this morning (Mon). We stayed with friends & they had visitors and everyone kept saying "what a cute bird, doesn't she talk?". If only! Not a chance. The moment we left on Mon morning she did her cute routine in the car, wolf-whistles, "good girl", the whole bit. I could have wrung her scrawny little neck, the hussy!
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Post by julianna on Apr 6, 2015 12:46:44 GMT -5
Well... I have been very lucky leaving Oscar behind. Perhaps it is because I do it often enough. During the day I am out perhaps 3-4 hours and when I go on holidays I can be gone 2-4 weeks. Each time I return (touch wood) I have been greeted with nothing but love.... no bites. I think he knows when I come around... he will be spoiled silly.
I know what you mean bitebird... if only they would talk when we ask them to. Does anyone's bird do that and if so... how did you manage to have this happen?
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Post by siobhan on Apr 6, 2015 13:05:05 GMT -5
I work a strange and stressful schedule because I'm a reporter. I go in at odd hours and don't come home sometimes until 9 or 10 p.m. I work weekends and holidays when it's my turn. But somehow the birds know the difference between Mommy being at work and Mommy going out to play a gig or do something fun. LOL Work is acceptable because the results keep them warm and fed, perhaps.
Clyde is willing to talk in front of people. A couple of friends came to meet the birds recently and he gave me kisses and said "hello" and was quite congenial. Ringo turned into a plush toy. Jade hid in her cage and peeked out from behind toys. Benjy stepped up for them, amazingly (he also hid last time the birds had a visitor). Maggie waddled around underfoot and the tiels did laps, squawking, but refused to hold still to be admired. I was astounded that Clyde sat on my shoulder and talked and behaved himself tolerably well.
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Post by aaron on Apr 6, 2015 13:10:16 GMT -5
I think there is something to be said for making sure they never get so comfortable in their routine that they get upset when it is disrupted, definitely... as long as their basic needs are met.
On any given day, Cupcake gets up anywhere between 7-10am, and there could be anywhere from one of us to four of us at home when she wakes up... we might all be going to work/school, or one or more of us might work from home... we all regularly come and go for various reasons throughout the day, and bedtime can be anywhere from 8pm to 10pm. She never really knows what's coming, and while I do think she is less stressed out at my parents' house, where things are basically always the same every day, I think the pace of our household keeps her on her toes and prevents the Quaker backlash when things change, because they are always changing.
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Post by Jan and Shah on Apr 6, 2015 16:24:13 GMT -5
Like Aaron, I used to live in a household where there were basically 3 adults and 2 teenagers. So it was full on - there were always people staying and lots of noise. Now he leads a much quieter existence and is in a routine. He was better behaved in the noisier household - he got to interact with other people and it was always changeable which he coped with. Now he is a monster. We turned our clocks back an hour due to daylight saving ending on Sunday. Instead of getting his peas and corn at 4pm (because I am home), he is yelling for them at 3pm. He is yelling by 7am for his breakfast. Once I move to the country, I will shake things up again but he will have more freedom there so his clock watching might come to an end. And yes, he does act like a stuffed toy when people come to visit. Unless they upset him and he calls them Monkey Breath.
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Post by siobhan on Apr 6, 2015 17:56:40 GMT -5
Knowing that Clyde tends to go into Berserker Mode if he doesn't get adequate sleep, I try to get them to bed by 9 or 9:30 every night. He is SO prone to that. The others don't do that. Now that the days are longer and the lighter curtains are up, the sun can peek in their room in the morning and they wake up earlier than they did with the heavy curtains and their cages covered. It's even more critical that they go to bed on time.
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(only acceptable if you are going out to purchase bird food)
