My Pet Bird: The Little Tweeter's a Twerp

Okay, I know that I've been busy lately with my daughter's high school graduation and moving and all, and that I haven't had the time to spend with my fur and feathered friends as much as they are accustomed to ... but, is that an excuse for them to treat me like this???

I mean, it's not that I ignore them or anything. They get plenty of good food, fresh water, exercise, a little play time, and then they get to watch me work. Isn't that enough? Apparently, they don't think so ... at least Scratchy, my first Sunshine's Halo Rescue Budgie, doesn't think so. Now, Scratchy started calling me "gramma" in December when I traveled from New York to Maryland to adopt him from a family that was leaving the country. Before that time, he never left his cage which was the smallest cage on the market. He didn't know what it was like to spread his wings and fly. He didn't even know that there were other little birds in the world. In fact, he had no way of knowing that he was a bird. After all, his cage didn't have any toys, and no mirror to see his own image.

After a few weeks of getting him accustomed to his new home, I started teaching this blonde beauty what it really meant to be loved. I taught him how to eat the good pellets rather than the fattening seeds, how to get out of his cage without cringing with fear, and how to look at his own image and feel good about himself as expressed in song. Okay, he doesn't agree that I was actually singing with him ... he believes that I was croaking. But, that's neither here nor there.

He became a constant companion who never left my side. I kept him with me at all times while I worked. When I went out to shop, he would wait anxiously at home for me like a little puppy dog and sing and chirp to me once I came home and opened the door.

Then came Rescue Number Two, Elf. Now, Elfie came from a shelter and he was quite used to other animals and birds. Although Elfie went through some medical problems and was quarantined for 60 days, he did well emotionally with or without me in the room. He could hear Scratchy singing in the background in another room while he was in isolation and would sing and bob his head for this invisible little bird that he could only imagine would be his best friend someday.

When the day came for me to introduce the two budgies together, I was a little nervous that there would be some squabbling involved. I thought there may be some jealousy involved. But, no. They came together like they were united in marriage in some separate life somewhere at sometime. In fact, they enjoyed each other's company so much, twittering around their separate cages, that I was completely forgotten ... except at suppertime when they would call for me in chorus to come into the room and dish out the good stuff.

The weeks went by in perfect harmony. Scratchy and Elfie were oblivious to the world around them, except for their own budgie blubberings which made my dog Skippy sick to his stomach because he was not included in their communications network ... but, then again, neither was I. Oh well! Then the time got nearer and nearer for my daughter's graduation and our impending move. Between work assignments, and ok my Gatherings, and preparing for a change of residence as well as setting up my house in New York for rental, I found myself spending almost no time with Scratchy and Elf. I was aware of the situation, I just couldn't do much to rectify it.

Well, the last few days, Scratchy was acting sick and I've been concerned. He was eating and drinking and he would perch, but he was in a slump. And every time I saw him, he was acting very lethargic and paid me no heed. I was getting more and more worried about him and made an appointment with the avian vet. But, something was prodding my thoughts. There was something just not right in all this. It seemed that when I left the room, I could distinctly hear two birds singing. I came back into their room. No. Only one bird was singing. This happened a couple of times.

Finally, I decided to play a little trick on these guys. When I heard the music start again, I quietly stuck my head into the room. And, while they were unaware of the presence of my sneaky self. I caught them in the action -- NO, NOT THAT ACTION -- I caught them both singing and dancing around their cages like a pair of little gnomes, chuckling at my clueless ignorance. I took the experiment a step further and walked into the room. Elfie kept singing and Scratchy went into his slumped position and became silent. I went to his cage, bending down so I could look him in the eye, but he wouldn't look me in the eye. This little twerp was MAD at me!

I spent the morning fluffing up his little ego and sat by the couch sipping tea with him and Elfie, and acted silly with them ... just like the old days a few weeks ago when time wasn't quite so short. And, that seemed to do the trick! Scratchy is on his way to being a happy camper once again. And, he forgave me my sins. Yes, folks, I have been ABSOLVED!