Meet Little Toggle

[petek]

Isn't he (she?) cute. This is one of my baby chicks I posted pics of in another thread when they were in the nest. This one however appears to the runt of a clutch, much smaller than the others but surprisingly it has been tame from the get go whereas the other 14 display varying degrees of nervousness. As soon as I open the cage door he comes right out and climbs into my hand, some of the others will too but they always wait and watch first and would never fall asleep like this for now anyways. Oh and disregard the little clump of dried poop on his back toe, nobodies perfect, hence the name.. LOL
duckin and runnin

 

[maytagbear]

aww!

How adorable!

Thanks for sharing, Pete.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Toggle want a cracker

What a sweet little bird.

 

[retromom]

Toggle and other tweeters......

Better watch that "Little Toggle"! I'm sure he is totally unpredictable!

Just when I said "NO BIRDS" to Hayley....I'm beginning to think I'm a softie or something; NOT!

 

[air-waycharlie]

What a cutie!

The bird Pete..........but now that we are talking about it. Nevermind.

 

[appnut]

Hmm, even looks a little bit like Toggle. But I can't decide who's cuter.

 

[toggleswitch]

Does it have to say Toggle in the title to get read?

awwwwwwww.

VOMIT

 

[petek]

No, but I named him after you because he's cute and a little bit dirty

 

[toggleswitch]

if that is supposed to be flattery..........

 

[toggleswitch]

or is it this bird's penchant for finger-shaped objects that got him his name?

 

[sudsmaster]

Finger shaped objects

LOL!

 

[sudsmaster]

How do you breed parakeets?

Seriously, what kind of nest enironment do you provide the breeding pair? I've read it's fairly simple, but have never run across specifics.

Is it like a wood birdhouse? A cup shaped nest base? A cigar box? An evening at the Ritz?

 

[maytagbear]

They

just need some Stoli and a Cole Porter cd:

"Birds do it, bees do it, even overeducated fleas do it!"

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[Cybrvanr]

He/she's a real cutie there...so tiny!

Budgies are neat little birds...very intelligent too! My parents got me one when I was about 8 years old. The little guy had quite a vocabulary, and I had taught him quite a few tricks.

 

[toggleswitch]

How do you breed parakeets?

First get them a nice dinner with candle-light.
Roamantic music.
Dim lights.
A gentle kiss.
Some massaging

staring into each-others eyes.......

 

[petek]

They're fairly easy to breed actually and can be quite prolific. They nest in boxes about half the size of a shoe box, the floor of which has an indentation, saucer shaped, in which the eggs are layed and don't roll around too much. You can make them yourself out of wood or buy them in plastic or metal. Normally they will lay anywhere from 4-7 eggs, one per day and when the last one is layed the hen sits tight till they hatch while the cock feeds her. He feeds her and the chicks once they've hatched and for about two weeks after they leave the nest and can fend for themselves. The interesting part is seeing what colors or patterns will emerge. It gets quite complicated with all the recessive/dominant gene factors if you're aiming for a certain type like a spangle or lacewing and then it doesn't always work either. But they're all cute regardless. And yes a budgie that is well socialized can be quite intelligent.

 

[sudsmaster]

Petek,

Thanks. Where can you get the nesting boxes? I looked all over for one, but couldn't find one. Is there an online supplier?

 

[petek]

I've found them at most pet stores, I think PetSmart carries the plastic ones. They come knocked down in a box and you just snap them together.. Do you have budgies? I breed canaries primarily, they're a little more difficult and just once a year.

 

[jasonl]

Breeding parakeets

They have sex..

huhu huhu huhuh huhuhu huhuh hehe hehehe hehhe hehehehhhehe yeah yeah cool.. heheh huhu huh hehhe hehe hehe

 

[toggleswitch]

My cloaca or yours?

He said S - -.

YUK YUK YUK YUK YUK

 

[frontaloadotmy]

your new drag name toggle

Queen Cloaca !!!!!

 

[toggleswitch]

oh my gawd................

 

[jasonl]

Way back when I was lil tot, I used to call it a Birdie.

 

[petek]

You see how an innocent little posting turns into,, well you know .. cloaca indeed!!! LOL

 

[foraloysius]

I see some similarities. They both have a sharp mouth!

Ducking and running!!!! LOL

 

[sudsmaster]

Pete,

Well, I've looked but never found them. Maybe I'll ask again at PetSmart. However, I'm currently down to just one bird, the female. The male got out at night while I was sleeping and was quickly dispatched by one of my cats. The cat presence makes me hesitate to acquire another bird... especially if they were to breed and produce little ones that would be even more vulnerable than the adults.

But I was curious about the nest. I will file the information away for possible future use if and when my home becomes cat-less.

 

[Cybrvanr]

I've gotta ask though if the little guy is healthy. Being that he's a bit small, and he fell asleep on your hand like that. I've only known my birds to fall asleep during the day if it's completely quiet in the house, and they'll put their head back in their wings. I was able to tell my Cockatiel was sick one time when he stopped eating, and was closing his eyes and going to sleep while sitting on my shoulder without putting his head back. He had an infection that was quickly cured, but made me realize that any sign of lethargy is a bad thing with birds!

 

[toggleswitch]

Look at the birdie.....

Ducking and running- eh?
Good idea.

(LOL)

 

[petek]

He's healthy, all the chicks are pretty much that way, they go go go then they have naps, then repeat it all over again.

 

[toggleswitch]

Who you callin a chick?

Perhaps,

but now that I've (just about? LOL) hit forty, it's more work than it used to be.